Have a Healthy School Year

This week kicked off an exciting time for many kids—the beginning of a new school year.  For most parents a new school year is a sigh of relief, but for some, it can be a little overwhelming. From buying school supplies to meeting with teachers, parents and kids can often get stressed out over the hustle and bustle. So, in honor of the new school year, I’ve gathered some helpful tips to get families on the right track.

Get plenty of sleep

The start of the new school year means new routines. With summer ending, it’s important to get your child (and you) back in to the school year routine. Lack of sleep can lead to low participation, poor grades and falling asleep in class.

Visit the doctor

Take the time to visit your child’s doctor. You’ll want to make sure your child is getting a full checkup before they start school, including eyes, ears, mouth and body.

Practice good hygiene

And I don’t just mean brushing teeth. With so many children in each classroom, germs are bound to spread like wildfire — think of all the sharing! You’ll want to emphasize a good hand washing routine as the school year starts. The last thing any parent wants is a sick and miserable child. Not only does the child miss out on learning, but parents have to change their schedules and may even have to miss work.

Safety first

The school year can bring a lot of worry for parents, so make sure you talk to your child about safety at school. Whether they walk to school or ride the bus, or are outside for recess, children need to be reminded about what to do if something goes wrong, and they need to feel comfortable bringing up issues to administrators as soon as possible. Talking to your child about handling tough situations should be a regular conversation.

Eat right eating

Skipping breakfast in return for more sleep may seem like a good idea when you’re trying to wake up a cranky child, but studies show that skipping breakfast can have negative effects on anyone’s day. Make sure your family wakes up in time to have a wholesome breakfast, and that kids have healthy snack options for after school. Packing a healthy lunch doesn’t seem like a bad idea either, since school lunches aren’t always known for their nutritional value.

Exercise

Even though most schools offer recess or P.E., it may not be enough exercise for a growing child. Children need sixty minutes of exercise a day and often times recess just isn’t enough. It’s important to spend time with your child when they get home to help them burn off that extra energy.

Do you have any tips to help parents and kids have a healthy school year? If so, share them below. We’d love to see what works for you and your family!

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