I can almost hear the first period bells myself! Whether you’re sending your kids back to school, reminiscing on the times you did, or maybe even gearing up for the school year yourself, it’s that time of year marked by excitement, nervousness, and possibility. Let’s take some time this month to take control of our health this school year!
The first tip for a healthy school year is to make sleep a priority. Between school, sports, family, and everything in-between, it can seem impossible to get enough rest. However, by placing restfulness on the top of your to-do list, you’ll be set up for success. Not only is good sleep important for adults, but it’s especially important for children shifting to a school schedule from the summer for both health and brain function.
Another crucial step to take is to cover your general health and hygiene bases. Make sure that everyone is up-to-date on their medical examinations so that there are robust safeguards in place against common school-centric illnesses. Additionally, take some time to go over good hygiene practices. Review how to properly wash hands, proper sneezing and coughing habits, and talk about some early indicators that could signal a health issue coming on, like dizziness or a sore throat.
A third tip, and one of utmost importance, is simply communication! Everyone involved, from parents to teachers and students to bus drivers, wants to have a healthy, successful school year. We’re all on the same team here! If you have health concerns as a parent, student, or guardian, be sure to communicate those concerns with the appropriate school personnel. When all parties involved are aware of any areas of concern that means the whole group can work together for success!
Finally, the area of mental health and wellbeing is a topic of increasing importance. Recent surveys say that 42% of students felt sad or hopeless, and 1 in 5 students seriously contemplated serious self-harm. Take time this fall to check in with those around you – your kids, your friends, even the educators in your life – to support and equip one another in this time of great transition!
While there are many more things that could be said, this article hopefully
provides you with a baseline to take health, in all areas, seriously this school year. To all those returning to school, good luck! To family members, you can do it! And to all of us who still have nightmares about missing our math test, don’t worry – you’re safe! It is better to gain wisdom than gold, so happy school year!