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Back-to-School Tips for Successful Students
- Start the day off right - eat breakfast every morning. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, children who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to succeed in school because of better concentration, improved problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination, increased alertness, creativity, memory and fewer absences than children who do not eat breakfast.
- Parent tip: Breakfast should be a well-balanced meal, high in fiber and whole grains along with fruit, dairy and protein.
- Visit the Journal of the American Dietetic Association;register on the site at no charge and view position papers such as, Nutrition Guidance for Healthy Children Ages 2 to 11 Years, and Child and Adolescent Food and Nutrition Programs. The free registration also allows you to view PowerPoint presentations such as Beverage Patterns, Diet Quality, and Body Mass Index of US Preschool and School-Aged Children and At-Home Breakfast Consumption among New Zealand Children: Associations with Body Mass Index and Related Nutrition Behaviors.
- Good nights create better mornings - students should get enough sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends children aged five to 12 get 10-11 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers need nine hours. Lack of sleep can cause trouble focusing during the day, which can lead to poor performance at school. A Journal of Child Development study also found a link between not getting enough sleep and obesity in children. Children who slept less, went to bed later, or got up earlier in the study had a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) five years later and were more likely to be overweight than their counterparts who got enough sleep. Simply sleeping an additional hour can reduce children's obesity risk four to six percent.
- Parent tip: Make your child's bedtime routine the same every night. Take television sets out of children's bedrooms and avoid caffeinated beverages.
- Visit the National Sleep Foundation to learn more about children's sleeping habits and the signs and symptoms of sleeping disorders. The Web site also discusses symptoms and treatment tips for common childhood sleep problems such as bedwetting, nightmares, problems related to ADHD and more.
- Visit the Mayo Clinic to learn more about childhood obesity, including risk factors, prevention measures, complications, treatments and support options.
- Home sweet home - getting homework under control. The Child Development Institute suggests setting up a daily homework routine. There should be a designated, quiet, distraction-free place for students to do homework. Organization is also key for keeping on top of assignments.
- Parent tip: The National Parent Teacher Association recommends talking to your children to see if they understand their homework. If not, work through some examples with them, but never do homework for them. If they are still having trouble, communicate with your child's teacher. And remember to praise your children for doing well.
- Don't carry the weight of the world on your shoulder - choose a backpack carefully. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends choosing a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. It should always be worn with both shoulder straps because using only one strap can strain muscles and may also increase curvature of the spine. A backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of a student's body weight. Heavier items should be packed closest to the center of the back.
- Parent tip: If students consistently carry a heavy load, consider a rolling backpack.
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