Make sure your child goes to school each day ready to learn by ensuring they have a healthy and nutritious breakfast. Starting the day with a good breakfast which is low in added sugar can improve your child’s focus, memory, and concentration. 

Ensure that your child gets adequate sleep every night. The average amount of sleep that teenagers get is between seven and 7 ¼ hours. However, they need between nine and 9 ½ hours. Lack of sleep is linked to decreased concentration, reduced short-term memory, inconsistent performance and mood disturbances. It affects their mental health and general well-being. Try and help your child go to bed at the same time each night and encourage them to turn their phones off before going to bed. Cell phones are often the major hindrance to healthy sleeping patterns, especially in children and teenagers.

Stay in touch and make regular contact with the school and teachers.  Diarise parent/teacher conferences, sports, and social events. It is important that as parents you are actively involved in their school career.  

Instil organisational skills. Make sure your child has a well-lit and quiet workspace. Insist on them filing their notes on a daily basis. Create a calendar which can help them recognise upcoming deadlines. Insist that they pack their bags before they go to bed at night so that there is no scrambling around in the morning.
Demonstrate a positive attitude about education and learning to your children. Monitor your child’s television, video game, and Internet use. Encourage your child to read. Helping your child become a reader is the single most important thing that you can do to help the child to succeed in school and in life. Reading helps children in all school subjects, however, and more importantly, it is the key to lifelong learning. 

Know who their friends are. Invite their friends over so that you can understand all the social dynamics that your child is exposed to. Talk to your child. Talking and listening play major roles in children’s school success.

Actively encourage them and listen without judgement to understand their concerns and challenges, whether they are academic, social or emotional. Provide your child with the platform to talk about what they are going through, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem. When teenagers know they can talk openly with their parents, the challenges of high school can be easier to face. 

Laura-Anne Rainey
Director: Combretum Trust School