We are a couple of weeks into the Summer Term now and I trust your children are feeling settled and are finding their feet, particularly those who are starting school for the first time, transitioning to high school or new to Holy Cross this year.
Your children may be feeling excited and enthusiastic about learning new subjects, meeting new teachers, making new friendships and joining our wonderful school community. Or they may be feeling just a little bit nervous about how they'll cope. Don't hesitate to speak with your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns about how your child is settling in to school - they will be able to provide you with feedback and suggestions.
Your role as parent or caregiver is vital to help maximise your child's success and enhance their well being, so here are a few general considerations:
- Remember that the first few weeks of school will be very tiring for children, so getting back into a healthy sleep routine will be important. Ensure your children are getting adequate sleep each night to help keep them focused, learning and functioning well at school during the day.
- Minimise screen time - excessive amounts of time in front of the TV or on the internet can limit your child's opportunities for social interaction and their interest in experiential discovery and play. It's not that difficult to find extra-curricular activities that are significantly more enriching than screen time if you look around your home - is there a board game they can re-discover, a book they could start reading, a puzzle they haven't tackled for a while, a tree they can climb, a bike they can ride, a local friend they can play with ...
- Pack healthy lunch box options, try to limit sugary after-school snacks, and remember to provide your child with a nutritious breakfast to help them kick start the day in a positive way.
- Help to encourage and build on their organisational skills - pop the school timetable up on your fridge so they know what's coming up each day and can pack all their necessary belongings, lay out uniforms the night before, talk about what's happening after school so they can anticipate what they need or who's picking them up, show interest in their school work and homework and talk together about a study timetable, have conversations about what important things are happening within your family over the week. Utilise notes, charts, timetables, etc - all great visuals to help children cope with the usual 'busyness' of daily life.
- Talk with your children about their friendships. These are the people they'll be playing with, talking to, sharing things with, confiding in and sometimes arguing with - so it's important for you to get to know these kids (and their families) too! Help your children develop appropriate social skills such as sharing, being kind, making friends, managing conflicts, etc. You can do this by simple and fun role-playing games.
- Physical activity is critical for healthy growth and development as well as helping your children stay mentally well and happy. Try to encourage your kids to be active throughout their day by doing some moderate-vigourous activities such as riding their bike, dancing, walking, walking the dog, playing in the playground, swimming, sports, etc. Make it a fun thing to do together, and it will quickly become a routine that will have wonderful benefits for everyone in the family.
- Teach your children some skills in managing stress to help them cope with the ups and downs of life and to manage particularly challenging situations. Relaxation techniques including deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation and yoga are all terrific examples.
- Talk to your children about their worries and concerns, and always be available and good listeners. Sometimes children won't be looking for solutions as such to their problems, they simply need someone who will listen to them. Be available to your children - they might want to share immediately, or it might be best to enquire about their day a bit later when they're ready and open to having a conversation.
Here's to an amazing 2017! Don't forget, in addition to the wonderful teachers here at Holy Cross, I'm also available to talk to students directly and to families/parents wishing to discuss learning or pastoral issues which are impacting on school life.
Kind regards,
Jo Betti
College Social Worker
