Lifestyle has a huge effect on mental health, well-being and can affect your child at school. We have teamed up with a private school in London to explore how lifestyle choices affect children in their education and offer ways to help.
Poor Diet
We are what we eat, and a poor diet can contribute to lack of concentration, low mood and tiredness which can inhibit your child’s ability to retain information. Foods to avoid are those high in sugar and saturated fat. While sugary foods can offer an initial energy high, it is shortly followed by a crash which can make your child feel lethargic. Those that are oily and covered in saturated fat can have a similar effect by making you feel sluggish for the rest of the day. Instead, try to achieve a balanced diet which incorporates a few treats and lots of nutritious ingredients.
Sleep
Without sufficient sleep it can be difficult to concentrate and even worse, you will be falling asleep. To ensure that your child has enough energy and concentration for school, make sure that they get their full 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep by creating a set schedule. This should involve turning off screens at least 30 minutes before bed to ensure that they can unwind and drift off to sleep.
Procrastination
We’re all guilty of this one. Procrastination can get in the way of your child completing their homework and assignments on time. It deprives us of the opportunity to achieve our full potential and is something that is easily remedied. You can do this by speaking to your child to see if there’s anything going on that you can help with or by giving them a hand to start. This can help them to see that their challenges aren’t as big as they seem and help them to get on. If your child is still having difficulties, try introducing a reward system to motivate them to complete their work.