increase your child's attention span and teach them self control

     I HAVE HAD OVER A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE ASK ME WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.  I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I HAVE COME TO DISCOVER.  I AM IN NO WAY TAKING CREDIT FOR THIS POST BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLY IDEAS I HAVE DISCOVERED OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS FROM ARTICLES AND BOOKS.  I HOPE YOU WALK AWAY LEARNING SOMETHING TO WORK ON WITH YOUR KIDS.  BE BLESSED!!

     HAVE YOUR LITTLE GUY A PLANNED ACTIVITY (SEE BELOW FOR IDEAS) AND REQUIRE HIM TO STAY WITH IT FOR A FIXED AMOUNT OF TIME.  SET THE TIMER.  START WITH 10 MINUTES AND DO SEVERAL OF THESE A DAY TO BEGIN WITH, ONE TIME IN THE MORNING, ONE IN THE AFTERNOON, AND NOT WHEN THEY ARE TIRED OR HUNGRY.  BUILD UP THE TIME GRADUALLY.  STICK TO YOUR GUNS ABOUT WAITING FOR THE TIMER WHEN THEY SAY THEY ARE ALL DONE IN FIVE MINUTES.  MAKE SURE THE FIRST SEVERAL TIMES YOU SIT WITH THEM TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY AT IT IF THEY GET BORED.  ONCE THEY MASTER FOCUSING UNTIL THE TIMER GOES OFF, YOU CAN SIT THEM ANYWHERE WITH SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS AND A TIMER AND THEY WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO. 

      I HAVE MY KIDS SIT ON A BLANKET, IN A CHAIR, ON A PILLOW, AND AT THE TABLE. I GIVE THEM WHAT ACTIVITY I WANT THEM TO DO, SET THE TIMER, AND THEY WILL SIT THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE (45 MIN TO AN HOUR NOW!!). CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY.  IF YOU SOMETIMES LET THEM GET UP BEFORE THE TIMER GOES OFF, THEY WILL REALIZE THE TIMER IS USELESS.  I STARTED OUT TRAINING WHEN MY KIDS WERE BABIES.  
     

     HERE IS A LIST OF ACTIVITES I HAVE USED:  (KEEP IN MIND THEIR AGE)

~BLANKET TIME WITH TOYS (TEACH BOUNDARIES..DON'T GET OFF THE BLANKET, ONLY PLAY WITH THOSE TOYS, WAIT FOR TIMER TO BE DONE) WHEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH, YOU CAN GET A MUFFIN TIN AND SEVERAL KITCHEN FOODS (BEANS, CHEERIOS, ETC.) AND HAVE THEM SORT INTO EACH...MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS OLD ENOUGH NOT TO PUT FOOD IN THEIR MOUTH

~HIGHCHAIR TIME  (PLAYING WITH TOYS WHILE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW)

~BOOK TIME (USUALLY NO MORE THAN 4-5 BOOKS AT A TIME)



~PUZZLE TIME (WITH 3-4 PUZZLES)

~STAMP TIME (WITH STAMPS AND BLANK SHEETS OF PAPER)

~STICKER TIME (WITH STICKERS AND BLANK PAPER)

~SANDBOX TIME (WITH CRUSHED UP HONEYGRAHAMS IN A BOX AND A FEW TOY CARS OR ANIMALS) BEWARE OF THIS...THEY NEED TO KNOW RULES OF PLAYING WITH SAND..IT STAYS IN THE CONTAINER!

~CLEAN TIME (STANDING AT THE SINK IN A CHAIR WITH SEVERAL TOYS THEY WANT TO WASH, BUBBLES, AND A SPONGE...BEWARE OF THIS TOO, IT CAN GET MESSY!

~SNACKTIME (HOW GREAT THIS IS IF YOU HAVE TAUGHT THEM TO SIT UNTIL THE TIMER GOES OFF.... THEY WILL HAVE LEARNED TO STAY IN ONE PLACE AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO CLEAN UP SPILLED SNACKS ALL OVER THE HOUSE)

ALSO, I SOMETIMES HAVE MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND.  MY KIDS LIKE TO SING ALONG WHILE THEY ARE PLAYING. 

     SELF-CONTROL AND FOCUSING ARE BOTH SKILLS AND LIKE ANY OTHER SKILL, SOME PEOPLE FIND IT EASIER THAN OTHERS, BUT EVERYONE CAN LEARN!