Why your child MUST eat Breakfast

DOES EATING BREAKFAST HELP YOUR PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOL?
Kids who fuel up in the morning with a breakfast high in carbohydrates and protein before heading off to school gain many benefits, both mental and physical; Evidence suggests that eating breakfast really does help kids learn. After fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs a fresh supply of glucose — or blood sugar. That’s the brain’s basic fuel.
These benefits not only last throughout the school day, but also can contribute to overall health and school performance over the long term. According to the Healthy Children website, about 8 to 12 percent of school-age children skip breakfast entirely, and among adolescents, this rate is even higher, reaching up to 30 percent.

Brain Benefits
Kids who eat breakfast have better concentration during school hours than kids who skip the morning meal. Eating breakfast every day can even improve your mental performance and math scores, children who eat breakfast also participate more in class discussions, are better able to handle complex problems in class and get better grades. In particular, a breakfast meal containing a balance of protein and complex carbohydrates boosts school performance for the remainder of the day.
Physical Benefits
One major physical benefit of breakfast that can help school performance is the increase in energy that comes from a morning dose of carbs and protein. Energy provided by breakfast carbs allows children to fully participate in physical activity at school, including physical education, or P.E. classes; recess; and extracurricular activities. Kids who eat breakfast are typically in better health overall as well. They are less prone to obesity and illness, leading to fewer sick days, which can cause kids to fall behind in schoolwork.
What are the Components of a Healthy Breakfast
For a breakfast to be healthy, it should include some nutritious components. High-sugar cereals and breakfast bars are more likely to induce a blood sugar crash later in the day than they are to boost performance in class. Instead, opt for whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat toast or whole-grain cereals to provide carbohydrates. Eggs can provide protein. Adding vegetables or fruit, including 100 percent fruit juices, can supply vital nutrients. High-calcium foods such as milk or yogurt also boost school performance.

Class Assemby (Reception and Grad 1 classes)

Here are some pictures from our last assembly. The day was Educative, Fun and Interesting

Class Assembly (Yellow Day)

It was fun at this term’s yellow day assembly. Check out some of the picture from that day! If you missed it, please join us next term.

                                     

Parenting

Parenting is a most challenging yet rewarding experience. Parenting style differs in four important areas: parents’ warmth/nurturance, discipline strategy, communication skills, and expectations of maturity. She posited three types of parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. Some children raised in dramatically different environments can later grow up to have remarkably similar personalities. Conversely, children who share a home and are raised in the same environment can grow up to have astonishingly different personalities than one another.
Parents are the major influence in their children’s lives. Thus their perception of how children think, and should be raised is crucial in determining children’s behaviour. Other factors, such as genes, peers, culture, gender, and financial status, are of lesser importance.

The Four Parenting Styles

1. Authoritarian parenting
In this style of parenting, children are expected to follow the strict rules established by the parents. Failure to follow such rules usually results in punishment. Authoritarian parents fail to explain the reasoning behind these rules. If the child asks, the parent might simply reply, “Because I said so.” These parents have high demands, but are not responsive to their children

2. Authoritative parenting
Like authoritarian parents, those with an authoritative parenting style establish rules and guidelines that their children are expected to follow. However, this parenting style is much more democratic. Authoritative parents are responsive to their children and willing to listen to questions. When children fail to meet the expectations, these parents are more nurturing and forgiving rather than punishing. These parents “monitor and impart clear standards for their children’s conduct. They are assertive, but not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are supportive, rather than punitive.

3. Permissive parenting
Permissive parents, sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, have very few demands to make of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control. Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on

parents are more nurturing and forgiving rather than punishing. These parents “monitor and impart clear standards for their children’s conduct. They are assertive, but not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are supportive, rather than punitive.

3. Permissive parenting
Permissive parents, sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, have very few demands to make of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control. Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than that of a parent.

4. Uninvolved parenting
An uninvolved parenting style is characterized by few demands, low responsiveness and little communication. While these parents fulfill the child’s basic needs, they are generally detached from their child’s life. In extreme cases, these parents may even reject or neglect the needs of their children.

The Impact of Parenting Styles
What effect do these parenting styles have on child development outcomes? In addition to Baumrind’s initial study of 100 preschool children, researchers have conducted numerous other studies that have led to a number of conclusions about the impact of parenting styles on children.
• Authoritarian parenting styles generally lead to children who are obedient and proficient, but they rank lower in happiness, social competence and self-esteem.

• Authoritative parenting styles tend to result in children who are happy, capable and successful and hard working

• Permissive parenting often results in children who rank low in happiness and self-regulation. These children are more likely to experience problems with authority and tend to perform poorly in school.

• Uninvolved parenting styles rank lowest across all life domains. These children tend to lack self-control, have low self-esteem and are less competent than their peers.
Authoritative parenting provides more advantages over other styles? Because “First, when children perceive their parents’ requests as fair and reasonable, they are more likely to comply with the requests” Second, the children are more likely to internalize (or accept as their own) the reasons for behaving in a certain way and thus to achieve greater self-control.”

 

-culled from different sources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Do You Engage Your Children? Fun Extra- Curricular

As an educational institution at Ella Henri Schools, we believe that  learning for children should be well-rounded. The world is changing by the minute and it is important that our children have a fantastic education in a calm, loving and fun environment. It is needful that parents help their children have an experience that will help them want to keep learning, give them an advantage to interact in a relax environment that isn’t totally academics based. This will help your children have a balance inside the classroom, at home and with the world.

The best way to do this is to engage them in activities that are physical, fun and interactive. They learn manners, they can compete to better themselves and also grow to be stronger and passionate about different things that will eventually better their future and community on the long run.

Some of these activities are Swimming, Dancing, Leggo, Martial Arts to mention a few.

Today we’ll talk about swimming at our school.

This is Fun! Physical! Helps develop strong limbs and total physique.

Here are reasons why your adorable child should get into a pool asap……

1.Swimming helps kids learn to set goals and work to achieve them.
2.Swimmers tend to be academic achievers.
3.Swimming builds confidence and self-reliance.
4.Swimming is the only sport that can save your life.
5.Swimming is one of the few sports you can do throughout your lifetime.
6.Swimming is the best possible exercise. It works all the body’s muscles and burns the most calories. 
7.Swimming makes children better athletes.
8.Having a great relationship with the water opens up a whole host of other water sports and opportunities.
9.Swimming well provides a lifetime of health and fitness.
10.Swimming is the first lessons your child needs. They are the only lessons that could save your child life.
11.A swimming pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the death of a child age 4 and under.
12.70% of all preschoolers who drown are in the care of one or both parents at the time of drowning. 75% are missing for 5 minutes or less.
13.Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children between the age of 1 and 14.
14.9 people drown in the United States every day.
15.Children aren’t the only ones at risk. In 2000, victims ranging in age from 15-44 accounted for 45% of all drowning deaths in the United States. 
16.No one is ever drown-proof. However, being able to swim 400 yards continuously lowers the chance of ever drowning exponentially.
17.Being able to swim 400 yards continuously means you can: scuba dive, snorkel, become a lifeguard, compete in triathlon, play water polo, be on a swim team, teach swimming and much more. That is getting your child ready for the labor market!
18.Learning to swim is an ability, like walking, that is part of growing up.

Get swimming ! Register your children at school.

Celebrating Children’s Day- Child Rights

We are grateful that we have great children and we celebrate children all over on Tuesday 27th of May. This is a yearly event and we wont forget to celebrate.

We also remember the children (girls) that were abducted from their school last month April at Chibok. we hope for their safe return to their parents soonest. this has inspired us to remember the Child Rights and share with our parents, this will also help us remember how we should love and care for our little ones. This article is courtesy of UNICEF, the facts are under the Child Rights Law.

Who is a Child?

The Act defines a child as a person below the age of 18 years.

Basic provisions of the CRA
The CRA categorically states that the best interest of the child shall remain paramount in all considerations. A child retains the right to survival and development and to a name and registration at birth, and shall be given such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being.
The Act provides for freedom from discrimination on the grounds of belonging to a particular community or ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion, the circumstances of birth, disability, deprivation or political opinion; and it states that the dignity of the child shall be respected at all times.
No Nigerian child shall be subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse or neglect, maltreatment, torture, inhuman or degrading punishment, attacks on their honor or reputation.

                                                                    
Every Nigerian child is entitled to rest, leisure and enjoyment of the best attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health.
Every government in Nigeria shall strive to reduce the infant mortality rate, provide medical and health care, adequate nutrition and safe drinking water, hygienic and sanitized environments, combat diseases and malnutrition, and support and mobilize through local and community resources the development of primary health care for children.
There are provisions for children in need of special protection measures. These children shall be protected in a manner that enables them to achieve their fullest possible social integration and moral development.

                                      
Expectant and nursing mothers shall be catered for, and every parent or guardian with legal custody of a child under the age of two years shall ensure his or her immunization against diseases, or face judicial penalties.
Betrothal and marriage of children are prohibited.
Exposure of children to pornographic materials, trafficking of children, their use of narcotic drugs, or the use of children in any criminal activities, abduction and unlawful removal or transfer from lawful custody.
Forced or exploitative labor including employment of children as domestic help outside their own home or family environment is also regarded as an offence.
Buying, selling, hiring or otherwise dealing in children for purpose of begging, hawking, prostitution or for unlawful immoral purposes are punishable under the Act and may carry a prison term.

Remember to love even your neighbour’s child… In Africa tthere is a proverb thats says when you have a child that child has over 50 other parents. love! Share! Give!

Honors at our School this week (19th-23rd May 2014)

Hello Everyone!

We are introducing STARS of The Week, this will be done weekly to honor children who have been outstanding in the previous week.

We believe in children at Ella Henri school and we also believe that the little things count. How many times are we honored for being Kind, Neat, Friendly?

It matters that we love and nurture our children and remind them that ‘little’ things matter and are rewarded in many ways.

Lets meet our latest Stars of the week children. Congratulations to the parents.

                           

                  

Our children are STARS! thank you for being Awesome this week.

The Questions never end?

Have you ever wondered why your child asks so many questions?  Or want your child to stop asking series of questions? Wondered why your child would not just stop asking the most impossible questions? Is your child that curious about everything? The answer is, Yes and No.

Children love to engage loved ones in conversations and this may be the best way your child knows  both of you will get talking for a long time. The emotional attachment your child gets from you while asking zillions of questions and hearing you talk, is beyond compare. There is a bond that is created that could last forever. Turning away or shutting up your child may make your child disconnected and that may bring a distance in your relationship.

Understand that you don’t have to answer all your child’s questions, make your child think up possible answers to his/her questions.  No matter how silly you think your child’s answers are encourage your child to keep thinking it through and then you can help answer where you think your child is stuck. This can help you stir up something unique that is important for them in life. That uniqueness is critical thinking. Most people don’t think critically, they love the answers to questions handed down to them.

We can help our children develop great mental skills with this method. It is crucial you help your child develop this skill.

If your child is at this stage of life nurture him/her, there will come a time when your child would not ask you questions anymore but would seek answers anywhere they believe answers stare at them.

Question times can be fun times, if you can manage the situation well. When your child starts asking a bunch of questions, for you not to get frustrated try not to find yourself busy with work or something that challenges you mentally, it will ease the frustration off the questions from your child.

Help your child create answers to his or her questions. Children love pictorial answers it helps their mind because visual images are simple to understand thoroughly.

Try this simple method:

1. Allow your child create a book / diary of questions,

2. Let him or her give it a fun name

3.Let your child create possible answers to these questions, encourage your child to write

4. Your child can draw images if need be, just to best answer his or her questions

With this method you can guide his or her thinking positively.

It may help to remember that almost every advance in human knowledge came about because someone asked a question and was willing to put time, thought, and effort into finding an answer.

The Power of the Positive!

Parents often ask, what can I do to help my child be ‘more’ in life as he or she grows? We do understand that our children need more than just academics to excel in life and what they need is a positive approach to problem solving and the right attitude to tackle the challenges that come their way.

Children can develop the positive attitude before the toddler stage of life and if nurtured properly can help your child be ‘more’ in future.

Take a look at some of these picture / diagrams and start to work on these with your child and see the difference it will make in your child’s life in a few months and greater mark in years to come.

Even as parents we need to always develop a positive attitude as well, we are our children’s greatest example.

Remember that your child is human, not super human to understand all that you understand now including the feelings that he/she has concerning certain situations, for example: Try not to argue with your child about his thoughts, he has a right to them. Just help him see that he is in control of what he thinks and he can see things with more hope when he knows how to improve difficult social and academic situations. Building a positive attitude in our children will build  better nation.

  

Supportive parent B

Keeping an eye on the child’s progress is another way of showing them support

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You can get a sense of how your child is going by

1. talking to your child regularly about school
2. noticing how your child talks about school – for example, if your child is reluctant to talk, or sounds bored or unmotivated about school, there might be a problem
3. being aware of whether your child is doing homework regularly
4.   reading your child’s school reports carefully
5.  attending parent-teacher interviews and other opportunities to meet school staff
6. Watching out for any behavior changes or problems.

Talk with your child
The best way to start is to talk with your child. Raise your concerns and ask your child about his concerns and how he’s coping at school

Recognize and respond to problems
Getting on top of school problems quickly can stop them from getting worse and having long-term negative consequences for your child’s progress and self-esteem. A quick response also sends your child a clear message that you have her best interests at heart.

Your involvement in your child’s schooling is crucial. Children do better at school when their parents go to parent-teacher meetings, get involved with homework, and watch them participating in school-related activities such as sport.

Blaming the school or your child’s teacher won’t do any good. As much as is possible, work with the school administrators and teachers. 

The only way to create success is to partner with the school. If you’re really struggling with your child’s teacher, find somebody else who you can create that relationship with. Pinpoint someone in the school who you can work with—it could be a guidance counselor, or even the principal. This person will be able to advocate for your child more effectively than you can in some instances, and might also be able to shoot you an email when they notice something or feel like your child needs some extra help.

 At home, sit with your child if possible and help him through his homework assignments.

When your child complains about school, don’t join with him in criticizing his teacher.

Don’t talk bad about  the teacher along with your child. There’s the potential that you could make the situation much worse by doing so. Remember, you’re only going to hear the story from your child’s perspective. If he doesn’t like the teacher and you fuel that dislike, it’s only going to make it worse for your child who is in that classroom so many hours every day. Again, the most important thing is to try to join with the teacher if possible so that your child becomes responsible and can’t deflect that responsibility to a “bad” or a “mean” teacher. it’s important to recognize that teachers have a really hard job. They generally respect parents who are aiding them by helping their child learn. The fact that James and I would take the time to write notes to the teacher and sit with our son and do homework was time well spent, from the teacher’s point of view. That’s an investment, and teachers respect parental investments in their child’s learning.

Teachers also want to feel support from parents for what happens in the classroom. I’ve seen parents immediately take their child’s side and not take the time to get the full picture from the school staff or teachers. I believe it’s important to see the full picture. You may not like it when you get it, but at least you’ve taken the time to get the other side of the story.

Recognize that your child’s teacher has a difficult job. Get the full picture when there is a situation at school—don’t simply rely on your child’s retelling of the story, because he will only see things from his point of view. I believe that one of the keys to helping your child succeed in school is really a lot more parental involvement in general. They may never realize how helpful some of the school folks have been. They may never appreciate the fact that you’ve sat there every night and helped them do their homework. But if you can see their success, you know you’ve done the right thing.