The Importance of Warmth
The evenings and early mornings have now started to bring the cold breath of Winter and it seems, almost suddenly, that our children’s wardrobes need updating as they have stretched and grown over the Summer months. Warmth, both physical and emotional, is the greatest gift that we can give our children. As the weather cools, we must remember that children do not feel the cold as we, as adults frequently do — they live so much in the moment and rarely stop to think about or sense the coldness of their body. It is our responsibility then as teachers, parents and caregivers, to ensure that the children in our care develop their sense of warmth by ensuring they are wearing warm clothing appropriate for the weather, including coats, beanies and gloves in the mornings, broad-brimmed hats during the sunny parts of the day, and breathable layers that can be peeled off and put back on in the afternoon. In doing so, we are helping them to develop a healthy foundation for a strong immune system for their adult lives and providing them with loving boundaries in which they feel secure and protected by the adults in their lives.
During the first 7 years of life children’s physical bodies develop so rapidly as they spend so much of their energy on their developing organs, that we as parents and caregivers need to provide them with the resources to ensure their energy is efficiently spent growing rather than fighting the cold. In the second phase of life, from 7 to 14 years, adults role modelling warm and appropriate clothing for the weather are just as important. Young children are always the first to point out when we are not ‘walking the talk’: not wearing a hat when we make them put theirs on or rushing out the door without a beanie and jacket when we insist that they do. Parents and caregivers can help support their children’s sense of warmth and healthy loving boundaries by ensuring that coats, warm layers, beanies and hats are ready to go by the school bag each day. On wetter days, a spare change of clothes and fresh socks are always advisable to help keep little bodies warm and dry throughout the day.
With the cooler weather also comes the inevitable germs that tend to follow children around. As Covid restrictions ease, it is important more than ever that we continue to maintain a healthy immunity for those in our community who are particularly vulnerable. We can all contribute by ensuring children stay home when they are unwell, dressing warmly for the weather, eating immune-boosting foods and maintaining healthy hygiene practices at home and at school.
A few reminders from the Primary School:
- Broad-brimmed hats on until 31st May
- Beanies, gloves and coats over warm layered clothing is recommended each day
- Extra food for hungry tummies especially on cold days; a thermos with a warmed lunch is a perfect addition to Winter lunchboxes
- If children are unwell, please keep them home until they are no longer symptomatic
Sharaine Talip – Acting Deputy Principal / Head of Primary School K-6
