Our Spring Break is over. The kids are attempting to get back to their studies and I am attempting to get back to my projects. The only thing is, we are all having trouble concentrating on our tasks. Hummm, what could the culprit be?
Perhaps it's that we miss our furry friend Gizmo the Wonder Dog who came to visit us over break. Or perhaps it's the three cats we have been pet sitting. Or maybe even Steve the Gecko who is seeking refuge with us until his owner gets back from Florida.
It couldn't be the massive amounts of sugar we have ingested, or the birthday celebration we had.
I could blame it on the big, fattening barbecue dinner that we had. Perhaps all those calories have settled in our brains and are rotting our minds.
I am sure it wasn't the soda or the super potent barbecue sauce that we sampled.
Not even the Devil's Spit could have affected us that much.
So, what is it?
Perhaps it has to do with the sun shinning, the snow melting and the song birds that have returned to our yard. Spring is coming, but we are still struggling through the school year. How can you get your kids to concentrate on school when there are so many wonderful distractions around them?
I heard some experts discussing this topic at a recent home school meeting. They had many great ideas, here are a few tips:
1. Break up your day into shorter pieces. Do chores, music, foreign language or art in between more difficult subjects like math, science and English. It makes the day go so much faster!
2. Let them chew gum while doing school. This is where the public schools have things all wrong! The action of chewing gum can help your child boost their concentration. Truly, it works!
3. Give them a piece of hard candy to suck on while they work. Similar to the gum trick, but engages the natural sucking reflex. Especially helpful for children with special needs.
4. Massage each other's back. Have your kids form a line and massage the back of the person in front of them. Be sure to pound and pulse those tired muscles! Allow lots of ohhhs and ahhhhs from all parties involved, the vocal sounds help release stress (including Moms!). After a few minutes, have everyone turn around and massage the back of the person behind them.
5. Have a smoothie break. We love to take a break around 10 am for smoothies. I use lots of fruit, protein and sometimes ice or frozen fruits. Give the kids a straw to drink their smoothie. The cold drinks wake up the brain, and the straw is great for those natural sucking elements. Plus, you will be considered the coolest Mom in the world for making this part of your school day. Here's my favorite Smoothy recipe.
6. Give your kids a giant pickle. Yes, a pickle! It's that sucking thing again, but even more fun is the sour component. Sour candy is great too! Engaging all your child's senses is the key to getting them to concentrate.
7. Try different rhythms and sounds. Rock with your child in a rocking chair, swing with them on a porch swing, or have them bounce on a therapy ball while they read or do other work. Some children respond very well this way and find the rhythms calming which allows them to think better. Experiment with sound frequencies. One of our sons liked the sound of the fan in his room. It helped him concentrate by blocking out distracting noises.
Keep in mind, these things may drive YOU crazy, but be patient with your child. It may really help them, you are not the one trying to study.
8. Make your kids move! Sitting for long periods of time can put your child's brain to sleep even if their eyes are still open! Send them outside for 10-15 minutes at a time to run laps around the house, run the stairs, do jumping jacks, or take the dog for a walk. Get the blood flowing! Our son loved soccer. He would chase his soccer ball around the yard in between subjects. He later played for one of the top Premiere soccer teams in the country. Physical education has it's benefits!
9. Try a kaleidoscope. Visual learners respond very well to colors. The colorful stimulation of looking in a kaleidoscope can wake up the senses. Plus, it's a blast to make your own as a home school project!
10. Blow, blow, blow! Try blowing bubbles, or use blow toys (recorders, gazoos, party favors, etc.) to engage your child. Making your own bubbles can be easy and fun, you are never too old to love bubbles! Blowing engages the senses in the mouth, and forces more oxygen in and out of the lungs. More oxygen equals more brain power!
Do you have a favorite trick to get your kids back on track? I would love to hear it!
How many days til summer?
Designer Mom
Great stuff! I've never thought about purposely stimulating other senses while doing schoolwork. I don't think I'd want my kids sucking on candy regularly, but I'll try to think of something...I definitely send my son for running breaks when I see that his attention is expiring =) Thanks for sharing these ideas!
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