Ten Tips for a Healthy, Safe, Successful School Year

It's Back to School Time, Are You Ready?

Tip #1: Make sure your child gets enough rest.

If you're like us, bedtimes have gotten pretty, um, should we say flexible? Now that school is right around the corner, it's time to start a routine of regular bedtimes with the proper amount of sleep for your child's age group. For Rosie, that's ten hours. Figure out when your child needs to leave the house, how long it takes to get ready, and when they need to get up, then add 1/2 hour for chaos ;)

Tip #2: Feed your child a nutritious breakfast before they leave for school.

Enough said? Everyone knows how important a full stomach and healthy food is to a child's development and learning abilities.

Tip #3: Good hygiene is important to the health of your child.

Brushing teeth, hair and washing hands and faces is not only going to make your child more pleasant to be around, but it also affects their health.

Tip #4: Make a healthy lunch/snack the night before.

It helps to alleviate some of the morning chaos if you try to do this the night before.

Tip #5: Set up a "good-to-go" station.

If you set up a station near the door for things like backpacks, shoes, coats (shudder, it's going to be cold again one of these days), it makes things simpler in the morning. Try to eliminate frantic searches for things you need to take with you. A cork board in this area is also handy to pin a list of things to take or permissions slips etc.

Tip #6: Transportation Arrangements

Make sure that your arrangements are made to get your child to school and home - especially considering any after school activities or appointments for other family members.

Tip #7: Visit your family doctor for a check up.

This is a good time to get that medical check-up and have the required forms completed.

Tip #8: Visit the dentist.

If you coordinate dental visits to back-to-school, it's easier to remember and you won't be asking, "now when did we go to the dentist?"

Tip #9: Visit the eye doctor.

Did you know twenty-five percent of kids struggle with vision problems that impact learning. Eighty percent of everything a child learns in his first 12 years comes through his eyes. Those two facts have convinced me to make an appointment!

Tip #10: Play safety.

If your child is playing in any sports or games on the playground, make sure they have the necessary equipment for safe play. If your child does need corrective lenses, make sure those glasses are safe, impact-resistant lenses made of polycarbonate. Have you ever heard of Airwear? They make lighter, stronger and safer lenses for children, those who like to play sports and those who push their lenses to the limit.

Contest!

"Airwear is having an essay contest at www.LighterSaferGreener.com! Airwear and my fellow TwitterMom, Beth Aldrich, are sponsoring an essay contest for consumers, encouraging parents and care-givers to share how they plan to help their kids live a healthy, safe and successful school year. Families can submit their thoughts by visiting LighterSaferGreener.com. One grand prize winner will be awarded $1,000, while 10 first prize winners will receive vouchers for Airwear lenses valued up to $400."

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Airwear blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, visit http://airwear.twittermoms.com/about.