Know how to listen and attend: essential to stimulate concentration
Who has not had to repeat a phrase several times until our son / daughter has listened to us? Stimulate the ability to listen is essential to improve care and concentration of the kids.
And it may happen that, in the future, our children lose a large number of learning opportunities at home or at school, simply because they are not listening. Various professionals in education and psychology are studying the causes of school failure in many boys and girls. And they are coming to the conclusion that it costs them very much two capacities: attention and concentration. Something very related to the sense of hearing and listening attitude.
Much of the learning in school is done through oral teaching, and the rest through reading and study. This is one of the reasons for giving greater importance to hearing stimulation at early ages, so that they have prepared the channels and neural pathways that allow the entry of information.
Musical evenings
Something that favors concentration It is without a doubt an adequate auditory stimulation. For this, we can perform various activities with the children that help them: music, for example, is a good way to do it.
After 4 years, we can take our children to a concert of classical music (there are several adapted to children), or put tapes at home. It is an easier practice to carry out with quiet children than active children, but it is necessary to stimulate everyone. In addition, we can try, whenever possible, to leave a relaxing background music while our children play or are eating.
Tell me a story
By age three, children show a great interest in stories. Listening to stories is ideal for reinforcing auditory memory and developing the imagination. We can also propose that our children notice more consciously what we say to them, asking them questions, directing their interest towards what is important, etc.
Attention everyone!
When performing auditory stimulation exercises, we must remember that the period of attention they can give us is short. It can cost them a lot to focus on what they are doing, especially if they do not do it as fun.
To lend themselves to these games of attention, you have to look for the best moment: when you are most eager to do things, after having a snack, before going to sleep, etc. The moment we see them tired and without interest, we will have to leave it for another time. Do not wait for periods of attention longer than a few minutes. However, when they see that what we say to them is interesting, they will listen for longer periods of time.
His vocabulary, moreover, is limited. If we talk to them too long, or if we use too many words they can not understand, they will end up learning to disconnect ... Just the opposite of what we intend. Little by little, as we check their progress, we can increase the difficulty of the exercises and games.
Just one time
A good one way to pay attention It consists in that we propose at home that they do what they are told the first time. That is, we do not have to repeat things several times. This attitude will have to be maintained so that they strive to always be attentive. For this, we have to give the orders in the best situations. In the middle of an anger it will be very difficult for them to listen to what we tell them.
By addressing them, on the other hand, we can try to always look them in the eyes and face. In this way they will be personally challenged and it will be more difficult for them to disconnect. We will be creating a greater communication link and we will help to promote the interest of our children.
Other sounds ... Have our children ever heard silence?
Nature can help us a lot if we try to remain silent in the middle of a forest and we help our children pay attention to the singing of the birds, to the sound of the stream ... This practice will introduce, surely, very significant elements for children. Also in the city or at home we can practice: the more different sounds they hear, the more they receive stimuli: bells, rattles, street sounds, musical instruments ...
Beatriz Bengoechea. Psychologist and family counselor
