If you have been worrying that your child cannot focus the way they used to or seems overwhelmed by school demands, you are not the only parent feeling that pressure. Neurologist Dr. Majid Fotuhi, MD, Ph.D., told Newsweek those concerns are real, but he does not think the problem is that kids are falling behind as people. “What parents are noticing is not that children are ‘less capable’ but that their brains are being shaped by an environment that does not naturally support deep focus, emotional balance or memory consolidation,” he said. He argues that the modern world pushes developing brains toward quick rewards rather than steady attention.
Fotuhi, an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, says children’s brains are under more strain than previous generations faced. He points to the modern attention economy where fast videos, constant notifications, and algorithm driven content encourage the brain to chase instant hits of stimulation. At the same time, many kids are sleeping less, moving less, and feeling more academic pressure than their parents remember from childhood. These patterns matter because the brain networks responsible for attention, emotional regulation, and executive function are still being built throughout childhood and adolescence.
He describes those networks as highly responsive to daily habits and the home environment. “These networks are highly sensitive to lifestyle inputs,” Fotuhi said. “When the brain is constantly overstimulated, under-rested and stressed, these networks become inefficient, not broken, but undertrained.” That framing helps explain why a child can lock in on a video game yet struggle to complete math homework that requires patience, working memory, and frustration tolerance. In his view, the issue is often training conditions, not a lack of intelligence.
The encouraging message is that the brain can rebound when families change what they feed it, how they schedule it, and how they protect it from overload. “The brain’s capacity is dynamic. It can weaken under strain, but it can also strengthen with the right inputs,” Fotuhi added. He ties that idea to everyday lifestyle factors that parents can influence without expensive programs or complicated tools. His approach is not about doing one heroic thing once, but building repeatable routines that make it easier for a child to think clearly.
Sleep is the first lever he emphasizes because it affects attention, impulse control, and learning. He recommends stabilizing bedtimes and wake up times, even on weekends, and removing screens at least an hour before bed. When sleep is inconsistent, he notes that the brain can feel foggy and more impulsive, which makes classroom focus harder. The goal is to make rest predictable so the brain can consolidate memories and reset for the next day.
Food is the next foundation because it influences energy, blood flow, and inflammation, all of which can shape how a child feels and functions. “Encourage meals rich in protein, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and whole grains,” Fotuhi said. “Reduce ultra-processed snacks and sugary drinks. Think of food as brain fuel, not just calories.” For many families, that means building meals around simple staples like eggs, yogurt, beans, chicken, leafy greens, berries, nuts, and whole grain options while treating highly processed snacks as occasional.
Movement comes third, and he keeps it practical rather than perfect. Fotuhi suggests 30 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity through sports, walking, biking, or active play. He also points out that a lack of physical activity can deprive the brain of growth factors that support attention and emotional balance. For kids who dislike organized sports, the win is consistency, which can look like a daily walk after school, backyard play, dance breaks, or a weekend hike.
The fourth step is structure at home, which he says reduces stress and frees up mental resources for learning. “Use visual schedules, clear routines and defined work-and-break periods,” Fotuhi said. “Predictability lowers stress and frees cognitive resources for learning.” That can be as simple as a posted after school routine that includes a snack, a short rest, homework time, and then a defined break, so a child is not constantly negotiating what happens next. When the household rhythm is clear, children often spend less energy on anxiety and resistance.
Finally, he recommends training the brain on purpose with activities that strengthen specific skills. He mentions working memory games, attention exercises, mindfulness practices, and coaching in organization or time management as tools that can directly strengthen cognitive networks. The details can be tailored to a child’s age, from memory matching games and timed focus sessions to simple breathing exercises before homework. Fotuhi says the payoff is often broader than grades when the habits are combined and personalized. “When these steps are combined and personalized, parents often see meaningful improvements within eight to 12 weeks, not just in school performance, but in confidence, emotional balance, and family harmony,” he said.
A helpful concept behind this plan is neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change in response to experience and repetition. During childhood and adolescence, neuroplasticity is especially active, which is why routine matters so much. Executive function is another key term, and it refers to skills like planning, flexible thinking, working memory, and self control, which are crucial for school and everyday life. When sleep, nutrition, movement, structure, and targeted practice improve together, kids often find it easier to stay calm, start tasks, and recover from frustration, which makes the whole family dynamic feel lighter.
Which of these five changes would make the biggest difference in your household, and what results would you hope to see after 12 weeks, share your thoughts in the comments.
