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Trouble with focus

Understanding Your Child’s

Trouble With Focus
By The Understood Team
We’re here for you. Find our latest COVID-19 resources that can help at home, at school, and at work.
At a Glance
Many kids struggle with focus.

Ongoing trouble with focus isn’t about being lazy or rude.

You can help your child get better at focusing.

Sometimes, just being a kid can make it hard to focus.

There are so many distractions. Other kids laughing out in
the hallway when you’re in class. Friends texting when
you’re cleaning out your backpack.

So, if your child zones out at school or at home from time

to time, it wouldn’t be unusual. But what if that happens a
lot?

If your child has a hard time focusing, you might be

wondering why, and whether it’s something to look into.

Learn about trouble with focus and concentration, and

how it can impact kids of all ages.

Focus Challenges You Might Be Seeing

Having trouble with focus doesn’t mean kids have a
“problem.” But it can definitely cause problems in school
and in everyday life.

For example, kids might be late for practice a lot. They

might not finish work in class or may struggle to finish their
homework. Maybe their room’s always messy because they
never get around to cleaning it.

That’s often what people notice first—the result, not the

behavior. And they may wrongly assume that kids are being
lazy or defiant.
 Focus challenges are real. It doesn’t mean that kids aren’t
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working hard or aren’t intelligent. It also doesn’t mean
they’re not interested in something, even if it seems that
way. Kids may want to focus on something, but just not
manage to do it.

Trouble with focus can show up in many ways. And it can

change over time. Kids might have a hard time:

Knowing when to focus on small details and when to

focus on the bigger picture
Filtering out unimportant sights, sounds, or
information
Paying attention without getting distracted
Holding a train of thought when they’re interrupted
Following through on a task without needing to hear
directions a few times
Concentrating on one activity at a time
Following directions
Keeping up in conversation

Some kids who struggle with focus may look like they’re
daydreaming. Others may seem like they’re focusing even
when they’re not. And some can actually become
super focused on things they’re passionate about, like
sports, video games, politics, or music.

What Can Cause Trouble With Focus

Sometimes, kids have a hard time focusing because of
something going on in their lives right now. It could be as
simple as a fight with a friend or excitement over a birthday
party.

Being hungry can make it hard to focus. The same goes for
lack of sleep. When kids are sleep-deprived, they can be
easily distracted and more likely to make errors.

Stress and anxiety can also be a factor. When kids go

through stressful situations, like a move or a death in the
family, it can affect focus.
 Butour
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can help focus,
at home, at there
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be something else behind it. ADHD is a common cause of
focus problems.

ADHD often runs in families. Are there people in your family

who struggle with focus? Maybe they interrupt a lot or
start projects and never seem to finish them. If you or
another close family member struggles with focus, it
wouldn’t be surprising if your child did, too.

No matter what’s causing your child’s trouble with focus,

there are lots of ways to help your child improve.

What Can Help Kids Who Struggle With

Focus
There are many ways to help your child with focus. Taking
notes on what you’re seeing at home is a good place to
start. It can give you a better idea of why your child might
be struggling.

If there’s a pattern that goes on for a while, you may want

to talk to someone. Two great sources of information and
advice are your child’s teacher and doctor. They may have
suggestions for how you can help.

Even if you’re not sure what’s going on with your child and
focus, you can still work on building skills at home.

Discover simple (and fun) ways to improve your

child’s focus.
Find fidgets that can help your child stay focused.
Get a tip from a teacher for helping kids pay
attention.

One of the most important things you can do is let your

child know that having trouble with focus is common and
nothing to be ashamed of. Remind your child that everyone
struggles with something—and that’s OK. Talk about the
strengths your child has.
 It’s also important to be open about your child’s
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difficulties. Get tips for how to talk about trouble with
focus.

If you’re concerned your child might have ADHD, see next

steps. It might involve having your child evaluated for
ADHD. You and your child’s doctor can talk about where to
go from there.

Key Takeaways
Trouble with focus is real.

It doesn’t mean kids aren’t intelligent.

Kids need to understand their difficulties—and their strengths.

Share

About the Author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers, editors,

and community moderators. Many of them learn and think
differently, or have kids who do.

Reviewed by
 Bob Cunningham, EdM serves as executive director of learning
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development at Understood.

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