Soon fall will be upon us, in some parts of the country “fall” starts early August with the kids going back to school. On one hand it can be argued that children are missing out on the long, lazy “dog days” of summer, but study after study has shown that having shorter times missed from school during the year helps with retention. In addition to longer school years and shorter breaks there are some things you as a parent can do to help improve your child’s grades.
Limit “Screen Time” on School Nights
A study that was in the October 2006 issue of Pediatrics magazine concluded that students should not watch school on school nights. Children who do not watch TV on school nights do better than those who do. 2006 was a long time ago so the television rule should be extended to all screens.
If it’s good enough for the Obama’s children, Malia and Sasha, who are not allowed to watch TV on school nights unless it is an extra special educational show, then it should be good enough for your children. Today, most children are indulged with all kinds of technology; They have smart phones, electronic games, televisions, computers and everything in between in their bedrooms. Who can possibly have time to study.
Eat Right
Children often have very poor diets during the school year. Make yourself aware of what your child is eating for breakfasts, school lunches, and of course dinner. Limit sugar, processed foods, and simple carbohydrates replacing them with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Green vegetables, even hidden in other foods, will help your children think more clearly and sleep better thus according to nutritional studies, enabling them to get better grades.
Exercise
A nice brisk walk after dinner can help keep your child healthy, their blood flowing, and their lungs working optimally. Exercising will make your child more alert thus enabling your child to focus better when studying. Alternatively, during inclement weather, turn up the music and dance indoors. Any physical activity will work.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Insist that your children rest as many hours as possible on school nights. After eliminating unnecessary screen time your child should have plenty of time to enjoy a nice dinner at the table, get some physical exercise, and then retire for the night after more studying and reading. Ideally, children need about ten hours of sleep each night. In today’s busy society, with over scheduled kids this can be difficult to achieve, but it should be the ideal that you shoot for.
None of these tips for improving your child’s grades are easy but they are simple and they do work. Implementing these rules will lead to better study habits and grades for your children, it will also bring you together closer as a family.
