Life

5 Ways Help Your Child Have A Great Day At School

by Hannah Lawrence

When I was in high school, my mom and I used to joke that we didn’t know which one of us was busier. My schedule was full of study groups, swim practices, homework, and community service, and she was dealing with meetings, reports, client lunches, and proactive pitches. So it’s probably no surprise that mornings were a busy time for both of us. And even though now I’m one hundred percent sure that she was the busier one (she was the mom, after all), she always found time each morning to load up my backpack with snacks that I could eat while I was on the go. This small gesture was just one of the many ways she tried to help me have a good day at school.

And these snacks really did help! They saved me on many occasions — before tests, before study groups, and before one-on-one meetings with my teachers. It was great to know that if I was suddenly running on empty, the all-natural snacks I needed to keep up with my academic responsibilities and my friends were never far away.

Healthy snacks are just one way that moms can help make sure their kids have good days at school. We partnered with GoGo squeeZ® to bring you a list of easy ways to give goodness to your child so they can be their best self during the school day, when they’re on the go the most.

Get them to sleep on time

Dawn Foster

To get the most out of the school day, kids need a good night’s sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleepiness can affect a child’s concentration and mood in academic settings. Knowing this, the NSF recommends preschool-aged children (ages 3 to 5) get between 10 and 13 hours of sleep each night, and school-aged children (ages 6 to 13) get between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night. It can be hard to determine when kids need to go to sleep because they actually appear energized and hyper when they are overtired. So, the next time your child insists they’re not tired at bedtime, try reading them a story after they’re tucked into bed. They are tired, and they just don’t realize it!

Make breakfast a priority

Dawn Foster

Tying shoes, packing backpacks, brushing teeth, oh my! Mornings are busy for parents and kids alike, and it can be easy for breakfast to be lost in the hustle and bustle of getting out the door. But a tasty and filling meal in the morning will help your kid perform better in school and has the energy to embark on a fun and productive day. If you’ve got the time, sit down at the table with your child and ask them questions that will make them excited about the day ahead, like which friends they’ll see and what activities they’ll do. If time is tight, try preparing breakfast the night before so all anyone has to do is grab the utensils.

Let them dress in comfortable clothes that allow them to play freely

Dawn Foster

In addition to teaching kids about math, science, reading and writing, school also allows them to use their energy to practice moving their bodies. Skills like hopping, jumping, skipping, kicking, and more are developed through socialized play so when your child is getting dressed for school in the morning, make sure whatever they put on will move with them instead of against them.

Put a loving note in their lunchbox, which is filled with foods they like

Dawn Foster

After a busy morning of learning and being playful, kids are hungry for a lunch that will kick them back into high gear and ready to take on the second half of the day. Even though you may be working to introduce them to new foods at home, you might want to pack their lunchboxes with simple and all-natural items that you are certain they like because the school day is long, and they need good nourishment to be actively engaged in what’s around them. So load up your kid’s lunchbox with a delicious meal full of goodness and a loving note that lets them know you’re excited to see them at dinnertime. If you want to give them a snack in case they get extra hungry, pack something you both can agree on — like a GoGo squeeZ® Applesauce pouch.

Keep them excited on the way to school

Dawn Foster

However you take your child to school, find a way to make the commute exciting. If you carpool, create a playlist of some catchy songs and have a sing-along. If they take a school bus, slide a new book into their backpack each week that they can read independently, or with their seatmate.

This post is sponsored by the goodness of GoGo squeeZ®.

Illustrations by Dawn Foster