Helping Your Child Balance Home & School Life*

Juggling school life, home life and extra-curricular activities can become quite overwhelming for youngsters. With that said, parents need to guide their children to prioritise their time appropriately and manage their feelings in such a way that they don’t become stressed or anxious. Here are some tips from a junior school in Leicestershire.

When it comes to school and studying, children must find a healthy balance. While it’s great if they’re keen to do well at school, if they spend every waking moment revising then it’s unlikely that they will benefit from a healthy amount of fresh air and exercise. Without this, their immune system may be compromised, leading to sickness and reduce academic performance. Social interactions are also important as they allow children to develop necessary communication skills, build strong relationships and simply wind down and have some fun.  A sense of support is extremely important for young people. And having the sort of school staff you want to give a teacher t shirt to at the end of the year is vital.

If you think your child may have spent too long indoors with their head in their books, you should encourage them to take a break and spend some time outdoors; even if it’s just for a little walk.

Another great way to help your child balance their time is to assist them in creating a study schedule. This should prioritise pieces of work that are due to be handed in, as well as some of the subject areas in which your child might be struggling. The schedule should also allow for leisure time.

Make sure all of the family takes a break from what they’re doing at meal times so that you can all eat together. This will allow you to catch-up with one another and share stories about each of your days. What’s more, if anything is bothering your child or causing them to feel stressed, they can use this as an opportunity to seek your advice. Having meal times together will also allow you make sure they are eating enough and getting the right nutrients.

Ensuring good communication with the school is important too, especially with their teacher. It’s always nice to say thank you at the end of the school year with a teacher lanyard or teacher bag, but the main thing is to show your gratitude and support of the school throughout the year. And in turn it nurtures a healthy relationship between hope and school life.

Of course, it’s great for parents to encourage their children to aim high and succeed in school, but it cannot interfere with their health and leisure time. It’s vital that children take regular breaks from their studying and unrealistic goals will only lead to anxiety and lack of confidence. Let your child know that you are proud of them for working hard and as long as they are doing their best, that is good enough. Remind them that they don’t have to get 100% on every single exam for you to be proud of them.