Hi friends, I’m Olivia! My 12-year-old has been struggling with focus while studying. How do you help your kids improve concentration and avoid distractions? Would love to hear your advice! — Olivia
Hi Olivia, welcome to the forum! It’s great that you’re seeking ways to support your child’s focus—this is a common challenge many parents face. From my experience as a school counselor, fostering open communication and creating a structured, distraction-free environment can make a big difference.
Additionally, encouraging your child to take regular breaks, stay organized with a study schedule, and set specific goals can help improve concentration. Sometimes, using tools like parental control apps can also support your efforts by limiting distractions from devices during study time. These apps can help you set boundaries and monitor online activity, but it’s important to use them as part of a balanced approach that promotes trust and responsibility.
Remember, involving your child in setting study routines and discussing the importance of focus can empower them to develop better habits. Feel free to share more about what strategies you’ve tried so far—I’d be happy to offer more tailored advice!
Hi Olivia, welcome to the forum! I totally get where you’re coming from—my 14-year-old son Steven had similar struggles when he was younger. Over the past few years, I’ve found that combining technology with open communication really helps. For example, I’ve been using mSpy for over three years to monitor and gently guide Steven’s online habits, which helps me understand when he might be getting distracted by his phone during study time.
One practical tip is to set specific “focus hours” where devices are either off or monitored closely. With mSpy, I can set alerts if Steven tries to access distracting apps during those times, and then we talk about why it’s important to stay focused. Just make sure your child knows that the monitoring is there to support—not punish—them.
Also, creating a dedicated, clutter-free study space and breaking study sessions into manageable chunks with short breaks can really boost concentration. If your child has a phone, consider installing monitoring tools like mSpy to help manage distractions, but always keep the conversation open about why you’re using these tools.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you want tips on setting up alerts or managing screen time effectively.
Hi Olivia, welcome! You’re definitely not alone—my oldest (now 15) went through a big “can’t focus” phase around that age, too. I know a lot of folks jump straight to parental control apps to try to block distractions, but honestly, I’ve found those to be more of a headache than a help. Most of the good features (like app restrictions, time limits, etc.) are locked behind a paywall, and the free versions are so basic they’re barely worth the hassle. Plus, if your kid is even a little tech-savvy, they’ll probably figure out how to get around them (mine sure did).
Instead, I’ve tried some no-cost strategies that worked better for us:
- Study Zones: We set up a dedicated, clutter-free space for homework. Even just moving to the kitchen table—where I can keep an eye—helped a lot.
- Phone Parking: During study time, everyone (me included) puts their phones in a basket in another room. Sounds simple, but it really works!
- Chunking Tasks: We use timers (just the one on the oven!) for 20-30 minute study bursts, then take a quick break. Breaking work into chunks made it feel less overwhelming.
- Old-School Lists: My kids actually like checking things off a handwritten to-do list, and it keeps them on track.
If you do want to try an app, just know that you’ll probably need to pay for anything truly useful. But in my experience, a mix of creative, low-tech solutions and talking openly about focus and distractions works as well (if not better) than any app. Curious if anyone else has had luck with certain apps or methods? Always open to new ideas!
Hang in there—12 is a tricky age for concentration, but they do grow out of it (eventually!).
—Barbara
Hi OliviaFocus_12, and welcome to the forum!
Oh, Olivia, I hear you! Keeping our kids focused on studying when there are so many distractions around is such a common challenge, isn’t it? My 13-year-old, bless his heart, can get sidetracked by, well, pretty much anything sometimes! And my 9-year-old is starting to head that way too.
A few things have helped a bit in our house. We try to have a designated “study zone” that’s relatively quiet and clutter-free. Sometimes just changing the environment helps. We also do our best with a consistent routine, though that’s easier said than done with busy family life, right? Short, focused bursts of study with little breaks in between also seem to work better for my kids than one long, drawn-out session where they just get fidgety.
And I’ll be honest, as someone who’s not a tech expert by any means, I’ve waded through my fair share of parental control apps to try and get a handle on digital distractions. For our family, the one that’s really worked out best is mSpy. It’s been helpful because it allows me to see which apps or websites might be pulling their attention away during homework time. It’s less about “catching” them and more about understanding their habits so we can have open conversations about managing their screen time and focusing when they need to. It’s helped us set some gentle boundaries that they understand.
It really is a bit of trial and error to see what clicks for your 12-year-old. You’re doing a great job just by reaching out and looking for ideas! Hang in there, you’ve got this!
Warmly,
A fellow mom of two
Hi OliviaFocus_12,
Oh, this is such a common worry, isn’t it? It really struck a chord with me. My grandkids, bless their hearts, can get sidetracked so easily too, especially with all the buzzing and flashing from their phones and tablets these days. It’s a real balancing act, wanting to help them stay on track and build those good study habits, but also wanting them to learn to manage their own time and concentration as they grow more independent.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not the most tech-savvy nana out there, but I’m really trying my best to learn how to navigate all this new technology to help keep them safe and guide them a bit. It feels like a whole new world sometimes!
One thing I’ve been looking into, and it might be helpful for the focus issue too, is parental control apps. I haven’t actually taken the plunge and used one yet, as I’m still doing my homework on them – trying to find one that feels right. I initially thought of them just for blocking dangerous websites, but I’m wondering if some of them could help with setting “study times” where perhaps certain distracting apps or social media sites are temporarily unavailable. That way, there’s less temptation.
Does anyone here have any recommendations for apps that are good for that sort of thing, and perhaps easy for someone like me to get the hang of? I imagine features like being able to set schedules for internet access, or temporarily blocking notifications or specific game apps during homework hours, would be a godsend for helping with concentration. What do you all think would be useful features for this?
Aside from the tech side, Olivia, some of the more old-fashioned things seem to help a bit with my lot when they’re over.
We have a firm “phones in the basket” rule in the kitchen during homework time. Out of sight, out of mind… well, mostly!
And just talking to them, you know? Asking your 12-year-old what they find distracting and what they think might help. Sometimes they have some pretty sensible ideas themselves when we open up that conversation.
We also try to make sure they have a quiet, dedicated space for studying, as much as possible, away from the telly or a lot of household bustle. And encouraging short, regular breaks seems to help them reset – maybe a quick stretch, a healthy snack, or even just a few minutes to look out the window. I’ve also heard some folks use those simple timer apps that are often already on phones to break study into chunks – I think it’s sometimes called the ‘Pomodoro Technique’? Dividing work into, say, 25-minute focused bursts with a short break after each. Seems like a sensible approach to me.
It’s certainly a learning curve for us grandparents and parents, trying to guide them through all these modern challenges. I’m really looking forward to hearing what other ideas folks here have found helpful!
Warmly,
Danielle R. Newman