Habits to Teach the Kids Before School Starts
By Genevieve Cunningham
Good habits can make or break a school year. If you’re not in the habit of doing homework, you won’t get good grades. If you’re not in the habit of bathing, you won’t make any friends. It’s a fairly simple concept. With a brand new school year just around the corner, it’s probably a good time to begin thinking about making good habits. If you want to help your kids be successful this year, take a look at these habits that they need to know to stay healthy this school year.
Always Wash Your Hands
This should be a habit for everyone, but kids might need the reminder before school starts. After using the bathroom, hand washing should be an automatic response. The same should be said for after sneezing or coughing, after touching potentially contaminated objects, or after coming in contact with someone who is sick. Help your kids understand the importance of washing their hands, and you’ll have less sickness in your home this school year.
Cover Your Nose and Mouth
There’s nothing worse than being around someone who doesn’t cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze. It’s disgusting! Make sure your kids know that this is a non-negotiable. Anytime that they feel a cough or sneeze coming on, covering the mouth should be a no-brainer. The better they are at this habit, the less illness they’ll spread and the more friends they’ll keep as well.
Avoid Sharing Foods and Drinks
During the summer, you probably spend most of your time with family or your very best friends. When you’re close to someone, it’s easy to share food without thinking about it. Before you send your kids back to school, make sure they know that this habit should stop. Sharing food and drink is asking for potential germs to invade your kid’s health as well as your home. Make the habit stop, and you’re one step closer to a healthy school year.
Take Vitamins and Eat Well
Junk food and TV time are staples of summer. But with the school year rapidly approaching, it’s probably time to get back to healthy eating and supplementation. Begin making healthier choices for your family, and encourage your children to take their vitamins. The beginning of the school year is demanding, and they’ll need the proper nutrients to keep their energy up and running.
Some of these habits might seem like no-brainers, but kids often need reminders. It’s easy to get out of practice during the summer when everyone is footloose and fancy free. Help your children redevelop these good habits so that they can be healthy and successful all year long.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Minnetonka, Minn.