When considering our ability to pay attention to what we are doing, we usually think in terms of focus. Incorrectly, we might think that we are not able to focus if we are easily distractible. The truth is that we are focused on something other than the thing we wish to focus on. If a child’s report card reads, “unfocused”, or “lacks concentration”, then this definition of what focus is should be helpful in creating a solution.
There are three basic areas of focus or concentration. The first is eye focus, or eye contact. Children who may be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) very often will not be able to naturally maintain eye contact for long periods of time. A highly distractible person is sometimes defined as someone who looks around the room non-stop, one who looks at everything and is not content in looking at any one thing for very long. Training this person to focus their eyes on the person or thing they need to attend to is the first step in increasing their attention span.
The second area of concentration is body control, or body focus. It is necessary for us to move our bodies in order to be healthy human beings. Some boys and girls have more of a need to move their bodies more frequently than others, and will stand out in a class of other children who do not move around nearly as much. No matter what the reason for their need to move, these extra-active children can be trained to control their bodies by releasing the stress that builds from inactivity. Breathing is a natural way to relieve the need to move the body, and so can be learned and practiced by an active child.
After the child has developed eye contact and body control, mental focus should be taught and trained. Mental focus is a basic mindfulness, or the child thinking about what he or she is doing, hearing, or saying. Self-regulation is the tool used to develop and apply this skill. Proper response to a parent or teacher, such as, “yes mom”, “yes Mrs. Teacher”, is an appropriate measure of how well the child is focusing on what they are being told by the adult. Training the child to repeat some of what has been told to them may be necessary when working with a highly distractible child. It is important to remember that mental focus will be misplaced if the child is not looking at the adult or their work, and if parts of their body are in constant and rapid motion (fidgeting).
In order to maintain focus and increase the attention span, have the child apply slow and deep breathing to relieve the stress built up from the difficulty of making eye contact, standing or sitting still, and mental challenges like boredom or
emotional discomfort. When we breathe, the lungs fill with air, straightening the back and oxygenating the blood. Because it is difficult to breath deeply when the head is moving around, a deep breath will bring the head, and therefore the eyes, upright and to the front. Oxygen in the blood relaxes fidgeting muscles and aids in calming the muscles. Mental focus is improved when the oxygen rich blood reaches and refreshes the brain. Three deep and slow breaths is the rule, and should be encouraged before a conversation with a child is even begun.
Matt Pasquinilli is the Executive Director of the non-profit Asian Arts Center Taekwondo School in Dayton, Ohio
www.aacdayton.com