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Keeping Your Kids Healthy This School Year

September 1, 2021 by Contributing Authors

healthy

An essential part of parenting is ensuring your kids stay healthy throughout the school year by taking the necessary precautions. This will help you avoid taking time off work because the child is unwell or the child misses school. To help minimize the chances of your child falling sick, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Make Sure Your Kids Are Getting Enough Sleep To Stay Healthy

Sleep is vital for kids to be productive in class the following day as well as to keep them healthy. Studies have shown that lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can lead to poor concentration, depression, obesity, injuries, and suicidal ideation. That’s why keeping up a consistent bedtime routine for your kids is so important, especially on school nights. Even though children between the first and fifth grades get about 9.5 hours of sleep, experts recommend getting 10-11 hours. With enough sleep, your kids will be able to be active participants and learners when they’re at school. A good technique to try is having dinner and then going straight into their nighttime routine afterward. Your older kids can also benefit from having a sleep schedule and getting at least 8 hours of sleep.

Teach Them About Healthy Handwashing

Washing hands for about 20 seconds with soap and water can help curb the spread of illnesses, which is particularly important in classrooms this year. When your kids come into contact with germs and bacteria, they can quickly spread them by scratching the nose or rubbing their eyes. Within a short time, other family members or classmates may get sick too. However, washing hands often slows down the risk of germs and bacteria spreading. You can help your kids practice the right way to wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, and after blowing their noses.

Keep Them Home If They are Sick

Viruses cause most illnesses that kids get. It only takes one infected child to spread the virus to the rest of the previously healthy class or school. Infected respiratory droplets are usually spread when a sick child sneezes and coughs and the child next to them inhales the droplets. That is why when you notice cold symptoms, you should let your child stay at home. Symptoms of a cold usually last from around two to 14 days, and you should try to keep your child home if it seems likely they’ll spread their illness. Although symptoms vary, watch out for things like headaches, fatigue, sore throat, and stuffy nose. To make these symptoms tolerable, get the proper medication and ensure your child finishes the prescribed dose.

Pay Attention to Any Signs of Stress and Anxiety

Kids face stressful situations from homework, sports, tests, and social media, which can impact their mental health as well as their physical health. A seemingly great child who is doing well in academic or extra-curriculum activities may be dealing with both internal and external pressures, leading to depression and other mental illnesses. That is why you should keep an open line of communication where your kids can feel comfortable expressing themselves or open up about what they are going to. As a parent, watch out for any signs that your child may be dealing with mental problems. This includes constant sadness, issues with food, extreme irritability, and any sudden changes in behavior. Keep an eye out for these changes to make sure that you can help your child if they aren’t mentally healthy, which is equally important to being physically healthy during the school year.

Help Them Engage with What They are Learning

Away from classrooms, parents can be resourceful in helping children engage with what they are learning in school. This is one way that you can know if your child has any issues in school. For instance, some kids experience learning apathy, where they are indifferent in a classroom environment. This is an issue that has been reported by 21% of public school teachers and 4% of private school teachers. And even though teachers may not have control over matters beyond the school environment, you can be more involved in what your kids are learning to promote their academics. You can also engage with what the kids are learning by providing a comfortable space for doing homework and helping them do it.

The key to ensuring your child stays healthy in school is by being proactive. Your child is going to be exposed to many things and people while out there. But with a good immune system and their parents monitoring them, your child is likely to have a smooth year with minor issues.

Filed Under: Education

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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Check out Dr. Marcus’ website at parentrx.org

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– GreatDad.com/coaching 

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– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

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