"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” - Mary Oliver
I have the great privilege of being Oma to three lovely grandchildren. One of the immense pleasures in being with them is watching them live and learn with freshness and enthusiasm. I desire - for them, for myself, for anyone - to foster that love of learning and ability to attend.
So an article on a child’s learning caught my attention, and in some ways also seems applicable to us older folks. In September when many have returned to school and formal learning, this first Wednesday wellness email offers an encouraging reminder to practice some self-regulation, and attend to our attention span.
Here’s a few highlights from “Simon Says Don’t Use Flashcards”:
· “…a growing body of research suggests that playing certain kinds of childhood games may be the best way to increase a child’s ability to do well in school… The key to games education is to start with a simple game and add increasingly complicated rules. For instance, Oregon researchers have developed a game called Head-to-Toes, which they use to assess preschool children’s development. Initially, the child copies the teacher’s movements, touching her head or toes. But later, the child is expected to do the opposite, touching her toes when the teacher touches her head. While the game may sound simple, it actually requires a high level of cognitive function for a preschooler, including focus and attention, working memory to remember rules, mental flexibility (to do the opposite) and self-control.”
Some study results:
· One study of 814 children between ages 3 and 6 shows that children who do well in Simon Says-like games do better in math and reading.
· A smaller study of 65 preschool children found that those who started the school year with low levels of self-control showed improvement after playing games in class, including a version of Red Light, Green Light.
· An Oregon State study reported on 430 children who were followed from preschool until age 25. The study, published online in early August in Early Childhood Research Quarterly, looked at several factors, including early reading and math skills, along with other cognitive skills, to see which were ultimately most influential in college success. It turns out that a child’s ability at age 4 to pay attention and complete a task, the very skills learned in game play, were the greatest predictors of whether he or she finished college by age 25.
ScienceDaily online highlights this Oregon State University study by saying “Young children who are able to pay attention and persist with a task have a 50 percent greater chance of completing college... gives compelling evidence that social and behavioral skills, such as paying attention, following directions and completing a task may be even more crucial than academic abilities."
Some ways to foster attention and self-regulation skills in children
Try movement and music games that ask children to stop, think, and then act: like the games explained in attached doc or Simon Says link above, or like dancing to music as suggested here (slow to slow, fast to fast, then change the rules and dance slowly to fast music, fast to slow music; sounds kind of fun!).
Some things we know
We know that some of the benefits touted above come simply by moving our bodies – ‘tis good for children to be encouraged toward gross motor play and time crawling or walking or running or dancing; and for us adults to get out of our chairs, away from our screens, and move ourselves to exercise (“Do groove move”) or take in the natural outdoors (“Greentime”).
We know how easy it is - for both kids (probably this applies to kids a little older than preschool) and adults - to let distractions carry us away, especially in this techy age: I’ll just do a quick check of my email, send off this text while I’m thinking of it, be entertained by this show) (“Digital distraction”).
Some questions, and an offering
Just how important is this paying attention, listening, completing tasks, and being persistent for us adults? I don’t have a research-supported answer at the ready; rather I invite you to ask yourself those questions.
I can, though, offer my personal observation of increased attentiveness and well-being when I pause, when I am quiet and listening and giving gentle attention to this present moment.
A suggestion for us adults
Meditation is a good tool for adults to aid in that pausing, and one way to give attention to attention span. A comprehensive randomized study (The Shamatha Project, led by neuroscientist Clifford Saron of the University of California, Davis) offers “powerful evidence that a regular meditation practice can
sharpen our perception,
promote a greater sense of well-being, and
encourage a more empathic response to others.
And, through alleviating stress, meditation may even play a role in countering the effects of aging.”
(This article, Just Breathe: Confirming Meditation’s Benefits, offers some historical research perspectives and fascinating present findings.)
[**For one simple breathing meditation practice, see below.]
Whether you play or pause this month, may your attention span increase. And may your focus be on and bring to you all that is good!
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**A simple breathing meditation: Sit comfortably, place feet flat on the floor, scoot back in the seat so that your lower back is well supported, straighten your spine upward gently. Rest your hands lightly on your lap, palms up. Or find any other position that makes you feel both alert and relaxed. Let your eyelids drift closed. If that feels awkward, gaze lightly at a spot on the floor in front of you, or at some common object, like a lit candle.
If all is going well, you’re already breathing. Feel the sensations of breath in the body. Notice: where do you feel your breath? Is it at your nostrils? Maybe you notice a slight coolness as the air passes by your nostrils upon inhalation? or warmth as you exhale? Do you feel the breath in your rib cage? In your belly? As you breath in your belly rises a little bit, as you breath out your belly falls a little bit.
Follow the breath cycle: as the lungs fill, then back down to lungs emptier.
Now just breathe normally – allow it to come in and out – no need to control the breath. No need to make your breath deep or patterned in any way. Just let it be. Continue to observe your breath. What does each in-breath feel like? What does each out-breath feel like?
Witness each in-breath and out-breath with reverence. Each is you – alive – here and now. Each is God in you – present – here and now. Each breath is good and God – here and now.
“The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” – Job 33:4
“Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, I am the Lord…” - Isaiah 42:5-6a
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