Back to School Adjustments

Back to School Adjustments

Helping your kids adjust to the back-to-school routine after summer break can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help your children stay healthy and be prepared to meet the demands of a new school year :

Sleep • For grade school through teenage years, the recommendation is nine to 10 hours of sleep each night. Study after study shows that kids – and especially teenagers – are not getting enough sleep. One common culprit: electronics (computers, TVs and cellphones) in the bedroom. I recommend shutting off computers and television before bed and removing phones from the bedroom so that kids are not tempted to send text messages during the night. Insufficient sleep can have an impact on every aspect of a child’s life – mood, behavior, appetite, growth and performance in school. So enforce a firm bedtime because without enough sleep, a child lacks the ability to focus and learn all the information needed to succeed.

Breakfast • Research has shown a strong correlation between eating breakfast and school performance. Children who eat breakfast have better grades and test scores, are better able to focus and concentrate, have fewer behavior problems, and better attendance in school. But with today’s busy schedules, it’s not surprising that sometimes breakfast is skipped. So how do you make breakfast a priority? You can offer foods that require very little preparation, such as whole-grain cereals, toast, yogurt, instant oatmeal, fruit and string cheese. Even non-traditional breakfast foods in the morning are OK if your child will start the day with some nutrition. The important thing is to provide kids with the fuel they need.

Focus on prevention • Frequent hand-washing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay healthy in school. Teach your children to wash their hands before eating and after using the bathroom, playing outside and blowing their nose. Kids should soap up for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice (20 seconds). Give your children alcohol-based hand sanitizer to keep in their backpack for times when soap and water aren’t readily available. Remind your kids to use the sanitizer before eating snacks or lunch and after using a shared computer mouse/keyboard, water fountain or other community objects. Also remind your kids that hands are often covered with germs, and they should keep their hands away from their eyes and mouth.

Backpack weight • Kids put way too much in their backpacks, and their spines are suffering. A general rule is that a child’s backpack should not weigh more than 15 to 20 percent of his or her weight. For example, if a child weighs 80 pounds, the backpack should weigh no more than 12 pounds. The backpack should have well-padded straps, and your child should always use both of them. Make sure the backpack is sized appropriately. A well-fitting backpack should sit 2 to 4 inches above the waist. Encourage your child to clean out the backpack regularly to lighten the load.

Communicate with the school • Be sure the school nurse or your child’s teacher knows about any allergies or health concerns your child has. Also make sure the school has current contact information, such as your work and cellphone numbers, in the event they need to get in touch with you.

Plan ahead • Write down need-to-know information to help your kids remember details, such as their class schedule, teachers’ names, room numbers, their locker combination and bus numbers. Use a wall calendar to record when assignments are due, tests will be given, and when extracurricular practices and rehearsals will be held. Have your kids organize and set up what they need the night before. For example, clothes should be laid out in their bedrooms and their backpacks placed near the door, ready to go. With a little advance preparation, the mornings will be much more enjoyable – and will help to allow time for a healthy breakfast.

By Dr. Bob Wilmott 

Article Source: http://www.stltoday.com/

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