Whether your child suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder or simply has trouble with inattention at school, not being able to focus can cause problems with your child's grades and comprehension. Instead of becoming frustrated by your child's lack of focus at school, seek to understand and remedy the problem. With the help of a committed teacher, coping mechanisms and exercises at home, you can help your child focus in school and become more successful in learning.
Step 1
Set up a one-on-one meeting with your child's teacher to talk about the situation, recommends Dr. Ron Taffel, family therapist. If your child's teacher has sent home a report card or note about your child's inattention, talk to her about it so that you can better understand the problem. Find out when she is most distracted and how that distraction is manifested in the classroom to try and understand triggers.
Step 2
Make sure your child has enough physical activities throughout the day. A study performed by East Carolina University found that children who participated in physical activities throughout the day exhibited better focus in the classroom. See that your child is signed up for a physical education course or is playing during recess breaks.
Step 3
Assess changes that may have occurred in your family that could cause inattention. Sometimes, big changes like a new house, a change in the family or a new baby occupy your child's mind so that he has difficulty focusing. If you find that changes are the cause for the lack of focus, take time to talk about them with your child. This may help stop any anxiety about the changes in your home.
Step 4
Play focus-related games at home with your child as practice. You can make your own games, but traditional board games that require focus, like "Monopoly," "Battleship" and "Operation," can all help your child learn the right way to focus. Instituting a "quiet room" of the home that is free of noise and distraction can also be an important exercise for focusing.
Step 5
Give your child a "fidget" toy to keep her hands busy while in class. "Additude," a magazine for those who suffer from ADD and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, recommends fidget toys for inattentive children in class. Keeping her hands busy can help her to release some of the energy that causes her not to focus, so that she can pay better attention. Try a squishy ball, molding clay or gum to keep your child busy, if her teacher gives permission for one.
