Dear editor,
Parent’s common complaint about their wards is their lack of concentration. While studying, they are often distracted by several things which results in making learning a huge task for them. There could be sever- al reasons for this: restlessness, playfulness, dreamy nature, lack of understanding or interest in studies or some stress.
We suggest a fewer simple tips which will help increase your child’s concentration to some extent.
Taking down notes during classes is a habit that should be inculcated in children. Making a note of something important being taught by the teacher helps the child to reinforce what has been taught. While revising the lesson, these notes will help to improve his concentration as he has to pay complete attention to what the teacher is saying and later concentrate on trying to recall what his notes say.
Multitasking is not everyone’s cup of tea. Especially in children, this can be quite a task. Ensuring that the child concentrates on one single task at hand can improve his level of concentration to a large extent.
Research has proven that when you study a topic before going to bed, the information is shifted to the long term memory. This proves that enough rest is of vital importance to con- centration and good memory. If there is an overload of information without proper sleep, it will be a futile exercise in learning.
It has been observed that children tend to concentrate better when they are given breaks between two study sessions. These breaks help them to re- vitalize their interest and start again with renewed energy. This makes shifting to another subject or topic easier. They could utilise this break to play, read, listen to music or do any leisurely activity.
It’s not just the child’s habits that should be blamed for their lack of concentration. Many times, there are some other factors like the people and environment around him that needs to be improved. Besides school, at home too, one needs to ensure that his concentration is optimum. Look around for habits that could be instrumental in distracting him, like listening to music or TV on high volume. A family member or neighbours’ loud behaviour could also be playing the spoilt sport. Similarly check whether your habit of supervising over every aspect of your child’s studying is affecting his con- centration levels?
Also ensure that he sits to study in a well-lit room with good ventilation with least possible noises in the back- ground. These small yet important things could go a long way in helping him regain his concentration level.
Besides his habits, there could be psychological issues that your child could be facing that could be impairing his concentration level. For ex- ample constant fights between parents, bullying at school or home, competition with peers or some sort of phobia are just a few instances that keeps a child distracted. It is important to identify the problem and rectify it as soon as possible.
These days, children have several electronic gadgets to indulge in. Be it television shows, virtual games, social media etc. and other tempting gadgets which are a concentration buster for sure. Wean them off these unnecessary distractions to encourage your child’s concentration levels.
Vijay Garg
