How to Improve Your Child’s Focus in the Digital Age

Social media provides constant entertainment in the form of short videos and a continuous feed of new posts. Many people, especially children, struggle to put their devices away and focus on more important things. As a parent, you’ve probably had unsuccessful arguments about turning the phones off at the dinner table.

There are ways you can help your kids break these habits. Use these tips to improve your child’s focus in the digital age.

Challenges for Kids in the Digital Age

The latest technological advancements are impressive, but they also have a few drawbacks. When young kids use phones, tablets or laptops for extended periods, they often deal with things like:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Lack of concentration
• Social withdrawal

Your child can avoid these symptoms if you help them balance their online hobbies with real-world activities. Finding that balance may seem impossible when screen time has been a standard part of your child’s day for a long time. Here are a few ideas you can try at home to change that.

Ways to Improve Your Child’s Focus

Improve your child’s attention span with these simple ideas that any parent can use. With time and patience, you’ll find the right screen time balance for your youngster’s routine.

1. Set and Enforce Tech Boundaries

Gentle boundaries are the first way to reduce your child’s tech usage and improve their focus. Start by cutting their screen time by 10 minutes and gradually increase it each day. If you replace their digital fun with other things like entertaining family games, playdates or bedtime stories, they’ll have an easier time with their new routine.

2. Inspire Their Outdoor Creativity

When the weather is nice, encourage your kids to get creative outside instead of using their computers or tablets indoors. They might not head outdoors on their own because they don’t feel inspired. If you draw chalk art on the driveway together, invent games or take turns on a new swingset, they won’t feel as frustrated without their screens.

3. Change Their Environment or Routine

When your kid needs to concentrate on their homework, try placing them in a quiet environment. People often find what’s happening around them more distracting than phone notifications.

If this change doesn’t work, try playing ambient noises while your child wears headphones. Videos playing classical music, crowd murmurings or rain storms might direct their full attention to the task at hand while the headphones shield them from potential distractions.

Daily routines also play a significant role in a child’s attention span. Having a consistent healthy diet, for example, can improve their focus, energy levels and academic performance. If they feel more energized during the day, they might be more likely to engage in physical activities, rather than going straight to video games or social media for entertainment.

4. Break Responsibilities Into Steps

People break away from responsibilities when those tasks feel overwhelming. Imagine checking your calendar and seeing that you must complete a large project by the end of the day. You might take a deep breath and visit your workplace’s kitchen for some coffee to delay that much focus time.

Kids feel the same way about their own responsibilities. If you find that’s when they struggle with their concentration the most, try breaking your child’s chores into smaller steps. Instead of telling them to clean their room, ask them to organize a single corner. After that corner, they can move on to the next one. Tiny breaks between each smaller task increase children’s focus compared to working on a tough project for extended periods.

5. Model Good Tech Usage

Kids absorb important life lessons just by watching people. Your little one pays attention to your habits even when you think they’re not looking. Any child will notice if their parent is scrolling on their phone all day while telling them not to spend too much time on the internet.

Model healthy tech usage by limiting your screen time around your child, too. The new restrictions on their gaming or videos won’t feel like a punishment if you follow the same rules. Your new concentration-boosting routine will become a positive lifestyle, making it easier for them to abide by your rules as their attention span improves.

Feel Confident Parenting in This Digital Age

Use these tips to improve your child’s focus without permanently banning technology from your home. There’s a healthy balance somewhere in the middle. It’s up to every parent to find the best balance for their family, so give yourself time to try new things and make adjustments as needed.

Author bio:  Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. She strives to live a happy and healthy life with her family by her side.
Follow Cora on Facebook and LinkedIn.