Summer is winding down and kids are preparing to go back to school. Going back to school can be overwhelming: paperwork, fees, supply shopping, a new routine, etc. With some preparation the transition can be more enjoyable. Alright, enjoyable may be ambitious, here are a few tips to help you feel healthy, more confident, less stressed, and more organized this school year.
10 Tips For A Healthy & Happy Back-To-School Season
- Go through the closets now. Remove clothes that don’t fit, or don’t get worn. Reduce the stress for all of you by eliminating daily wardrobe issues.
- Embrace structure. Keep a joint calendar in an area everyone can access. Feel free to color code for each family member and encourage kids to participate. Life can get busy but keeping an organized schedule will help reduce missed events, rushing and stress.
- Master getting out the door. Keep everything you need for getting out the door on time by the door. This will reduce the running around looking for last minute items.
- Talk about tomorrow’s schedule and activities today. Sometime after dinner or before bed review everyone’s activities. Make sure the kids know where they need to be and who will be there to pick them up.
- Create a daily routine. Then stick to it! As adults we preach morning routine is the key to success. Let’s teach the little ones the same with age-appropriate activities. Help them to wake up with enough time for a little meditation, breakfast, personal hygiene, and a connection pep talk.
- Talk about the uncomfortable things. Let them know how much you love them, how much you support them, and how valuable they are to you. Help them understand that bullying will not be tolerated and create a plan together to know where they should go to report it. This will boost their confidence if they ever find themselves in a bullying situation.
- Create a distraction free workspace. Cluttered spaces with all the family members moving around and talking can be very distracting. Find a comfortable, tidy, distraction free space to work. Turn off phones and move away from the social apps while doing homework.
- Stay engaged. Participate and ask questions that encourage more than a yes or no response. Try: What is just one new thing you learned today? Let them answer in their own way. You may be surprised at what they report.
- Make healthy food choices. Talk to your kids about healthy food choices. Food fuels their brains and their bodies. They’re growing very rapidly and have a lot of mental and physical demands between school and sports. They need you to help map that out.
- Take your supplements. No matter how well we eat, our bodies could use an extra immune support boost as we re-engage with crowded classes, shared restrooms, close contact in the cafeteria or staff room; and all this as we hurdle toward cold and flu season. Our C Buffered Powder is a smart addition to any diet and it blends easily into your favorite morning drink.
Extra Tip!
We encourage parents and family members to be aware and mindful of school policies related to times when someone's not feeling well. If you've got the sniffles and a strong cough, it might be time to call in a substitute. If junior is running a fever, it may be best for everyone if he stays home until the fever subsides. Respect for school health policies - and for each other - can go a long way toward all of us having a healthy and happy fall.
