Barbara Bottoms has been a headteacher for seven years, the past two at Cheadle Hulme Junior School. In a career spanning almost thirty years she has experience of all age groups from 3 to 18. Barbara believes it is the early years of a child’s education that are vitally important.

 
How much should I get involved with my child’s homework?
Homework can be a valuable extra learning tool.  It will take a variety of forms dependent upon the age of the child but should never become a burden or a battleground between parent and child.

Setting a routine of time and place is a big help, as most children like structure. Some work will be set to practise skills such as maths or comprehension exercises; teachers need to know what the child is capable of, so it is best not to help too much with these. At other times tasks such as researching a topic will be the homework and this can be great fun to help with; you may well learn something new yourself.

One homework parents should be involved in is reading. Practising reading aloud, sharing a book, talking about stories, characters and moral dilemmas is a very important part of a child’s intellectual development and one parents can play a great part in. Parents and teachers together can give children a lifelong love of reading.

 
 
How can I judge how well my child is doing at school?
If your child is happy and enthusiastic about school, and teachers report they are making measurable progress in reading, writing and numeracy, there is unlikely to be anything to worry you. Trust the information given by the school but do not focus entirely on the academic side at this age. A good school will also provide breadth of experiences in the arts, music, drama and sports, which are equally important for personal development and great confidence-boosters. How well is a complex judgement, as the Government is still uncertain about how and when to assess pupils. However, good teachers know that children develop at differing rates and have spurts and plateaux in their learning. Ask the experts in your child’s school, as they should know your child as an individual.

Tareq Moustafa BSc (Hons) UMIST, MCOptom. Is the Clinical Director and Optometrist at Seen Opticians. Tareq’s expertise is in sports vision, contact lenses and he has a holistic approach to eye health. ‘More and more eye related issues are a cause of modern day lifestyle choices and environments. Understanding this can be the key to a life with healthy eyes and great eyesight’

Dry eye syndrome. What is it and what can I do about it?

Dry eye Syndrome is a rapidly increasing problem for all ages of the population. The main symptoms include gritty, irritable eyes
redness and sharp pains in the front of the eye.

Relief is available by keeping well hydrated (the eye is 80% water). Blink and blink fully. VDU users blink fewer times per minute therefore allowing tears to evaporate off the eye surface.
Remove make up each evening.

I wear varifocal spectacles. Can I also wear contact lenses?

Absolutely. Multifocal contact lenses are readily available in all modalities from daily disposables to monthlies and even in gas permeable. I would recommend custom fitting for those that want to wear multifocal contacts everyday to those that want to change their look from glasses in social occasions.

I have a family history of age related macula degeneration. How can I reduce my risk?

Research has now proved that ARMD is strongly linked to certain lifestyle choices. By understanding these and applying any changes to your own lifestyle you will be increasing your chances of long-term healthy eyes. Smoking is very strongly linked to ARMD. Excess exposure to UV rays from the sun. Wear UV protective sunglasses, transition spectacle lenses or contact lenses to block UV from entering the eye, which also reduces onset of cataracts, poor diet and a possible lack of anti-oxidants. Try increase intake of fresh green vegetables and/or use anti-oxidant supplements

However, please seek the expert opinion of your optometrist and regular eye examinations are critical.