The summer season is filled with vacations, unstructured days and valuable time as a family. But even summer has to come to an end, and the school year must begin again. Your kids are probably excited to get back to school and spend time with their friends, so they are probably not thinking about developing habits and routines that will keep them healthy all semester long. That’s where you come in, and hopefully, use these tips to ensure the entire family has the best back-to-school season possible.
1) Boost your child’s immunity
The fall and winter seasons are notorious for colds and the spreading of viruses. This also isn’t helped by the fact that in a single school day your child could be interacting with hundreds of other kids, some of which may be sick. While you can’t completely protect your child from being exposed to germs, you can increase their immunity and try to give them an edge throughout the semester.
Diet is a huge factor in our immunity, so make sure that your child is eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens and fruits high in Vitamin C. A great way to include all of the germ-fighting benefits of fruits and vegetables into one beverage would be a smoothie. Another great option to boost immunity would be regular chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic adjustments have also been shown to noticeably increase energy, improve posture and boost immunity.
2) Establish Healthy Routines
Some families are very good at keeping consistent and healthy routines going throughout the school year and summer. But if you are like most families then the unstructured nature of the summer months has resulted in your child being somewhat lax in areas such as bedtime or limiting screen time. In the weeks leading up to the first day of school, slowly start to transition your child into a daily routine they can learn to anticipate every day. This includes going to bed earlier in the evening to ensure they are getting plenty of rest during the school year.
3) Check Your Child’s Backpack
With all of the sizes and colors available for backpacks, it can be easy to let your child choose the one they want rather than the one that will fit them the best and protect their posture. If a backpack is too heavy or isn’t worn correctly it can put a ton of pressure on the neck, shoulders, and spine. The most common side effects of a backpack that doesn’t fit, are sore shoulders and frequent headaches. To avoid any issues and injuries it’s best to remember that a backpack when it’s filled should weigh less than 15% of your child’s body weight. The backpack should also fit correctly, meaning the top of the backpack sits just below the shoulders while the bottom of the backpack should sit just above the waist. The straps on your child’s backpack should fit snugly enough that there is minimal movement while they are walking.
If you are curious about creating healthy habits for your children, especially concerning their posture and immunity, then schedule a consultation with our experienced team in Campbell or Austell today!