An absent-minded and inattentive child: what to do and how to help. An inattentive schoolchild: reasons, how to help a child. An absent-minded child in class, what to do.

17.04.2024

Tatiana Savenko

Good afternoon The eldest son is almost 4 years old. When I turn to him, he doesn’t hear me the first time, he’s very passionate about the game. I have to call several times. On the site, being 3-4 meters away from him, I call, but he doesn’t hear. I come closer, he doesn’t hear me, then even closer, sometimes I have to grab my sleeve to make him pay attention. I see that other children are called and respond immediately, but mine is so carried away that he doesn’t hear anything. He also quickly forgets what is possible and what is not. I say it 25 times, then he remembers it. We study with him using books and magazines, he gets distracted, he can start singing songs, he loves to sing. He doesn’t want to draw at all, maybe with chalk on a blackboard, but not on paper with a pencil.

Color, size, shape, he knows everything. We went to a speech therapist, there are no deviations, he speaks really well. But he doesn’t formulate phrases correctly, he might say: “Mom, let’s eat in the morning?” We went to a psychologist, they just said he was distracted, but they didn’t tell me what to do. I don’t scold him too much, I put him in a corner or in the room to sit. I never hit. This is fundamental, my husband and I decided that we shouldn’t hit him.

How to develop attention? What's wrong with the child? Where is the omission? And is there a problem or is it age related? I started noticing this six months ago. Now we are registering for kindergarten, and that’s what I’m worried about.

Thank you very much for your answer! We went to the ENT specialist, everything is fine, there are small adenoids. The neurologist does not diagnose any abnormalities, although she prescribed tenoten and pantocalcin, but the psychologist... We had an appointment today. She said developmental delay. She gave him several pictures, named everyone except the horse, said the donkey, and thought for about three seconds. She didn't give any more tests. To my questions about what it is and what to do, the answer was go to a speech therapist. I understand that she is a free psychologist at the clinic, and I didn’t expect much, but I’m at a loss. Either our psychologists have such high standards, or she determined the lag based on one mistake (maybe a professional) or go to another psychologist. Maybe I really demand a lot from my child, but I am worried about his absent-mindedness and inattention. I’m explaining something to him, I finished explaining, and he said to me: what about mom? By the way, my husband is the same. And my question to you: why does he ignore it and what activities do you recommend with your child? Thanks a lot!!!

It happens that children are not able to concentrate for a long time. They cannot complete things and are constantly distracted. Absent-mindedness does not at all mean low mental abilities; it is often difficult for very smart children to retain knowledge in their heads and remember information for a long time.

Having discovered that child "has his head in the clouds" While reading or solving various kinds of problems, any mother will begin to panic. And not without reason, because such inattention is reflected in school success and in relationships with friends. However, you shouldn’t be too nervous – the problem can be easily solved. The main thing is not to try to eradicate it with punishments and moralizing, but to find the real reason for absent-mindedness and help the child correct the situation.

Why can a child be absent-minded?

The main reasons for the inattention of older preschoolers and younger schoolchildren are: problems with peers and teachers. A child experiencing constant mental stress is unable to concentrate sufficiently. Also, absent-mindedness often occurs against the background of certain diseases. For some, this problem has existed since birth, and it is associated with disorders of the nervous system.

Inattention is widespread among hyperactive children. It is also called “fluttering” attention. It manifests itself as a lack of concentration, as well as frequent involuntary switching to another matter.

Reference! The diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is made not only on the basis of absent-mindedness. Such children are overly mobile and too active, restless and often play pranks. However, only a doctor can determine whether a child really has ADHD or is just very active.

You can analyze whether your child is absent-minded using the following: signs:

the child is too fussy and easily excitable;
does not finish what he starts (even if he really likes the activity);
has a “short” memory and has difficulty concentrating.

There are also some indirect signs:

the student completes school assignments late or noticeably later than all other students;
often dreams. It is difficult to attract him with the real world;
finds various excuses not to complete the task assigned to him;
often loses things.

Of course, some of the symptoms can sometimes be observed in any ordinary child. But if they are constant, you need to think about it and find the reason.

A very distracted child: what should parents do?

The first thing every parent should do at the first suspicion of deviation is consult a pediatrician. The doctor will examine the child and, if necessary, give a referral to specialists. If the cause really lies in the disease, absent-mindedness will disappear after complete recovery.

If the baby is healthy, specialists often give advice not to scold him for inattention. And even more so, you shouldn’t laugh at him either with your family or with your friends. Because of ridicule, the child’s self-esteem suffers, he withdraws into himself, and begins to get angry at others. You cannot stop trusting an absent-minded child with household chores. His efforts and desire to help should be encouraged in every possible way, even if he did not do the job very well.

Absent-minded child 4 years old - 5 years old: what to do

At this age, you can “train” attention. There are various toys that help develop perseverance and patience. For example, mosaics and construction sets are very exciting for most kids. However, not all parents know that the goal of these games is not just to assemble the model to the end. In the process itself, fine motor skills develop, and with it memory, logical thinking, attention and speech.

Preschoolers should be taught the concept of order and neatness. If your child has lost a toy and cannot remember where he last played with it, you should not scold him for it. Try to understand his problem and help him solve it. Mothers of kindergarteners should show them how to properly prepare their clothes the night before. Choose an outfit you both like together and hang it on a hanger.

Did your child want to take a toy with him? Prepare it in advance by placing it in a visible place next to your clothes. Before going to bed, children 4-5 years old can already neatly fold their clothes and put them in the closet, and make their bed in the morning. You should not take on these small responsibilities; they will only benefit the preschooler.

Important! Children simply need a clear daily routine. In order for a child to be collected, focused and attentive, he must intuitively understand what time there will be meals, games, sports exercises and sleep. This does not mean at all that he will lose free time. Leave one and a half to two hours a day for games, let the baby use them at his own discretion.

Absent-minded child 6 years old - 7 years old: what to do

In this case, you already have to face some difficulties at school, as well as in preparation for it. They find themselves in a new atmosphere, to which it is not enough just to get used to - they must also remember everything that is taught. Absent-mindedness is not uncommon for students; most often it is associated with fatigue (emotional or physical).

When a schoolchild begins to do his homework at home, he nothing should interfere. No extraneous loud sounds, no requests from parents, ranging from mom’s “Run to the store quickly” to grandma’s “Where are my glasses?!” Adults themselves can cope with such minor problems, but for some reason they prefer to “pin” them on a younger family member. This mistake is serious, because this behavior does not allow him to concentrate, he becomes inattentive to the educational material, and becomes absent-minded. In the end, he may completely lose interest in activities.

Rulers, pens and other educational supplies forgotten at school are a different story. Such losses often anger parents, because constant visits to the store take a significant toll on their wallets. In addition, there is an added feeling of embarrassment in front of teachers. However, all these negative feelings are nothing compared to the sensations that the child experiences. He feels guilty, ashamed. If parents attack him with reproaches, resentment is also added to this difficult state.

In fact, older family members should not worry too much about trivial losses. But paying attention to the emotional state of the student is extremely necessary. Don't do it intrusively, it is better to instill attentiveness, frugality, love of order as if from afar, without pressure. Over time, the child, out of habit, will confidently plan his tomorrow, assemble his backpack on his own and take care of purchased school things.

Often a conversation can be held for parents in kindergarten or school on the topic of absent-minded children in the family. Moms and dads whose kids are prone to chronic absent-mindedness can consult with caregivers, teachers and psychologists.

Helpful tips for raising distracted children:

The dream of any parent is a healthy, active child who studies well, successfully masters the skills of playing instruments and drawing, and always manages to fulfill his plans. But, unfortunately, these dreams are overshadowed by one unpleasant trait of the baby - inattention.

Causes of childhood inattention

Parents should not panic and make an appointment with a neurologist. First you need to find out the reasons that led to this problem.

Hyperactivity or attention deficit in adults. It is not difficult to notice such children on the playground; they are not in one place for a minute. They are always in a hurry, rushing somewhere and distracted by all sorts of external factors. Problems of this nature are detected at the age of 3-5 years and require great patience from parents. The upbringing of such a child should be under the supervision of doctors, teachers and psychologists.

Frequent protracted illnesses. Poor health is another reason why a child forgets everything and is inattentive. To replenish your child’s energy reserves, it is necessary to systematically take courses of vitamins for schoolchildren.

Features of the nervous system. Attentive, active and stable children with a labile character. Their inert classmates will be more lethargic and mediocre.

High loads result in fatigue. Experts say that the intensive school program and the desire of parents to involve the child in all circles leads to overload. As a result, efficiency and attentiveness decrease.

Lack of motivation. Even a one-year-old baby will pay his attention to the toy that he likes. When performing boring, uninteresting tasks, attention drops exponentially.

Risk group

An absent-minded and inattentive child is not uncommon today, but in some cases the problem is especially acute. Stress, chronic fatigue, unharmonious daily routine, abuse of unhealthy food and poor ecology aggravate this character trait. Parents must make every effort to provide their child with ideal living conditions.

Signs of an inattentive baby

Absent-mindedness and lack of concentration in a child can manifest itself in the following:

Quick, superficial completion of assigned tasks, especially school assignments.
Slowness.
Daydreaming.
Fatigue quickly even from a small amount of work.
A large number of errors when performing simple tasks.
Lack of attentiveness and concentration during work.

Finding a solution to the problem

If a child is inattentive, what should I do? The main thing is not to get excited and not make complex diagnoses. All parents should remember this. Pediatric experts recommend training voluntary attention from infancy. To help moms and dads, there is a wide range of educational toys in children's stores. Dynamic attributes will improve the attention of babies up to one year old.

If problems with attention disorder appeared in adulthood, for example, when the child entered kindergarten or school, it is necessary to look for the main causes of inattention. Teachers recommend optimizing the child’s workspace as much as possible - setting aside a separate quiet place in the house where he can concentrate and prepare his homework.

Inattention in class

Developing memory and attention is a direct path to straight A's. The main cause of absent-mindedness junior high school student- insufficient participation of parents in the educational process or its complete absence. To develop a child’s attentiveness as much as possible, you need to work with him from the first day of school, including vacations. First of all, it is necessary to find out what teachers and parents mean by the concept of “inattention”. Secondly, monitor how absent-mindedness manifests itself in a child.

There are often cases when a student is inattentive in a particular discipline. This means that the subject is not interesting to him or the teacher is unable to interest the children. If confusion persists at home, something is probably bothering the baby.

How to help your child become more attentive?

In an effort to help a child, adults need to be guided by just one rule - you need to educate not the baby, but yourself. This work is not easy, it takes a lot of effort and time, but the result will be simply stunning! By and large, not much is required from parents:

It is important to understand that all efforts made in the fight against a child’s inattention will be nullified without daily classes and exercises. They are simple, accessible, and do not require special time or emotional investment. In return, they will provide an entertaining pastime and a great mood.

“I won’t get lost” - an exercise to develop attention

A simple technique is aimed at developing concentration and eliminating attention distribution disorders in children. The child is asked to count to 31, saying each number out loud. In this case, numbers that contain three or are multiples of this number should not be named. Instead, the student should say “I won’t get lost.” For example: 1, 2, “I won’t get lost,” 4, 5, “I won’t get lost,” 7, 8, “I won’t get lost,” and then up to 31.

"The letter is prohibited"

A typical mindfulness task. An adult names a letter that should not be used in a word. The child is asked a simple question, for example, what is the name of the teacher, what day of the week is it today, etc. He must give an answer without hesitation, excluding the forbidden letter from the phrase. For example, the letter “n” is forbidden; when asked what month of the year it is today (November), the child must answer “October”.

The essence of the exercise is simplicity. You should not ask too difficult questions; the student should answer without hesitation or hesitation. If the wrong answer was given, the partners change roles - the child becomes the leader and asks his questions.

"Observation"

With this exercise, an inattentive child will be able to develop visual attention. Mom or Dad should invite him to remember objects that he has encountered many times. There are a lot of options - grandma's apartment, the way to school, the location of attractions on the playground. It is necessary to describe in as much detail as possible, paying attention to even insignificant details.

The game can be a team game. For example, one of the children acts as a responder, and the others prompt him or complete the answer.

Educational game for attention “Palms”

What is described is perfect for kids with concentration problems. Multiple players (the more, the more interesting) sit in a circle and place their palms on their neighbors’ knees. The right hand of each participant should lie on the left knee of the neighbor on the right, and the left hand on the right knee of the neighbor on the left. At the command of an adult (you can play fast, catchy music) You should raise your palms one by one, forming a smooth wave. Guys who raise their hands at the wrong time are excluded from the circle of players. The winner will be the one whose palm remains in the game last.

"It flies - it doesn't fly"

A game for developing attention for children, aimed at training its voluntary switching. Participants sit in a semicircle. The presenter, teacher or parent begins to list the items. If the spoken object is flying, children must raise their arms above their heads, otherwise they must sit still.

As soon as the guys get the hang of it, the boss can begin to play tricks by raising his hand up on a non-flying object. In view of the actions of the force of imitation of the hands of some participants will rise intuitively.

Everyone's task child participant- raise your hands deliberately, not paying attention to the actions of your neighbors and the presenter.

Riddles for developing attention

Riddles for attentiveness will help in a playful way to increase a child’s intelligence and ability to concentrate.

Riddle No. 1. The chest lies at the bottom of the ocean. It has everything but one thing. What is it about?

Answer: emptiness.

Riddle #2: A plane flies from Berlin to New Mexico. You are his navigator. There will be one change in Paris. What is the navigator's last name?

Answer: defendant's name.

Riddle No. 3. You are locked in a dark room, holding a box with one match inside. There is a gas stove on the table in the corner and a candle in a glass. Which item will have to be lit first?

Answer: A match. An excellent riddle for attentiveness and the ability to find the simplest solution to a problem.

Riddle No. 4. How many black peppercorns will fit into one glass glass?

Answer: None, peas don’t go.

Riddle No. 5. It started pouring rain, I had to open my umbrella. What umbrella am I standing under?

Answer: Under wet. Simple logic problem.

Riddle No. 6. Two men are walking towards each other. They are absolutely identical in age, height, etc. Which of the men will be the first to say hello?

Answer: The most polite.

Riddle No. 7. Seven sisters live in the country, no one sits idle. The first girl watches TV, the second cooks dinner, the third does a crossword puzzle, the fourth plays chess, the fifth takes care of plants, the sixth washes clothes. What does the seventh sister do?

Answer: plays chess (this is a doubles game, so the fourth is unlikely to play alone).

How exactly does inattention manifest in a child?

He does all his work, especially school assignments, quickly and too superficially.
He makes a lot of mistakes in his work.
He doesn't pay enough attention.
The child gets tired too quickly even from a small amount of work.
The child does the work very slowly.
High level of daydreaming.

The child is distracted and inattentive

An absent-minded and inattentive child is not a diagnosis. And all parents should remember this first and foremost. Voluntary attention can be trained even at an early age. Today, you can buy a wide variety of dynamic toys in stores that are designed to improve attention in children under one year of age.

If attention disorder develops in a child over time, for example, when he went to kindergarten or school, you can try to eliminate the main causes of inattention. Teachers recommend giving children a separate place in the house where they will always prepare for lessons. It needs to be well organized.

Do not forget that children need to eat properly, because a lack of omega fatty acids leads to decreased attention. Today there is no longer any need to force a child to eat fish oil or fish. The modern pharmaceutical market offers many different supplements that are rich in these fats. They support the baby's mental and physical health.

The child is inattentive in class

A child's success in school depends greatly on his attentiveness. As a rule, children become absent-minded if parents do not take part in their upbringing. That is why you need to try to develop your child’s attentiveness from the first grades of school. First of all, psychologists recommend finding out what exactly teachers and parents hide behind the concept of “inattention.” You also need to pay attention to exactly how absent-mindedness manifests itself in your child.

It happens that children are inattentive only in a particular lesson, then, most likely, he does not like this subject or the teacher does not explain the material very clearly. If a child is distracted not only at school, but also at home, this may mean that something is bothering him.

Parents can help their child improve attentiveness through simple psychological techniques and special games. Also, do not forget that for mindfulness it is very important to follow a certain daily routine. Remember that the child will be less distracted if homework, games and time for himself are carried out according to a pre-written plan.

If the child is slow and inattentive

Slow children are characterized by low lability of nervous processes that determine how quickly a child will complete a particular task. Adults can, if necessary, change the pace of their activities, but even for them this does not happen immediately. This is extremely difficult for children to do.

Unfortunately, most psychologists are of the opinion that slowness in a child with low mobility of nervous processes will never go away. Because it is their individual feature. Of course, over time, the child will be able to perform all actions faster than before, but will always lag behind his peers.

To ensure that slow children do not lose attention while completing any tasks, especially school ones, they should never be forced to work faster. It is necessary to create ideal conditions in which the child will feel comfortable. Psychologists say that if you unsettle such a person, it will be very difficult for him to regain his attentiveness.

The child is slow and inattentive

Already in infancy, you can determine whether your child is inhibited or not. Such children sluggishly and reluctantly suckle at their mother's breast, sleep a lot and fall asleep fairly quickly. But if at a young age this does not frighten parents, then in the elementary grades it begins to bother them quite a lot. This is explained by the fact that an inhibited child is often inattentive, which negatively affects his work.

As soon as you notice that your child is overly inert, you must immediately begin to encourage him to be more active. First of all, psychologists recommend not to do the following things:

Do not force students to do homework immediately after the student returns home. He needs to take a break for at least two hours.
Written assignments should not be forced to be redone frequently, even if he did not complete them accurately the first time. This can lead to the child developing a negative attitude towards learning.
Don't leave your child alone when doing homework.
You should not force your child to play team outdoor games. He will slow down the entire team, and this will lead to negative consequences for both sides.
Don't punish your child if he does things too slowly.

The child is restless and inattentive

Restlessness and inattention are most often explained by the fact that the child is simply not ready for school yet due to the characteristics of his physical and mental development. Some children are bored in elementary school because they have already learned the material at home. Others, on the contrary, cannot understand the task, so their attentiveness suffers greatly.

Most often, such children are given a special diagnosis: hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. To treat this condition, psychologists recommend using specially developed techniques, thanks to which the child’s behavior is corrected. These techniques also include psychotherapy. The child will adapt faster and be able to change his way of thinking.

Sometimes drug treatment is also used, but it is worth understanding that any medications in this case should be prescribed by a specialist.

Natalia Glinskaya
“An inattentive child, what should parents do?”

« Inattentive child, What do parents?»

People often complain to you that the child is inattentive, spins around in class, can’t sit still, doesn’t listen to the assignment?

A child is attentive when he does not just look, but sees or examines, when he does not just hear, but listens or listens.

Attention is characterized by properties that can be grouped depending on the focus attention:

1. Stability - determined by the duration of concentration of attention on an object

2. Selectivity - related to the ability to successfully tune (if there is interference) on the perception of information related to a conscious goal.

3. Distribution - characterized by the ability to simultaneously successfully perform several different types of activities (actions).

4. Concentration - expressed in the degree of concentration on an object.

5. Volume - determined by number at the same time (V within 0,1 sec) clearly perceived objects; practically no different from the volume of direct memorization, or short-term memory.

6. Switchability - determined by the ability to quickly move from one object to another.

7. Voluntariness - determined by the ability to focus attention on demand.

One type of attention disorder is absent-mindedness - a decrease in the ability to concentrate and switch attention.

Such deficiencies can be eliminated “educational games and attention exercises”.

Giving a task to kid, remember. That your instructions should be specific, step-by-step, understandable.

Educational games and exercises.

A game "Clap Your Hands".

Target: develop stability and switching of attention, cognitive activity of the child; expand your horizons.

Description: tell the child different words; if he hears a word denoting, for example, an animal, then he must clap his hands. Another time, suggest that the child stand up every time he hears a word for a plant. Then combine the first and second tasks, that is, the child claps his hands when he hears words denoting animals, and stands up when pronouncing words denoting plants. It’s good to play these games with several children.

A game "What changed?"

Target: development of concentration, distribution of attention, volume, visual memory.

Description: Place small items on the table. Within 30 seconds (approximately). Child looks and remembers the location of objects. Offer close the child's eyes, turn away. At this time, rearrange 2-3 items. Ask child, what changed in the arrangement of objects, which ones were rearranged?

A game "Who lives where".

Target: development of visual attention, memory.

Description: drawings with images of families of different animals and their houses, with drawn lines connecting the animals with their houses, which are given in a chaotic order. Offer determine for the child where is whose house is, without drawing a pencil along the lines.

A game “Follow the example”.

Target: development of concentration.

Description: The exercise includes the task of drawing repeating patterns.

The child continues the sample pattern on the sheet (circle, square, triangle, dot, etc.)

A game "Find differences".

Target: developing the ability to concentrate on details.

Description: offer to look at pictures depicting identical objects (with slight differences; over time, the number of differences can be increased). You need to find the differences and name them.

A game "Lay out the pattern".

Target: development of attention, memory.

Description: offer to remember and lay out the pattern shown earlier. From geometric shapes, beads, small objects, pebbles, cones.

A game "Collect the beads".

Target: development of the ability to concentrate attention on details, teach to see the drawing algorithm.

Description: offer to assemble the beads according to the sample, continue according to the verbal instructions.

A game “What object is missing?”.

Target: development of the ability to concentrate. Remember the spatial arrangement of objects, highlighting their distinctive features.

Description: the game starts with 3-4 toys and objects. Offer to name the toy that the adult removed. Then you can add the number of items, complicate: use the technique of changing the place of the toy.

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