It’s amazing what can happen when we give our kids’ brains what they need to function at their best. These four kid-tested (on my own children as well as hundreds of students in various grades), research supported practices can help your children feel more relaxed and happier while they think more clearly and creatively.
1. Finetune the bedtime ritual with your kids, ages 5 and up.
Even if you already have a basic set of things your kids do before lights out, have a conversation withthem to finetune their evening activities. This will go a long way toward better brain health from getting consistent sleep.
When our kids contribute to the plan, we get better buy-in.
Children who go through the same activities before going to sleep, at the same time whenever possible, do better in school (Vermeulen et al 2018).
School age kids need 9 to 11 hours of sleep, including naps, to do their best thinking—all the way through high school.
When you sit down together, you may find there aren’t enough hours in the day for your kids to get the sleep they need. In that case, figure out what needs to be cut out of your children’s lives!
“Too much to do in too little time” has become epidemic in societies around the world. This mentality doesn’t work well for brain development, which continues through our mid to late twenties.
Do everything you can to help your kids get the sleep they need and to get the sleep YOU need too.
2. Have everyone, kids and adults, drink a glass of water in the morning—and occasionally throughout the day.
We all wake up dehydrated, and our brains must have hydration to function properly. When kids get enough water, they focus and learn better, sleep better, get fewer stomach or headaches, have a sunnier outlook, and have more energy to think (Riebel and Davy 2013).
Be intentional about drinking water for optimal brain function and see what happens!
3. Do your best to make sure you and your kids eat breakfast every morning—protein, fat, and healthy carbs from whole fruits and/or vegetables.
Yep. Mornings are busy, and from age 5, kids can begin to get their own healthy breakfasts.
Be careful not to let them “sugar up” in the morning with processed carbs like cereal or a bagel. And avoid fruit juice! These things are sugar bombs that jack kids up and then make ‘em crash 20 minutes later. By the time they’re supposed to learn, their brains stop being able to work properly.
Here’s some quick examples of brain-boosting breakfasts that kids can get for themselves:
- Microwaved bean burrito and a table orange or half of an apple (FYI, even little kids can peel mandarins on their own).
- Hardboiled egg and a piece of fruit.
Eggs have healthy cholesterol and protein, and they have omega fats that are essential for brain development.
Our egg life hack: We used to boil a dozen or an 18-pack of eggs at once on the weekend. When we first started this, it took a few tries for our kids to get good at peeling the eggs, so we practiced that on the weekend too. Then during the week, they could get out their own eggs and eat them with a banana.
- Nut butter and no-sugar jelly sandwich on wheat bread.
Most kids can easily make this all-time favorite that provides healthy protein, fat, and carbohydrates for better thinking.
- Quick reminder: Make sure your kids drink water in the mornings, not juice. Please.
4. Do 10 minutes of exercise in the morning.
I know, life is hectic in the mornings, but in previous generations, students used to walk to school or ride their bikes. Now most kids take the bus, or someone drives them to school.
Studies show our brains NEED a bit of exercise to be able to function properly.
That 10 minutes SAVES time because our brains work so much better!
Our brains get pumped full of oxygen from increased blood flow. Hormones, neurons, chemical reactions, and even cell division in the hippocampus, the big shot in the brain for long-term memory and learning get busy with a little cardio (Dana G. Smith 2019).
Bottom line: Kids who do some cardio exercise in the morning tend to do better in school.
And 10 minutes is all it takes!
I know this from personal experience with my students as well as my own children!
So, if your children’s school doesn’t make sure kids get some exercise before learning, plan to get everyone up 10 or 15 minutes earlier.
This is a powerful way to help kids focus, think, and reason.
Set the timer and jump rope or turn on some music and dance. Or have your kids check out YouTube for short workouts. The possibilities on YouTube are practically endless.
A quick workout before starting homework also gives kids’ brains a huge boost.
Try refining bedtime, drinking more water, eating breakfast consistently that have protein and fat instead of breads and cereals, and exercise for ten minutes in the morning.
You won’t believe the difference these small changes will make in everyone’s day.
Including yours!
Related articles: BRAIN FOODS—AND HOW TO GET KIDS TO EAT THEM
TEACH KIDS TO MAKE THEIR LUNCHES TO GET NUTRITION BUY-IN!
5 GAMES THAT BUILD KIDS’ SKILLS
Best wishes on your parenting journey,
Trish Wilkinson,
Founder Brain Stages Parenting, coauthor Brain Stages: How to Raise Smart, Confident Kids and Have Fun Doing It
