Educational psychologist Alexis Beaver has this advice for parents of children about to start school:
● Be aware of how much time your pre-school child spends watching TV and playing on computers. Children who struggle with attention control in the classroom have often spent a lot of time in front of screens.
● Talk and listen to your child. Read a book with them every day if you can, and talk about the pictures, story and rhymes. This helps with their language, communication and phonics skills.
● Encourage independence (eg putting shoes or tights on) as this is great for their development and is much appreciated by teachers too.
● Make sure your child is getting plenty of sleep – it will really help his performance at school.
