Do you know of any exercises to expand one's attention span?
Asked by
McCool (
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)
December 12th, 2012
My young cousin has a hard time keeping focus. His mind is everywhere but where it is suppose to be. His mom suspects ADD but I believe it is just a 7 year old boy who has a lot racing around in his head and who needs help learning to focus. I’m a lot like him in that regard and it has caused me quite some grief in life. I want to help him avoid that. Does anyone know of a way to train your attention span? Any exercises or tricks?
I would be grateful for any suggestions. (Heck, I could probably use them myself) Thanks in advance for any help!
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8 Answers
I think it sounds like ADD too. He would be best helped by getting a diagnosis.
I know someone who went through his entire childhood and young adulthood with untreated ADD. His life was literally completely changed in his 40s for the better including his happiness level by getting proper medication.
Here’s something you could try. Just throwing it out there: A blindfold. Cut sensory exposure back a bit. Listen to a lecture that way.
@marinelife Thank you for your response. I wish his mom would take him to see someone about it, but I don’t think she has. It would be beneficial to know for sure. I’m glad your friend has finally found something to help him after all these years… how sad that it took so long. As for my cousin, I’m just not convinced yet that he can’t be helped in other ways. He’s used to constant stimulation at all times, so I’m sure that helping him to learn how to focus for extended amounts of time could be helpful. I just don’t want him to have to suffer for it. It’s tough.
@Adirondackwannabe thank you for your response as well. That’s an interesting idea! And it might help when he has to listen to something. I might have to test this out the next time he visits. But, I don’t think it will be helpful with writing tasks such as homework…
@McCool It would also be tough to fluther like that.:)
I wonder if timed games would help. Something where, if he loses focus, he’ll run out of time and the other player will win. If he’s competitive, it might give him incentive to settle down and concentrate.
Or, it could be ADD. Don’t trust me. I’m not a doctor.
I was trying to explain this to my grandson the other day. He was having trouble with a school mate who carries his lunch in a metal lunch box, with one of those plastic thermoses they have now, because 30 years ago the glass ones would always break about 2 months into the school year, and you either had to buy your own milk or go without, but milk was cheap at the cafeteria. It was like a nickel. Money was harder to come by then, and harder to keep because of the bullies in the school, or you saved them for a cinnamon roll at the end of the week. Anyway,... what was the question?
@PeppermintBiscuit Thanks for your answer. He is very competitive. I like your idea! Now it’s a matter of finding or composing such a game…
@filmfann (is off chasing butterflies) huh? Were you saying something? I’m only kidding. I actually found your story really amusing :) thanks for your response.
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