But your teen isn’t making any

progress. “I just can’t concentrate,” he says.

Learning to focus on the task at hand is a challenge for most teens. But there are some things that can make the job a little easier.

• Begin with the hardest task. If your teen loves Spanish, but hates math, then math is what he should do first. He’ll be fresher and better able to absorb the material. And he won’t spend the whole study session dreading the math at the end.

• Plan ahead. Some teens pop up every five minutes to get a snack. Encourage your teen to have a snack before he starts studying. Tell him that’s the only snack until he finishes.

• Remove distractions. Some teens actually do learn better with soft music playing. But say no TV and no phone. If your teen tends to surf the net, set a limit on the time he can be online.

• Don’t wait until the last minute. Teens always put things off. But the longer they wait, the greater pressure they’ll feel. Encourage your teen to avoid procrastination.

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