Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Help your child have a productive academic session

By Ijeoma Thomas-Odia
15 September 2018   |   3:02 am
The long vacation is gradually fading, while most schools resumed last week, others are yet to resume this Monday and maybe before September ends. What is most important is ensuring that your child’s fresh academic year is productive and worth the fees you pay. But then, a quick one! Did you enjoy your vacation with…

Children in school

The long vacation is gradually fading, while most schools resumed last week, others are yet to resume this Monday and maybe before September ends.

What is most important is ensuring that your child’s fresh academic year is productive and worth the fees you pay.

But then, a quick one! Did you enjoy your vacation with your child, how was the bonding experience? Would you look forward to having such times with your child(ren)?

Childcare and Parenting Counsel, Mercy Christian said: “I enjoyed the full-time presence of my children without feeling like school should resume quickly so they can go back. It was a great opportunity for family get-together.

We had lots of fun. As a mum, I saw this long-vacation as a privilege to practically teach my children household chores, home lessons, and other fun related duties.

We also had enough sleep and rest, because I tell you, waking up early to engage in school run-arounds is not an easy task.

So I enjoyed this summer with my children. It was an opportunity for them to have all the fun they’ve always looked forward to.”

She noted that after this great time has been spent among parents and their children, parents are more preoccupied at this time with getting materials needed to ensure their children are comfortable in school.

“Not that some parents cannot afford these items for their children but because they may be financially engaged with other pressing needs like tuition fees, house rents, medical bills, feedings and the likes.

These are all top needs with varying degrees. I believe parents can relate with this.”

Christian said that under normal responsibilities, parents should endeavour to make necessary arrangement for tuition fees, books, stationary, and other needs to ensure an effective academic performance for their children throughout the new session.

This being done on time will help facilitate the academic performance of their children and avoid unnecessary embarrassment such as the school management dismissing their wards.

“On the other hand, parents should not be ignorant of the fact that their children must go to one of the best equipped schools, with a consideration to affordability at this time.

Sincerely, there are some middle-class parents whose children are not even in the best schools but are doing well in their academics.

But it is also crucial to note that there is more to making available all the necessities for our children mentioned above.

Let us also consider physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing that will amount to tremendous benefits of our children’s future.

“Physical wellbeing refers to the state of health of the children, which should not be taken for granted and so parents should endeavour to take their children for proper medical check up, to ensure that they are physically fit for the upcoming school session.”

Christian, who is also the co-founder of MomsAreCaring, said that food and nutrition also play important roles for the proper growth of our children, which will improve their cognitive development and improve better concentration throughout the session.

As children’s care-giver, I often advise parents to cook and prepare balanced diets daily, which should include some portions of grains, protein, vegetables, fruits and most importantly, water to prevent dehydration.

“Now, not every parent can afford to buy and prepare varieties of fresh foods at all times, but if we do the best we can with the resources that are available to us, we can begin to have more control over where our food come from, and also how they are prepared.

And we can make sure, that only reasonable amount of fat, sugar, and salt go into the food that our children are eating to keep them healthy on a daily basis.

“On the other hand, emotional wellbeing has to do with your children’s mental state and behaviour.

When a child is not happy, it affects he/she throughout school activities.

I will advise that parents try to make their children happy while preparing them for school. This will enable the child concentrate better.”

She added that for spiritual wellbeing, which is on godliness, it is important to always commit everything into the hands of God.

“These days, we focus more on the usage of phones, watching TV series and the likes, but we tend to forget the things of God that matters most in our lives and in that of our children.

No matter how busy we are or how tired we are, let’s put in mind that we need to pray and study the Word with our children so that they are exempted from any form of mishaps throughout their lives.

“Speak positively to your children, don’t pray and then use same mouth to say negative words to them.

This can by far destroy every prayer made. Let’s be conscious of this as parents.”

0 Comments