With pencils sharpened and notebooks organized, you’re all set for the back-to-school season. But are you and your children prepared, both physically and mentally, for the challenges this new school year presents? Use this guide to ensure you have the healthiest back-to-school experience ever.
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Week 1 — Prioritize Healthy Eating and Hydration
Hydration is essential for digestion, nutrient transport, waste elimination, and maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. Whether you’re young or older, staying hydrated is crucial. Increase your water intake, especially when engaging in physical activities.
As the school year kicks off, it often means packing daily lunches again. Planning meals and snacks in advance can lead to smarter choices and reduce the last-minute scramble about what to eat.
Children (ages 4-17)
Young kids require about 7 cups (1.7 L) of water daily, while children over 9 need approximately 9 cups (2.1 L).
Since kids usually have short lunch breaks, packing quick and easy-to-eat food is important. Aside from the typical sandwich or wrap, consider including veggies with hummus, sliced fruits, cheese and crackers, or a homemade smoothie. Mason jar salads are a fun and nutritious way to keep lunchtime interesting.
Young Adults (ages 18-22)
At this age, your daily water intake should be around 11 1/2 cups (2.7 L).
Many college students might be making their own dietary decisions for the first time. Salad bars are great for building balanced meals; opt for leafy greens, colorful veggies, and protein sources like hard-boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, and lentils. When choosing sandwiches, stick to whole grain bread and load up on vegetables, lean proteins, and just a little cheese or spreads.
Teachers and Parents
Adults in this category also need about 11 1/2 cups (2.7 L) of water each day.
Boost the nutritional content of your lunches by adding more protein to your salads, which can help stabilize blood sugar levels. Consider quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, salmon, or chicken as excellent additions.
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Week 2, Part 1 — Emphasizing Stress Management
Stress impacts everyone differently throughout their lives. It’s crucial to identify your stress triggers, recognize when you’re stressed, understand your personal stress threshold, and discover effective stress management strategies that work for you.
Children (ages 4-17)
Kids often feel stressed due to academic pressures, social dynamics, and extracurricular activities. Parents can assist by being attentive to their children’s behaviors. It’s important to listen, validate their feelings, and collaborate with them to reduce stressful situations. Share your own stress-management experiences to help them find tools to cope.
Young Adults (ages 18-22)
Look for signs of excessive stress, such as insomnia, appetite changes, or headaches. Emotionally, they may exhibit symptoms like anxiety, depression, or withdrawal from social interactions, and could resort to increased substance use.
Teachers and Parents
Both teachers and parents play a significant role in creating environments where children can flourish. They face stress from both professional obligations and personal lives. Introducing mindfulness practices can help achieve a vital balance. Mindfulness encourages staying present and non-judgmental, which aids in responding to stressors in a calm manner.
Learn how mindfulness is becoming integrated into children’s lives—and those of their parents and teachers—through educational initiatives: “A Mindful Village”.
Effective Coping Strategies for Kids
- Express interest in your child’s worries.
- Listen without judgment.
- Help younger children identify their emotions.
- Encourage problem-solving skills, equipping them for future challenges.
- Limit unnecessary stress—if your child is overcommitted, help them prioritize activities.
- Simply be present; sometimes, just being there is enough, whether they want to talk, walk, or engage in a shared activity like baking.
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Week 2, Part 2 — Implementing a Healthy Supplement Plan
With the start of school, it’s crucial to realign your supplement intake, which may have diminished over the summer months, to support year-round health and well-being.
Children (ages 4-17)
Ensure kids receive at least 600 IU of vitamin D daily. You can find this nutrient in foods like cooked salmon, canned tuna, and eggs.
Young Adults (ages 18-22)
As dietary patterns may not always meet nutritional needs, consider advising a daily multivitamin and at least 600 IU of vitamin D.
Teachers and Parents
Incorporate vitamin B6 along with your multivitamin and 600 IU of vitamin D daily. Vitamin B6 helps maintain healthy homocysteine levels, supporting heart health, immune function, and cognitive performance. Plus, it can enhance sleep, appetite, and mood through its positive effects on neurotransmitters.
Essential Supplements for Back to School
Children:
- 600 IU of vitamin D
- 500 mg of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and acts as an antioxidant
Young Adults:
- 600 IU of vitamin D
- A daily multivitamin
Parents and Teachers:
- 600 IU of vitamin D
- A B-complex vitamin for healthy nervous and immune systems, along with cognitive function
Week 3 — Emphasizing Health Maintenance and Prevention
Children (ages 4-17)
Maintain healthy lunch and snack routines to support energy levels and cognitive function. Additionally, be vigilant against head lice, common in schools; some preventive strategies include discouraging head-to-head contact and reminding kids not to share personal items like hats or scarves.
Young Adults (ages 18-22)
Students may find themselves managing their own health during colds or flus for the first time. Advise them to hydrate adequately, rest well, and consider using a humidifier for relief. Saltwater gargles can soothe throat discomfort.
Teachers and Parents
By now, healthy routines should be well established. Incorporate frequent handwashing and surface cleaning into daily life to help prevent viral spread among children. Also, remind everyone to minimize touching their face to reduce infection risk.
