Homework battles—will they never end?! Sometimes it seems impossible to
keep kids focused: Whether it’s because of shrinking attention spans from too
much television-watching and electronic gadget playing, or simply a sign of the
times, teaching our children to focus, particularly on their homework, can be
challenging.. But helping your child learn to stay in the present moment and to
focus on the task at hand is easier than it may seem.
6 Tips To Get the Homework Done
Eliminate any potential distractions.
If your child needs to focus on reading a book or completing a homework
assignment, turn off televisions and radios. Close opened windows. Do not allow
video games or phones in the immediate vicinity. Most children are easily
distracted, and of course, homework is not usually on their list of priorities. But if
we’re mindful of their needs and the potential for distraction in their environment,
we can eliminate any obvious distractions so that they can more easily buckle
down to work.
Position your child appropriately.
Make sure your child is in an appropriate location for the task at hand. If your
child is supposed to be doing homework, have him sit upright in a chair and at a
table, with his supplies within easy reach. Do not allow him to slouch in the bed,
for example, or lay on the living room floor. Kids who get used to doing their
homework in an appropriate place will find it easier to make this a healthy habit.
Set a sufficient time frame.
Discuss a reasonable time frame in which the work is to be completed. Providing
children with a clear start and end time will offer them a goal to work toward, and
make it easier for them to zero in on what they’re doing, because the task won’t
stretch out, open-ended.
Reinforce their focal point.
This is very effective, and should be done right before they start their homework.
Ask questions about what they are working on to draw their attention to the
subject at hand. Continue to monitor them, and if you see their attention
wandering, ask again. Initially it will take your encouragement, but eventually,
this will become a good habit for your kids. If you do this repeatedly, it will
exercise their minds and enable them to focus for longer periods of time, and to
create the habit of revisiting their current task when they are interrupted.
(Eventually they’ll be able to do this for themselves.)
Play games.
Create a game out of anything your child finds boring. Making activities fun for
kids allows them to be more present, and when they are present, they are
focused. This will give them the experience of focus and a reference point. For
instance, if your child is cleaning his or her room, you can suggest that she
pretend she has magical powers and is able to move things with the point of a
finger, like in the movies. Start her out and then leave her to play/work. This also
works during homework. You can create games out of studies. Have her make
up a rhyme with test answers for memorization or create a story out of them.
Sing songs.
If the dishes need to be done, the car washed, or the floors swept start your kids
off singing a repetitive song. This will help them to focus and make their chore
fun for them.
Anything you can do that will return the focus to the present moment and to the
task at hand will become an exercise for your children and will eventually, with
consistency, teach them how to better focus. Focusing can become second
nature for your children and you! It just takes a little creativity and practice.
