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Parents are always looking for ways they can help their children succeed in school, from investing in appropriate study guides to hiring a private tutor. However, something as simple as encouraging them to change some of their unhealthy habits can go a long way to improving their performance in school. Read on for some advice from a prep school in London about how your child’s lifestyle choices can affect their education.

First of all, you should consider their diet. Do they start the day with a wholesome breakfast or grab a sugary cereal bar or pain au chocolat to go? Sugary snacks are a great way to provide a temporary high, but it doesn’t last long, and is usually followed by a crash. This crash will make it difficult for your child to concentrate in school; they will feel lethargic and jittery. Dehydration can result in a similar sluggishness caused by sugary foods, so make sure your child takes a bottle of water with them to school that they can refill throughout the day. Make sure they start their day with a nutritious breakfast, such as porridge or yoghurt with fruit, and take healthy snacks with them to school, such as nuts or hummus with carrot sticks.

Exercise is another important consideration for young people, especially nowadays as they become increasingly more addicted to their smartphones and other tech. We all know that exercise is important for our health and wellbeing, but it’s actually great for helping with things like memory and attention span, which are obvious crucial in school. For younger children, it helps them develop fine motor skills, which are vital for their overall development. Perhaps it might be worth setting a rule in your home that your child can only use their digital devices after they have gone for a walk or played outside for a while. If that doesn’t work, consider suggesting an extra-curricular activity for them to join, like dance, drama, or sport, which will give them an opportunity to get some exercise while also helping them develop a range of key transferrable skills.

Sleep is also important. Experts advise us to get around eight hours of sleep per night, which changes dependent on age. Lack of sleep can cause behavioural issues in children, is bad for their health and can also make it difficult for them to pay attention in class. Make sure your child has a regular routine in which they go to be and get up at the same times each day, even on weekends.

There are other lifestyle factors that are important to your child’s wellbeing and development, such as socialisation and relaxation time, but the above concepts should certainly get you and your family on the right track. Encouraging your child to make smart decisions where their health is concerned will certainly benefit them when it comes to their education.