If your child can spend 45 minutes sharpening pencils, rearranging their desk, or “revising” without absorbing a single thing, you are not imagining it - something is getting in the way of their concentration, and it’s not laziness or lack of effort.
In this bucket emptying episode, I’ll show you why so many children struggle to focus, even when they’re trying, and why the strategies most parents rely on - timers, bribery, removing distractions - often don’t work. Drawing on the neuroscience shared by Professor Sam Wass in Thursday’s deeper‑dive episode, I’ll walk you through three practical, evidence‑based strategies you can use this week to transform how your child focuses.
You’ll learn why stressed or anxious brains cannot concentrate, why understanding must come before focus, and why even a face‑down phone across the room can derail your child’s attention.
Most importantly, you’ll come away with three simple tools that work with your child’s brain rather than against it so homework, revision, and everyday tasks finally feel doable again.
If you’re exhausted by the battles and starting to wonder whether something is “wrong,” this episode will give you clarity, relief, and a plan that actually works.
Highlights from this episode:
01:14 - What Would Sam Do?
02:45 - STRESS
05:24 - Two Kinds of Concentration
07:07 - Give the brain something to cling to
09:05 - Understanding Before Focus
11:59 - Screens are competing for your child’s attention - don’t let them win!
14:25 - Watch out for these two things
💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together
💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/
💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library
💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025
💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
","author_name":"Dr Maryhan"}