focus

Work from Home: Learning Spaces

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

By the time kids hit fourth grade, school suddenly demands more from their home setup. My son now spends real time at his desk: homework, online assignments, supplemental workbooks, you name it.

The problem is that his desk has slowly transformed into a geological dig site of papers, half-finished personal projects, and an ever-growing collection of knick‑knacks and doodads. Every time I remind him to tidy it up, the clutter returns like it has a life of its own. The result is that he abandons his desk altogether and completes his written tasks and assignments at the dinner table instead. What is happening?

Which brings me to this thought: What do kids actually need for learning at home? While it may sound like a question with an obvious answer, it becomes surprisingly relevant once we look at how and where the academic work actually gets done.

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Attention Span and Learning

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Before a child can remember a story, solve a problem, or follow a direction, their brain must stay with the task long enough to take it in. Their ability to focus, shift, and sustain attention shapes how well they absorb information, make connections, and build new skills.

However, a growing body of research points to shorter attention spans among young children, especially in the early grades. Studies of children ages 7–12 reveal measurable declines in sustained attention, including a reported 27.4% drop during continuous-focus tasks. Teachers echo these findings, noting that many students now struggle to stay engaged for more than 10–15 minutes. Oh, and did we mention that reading stamina has dropped as well?

We know what you’re thinking. “Surely, this won’t be MY child…”
But then you notice exactly how often you’ve had to repeat or remind or redirect your kid, over… and over…and over again.
And suddenly, “Is this f’n play about us?”

Attention is critical for learning because it’s the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible. Without it, nothing can truly stick.

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Motivate Me: Kids and Motivation

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Once upon a time, my son was THE BEST little helper I could ever have. When he saw me vacuum, he wanted to help. When he watched me do the dishes, he wanted to participate. If he had an assignment, he did it without a whimper. Fast forward to present day: OMG the patience I need to have to get him to do anything…

Interest drives motivation but so do rewards and punishments. When it comes to our kids, it seems like we’re pulling teeth to get them to do their chores, complete their homework, or even just to get up off the couch and DO ANYTHING. While we know that motivation plays an important role in directing our child’s behavior, the question is HOW to instill it in our kids and ensure that it sticks?

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Trying to Focus: Kids and Attention

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Children have short attention spans.

I know this seems super obvious, but it’s something my husband and I are currently working on with our almost 5-year-old. If he’s interested in a topic, he’ll be engaged for hours, like when he’s learning about animals or conducting science experiments. But give that kid a simple instruction and he’ll forget it or become distracted in seconds flat. Yeah, it sounds like every kid at this age, but it made me want to revisit what I currently know (and research more) about attention and how to best help my son improve it.

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The Legit List of Fidgets

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Fidgets are designed to allow us to self-regulate during times of stress or boredom, but no one fidget is created equal. Because our sensory needs are unique to us, what may work for you may not work for a friend, co-worker, or kid. So how do you know what works for your child? Rather than strolling down the toy section or browsing the endless lists of fidgets online, we broke it down to help you and your kiddo find that “just-right” fidget.

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