Unfortunately, many children in school today have problems that interfere with their learning. School should be a place where children can achieve their maximum potential but sadly this does not always happen.  And the home environment is a key factor in how well a child will do in school. Parents play a critical role in their child’s success.

The most optimal learning time for humans is from birth to eight years old. During this time, children are capable of learning everything from foreign languages to math. But, at this same time children may also develop characteristics such as hyperactivity that limit their learning capabilities.

Toddlers are awed by this immense world and want to explore every facet of it as quickly as they can. So it is natural for them to move from one object to another, to lose interest quickly, and abandon a project without completing it. However, by the time a child is ready to enter school, that child should have developed the ability to do what teachers refer to as ‘persist’ or ‘stay on task.’ This simply means that a child should be able to begin an activity and see it through to completion. However, many children are unable to do this.

Some children are hyperactive and have difficulty sitting still and paying attention to instructions they’re expected to perform. Others may listen to the instructions but promptly forget. They will ask repeated questions and rarely finish what they start. They constantly fidget in their seats, interrupt the teacher with questions, and attempt to answer before the teacher has finished asking the question. They are always being reminded to “Sit still,” “Pay attention” and “Get back to work.”

When this behavior pattern is severe, a child may be referred for special education services and medical attention. The diagnosis is usually ADHD which stands for ‘Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.’ Such a child may require medication.

However, the children with mild symptoms of hyperactivity can often be helped by changes in their lifestyle at home.

Sleep

Children, especially those that tend to be hyperactive, need a regular bedtime. It is important that this be consistent. Too many children are allowed to stay up late on school nights. They come to class nervous and hyperactive until they fall asleep over their desk. They are not prepared to learn and consequently little learning will occur. They are also moody and may lapse into aggressive behavior. Just as adults are ‘out of sorts’ when they‘ve missed out on sleep, so are children.

But hyperactive children often have trouble falling asleep. Bedtimes turns into a war and soon tired parents often give in and surrender. Children who do not see much of their parents during the day often act up at bedtime for attention. For a child, negative attention (scolding, etc) is often better than no attention at all. So sometimes simply providing undivided parent attention prior to bedtime will end the “wars.”

To help create the appropriate energy, bedtime needs to be preceded by some calming activities that help children fall asleep easily. Some good tips are:

1.    Turn off the TV or computer at least two hours before bedtime followed by shared quality time with parents.

2.    Have warm bath following teeth brushing.

3.    Reading a story or engaging in some other quiet activity such as working a puzzle, drawing.

4.    Listen to music together.

5.    Give your child a massage. A soothing massage will often lure a child to sleep.

6.    Meditate. With older children (around 9 or 10) parents can try meditation. Some teachers have done this successfully with fifth graders and have found that concentration improves.

Diet

Diet is also important. There are doctors who believe that even serious cases of ADHD can be helped by diet. It appears that children can be sensitive to certain foods and these foods will cause an endorphin rush. The foods may not be candy and sodas but can be as benign as peanut butter and milk. Parents can have their children tested for food sensitivity and allergies.

Holistic doctors also recommend restricting sugar and eliminating highly processed foods from children’s diets. They advise parents to avoid the sugary carbohydrates such as sodas, white breads and many cereals. Instead they should look for carbohydrates that contain whole grains and fiber. For instance, a healthy cereal should contain three grams of fiber for every twenty-five grams of carbohydrates. So parents need to read labels carefully.

And research conducted at Purdue University has found that Omega 3 fatty acid supplements enhance the efficiency of connections in the brain enabling children to perform better in school. Of course, one should check with a health care provider prior to giving a child any supplement. But parents can certainly include foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids in their children’s diets, such as fish and flaxseed products.

Television vs. Exercise

Hyperactive children need to have TV and computer time monitored carefully and restricted. Even more than other children, hyperactive children need intense playtime outdoors where they can run and jump. Vigorous physical exercise is an excellent outlet for the excess energy that hyperactive children build up.

Research has proven that physical exercise can greatly reduce the symptoms of hyperactivity. Find ways that your child would enjoy. Try sports, hikes, biking, skateboarding, surfing riding, or any other ways where your child could release physical energy. Sports encourage concentration and persistence. There have been instances where engaging in martial arts alone enabled children to control hyperactivity.

Parents also need to monitor how TV is watched. Many families have the TV running constantly with family members in and out watching here and there. When children become accustomed to this pattern, it transfers over to school. If the teacher shows an educational film that demands concentration, the child cannot concentrate to follow the film but tunes in and out as is done at home. Children need some practice in sitting down and watching a film from beginning to end. Help them focus, by guiding and providing opportunities.

And all children, but especially hyperactive ones benefit from engaging in activities that teach them to persist and finish a task. Sudoko puzzles, crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles are excellent examples.  Parents can begin with simple ones at first that do not require too much time to finish and then gradually increase the complexity and time.

Admittedly, some of these changes may be difficult to make. This is especially true for large families. But the final result can be a well-adjusted child who does well in school and is on path to becoming a smart, happy, well-adjusted adult.