Submitted by Andrew Taber, Kumon Math & Reading Center of Lacey
There are three key essentials for a successful school year: healthy eating habits, the right amount of rest, and a positive and productive work environment. Each component can help lead your family into the school year on the right foot. We’ve put together a guide to help families foster a home in which all members are thriving. With ideas for quick and easy bedtime routines, personalized study rooms, and even a simple list of “brain foods,” this article will help create a hassle-free start to the school year.
You Are What You Eat
Children who are taught good time management and healthy eating habits early in life are likely to continue and maintain them throughout adulthood. Create a morning routine for your child that includes a healthy breakfast, a proven way to improve focus and study skills in school. Prepare a healthy, well-balanced lunch filled with nutritious snacks to keep your child energized throughout the day. When your child gets home from school, offer up some serious “brain foods” such as nuts, low-fat cheese with whole grain crackers, or even some celery with peanut butter. Providing the freedom to choose his or her snack is quite empowering for a child! Set a timeframe for snacks after school so your child will appreciate structure and routine, while also improving time management skills.
A Good Night’s Sleep
Earlier wake-up times can be tough on kids and parents alike. Ease your family’s transition to a “school night” sleep schedule by rolling back bedtimes the week before classes start. Children aged three to twelve need at least ten to twelve hours of sleep per night, while older children need at least nine or more. We all know that some children have a more difficult time being told when to go to sleep. Here are a few pointers that may help avoid the “the battle of bedtime.”
Creating a Productive Learning Environment
A supportive home environment will foster a child’s love for learning. Enable your child to excel by making study and productivity part of everyday life. Your child needs a special place to call their own, so consider setting up a space where your child can settle in and leave papers and pens at hand without having to pack up each night. Encourage your child to spread out and take advantage of his or her work space. Let them maintain and take ownership of that area and they will begin to develop organizational skills they’ll need down the road.
Keep these tips in mind as you organize and prepare your home for the new school year. Keep your child’s developing life skills in mind during the process, you’ll create an atmosphere that nurtures success in the classroom and beyond.
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