Find Out How to Get Your Child to Pay Attention Quickly… With These 5 Things

Written by eric Gotfrid on May 3, 2016. Posted in Behaviors & Emotions, Blogs

The brain loves novelty! If it didn’t, we would be inspired to learn, explore, create and evolve. If your child isn’t paying attention to you it could be because things are getting a little too repetitive or stagnant. Of course, there are many other factors that can hijack your child’s attention, but here a few quick and easy things you can do to get them to listen and take notice more often.

TIPS

1. Do Something Unexpected. Switch things up. For example when it gets loud and noisy, whisper or touch them on their shoulder or face in a loving, gentle and unexpected way. Do a clapping sequence that gets their attention in a fun and catchy way. Whispering can also be a very effective tool. However, like anything if you overuse it, it looses its novelty and charm.
2. Sing or Sing What You Need to Say. The brain loves music! So does the mind and spirit. In fact, music is quantum and transcends time and space and crosses all three dimensions of our human construct (mind, body and spirit) Physically, (high quality/positive) music lights up the neuro circuitry in the highest thinking and creative regions of the brain – and it builds more neurons in this area too! Kids love it, the brain loves it…. so use it often!
3. Limit Screen Time. Our brain produces different types of brain waves such as alpha, beta and theta waves. Without getting too technical, screen time increases the specific brain waves that keep your child riveted to the TV in a “hyper-focused” way. This can have counter productive effects on your young child including their ability to effectively learn in school. Studies are showing that TV can retrain the brain to make it more difficult for a child to have “intentional and directed focus”,  which is necessary for active participation and engaged learning. Shut the TV off and help them cultivate a curiosity for life and the world around them. How else will they contribute their human gifts that they came here share with the world if they don’t learn to participate in and navigate the world around them?  Don’t let screen time cause their life and experiences suffer.
4. Play Games. Kids love games and play! Most people don’t realize this, but the region of the brain stimulated by play is one of the most advanced areas….and one that gets far less utilization and stimulation as people get older. It’s also the area that’s associated with creative genius. Play centers are highly developed within children – and then sadly as kids approach adulthood this diminishes as the brain builds less neurons due to a reduction in stimulation or data that we feed it. Why is play so important and why is it found in these advanced regions of the brain? Play elicits the highest of human emotions including joy, love, inspiration, creativity and gratitude – all found in the same/similar region! That’s a 5-for-1 deal that builds the brain in positive ways! Play, joy, love and gratitude are also qualities that resonate and communicate with our spiritual nature or Higher Self  (Intuition, Soul or whatever word you use to describe the Superconscious Life within you). It is a gateway to the greater powers and abilities of intuition and our highest human attributes. Hopefully you now recognize that play and higher emotions are directly linked and able to communicate with the individual’s Soul.
5. Add Silliness. You can do a funny dance, act out a funny charade. Try engaging them and then add a learning aspect or message into your activity . Make them a participant in your creative display.

Don’t be surprised if in the process of getting your child’s attention….you get the attention of your own brain…and build it for the better through these techniques!