Cool for School

HOW IT ALL STARTED A few years ago, I was chatting to a neighbour when the subject came up about whether her child, a four-year-old, was ready to start school. “You’re a naturopath and a nutritionist,” she said. “Would you be willing to come and talk to our play centre about getting our kids ready for school? We want to find out about things like how to prepare them emotionally for their first day, what to put in their lunchbox, looking after their health naturally, and how to get them in tip-top condition before they start.” I said I would love to. I rocked up to the venue a few weeks later expecting a group of five or so parents. To find to my amazement, forty people had turned up! Forty caregivers were eager and enthused about giving their children the best start in life. The concept of Cool for School was born. Since that time, I have witnessed more and more parents, just like you, wanting to take control of their children’s well-being as you become aware of the significant impact that our food, environment, medications, emotions, and even our DNA can have on the health of family members. And you, the caregivers, recognize that real control means understanding the science and research behind the health advice given. You seek to learn more about how to prevent as well as treat health issues without pharmaceutical intervention wherever possible, understand what foods your kids need to flourish and thrive and beat the obesity epidemic, and how to reduce digital toxicity and more. And that is why I decided to write this book. It provides a practical guide to optimizing your children’s health and wellness, naturally, to ensure they are happy, healthy, and thriving in their first years at school. I created Cool for School from insight I gained through professional experiences working with families and individuals, and through talks and workshops. I combined this insight with the knowledge, joys, and tribulations I gained from raising two boys, as well as heaps of input from patients, friends, and parents with young (and older) children. The book aims to arm you with the information and tools you need to have your child ready to start school at an optimal mental, emotional, and physical level while providing you with natural solutions to get things back in balance when needed. All our children are different. Every single one has a gorgeous individual emerging character with differing academic, learning, creative, and sports abilities and unique challenges to overcome. Cool for School addresses these issues to enable your gifted, beautiful children to thrive as they enter the next stage of their lives. When I started to write this book, I put my parent head on and thought about how it was best to structure the information. I decided to write it to allow time-strapped and tired caregivers to delve into chapters relevant to their children without having to read the whole book. However, I strongly recommend reading from cover to cover; you never know what pearls of wisdom might reveal themselves as gifts to you, your child, family, or community. Enjoy. Warmest wishes, Sheena X GETTING STUFF SORTED BEFORE THE BIG DAY The transition from preschool to elementary school is often daunting for our children. Some kids may be anxious about it, while others may still seem too young—socially, mentally, and physically. Of course, many will breeze on in and embrace school from day one. Remember, our children are going to be bombarded with a whole heap of newness when they start—new friends, a structured environment, long days, lessons, and loads more kids in one space than what they experienced at preschool. All of this can tax their brains and their emotions. Imagine the challenges of moving to a new country—a new workplace, new colleagues, new neighbours, a strange language, new foods, different rules, and a new environment. Pretty overwhelming, right? Perhaps this comparison will highlight what our children experience on the first day of school. Don’t assume Before the big day arrives, I suggest having a casual conversation with your wee one about starting school. Discuss how he or she is feeling. Talk about everything that might be worrisome and answer any lingering questions. Allow your child to speak without making any assumptions. For example, some kids feel uncomfortable going to the toilet in a strange place, and may even wet or soil themselves. Others may be anxious about meeting new children or getting constipation or having diarrhea. We often think that, if one of our children has sailed through school, our other children will as well. One mother told me that her youngest took her totally by surprise when he expressed concerns about being able to understand math. It turned out that he was worried that he would be expected to do the same sums his brother was doing even though his brother was four years older. By getting her child to voice his concerns, she was able to help him feel better about starting school. ENROLLING YOUR CHILD AT SCHOOL A child can start school in New Zealand anytime between the ages of five and six; most children start school when they turn five. Once a child turns six, he or she must be enrolled and must attend school every day. Children begin school at different times throughout the academic year depending on when their birthdays fall. Unlike other countries, New Zealand does not have set start dates. School enrolment laws vary from country to country. Remember, parents decide when their children start school. Parents who are concerned that their five-year-old is not ready for school— perhaps they feel that their child may not be prepared socially or mentally—should have a conversation with the school administrators or an early childhood teacher who knows their kid. The best decision may be to wait a year.