Help Your Teenager Learn to Concentrate

Two words that teenagers hear all too often is pay attention! They often hear it from their parents and their teachers throughout the day. It is possible that your teenager may have a problem keeping their mind focused on things. Sometimes a lack of concentration may be the result of a physical problem. Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is believed by some to involve a malfunction of the brains neurotransmitter systems.

Or it could be an undiagnosed problem such as a hearing or vision problem. Many researchers have found that teenagers in general have more difficulty concentrating than adults do. If your teenager is having trouble concentrating more than likely they are simply suffering from the pangs of growing up. As a teenager moves toward adulthood their thinking patterns change. A book called “Adolescent Development” states that new conceptual abilities emerge in early adolescence. That is when you develop the ability to comprehend and analyze abstract thoughts and concepts.

With all of these distractions that many teenagers have it is no wonder that they have a hard time concentrating. A teenager must learn to control their stray thoughts or they may be missing out on some very valuable information especially when they are at school. It may help to set aside some time each day to meditate on what might help them to be more focused. Another possible cause can be their emotions. As a parent I am sure you know that this can be one of the biggest distractions that a teenager will face. Of course this is nothing to worry about in time it will pass, they are just experiencing puberty. As a parent you may also want to examine your child’s sleeping habits.

In order for the body to grow you need sufficient sleep. This allows your brain to sort out the many new concepts and emotions that a young adult encounters in their daily life. Some researchers feel that by simply adding an hour or more sleep each night can greatly improve your ability to concentrate. Another problem may be their diet. Fatty and sugary foods are very popular among teenagers. Many doctors say that junk food may taste great, but it appears to reduce mental sharpness. Did you know that carbohydrates increase the amount of a chemical called serotonin in the brain and make a person feel drowsy. By eating foods that are rich in protein you can boost your mental alertness.

There are numerous ways that you can help your child learn to concentrate better. Even by you just taking the extra time to work with them can help them learn to focus their attention. Many teenagers just seem to have so much on their mind it can be difficult for them to even think about learning to concentrate. But by not helping your teenager overcome this problem you may be allowing them to get further behind in their education than you may think. Also try working with the teachers, if you child is having a problem concentrating in school. They are well trained in how to deal with a teenager who may be having a hard time concentrating. There is never anything wrong with asking for help.