How to Concentrate, Focus, and Achieve

Is homework time turning into a daily battle with your child? It's not a clash between you and your child; rather, it's an internal struggle within their mind to concentrate. We understand the challenges of maintaining focus, and that's why we're here to share two effective strategies with you.

Imagine your child, let's call him Jonas, eagerly yearning for video game adventures while his homework languishes in his backpack. Here's what you can do:

The Homework Station:

Create a designated homework haven away from tech distractions.

1. Organize supplies within easy reach - computer, paper, pencils, and pens.
2. Be nearby to offer support and guidance.
3. Set a consistent homework time each day.

Concentration Technique - The Tent and The Torch:

Assist Jonas in crafting a positive affirmation to combat distractions. For instance: "My torch is in hand. Let my mind expand." or "First homework, then my video game." Then, guide him through this visualization:

 

First Homework, Then Video Games

1. Close his eyes.
2. Envision the study space as a protective tent, illuminated by a small flashlight (the torch).
3. Direct the torch's focus onto the homework.
4. Prioritize tasks and re-visualize when distractions arise.
5. Recite the affirmation to dispel disruptions.

Practice this technique together daily until Jonas internalizes it. The Tent and The Torch not only enhances concentration but instills valuable self-discipline, paving the way for future success.

The Focusing Technique - The Puzzle List

Now, imagine your daughter, Maria, who despises homework even more than Jonas but adores her cell phone. Here's a tailored approach:

1. Discuss homework as a puzzle with a list of tasks.
2. Guide her in creating a puzzle list for her essay, breaking it down into manageable pieces.
3. When tempted by her phone, encourage Maria to touch the part of the puzzle list she's working on and recite her chosen affirmation.

4 Sample Affirmations:

• First homework, then my cell phone.
• My phone I resist. I'll work on my list.
• My homework’s in hand. Let my mind expand.
• I am diving right in. Let the learning begin.

Conclusion for 2 Concentration Techniques:

 

Her Well-Deserved Reward

Both Jonas and Maria are on a journey of self-discipline, the cornerstone of success. Jonas's Tent and Torch shield him from distractions, while Maria's Puzzle List keeps her on track. After completing their homework, both can enjoy well-deserved rewards—Jonas with a video game and Maria with her cell phone.

Learning to concentrate is a lifelong gift. By guiding your children to develop this skill, you set the foundation for their future success. Start today!

Puzzle Time:

Unscramble - ncoonictenatr, khroomwe, ssetraegti

Tongue Twisters for your family to say 5 times as quickly as possible:

1. Kids with grit get a kick out-witting clever quirky homework.
2. Cleverly crafted assignments create capable, confident kids.
3. Happy homework helpers help heroes here at home.
4. Homework habits help me show that I make my skills grow.
5. Sunny students seek success through their steady homework.

 Short Video Reinforcer: How Parents Motivate Children's Brain Power (just 1 minute, 13 seconds)

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Jean Tracy

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Answers - Puzzle time Unscramble - Concentration, homework, strategies

AI assisted.

 

Why won't this daughter listen?

Parents, who cannot listen, are the worst communicators. They cannot teach effective communication because they don’t practice it. 

Hey there! Are you someone who argues instead of listening to your child? Many parents do. Yet, listening is your most important parenting tool. Don't worry, if you decide to, you can always improve it. There are some habits you might have to brush aside before becoming a good listener.

Today I will share:

5 listening mistakes to avoid

5 simple listening habits to increase

1 simple formula for being your child's best counselor

3 fun listening activities for your family. 

5 Harmful Listening Habits to Avoid as a Parent:

Do you ever:

1. Interrupt your child?
2. Discount your child's opinions?
3. Dismiss your child's feelings?
4. Criticize your child?
5. Lecture your child?

Don't be overly concerned because here are 5 easy listening habits that you can use right now. They'll quickly improve your listening skills.

5 Listening Habits to Learn, Practice, and Model:

 

Father and Son Communicating

1. Look your child in the eye.
2. Focus on what they are saying.
3. Remember the key points.
4. Repeat those points in your words.
5. Ask questions to better understand your child.

By practicing these skills, you'll become a better listener. You'll be teaching your child good communication skills too. 

Become Your Child's Best Counselor:

Do you know why counselors are loved by their clients? It's because they are good listeners. They practice the 5 good habits. They also include the 70% Law of Communication, meaning, they listen 70% and speak 30%. As a parent, strive to speak less, listen more, and appreciate your child's thoughts and feelings. As you progress, notice how your relationship with your child strengthens. You'll become your child's best counselor too.

Here are 3 activities to make 'listening' a priority in your family: 

3 Activities for Family Listening:

1. Post a ‘Listening Habit of the Week’ on your refrigerator. Practice that habit in your home and outside your family. ‘Catch your children being good’ with a compliment when they listen well. 
2. The Morning Forecast: Tell your child, “Name something you’re looking forward to today.” The Evening Review: Ask, "What are some things you are grateful about today?"
3. Create free time each day and turn off technology. Use this time to discuss both your day and your child's day. Practice the 70% Law. 

Make 'Listening' a priority in your family. Listening Works!

Video - Short Clip - 1.11 minutes 

Sometimes pictures do speak 1,000 words. What do you think?

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Jean Tracy

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How Families Conquer Loneliness and Create Hope

Like a ghost, the unseen virus threatens everyone. It isolates kids from their friends. Parents sense the deep loneliness invading their children. They feel it too.

The news exposes violence in the streets. Riots divide us. Can anything bring all peoples together when the pandemic is over?

Today’s post shouts, “Yes!”

 

How Families Connect

In a simple video you will find a cure for loneliness, disconnectedness, and hatred. You’ll find how:

1. Parents can influence children.
2. Adults can expand their comfort zones.
3. Individuals can overcome loneliness.
4. People can learn to connect.
5. Everyone can belong.

The solutions within this video are different. They are not one-sided. Everyone is responsible and it’s easy. It comes down to one word and it doesn’t start with “L.”

Hope: Families Brainstorm Specific Plans

We are about to conquer the virus. Vaccines are multiplying. Hope is in the air. It’s time to plan.

Let this 3 minute  video help you. Then brainstorm what you and your family can do. Start making specific plans and when the time comes, enjoy making friends.

Watch now:

5 Ways Diverse Families Become Friends

https://youtu.be/jSwhNRbTRXQ

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When Permissive Parents Bribe, Kids Are The Boss

Permissiveness, parenting without structure and guidance, and over-negotiating rules and chores hurt your authority. Your kids are injured too. 

How Permissive Parents Harm Kids

1. Without parental structure and direction, your kids won’t know the path to a successful life. They may follow a destructive trail and hurt themselves instead.
2. Without parental supervision about right and wrong expect your kids to experience trouble and pain.
3. Without responsible chores they will lack the life skills for future know-how and self-care.

How to Overcome Permissive Parenting and Take Back Your Authority

1. Visualize yourself as a kind and firm parent with your child. (See your child not yourself.)
2. Feel what it's like to be a kind and firm parent.
3. Tell yourself, “I am kind and firm with my child.”

Put all 3 into one magic moment so that you see, feel, and say them all at once.

Do this before you fall asleep at night and before you rise each morning. Do this for 21 days. If you do, you’ll regain your authority and become the parent you need to be. Make it a habit.

This Kind but Firm Video Helps You Be the Authority and Your Kids Do Their Chores:

You Might Also Like:

Raising Responsible Kids – How to Get Your Children To Do Their Chores  It includes a 4-Point Formula.

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How Do Assertive Children Express Themselves?

ARE ASSERTIVE KIDS AGGRESSIVE? Do they dominate conversations or do they speak-up with respect?

An assertive child learns to express himself respectfully because he shares the microphone. He speaks and listens. But what if he needs to defend himself against aggression?

In today’s gift you’ll learn the assertive formula. It includes 3 parts:

1. Describe what offends you.  
2. State your feeling.
3. Suggest a solution.

When you use the formula, respectful communication grows. Teach it during dinner discussions. If you do, they’ll become the teaching moments all kids need.

In this gift your kids will role-play:  

1. How Jimmy could respond to Lola when she rolls her eyes.
2. How one brother shares his frustration when Bobby hogs the ice cream.
3. How Suzy asks Tammy to quit messing up her room.
4. How an older sister orders John to quit telling her secrets to his friends.
5. How Mary tells Sara what she wants her to say instead of cussing.

It is important that children have a simple respectful blueprint for expressing their upsets.

As the parent, use the formula yourself whenever appropriate. Post it on the fridge. Point to it when kids fight. Tell them to cool down. Later, tell them to replay their argument using the formula.

Download the formula now at www.KidsDiscuss.com using the code word:

DISCUSS

Add it to your 3-hole binder to use whenever you need it.

You might also like: How Parents Teach Assertive Skills to Kids

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Jean Tracy, MSS

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Empathy CAN Be Taught

PARENTS CAN TEACH CHILDREN EMPATHY WITH SIMPLE DISCUSSIONS. Today you and your child will find a childhood behavior to discuss, what mindsets to avoid, and 7 easy steps for teaching empathy.  Use it to help your child grow into a caring person who understands others.

Ask your youngster to analyze this situation by asking, “What don’t we know?”

Sarah gave her friend, Jane, a friendly punch. Jane yelled, “Stop it!” and hit Sarah hard.

Ask your child, "What don't we know?"

Hopefully, she answered, “We don’t know why Jane hit Sarah back so hard.”

Many kids might judge Jane and call her names. But that would put Jane on the defensive and make her mad because no one wants to be judged harshly.

Rather than being a critical judge, ask your child to think of some positive reasons why Jane may have hit Sarah. Why positive?

Usually, when someone does something, even if it’s negative,  it’s for a positive reason. We call it the ‘positive intent.’ This is because the doer, (Jane) is getting something positive out of her behavior.

 

What Positive Reasons Do Kids Have for Acting Badly?

Here are some sample reasons:

1. Maybe Sarah told her class a big secret about Jane's family and Jane found out. Now Jane’s breaking off the friendship.

2. Maybe Sarah has given Jane too many friendly punches that have bruised her in the past. Now Jane’s showing her what it feels like to stop Sarah from punching her again.

3. Maybe Jane was ridiculed by her class for a wrong answer and she thought Sarah’s friendly punch was intended to tease her for it. Jane’s hitting tells Sarah her teasing isn’t funny.

Who knows why Jane reacted the way she did? We’re not mind readers. Only Jane really knows. 

But stepping into Jane’s shoes and trying to see the situation from her point of view, your child is on the path to understanding and empathy.

Tell your child, “It’s hard to feel empathy for Jane or anyone else if you’re judging with a mean critical mind.”

 

Your Child CAN Switch Her Critical Judgments  to

Understanding Thoughts

Rather than judge, teach your child to:

1. Switch your critical thoughts to exploring positive reasons why she did what she did.
2. Avoid calling names or making accusations.
3. Ask don't tell. "Why did you...? rather than, "You did it because..."
4. Listen without judgment.
5. Try to see her point of view.
6. Show empathy with understanding comments like, "I can see why you felt that way."
7. Suggest she apologize, if appropriate.

If you do, she just might follow your suggestion. All because you asked, listened and cared.

Another important point, when someone acts poorly and you understand why they did it, doesn't mean you agree with their negative behavior. It does mean you chose to understand it.

Use these steps, whenever your child tells you about another child’s negative behaviors. Your discussions will be interesting, and you’ll be teaching her to be an empathic person with an understanding character.

Watch this 2 minute video with 5 questions to help your child turn from criticism to empathy.

How Parents Teach Empathy to Kids

The Transcript with the 5 Questions is beneath the video at YouTube when you click Show More. 

Bonus Articles with Videos:

7 Ways to Encourage Positive Brain Power in Your Child   

The Positive Child - 18 Top Parenting Tips and Tools 

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Jean Tracy, MSS

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Our 10 Parenting Tips Within Our One-Minute Video Can Help

As a high school kid and loaded with homework, I remember asking my dad, an accountant, for help with algebra. It felt like torture waiting for him to study it first. Oftentimes, he just didn’t know. I learned to quit asking.

I don’t remember any praise, encouragement, or fun discussions about my studies. Instead school felt more like a heavy burden than an interesting experience. Dinner, car rides or bedtime would have been great times for such chats.

You don’t need to miss enjoyable talks with your child.

My one minute YouTube video offers 10 ways to engage your child’s curiosity and promote a  real love for learning.

Watch this video now and get the tips you need by copying the transcript below the video on YouTube at

https://youtu.be/qHkZtvQkQhw or watch it below:

:

Ten Ways to Boost Curious Thinkers

 Read Full Article with Specific Information on This Topic at:

The Curious Child – How Parents Raise Kids Who Love to Learn

Popular Posts with Similar Popular Topics:

Raising Smart Kids - 31 Practical Parenting Skills + Video

6 Parenting Tips: Helping Children Develop Concentration Skills + Video

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Turning Pushy Parents into Motivators

ANGRY PARENTS CAN'T MOTIVATE KIDS TO STUDY. Why?  Because kids get discouraged, some cry. Others shrink with fear. Still others rebel. Their minds can't focus on schoolwork because painful emotions take over when parents are angry. 

Bribing kids to study only works if the bribe is big enough. Kids ask, "What will I get?" They miss the point.  Studying develops their learning, their minds, their inner discipline, and their inner satisfaction. Do these benefits sound too lofty ? They aren't and you'll see why.

How can you help your child learn without becoming an angry "PPP" (pushy, picky, parent)?

 

Motivated Kids Love to Learn

It's easy really. Have some special time with your child. A dinner out or a family dinner where everyone is relaxed is ideal. Bedtime discussions or long car rides are good too. Keep the mood positive and NO interrogating by asking:

1. Did you finish your homework?
2. Did you get it in on time?
3. When are you going to show it to me? 
4. Why didn't you get it done last week?
5. Why is it so sloppy?

There is a better approach. I call it "investigating."

You'll find it in my one-minute video on YouTube, which you can watch right here. Beneath the video on YouTube is the simple transcript with it's motivating attitude and questions. Feel free to copy it and add it to your 3-hold binder and use whenever you need it. 

Watch Now!

How Parents Motivate Children's Brain Power

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Curious Kids Love to Learn

 

PARENTING A CURIOUS CHILD IS A SOURCE OF JOY. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th United States President, had severe asthma. He couldn't run and play with other kids. One day while watching the children, some nearby bugs caught his eye. He used his observations to write his first of 35 books. He was nine years old. Theodore was a curious child. Sickness couldn't stop his desire to learn. His intellect  a source of joy for his parents, was never dull.

Curious children are fascinated by the world around them. But some kids lack interests. They say, "I'm bored," and expect others to entertain them. Parents can get trapped into suggesting multiple activities. All of which are rejected. How can parents turn a bored kid into a curious child?

In today's video we'll share 9 questions like:

• What does boredom feel like?
• How could a kid stop boredom?
• What would you like to know more about?

We hope your child doesn't like being bored and has overcome it at some time. The other questions pursue possible interests, wonder, losing track of time because of curiosity, etc.

This video also shares self-talk rhymes to inspire curiosity and a poem about a boring boy, "The Uncurious Kid", who lacked interests until he followed his mom's advice.

 How Parents Raise Smart Curious Kids

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Creating and Achieving Goals with Rhymes

that Motivate Kids

POSITIVE RHYMES MOTIVATE KIDS. Repetition recirculates them in their memories and becomes well-traveled paths in their brains. 

I remember a quote from 5th grade when our class was learning about explorers, "If at first you don't succeed, try try again." That became a lifelong slogan for me. It helped me motor (although slowly) through many a tough math class.

When a motivating rhyme is catchy and appeals to your child , suggest creating a bookmark, a poster, or a sticky note of it. It might become a well-traveled path and a lifelong motivator too.

In today's one-minute video you and your child will hear 5 rhymes that appeal to the senses. Feel free to tell your child to use his favorite one often. He could also use it as a springboard to creating his own one-line poem.

Want a copy of the 5 rhymes? Just Enter Code - SENSES at https://www.KidsDiscuss.com and it's yours to download.

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