Concentration is the ability to focus your attention. It’s pretty clear that this ability is crucial to success at school and at work. Educators are worried that the ability to concentrate is eroding under the relentless barrage of random, fragmented messages from cellphones and social media. They are right to be concerned. Brain research shows that the hippocampus, the part of the brain devoted to storing and recalling information, isn’t engaged when a person is distracted.

Savvy parents know that it’s counterproductive to try to discourage a child’s enthusiasm for interactive media. Instead, the goal should be to help establish routines that promote concentration—even for kids who love the distraction of media in its many forms.

Mom…Momm…MOM…MOM!!!!!

One of the best ways to help children grasp the value of attention is to give them yours. When you’re doing something with your child, don’t allow yourself to be distracted by your cell phone or that last thing you need to take care of online. Focus your full attention on what your child is saying or what you are doing together. Make deliberate decisions about when you’re available for phone calls, when the television is on, and how long you’ll spend on social media.

Children who grow up with the benefits of parental attention—and limits on attention-draining activities–will begin to understand that attention, like money, is a finite resource. You can squander it on shiny doodads that don’t mean much, or you can save it to spend on something that really matters. Often our culture sends kids the message that distraction is fun and concentration is drudgery. Parents need to counter that notion with the idea that concentration puts you in control of what your brain is doing, while distraction turns that control over to others. Here are other ways to get that message across:

Budget tech time. Obviously, video games, social networking, and other interactive pastimes have an important place in the lives of kids. Although these seductive technologies are available 24/7, parents should establish tech-free times when kids do homework and engage in other activities that require concentration. Encourage older children to post an away message that says they won’t be available. Make a humorous sign –Student at work. Quiet Please!!– to minimize interruptions from other family members. Schedule your own off-line tasks to be able to work side-by-side with your child. Make a point of turning off your cellphone so you can write a thank you note, balance the checkbook, or read a report.

Design a tech-free work space. Be sure your child has access to a workspace where the tools needed for schoolwork (paper, dictionaries, etc.) are close at hand, and distractions (video games and snacks) aren’t visible. Provide good lighting and a chair that’s the right size for your child. Many children will protest that they need the Internet for every assignment, but that’s not usually the full story. Some work, such as math problems or reading, will actually go faster if the child is away from the LCD screen.

Find “prime time.” Most adults know their sharpest time during the day. Encourage your child to experiment with different study times. Some children will be able to focus best right after school, when the lessons of the day are still fresh. Others will do better after a snack, a sports practice, or even a session of social networking. Still, others will get homework done in half the time if they get up early and do it first thing in the morning. Help your child identify—and protect—the time when he or she is most able to concentrate.

Chunk the work. Although it may be obvious to parents, students often don’t know how to divide homework into manageable portions. The idea of writing an entire report may be paralyzing. It’s easier to focus if you limit attention to a paragraph about a specific topic. Older students may do better with a timetable that includes incentives: 30 minutes of homework earns ten minutes of social networking. Just be sure to set a timer, so homework resumes again after ten minutes!

Teach attention. Even under optimal conditions, your child’s mind may wander. That’s normal, especially for middle school students who are studying independently for the first time. You can use a simple technique to help your child stretch out periods of attention. While reading or doing other work, keep a 3×5 card close and make a mark each time attention wanders. Tell your child it’s not necessary to feel impatient or judgmental when this happens. If the random thought is important, make a note. Then have him gently redirect attention to the task at hand. Remind your child that, like any skill, concentration requires practice. Over time, his or her ability to focus will improve.

Make a game of it. Many classic, offline games require focused attention. Remember Memory, the matching game that requires players to remember where to find pairs of cards? Or try the old party game of assembling a tray full of random objects. Have everyone look at the tray, then cover it and write down as many things as you can remember. Scrabble and card games are also enjoyable family activities that reward concentration.

Certainly, technology isn’t the only reason children have trouble concentrating. Health problems, lack of sleep, too little exercise, stressful relationships, and even poor nutrition can make it hard for them, as well as for adults, to pay attention. Still, encouraging your children to make deliberate decisions about how to allocate brain power, and setting a good example so they can see the benefits, are ways to ensure their success during the school year—and beyond.