It’s that time again! Summer is coming to a close and it’s time to gear up for a new school year. We’ve got you covered with a few easy tips to make your family healthier and life a bit easier.
- Get Squared Away with Health Screenings
Whether it’s seeing your dentist, ophthalmologist, family physician or all three, getting your children caught up on their health screenings is a great way to start the school year. Who doesn’t love a clean bill of health! We recommend that children and adults visit the dentist every six months for a cleaning and exam.
- Guard Against Injuries.
Just as you protect your child from injuries with protective gear such as helmets, shin guards and pads, a mouth guard is a great addition to your child’s protective gear for just about any sport. Mouth guards can help prevent dental injuries and are especially important for kids who play contact sports, such as basketball and soccer. In the event of a dental accident or emergency, call us! Dental Depot offers same day emergency appointments for situations just like these.
- Focus on Health with a Balanced Diet and Plenty of Water.
Twice-daily teeth brushing is great – and necessary – for keeping a healthy mouth, but it’s not enough alone. One of the best ways to promote a healthy mouth is to maintain a diet rich in minerals, vitamins and fresh and natural food.You may want to try introducing your children to high calcium foods, such as green leafy vegetables, dairy products and fish (tuna, salmon), or crunchy vegetables, fruits and seeds which are rich in fibers and require intense chewing – consider carrots, apples, walnuts, almonds, salads and whole grains. And of course, drink plenty of water. Water plays a major role when it comes to proper body function. Challenge your kids to choose water over soda and other sugary drinks.
Also, while you’re out shopping for school supplies, you might want to consider picking up a lunchbox with portioned sections that mimic Dietary Guidelines. These nifty lunchboxes make it easy to plan and pack healthy, well-portioned meals.
- Get Organized and Set Goals
Getting back into the swing of things is never easy, but getting organized can help. Here are a few ideas:Establish healthy routines. Practicing an earlier bedtime and rise time a week or two before school starts will make those early school mornings much easier to navigate. While you’re at it, we recommend you stress healthy bodily hygiene routines as well. One fun way to help establish healthy hygiene routines is to make it a game. Maybe your child could have a special dessert or a sticker for brushing their teeth twice a day, and flossing and bathing daily.
Make a schedule for school days. Kids operate on a schedule at school, and that shouldn’t stop when they get home. Between homework, practices, and family obligations like chores, a little structure at home will do them good. Make a schedule for your kids so they know what they have to do and when they need to have each task done. Be clear about your expectations and consequences for not following their schedule. Review this with your child and hang it somewhere they won’t forget about it.
Set goals for the upcoming semester. Whether it’s a reading goal, a grades goal, or something else, goals are always good for promoting purpose with kids. Having something to shoot for will help your kids learn to take initiative which will come in handy as they grow older.