Once the long Christmas holidays are over, and the 'shock' of the first bell after the Epiphany, “the period of most intense scholastic commitment” awaits Italian students. A sprint of “3 months”, just under, which goes “from the return to school” which has just taken place “to the Easter holidays” at the end of March. We are entering the heart of the school year and “this intense commitment will be the characterizing aspect of the upcoming phase”, “even more than the inevitable and predictable winter illnesses”. Word of the pediatrician Italo Farnetani, who in view of the small 'school marathon' that awaits children and teenagers offers ten useful tips to parents to help their children's school activities in the best possible way. “Advice for restarting and school resilience”, the full professor of pediatrics at the Ludes University-United Campus of Malta defines them to Adnkronos Salute.
From breakfast to golden hours for studying, here is what to do (and not do) to best face the challenges of these days.
1) 'SMART' BREAKFAST – “It is a very neglected moment and instead it is important because it must provide the energy for the mental activity required during school hours – warns Farnetani – At breakfast it is important how much you eat and the suggestion is to indulge the preferences of children and teenagers. The top favorite is usually spreadable chocolate, useful because it provides energy quickly. How to accompany it? In general I recommend biscuits, the ideal would be chocolate tart, but it can also be spread in a croissant. At this stage of the day it is important to take nutrients for energy intake. And to make the brain work it is also worth allowing a small transgression.”
2) THE MID-MORNING SNACK – “Another highlight – points out the pediatrician – because 25% of the daily calories must be introduced between breakfast and snack, providing 'energy support' for school learning. So the same line: also in this case let's be guided by the child's tastes. Some prefer sweet snacks (like the classic croissant) and others focus more on pizzas or flatbreads. The prevention of overweight and obesity is very right, but we try to get children to eat in these two moments in the morning precisely to be able to put them in the best conditions to learn and maximize the activity between the desks. Whether prepared at home or purchased while accompanying the children to school, I recommend a 'personalised' snack, a reminder of family affection, a 'little piece from home to pocket'. And therefore no to the 'state' snack, i.e. the snack provided by the school which is the same for everyone”.
3) THE GOLDEN HOURS – When to do your homework? “The best hours – suggests Farnetani – are from 3pm to 6pm”, therefore the middle of the afternoon. “Then the ability to learn and memorize progressively decreases.”
4) THE BACKPACK – Once the homework is finished, one last thing is needed, urges the pediatrician. Mission: “Prepare your backpack for the next day and put it aside. So you don't have to think about school again until the next morning.”
5) NEVER LOOK AT BOOKS LATE IN THE EVENING – “Never study at night”. Late in the evening “is a time when the body is preparing for the sleep period and therefore it is the time of lowest learning. Sticking to books is a useless and harmful effort”, warns Farnetani.
6) THE RIGHT DOSE OF MOVEMENT – “It is important that children and adolescents practice an hour of sport a day at least 5 days a week”, highlights the expert.
7) SWIMMING IN WINTER? – “Contrary to what some believe, swimming can also be practiced in winter, and even in the coldest periods. Among other things, it is a sport enjoyed by both males and females. It is a fun discipline because it recalls summer holidays sea, but also important because it is a form of prevention of accidents at the seaside, especially considering that a third of children and adolescents do not know how to swim”, observes Farnetani.
8) OPEN AIR – “Even in the coldest periods it is important to be outdoors. Therefore, once you have finished your homework – urges the pediatrician – it is good to leave the house both to combat sedentary lifestyle and to combat isolation”.
9) ANTI-contagion cornerstone – It is useful to “recommend hand hygiene to students. After the air we breathe, it is the main vehicle of infections. Therefore wash your hands at school – suggests the white coat – before and after meals. And for those who have lunch at school – he adds – it would be important to be able to brush their teeth after the meal”.
10) VENTILATION AND NOISES – “Two things that concern classrooms: ventilation and noise. It is important to open the windows to ensure air exchange and check that the classroom is not too noisy, because the students have difficulty listening to the teacher with the risk of decreasing learning”.
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