I must admit, being a pre-teen these days can be stressful, but being a parent of a pre-teen is even more so.  The pressure of raising a soon-to-be-teenager often brings a sense of worry that is not alleviated by any words of wisdom, even though I may provide some later.  So, I’m not here to say that everything is going to be okay, because it may not be.  As a teacher and a parent, I inform both my children and my students about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and peer pressure, but I’ve seen time and time again that no matter how prepared pre-teens are about the pressures of the hallway in high school, it is really up to the individual person to make right choices.  All we can do for them is lead by example, know who their friends are, and be supportive.  We have to remember that we once thought that we were invincible too – we wanted to be left alone, but we also wanted supportive parents.  This age range brings different joys – the fact that they are pretty much independent, still cute, and can offer insight on topics previously foreign to them.  Watching your child succeed, learn from mistakes, grow….  Pre-teen woes can be pre-teen wonderful.

There are many scientific studies that have shown the importance of sleep.  We all know that getting enough sleep helps us function better during the day, but this is especially true for children and their ability to effectively think during the school day.  Throughout my years of teaching, I have noticed that children who come to school tired due to lack of sleep do not perform very well at school.  In my experiences, most of these students tend to underperform their well-rested peers.  Students who are not rested are usually unable to focus attentively during lessons; this may lead to a compromised level of deep understanding of concepts taught, resulting, in some instances, lower test scores.  Parents are strongly encouraged to set bedtime routines to ensure the success of their children as they learn throughout their days at school.

When children get home from school, the first thing they want to do is relax, eat, play, and/or spend time in front of the computer or T.V.  By the time they are ready to do homework, their brain is already in shut-down mode.  My advice to parents is really try to get kids to do their homework either right after school while munching on a snack or not to wait too long to get started.  I know, easier said then done, but doing what’s right is often harder than doing what’s nice.  It is fine for kids to relax after a long day at school, but they should try not to wait too long before getting started with homework.  Right before bedtime may not be a good idea, because they’ll be too tired.  Also, after completion, homework should be placed right into their school bag, not left on the kitchen table.  This way, they’ll know that they will have the homework ready for the teacher the next day.

Having kids think ahead and write down short and long term goals is a good way for them to practise their writing skills, not to mention, it helps them plan ahead – a good skill to acquire.  Goal setting for kids can be as simple as jotting down what games they’d like to play with their friends, what positive change in behaviour they’d like to make towards family members and friends, what books they’d like to read, or what chapters they’d like to complete for the week.  Goals can also include what they’d like to do for themselves to stay healthy, what they’d like to improve in or what reasonable items they’d like you to buy for them (this can help them with their persuasive writing skills or reasoning skills.  New Year’s Resolutions do not have to be made only in January, but for all the months of the year.  Weekly goals are a fun way of writing if kids do not want to reflect in a personal journal.  When you write down your goals or to-do list, this is a great opportunity for kids to do so as well.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  So many children come to school without eating a healthy breakfast.  The brain is not fed, so it cannot think.  It is so important for children (for everyone too) to be ready to learn first thing in the morning.  Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast function better during the day than those who do not.  If we want our children to succeed in school, they need to be well fed before they arrive.  Children also need to be well hydrated.  As a teacher I often come across children who feel dizzy during the day.  Most of the time, a drink of water was the cure.  Please remind your children they should be drinking enough water throughout the day.