Your backpacks are filled with sharpened pencils and neatly stacked notebooks. While you prepare for back-to-school season, consider whether you and your children are mentally and physically equipped to handle the upcoming challenges. This guide aims to ensure you have the healthiest back-to-school experience possible.
Week 1 — Emphasize nutrition and hydration
Staying sufficiently hydrated is essential for digestion, nutrient transportation, waste removal, and maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. Children’s bodies are approximately 75% water, whereas the elderly consist of around 55% water. No matter your age, adequate hydration is vital, particularly if engaging in physical activities.
As the school year begins, daily lunch packing is often resumed. Pre-planning meals and snacks for the week can simplify choices and minimize last-minute indecision regarding meals.
Kids (ages 4-17)
Young children typically require about 7 cups (1.7 L) of water daily. Those over 9 years old should aim for nearly 9 cups (2.1 L) a day.
To accommodate shorter lunch periods, it’s beneficial to pack foods that are quick to consume. In addition to standard sandwiches or wraps, try incorporating vegetables with hummus, sliced fruits, cheese paired with crackers, or a homemade smoothie. Consider mason jar salads as they offer a fresh approach to salads while providing ample nutrition.
Post-secondary (ages 18-22)
Young adults require approximately 11 1/2 cups (2.7 L) of water each day.
While some students may still live at home, many are navigating their living arrangements independently, making their own dietary choices for the first time. Salad bars provide healthy options where students can mix greens and veggies with proteins such as hard-boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, and lentils. When selecting sandwiches, whole grain bread with plenty of vegetables, lean meats, hummus, and minimal cheese or spreads is ideal.
Teachers and parents
This demographic also needs about 11 1/2 cups (2.7 L) of water daily.
For lunches, try adding more protein to salads to help maintain balanced blood sugar levels. Some great sources include quinoa, chickpeas, beans, lentils, tofu, salmon, or chicken.
Week 2 part 1 — Address stress management
Stress manifests differently across ages and life stages. Understanding your stress triggers, recognizing early signs of stress, and identifying effective management tools are crucial steps.
Kids (ages 4-17)
Children may experience stress from academic pressures, social dynamics, and extracurricular commitments. Parents can support their children by being attentive and recognizing when stress affects behavior. Engaging in conversations with children and collaborating to find ways to mitigate stressful situations can be beneficial. Instilling effective stress management techniques from your own experiences can also be advantageous for them.
Post-secondary (ages 18-22)
Rising stress levels can present physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms such as insomnia, appetite changes, headaches, anxiety, and withdrawal from loved ones. Increased arguments or substance use may also be noticeable.
Teachers and parents
Both groups play crucial roles in creating environments that allow children to learn and prosper. Stress may stem from professional responsibilities or personal lives. Fostering an environment conducive to mindfulness can greatly help in finding balance. Mindfulness is all about being present and nonjudgmental, which can aid in emotional regulation during stressful events.
Learn more about how mindfulness is integrated into educational systems for children, parents, and teachers in the article: “A Mindful Village.”
Week 2 part 2 — Implement a supportive supplement regimen
While supplements are vital year-round, summer often leads to lapses in routines. As school starts, it’s essential to reestablish regular vitamin intake.
Kids (ages 4-17)
Children should receive at least 600 IU of vitamin D daily, with dietary sources such as cooked salmon, tuna, and eggs.
Post-secondary (ages 18-22)
Given the dietary choices of many students can be suboptimal, a daily multivitamin and 600 IU of vitamin D are recommended.
Teachers and parents
Incorporating vitamin B6 with a daily multivitamin and 600 IU of vitamin D is advisable. Vitamin B6 is necessary for heart health, immune response, and cognitive functioning, while also positively impacting mood and sleep quality.
Week 3 — Maintain health and prevent illness
Kids (ages 4-17)
Keep up with nutritious lunches and snacks to support energy levels and cognitive function. It’s also important to be aware of head lice—a frequent concern in schools. To reduce the risk, discourage head-to-head contact during play and emphasize not sharing personal items like hats and scarves.
Post-secondary (ages 18-22)
As young adults may find themselves responsible for their well-being when dealing with common illnesses such as colds or flu, they should stay hydrated, rest properly, and consider using a humidifier. Gargling with salt water can alleviate sore throat symptoms.
Teachers and parents
By now, routines are solidifying. Establishing practices such as frequent hand washing and disinfecting surfaces can effectively reduce the spread of viruses among children. It’s also crucial to minimize touching the face, particularly the eyes and mouth, as those areas are common entry points for germs.
