Getting kids back into school may feel like a nice reset after a busy summer.
But the back-to-school season can also bring a whirlwind of planning, changes in sleep schedules and emotional ups and downs — both for children and parents.
Whether you are sending your child to their first day of kindergarten or your teen will be navigating the hallways of high school for the first time, back-to-school season can spark excitement, anxiety and everything in between.
To help families navigate these busy weeks, we consulted with two medical experts who share practical tips to support physical and mental health.
Dr. Dana Fitzgerald is a pediatrician and member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs. Brooke Packard is a physician assistant with Yampa Valley Medical Center who also supports the Steamboat Springs School District employee health clinic.
Prioritize physical health
The shift from summer to fall is a busy time of year when parents are planning visits to doctors and taking care of sports physicals.
It’s also a good time of year to prioritize healthy breakfasts and lunches and to make sure your child is getting enough sleep as families adapt from late summer bedtimes to early school mornings.
Fitzgerald and Packard offer back-to-school advice that supports healthy kids, happy parents and a healthy, successful school year. Here are their ideas to help you start the school year off right.
Plan ahead for well-child appointments and sports physicals
A well-child visit is your child’s annual health checkup with their pediatrician or family medicine doctor. These visits are vital so you can stay on top of recommended vaccines, track your child’s growth and address any concerns about physical health and development.
Make the most of your well-child visit:
- Make notes in advance about anything you’ve noticed about your child’s health and development, including changes in behavior or routines.
- Bring a list of questions for your doctor and prioritize the most important ones.
- Print out forms that need a provider’s signature.
- Gather any information that might be helpful for your child’s doctor to help them learn more about your child, such as your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) if they have one.
These visits are also vital so you can be sure your children are up to date on their vaccines. Your doctor can explain which vaccinations your child needs, depending on age and health history.
A well-child visit typically also includes a vision screening and a sports physical.
“Being able to knock out a well-check, which is really comprehensive, and getting the sports physical done at the same time is helpful,” Fitzgerald said.
If your child has had a well-child visit within the past year and you need sports forms signed now, contact your doctor’s office to request signatures on forms.
Encourage handwashing and healthy habits
“Back-to-school season means close exposure to other children in busy classrooms, at sporting events and at other extracurricular activities,” Packard said. “Those things make it that much easier for germs to spread, which can lead to kids bringing viruses home to their families.”
But, transitioning from outside fun to indoor classes doesn’t have to mean that coughs, colds and cases of the flu have to be part of the new school year. Up-to-date vaccinations can help. So can the simple but powerful practice of hand washing.
“Something as easy and simple as washing your hands can’t be underestimated for maintaining good health,” Packard said. “It’s at the top of the list in terms of good basic hygiene.”
Adults and children of all ages should practice good handwashing techniques that include scrubbing between fingers and for an extended time, say, long enough to sing the first verse of “Happy Birthday,” Packard said. It’s especially important to wash your hands after using the bathroom and blowing your nose, which are two common ways of spreading germs.
“Remind kids to wash their hands before they eat, to sneeze into their elbows and not their hands. Those sorts of habits are helpful,” Fitzgerald said.
Keep sick kids home
While it might be tempting to send children to school when they’re not feeling well because of parents’ busy schedules, Packard advises against it. Not only will your child not have a good day at school if they’re not feeling well, but they will also likely be passing along viruses to their classmates and teachers.
“Keep them home and wait until they’re feeling better before letting them return to class,” Packard said.
If and when your child brings home unwanted bugs, here are tips:
- Wipe off high-touch service areas in the kitchen and bathroom with a bleach-based cleanser.
- Swap out bath and kitchen towels and change bed sheets.
- Ventilate your house with fresh air.
- Have fever reducers and a humidifier on hand to help relieve symptoms.
- If it’s stomach flu, try the ever-reliable BRAT diet when your child is ready to start eating again. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These are gentle, easily digestible foods to start on after a bout with a stomach bug.
- If the unwanted bugs are not inside the body, check out this helpful information. From lice to bedbugs, here’s how to spot, treat and prevent the bugs that bite, burrow and infest our homes and bodies.
Choose the right backpack to prevent strain
“If a child complains about back pain, backpacks are one of the first things we talk about,” Fitzgerald said. “Kids should use a good-fitting backpack and wear both straps to help prevent aches and pain.”
Tips to pick backpacks that prevent pain and strain:
- Backpacks should have wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
- Pack heavier items closest to the center of your child’s back.
- A full backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 10 to 20% of your child’s body weight. So, a sixth grader who weighs 95 pounds shouldn’t have a backpack heavier than 9.5 to 19 pounds.
- Remind your child to use both shoulder straps to avoid unnecessary strain.
- Adjust the straps so the bottom of the pick hits your child’s waist.
- Consider a rolling backpack if your student has to carry heavier loads of school supplies and books.
Build strong sleep routines
“When it comes to the emotional aspect of school, I try to impress on parents the importance of sleep,” Fitzgerald said. “Sleep schedules get so messed up in summer, and that’s fine, but I recommend parents move towards a school sleep schedule two or three weeks before school starts.”
You may already be in that time frame. If that’s the case, don’t worry. Just start adapting to new fall sleep schedules now.
Adequate sleep is essential for people of all ages. It’s especially important for growing children and teenagers, Packard said.
Most kids need an average of 10 hours of sleep a night, which can be difficult to prioritize, especially for high school students who are especially busy with academic, athletic and extracurricular commitments.
To help build strong sleep routines, Fitzgerald suggests:
- Developing a consistent bedtime routine
- Limiting screen time after dinner and shutting off phones and computers two hours before bedtime
- Taking a bath or shower can help children relax
- Reading before bed
“It’s amazing what lack of sleep can do to your health,” Packard said. “Sleep is so important, and so much of it is dependent on getting into a deeper sleep pattern.”
Fuel kids’ brains with nutritious meals
A balanced diet strengthens the immune system, making it easier to fight off infections, Packard said. A balanced diet includes eating a healthy breakfast and packing a lunch with fruits and vegetables, protein and carbohydrates.
“Try to eat the rainbow every day – fruits and veggies of all sorts of colors – as maintaining a healthy diet is key to maintaining a healthy immune system,” Packard said.
When packing meals and snacks, be mindful of sugar. Drinking one 12-ounce regular cola, which contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, every day, increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%. Choose water instead of soda or juice and check food labels carefully since pre-packaged and processed foods or full of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.
Proper hydration is also key. Children need between three and eight cups of water per day, depending on their age and physical activity levels. Packard suggests giving kids a fun thermos or water bottle to encourage them to drink enough water throughout the day.
She strongly recommends vitamin D for people of all ages, especially during winter when indoor time increases.
“If there’s one vitamin that everyone can take all of their lives, it’s D,” she said.
Support emotional well-being
Focusing on your child’s emotional health is just as important as ensuring they are physically healthy. Fitzgerald and Packard offer this advice:
Talk openly about school-related worries or stresses.
“Talk with your kid before the school year starts and ask if they have any big concerns,” Fitzgerald said. “Trying to get those fears out in the open beforehand is a good thing.”
Connecting your child with another neighborhood kid so they’ll have a friend to ride the bus or walk to school with can be very helpful. If children are hesitant to transition to school, a ride from a parent can ease the transition. Plan ahead so you get to school early. That will reduce stress.
Watch for signs of anxiety or depression and communicate with teachers about emotional challenges.
Speak openly and honestly with your child’s teacher or school counselors. Good communication will help your child feel supported both at home. And it’s vital to be sure teachers and parents are giving kids consistent, supportive messages.
“Teachers are great about helping kids through any issue, but having a heads up makes the transition smoother,” Fitzgerald said.
Carving out some family time not only helps a child feel supported but also gives kids opportunities to open up and share any concerns they might have.
A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body, and both need to co-exist in harmony, Packard said.
She suggests lots of fresh air, exercise and fun with family and friends. Time spent together also presents moments for parents to check in with children about any stressors or anxieties they’re experiencing. Parents can look for signs of depression or other mental health struggles.
“Carve out family time. Take a walk, go to the park and eat dinner together,” said Packard. “Ask questions and stay connected with your kids.”
Discuss friendships, bullying and social media behavior with your child
Children of all ages need support if they’re navigating social challenges. Don’t hesitate to bring up topics such as friendships, accepting others and dealing with bullies, especially when it comes to social media.
“Ask questions like, ‘Have you ever seen that happen on the playground,’ or ‘What does bullying look like to you,’” Fitzgerald said.
For older kids, it’s important to discuss bigger topics such as substance abuse, especially vaping and e-cigarettes.
“Vaping and e-cigarettes are horrible for your health and they’re terribly addictive,” Fitzgerald said. “The more you can open up those conversations, the better.”
Don’t worry if you’re not sure exactly what to say. Just keep talking.
“There’s no single right way to talk with your child. It’s more a matter of bringing things up now and then when you find the opportunity,” Fitzgerald said. “It could be that a teenager has nothing to say the first 20 times, then starts to open up because they know it’s a safe place.”
Establish productive study habits
Instead of squeezing homework in between sports and other activities, build study time into your child’s daily schedule. And be wary of scheduling too many extracurricular activities.
How to foster good study habits:
- Create a quiet work environment and shut off TVs, phones and other electronic devices. They’re too distracting.
- Create a study schedule, whether that is right after school or before or after dinner. Predictable routines help students manage their time better. For older kids who may need more than 30 minutes to do homework every night, encourage them to take a five-minute break every 25 minutes. Have them use this break to get a quick snack, sit outside, stretch or listen to a favorite song, before diving back into their study session.
- Break larger study tasks into smaller, manageable goals to help boost your child’s confidence and maintain their motivation.
- Be available to answer questions and offer help, while letting your child take ownership of their work.
If certain subjects are difficult, talk with your child’s teacher for ideas on how to help and consider using a tutor. Don’t worry if your child needs help remembering and organizing their assignments. A little adult supervision, along with checklists and timers, can help make homework easier, according to experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics.