Being at school can take some adapting to for children, especially after a holiday or for younger children who are just starting school.  So I am working with Highland Spring to bring you some small ideas and tips for things that you can do to help your children during this time which will make everyone’s the school transition so much happier.

Easing the Home to School Transition

We all know what keeping our children hydrated is important, but did you know that kids should drink more water in relation to their body size than bigger people and that It’s harder for kids to concentrate when they’re dehydrated.  Our children should be drinking between 6-8 glasses of water a day and this can really fall by the wayside when they are at school but by drinking a litre of water over a school day they will have better short term memory and performance than children that don’t.

How to encourage your children to drink more water

1. Make it available – we love drinks bottles with sports caps.  I do not have to worry about the bottle tipping over and spilling and the boys pretty much always have a bottle with them.  The 330ml Highland Spring bottles with sports cap are the perfect size for children and are on offer at £2.00 for 12 bottles at the moment in Tesco.
2. Cool it – My children are much happier to drink cold water, so we have a lot of bottles in the fridge for them to grab.  I have even popped them in the freezer and part froze them on really warm days.
3. Remind them – Did you know that often young children confuse feeling thirsty for being hungry, so it pays to remind your children to drink regularly.  When my boys were young we had a sticker chart.
4. Make it fun – let them decorate their bottles with stickers or markers.  Also if your children do not like water, why not tempt them with some fab ice cubes. My boys love fruit infused water and a current favorite is cucumber, strawberry and tyme and we make a big jug to share.
5. Educate them – As my boys have got older we talk about why it is important to regularly drink water.

Do you have any tips for getting children to drink more water?

As a parent I really want the best for my children, so encouraging them to drink more water is really important and the biggest influence I can have is by modeling this behaviour and drinking lots of water too and for them to see us drinking water.  We have a jug of iced water and glasses on the table at mealtimes and they often see both me and my husband drink it.

Easing the transition to being at school

There are some other simple things that you can do to help your child get used to being back to school.  be patient, it takes time to get used to a new routine and to get back on track, especially with younger children.  So here are my #TermTimeEssentials

1. After-school snacks – my boys are always starving after school and to prevent them grabbing for unhealthy snacks I make sure we have appropriate healthy snacks available.  When they were younger I would take snacks and water to school when I collected them.
2. Fresh Air and outdoor play – children hold it together when they are at school, so this is an opportunity for them to go wild.  We used to go to the park after school for 30 minutes.
3. Supplements – Even though I hope to provide my children with good nutrition, school can take a lot out of children, so I give multi-vitamins and over the autumn and winter time elderberry liquid too.
4. More sleep – learning and playing at school can be exhausting, so try bringing bedtime forward a little.
5. Do not overschedule – This can be really hard as children often want to go to lots of after school clubs and do lots of activities, but for younger children, it is key to give them time to just be after a long school day.
6. Keep demands low – Until they have made the transition to school, this can really help.  I find it easier to sometimes do things myself rather than have a tantrum over it.
7. Do reading and homework when they are not tired – If you child is shattered when they get home from school then doing a home reader or homework will be even more of a challenge for them and you.  So why not do it on a morning before school.

Maxi started Senior School this September and I have found that the transition has been a challenge for both him and me.  His school day is at least an hour longer now as he has to get a bus to and from school and he has much more homework to do on a daily basis.  I am finding that by doing the above he is much more relaxed and we are having a much happier home.

Disclosure: I’m working with Highland Spring and BritMums in a paid relationship promoting the #TermTimeEssentials campaign about the importance of hydration to kids. Visit http://highlandspringmagazine.com for more advice and tips.