Help Your Child Have a Healthy School Year
By Brandi Goodman
School is well under way but there is still lots of time left to get on the right track if you're not already. Too many parents send their kids off to school without much worry about their health once they're there. It's important to send your children to school feeling healthy and well and with the right tips in mind so they can make the most of the year. Help your child to have a healthy school year by offering advice and providing them with what's needed.
Pack Healthy Lunches and Snacks
It may seem tedious, and easier to send money, but packing a healthy lunch and snack is really the best option for your kids. Most schools do not provide the most health-conscious lunch. There may be more sodium than what's recommended, too much juice offered, and other choices that kids grab without thinking. Pack a healthy lunch that includes whole grains, a vegetable, a fruit, and a protein. Make sure the snacks are healthy as well and not loaded with sugar. Nutrition helps to keep kids from getting sick and also being able to use their brains to the best of their abilities.
Provide a Water Bottle
Lots of water is needed to keep the body hydrated and feeling well. It can also prevent injury since the joints will be hydrated and flexible. Provide a water bottle for your child and make sure they take it to and from school daily.
Discuss Backpack Use
You may have talked about which backpack your child would like before he or she started school. But what you may not have mentioned to them is the proper way to use their bag. Talk to your child about the importance of wearing their backpack correctly. Tell them they should keep the weight of the pack limited and make sure to wear both shoulder straps so that weight is distributed evenly on their body. Otherwise, they're bound to have shoulder and back pain set in fast.
Talk About Handwashing
Kids can get sick easily due to the spread of germs. Talk to your child about the importance of handwashing. Instruct them to wash after they touch any surface that others touch frequently. You can also provide hand sanitizer so they can use that if they can't get to soap and water right away.
The school year can be overwhelming and stressful. Lots of stress can lead to poor sleep and illness. Help your child have a healthy school year so things can go as smoothly as possible. Learning is important, and maintaining health throughout the year can help to ensure more of it is being done instead of spending sick days at home.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in St. Petersburg, Fla.