PARENTING A SCHOOLER

Kaye Claudelle C. Toling

 COMMON BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS

DISHONEST BEHAVIOR
• Lying, stealing, and cheating may become manifest in previously well-behaved
children. This is especially disturbing to parents, who may have difficulty coping
with such behavior
 LYING

• Preschool children often have difficulty distinguishing between fact and fantasy.
Sometimes they misperceive or fail to remember an event.
• By the time they reach school age, they still tell stories but can distinguish
between fantasy and reality. Often children will exaggerate a story or situation as a
means to impress their family or friends.
• Young children lie to escape punishment or get out of some difficulty, even when
the evidence of their misbehavior is before their eyes. Lying is more common in
families which punish is severe.
 CHEATING

• Most common in young children age 5 to 6 years.

• They find it difficult to lose at a game or contest, and they cheat to win.
• They have not yet acquired the full realization of the wrongfulness of this behavior
and do it almost automatically.
• However, it usually disappears as they mature
 STEALING

• Between 5 and 8 years, children’s sense of property rights is limited; they tend to
take something simply because they are attracted to it, or they take money for what
it will buy.
• When young children are caught and punished, they are penitent – they “didn’t mean
to” and promise “never to do it again,” but they may well repeat the performance
the following day
 FEAR

• School-age children are less fearful of body safety than they were preschoolers,
although they still fear being hurt, kidnapped, or having to undergo surgery.
• They also fear death and are fascinated by all aspects of death and dying.
• Most new fears that trouble school-age children are related to school and family
(e.g., fear of failing, fear of teachers and bullies, or fear of something bad
happening to their parents.
 LATCHKEY CHILDREN

• The term latchkey children is used to describe children in elementary school

who are left to care for themselves before or after school without
supervision of an adult.
• Inadequate adult supervision after school leaves children at greater risk for
injury and delinquent behavior.
• Latchkey children feel more lonely, isolated, and fearful than children who
have someone to take care of them.
 ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
SYNDROME

• This is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that typically appears

in early childhood, usually before the age of seven.
 SYMPTOMS OF INATTENTION IN CHILDREN:

1. Has trouble staying focused, is easily distracted or gets bored with a task
before it’s completed
2. Appears not to listen when spoken to
3. Has difficulty remembering things and following instructions; doesn’t pay
attention to details or makes careless mistakes.
4. Has trouble staying organized, planning ahead, and finishing projects
5. Frequently loses or misplaces homework, books, toys, or other items
 ROLE OF THE NURSE IN THE CARE OF
A FAMILY WITH A HEALTHY SCHOOLER
 NUTRITION

• Have young children collect pictures of healthy foods and make a poster for
display in the school cafeteria.
• Discourage the use of high-fat foods (candy bars)
• Avoid the use of food as rewards for behaviors; use verbal praise and token
gifts to reinforce healthy scouting and physical activity.
• Ask children to select foods from a fast-food restaurants menu and to
identify those foods high in fat
• Involve parents in nutrition education through homework assignments or by
inviting parents to attend student-led nutrition fairs.
 SLEEP AND REST

• 6 and 7 years old have few problems, and encouraging quiet activity before
bedtime, such as coloring and reading, can facilitate the task of going to bed.
• 8 to 9 year old children and 11 year old children are particularly resistant,
with approximately 15% of all school-age children are unaware that they are
tired.
• 12 year old children usually offer no difficulty in relation to bedtime. Some
even retire early to enjoy slow preparations for bed, to rest, or to listen to
music.
 PHYSICAL FITNESS

• Nurses can further promote efforts to include physical fitness in school

programs and encourage children to engage in aerobic physical activities during
their free time.
• Such activities provide cardiopulmonary benefits, maintain normal weight, and
have the potential to contribute to lifelong fitness.
 DENTAL HEALTH

• Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and make sure your child
spits it out after brushing.
• Be sure child brushes for at least 2 minutes twice a day.
• Start flossing as soon as teeth touch, or even earlier to help build good
habits
• Visit the dentist every 6 months.