awesomescopeIt’s easy for students to underestimate the impact of life choices on learning, children and teens hear a lot of talk about hard work and positive attitudes; however, inadequate diet, insufficient sleep or physical activity can negatively affect the cognitive ability and thinking of children, which is likely to negatively affect their education.
As a parent, it is you who is ultimately responsible for your child’s lifestyle choices. It’s you who buys the food and sets the rules. That’s pretty easy to manage when children are smaller but once they hit their teens, it’s much more difficult to keep track of your child’s choices in terms of diet, sleep habits and friendships. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible though!
Of course, teens want to branch out and to be in charge of their own lifestyle choices and they can to an extent but it’s also important to set boundaries for them. Providing healthy, non-processed snacks and meals plus drinks is one of the most important things you can do for your child. Teens get hungry and want to eat a lot but that doesn’t mean you should have a pantry full of crisps, chocolate, and instant noodles. Processed, sugary or fatty foods have a negative effect on the brain not only the body so it’s important to ensure meals and snacks are well balanced. Here are some good choices for snacks and packed lunches for your child or teenager.
- Unsalted nuts
- Hardboiled eggs
- Avocado
- Cheese
- Popcorn popped without butter
- Fruit
- Salad and vegetable crudites
Avoid sugary cereals, fizzy drinks, instant noodles and processed meats. Many parents mistakenly think that processed meats like ham and bacon are fine – they’re actually full of nitrates which are bad for us all. A good diet is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Teamed with plenty of exercise and regular sleep, your child should benefit very quickly.
Helping your child make the right social choices
Hanging out with friends is important to all teens and tweens. They want to spend time with peers, to have fun and to bond. But it’s vital that you keep a strong eye on what sort of activities they’re getting into. Good ideas for teens and tweens looking for fun activities include the following:
- Bowling
- Ice-skating
- Cinema trips
- Sports clubs
- Theatre clubs
Try to encourage your child to keep an open conversation going with you so that you’re fully aware of what they’re doing in their spare time and who they are with. We can’t always be on the watch but if your child knows right from wrong, then they’re much more likely to make good choices and succeed in school.
Schools also play an important role in helping children to make good lifestyle choices. This prep-school in Chesham has a strong pastoral care team and that can help children to find a way through any difficulties they are facing.
