CHILDWISE
By RUTH LIEW
MY five-year-old daughter is extrovert, sociable, very active, noisy and loves to play. When I read her a book and ask her to work on simple maths or English, I have to stop every 15 minutes for breaks to keep her at the task.
She is unlike some of her playmates or friends who are very focused during homework or reading time.
Other kids will sit still and complete the task at hand. However, my daughter is easily distracted by the goings-on around her.
Is this normal for her age? – Concerned Mother
In the early years, children’s attention span, when working on activities, is normally less than 10 minutes. Adults can make the child sit still for a longer period of time but the child may not be able to stay focused. There are physiological and environmental reasons why some children can focus better than others.
Young children learn to concentrate a little longer on each activity that they work on. They can achieve better results if the adults around them do not constantly interrupt their play. This interruption sends a message to young children that whatever they are doing is frivolous.
For example, a three-year-old who is playing with water, may get interrupted by his mother who tells him: “You had enough of water play. Stop and let’s dry you up.” This young child may not be ready to do so.
Children need time to start and end an activity on their own. They need this practice to learn to be independent in their learning.
Parents often make the mistake of not showing their approval for children’s self-chosen activities. When children play, they are learning as well as developing their ability to concentrate on tasks.
They will start off with easy activities. As they getter better in their skills, they will be able to tackle harder tasks ahead. If their initial attempts are criticised or not acknowledged, they will have very little confidence to fuel the later challenges.
Children lack concentration in tasks that they feel is unimportant or they have no interest in doing.
Your daughter enjoys active play. She may find your selected activities too passive for her liking. When she cannot concentrate, she may also feel discouraged and inadequate because she is unable to meet your expectations.
You may want to help build your daughter’s confidence in being successful in her learning activities. Remember that “nothing succeeds like success”.
At five years of age, she has many skills to play games and engage in hands-on activities. Do plan more activities that she can do well in to reinforce her learning.
To encourage your daughter to focus longer on her activities, you can praise her for doing well even if it is for a very short time. Refrain from being negative when she gets distracted. If she has difficulty finishing her work, offer her guidance without giving her too much stress.
If you are going to do a read-aloud session with your daughter, let her choose the storybook. Allow her time to talk about the book to spur her interest. She will enjoy listening to the story more when she is a participant rather than just a passive listener.
As for learning Maths and the English language, vary the lessons with games rather than just paper and pencil work. Your daughter’s attention span will increase when she finds the lessons interesting.
Before you invite your child to do lessons with you, create a suitable environment for your child to work in.
Structure the learning space, making sure that it is not cluttered. Put away your daughter’s toys and other objects that may distract her. Find a place where the noise level is minimal.
If you want your child to stay focused on a given task, give clear and specific instructions. Avoid unnecessary talk to distract or confuse your child.
When your child has finished working on the task, ask her to reflect on what she has done. Respond positively to what she says. Children will do well when they follow such a routine.
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