Back to school challenges
Summer holidays are over and now it’s time to get “back to school”.
With this comes new challenges.
For parents around the country comes the joyful first morning back to school; looking at their child looking very smart in their new attire, time to take that snapshot on your phone. Your child is growing up.
For some children, it’s an exciting first day, for others it’s filled with nerves. Moving on to a new school or new year, meeting new teachers, and new class mates.
The first couple of weeks at school can set the tone for the rest of the school year.
Self-confidence
No matter how much we all want to ignore or deny bullying, unfortunately it exist in many schools. This can be combated with projecting self-confidence: walk tall, head up, speak confidently and always be prepared to ‘say no to bullying’. If it happens, tell friends, tell teachers, tell family!
Tiredness
Children can become tired first day back at school because its a return to routine, and often has the addition of additional or new routines to contend with. They’ve just had six weeks of fun time, exciting holidays, sleepovers, friends round. They are out of touch with sitting in a class for hours, focusing on learning & listening. It can take a few days to settle back in so a little sympathy that it can be a tough start can go a long way.
Getting quickly back in to regular bedtime timekeeping can be a big help: a set time to get to bed, a set time to wake up and grab the day!
A great way to have your child ready for ‘back to school’, is 3 days before the school holidays end, have them go to bed at normal school day hours. Your child will then be better focused and fresh for the first day back because their body clock has been re tuned. This can help avoid the extreme tiredness that can occur first week back.
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Exercise can provide a great edge to achievement in the classroom. A regular weekly, vigorous exercise program will allow your children to focus better in school and while studying. Exercise allows them to retain more information, and as a great side effect, exercise will even out their moods, improve sleep patterns, and build self-confidence.
Often with the extra stress of school homework, you may think that keeping your child indoors and studying will help them. What will really help is good scheduling. Children only need two regular cardio sessions a week to keep great, healthy benefits, ideally with peers their own age.
Did you know the British government actually has fitness guidelines for children? The Department of Health and Human Services says that children and adolescents age 6 and older need at least an hour a day of physical activity. Most of the hour should be either moderate or vigorous aerobic activity.
Exercising and engaging in activities that challenge us to think and remember has to be a great way to fulfil our exercise targets and get the brain cells multiplying. So, get the best from the new school year, and get training, get laughing, get sweating, and have an amazing new year at school.
