From the School Nurse

Sleep

School-aged children need 10 -11 hours sleep a night. Getting a good night’s sleep will help your child to be more settled, happy and ready for school, and will strengthen his or her immune system.

Here are some sleep tips:

• Have a bedtime routine – this will help your child wind down from the day.
• Keep the bedroom dark, cool and quiet - this will help your child drift off easily. 
• If anxieties or worries are keeping your child from relaxing, acknowledge the feelings and deal with it straight away or plan to sort the issue out in the morning after a good night’s sleep.

Remember, medication is not the answer to children’s sleep problems.

Sleep – tips for teenagers

Teenagers need about 9 -10 hours of sleep a night. Lack of regular sleep is likely to affect academic and sporting performance, and behaviour. The risk of emotional problems, such as depression, may also increase in teenagers who regularly do not get enough sleep. Even getting an extra 30 minutes of sleep each night will make a difference.

The typical teenage brain wants to go to bed late and sleep late the following morning, which is usually hard to manage. You may be able to adjust your body clock but it takes time. Suggestions include:

• Choose a relaxing bedtime routine; for example, have a bath and a hot milky drink before bed.
• Avoid loud music, homework, computer games or any other activity that gets your mind racing for about an hour before bedtime.
• Keep your room dark at night. The brain’s sleep–wake cycle is largely set by light received through the eyes. Try to avoid watching television right before bed. In the morning, expose your eyes to lots of light to help wake up your brain.
• Do the same bedtime routine every night for at least four weeks to make your brain associate this routine with going to sleep.
• Start your bedtime routine a little earlier than usual (for example, 10 minutes) after four weeks. Do this for one week.
• Add an extra 10 minutes every week until you have reached your desired bedtime.
• Avoid staying up late on the weekends. Late nights will undo your hard work.
• Remember that even 30 minutes of extra sleep each night on a regular basis makes a big difference. However, it may take about six weeks of getting extra sleep before you feel the benefits.

Should you require further information about sleep, contact your local Community Health Nurse, Aimee Leeson on 0400 182 654, or go to http://raisingchildren.net.au

Aimee Leeson
School Nurse

Leeuwin Ocean Adventures

Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation provides a range of tailored programs suitable for various ages, backgrounds and abilities. Our voyages aim to:

1. Foster Leadership: Develop leadership skills through hands-on experiences and challenges aboard our iconic tall ship, STS Leeuwin II.
2. Promote Teamwork: Encourage teamwork and collaboration in a dynamic and engaging maritime environment.
3. Enhance Personal Development: Unlock hidden potential, boost self-confidence, and instil a sense of responsibility and accountability.
4. Inspire Environmental Awareness: Connect students with the marine environment, fostering a deep appreciation for our oceans and promoting sustainable practices.

For more information on opportunities during the July School Holidays, please see the flyer below.

Twinderella The Musical Auditions

Are you interested in being part of the Northam Theatre Group's production of Twinderella The Musical?  See the flyer below for more information.

School Dental Therapy Centre

This year Auskick will be kicking off from Friday 3 May to 21 June for 8 consecutive sessions. Our Friday afternoon sessions will run from 4:30pm - 5:30pm at the Pool end of Jubilee Oval at the Northam Recreation Centre.

We are looking for a new Auskick coordinator, if you are interested in this role, please contact us asap. The role comes with one season of mentoring by previous coordinator.

Auskick is for boys and girls from 5 to 8 years. It helps build ball skills, hand and eye coordination and teamwork, giving kids a basic understanding of team sports preparing them for later in life.

It is a requirement that you register online and to secure your place, Kids sport vouchers are available at https://kidsport.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/kidsport/apply-for-kidsport-1/. We strongly suggest that your register early so that your child receives their Auskick pack before commencement of program. Cost is $75 per player.

To register visit https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/608b64. should you have any issues please contact aflauskick@afl.com.au or contact the temporary coordinator.

Please keep in mind that this program is only possible with parent support and each family will be required to assist at least once over the course of the 8 weeks. If you can consistently assist by running groups, please contact Angela at northamjuniorfootball@gmail.com and I will make sure that you have all the required information. For up-to-date information, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077340198010

Northam Hockey Club

Registrations for the 2024 season are now open. Please see the flyer below for more information.