helping your child focus on homework

A Fine Parent

A Life Skills Blog Exclusively For Parents

9 Simple Tips for Teaching Kids How to Focus on Homework

by Cate Scolnik . (This article is part of the Positive Parenting FAQ series. Get free article updates here .)

Five minutes into my daughter starting it, she’s asked 4 irrelevant questions and walked across the room twice – for no reason .

She had a break when she first got in from school, and had a snack. Then we agreed to a little outside time before starting homework.

She’s got the book open and a pencil in her hand, but that’s the sum total of her achievement so far.

Her mind doesn’t seem to want to sit still – preferring to bounce all around the place. It’s like her mind is a magnet, and when it’s put near homework, it repels away from it.

When she was 5, I thought she would grow out of it; but at 8 years old I was beginning to worry.

As someone who likes to get in and get things done, it drives me nuts .

Don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter dearly. But the way she gets distracted every 5 minutes during homework time is enough to make anyone go crazy.

She’s highly intelligent, has loads of positive energy and is warm and engaging. She can focus long and hard on anything she is interested in. But getting her to focus on homework she isn’t keen on? Damn near impossible.

I just couldn’t sustain parenting positively unless I got this under control. I wanted to take some action.

At one point when her distraction was driving me nuts, I had started to wonder if I should get her tested for attention deficit disorder (ADD). My research on this topic led me to discover some behavioral techniques used with ADD kids, that are also applicable to any child having difficulty focusing.

I decided to try them for teaching my daughter how to focus on homework. Some worked better than others but overall it has been a great success. Here are the ones that worked for us –

#1 Keep It Short

When it came to doing homework, we kept it short and broke it down. Generally, that meant one ten-minute stint a day, instead of one 30-40 minute block each week.

Each time she wandered off task (mentally or physically), I would gently guide her back to the homework.

I kept the focus light and pointed out the fun parts of her work. And I bit down hard on my tongue every time I felt like screaming “If you just stuck to the task and focused you could be done already!”

#2 Use A Timer

So, if I estimated a task could be completed in about 2 minutes, I’d set the timer for 5 minutes. Each time she started chatting about something, I’d say something like “I hope you beat the timer!” or “Don’t forget – you want to beat the timer!”

#3 Wear Them Out

My daughter has loads of physical energy, so I made sure she got lots of exercise . Even now she needs to do lots of running around, or physical activity to wear her out a bit.

I’m not talking about making her run a marathon every day. Just encouraging and supporting her to move her body.

I worked with her natural rhythms as much as possible. I realized she had more energy in the afternoon, so we often went on outings in the morning.

If she’d been to school for the day and we were going to spend a few minutes on homework, I’d encourage her to go and jump her jiggles out on the trampoline before we sat down to focus.

#4 Kept It Positive

I focused on her positive outcomes as much as possible. Whenever she breezed through an activity I would give her positive feedback .

“Look how quickly you finished writing out your words! You stayed focused and you finished that in no time. Well done!”

We’d always start homework early and allow extra time to get things done, so I had to be organized and plan ahead. This meant I could sometimes say, “Wow! You finished your homework the day before it’s due. Great effort!”

If we’d been working on a homework task for a long time and she was just getting less and less focused, I’d call a stop to it. When a five-minute task is only half done after 25 minutes, and there’s no momentum, there really isn’t any point continuing.

This is a tricky one, and I didn’t use it often. She’s a bright girl and she knew she hadn’t finished what she set out to do that day. But if we kept trying and getting nowhere, we would both become very frustrated and dejected – no good ever comes out of that.

So, I’d suggest we leave it for now and come back to the task when we were fresher. This way she wasn’t failing, it just wasn’t the right time.

#6 Eat More Fish

Crazy as it might sound, eating more fish or taking fish oil supplements , is apparently helpful.

Now, I’m not a nutritionist and I understand that the fish oil theory is unproven. But there seems to be research to support the fact that fish oil high in EPA (rather than DHA) can help improve focus.

I figured it was something that couldn’t hurt, so I did it. It seemed to me that each time her fish oil consumption dipped, she became less focused.

I’ve no real evidence to support that – it may just be in my head. 😉

#7 Encourage Self-Management

The Tools of the Mind program produces brighter children who are classified as gifted more often, but more importantly, it also produces kids with better behavior, greater focus and control.

Classes involve role play and each child creates their own detailed plan of their part. If a child gets off track, the teacher refers them back to their plan.

One of the ways the program helps is through encouraging planning and time management by setting weekly goals. This helps to wire up the part of the brain responsible for maintaining concentration and setting goals.

The Tools of the Mind philosophy is that every child can become a successful learner, with the right support. Children learn by using the skills they currently have – such as drawing and play. They think through their play plan, then draw a detailed record of it, then carry it out.

Using their skills in this way teaches children to set achievable goals, work out how to reach them, and stay on track. They learn they can be responsible for their own outcomes. We’ve been using this to teach my daughter self-management .

#8 Work Together

My daughter is nearly eleven now and has matured a lot over the last year. And I’ve just started using self-management techniques to help her set goals and plan how she’ll achieve them.

Earlier this year she said she really wanted to improve her grades, which I said was a great goal. Then she said she wanted to be involved in band, which means taking some band lessons in class time.

I asked her to plan how she intended to achieve both goals, given she has other extra-curricular activities she wants to keep up.

She created a plan to practice her instrument regularly and do more homework than she has previously. We’re at week 7 of our school year here in Australia, and so far she’s on track.

She dives into homework without being reminded and gets it done early. She’s also completing homework tasks to a higher standard, rather than madly (and messily) rushing through them .

Since starting band she’s been practicing twice a day, every day – without being asked. I know that if she loses momentum, or strays off track, I can direct her back to her own plan.

#9 Understand The Scale

We all have different strengths and weaknesses. And attention and focus can vary wildly, particularly in the early years.

It partly depends on the environment, and partly the child.

Try and take the pressure off, and work with your child’s strengths.

Break tasks down and keep them fun.

Aim for a balance between physical and mental focus, and remember it’s OK to give up if the timing isn’t right.

Have realistic expectations, and know that your child’s focus will improve with age.

Don’t be scared to quit when things really are not working. Not doing a perfect job on the homework once in a while is not the end of the world. If it comes to a choice between quitting for the moment or screaming and yelling at your kids through the task, choose love and call it quits.

And finally, hang in there. It’s all going to be OK.

The 2-Minute Action Plan for Fine Parents

Take a moment to consider your child’s behavior.

• How does it compare to other children? Either their siblings or a number of other kids of a similar age? (Try to compare them with a range of other kids – rather than one or two)
• Does your child seem to have age-appropriate behavior and focus? If you’re concerned, do you need to seek help?
• How can you start breaking down big tasks into manageable (snack-sized) sections?
• Is your child able to focus on things they like doing? Can you use that in your favor?
• Are your kids distracted by things that could be controlled?
• What strategies can you put in place to keep your kids focus?

The Ongoing Action Plan for Fine Parents

• Brainstorm some roles that you can use to elicit certain behavior. If you need your child to be quiet and still for a few minutes, what can they pretend to be? A King or Queen on a throne? A soldier on guard? Good posture during homework is a good idea, but if the only way to get your child to do it without a fuss is to let them pretend to sit on a throne or stand at attention, go for it!
• Think back over the things that your child struggles to focus on. How can you get them to use self-management techniques to improve?
• If it seems impossible to get your child to focus and pay attention ask yourself this: “If it were possible, how would it be achieved?” Make some notes.
• Take a moment to check out why Tools of the Mind works so well and think about how you might use their strategies at home.

About Cate Scolnik

Cate is on a mission to help parents stop yelling and create families that listen to each other. She does this while imperfectly parenting two boisterous girls of her own and learning from her mistakes. Download her free Cheat Sheet to Get Your Kids from "No" to "Yes" in Three Simple Steps and reduce your yelling today.

May 16, 2016 at 6:21 am

This is a great article and there is some mention of it but I feel it has to be emphasized- that no homework should ever trump connection with your child. If homework struggles are causing you to butt heads time to re-think! Your child needs you in their side ALWAYS, there have long difficult days in School where social interactions and the system challenge their resources all day long. The need to come home to an ally. Here in Canada we are seeing tons of research that shows that homework before high school produces little increase in assessment scores – I imagine education philosophy will move toward reducing or almost eliminating primary homework! So don’t sacrifice your living connected relationship at home iver homework

May 16, 2016 at 2:35 pm

Totally agree with you on the point that “no homework should ever trump connection with your child”, Kim.

I’ve read some of the research about homework, but I’m not entirely convinced. To me, even if homework does little to increase assessment scores, it builds the habit and discipline of getting things done on your own outside the classroom… So IMO there is some merit to it. The question for me is more of how to teach our kids to focus and build this habit in a kind and gentle manner without butting heads…

May 16, 2016 at 11:29 pm

You’re right that we shouldn’t let homework damage relationships. I’m fortunate that our school has homework as an optional thing, but we do opt in. Like Sumitha, I think it’s more about getting a routine established.

Thanks for your comment. 😉

May 10, 2017 at 3:50 pm

Agree with #Cate. I asked school to increase the home work for my daughter to help her develop the habit of focus, responsibility, self – discipline and also prepare them for high school where they should not get shocked with the name of home work thinking it as a monster.

Apart from this, these tips are life saving and work word by word. Thank you so much for sharing and I liked these so much that I shared the page with my facebook friends.

May 16, 2016 at 1:35 pm

My child’s PRE-SCHOOL had homework. It was age-appropriate (“Color the baby chicks yellow”) but surprise, surprise–my daughter didn’t want to do it. She wanted to run around the playground and then jump on the sofa. I mentioned this to another parent (of a typically developing child) and she said, “Oh, we don’t do the homework. It’s not developmentally appropriate at this age.” Boy, did my life improve when I followed her advice and ignored the homework! I told the school, nicely, that I got home from work too late in the evening to do homework. And that was the end of it! Now, in elementary school, we don’t do the homework every night. It is BORING (math worksheets) and turns her off to everything related to school!

May 16, 2016 at 2:42 pm

Wendy, homework in preschool is probably pushing it too much… but as kids grow older, I do believe there is some merit to homework in terms of building habits and discipline of doing things on your own outside the classroom and being accountable for something that is assigned to you.

I personally feel that telling kids you don’t have to do something because it is boring sends the wrong message (listening to any grownup is boring for a kid… so if they can skip doing homework because it is boring, why not also skip listening to what grownups tell them?) To me, building the habits of accountability and sticking to a task even if it is sometimes boring and learning tricks to focus even when you sometimes don’t want to are important life skills… Homework is one of the ways to do this, and I would rather look for kind and gentle ways to do this than give up on homework entirely.

June 29, 2024 at 8:25 pm

I teach at a local nursery in order to have something to do. In addition I give them two tasks each week. For example a upcoming task will involve pumpkins. They recently as a entire preschool class painted a picture of a sunflower. They are little so I do the research for them instead. In the past we have focused on music, gardening and cooking. Best wishes. Planning a October visit to a pumpkin patch.

We also once did baking. From time to time we study animals and learn about other people. If it is hot we either do gardening or ride child friendly bikes. Recently we have gone on picnics and tried tennis. Each task has a theme. Drawing is fun.

Considering a museum trip and so on. In terms of future tasks, I’m planning one that is wholly based on Halloween. I’ve also got a idea for Christmas. Other activities include pond dipping and farm outings. Yet more such fun activities in consideration will involve poster design and card making. I’m keen on easy sports like table tennis. I believe that they have a sports day. Have a nice day.

Last week I decided on a whim to try sand art and water play. I also want to teach them to cook. Two weeks before we rode bikes and assisted in the garden at the nursery. Once or twice a day we do singing and reading in question. I’m also keen on classic board games and stencilling. I want to try out new activities like pottery and face painting. We do a lot of reading. I love origami.

Bingo wouldn’t fail either. They have never played simple games like Monopoly Deal or Scrabble. Additionally I love the idea of introducing them to other classic games. We have previously tried creative writing and poetry. I really do like to focus on basic skill development as far as possible. This includes story telling and independence building. For example making friends and being healthy.

Snap is cool. So is making fresh lemonade and the like. I’ve never tried either activity. I love to play UNO. Coding is hard work. One day in the near future I’m organising a class trip to a library and a zoo. In the past I’ve shown them how to use a shape sorter toy and puppets. We use the puppets to tell a simple story. And we have a sensory room.

May 16, 2016 at 7:49 pm

I don’t believe in most homework and glad it’s not generally a part of Montessori. At my kids’ school they don’t start handing out homework until 4th grade, and even then it’s a packet they have all week to complete so they can choose their own pace for finishing it. I like that no homework leaves time for other things like piano and violin and volleyball and Latin, not to mention the chance for my kids to help me cook, etc. When my oldest got to the adolescent program and we started to struggle with homework, we realized in her case the best approach was to back off and leave her to fail or succeed on her own. I think for many children there is much more value in unstructured time to play and explore. They have to be disciplined at school all day. I don’t see why they have to extend that into home time. I love watching my kids come up with their own projects which are often far more interesting than anything a teacher would send home as an assignment. Most homework is busy work. Life is too short for that.

May 16, 2016 at 9:20 pm

If the homework was long and unending, I would likely agree with you (at least to a certain extent ;)), Korinthia. Fortunately, my daughter’s home work assignments usually take just 10 – 15 minutes which she actually finishes up in school. It is busy work, but it reinforces the facts that she has learnt that day in school. Her teacher’s take is that it helps her gauge if the kids are grasping what they learn, and lets her know if she should repeat any concepts or slow down the pace etc. I love that idea of using homework (and tests) as a feedback loop. Her school also specifically tells parent not to get involved unless the child asks for clarifications. This also helps the homework serve as a mini-token of responsibility and self-management… which is all good in my book.

I love how every time this discussion comes up, we come at it from such opposite perspectives 🙂

May 16, 2016 at 10:14 pm

I think one of the trickiest things in parenting is realizing people can do the opposite of what you do and still not be wrong. We’re all so vulnerable in this area that people get defensive fast! I love that you are so thoughtful with every response, and that there is more than one way to be right. And I keep coming back here because I feel it’s a safe place to voice a different perspective without people taking it as a challenge to their own parenting decisions. That’s a rare and wonderful thing and you should be proud of this site. (For that and many reasons!)

May 16, 2016 at 10:23 pm

Thanks, Korinthia. I needed to hear that today (for a reason unrelated to this site and the comments here). And of course I lapped up the compliments about the site too. I never tire of that 🙂

And you stretch my thinking more than anyone I know and I learnt a lot about writing responses from studying your responses… so thanks right back at ya!

May 16, 2016 at 11:35 pm

Hi Korintha,

You’re right that we can use homework as a valuable learning experience. For years my older daughter (now 11) has ‘hoped’ for straight As, but hasn’t achieved them. She’s getting better for years she did the bare minimum with homework, and did it rather … messily too! While I don’t push her too much, I do make the point that A grades are the result of hard work. They’re achievable for anyone who puts in the effort – including her. But getting As means you’ve done the best you possible can, almost all the time.

It doesn’t stop her hoping every time her report comes home, but she knows she can set goals and strive to meet them (they’re just usually in non-academic areas!).

Anyway, your point about homework being a mutli-faceted learning opportunity is a great one. 😉

May 17, 2016 at 7:27 am

Grades are a weird measure of things, though, because they aren’t universal. Does getting an A mean it’s the best you as an individual can do, even if it’s not great? Does getting an A mean there is some objective level of excellence that few people can reach? Does getting an A mean the grade was on a curve and you are simply the best in this particular crowd? A’s on a single report card can mean all of those things or none of them.

I remember in college I was upset one semester because my perfect 4.0 was marred by a B in tennis which I was simply taking for fun. I felt I should get an A for showing up and doing my best every time. Apparently the teacher had a different measure. And how do you grade music (which was my major)? One person can play every note perfectly and leave you feeling cold with their performance, and another can make mistakes but be electrifying. In orchestra it was pure participation–you started with an A and every class you missed you went down one letter grade. The A says nothing about if you did well or even improved. (You could get worse and still get an A.) When I was in 6th grade I used to alternate between A’s and failing grades in reading based on if I handed in the book reports. Those grades said nothing about my reading ability.

Grades do say something, but I’m skeptical about what. And every time I get worried about grades I remember my grandma telling me that nobody ever asked her her GPA once she graduated. No one has ever asked me mine, either. People only care what I can actually do, and that I try to prove every day, and that’s what I tell my kids to aim for. They may or may not get the grades they deserve to reflect that, but they need to mentally grade themselves to stay honest.

May 20, 2016 at 8:19 pm

Your points are spot on, as always. Grades are an arbitrary measure.

I think it’s far more important that my daughter is satisfied that she’s done her best, and that she’s proud of her efforts. Having said that, I do think it’s useful to learn that you can set goals and strive towards them.

Arbitrary or not, we spend most of our lives being assessed. Either at school or university or in the workplace. It’s usually one person’s opinion of certain traits or activities, and it’s often arbitrary.

Whilst I’ve certainly been the victim of a manager who’s had their own agenda – and rated me accordingly – I think that’s the exception. I also think it’s important that my kids feel that they have some control over the assessment. If they put in greater time and effort, they will usually get greater results.

It’s important to know that grades and assessments are only one person’s opinion and that they may be flawed. That is, we need to keep it in perspective. But given we’ll have these assessments throughout our lives, we need to learn to feel we have some control over them and we need to learn how to handle them. How to digest them, how to cope with them, and how to use them too.

It’s a complicated, complex, multi-faceted issue! And I certainly appreciate your perspective. Thanks for commenting 😉

June 29, 2024 at 8:44 pm

I played table tennis once a week in order to keep fit. I also had to assist with the gardening and cooking. At only five years old I had to learn five new simple numbers and words each week. At Christmas we went to a local church. There were many family beach picnics. Best wishes. My parents loved to recite four line poems each night at bedtime.

As a entire family we played table tennis early on a Saturday afternoon once a week. I was expected to know first aid and learn how to fix a broken down car. Once a year we grew a pumpkin at home. On the warm beach we sang and read storybooks. And we went on Sunday nature walks. I even did the food shop and mastered the rather basic one times table in addition. I learnt how to cook, prepare a hot cocoa plus make the beds.

On a weekly trip to a farm shop at a nearby garden centre I had to count up or down in fives. I had a short numbered list of things to buy. I had to teach myself to play the guitar and how to use a camera. That was fun.

At home I washed the car and babysat at church. Other activities and skills included washing up and making bookmarks. On family days out we soaked up the sun on a cycling trip or a walk. We did woodland walks. I learned how to prepare a entire tray of scones and tasty biscuits. I also discovered how to make cakes and identify the trees and flowers.

May 17, 2016 at 4:28 pm

Thanks for this article! We are in our last week of kindergarten homework before the summer hits. That first sentence! So funny and spot on. Like “where are you going sit back down!” I find my self saying frequently. My son gets a packet of homework on Monday that he has to complete and turn in by Friday. I like the idea of using the timer! I’m not sure about play before homework.. I see the need for a break. My issue is that after eating and a play break its already so late then he’s not focused because he’s just getting tired. Also other than getting a 5 year old to focus on homework is doing the homework correctly. He will speed through it sometimes brag about how many pages he completed but he sometimes just writes down whatever to make it look like its complete! This has been driving me crazy, I have to erase so much! I’m trying to find the balance between getting him to work independently and me sitting there for every question. They do homework time in after school too and this is also when he makes it look like he’s doing homework and sometimes just draws pictures on the back of his homework pages. I think the amount of homework for kindergarten is a bit much, but I don’t think that not doing it is an option. I want to encourage him and be proud of him for completing his homework and also try to only let him play on the tablet after the whole packet is done… which also kinda leads to him speeding through it. Ugh and this is just year ONE! OMG!

May 18, 2016 at 3:57 am

Hi Amber, You’re right – you need to find what works for you. And if your kids are in after school care, it’s a bit too late to get them to concentrate when you get home. When I get my kids home it’s nearly 6pm, and there’s no way I can get them to focus on homework.

I’m lucky that I have two days a week where I don’t work late, so they are our ‘homework days’. The other option for us is to do a few minutes in the morning, before school, when the girls are fresh. Of course, this depends on what mornings look like in your house.

You say you want to be proud of him, but it’s also important that he’s proud of himself. That’s why I often ask my girls if they’re proud of their homework. It’s a great technique to get them to reflect on their efforts. 🙂

January 23, 2018 at 9:41 pm

Thanks for the tips for getting kids to do homework better. My son struggles with math, and he never wants to do his homework. I really like your idea to set a timer. That way, he knows exactly how long he needs to work before he can take a break to play. We will definitely give this a try.

April 7, 2018 at 9:49 am

Yes!! I totally agree with Korinthia! I have 5 kids from high school to a 2 yr. Old and it frustrates us as a family when we cannot take a walk, go out and play, or do any sports or extracurricular activity or even help with dinner because they have so much homework! How can kids get their 60 min. Of physical activity or eat healthier or spend time with family if we barely have time to eat a rushed meal to do homework? Including on weekends and vacation!

July 16, 2018 at 6:07 am

Homework is one word that makes every school child – and many parents – cringe. Follow these handy tips, and soon, homework related tension will become a thing of the past. https://www.parentcircle.com/article/exclusive-tips-to-make-homework-easy-for-your-child/

August 8, 2018 at 3:21 am

Awesome post!!! Homework is very important for students to get great results in academic. It is also essential to complete your homework on time. Thanks for sharing this information.

September 4, 2018 at 12:25 am

Good tips and very informative. Homework is a very important thing to get good grades n academic. Today, Focus on Homework is very essential. So, Students must do homework on time.

June 24, 2019 at 6:52 pm

October 15, 2019 at 7:55 am

It’s really useful tips for many parents and their kids. I think that right focus on homework is an important part to stay productive for a whole year in school.

January 7, 2020 at 11:13 am

Learning to focus is extremely important especially with the distractions that surrounds us in today’s world. Your article has been tremendously helpful and I am grateful so Thank you for sharing .

September 30, 2020 at 5:13 am

Nice!! I agree with the fine parent/this website.I tried all of them and almost all of them worked.Keep it up.👍👌👋

January 14, 2022 at 6:55 am

Nice tips, I’ll be sure to remember them. So I can try them out when I become a parent. Or I could just tell some parents around me.

May 27, 2024 at 7:54 am

Thank you for such great tips and ideas. I even enjoy and get inspired from reading the comments! I will be passing this article on to my friends with kids! It is definitely a life saver!

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An Age-By-Age Guide to Helping Kids Manage Homework

Do you ever wonder whether homework is gauging the child’s ability to complete assignments or the parent’s? On one end of the spectrum, a parent might never mention homework and assume it gets done independently; on the other end are the parents who micromanage to be sure every worksheet is absolutely perfect.

Being too laissez faire about homework might deny a child the support they need to develop executive functioning skills, but being too involved could stifle their independence. So how much parent participation in homework is actually appropriate throughout a child’s education?

Basic homework tips

According to Scholastic , you should follow these rules of thumb to support your child during homework (without going overboard):

Stay nearby and available for questions without getting right in the middle of homework.

Avoid the urge to correct mistakes unless your child asks for help.

Instead of nagging, set up a homework routine with a dedicated time and place.

Teach time management for a larger project by helping them break it into chunks.

Child psychologist Dr. Emily W. King recently wrote about rethinking homework in her newsletter. King explains at what ages kids are typically able to do homework independently, but she writes that each child’s ability to concentrate at the end of the day and use executive functioning skills for completing tasks is very individual. I talked to her for more information on how much parental involvement in homework completion is needed, according to a child’s age and grade level.

Kindergarten to second grade

Whether children even need homework this early is a hot debate. Little ones are still developing fine motor skills and their ability to sit still and pay attention at this age.

“If a child is given homework before their brain and body are able to sit and focus independently, then we are relying on the parent or other caregivers to sit with the child to help them focus,” King said. “ Think about when the child is able to sit and focus on non-academic tasks like dinner, art, or music lessons. This will help you tease out executive functioning skills from academic understanding.”

Elementary-age children need time for unstructured play and structured play like music, arts, and sports. They need outside time, free time, and quiet time, King said. For children who are not ready for independent work, nightly reading with another family member is enough “homework,” she said.

Third to fifth grades

Many children will be able to do homework independently in grades 3-5. Even then, their ability to focus and follow through may vary from day to day.

“Most children are ready for practicing independent work between third and fifth grade, but maybe not yet in the after-school hours when they are tired and want to rest or play. We need to begin exposing children to organization and structure independently in late elementary school to prepare them for more independence in middle school,” King said.

Neurodivergent kids may need more parental support for several years before they work independently.

“Neurodivergent children, many of whom have executive functioning weaknesses, are not ready to work independently in elementary school. Children without executive functioning weaknesses (e.g., the ability to remain seated and attend to a task independently) are able to do this somewhere between third and fifth grade, but it’s very possible they can work independently at school but be too tired to do it later in the afternoon,” King said. “We need to follow the child’s skills and give them practice to work independently when they seem ready. Of course, if a child wants to do extra work after school due to an interest, go for it.”

For students who are not ready to work independently in middle school, it is better to reduce the amount of homework they are expected to complete so they can practice independence and feel successful.

Middle school

In sixth grade and later, kids are really developing executive functioning skills like planning, organizing, paying attention, initiating, shifting focus, and execution. They will still need your encouragement to keep track of assignments, plan their time, and stick to a homework routine.

“Middle school students need lots of organization support and putting systems in place to help them keep track of assignments, due dates, and materials,” King said.

High school

By this point, congratulations: You can probably be pretty hands-off with homework. Remain open and available if your teen needs help negotiating a problem, but executing plans should be up to them now.

“In high school, parents are working to put themselves out of a job and begin stepping back as children take the lead on homework. Parents of high schoolers are ‘homework consultants,’” King said. “We are there to help solve problems, talk through what to say in an email to a teacher, but we are not writing the emails or talking to the teachers for our kids.”

What if homework is not working for them (or you)

There are a number of reasons a child might not be managing homework at the same level as their peers, including academic anxiety and learning disabilities.

If your child is showing emotional distress at homework time, it might be a sign that they have run out of gas from the structure, socialization, and stimulation they have already been through at school that day. One way to support kids is to teach them how to have a healthy balance of work and play time.

“When we ask students to keep working after school when their tank is on empty, we likely damage their love of learning and fill them with dread for tomorrow,” King wrote in her newsletter.

King said in her experience as a child psychologist, the amount of homework support a child needs is determined by their individual abilities and skills more than their age or grade level.

“All of these steps vary for a neurodivergent child and we are not following these guidelines by age or grade but rather by their level of skills development to become more independent,” she said. “In order to independently complete homework, a child must be able to have attended to the directions in class, brought the materials home, remember to get the materials out at home, remember to begin the task, understand the task, remain seated and attention long enough to complete the task, be able to complete the task, return the work to their backpack, and return the work to the teacher. If any of these skills are weak or the child is not able to do these independently, there will be a breakdown in the system of homework. You can see why young students and neurodivergent students would struggle with this process.”

If you and your child have trouble meeting homework expectations, talk to their teacher about what could be contributing to the problem and how to modify expectations for them.

“Get curious about your child’s skill level at that time of day,” King said. “Are they able to work independently at school but not at home? Are they not able to work independently any time of day? Are they struggling with this concept at school, too? When are they successful?”

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Evidence-based parenting tips and resources

10 Evidence-backed Tips to Teach Kids Focus and Concentration

May 29, 2017 by Sanya Pelini, Ph.D. 17 Comments

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

After years spent in different sectors of the education system, one thing I know for sure is that concentration in children doesn’t always come easy. Lack of focus and concentration is one of the issues most teachers struggle with; It is also one of the issues many parents struggle with.

Before I begin, here’s an outline of what this article will cover:

– Signs of poor concentration in children

– How to help your child learn to focus and concentrate better

– Some of the common causes of children’s inattention

– 18 easy tips to improve your child’s focus, concentration and self-regulation skills

– Toys and games that can help improve your child’s attentiveness

– Alternative natural options to increase your child’s focus and concentration

Help kid focus: What does poor concentration look like in children

If you are dealing with a child who is unable to concentrate, then you know what lack of focus and concentration looks like. Your child may:

– Be unable to or struggle to follow through on things (homework, tasks, etc.). A child who lacks concentration is also likely to have mastered the art of procrastination.

– Quickly lose interest in games and activities

– Rarely finish or take too long to finish assignments (you may hear frequent complaints from their teacher about their inattentiveness)

– Constantly need to be stimulated. For example, a child with low focus and concentration may be unable to stay concentrated on one activity for even brief moments and may keep changing activities at dizzying speeds.

– Be a daydreamer

– Be disorganized and unable to find their things

– Be easily distracted. The may set off to do something then end up doing something completely different because they forgot what they were supposed to be doing

– Appear to suffer from memory-loss

– Appear to never put in any effort

– Be unable to remember even the simplest instructions

– Have learning difficulties due to their inability to adapt to the school setting

Starting school is a major transition and although it can be an exciting moment for both your and your child, it is also a moment that has its fair share of challenges.

We now know that how well your child can navigate this transition largely depends on self-regulation. Several studies have found that a child’s ability to develop self-regulation skills determines their ability to create successful social interactions.

Self-regulated learners:

– are better able to resist distractions and remain focused on the task at hand

– demonstrate a higher sense of self-efficacy

– are more likely to be school ready

– have a greater sense of well-being

– encounter greater academic achievement even beyond the childhood years.

Help children focus, follow instructions, keep rules in mind and practice self-control

Adele Diamond, a well-known Professor whose studies have focused on self-regulation, argues that children should be taught to:

1. Develop self-control , i.e., they should learn to do what is appropriate rather than what they want to do.

2. Develop the working memory , i.e., they should be helped to hold information in memory while mentally incorporating new information.

3. Develop cognitive flexibility , i.e., they should learn to think outside the box.

Diamond believes that teaching self-regulation skills can help improve children’s concentration and focus. These skills can help your child learn to follow instructions and persist even when they encounter enormous challenges.

Other studies have found that self-regulated children are able to listen, pay attention, think, then act.

Everything you need to know if your child can’t focus

“My child can’t focus” is a rather common parenting complaint. While a child’s inability to focus is usually a common cause of concern, all children are easily distracted and generally have shorter attention spans than adults.

They are more curious and more easily distracted when they feel little interest for the tasks and activities they are asked to do.

Children’s concentration tends to improve as they grow older and develop their self-control skills .

That said, some children struggle more with focusing and resisting distractions. The problem with children’s lack of attention is that it contributes to their learning and to their day to day lives.

So first let’s look at what may be behind your child’s inability to pay attention.

Some of the common causes of children’s lack of focus and concentration

1) anxiety may be the reason your child can’t focus.

Anxiety is a common but often ignored cause of inattention among children described as “unfocused”, and this actually makes perfect sense.

It is not uncommon for anxiety to “block” your child, meaning that listening to and following instructions may be more complicated for such a child.

Your child’s separation anxiety or worry about doing something wrong at school or even embarrassing or humiliating themselves may mean that they are more likely to have difficulty paying attention.

2) Insufficient sleep has an impact on your child’s ability to concentrate

It is a well-known fact that poor sleeping habits have a negative impact on children’s focus and concentration.

If you think that your child’s lack of sleep may be behind their inability to focus, ensure that they are getting the appropriate number of hours of sleep every night or taking a mid-day rest if they need to.

The sleep foundation recommends that:

– 1 to 2 year olds need 11 to 14 hours of sleep

– 3 to 5 year olds need 10 to 13 hours of sleep

– 6 to 13 year olds need 9 to 11 hours of sleep

– 14 to 17 year olds need 8 to 10 hours of sleep

3) Lack of routines

Routines are very important in childhood because they provide your child with “a certain way of doing things”. A lack of routine brings uncertainty, and this may be responsible for their lack of concentration.

Adopting even a simple routine such as “ as soon as you get home, you take your snack, do your homework for 20 minutes, then watch TV for 20 minutes ” helps give your child a framework than can help reduce their lack of focus.

4) Inappropriate diet

While it is impossible to accurately determine how sugar (candy, sodas, cereals, snacks, etc.) impacts your child’s behavior, we now know that a moderate consumption of sugar is better for children.

This means paying attention to what your child eats and privileging the most natural diets possible and those that are high in fiber and low in sugar.

5) Excessive screen usage may lead to attention problems in children

Although the studies about screen time are inconclusive about “the right amount” and the “real impact” of screens on children, most screen-use researchers agree that too much screen time can have a negative impact on your child’s development.

There have been suggestions that screens overstimulate your child and therefore reduce their ability to focus.

Monitoring your child’s screen use and setting screen-use rules, establishing screen-free zones and forbidding screen use just before bedtime are easy ways that may help reduce their distraction.

It is not uncommon for children who have experienced traumatizing experiences to have a harder time paying attention.

Stressors may include issues such as bullying or peer pressure, major changes affecting the family (divorce, homelessness, changing schools) or even negative thoughts.

Age-appropriate resources can help your child learn to deal with strong emotions and reduce their lack of focus.

The good news is that many self-regulation strategies can be easily applied at home. In other words, each parent has the tools to help increase their child’s focus and concentration. Here’s how you can get started.

18 easy tips to improve your child’s focus, concentration and self-regulation skills

1 | Play Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders

Everyone knows the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song. Turns out it’s a great resource for teaching kids to learn about focus and concentration.

The natural tendency with the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song is to touch the part of the body mentioned. However, research has shown that asking children to do the opposite of what they are told (for example touch their toes when they are asked to touch their head) helps develop their concentration.

2 | Play Simon says

Having trouble with your child’s concentration? Play Simon says. Simon says helps kids concentrate and follow directions and is thus a perfect game to develop self-regulation and concentration skills.

3 | Help your child train their mind to concentrate

The most effective way to improve your child’s concentration is to help them practice. We now know that the mental process of focusing one’s mind on a single activity can be learned.

Games and activities such as puzzles, mazes , find the missing number/object, pattern games, and so on have been proven to boost focus and concentration in children.

Age-appropriate Executive Function Kits are great because they help your child to work on different skills that can help improve not only their concentration, but also other skills such as organization, visual perception, memory retention, and much more.

Here are high-quality Executive Function Kits for children between the ages of four and six, and age-appropriate kits for kids between the ages of seven and nine .

4 | Try the day-night task

The day-night task involves showing a child a card (or picture) and asking them to say the opposite of what is on the card. For example, a child is expected to say “day” when shown a dark card with stars.

This tool has been used for years by researchers to improve children’s concentration.

5 | Propose picture sudoku puzzles

Picture sudoku puzzles are great for kids because they teach them about focus and concentration, help them practice their visual perception skills, and promote balance and harmony.

Picture sudoku puzzles are also an excellent art therapy activity to calm stressed kids and increase concentration. You can get high-quality picture sudoku puzzles here (for kids between the ages of 4 and 6) or here (for kids between the ages of 7 and 9).

6 | Make your child play a more active role 

The more your child feels involved in choosing their activities, the more likely they are to focus and concentrate.

Several researchers have found that asking kids to plan their activities in advance helps increase their interest, concentration and creative skills because it makes them feel personally responsible for managing their time and activities.

Our Executive Function Kits are filled with activities and worksheets to help children play a more active role in planning activities as well as their play time.

7 | Reducing distractions can help increase your child’s concentration

One of the main reasons that explains children’s lack of focus is their inability to resist distractions.

Even the most disciplined adults struggle with distractions sometimes, so it is logical that dealing with distractions can be difficult for your child. Setting aside a specific space without distractions (no screens, silent) can make it easier for them to concentrate.

8 | Adopt a routine

Routines can help increase your child’s concentration by helping them get on a schedule. A predictable routine can help them feel secure, reinforce consistency, and give them a sense of comfort and control over their environment.

For example, scheduling homework for a set time each day and being consistent can help improve their focus.

If your child is struggling with attentiveness, starting homework early and privileging short homework sessions every day, at a set time, can be more effective in helping tackle inattentiveness.

9 | Encourage make-believe play

Many researchers and educationists argue that intentional make-believe play is an important aspect of learning. It is a central element in children’s cognitive development

Charles Schaefer, the play therapy expert, argues that role-playing helps a child learn to think ahead and reflect on appropriate responses to frustrating situations.

When kids engage in role-playing, they are more thoughtful, flexible and creative in the face of everyday problems.

10 | Encouraging your child to participate in household chores can help increase concentration

Science says doing chores is good for your kids. Some of the benefits associated with chores include:

– Better social, emotional and academic outcomes

– An increase in your child’s sense of worth and confidence

– Increased autonomy and self-reliance

– The development of important skills such as responsibility, self-reliance and accountability

Simple tasks that show your child that they are capable of success reinforce their ability to concentrate. The more your child feels confident in their ability to achieve expectations, the easier it will be for them to focus.

Letting them choose the tasks to perform also makes it more likely for them to follow through. Here are 70 age-appropriate chore cards to encourage your child to begin or continue doing household chores.

11 | Encourage your child to read

Reading can help develop your child’s focus and concentration skills because it requires their brain to focus on both the words and the story line.

Good children’s books captivate them, open up their world, and are presented in an age-appropriate manner (number of difficult words, use of colors and illustrations, etc.).

Talk to your local librarian if you are unsure about a great book that would suit your child. Or subscribe to a book box (this is a great gift idea) and let your child receive age-appropriate books according to a schedule that you feel is right for you.

The  award-winning Bookroo Box  and  The Reading Bug Box  are great subscriptions if this is something you want to try out.

12 | Try play planning

Play planning involves asking kids to determine what they would like to do (or will do) during a specific moment (for instance when they are bored).

This can be achieved by asking them to draw a picture or write about what they will do at that particular moment.

This tool gives you the resources you need to help even the youngest kids practise play planning.

13 | Play the freeze game

The freeze game was successfully used by McClelland and Tominey in a study to develop children’s concentration. The freeze game involves asking everyone to dance to music and then freeze when the music stops.

You can also ask your child to dance slowly to slow songs and quickly to fast songs. When this is mastered, ask them to dance slowly when fast songs are played, and quickly when slow songs are played.

The Freeze game teaches your child to listen attentively and to follow instructions.

14 | Focus on positive behavior

The more you focus on your child’s positive behavior, the more likely they are to repeat that behavior. Setting simple concentration goals that they can achieve and then reinforcing positive behavior can help improve their focus and concentration.

That said, positive reinforcement used the wrong way can cause more harm than good.

The Positive Behavior Kit gives you a step-by-step approach to using positive reinforcement appropriately in order to reduce specific negative behavior.

It outlines the pitfalls to avoid and gives you practical tips to avoid turning this discipline strategy into some form of “bribery”.

15 | Avoiding multiple instructions can reduce your child’s difficulty with concentration

Kids struggling with concentration often have a harder time processing information. The more your child receives multiple instructions, the harder it will be for them to follow through.

Breaking down instructions can therefore make it easier for them to understand expectations. Asking them to repeat what they have understood can also make it easier to keep focused.

Simple questions such as “ What will you do first? And then? What will you do next? ” can also help them get a good mental picture of what they are expected to do.

16 | Use a timer

A timer is a great tool to help your child keep track of how long they can stay focused. You can use it for homework or for any other tasks, and slightly increase the time set as they get better with focus and concentration.

17 | Help your child practice mindfulness

Several studies have shown that mindfulness can help children learn to keep still and focused. For instance, one study found that teaching seven- to eight-year-olds breathing exercises greatly reduced their anxiety levels and increased their focus.

Some easy ways to get started include encouraging your child to practice deep breathing, practicing walking meditation, or even using safe and age-appropriate essential oils .

18 | Be receptive to your child’s needs

Different people need different environments to concentrate. Some require calm and others can only concentrate if they can hear some background noise. Identifying what works best for your child can help reduce their inattentiveness.

Using toys to help children focus

Some toys can prove helpful if your child is struggling with attention problems. Here are two categories of toys that may help increase their concentration.

Remember that not all kids will respond to the same strategies, and not all toys or tools will have the same impact on your child. The best strategy is to test different tools and see which one is best able to help your child focus and concentrate.

Category 1: Fidget toys

Fidget toys help children concentrate by keeping their hands busy and therefore allowing them to focus on something else. It is important to avoid trends and to choose appropriate fidget toys to increase your child’s concentration.

Many positive things and many negative things have been said about fidgets. The truth is, fidgets are good at helping kids focus, but only if those kids need them.

In other words, if your child is not struggling with issues such as lack of concentration or anxiety, then a fidget toy may actually distract them.

The good news is that fidgets can help your child become more focused, but the bad news is that there are so may fidgets out there, it may be difficult choosing a quality fidget toy that doesn’t actually distract your child (for example too visually stimulating).

Below are ten examples of good (and classroom-friendly) fidget toys you may want to check out:

1) A fidget spinner

This Metal Fidget Spinner is a solidly built and attractive spinner that will help occupy your child’s hands. If you prefer a different fidget spinner, Innoplus has several other designs that might catch your eye or you can get a pack of a few fidget spinners to keep on hand.

2) A fidget band

If your child finds it difficult to keep their feet still, a fidget band that you can attach to their chair or desk can help keep their feet busy and therefore allow them to concentrate on the task at hand.

3) Focusing putty

Focusing putty is great for kids who need to squeeze things to reduce their stress.

4) Bubble pop fidgets

I bet you’ve already noticed these latest fidgets that are great for keeping your child’s hands busy!

5) Marble Fidgets

I love Marble Fidgets because of their size which means that your child can take them absolutely everywhere!

6) Infinity cube

The infinity cube has eight small cubes that your child can rotate from any direction and any angle. It’s small, not too heavy, and is suitable for kids from age eight. The JOEYANK Fidget Cube is more durable, but plastic models also exist.  

7) Tangle toys

Tangle toys are simple but effective fidget toys that will keep your child’s hands busy and help them focus on the task at hand.

8) Monkey noodles

Your child can do absolutely anything with Monkey Noodles – stretch them, pull them, squeeze them, wrap them… What’s more, they are strong, safe and durable!

9) The smiley stretchy men

If you’re looking for a small fidget toy your child can take anywhere, then the smiley stretchy men are for you, and your child can use them from age three.

Other great fidgets your kid can put in their pocket include keychain bubble wrap pop fidgets and Fidget Bean Toy s.

10) Squishy balls

Squishy balls are great for reducing stress and keeping your child hands busy. They can also take them everywhere!

Category 2 – Focus games

Certain games can help your child improve their focus and concentration skills. Any game that can help them pay attention to small details, spot hidden objects, think, plan and use their memory are great options to help them become more attentive.

There’s no need to worry if they seem to struggle when you first begin – they more you play, the more accurate they should get!

Here are a few good games that may help with your child’s focus

1) Where’s Wally?

This activity book will provide your child with hours of fun and help them work on their concentration as they try to spot hidden objects.

2) Jigsaw puzzles

Puzzles are good toys for helping children learn to focus and concentrate, but not if they are too difficult for your child. Start will small puzzles or large puzzles , and don’t hesitate to help if your child is looking frustrated.

3) Memory card games

Memory games can help improve your child’s attentiveness by teaching them about focus and concentration.

How the game works

1) Get memory cards and ensure that there are only matching pairs.

2) Shuffle the cards and place them face down.

3) Each player picks any two cards. If the cards match, they keep them and take another turn. If the cards don’t match, they place them back exactly where they were. 4) The person who matched the most pairs wins.

Memory card games are great for developing your child’s focus and concentration because they force them to pay attention to remember where they last saw the images. Here are colorful and high-quality printable memory cards that your child will enjoy.

4) The Perplexus Rookie

If you’re looking for a great gift idea for a child who need help concentrating, The Perplexus Rookie is the toy for you. It has obstacles that your child must overcome and they must plan ahead and manipulate the sphere with care to achieve the end goal.

Jenga is a classic game that is also a great gift idea for a child struggling with attention. Your child is expected to pull out a block without crashing the stack. This is also a fun game to play as a family but your child can also play by themselves.

6) Hidden Pictures Scratch Art Book

Melissa and Doug’s hidden picture scratch art books are great tools to help boost your child’s concentration power and you have so many options to choose from!

They are also great for developing their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

7) Rory’s Story Cubes

These educational story cubes provide endless opportunities for your child’s imagination and creativity and would also make a perfect gift.

Your child rolls the dice then has to make a story using the pictures from the dice. And the best part is that you have different styles so you’ll be able to find something if your kid is a Harry Potter fan, a “Heroes” fan, a “Mysteries” fan…

8) Pop and catch games

Pop and catch games use movement to help your child focus. They are expected to focus on the ball to catch it before it hits the ground. You can also try this game sitting down if it is too difficult for your child when they first begin.

9) Spot it!

Who doesn’t love Spot It! ? This game is great for helping your child improve their visual attention and learn to disregard distractions. Better still, the entire family will enjoy playing it!

Alternative natural options to help kids focus

1) natural supplements.

While undertaking the research on improving children’s focus and attention, I came across parents who spoke of amazing improvement in their kids’ attention after using natural focus supplements.

Here are a few supplements you can check out. Don’t forget to read the reviews to see what other parents think:

2) Essential oils

Not all essential oils are safe to use with kids. I have spoken in length about the precautions to take when using these oils with kids. That said, certain essential oils, used the right way, can help your kid calm down and can also boost their focus and attention.

If you are already an essential-oil fan or want to try using essential oils to help boost your child’s attentiveness, here are a few ready-made 100% pure blends you can start with:

Remember you can also easily make your own recipes using kid-friendly essential oils.

Should you worry about your child’s inability to focus and concentrate?

Most focus and attention problems in childhood tend to get better as your child grows older and develops their self-control and self-regulation skills.

However, for some parents, child inattention issues are more of a long-term than a short-term challenge. Here are a few of the learning difficulties associated with inattention in children:

ADHD – One of the most common symptoms of ADHD is the inability to regulate one’s attention span. If your child has the inattentive type of ADHD, they are more likely to struggle with focus and concentration.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder – If your child has this disorder, they will be focused on other things that prevent them from paying attention to what is going on around them.

For example, in a classroom situation, such a child may pay more attention to lining up all their pens and pencils on their desk and therefore will appear as a child unable to pay attention.

Other learning disorders – learning disorders mean that your child’s brain doesn’t process information quite in the same way as other children. They are therefore more likely to have trouble with focus because they feel unable to achieve what other kids can.

While they may be viewed as “easily distracted”, their behavior may be an attempt to cover up their frustration and embarrassment at “not being good enough”.

Hearing problems – A child with auditory processing problems may be mistaken for a child lacking focus. If your child cannot hear instructions, it is normal that they will be unable to follow through on those instructions.

Lack of attention and focus has a direct impact on how your child learns and develops. If your child is finding it hard to concentrate, please discuss your concerns with your family doctor who will point you in the right direction.

It may also be helpful to consult with your child’s teacher to better understand their attention and concentration level at school.

When your child won’t focus in school

Unfortunately, your child’s inability to focus in school has a direct impact on what and how they learn. The first step if you are concerned about their trouble with focus is to have a discussion with their teacher. Teachers can provide solutions such as:

• Reduce distractions within the classroom: For example, the teacher can change their sitting position to ensure that they can keep their eye on your child or keep them away from classmates who are likely to distract them (or even away from windows!)
• Ensure that your child has understood instructions before beginning a task
• Provide assistance.

Scientific resources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17605527

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7805351

http://people.oregonstate.edu/~mcclellm/ms/Ponitz_McClelland_Matthews_Morrison_DP09.pdf

http://www.unco.edu/cebs/psychology/kevinpugh/motivation_project/resources/dweck_leggett88.pdf

https://self-regulationintheclassroom.wikispaces.com/file/view/Perry+mentoring+student+teachers+for+srl.pdf

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1994-98882-000https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21898897

<a href=”http://selz.co/4JyaZp-5M” target=”_blank”>Buy now</a>

About Sanya Pelini, Ph.D.

Sanya Pelini holds a Ph.D. in Education. Her work has been published on Motherly, ParentMap, The Goffman Institute and Psych Central, among others. She lives in the south of France with her husband and three children.

Reader Interactions

March 29, 2023 at 11:50 pm

What an excellent array of techniques and suggestions!Thank you!

March 31, 2023 at 7:37 am

Thank you for your lovely comment 🙂

January 27, 2023 at 12:02 pm

January 27, 2023 at 3:13 pm

Thank you 🙂

August 9, 2021 at 3:35 pm

These are so many great ideas in one place. I would like to share in my weekly column (SUPPORTING SUPER STUDENTS) giving parents ideas about how to help their child focus as they prepare their children for school. I cite the source of my information in my column. So, I ask your permission to direct parents to your website. Thank you in advance.

August 9, 2021 at 4:19 pm

Thank you for your lovely comment. I’d be honored to have my article about improving children’s focus and concentration cited in your column 🙂

February 8, 2021 at 11:38 pm

This worked as a nice primer for someone like me who entered a relationship involving kids and silently asking myself why a 8&9 yr old can’t just “act more like adults” knowing that is unfair to them but wanting to better understand myself.

February 15, 2021 at 2:53 pm

This is such a lovely comment – and so true – we often forget that kids aren’t adults. Thank you Michael

March 18, 2020 at 5:23 pm

II thought it was so fun that you suggested playing Simon says with your child since it can help them develop self-regulation, as well as coloring mandalas to help them destress. I am now a stay-at-home mom and want to find ways to interact with and help my 4-year-old grow. I’d love to find a child health book with more activities like these for us to do together.

October 10, 2019 at 11:59 am

Outstanding and revealing….!!! About to go on an adventure with these…already… Thanks a lot.

October 10, 2019 at 4:14 pm

Thanks Ahmad. Glad you appreciate these tips on increasing your child’s focus and concentration 🙂

August 14, 2019 at 4:51 pm

Valuable information

August 17, 2019 at 11:02 pm

I appreciate the comments!

January 6, 2019 at 1:56 am

Thank you very much! My 7 y.o. son has problems concentrating. I will definitely try your suggestions! Again, thank you.

January 6, 2019 at 7:50 pm

So glad you found it helpful 🙂

August 9, 2018 at 1:37 pm

Thanks for sharing such a helpful article. Really story telling is a very effective way to to develop concentration among children.

August 13, 2018 at 7:19 am

Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

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Don’t Help Your Kids With Homework

Focus on prioritization and process, not the assignment itself.

So much of the homework advice parents are given is theory-based, and therefore not entirely helpful in the chaos of day-to-day life. People are told that students should have “ grit .” They should “ learn from failure .” But it’s hard to know how to implement these ideas when what you really need is to support a kid who has a chemistry test and two papers due in the next 48 hours but seems to be focused only on Instagram.

Some parents manage to guide their kids through these moments with relative ease. Others hire tutors. The large majority of us, however, are stuck at home alone, trying to stave off our own breakdowns in the face of our children’s.

While reprimanding your child for not having started her homework earlier may be your natural instinct, in the midst of stress, it will only make her shut down or lash out. In our experience as teachers, tutors, and parents, the students who feel terrible about procrastinating are more likely to have anxiety and negative feelings that will only fuel their continued procrastination. So instead of admonishing your procrastinator, take a deep breath and try to figure out how she’s going to manage the tasks at hand. Help her make a realistic plan to manage her time. Try to model understanding, even when you’re upset.

Having tolerance for challenges will allow her to approach future frustrations from a more positive perspective. Easier said than done, to be sure, but try to work with your child to identify not only how but why her homework habits are suffering. This understanding will be crucial to helping her transform these habits into more effective ones.

Read: The cult of homework

Because most of us are programmed to focus on present rather than future fulfillment, it’s easy to put off something we dread. Kids who procrastinate almost always do so because they have negative associations with or feelings about a particular task. Unfortunately, avoiding assignments usually lowers students’ self-esteem and makes them dislike the topic that much more, resulting in a vicious cycle of procrastination. Therefore, it’s important both to address why students are procrastinating—what’s upsetting them about the work at hand—and to give them practical tools to manage their time and set priorities.

If you’re worried that your child is the only one in her class who takes ages to get started on her homework, fear not. Students in our classes—and our own kids too, just like many of us adults—have found every which way to put off sitting down to tackle the one thing they know they need to get done. There are all kinds of reasons kids avoid doing their homework. Maybe they’re concerned about what a teacher will think, or that their work won’t measure up to a friend’s. Maybe they’re distracted by something that happened in school that day.

Whatever the case may be, the first step here is determining out what’s stressing your child out in the first place.

If your child fears what her teacher will think if she makes mistakes: She should start off by independently reviewing the material that she feels unsure of, and then reach out to her teacher for further help if she needs it. Assure her that asking questions and making an effort are important to her teacher. Take it from us: Teachers see questions as a sign of an engaged, conscientious, and curious student. No matter the teacher’s temperament or reputation, she will respond positively to your child coming to her with sincere questions and hard work.

If your child fears parental judgment due to bad grades: Remember that although high marks may be important to you, focusing on process and effort is key to your child’s success, not to mention that putting too much pressure on her can lead to resentment. Help your child create a process she can rely on for her work. Better effort will help your child engage with the material and yield better results in the long run.

If your child fears her best friend’s judgment: Start by encouraging your child not to discuss grades with her friends. Middle schoolers in particular tend to share their marks with one another, and it usually just makes kids feel lousy. The “What did you get?” question is tough for all students, especially in the middle grades, when they are looking for affirmation from their peers. Your child’s grades are no one else’s business. While her best friend may do well in history, he may have more trouble with math than your child does. Or maybe he seems great at everything now, but he actually struggles in art class, and in the future he’ll be a terrible driver or have an awkward first date. In other words, we all have subjects—or areas of our lives—that come more or less easily than others. Challenges are inevitable. What matters most is how we approach them.

If your child fears she isn’t capable: First acknowledge how painful this feeling must be. Then reassure her that she is capable and give concrete anecdotes so she doesn’t roll her eyes. Share with her a moment when you thought you couldn’t do something, but you learned to conquer the task. And be honest! Your kid will know that you didn’t really wrestle that champion alligator. Emphasize the importance of determination, effort, and persistence in whichever example of your successes you choose to share.

If your child is exhausted: Prioritize only what’s really essential. Try to help your child go to bed earlier. She can always wake up early to complete smaller assignments if need be. Getting major work done while exhausted is a losing battle for everyone. Help her plan ahead. Create a schedule for completing small portions of a larger assignment over the course of several days or weeks to make overwhelming work seem more manageable.

Read: My daughter’s homework is killing me

Once you figure out what’s driving your child’s procrastination, you can strategize with her about logistics. Start by removing temptation when possible. Of course she’d rather see where her friends went this afternoon than stare at a blinking cursor, and if all it takes is a simple click or swipe for your child to access social media, it’s going to take her eons to finish an assignment. It will be almost impossible for her to develop an argument that flows if she’s tempted by her phone. So all possible impediments to success should be removed. Disabling social-media and messaging apps and having a conversation about the purpose of setting technology limits is an important first step. Putting her phone aside will also help her compartmentalize time so that she can get her work done more thoroughly and then have free time afterward. Technological boundaries may lead to major pushback—especially now, when kids rely on technology for most forms of socializing—but this temporary misery is undoubtedly worth it in the long run.

And emphasize that short-term pleasure equals long-term pain. Empathize with children who do not want to do something that’s hard. Then remind them that the immediate instinct to procrastinate and play video games will make life miserable later. While they may resist and grumble, helping establish rules will ultimately prevent suffering tonight, tomorrow, and next week. Kids thrive in the comfort, reliability, and safety of a structured, focused work environment. It’s never easy, but on evenings when you want to tear your hair out because your child won’t sit down to work, reinforce the message that short-term gratification will only get in the way of long-term goals.

Finally, explain the relevance of the assignment. If kids don’t understand why they’re doing the work, they’re more likely to be frustrated. For example, your child might ask, “Why do I need to know algebra? I’ll never use it when I’m older.” You can tell the truth: “You probably won’t need to know about variables in everyday life, but learning algebra will give you a framework for understanding how to break down and solve complex tasks down the road.”

Learning to work independently, without a teacher’s direct counsel, is key to building academic and personal autonomy. So when your child is overwhelmed, help her figure out why, and then model strategies that foster independence, confidence, and well-being.

This piece is adapted from Freireich and Platzer’s new book, Taking the Stress out of Homework . Every Tuesday, they answer education-related questions . Have one? Email them at [email protected].

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Khan Academy Blog

Making Homework Easier: Tips and Tools for Parents 

posted on September 20, 2023

By Stephanie Yamkovenko , group manager of Khan Academy’s Digital Marketing Team.

Homework can present challenges for parents and children alike. You naturally want to provide support for your child’s learning journey and ensure they are reaching their full potential. In this blog post, we will delve into practical strategies to assist your child with their homework. From fostering understanding and offering encouragement to breaking down tasks and implementing rewards, we will explore a variety of effective approaches to help your child achieve academic success.

Step 1: Set Up Your Child for Success

Your child’s study environment can have a significant impact on their homework performance. Create a space that is free from distractions like the television, smartphones, or noisy siblings. The study space should be comfortable, well lit, and have all the necessary materials your child might need, such as pens, papers, and textbooks. If your child’s workspace is noisy or uncomfortable, they may have difficulty focusing on their homework, resulting in lower productivity. 

For example, if you live in a small apartment, consider setting up a designated corner with a small desk or table where your child can focus on their work. You can use dividers or screens to create a sense of privacy and minimize distractions.

If the only place to do homework is in the dining room or kitchen, try to establish a routine where the area is cleared and organized before study time. This can help signal to your child that it’s time to concentrate and be productive.

Remember, it’s important to adapt to your specific circumstances and make the best of the available space. The key is to create a dedicated study area that promotes focus and minimizes interruptions regardless of the size or location of your home.

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Step 2: make it fun.

It’s important to make homework fun and engaging for your child. Here are some examples of how you can do it:

• Use games : Incorporate educational games like card games, board games, or puzzles that align with the subject your child is learning. For instance, use Scrabble to practice spelling or Sudoku to enhance problem-solving skills.
• Turn it into a challenge : Create a friendly competition between siblings or friends by setting goals or time limits for completing assignments. Offer small rewards or incentives for accomplishing tasks.
• Make it interactive : Use hands-on activities or experiments to reinforce concepts learned in class. For science or math, conduct simple experiments at home or use manipulatives like blocks or counters to visualize abstract concepts.
• Use technology : Explore online educational platforms or apps that offer interactive learning experiences. There are various educational games, virtual simulations, and videos available that can make homework more enjoyable.
• Incorporate creativity : Encourage your child to express their understanding through art, storytelling, or multimedia presentations. For example, they can create a comic strip to summarize a story or make a short video to explain a concept.

Remember, by making homework enjoyable, you can help your child develop a positive attitude towards learning.

Step 3: Use Rewards

Rewards can be a powerful motivational tool for children. Offering positive reinforcement can encourage them to complete their homework on time and to the best of their ability. 

Here are some examples of rewards our team has used with their children:

• Extra screen time: “I use Apple parental controls to add screen time on their iPad.”
• Access to a favorite toy: “My eight year old has a drum kit, which drives us all up the wall. (Thanks, Grandma!) But when they’ve been doing a lot of school work, we put on headphones and let him go nuts.”
• Praise for a job well done: “Specific, measurable praise is what works best.” 
• Trip to the park: “A trip to the park is good for everyone, especially for the kids to run around with the doggos.”
• Movie night: “I know every word and song lyric in Moana ; we now reserve showings for good behavior.” 
• Stickers or stamps: “Gold stars were such a thing growing up in the 80s; turns out they still work.”
• Stay up a little later: “An extra 30 minutes feels like a whole day for my young ones; use this reward with caution as it can become the expectation!”

So, celebrate your child’s efforts and encourage them to continue doing their best.

Step 4: Break Down Difficult Tasks

When facing daunting homework assignments, follow these step-by-step instructions to break down the tasks into smaller, manageable chunks:

• Understand the requirements and scope of the task.
• Break down the assignment into individual tasks or sub-tasks.  
• Splitting the middle term
• Using formula
• Using Quadratic formula
• Using algebraic identities
• Determine the order in which tasks should be completed based on importance or difficulty. 
• Start with the easiest task. Begin with the task that seems the least challenging or time-consuming.
• Progress to more challenging tasks: Once the easier tasks are completed, move on to more difficult ones.
• Take breaks: Schedule short breaks between tasks to avoid burnout and maintain focus.
• Check completed tasks for accuracy and make any necessary revisions.
• Finish the remaining task(s) with the same approach.
• Celebrate small achievements to boost confidence and keep motivation high.

By following these steps, you can make daunting homework assignments more manageable and less overwhelming for your child.

Step 5: Get Targeted Help

If your child is struggling with homework, it might be worth considering seeking personalized assistance. You have the option to search for professional tutors or explore online tutoring platforms, such as Khan Academy’s AI tutor, Khanmigo .

This AI tutor can offer personalized guidance and support tailored to your child’s specific needs, helping them grasp complex concepts and practice essential skills. Incorporating this approach can effectively complement your child’s learning and enhance their homework performance.

Enhance your child’s learning and boost homework performance!

Homework can be a challenge for both parents and children. But with the right approach, you can help your child overcome difficulties and support their learning. Encourage and understand your child, create a comfortable environment, break down difficult tasks, use rewards, get professional help when needed, and make it fun. With these tips and techniques, you can help your child achieve success, develop a love for learning, and achieve academic excellence. Remember that each child learns differently, so it’s essential to adjust your approach to meet their unique needs.

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How to help your child with homework

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team | Updated: June 13, 2023

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Here are ways to best help your child when she’s doing homework:

Have your child settle into a good study space.

Help your child focus., keep school supplies close at hand., set up a regular time for homework., stay close by while your child does homework., review the work when your child says he’s finished..

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7 Ways to Help Your Child Overcome Focus Issues

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re concerned about your child’s focus. It’s not always easy to tell when a child is struggling with focus issues or if there is a different issue that affects their focus. Whatever your situation, here are seven ways that you can help your child overcome these issues and improve their focus!

Focus is something that children practice and learn at different rates. While some children seem more naturally able to focus, others tend to struggle a lot more. If your child is having trouble focusing, it’s important to understand that this is normal and there are ways to help!

1. Check In With A Professional

According to the CDC, approximately 11% of children between the ages of 4 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. While this number may seem high, it’s important to remember that not all children who struggle with focus have ADHD. But checking in with a professional about your child’s focus issues is important, because early intervention leads to much better outcomes. If medication is recommended for your child, bear in mind there is genetic testing for ADHD medications to ensure you find a good fit for your child’s specific genetic profile.

2. Routine, Routine, Routine

One of the best ways to help a child with focus issues is to establish a routine. Having set times for homework, meals, and activities can help your child know what to expect and when. This can help minimize distractions and make it easier for them to focus on what they need to do.

Another way to help your child focus is to establish routines for specific tasks. For example, you might have a rule that your child has to sit at the kitchen table to do homework. Or, you might require that they put away all electronics 30 minutes before bedtime.

Routines can be helpful for children with focus issues, but they need to be flexible too. If a routine isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it. The most important thing is that you find what works best for your child.

3. Break Down Tasks Into Smaller Steps

One of the best ways to help a child with focus issues is to break down tasks into smaller steps. For example, if your child is struggling to focus on homework, help them break the task down into smaller pieces.

You can also use this strategy for other tasks, like getting ready for bed or cleaning up their room. Breaking tasks down into smaller steps can help your child feel less overwhelmed and make it easier for them to focus.

It’s also important to remember that some children need more time to complete tasks than others. If your child is struggling to focus, give them a few extra minutes to finish tasks. This can help reduce stress and make it easier for them to focus.

4. Do Activities to Practice Focus

There are many activities that you can do with your child to help them practice focus . One activity that is popular with children is using a hula hoop.

To play this game, start by having your child stand in the middle of the hula hoop. Then, have them focus on one object in the room and try to keep their eyes on it while they spin around. As they get better at this game, you can make it more challenging by moving the object around or adding more hula hoops.

Other activities that can help your child practice focus include Simon Says, puzzles, and coloring.

Doing activities to practice focus can help your child learn how to better direct their attention. These activities can also be a fun way to bond with your child and spend time together.

5. Get Rid of Distractions

Another way to help your child focus is to get rid of distractions. This means creating a space that is free from noise and other distractions.

If your child is struggling to focus at home, try creating a quiet space for them to work in. This might be a spot in their room or a place at the kitchen table.

You can also help your child focus by reducing distractions when you’re out and about. For example, you can turn off your child’s phone or have them wear noise-cancelling headphones.

Getting rid of distractions can be a challenge, but it’s important to create an environment that is conducive to focus.

6. Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a helpful tool for children with focus issues. For example, you can use a visual schedule to help your child know what to expect throughout the day.

You can also use visual aids to help your child focus on specific tasks. For example, you can use a picture of a calm scene to help your child relax when they’re feeling overwhelmed.

Visual aids can be helpful for children with focus issues, but it’s important to find what works best for your child. Some children respond well to visual aids, while others might find them distracting.

7. Be Patient

It’s important to be patient when dealing with focus issues in your child. This is a process that takes time and there will be setbacks.

If you’re patient and consistent, you will help your child learn how to better focus. This can be a difficult process, but it’s important to remember that every child is different and what works for one child might not work for another.

While it’s normal for children to struggle with focus from time to time, there are things that you can do to help your child overcome these issues. By using some of these strategies, you can help your child learn how to better focus and make the most of each day.

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How to Help Kids With Homework

Helping your child with their homework is an opportunity to connect with them and improve their chances of academic success. As a parent, you can reinforce concepts taught in the classroom and nurture good study habits . Helping with homework shows your child that you believe their education is important.

What Is the Best Way I Can Help My Child With Homework?

You don’t need to be a certified teacher or an expert in a subject in order to help with homework. You can help by developing your child's time management skills, introducing strategies to stay organized, and offering words of encouragement. 

Here are some homework tips for parents:

• Know their teacher . Attending parent-teacher conferences, getting involved in school events, and knowing how to get in touch with your child’s teacher can help you better understand homework expectations.
• Family study time.  Set aside time every day for homework. Some kids do best by jumping into homework right after school, while others need a break and will be better focused after dinner. 
• Set a good example. Family study time gives you the opportunity to model studious behavior. Demonstrate the importance of organization and diligence by paying bills or planning your family’s budget during this shared time. Reading while your child completes their homework instills the idea that learning is a lifelong and enjoyable pursuit. Your example will be far more impactful than your lectures.
• Designate a homework space.  Having a designated space for homework can help your child stay on task. It should be well lit and have extra school supplies within reach.
• Help with time management.  If your student has a lot of homework, encourage them to break the workload into smaller and more manageable tasks. Create a schedule for the evening to ensure they get through their long to-do list , including opportunities for breaks.
• Don’t do the homework for them.  Helping your child with homework isn’t the same as doing your child’s homework. You can make suggestions, but your child must do the work for meaningful learning to take place. Have patience, allow them to struggle a little, and resist the urge to simply give them the answers.

How Do I Help a Child Struggling With Homework?

Struggling through challenges is an important part of learning. Research shows that something called “productive struggle” is essential to learning new concepts. Too much struggle, however, can be demoralizing and counterproductive. So where's the line drawn between productive struggling and counterproductive struggling? You know your child better than anyone, so trust your instincts and step in before your student becomes overwhelmed.  

Consider these tips if your child's struggling with homework:

• If your child's already stressed out or frustrated, start with taking a break.
• Engage your child in a conversation so you can understand where they're stuck 
• Offer hints or guidance to help them move forward
• Resist the urge to do their homework or give them the answers
• As soon as your child understands how to resolve the issue, step back and let them continue without your direct assistance
• Avoid stressful cramming and last-minute panic by helping your student plan ahead for tests and long-term assignments.
• Offer your child encouragement and praise them for their perseverance.
• Work on your own paperwork or read nearby as your child completes their homework to help them stay on task.
• Reach out to the teacher if additional assistance is needed and remind your child to ask questions at school when they're confused

Should I Help My Child With Math Homework?

Math is taught differently now than it was twenty or thirty years ago. The Common Core Standards are used in 41 states, and most other states follow the same principles even if they don’t call them the Common Core. Instead of memorizing specific ways to solve math problems, students today are asked to solve problems in several different ways and explain the strategy they used. 

For many parents, their child’s math homework seems complicated and confusing. The goal of this newer method, however, is a deeper understanding of mathematics. Just because you learned math in a different way doesn’t mean you can’t help with math homework. 

• Focus on non-academic help . You can help your student by offering encouragement, tracking assignments, and helping with time management. Create a distraction-free time and place for them to focus on their math homework. 
• Learn how it’s taught. Understand how math is taught at your child’s school. Some school districts offer parents a math night or online resources to help them better understand the way math is taught at schools.
• Reach out to the teacher. Ask the teacher for insight on how you can support your student at home. They might point you towards resources that align with their curriculum or offer additional help to your student at school.

At What Age Do You Stop Helping With Homework?

Some research has shown that the connection between student achievement and parental involvement in schoolwork is strongest in the elementary years but declines in middle school. By the time your child enters middle school, parents helping with homework can do more harm than good. At this stage, parental help with homework is associated with lower student achievement.

While you should be helping a lot less with homework, middle school isn't the time to retreat from your child's education. Non-homework forms of parent involvement are strongly associated with higher academic achievement. There are many ways you can support your middle schooler’s success. 

• Monitor assignments and test scores
• Attend school events
• Participate in parent-teacher conferences
• Ask questions about classes and what your child is learning
• Continue to encourage a regular study time and place at home

Ideally, you laid the groundwork in the elementary years and good study habits are well established by middle school. While your child will outgrow the need for your direct homework assistance, they'll never outgrow the need for your support and encouragement. 

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8 Tips to Help Your Child With Homework

We get it—no matter your child’s age, getting homework done can be a challenge. Even for children in elementary school, their homework takes time, focus, and energy to complete. So here are 8 essential tips to help a child with their homework:

Minimize Distractions

Make it as easy as possible for your child to focus during homework time. Don’t have the television on in the background and make sure phones, tablets, and games are put away. This will also help signal to them that homework is a priority!

Create a Homework Space

Designating one place for homework helps establish a routine for your child. They will know to take their assignment from their backpack, bring it to the homework space, and return it to their backpack when they’re finished.

Recognize Your Child’s Abilities

Some children need to come home and work on their homework right away before they start playing and lose track of time. Others need a break after a long day at school and benefit from a little down time at home before starting their assignments.

Connect It To the Real World

If your child complains of homework being boring, try to emphasize how they will use what they’re learning outside of school. Not only can this help increase motivation, but it also shows how what they are learning this year builds on what they learned last year and already know.

Review, Review, Review

Remind your child that checking their work is part of doing homework. Reviewing after completing problems is not optional, and is actually part of every assignment.

Don’t Get Frustrated

You may need to give your child multiple reminders about the steps involved in doing homework. Especially when starting a new school year or coming back from long breaks, it can take a little time to get back into an after-school routine.

Remember Who the Student Is

Find the line between helping your child with their homework and completing it for them. Remember that sometimes the takeaway from the lesson isn’t the answer to the problem, but your child learning how to problem solve and find the answer.

Talk With the Teacher

If your child is working on their homework all night and can’t get it done before bedtime, set up a meeting to talk with their teacher. Many teachers are able to alter assignments to make the amount of homework each night more manageable for your child. It’s better to talk sooner to ensure your child gets the help they need before falling too far behind.

Try these ways to help support your child as they do their homework. Use these ideas to help make homework time easier!

Related resources.

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How to Get Your Child to Focus on Homework and Stop Procrastinating

It happens every day. There’s the ever-piling list of things to do, usually accompanied by the not-so-willing student who needs help staying motivated.

As a parent, you know too well that every decision in school impacts your student’s future. Better grades mean more opportunities, after high school and even in elementary school.

Getting your child to focus on homework can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a few easy changes you can implement now to start seeing improvements today. Check out the tips below.

Tips to Help Your Child Focus on Homework

Tip 1: start with a small exercise.

Studies show  that cardio-based exercises boost memory and thinking skills. Cardio based means doing something that accelerates the heart rate.

If you get your child moving before starting schoolwork, it will get the blood flowing. This will help the brain become more active and ready to focus on homework.

Some exercises could be jogging, riding a bike, playing a sport or even just dancing a bit to some fun music. Anything your student likes to do that’s fast-paced can certainly help the motivation and focus.

Tip 2: Help set a routine

In Elite’s homeschooling and virtual academies, there is the added benefit of a more flexible schedule. With that added benefit comes the need for discipline.

To be successful in courses, it’s best to create a daily schedule for your child. Ideally, your child would put this schedule together with your help where needed. Keep the schedule realistic, including breaks where necessary.

Once a schedule is in place, there’s less guessing. Routines can also lead to reduced stress, as some studies have shown .

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1. Get a planner, or use a free online application

Some tool for your child easily view the daily schedule is important. This can be a physical planner or an app, but either way, it’ll make sticking to a schedule much simpler.

2. Think about the week; include every plan

Have your student list everything they plan to do that week. Does she like to fit in some time to skateboard? Great! Schedule it in. Besides, it might be best to do that skateboarding right before homework. 😉

3. Be Realistic

If your child is more of a night owl, you don’t have to force them to be an early bird and vice versa. Adjust free time and homework time accordingly. Your student might be one who needs frequent breaks in order to work efficiently. If that’s the case, then set a timer for 30 minutes of work with a 15-minute break immediately following.

Whatever works best with your child’s learning style will be a routine you both can stick to. You’ll be able to figure that out as you try new things and test them out.

Tip 3: Gather the necessary items before starting homework

Small disruptors go a long way (we’ll explain that more later).

If your child stops homework to grab a snack or a notebook, he’s going to get distracted.

Make sure your student has all the necessary materials ready to go before starting schoolwork.

If your student is an independent learner or homeschooler, keep a list of teacher’s and guidance counselor’s phone numbers on hand. Also having note-taking materials, the daily schedule and a glass of water will help your child be better prepared to focus.

Tip 4: Establish a workspace

We’re not saying you have to go to the store right now and drop hundreds on a desk, chair and supplies. The workspace doesn’t have to be traditional. But it should be a designated place in order to better focus on homework.

Maybe that place is an office in your home. Or perhaps your child has a fuzzy bean bag in your room that she loves. Whatever you both decide, make it a habit, and make sure it’s a place that’s comfortable to work. After all, that bean bag might be comfy to relax in, but might not be best once your student has a laptop and notebook to juggle.

It can be a good idea to incorporate some fun items to the workspace to help your child be excited to work there. These can be items like photos, music, lotion, candles or a favorite drink.

Whatever is decided, it’s a great idea to separate the workspace from sleep space.

If your child does homework in your bed where she sleeps, it’s likely going to make her want to take a nap rather than do homework. Make sure she studies somewhere you know he won’t get distracted until she finishes homework.

Tip 5: Remove all distractions

A distraction includes anything that deters your student from focusing on homework. This can range from music to a loud sibling.

Let’s take a moment to talk about those smartphones. They’re more detrimental to homework than you might think.

A  study showed  that having the phone on silent isn’t enough. Small disturbances like a screen notification could increase errors in your work. It also could prolong the time it takes to complete assignments. Here’s why:

As a researcher from the study stated, “Although these notifications are generally short in duration, they can prompt… mind-wandering, which has been shown to damage task performance,” ( PsychCentral ).

Even just being aware of a missed call, an unread text or another notification causes the brain to lose focus on homework. It knows there is something else to do, and it diverts attention.

We recommend setting all smart devices (phone, tablet, etc) in another room. If your child is able to forget about it, he will likely finish his homework quicker with fewer mistakes.

Tips to Help Your Child Stop Procrastinating

Tip 1: create rewards for motivation.

If you know your student has six assignments to complete in a day, then set aside a small reward for each.

Know your student’s weaknesses and turn them into rewards. If she likes to surf YouTube videos or SnapChat with friends, then allow these activities AFTER she’s completed schoolwork, but not until then.

Tip 2: If your child gets bored easily, incorporate more breaks

If your student has a hard time staying focused (like most students), it can cause stress or negative associations if she thinks he has to do his homework all in one sitting. And if your child experiences high stress before starting homework, he’s probably going to have a difficult time not procrastinating.

If that sounds like your child, then implement short breaks. Let him take a short break and color, or turn on a favorite YouTube music video and have a dance fest.

Getting the blood circulating will help your child’s brain and spirit.  Nothin’ like rockin’ out to a favorite tune!

Now this is the way to do homework, right?!

By breaking up coursework with small, fun tasks, her brain will have more positive associations. This might help your child dread starting homework less.

Tip 3: Reach out to your guidance counselor

It’s often a forgotten fact that your guidance counselor’s job is to help your student with any academic struggles. If your child has trouble starting her coursework, reach out to your counselor for help. They are state-certified and dedicated to you.

Elite is also readily available to develop personalized learning plans for your child.

Helping your child stay on track with homework is never easy, we know. But by following the tips above, it can become less stressful, and your child will hopefully be able to stay more focused. Learn more about Elite’s faculty and staff here .

We’ll leave you with one last quote:

“You have the power to be as successful as you want to be. Never let others dictate who you are destined to become!” – Brent Woodard, Elite CEO

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Be a part of our student lead podcast team. Mr. Smith guides this student lead podcast teaching students interviewing techniques, audio fundamentals, live video framing, and promotion of the podcast.

Host/Email: 

Nolan Smith, Cindy Lou, and Nowland Medina [email protected]

Club Dates: Thursdays at 3pm, alternating between meetings and recordings.

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Meetings are Thursdays at 2:00 p.m., which alternate between meetings and episode recordings.

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The Quest Crew is centered on introducing a life of outdoor recreation to our students and families. New to nature? Tenderfoot or seasoned trekker, all are welcome to join on Quest Crew outings. The natural world is a giant classroom full of endless opportunities to learn something new – what will you find? Join the crew and discover life through nature.

Host/Email: Tom Olson [email protected]

Club Dates: Second Wednesday of the month @ 1 PM

SOAR SUMMER PROGRAM DATES

• NXTLVL – 4th-8th grade
• 6/3/24 – 8/23/24

July 3rd-Aug. 2nd K-3rd

• DMA (Digital Media Academia) Re-Inventing Machines (STEM class)
• Co-Author & Publish Class book

4th – 8th

• Written Out Loud
• Up to 5 cohorts
• Coding – Interactive Book Covers
• Coding – Simulating a Marine Ecosystem

GRADES 10-12 by Invite & Induction Only.

The high school National Honor Society (NHS) is an esteemed and prestigious club that recognizes and celebrates academic excellence, leadership, service, and character among high school students. Founded on the principles of scholarship, leadership, service, and character, the NHS serves as a platform to honor students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in these areas.   Membership in the National Honor Society is typically invitation-based and requires students to meet stringent academic criteria. To be eligible, students must maintain a high GPA, exemplifying a commitment to scholarship and academic success. Additionally, candidates are evaluated on their leadership skills, demonstrated through active participation in school and community activities. The NHS also places a strong emphasis on service, seeking students who have shown a dedication to making positive contributions to their communities through volunteer work and civic engagement.   Once inducted, members participate in various activities and projects that reflect the organization’s commitment to service and leadership. This may include organizing community service initiatives, tutoring fellow students, and contributing to school events. NHS members often take on leadership roles within the school, acting as role models and advocates for academic achievement and community service.

Host : Ms. Yazdani

Club Dates : Every 3rd Wednesday of the Month

VIDEO PLACEHOLDER

Details coming soon!

Club Dates :

K-8TH GRADE

The Filmmakers Fellowship is a dedicated group of students who are passionate about the art of filmmaking. The club is a sphere of support for members to get advice on filmmaking and exchange new ideas with one another.

Students will create their own films and showcase them to the Elite community at the end of the academic year.

Host : Cienamon Bailey

Club Dates : Every other Tuesday at 3:15pm

Visit Parent Square for the Zoom link and more information

In the Art Club we are going to spend the year learning about the different elements of art. As we learn about the elements of art, we will look at masterpieces through different lenses and create our own. We encourage all members to share what they create during our meetings as well.

Art Club will also be hosting 3 field trips this year. Two of them are virtual, and one is in-person at the Getty in June. 

Host : Teresa Fleming

Club Dates : Every other Wednesday at 1 PM

K-5TH GRADE

The Kindness Club We believe in the power of kindness. Each member of the Kindness Club learns the importance of kindness and plans ways to spread kindness throughout our school community and beyond. We also participate in the Great Kindness Challenge and World Kindness Day. Together we can make a difference – one kind act at a time.

Host: Antonette Sims & Jeannelle Reeves

Club Dates: K-2nd | Every other Monday from 12:00pm – 12:30pm 3rd – 5th | Every other Monday from 1:00pm – 1:30pm

Elite is committed to providing direct intentional actions to support our student-athletes in the growth and development of their academics and athletics. Ms. Baker takes time to work with our student-athletes on these actions in her Peak Performance Huddle on Friday afternoons. They will work on Finding the balance skills and actions to help ensure student-athletes have successful weeks and continue to excel in both athletics and academics. Come find out what the new excitement is about! All Elite middle school student-athletes, no matter what their academy, are encouraged to join at 12pm and high school student-athletes at 12:30pm. Zoom meeting links are in Parent Square or contact Ms. Baker at  [email protected]  for a Google invite to your calendar.

Hosts: Kristy Baker

Club Dates: Every Friday: 12pm Middle School 12:30am High School

Peak Performance Coaches spend 2 sessions through a Zoom Meet & Greet to introduce students to different sports and get them connected with community partners in their areas. These community partners will be where they learn and play in person. Tennis, Jhu Jitsu, soccer, baseball, softball and so much more!

Hosts: Kristy Baker & Andy Allanson

Club Dates: Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 1pm September 18th and 25th – Soccer, Baseball, and Softball September 19th and 26th – Golf, Tennis and Equestrian (this will replace the Clubs) September 20th and 27th – Wrestling, MMA and Boxing October 2nd and 9th- Cheer and Gymnastics October 3rd and 10th- Basketball and Football

GRADES: 6-8

Middle School Hangout is open to all 6th-8th grade students. They will have the opportunity to make new friends and chat with old ones through fun activities and games.

Hosts: School Counselors

Club Dates: Every other Thursday at 12pm

Hosts: Kristy Baker and Andy Allanson

Club Dates: Starts after the Winter Break

Explore new songwriting techniques, learn ways to inspire your creativity, and collaborate with other student songwriters and musicians in Elite’s own Songwriting Club! Led by professional musician and international award-winning songwriter Derik Nelson, students will gather weekly in a positive and supportive environment to workshop new song ideas, get answers to questions about the music industry, and be empowered with the tools to write their own original song. Each student will have the opportunity to present their new song to the world as part of a special end-of-semester Virtual Concert hosted live by Derik.

Host: Derik Nelson

Club Dates: Fridays from 1 – 2:30pm

GRADES: 6-12

All students are welcome to join our Esports club! Students will not only work together in a gaming setting, but will also learn about the massive Esports ecosystem and all of the career pathways connected to it thanks to our partnership with NASEF.

Hosts: Justin Diaz & Sam Keeley

Club Dates: 2pm starting on September 12th – Weekly on Tuesdays.

Lunch Bunch is open to all 1st-5th grade students. They will have the opportunity to make new friends and chat with old friends through fun games and activities.

Club Dates: 2nd Tuesdays/month at 12pm

GRADES 6-12 

Here in K-Club we listen to K-Pop, discuss K-Dramas, play games, share our albums, and scrapbook together! Whether you already love all things Korean culture, or are just curious about K-Pop, everyone is welcome to join and meet new friends :)! Hope to see you there!

Host/Email: Katie Pollock & Jean Kim Antonella Cavazos and Cindy Nowland-Medina

Club Dates: Every other Tuesday at 3 pm

GRADES: 9-12 

High School students get together to find fellow elite students that are taking similar classes, can help with studying material and get helpful tips from Mrs. Makkai. There is a group chat going with all students in order to encourage a good academic schedule and hold everyone accountable for their projects.

Hosts: Cindy Nowland Medina & Karen Makkai

Club Dates: The Club starts on September 14th, we are closed November 23rd, December 21st, 28th, January 4th, February 15th, March 14th, The last date is June 6th.

GRADES: 5, 7, 9

The Physical Fitness Test (PFT) is a comprehensive, health-related physical fitness battery of tests for students in California. The State Board of Education designated the FITNESSGRAM® as the PFT for students in California public schools. The test has five parts that show a level of fitness that offer a degree of defense against diseases that come from inactivity. The test results can be used by students, teachers, and parents. The FITNESSGRAM® consists of five fitness areas: Aerobic Capacity, Abdominal Strength and Endurance, Upper Body Strength and Endurance, Trunk Extensor Strength and Flexibility and Flexibility. The FITNESSGRAM® results are one piece of information students and their families can use, along with other information, to monitor overall fitness. The results are also useful for schools to monitor their physical education programs. The PFT is given to all students enrolled in a California public school in grades five, seven, and nine. Students with disabilities should be given as much of the test as each student’s physical condition permits. The PFT is a physical fitness test and requires every student in grades five, seven, and nine to perform a series of physical tasks

Host/Email: Andy Allanson

Club Dates: 3rd Wed of each month @ 1pm

GRADES: 1- 6

Do you want to be better at drawing? Have you given painting a try? Does sculpture and carving intrigue you? Have you ever knit, or crocheted? These are the kinds of things we will be doing in the Elite CreativeSpace Club!

Host/Email: Lena Olson [email protected]

Club Dates:  3rd Wednesday of the month @ 4pm

GRADES K-5 

Rad Readers is a book club for all students! In our meetings we have discussions, games, and it is a great way to connect with other book lovers. Throughout the semester, the club will be reading a book and then discussing it in the Zoom meetings every 2 weeks. This club is student lead and teacher supported. We hope to host another Rad Reader field trip this year.

**Note: books are typically geared towards 3rd-5th graders. If you have a younger student then a family member can read the book with them so they can engage in the story.

Host/Email: Sarah O’Connor, Solana Gregg and Ava Maturo [email protected]

Club Dates: Tuesdays at 3pm bi weekly

If you enjoy watching and talking about anime with your peers this is the club for you. We also create our very own anime storylines and explore the creativity of the world of anime.

Host: Melvin Thomas [email protected]

Club Dates: 2nd tuesday of the month 1pm-1:30pm

GRADES: 9-12

The goal would be to connect with other Elite High School Students who have had the experience of taking classes at the community college. We would talk about our experience, share helpful tips and strategies, and offer Zoom study sessions for accountability. Being a high school student at a community college can also be scary or can cause some anxiety, so I have a community college counselor to an EAA high school counselor who is willing to provide general support and strategies from time to time.

Host/Email: Amanda Bobczynski & Eliana Hellon [email protected]

Club Dates: Friday at 12:00 noon once a month

Learning Labs are designed to be engaging and intentionally use strategies to increase students’ growth mindset and build academic confidence.

Students meet with their coach via zoom for 1 hour a week for a period of at least 10 weeks. , each session will target a specific ela or math skill. some will also provide an opportunity for students to practice their individual skills on their iready personalized pathway, labs are conducted by highly qualified, experienced and trained lab coaches, students are nominated for participation by their teacher of record.  , student progress is monitored and shared with their teacher of record and families weekly.  at the end of each semester, a progress report is provided. .

All Elite 6-12 students are welcome to join a reading club led by student host. Students read a selected book each semester and discuss!

Grades 6-12

Host/Email: Danielle Gregus

Club Dates: 1 PM First Wednesday on the month

For current equestrian members and any one interested in learning about becoming a part of the team! Coach Andy will be reviewing the components of Elite equestrian, and team members will get to recap their riding experience over the last month with fellow team members. Come and learn about Elite Equestrian & Riding Club and discuss your latest ride!

Club Dates:

Equestrian Club All Times are at 1 PM 

3rd Thursday

Join your fellow bakers with Ms. Steele and Ms. Wright in participating in up to three monthly baking challenges! You will enjoy the company of like-minded students while exchanging recipes, learning new baking techniques in live demos, and practicing making everything from cookies and cakes to ice cream and pies!

Host/Email: Ashly Steele

Club Dates: All Times are at 1 PM

Every other Friday

Which Academy should I choose?

Step 1 of 5.

• My student's grade level: * TK-8 K-5 6-12

• My student prefers to learn via: * Print-based curriculum Online curriculum A mixture of both

• I plan on being involved by: * Collaborating with a Credentialed Elite Educator to educate my child Supporting the Credentialed Elite Educator who is educating my child

• When learning with an Elite Educator, we prefer: * In-Person meetings at a public location Virtual meetings scheduled online

• My student: * Is self-motivated, self-disciplined, and sticks to a schedule Would benefit from staff support in developing study skills

Because differences are our greatest strength

What to say to your child about trouble with focus

By The Understood Team

Expert reviewed by Bob Cunningham, EdM

Lots of kids have trouble paying attention and staying focused when they’re supposed to. When kids don’t focus, it can be frustrating for everyone. But constantly being told to pay attention or concentrate, and having a hard time doing it, can make kids feel bad about themselves.

Knowing what to say to your child about trouble with focus makes a difference. It lets you respond more positively when your child doesn’t pay attention. It gives your child a chance to talk about the challenges. And it allows you to work together on strategies for staying focused .

Here are tips for talking to your child about trouble with focus.

Talking about challenges

When you talk to your child about challenges, there are two important messages you need to get across:

You understand or want to understand.

You’re there to help.

Focusing is a skill. When kids struggle with a skill or a task, they’re not doing it on purpose.

Tell your child, “I know focusing is hard for you, and that not everything is interesting. But some things are important to pay attention to, even if you’re not interested in them. Let’s talk about what might make it easier to focus on those.”

Explain that lots of people have a hard time with focus. If you know why your child has trouble focusing, be open about it. For instance, if your child has been diagnosed with ADHD , use that term and explain what it means.

The harder part is knowing what to say in the moment. That could be when your child is zoning out or not following directions . Or it could be when your child is doing poorly in school because of focus challenges. Here are three things to do when you talk to your child about not focusing.

Point out the behavior. Kids don’t always realize when they lose focus.

Ask your child what might help. It’s important for your child to know that there are ways to work on it.

Don’t accuse or criticize. Avoid saying things like “You never pay attention” or “You have to stop daydreaming.”

Here are some common situations for kids with focus challenges and examples of things you can say:

When the teacher raises concerns about focus: “I know you try hard to pay attention in class. But your teacher says you get distracted. What would make it easier to focus? Your teacher suggested having you sit up front and away from the window.”  

When lack of focus causes a problem: “You must not have paid attention when I asked you to walk the dog. Now she’s had an accident. I’ll clean it up this time, and then we’ll talk about how to help you focus on the things you need to do.”

When your child doesn’t focus on homework: “You haven’t gotten any farther in your reading since the last time I checked in. What do you think can help keep your mind from wandering? Some people focus better when they listen to music. Do you want to try that?”

When you need to get your child’s attention: “I can see that you’re not really focusing on what I’m saying. Please put that down and look at me. And later, let’s come up with a signal to help you know you need to focus.”

When kids have challenges, they can feel like they’re alone. Explain to your child that lots of people have trouble with focus and attention. And everyone struggles with something.

The more you know about why and when your child has trouble focusing, the more specific your conversations can be. Your child’s teacher can be a great resource. Ask the teacher what’s going on in class and if there are ways to help your child focus better.

Kids have trouble with focus for different reasons. A common cause is ADHD. If you’re concerned that your child might have ADHD, learn about steps you can take to find out and get your child the right support.

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Stay on Task And Reduce Homework Distractions

• May 12, 2020

For students, the ability to reduce homework distractions is not always easy. Many parents wonder how to help a child who can’t seem to concentrate on his or her school assignments.

Many kids see homework as tedious or boring, so it’s easy to understand why they often become off-task.

How can parents help to reduce homework distractions? It starts with understanding where these distractions are coming from.

Why Are Children Distracted?

Children often don’t understand why homework is important or that there are consequences for not doing it. However, in most cases, students simply lack the experience and self-control to stay on-task.

The “home” setting of homework can be a major source of homework distractions. It’s filled with toys, internet access, and family members doing their own things. With all these homework distractions happening around them, children can find it hard to sit down and tackle homework in an effective way.

What Other Problems Cause Distraction?

Other issues can cause children to lose concentration. Stress, frustration, and simply not understanding the material can have a big impact on a student’s ability to concentrate, as well as his or her ability to master the material being taught in class.

How To Help Your Child Focus On Homework And Reduce Homework Distractions:

If you’re a parent with a child who needs some help staying on-task, try these tips to reduce homework distractions:

1. Schedule Small Breaks

It’s important to give your child enough breaks so that he or she doesn’t get overly frustrated, bored, or start drifting away from the material. Take a 5-10 minute break every 20 to 30 minutes. These small “brain breaks” will help your child refresh his or her mind and return to the material more invigorated. Take a short walk to help get rid of any extra energy so your child will be ready to get back down to work.

2. Create a Learning Space

Having a space to work is crucial for homework and studying. Ideally, this space should be used be for homework only, but that may not always be practical depending on the space you have in your home. The most important thing that is this space remains distraction-free and has all the supplies your child needs to work (like pencils and paper). A good study space – also known as a study studio – can have a great impact on helping your child concentrate more effectively on his or her homework.

3. Help When Needed

It’s perfectly acceptable for parents to work with their kids—especially at a young age—when it comes time to do homework and study. Just make sure you are encouraging your child to find the answers to questions him or herself, and not doing the work for your child yourself . Work together, but work toward self-management so your child gets stronger each time.

4. Have a Homework Plan

Approach each homework session with a plan of attack. Help your child make a checklist and stick to it. Include what homework assignments your child has each night and any extra materials needed. Creating structure can be extremely helpful to students. It can also help you make sure your child has what he or she needs for each homework session and keep track of how your child is spending his or her time.

5. Mix Up Subjects

A major factor in distraction is often boredom. A good way to combat that boredom is to switch subject focus every so often. Mixing it up can help keep the mind engaged and focused. If your child has hit his or her limit with math, switch to another assignment. Come back to any unfinished homework questions later and tackle them with a clearer mind.

6. Offer Rewards

If your child just doesn’t want to complete his or her homework, offer him or her a little incentive for getting tasks accomplished. This doesn’t need to be a big reward. A small treat or a trip to the park can be enough to motivate your child to complete his or her homework and move onto other exciting activities.

Concentration is Key!

Concentration and focus are not the easiest techniques for students to master, especially when it comes to homework. However, with these tips you can teach your child how to become better at concentrating on his or her homework. Once your child develops better concentration and homework skills, it’s easy to become an even better student.

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Home / Expert Articles / Child Behavior Problems / School & Homework

10 Ways to Motivate Your Child to Do Better in School

By debbie pincus, ms lmhc.

How do you motivate a child who doesn’t seem to want to do his school work?

As parents, we are invested in our child’s academic life because we know how important it is for their future. Unfortunately, our kids don’t always seem to share our concern about their future. We know this because they continue to prioritize watching YouTube, gaming, and hanging out with their friends over their school work.

Why aren’t our kids motivated to do well in school? After all, it’s in their self-interest to do well. Why don’t they want to succeed as much as we want them to succeed?

Here’s the problem. School is an aspect of life that requires discipline and work, and kids need to learn to buy into the value of doing well. Your child must own the importance of doing well himself. Motivation can’t be forced. And if you try to force your child to be motivated, it almost always makes things worse.

Nevertheless, there are positive steps that you can take to help your child motivate himself to do better in school. Most of these steps involve setting up a structure to enable him to have better discipline and follow-through. This structure improves your child’s chance of success, and the taste of success is often what drives motivation.

In my work with parents and kids over the years, I have found the following 10 tips to help put your child in the best position to succeed and be motivated in school.

1. Stay Positive

Keep a relationship with your child that is open, respectful, and positive. Remind yourself that you and your child are on the same team. This will allow you to be influential, which is your most important parenting tool.

Punishing, preaching, and threatening will get you nowhere and will be detrimental to your relationship and their motivation. Your feelings of anxiety, frustration, and fear are normal and understandable. But reacting to your kids out of these emotions is ineffective and makes things worse.

Remember, your child is not behaving this way on purpose to make your life miserable. When you feel yourself getting worked up, try saying to yourself, “My child is just not there yet.”

And remind yourself that your job is to help him learn how to be responsible. If you get negative and make this a moral issue, then your child might become defiant, reacting to you instead of thinking through things himself.

2. Incorporate the “When You” Rule

One of life’s lessons is that we get paid after we do the work. So start saying things like:

“When you finish studying, you are welcome to go to your friend’s house.”

“When your homework is completed, we can discuss watching that movie you wanted to see on Netflix.”

Enforce this rule and stick to it. If your child does not yet have the necessary discipline, this will help to create it.

Indeed, by enforcing the “when you” rule, you are helping her learn how to do what her brain is not yet equipped to do, which is to be disciplined and to delay gratification.

3. Create Structure for Your Child

If your child is not studying and his grades are dropping, you have a right to get involved, whether he wants you there or not. Again, you’re not there to do the work for him. Instead, you are there to help set up the structure that he cannot create for himself.

The structure might include scheduled study times, having the computer out in a public place in your home, and saying, “No video games or electronics until after your homework is done.”

You might decide that he must devote a certain amount of hours to study time. During this time, no electronics or other distractions are allowed. You might make the rule that even if he finishes all his homework, he must complete study time by reviewing, reading, or editing.

Some kids do better listening to music while they study, and that’s okay. But keep in mind that this can be tricky because their music is usually integrated with their phones. This means YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, and instant messaging will all be at their fingertips.

If you can’t effectively keep them off those apps, then no phone and no music until their work is done. Just say:

“You can listen to music when you finish your homework.”

Think of it this way: schools don’t allow phones in class, and neither should you.

Understand that this structure is not a punishment. Rather, it is a way to help him to develop a good work ethic and to focus on his school subjects.

4. Meet With the Teacher

If your child’s grades and work habits are not up to par, you can set up a plan by sitting down with him and his teachers.

Have your child check with his teacher each day before coming home to ensure that he has all his homework assignments.

Also, you can ask him each morning to ensure that he brings his homework back to school. For me, nothing was more frustrating than my son doing his homework but then forgetting to bring it to school.

Once your child gets better at managing his time, completing his work, and getting organized, then it’s time for you to back off. Let him do it on his own. Only step in if he is consistently having a problem.

5. Identify a Study Spot

Your child may need a quiet location away from brothers and sisters to study. Or she may do better in a room near others. You can help her experiment, but once you find what works best, keep her in that location.

To keep your child focused, you may need to sit with her while she does her homework. You can read a book or newspaper while she works. At a minimum, be nearby to help ensure that she stays on track.

It’s okay to help her with her homework if she is stuck, but don’t do her work for her. For example, it’s okay to review her work and ask her if a certain paragraph makes sense to her. But it’s not okay to write every sentence or work on every math problem with her. Give just enough help to get her over the hump. Remember, learning how to struggle through difficult material is one of the skills your child needs to learn.

6. Break Assignments Into Manageable Pieces

Decide together whether you need to help him break down his assignments into smaller pieces and organize on a calendar what he should get done each day.

You can get him a big wall calendar or a whiteboard. It could be electronic if that is preferable, but I prefer written tools because electronics can be distracting.

7. Be Firm and Consistent with Homework Rules

You want to be positive and helpful to your child. At the same time, though, you have to be firm. You have to consistently enforce the rules you establish.

Being firm and consistent sends the message to your child that you know he can succeed.

Being firm also means that you enforce the rules with effective consequences. If he doesn’t follow the rules you set up, apply the consequences. And don’t try to shield him from the natural consequences of not doing his work, even if that means bad or failing grades.

In being firm, stay positive. For every negative interaction with your child, try to create ten positive ones. Try to put the focus on supporting and encouraging him instead of worrying and nagging.

And don’t take his performance personally. When you start to believe his grades are a reflection of you or your parenting, then you will be on his case, and it will make things worse.

8. Be Aware of His Anxiety Level

Recognize that much of your child’s lack of motivation (or what looks like irresponsibility) might be his anxiety or shame about academics and schoolwork. Kids may not be able to explain all of this to you because it’s not always on a conscious level for them.

Anxiety can be misinterpreted as a lousy attitude, lack of motivation, and irresponsibility. Often, the cover-up for these vulnerable emotions can take the form of acting out, shutting down, avoidance, or defiance.

While a little anxiety can motivate, too much blocks your child’s ability to think and to have access to the part of the brain that helps him with motivation.

Keep your emotions in check by recognizing that it may be your child’s anxiety at play rather than his laziness. Calmly help to give him a better structure to get his work done, and it will help reduce his anxiety.

And remember that what is happening now may look very different as your child matures and develops.

9. Don’t Over-Function For Your Child

It’s nerve-wracking and frustrating to see your child struggle and not meet his potential. You may feel that your child’s lack of motivation is a poor reflection on your parenting. In response, you react and shift into overdrive to get your child to succeed so that your feelings of shame, embarrassment, failure, or fear go away.

In the process, you may be tempted to over-function by helping to complete his work for him. But don’t do it. Resist the temptation. The more you over-function for your child, the more he will react to your anxiety, which causes things to go further and further downhill. Just set up the structure to help him succeed, but let him do the work and bear the consequences, good or bad.

Be your child’s coach. Set the strategy and give direction, but stay on the sidelines and let your child play the game—Root for him to win and praise him when he does. But don’t be afraid to let him fail. It’s all part of growing up and learning to take responsibility.

10. Don’t Obsess About the Future

When your child seems to have no interest in his life, it’s easy to start fast-forwarding into the future. When he acts like he doesn’t care about anything except video games and his friends, you worry that he won’t be successful or even function on his own. This heightens your anxiety and fear.

But none of us have a crystal ball or can see into the future. Focusing on the negative things your child is doing will only bring the spotlight on them and may set you both up for a power struggle. Instead, focus on your child’s positive traits and help him work on those in the present.

Is he outgoing? Helpful? A good cook? Good with cars or electronics? Focus on all the things that go into a developed, successful person, not just academics and grades. Help your child develop in social, creative, and emotional ways. Remember to always keep the big picture in mind.

For all of these tips, start from where your child is. What I mean is that, in many cases, your child may have a long way to go, and you don’t want to overwhelm him by trying to work on too many issues at once.

Expect that your child won’t like the structure at first, but he will get used to it. Be patient. Don’t expect improvement overnight, but don’t underestimate your child either. Be confident that he will come around and will improve with the structures you have put in place.

Related content: Sinking Fast at School: How to Help Your Child Stay Afloat “My Child Refuses to Do Homework” — How to Stop the Nightly Struggle Over School Work

About Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC

For more than 25 years, Debbie has offered compassionate and effective therapy and coaching, helping individuals, couples and parents to heal themselves and their relationships. Debbie is the creator of the Calm Parent AM & PM™ program and is also the author of numerous books for young people on interpersonal relations.

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Mom of Senior Although these comments are great, currently all homework is online for my highschool senior. during the pandemic, all of his school was online, and now, he's in a brick and mortor school for the first time since 9th grade. i think encouraging kids to seek friends at this point is More helpful, but it has to be on his terms. i haven't heard of many other parents with kids in this situation, but i do believe we aren't the only ones at a new school for senior year. the other situation is how much my senior dislikes school. he hates the entire structure of the school day, and feels there's no opportunity to truly learn when forced to cram everything into a 45 minute class period. we struggle often, with all of this.

BW RC I agree with you.

Parents most definitely need to stay involved in making sure their kids are on track academically. Here are some tips, parent to parent, from someone who has raised kids who have had success in school:

(1) Understand each of your child's capabilities and set expectations at home. Keep in mind that every child is different and outcomes will vary. The one commonality is that every child needs to achieve to the best of his/her own ability. Establishing work ethic is key in the early academic years.

(2) Help your child with organizational tools. Many kids struggle early on because they miss due dates or don't know how to manage their time because of poor organization. Buy them agendas to write down assignments and talk to them at the beginning of each week about upcoming tests and projects.

(3) Create a quiet, stress-free environment at home where kids can focus without distraction.

(4) Self esteem and confidence are extremely important. Always try to focus on positive reinforcement rather than taking a punitive approach. Verbally acknowledge improvements, even if the grade isn't where you would like it to be. If a child scores a low C on a test one week, and brings it up to a mid C the next, focus on the improvement, not on the disappointment that the grade isn't an A.

(5) Teach your child to communicate directly with his/her teachers and take advantage of study halls and other opportunities to seek instruction. Only get involved directly if all other avenues have been exhausted.

RC These suggestions are great for those with children, who have little defiance and will react to consequences, by changing their behavior. But, for our kid, nothing seems to work, either positive or negative. Unfortunately, I find this information much too basic and general. We’ve tried all of this and nothing More has stuck. The only suggestion I can see as potentially beneficial is number nine. Focus on what the kid is good at and hope for the best. But, until kids can stop lying to everyone, especially themselves, it’s all for nothing...

Responses to questions posted on EmpoweringParents.com are not intended to replace qualified medical or mental health assessments. We cannot diagnose disorders or offer recommendations on which treatment plan is best for your family. Please seek the support of local resources as needed. If you need immediate assistance, or if you and your family are in crisis, please contact a qualified mental health provider in your area, or contact your statewide crisis hotline.

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How to Help Your Child Focus

Last Updated: April 8, 2021 References

This article was co-authored by Jade Giffin, MA, LCAT, ATR-BC . Jade Giffin is an Art Psychotherapist based in New York, New York. She brings over a decade of experience specializing in the treatment of trauma and grief, pre and post-partum and parenting challenges, anxiety and stress management, self-care, and social, emotional, and learning difficulties for adults, teenagers, and children. Jade holds a BA in Psychology and Visual Arts from Barnard College and an MA in Art Therapy from New York University with distinction. She is a Hughes Fellow and Lehman Award recipient for providing outstanding clinical work. Jade's roles also encompass clinical supervisor, therapeutic program developer, published researcher, and presenter. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 1,462 times.

Children may float from one activity to another based on their interests. While it’s important for children to exercise their creativity and follow their curiosity, it’s also important that they learn to focus and concentrate, especially if your child is school-aged. If your child struggles with focus and concentration, there are ways for you to help build these skills. Set the tone for your child’s work with a predictable schedule and create a space that supports this schedule while decreasing distractions. Use tools to encourage your child to stay on task and structure their work time to keep them on task.

Preparing Your Child to Focus

• Giving your child short transition breaks will help them learn to respect their own and others’ need to rest and have a little personal space before moving from one task, activity, or environment to another.

• Younger children tend to be able to focus for less time than older children. For example, a child aged 4-5 can likely maintain attention for 5-20 minutes per activity. Keep this in mind and don’t expect your child to concentrate for longer than their developmental range.

• Find an activity that your child enjoys that includes movement. This might be dance, karate, skateboarding, hockey, or gymnastics.

• Keep this space separate from a time-out space or other area that may be used for discipline. Enlist the help of your child to help decorate the space and make it soothing and comfortable.

• Practice with your child to start out. Begin by taking 5 big breaths. Count 5 seconds for the inhale and 5 seconds for the exhale. For more exercises, check out How to Breathe Deeply.

• Limit caffeine and sugar and encourage a healthy diet. Add healthy fats (like avocados and nuts) and don’t let your kid skip breakfast. [7] X Research source
• It’s recommended that children ages 3-5 receive 10-13 hours, school-aged children sleep 9-11 hours, and teenagers 8-10 hours of sleep per night. [8] X Research source

Encouraging Productivity and Minimizing Distractions

• Consider music that doesn’t include lyrics your child may find distracting. Play classical music or relaxing, ambient music.
• Use headphones to help drown out other noises in the home.
• Try traditional dance game favorites like “The Hokey Pokey” or “Ring Around the Rosie,” or try one of the ideas listed here: http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/pages/dance-steps-games.aspx

• For example, tell your child to work on homework for 20 minutes, and when the timer goes off, they can have a break. Or, tell your child you will set the timer and when the timer goes off, they need to start their project.

• If the television is on, keep it far from your child’s workspace. As much as possible, set a good example for your child by not playing with your phone or watching television while they are working.

• Read a story with your child, then give them a “pop quiz.” What were some things that happened in the story? Who were some of the characters? What was the main message of the story?
• Read a couple of pages or paragraphs, then ask your child what they think should happen next. For example, “So the wolf huffed, and puffed . . . and then what do you think happened?” Brainstorm with your child and exchange ideas, and then compare what you came up with to what happens next in the original.
• After reading a book, act out the story, or parts of the story, with your child. Encourage your child to improvise and take it in their own direction.

• For example, take turns describing simple objects in great detail. If you notice a book, say, “This is a book. The cover is green and the pages are white. The pages are crisp and not bent. There are lots of pages, so that means it’s a long book.” Observe common objects and spend time observing them in detail.

Managing Tasks and Time

• For a child, daily responsibilities could include things like putting their backpacks away as soon as they get home, picking up toys when they are done, and doing their homework at a specific time each day.
• 2 Establish specific consequences for not getting tasks done. For example, you might explain to your child that they can’t watch their favorite TV show if they don’t get their homework done. Make sure everyone in the family is on the same page, and that consequences are used consistently.

• For example, if your child has 15 math problems to complete, cover up the unfinished ones and work on one at a time.

• Have structured activities your child may choose from during breaks. For example, they can jump on the trampoline, play a game, or color.

• If your child is working on a project, do one thing at a time. For example, focus on one task each day that can be realistically accomplished. If your child is writing a paper, have them write one paragraph each day for one week.

• Children focus best and are better prepared to manage their lives in the long run when you help them establish a routine as early as possible.
• Remember that different types and levels of structure work best for different children and families. Take your child’s individual needs and personality into account when developing your routine.
• For example, if your child focuses best after dinner, set aside that time for homework.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.pbs.org/parents/expert-tips-advice/2016/01/tips-helping-child-focus-concentrate/
• ↑ http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/helping-kids-focus/
• ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/attention-deficit-disorder-adhd-parenting-tips.htm#structure
• ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/boost-your-memory-by-eating-right
• ↑ http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/sleep.asp
• ↑ http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/ss/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate
• ↑ https://sleepfoundation.org/excessivesleepiness/sleep-news/how-much-sleep-do-babies-and-kids-need
• ↑ Jade Giffin, MA, LCAT, ATR-BC. Art Psychotherapist. Expert Interview. 30 October 2020.
• ↑ http://www.additudemag.com/slideshow/123/slide-5.html
• ↑ http://www.additudemag.com/slideshow/123/slide-3.html

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• What Is Anxiety?
• Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test
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• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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5 Tips to Help Your Kid Laser Focus on Homework

Does it seem like your child has a lot more homework than you did at her age?

The vocabulary, the spelling, the math homework sheet and then the required 20 minutes of reading… all in first grade??

How can you possibly keep your child focused during it all?

Before you go further, if you have a nagging feeling that your child may have way TOO much homework, I’ve made a short e-book with action steps that you can take as a parent.

It will rundown how to tell if your kid brings home too much homework for her age and what you can do about it.

Got it? Awesome!

Now, assuming your child has a reasonable amount of homework for her age, these homework tips for kids will help her focus so that she can complete her assignments in the shortest time possible.

Increasing Homework Focus

As humans, we all struggle with focus.

Right now, as I try to write this in a middle of a Starbucks, I’m tempted to stop in the middle of this sentence and check my Facebook feed.

… or I think I just heard my phone ding.

… oh, wait, did my husband feed the dogs this morning? I better check on that.

But, WHY? Why do we do this? When we have so much more to gain by concentrating on the task at hand so we can just finish??

Kind of like our kids, right? They could spend so much less time on homework if they would simply focus.

You see where I’m going with this?

The point is that focus is hard! Our brain seeks novelty and when we’re engaged in the middle of a task, our brain desperately searches for an escape.

An excuse just to break the monontony.

Not on my watch, brain!

(Ya, I’ll tell it…. Ooh, there’s facebook again)

So, the trick comes in being wittier than our brain. We can do this for ourselves as well as our kids.

Here’s how:

Remove all distractions

Everything your kid sees will literally distract them when they are in the middle of a monotonous task. EVERYTHING.

• Their tablet.
• Their younger sibling.
• Their older sibling.

This is why many teachers use the cardboard dividers between students while taking tests. Because wherever the brain sees novelty, it’s going to clench on with it’s two chubby fists and not release until everything is covered in drool.

How do limit distractions in a busy house though?

If your child has trouble concentrating, designate a safe homework place. Perhaps its in another room or maybe its a specific time where the entire family agrees to leave all other distractions off.

However, maybe your kid’s mind simply wanders. If so, they need something they can tune out so they can in fact tune in.

Try music for certain homework assignments

Have you heard of the “Mozart effect,” where listening to music boosts brain power?

It’s actually not true.

Researchers found that the effect of music on your performance depends entirely on the type of task.

If kids are completing a math worksheet or a reading comprehension assignment, music will hinder performance.

However, if they’re engaged in any sort of creative project such as creative writing or building, music may help maximize their productivity.

Use a timer

While we can’t control how much homework we have to do, we can control the amount of time we choose to do it in.

A timer can work wonders – especially if your child finds it hard to concentrate for any length of time.

Start by telling your child that you’ll set a timer for 5 minutes.  All he needs to do is work for 5 straight minutes before he can take a break.

And if he can’t yet do 5, set the timer for 2 minutes instead. The goal is to master focused work for a set period of time and train the brain to work for longer focused periods.

And then when the times goes off…

Take active rest breaks

The type of rest kids take between work breaks is just as important as the actual work.

While we love to relax by playing games on electronic devices, they aren’t exactly restorative. Instead of clearing of the mind, they agitate and stress.

The best rest is active – I know, call me crazy on that one but hear me out.

Some of the best and most productive people in the world believe in active rest breaks. Research shows that movement breaks are essential for physical and emotional health.    In fact, breaks are even more effective if taken out in nature.

So, encourage your child to take their break outside.  They can ride a bike or simply putz around the backyard.

Want a fun active break?  Teach your child how to make a lava lamp.

When we purposefully engage in a task – not only are we more motivated to complete it, but we are also happier.

Have kids set a goal for homework time. What are they trying to master? What do they want to accomplish?

• Get an A on their spelling test this Friday?
• Master double digit multiplication?

Help them define the why and see how it affects their motivation and focus.

Focusing on homework is tough

Some kids absolutely love homework while others struggle to complete it with any enthusiasm. By using these homework tips of setting a goal, using a timer, removing distractions and taking active rest breaks, you’re doing your best to encourage focus in your kids.

You got this mama!

Dread homework time?  You’ll also want:

The one tip you need to master your kid’s homework organization

• Your perfect after school checklist (that’s completely editable)
• 6 Genius Ways to Wake Up Kids For School without Yelling

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3 Steps to Never-Ending Summer Activities for Older Kids

Ever wish summer wasn’t such a big stressor? That you, as a parent, didn’t have to worry about creating a summer schedule or organizing activities for your older kids?

You roamed free every summer. You woke up when you wanted to. Maybe you swam for a summer swim team. Then, you watched a little TV and read book after book. Babysitters Club, R.L. Stine – you finished full series.

Your parents didn’t seem stressed about entertaining you every minute of every day. We knew how to entertain ourselves.

Why don’t our kids know how to do that?

One reason: They don’t know how.

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How to Focus on Homework

Home » Parent Press » Parenting Hacks » Academics » How to Focus on Homework

Is homework time turning into a daily struggle at your house? I’ve spent years working with children who face challenges focusing on their homework and have discovered practical strategies that truly make a difference. By understanding what helps kids concentrate, parents can transform homework time into a productive and even enjoyable part of the day. Discover key techniques that encourage focus and enhance your child’s learning experience, tailored specifically for those with thinking and learning differences.

Table of Contents

Create a Dedicated Homework Space

Establishing a designated workspace for your child is crucial for them to learn how to focus on homework. This space should be clutter-free, well-lit, and free from distractions. Creating a consistent learning environment makes it easier for your child to concentrate and complete their tasks.

Set a Routine and Stick to It

When it comes to mastering how to stay focused on homework, consistency is key. It’s about creating a steady homework routine that meshes well with your child’s day. Imagine setting a specific time each day for homework, a time that aligns with their energy peaks and doesn’t clash with their extracurricular commitments.

Establishing a predictable routine like this acts like a mental alarm clock, signaling it’s time for focused study. It gently instills the importance of regular study, and over time, this can help strengthen their focus on homework. So, when thinking about how to focus on homework, remember – a good routine can be the guiding star.

Break Tasks into Smaller Chunks

Large assignments can be overwhelming for kids with thinking and learning differences. Please help your child break tasks into smaller, manageable portions , making it easier for them to focus and maintain motivation. By completing one small task at a time, they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and progress.

Use a Timer to Encourage Focus

Introduce a timer to create short, focused homework sessions followed by planned breaks. This technique, known as the Pomodoro method, helps maintain concentration while preventing burnout. Experiment with different work and break durations to find the ideal balance for your child.

Remove Electronic Distractions

Electronic devices can be a significant source of distraction during homework time. Please keep your child’s study area free from smartphones , tablets, and other gadgets, using a Goally learning tablet as an exception due to its focus-enhancing features. This will promote better focus and minimize disruption.

Encourage Regular Breaks

Regular breaks are essential for maintaining focus and recharging mental energy. Please encourage your child to step away from their homework for a few minutes after completing a task or working for a set duration. Short breaks can prevent burnout, help focus on homework and improve overall productivity.

Use Visual Aids and Organizational Tools

Visual aids and organizational tools can be incredibly helpful for kids with thinking and learning differences. Consider using planners, calendars, color-coded folders, or Goally’s apps to help your child organize their tasks, visualize their progress, and stay on track with homework assignments.

Provide Positive Reinforcement

Praise and encouragement help in motivating your child to stay focused on their homework. Acknowledge their efforts, celebrate accomplishments, and offer constructive feedback. This positive reinforcement helps build their confidence and fosters a growth mindset.

Offer Guidance, But Foster Independence

While providing support is essential , it’s equally important to nurture your child’s independence. Offer guidance when necessary, but allow them to tackle challenges and problem-solve on their own. This balance helps them develop essential life skills and increases their self-reliance.

Communicate with Teachers

Maintaining open communication with your child’s teachers is vital for understanding their progress and addressing any issues. Discuss your child’s learning differences, seek advice on how to focus on homework, and collaborate to create a supportive educational environment.

Try Goally For Your Child With ADHD

Goally is an excellent option for many families that have a child with ADHD. Use game play as a points-based motivator for your kiddo with ADHD, help them learn emotional regulation skills, and watch them grow! It’s simple to set up and has an expert-informed design.

So, here it is – a roundup of 10 powerful, proven strategies on how to stay focused on homework, tailored specifically for neurodivergent kids. By applying these tips, you’ll help your child create healthier study habits, enhance concentration, and boost academic performance. Remember, fostering growth and instilling confidence requires patience and consistency. With Goally as your trusted ally, you’ll watch your child transform into an independent learner, ready to tackle life’s challenges with confidence. Embrace the homework revolution and see the change!

Helpful Resources

• Education.com

FAQ’s About How to Stay Focused on Homework

This post was originally published on 04/07/2023. It was updated on 08/08/2024.

Emily Parker

Emily is a seasoned blog writer for Goally, leveraging her extensive background in child psychology and special education to provide valuable insights and resources for parents. Her commitment to understanding and addressing the unique needs of these children, combined with her expertise in educational strategies, makes her a credible and empathetic voice for families.

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Help your child thrive: Back-to-school homework strategies

Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) - A study of the largest urban school districts in the U.S. found that students take an average of 112 standardized tests between pre-K and 12th grade. While some students excel at test-taking, others can get stressed out.

A Washington Post study found high schoolers spend almost three hours a night studying. Experts say the right environment is key.

“Students need to learn in a state that is optimal for learning,” said Demetrie Luke, tutor and founder of Inlighten Tutoring.

Be sure to study in a space without distractions. The more multi-tasking students do, the slower their brains process information. Next, find ways to motivate them.

“It’s not just consumable things, money or this or that. Sometimes it’s just once again, attention from a loved one, right,” Luke said.

Encourage them to take practice tests. One study found students who had brief retrieval practice tests before a high-stakes test remembered 60 percent of the material, while those who only studied remembered 40 percent.

A Texas A&M study found repeating information out loud moves content from short-term to long-term memory. Also, avoid all-nighters. Cognitive performance is controlled by our body clocks, meaning our learning and memory is higher in the morning, not at night. Instead, get a good night’s sleep and study in the morning.

And don’t forget to celebrate the wins.

“The more wins that we can build into young people studying, the more likely they are to show up for studying, right? A win can simply be, either words of affirmation or just even just acknowledgment,” Luke said.

Also, try having your student teach the study material to you. Explaining it to someone else will help them remember it better, and if they’re struggling to remember something, have them look it up right away. Research shows spending too long trying to recall material can train their brains to struggle when answering a particular question.

Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor

Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day.

Copyright 2024 WNEM. All rights reserved.

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10 hacks to help kids focus and study from home.

One of the biggest challenges we face when homeschooling, is helping our kids focus at home.  

School is set up for learning: the classroom, the rituals, the structure. And the fact that there is a teacher and learning assistant to engage and motivate pupils. 

When home is your classroom there are all sorts of things can become distractions.

From small things like the washing machine whirring or the dog wandering around.  To the big things like having toys, TV and the garden nearby.

All more appealing than tackling times tables or tricky spellings. 

So how on earth do you keep your child focused when they are learning from home?

Here are 10 creative and easy hacks to help kids study from home more effectively.

Be Purposeful When Creating Your Own Family Schedule

A schedule is often the key to making homeschooling work. , to create your own schedule it helps to divide the day into chunks of time, each one with its own activity or purpose. , if you have any particular goals, think about what you want to achieve in that week or month. then plan out how you can reach these goals., the beauty of learning at home is that you can create entirely your own schedule. it can be based based around your particular child’s or family’s needs. , this is an example of what a daily homeschool schedule might look like. it’s just a guide, yours may look completely different..

You could also write more details about what you want to achieve each week on your schedule. 

For toddlers and young kids it helps to pin up  little cards with drawings to let them know what their day will look like. 

Give Kids Permission to Plan Their Day

It can often become a battle of the wills between parent and child to get kids to study at home.

We take on the traditional role of teacher, and child must take on the role of obedient student.

However we’re not teachers, we’re parents, so get a lot more attitude in return.

It can help a great deal to allow our child to control their day. They still have to do certain learning activities like maths, english or science, but let them decide which one they want to begin with.

What do they want to do next? How would they like to plan their day.

They can write out their own ‘schedule’ if they would like, as long as it includes the subjects they need to do.

Give them control over their environment and their learning. And they may become more passionate about what they’re studying.

Create a Quiet and Inspiring Work Space

It’s difficult for anyone to work in a messy or cluttered space. Or if they’re slouching on the sofa or writing on the floor.

Set up a space on a desk or table with enough room to spread out books, worksheets and perhaps a laptop. 

Ideally have it in a quiet part of the house away from enticing TV screens or toys.

Add something beautiful for them there like a family photograph, a flower or a craft they’ve made. It all makes starting homework a lot more appealing.

Organise pencils, rubbers and stationery where your child can reach them so that they can get supplies for themselves.

They can even take ownership of labelling and decorating their exercise books and organising their own workspaces.

Start with Learning Games

We’re understanding more and more the importance of play in engaging children and helping them learn.

Before they get stuck into a black-and-white worksheet of maths sums or written task, let them play a learning game.

It could be a simple activity like a word search, a logic game or a printable reading game with dice.

There are a number of fantastic learning board games that you can purchase and keep on hand for study sessions.

These games are still learning-based but the fact that they’re fun, can help your child to sit down and engage with learning more easily and willingly.

Break up the Day with Physical Activity

If your child has lots of pent up energy or a short attention span then planning some outdoor time can help.

Any teacher will tell you that lessons after a rainy day playtime are much tougher as kids have had to stay cooped up indoors.

They learn much better when they’ve been allowed out to rush around and play outside.

You could break up learning sessions with some kind of physical activity. Anything  that gets your child active and moving. 

A bounce on the trampoline, a walk or scoot or bike ride at lunchtime or even a boogie in your living room.

The more chances your child gets to move, the easier they’ll find it to sit and focus on work afterwards.

Let Siblings Learn Together

Don’t be afraid to do learning activities for more than 1 child, even if they’re different ages.

They don’t all need to do separate ‘classes’ of the same subject.

For example they can do scientific experiments or art activities together as these can be done across age groups.

You could even combine some core subjects like Maths and English to an extent.

Your 3 year old may not understand the sums   and adding that your 5 year old is learning.

But she can still absorb the numbers and counting that you’re doing as part of teaching your older child how to add.

You can also let older siblings teach younger ones.

It’s an incredible way to empower them and let them feel valued as a member of your ‘homeschool’.

They feel grown up and have a sense of achievement when they are given the responsibility to teach what they know.

Use Calming Tools

Some children benefit from having a ‘calming tool ‘ on their desk when they sit down to study at home. 

You could give them a stress ball or a car they can move back and forth.

Fidget spinners have also become wildly popular in recent years.

Although many articles praise fidget spinners for helping kids focus (particularly those with ADHD) this is yet to be proven through scientific evidence.

Some parents love them, others feel they are a distraction. So it’s entirely up to you if you want to give the fidget-spinning craze a try.

Alternatively something as simple as having a small snack while working can help. It makes starting homework more appealing. 

Learn Through Play and Exploration

Not all learning has to take place at a desk with a paper and pen in hand. Some of the best learning can happen away from the home ‘classroom’.

If your child is tired of studying indoors, why not move it outside? You could study in the garden or in a local outdoor space.

Go out and explore and learn in different environments.  

History can be brought to life through trips to museums, or castles.

Especially when the interest it sparks is followed up by research through books or online.

Science can be understood by doing hands-on experiments.

So many other physical activities , such as baking, sewing and gardening, can teach valuable skills. 

Your child might be fascinated by special topics like space. At school there might not have been much chance to really explore this. Now’s your opportunity.

You could visit an observatory and see the stars. You could read books and watch documentaries about life on a space rocket.

You could make models at home of rockets and planets in the solar system…

Take your chance to escape the traditional idea of learning at a desk.

Put Some Music On

Remember as a teenager that your parents used to get mad at you when you played music while you studied?

And you insisted it helped you focus?  Turns out you were right.

A Stanford study found that music engages the parts of the brain involved with attention and memory.

It can really help some children focus on the task at hand.

If your child is easily distracted then try playing some classical or calm music through headphones to help them concentrate.

Offer Rewards for Good Work

At school your child would get their work marked and lots of feedback and rewards for doing it well.

They might have been made ‘Star of the Week’ or had their story read out to the class. They might have had their artwork hung up in the school entrance hall.

This praise goes a long way to building a child’s self esteem. It motivates them to continue working hard to achieve their goals.

During homeschooling, your child needs this kind of praise and reward too.

You can buy stamps and stickers to mark work.

You can hang up amazing artwork on the fridge.

You can be overheard telling Grandma how proud you are of how well your child has worked on a certain task.

You can also offer tangible rewards like treats or a movie night with pizza or a family trip out.

Incentives are a part of everyday life and it’s OK to reward your child for working hard and focusing well.

The beauty of homeschooling is that it’s flexible. You can decide how to make it work best for both you and your child.

You might not get everything right the first time. But, as you go along, you’ll learn what works best and how to keep your child engaged.

In the meantime you might find that you explore new things together, that you wouldn’t otherwise have been able to do.

Free resources for homeschooling:

Here are some of the best sites to get ideas, activities, videos, games and worksheets for homeschooling. 

Many are offering their resources for free during the school closure period due to the coronavirus outbreak.

BBC Bitesize 

The School Run

BBC History for Kids  

Khan Academy

Teach Your Monster to Read  

The 24 Hour Museum

The Kids Should See This  

Big History Project  

Online learning resources and curriculum for older children

There are a number of virtual learning platforms for older children.

If you want your child to follow a school based curriculum at home to work towards exams then these could be useful.

You do have to pay but you get access to a structured curriculum of work, set out in modules with assessments to check their progress.

You also get access to textbooks, videos and resources online as well as an online tutor.

Your child can work towards sitting nationally recognised exams (such as IGCSE, A levels and Highers) at a local college or centre that accepts private candidates:

Wolsey Hall  

Cloud Learn  

My Online Schooling  

Interhigh  

Celeb ‘school’ during the corona quarantine

At the time of publishing, the UK is in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Celebrities have gone out of their way to set up online sessions for kids to learn everything from maths to music.

Here are some of the ways your child can attend online ‘celeb school’:

Daily P.E with Joe Wicks

The Great Indoors with Bear Grylls  

Daily Stories with David Walliams

Myleene Klass’s Music Class

Carol Vorderman – The Maths Factor

Jamie Oliver – Keep Calm and Keep Cooking On

• Normal attention span expectations by age, Brain Balance Centers.com
• Music moves brain to pay attention, Stanford study finds, Stanford Medicine News Center
• Fidget Spinner Benefits, Gadget World
• Here’s the Science behind the fidget spinner craze, Forbes

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