Spotlight Magazines Spotlight on Mansfield South August 2015 | Page 8

Spotlight Magazine

Reinvent Yourself!

How to change for the better this
school year

Growing up, I lived within throwing distance
of the local primary school, yet every
morning I arrived late and was greeted with
a chant from other children: “You’re late,
you’re late, your dinner’s on your plate!” I
hated being singled out in this way and it
has taken me years to shake off the ‘late’
label.
I’m sure I’m not the only child to be
labelled for a particular habit or behaviour.
For others it might be “lazy”, “quiet”,
“disruptive”, “noisy” or “disorganised”. But
whatever the past may have held, the start
of a new school year brings with it a clean
slate and the chance to start anew.
Defeat and discouragement should be left
where they belong – in the past – while
children take the chance to reinvent
themselves and work towards a brighter
future.
Education experts say that getting a
new school year off to a good start can
influence a child’s attitude, confidence
and performance both socially and
academically. So how do we give our
children the best chance of making a
positive new start?
First and foremost, our children
need to want to change for
the better and adopt the right
attitude for achieving this. They
need to accept responsibility
for their own conduct and
make a commitment to
change.

Having the correct equipment such as
pens, pencils, rulers, rubber and reading
diary are all important, but so are getting
enough sleep and having a decent
breakfast at the start of the day. It’s been
proven that adequate sleep, food and
water all aid concentration.
Some food and drink, however, is
counterproductive. Foods high in sugar
and caffeine can cause hyperactivity, so
choose carefully what to eat at lunchtime to
avoid a negative impact on their afternoon
lessons!
Though ultimately a child is responsible
for their own behaviour and performance,
parents do have their part to play. Take an
interest in what they are doing, ask them
about their day when they get home and
become involved in school life when you
can.
Children are our real-life mirrors; they tend
to imitate what they see. If they see that
they are important to you and that school is
important to you, they’ll take it much more
seriously and be more responsible.
The start of a new school year should be
exciting, a time of celebration, a time to
look forward, not back. Good luck as you
and your child embark on a future o