From specialized preschools to educational apps for toddlers, today’s parents are more concerned with their children’s success than ever. But are these tools teaching the top-needed skill of the future? In most cases, the answer is “no,” but don’t worry—you can help your child develop flexible mental skills that will prepare her for tomorrow’s success, whatever that may look like. The number one anticipated skill needed in the future? Focus! Read on to find expert tips to improve a child’s concentration from a psychologist in Littleton.

Why Concentrate? Can’t We Multitask?

In the modern world where we get hundreds of signals each minute, many ask, why focus on concentration? Isn’t it better to be good at multitasking? In truth, humans are awful at multitasking! It typically takes longer than doing the two tasks at separate times, increases anxiety and frustration, and makes it more likely that you will make mistakes. In fact, when hospital nurses wear clear signs telling others they are busy and not to be bothered, they make up to 70% fewer errors! The same is true for your child.

What Does Concentration Look Like?

Concentration is difficult to define. Many people think of concentration as military focus, fixating on one’s task like a soldier until it is finished. In reality, human ability to concentrate goes up and down, just like your running ability. Sometimes you can “sprint,” at other times, you would benefit from a rest. When your child is concentrated, he is focused mentally and physically, engaged in the task, and thinking a lot—about that task. This state is easily disrupted, and it can take up to 15 minutes to re-engage once concentration is broken! For some kids, wiggling or fidgeting can actually improve mental concentration; for others, a silent, distraction-free environment is a must.

Fun Activities to Build Focus Skills

Now, the real fun! How can you build focus skills in your child? Try these great tips:

Increase mindfulness by playing “I spy” or a variation on the game where each person tries to notice something new.

Play concentration-based games like “memory” cards, hidden object pictures, or turn-taking games.

Read! Reading for just 15 minutes decreases stress and promotes the deep focus that so many kids struggle with today.

Draw. Even tracing a design or copying from a photo builds attention to detail and focusing skills.

Check the basics. Is your child getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and checking out at the annual physical  or well-child exam?

Timers. Little kids love being timed for most things, but even teens may be surprised by how long a task takes. For a science twist, have your child predict whether it will take longer to do tasks at the same time or separately and let science be your answer! Other fun experiments include “homework with cell phone vs without cell phone ” and “getting dressed in the morning with and without music playing.”

Ready to build concentration skills today? Try these great tips! If your child’s concentration challenges are causing distraction, concern with teachers, or if your child feels he just can’t ever focus, consider contact your trusted Littleton child psychologist for further evaluation and strategies.

November is the dreaded month where many children receive their report cards and parents start meeting with teachers for the first or second round of parent-teacher conferences. Often, this results in a consultation with a child behavior psychologist in Littleton to talk about behavior, grades, and social skills. While all parents want their children to succeed, some kids just can’t get one or more of these important elements together, making parents wonder “how can I help my child succeed?” Fortunately, play therapy can help  with young children and even some older ones at times. Read on to find out how!

Behavior

The biggest concern that most parents have for their elementary school students is behavior issues. Many parents seek out children’s play therapy in Highlands Ranch to address issues of aggression, anger, sadness, anxiety, and all the “acting out” that comes along with it. Whether your child is poking peers with pencils, bouncing around the room like a jackrabbit, or too scared to walk through the door, play therapy can be a safe place for her to explore her feelings and practice acting in a different way. Instead of making the child herself do these actions, play therapy starts a step back. Puppets, dolls, or even Lego people can take the pressure as children learn tools to feel stronger, control impulses, and keep disruption to a minimum. These skills carry over into real life as well.

Grades and Academics

While therapy is not about teaching academic skills, the skills that your child will learn while working with a play therapist in Littleton will help him to develop the tools he needs to succeed. Through play, your child may express that he does not feel like his work is good enough to turn in, or he might reveal being teased for being the “teacher’s pet.” Whatever is holding your child back will be easier to express through play.

Social Skills

Nobody likes talking about the things they do wrong, especially in social situations. Even young children can identify these experiences as “so embarrassing!” Instead, exploring the social skills of toys or playing socialization games can help children make up for this challenge in a way that is non-threatening and effective. See our tips for building social skills  for more ideas!

Play therapy is generally used with younger children, in the 3-12 year old age range, but can sometimes be good tools for teens who struggle with verbal communication or are unwilling to engage in traditional talk therapy. From the time humans are infants, we explore the “real world” through the safety of play; using this in a therapeutic setting can have powerful benefits.

As the school year winds down, your child is ready to be done with it all! Whether you have a pre-school child ready to move on to kindergarten next year or a high school senior embarking to college, both are going to experience major changes in their lives—including a shift in time. The end of the school year can be the perfect season to help your kids develop time management skills that are vital for success throughout their lives.

A Developmental Perspective

One of the biggest complaints that Littleton child behavior psychologists hear is that kids are slow. Slow to get dressed, slow to get homework done, and all of a sudden, things start getting rushed, done at the last minute, or missed entirely. To keep your wits and help your kids develop theirs, make sure that your expectations are appropriate to your child’s age. In the preschool crowd, time is generally limited to just a few minutes or hours into the future. When your 3-year-old asks “are we there yet?” and asks again just 20 minutes later (on your cross-country road trip!), don’t get frustrated. To him, 20 minutes doesn’t seem unreasonable to drive from Colorado to Maine… and that 20 minutes probably felt like 20 hours. As kids get older, learn to tell time, and experience more timed events (30-minute TV shows, 45-minute classes, etc.), these skills develop.

Teaching Skills

• Help your child understand how long common tasks take. Getting a basic grasp of how long it takes to shower, finish 10 math story problems, walk the dog around the block twice, or style the perfect hair can help to plan effectively. Teens and adults, especially those with ADHD, often struggle to realize the amount of time they spend on tasks .
• For your child to have good time management, they must learn a variety of steps. One of the biggest is the passage of time, which does come somewhat with age, but can be developed in other ways as well. For example…
• Note the time frequently, and connect it with real events. “We are going to the park and play for an hour today! That’s as long as it takes to drive to Grandma’s house, but it will seem much faster!” or, perhaps “
• Speed it up! For the “pokey puppy” out there, encourage speedy performance in a fun way . This can include the classic “last one there’s a rotten egg” sort of games, a personal “world record” for common tasks, and playing speed response games together. Teach your child to “turn on” the speed. This can be a great topic to pursue through play therapy in Highlands Ranch.

Taking Breaks

As a final note, remember that most people can’t perform their fastest, or their best, on a consistent basis. Sprinters go faster than distance runners. Encourage your child to schedule breaks, not only to keep themselves sane, but to keep productivity and time on track. If your child’s time management skills seem very much below that of his or her peers, or if simple strategies don’t work, consider consulting with a child psychologist in Littleton. Dr. Lazarus is skilled in helping children achieve at their highest levels.