When i think of school and my children, among the items which come to mind are a healthy breakfast and lunch, school uniform, books and equipment, and being on time.
From time to time, it is well worth having a look at how our families are doing in these areas - and working, where possible, to make situations better. Working on getting things right in these areas leads to a more comfortable and relaxed family life for all and, more importantly, makes a valuable contribution to your children's learning. It will also provide support in developing positive, healthy lifestyles which will benefit them in their future lives.
Doctors, nutritionists and healthcare workers are continually telling us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What is eaten at this time provides pupils with the energy and ability to concentrate during the long school day.
If your children have a cereal, a hot drink and some toast, they will be off to a flying start for the day and their ability to learn will be greatly improved. Not having a breakfast will lead to tiredness, a lower level of concentration and even irritability during the day. Their learning and behaviour will be adversely affected. A cold drink and a few flakes of cereal is not enough.
To back up the breakfast, a healthy lunch is needed. You may meet with resistance, but keep fizzy drinks, bars and sweets out of the lunchboxes. These items have a large sugar content and affect their ability to maintain concentration and even do damage to their teeth. Some water is much better than the fizzy drink.
A healthy lunch can consist of a piece of fruit, milk or a fruit juice, and a substantial sandwich. The great majority of our children love the "sweet things" and it can be difficult.
The way around it may be to allow one sweet thing for lunch on one day a week, perhaps on Fridays.
However, the real key to success is to start with healthy lunches early in the child's school life and build up healthy eating habits. Many schools have healthy-lunch policies and it is in everybody's interest to support them. There are leaflets available which you can enquire about at your local health clinic or office.
On uniforms, our main responsibility as parents is to have every item marked with the child's name in indelible ink. Leave nothing out.
We save ourselves, our children and our schools much heartache if we carry out this simple task. As soon as the child is big and able enough, we train and show them how to care for the uniform, to remove it each evening after school and to have the different items ready for school each morning.
If items of sporting gear have to be brought in on particular days, we can remind them and help them - but leave most of work and the responsibility to them. All of this involves excellent learning and training for schooldays and future life.
Mark every book and item of equipment clearly with your child's name. When books, stationery, sport's gear and equipment associated with extracurricular activities are lost, all sorts of problems arise at school and at home.
We should discourage our children from writing on covers or pages of books; it is an unnecessary, destructive habit and does not allow the books to be passed on or sold at a later stage. I believe and know from experience that if children are trained to care and respect for books, they will learn better and the habit will benefit them in later life. Try to ensure your children have the correct books ready for school each day. Have a check list, and get children to lay out the books which they will need before they start their homework. Again you can help them, but ultimately the responsibility is theirs.
At junior- and senior-infant levels, there is usually little, if any, formal homework - but you can, for instance, count, draw, colour, read and sing with your children at this stage. It is a good time to build up the habit of working together.
As early as possible, develop a routine for homework. Most schools now have a "Homework Journal" which details what has to be done each day, and this is invaluable. Try to have a set time for homework, a quiet place in the house with the minimum of distractions.
Your child's ability to learn will be lessened if there is a television or music in the room. Get into the habit of laying out the books and equipment which will be needed before homework starts. Looking for books, pencils, erasers etc while homework is in progress will lead to problems.
As parents, we are there to assist and support our children with their homework - not to do it for them. I know that it is often tempting in order to speed things up to complete the work for them. However, as homework is designed to reinforce the work which has been done in school, it is not in our child's interest for us to complete it for them.
Children differ in their approach to homework. Some come in after school and get stuck into it, while others linger and seem to take forever at it. We can advise, guide, direct - but the work has to be done by the child.
Children who are careless and do not complete homework must be allowed to take responsibility for their actions and face the consequences when they arrive in school.
HOWEVER, if your child is experiencing genuine problems, do not hesitate to consult with the teacher. In this type of situation, it is important that the teacher and yourself can work together in order to have a clear picture of what is happening and what needs to be done.
Try to develop routines, minimise distractions and keep homework time as stress-free as possible. If you are regularly in conflict with your child about homework, do something to change the situation - anything! Your relationship with your child is too important to allow it to continue.
Finally, remember that good time-keepers are generally less stressed and better prepared for working and learning. Supporting your child in being punctual will benefit him or her right through schooling and in their work in later life.
