Sunday, August 30, 2009

Child’s Attention Span


A child’s mind keeps wandering. Now studying and suddenly he feels like playing or watching TV. Children are normally very restless and overactive. Unlike adults, child‘s attention span is quite less. So what are parents supposed to do in order to increase child’s attention span? This factor needs even more importance during the times of examination. The problems gets magnified when an exam or project report is due in few days and child is not willing to sit for more than an hour on the study table. However, parents should not panic in such condition. It is a normal event that takes place in every household.

The first thing parents should focus on is setting a routine. As per the examination timing, child’s study routine must be defined and followed. The benefit of a set routine is if this habit gets inculcated in your kid he will be ready to face new challenges even in the future years of his life. Studying demands concentration and mind cannot study unless all the distractions are gone. Do not disturb while the child studies. Try to identify when your child feels better in studying. It could be morning or evening.

Parents must arrange for an appropriate study table for the child. He will able to concentrate better while sitting on a chair-table compared to a sofa where he is more likely to feel sleepy. Set some goals for the kid while he studies. Try to avoid any sort of distractions like loud music or TV set. Finally, make your child eat light foods. That way he will keep feeling more enthusiastic and fresh.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Independent Children

Children grow up to become independent humans. That’s how the cycle works. It also implies that parents need to impart such skills in their child so that children grow up to become young, confident and independent individuals. In fact, attaining independence is a very crucial part in child’s growth. They cannot rely on their parents or siblings for every small need of their life. The trick for parents is to inculcate a self-determining attitude in their kid.

One of the first steps parents need to take is to avoid spoon feeding. It’s one thing to help the child whenever he needs it and it’s an altogether different thing to support him in every small thing. That makes him reliant and dependent. Help the child only when it’s needed. Simultaneously, parents’ can work on making child confident. Independence always comes with confidence. Both go hand in hand. Teach him basic things and slowly start to assign him small tasks. This way he will start to become confident and self-reliant.

The quality of independence demands decision making ability. Parents should push child to face the world on his own. Don’t try to be over-protective. This might save him in initial run but will prove to be a poor decision in the long run. Allow him to face the realities of the world. Make your child feel secure. This can be done by instilling confidence in him that parents are always there for him if in case something goes wrong. Finally, allow your child the freedom to make decisions on his own. This way he will learn quickly.