My daughter has had trouble focusing on her work with the normal sounds of a home going on around here. I think it partly hormone induced, because while she's always been distractable, she's taken it too a new level lately. I realize she need to learn to deal with it, but given the extra challenges of puberty, I thought I could buy her some noise-cancelling headphones to block out some of the sounds. (Playing soft music on her ear buds doesn't work as that distracts her too.) Well, those noise-cancelling headphones are just too expensive, and my husband says that while they block out a lot of noise, they don't block out everything. I was wondering if some hearing protection (head phone style) would do the job just as well. (They're designed to protect your ear from the sounds of gun shots and jackhammers, so wouldn't they block out the sounds of a babbling toddler?) Has anyone ever used ear protection to help a child focus? (Before it is suggested... I use to let her work in her room, but by her own admission, she can not stay focused in her room and prefers to stay where we are working so that I can help direct her back to her work if she starts to daydream.) My husband suggested "the cone of silence", but "it's never worked right".
Uhhh... Why not try some moldable earplugs + earmuffs? Other than that, get some gun earmuffs but they cost $30+ as far as I know.
Perhaps you're playing the wrong thing on the headphones. You might try getting some white noise to play through there--- like a rainstorm or ocean waves, stuff like that. Music tends to have louder and quieter spots, and so it's hard to find a volume that will be tolerable at the louder spots that is also loud enough to block outside noise during the quieter ones. White noise is much more consistent in volume.
A big stereo headset works quite well. I have a set that includes a microphone that I bought for around $40. The ones without the microphone are much cheaper and since you're not concerned with sound quality you could probably find one for "cheap". Ds hates the vacuum cleaner, BUT if I let him wear the headphones he will actually do the vacuuming for me. He says the noise of the vacuum doesn't hurt his ears that way. And I tie the cord up because its not plugged into anything. They work like ear protectors. His ears are sensitive. Marty
Earplugs??? Look for them in the shooting section of walmart. ETA: I DO remember the cone of silence HA! Haven't thought of that in years!
Moldable earplugs would work. We don't use the foam ones, but more like the "bubble gum" textured plugs. I think they work better. P.S. I have never heard of the "Cone of Silence" but it looks hilarious!!! WHat's it from?
We tried with Garrett a few years back to use OSHA approved ear muff things. They didn't go over so well. They are heavy, hot on the ears and are more of a distraction than the noise itself was. I don't have any advice, it's something we have always struggled with
She sounds like my Faythe! Have you tried letting her work in her room? I discovered that this is where Faythe works best. At first, I had to make sure her bed was free from all books, or she would pick one up and be distracted. She had to keep her door open, and I would come up and check on her to make sure she was actually working. After a few weeks, I didn't need to check on her anymore. And are you SURE the music is distracting? I thought it was for Faythe, but I discovered that she actually concentrates BETTER with the radio on.
In the ps they use headsets with soothing music for those students who have an accommodation for noise/concentration issues. I found them trolling through the cd's, messing with the headsets, etc. more of a distraction and nuisance.
Good ideas...doubling up with moldable earplugs and headphone might do it. Also, I had not thought of using ocean/rain CDs. Personally, those would relax me so much, I'd fall asleep, but it might work for my daughter. The Cone of Silence was a running gag on "Get Smart"; it went through many transformations including a portable one that looked like two fish bowls attached by a glass tube. It's goofy, but my husband and I like goofy; that's why we married each other!
*CRINGE* You didn't HAVE to say from the 60's! One suggestion could be more "classical" music on the mp3 player. Or I believe you could get white noise or ocean waves type thing for the mp3 player. I used a "sounds of nature" CD on the stereo before for all the kids during schooling. Only problem was, when the babbling brook would play seemed to increase the need for a bathroom break. giggle
I am needing something for my middle son...going into 5th. Last year was our 1st year and he would whine and complain of the noise..I tried to hook him up in his dads office but he did not want to be all alone. I did find it funny with him as he was in public and private school all his life..and I know those class rooms were not quiet.
I guess in a classroom there is so much noise that it's just a jumble in the ear, but at home, specific sounds can be discerned. I went to an elementary school that used "pods" instead of classrooms. Each grade had a large open space, shaped like half a square and it was comprised of five classes divided by bookshelves and movable bulletin boards. Unless one specific noise rose about all the others, I was not distracted. However, if a teacher's voice in another "pod" carried over to our pod, and I could understand the words, then I was distracted. I'm going to try all the ideas here--something is bound to work. I've also thought of just making a recording of myself saying things like "Focus. Get to work. Stay on task," every few minutes. I don't know if will help her, but it'll save my voice. :lol:
It's funny - our little school building is right smack between a major highway and a railroad track. Virtually all the kids we've ever taught in this little school have been "distractible" types - add/adhd. What causes the most distraction? The big trucks on the highway? The train? Me or dh discussing a lesson with another student? Nope - a mouse!
Which just goes to show it's not the "size" of the noise that counts but the noise's ability to weedle through the ears and get into the brain! lol Marty
