Christine Clinton, Co-Founder of Junior Genius Global and Chair of the Wellness for Children Initiative with The Global Wellness Institute, brings over 32 years of experience to the health and wellness sector. Christine has worked with many doctors and clinicians through the years, with the Global Wellness Institute acknowledging her dedication to improving the lives of others by presenting her with The Debra Simon Award for Leader in Furthering Mental Wellness at the Global Wellness Summit in 2021. Here, Christine discusses how to prepare your young ones mentally for school.
Going back to school is a busy time for all families – often a rush after travelling or simply re-adjusting back into the thought of routine can feel stressful. Whilst it’s easy and natural to focus on the practicalities of buying uniforms and supplies, for example, it’s important for parents to consider how to mentally prepare their children for school.
Of course, this is now more vital than ever for children due to the unprecedented disruption of their educational life throughout the pandemic, plus ongoing restrictions, such as mask-wearing and more. It is perfectly natural for little ones to feel resilience and confusion, even alongside excitement and hope.
Globally, we are seeing one in five children now experiencing and reporting mental health challenges. At Junior Genius Global, we recognise the importance of wellness and wellbeing practices to support our children’s mental health when going back to school, and importantly, as a permanent fixture in the family home.
Parents can support their children during an unsettling time by implementing activities and routines that help them re-adjust back into routines and cope with the unfamiliar. For us, these are rooted in the ‘6 Pillars of Wellness’ which are designed to help children to be healthy both physically and mentally.
Going back to school is a busy time for all families – often a rush after travelling or simply re-adjusting back into the thought of routine can feel stressful. Whilst it’s easy and natural to focus on the practicalities of buying uniforms and supplies, for example, it’s important for parents to consider how to mentally prepare their children for school.
Of course, this is now more vital than ever for children due to the unprecedented disruption of their educational life throughout the pandemic, plus ongoing restrictions, such as mask-wearing and more. It is perfectly natural for little ones to feel resilience and confusion, even alongside excitement and hope.
Globally, we are seeing one in five children now experiencing and reporting mental health challenges. At Junior Genius Global, we recognise the importance of wellness and wellbeing practices to support our children’s mental health when going back to school, and importantly, as a permanent fixture in the family home.
Parents can support their children during an unsettling time by implementing activities and routines that help them re-adjust back into routines and cope with the unfamiliar. For us, these are rooted in the ‘6 Pillars of Wellness’ which are designed to help children to be healthy both physically and mentally.
Here are some tips and guidelines to help you prepare your children as they head back to the classroom.
The 6 Pillars of Wellness as defined by the Global Wellness Institute include:
- Physical: Nourishing a healthy body through exercise, nutrition, and sleep.
- Mental: Engaging the world through learning, problem-solving, and creativity.
- Emotional: Being aware of, accepting, and expressing our feelings, and understanding the feelings of others.
- Spiritual: Searching for meaning and a higher purpose in our lives.
- Social: Connecting and engaging with others and our communities in meaningful ways.
- Environmental: Fostering positive interrelationships between planetary health and human actions, choices, and wellbeing.
Incorporating nurturing and responsive experiences, rooted in these pillars is the key to supporting mental wellbeing. When a child has good mental health, it allows them to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, manage and understand their emotions and develop a healthy outlook on life, which in turn can support your child in school.
It is perfectly natural for little ones to feel resilience and confusion, even alongside excitement and hope
Establish a Routine
While summer is the perfect time to travel and reconnect with family and friends, the chances are most children will be out of their usual routine. Many children fear the unknown and a routine allows the day to be predictable for your child, making them feel safe and secure. Using planners and visual aids around the house is an easy way to remind your child what their day will look like. Remember to discuss the routine to help them to become independent and confident with what is happening throughout the day. Don’t forget to allow plenty of time for your children to get ready during the first few days or weeks back to school. This will lessen the likelihood of them feeling rushed and prevent unnecessary stress in the morning.
The Importance of Sleep
As parents, we know that quality sleep is essential to our children’s success at school. With quality sleep, children have improved mood, attentiveness, and ability to focus. Sleep is also essential for forming and retaining memories, which is an important part of learning! To aid and support a healthy night’s sleep, keep evening activities calm and relaxed. Avoid over-stimulating games, such as screen time, and evening snacks should be light and healthy. A bath or massage is the perfect way to prepare for sleep as well as story time.
Many children fear the unknown and a routine allows the day to be predictable for your child, making them feel safe and secure
Develop a Positive Belief System
By encouraging positive thinking, parents can help develop their child’s confidence, sense of self-worth, and resilience, which ultimately will mentally prepare them for school. Practicing gratitude is a great way to develop a child’s positive belief system. It has been found to reduce anxiety, and help children harness positive thinking which can increase motivation in learning. Before bedtime, why not ask your child to tell you something they are thankful for and watch how they will experience higher levels of optimism and enthusiasm.
By encouraging positive thinking, parents can help develop their child’s confidence, sense of self-worth, and resilience
Navigate Emotions and Feelings
While many children are excited to return to school, some may be feeling worried or anxious. It’s important to identify these feelings and support your child in understanding how and why they feel a certain way. As parents, we should not refer to a feeling as ‘bad’. Allow your child to know that it is ok to experience negative emotions, but the power is in how we deal with this feeling. Meditation and breathwork are great tools to help calm little minds and reconnect the child’s mind, body, and breath. While your child focuses on their breath, they will calm their emotions and reduce stress allowing their body to relax. Use breathwork as part of a morning routine to mentally prepare your child for their day in school.