Treating you well since 1948 
Summer has come to a close! Finally, our young ones are ready for another year of learning, and to the relief of many parents, school is back in session! You’ve met the teacher(s), gotten the school supplies, and sent them to school on time.
So why do you have a nagging suspicion that you’ve forgotten something? To be perfectly honest, you may already have everything in check and are good to go this year, but we’ve included some last-minute items to encourage a healthy youngin for the rest of the school year below.
Setup & Practice a Routine
A lot goes on during the day, and this seems only to amplify during the school year. So over the first few weeks of school, consider planning out the day for you and your children. Start the day with a reasonable wake-up time and preparing everyone for the day ahead (getting dressed, eating breakfast, backpacks ready to go, etc.). By the afternoon, schedule enough time for afterschool activities, homework, and dinner. Finally, end the day with a reasonable bedtime schedule, leading right into our next point.
Sleeping is Important… Very Important!
No matter your child’s age, a universal truth exists that a goodnight’s sleep benefits everyone! Getting back into a better sleeping pattern will help kids prepare for those early morning wake-up calls. Depending upon your child’s age, pediatricians recommend that kids from 6 – 12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night. After that, teens should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night.
Physical & Extracurricular Activities
Encourage your kids to participate in school sports or other extracurricular activities through school. Allowing a child to participate in something they love can provide a healthy emotional boost, stress-relieving properties, and offer a fun social network. However, be sure to set up time limits and give kids a chance to have some downtime in between activities.
Have Medical Plan In Place
This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but having a medical plan in place for the school year can be very beneficial for your child. For example, have a list of appointments ready for your child to get their vision screened, follow up on any particular immunizations they might need, and have a standard checkup scheduled to ensure everything is alright. Also, be prepared for if or when your child may get sick with the contact information for your pediatrician. Finally, it might help to identify the closest urgent care and the hours of operation if there is an emergency.
If we at Bond Clinic Pediatrics can provide any assistance during the school year for your child, please call us at 863-293-1191 to schedule an appointment with one of our qualified medical providers.
By: Jared White, Assistant Marketing Director at Bond Clinic, P.A.
