It’s almost back to school time. Can you believe it! I bet you have had a great summer and now you’re on the road getting school supplies and more. Before you dive right in, let’s talk about some ways to keep your kids healthy during this busy season…
1. Visit the Dentist – it’s a great time to do a cleaning and make sure everything is all ready for the school year. Much easier than to try to fit it into a busy school schedule!
2. Get an eye exam – As you can see from the stats below, there 25% of kids have undetected vision problems and that can cause huge problems in school. Make sure your childrens’ eyes are seeing well enough to excel in school.
3. Take a day trip – What’s one thing you haven’t done this summer that you really wanted to do? Plan it and do it before the school year starts. Your child will have the great memories of that event and head into the school year happy and thankful for a fun summer.
4. Take lots of morning walks – Most of the time, school means sitting which is not the best for your child’s health. Start a routine of early morning walks together now and you might just be able to continue the habit through the school year too. You’ll both be healthier.
5. Plan after school snacks. Take some time to talk about some healthy snack alternatives for when the kids walk in the door. You know I’ve promoted the “have individual snack boxes” for each of your kids in the past. Start that now so that when your kids come home hungry, they’ll know what to do!
6. Read to them. Sounds simple huh? But as kids grow older, parents read to them less and less yet this can be one of the most memory building and fun times for your kids for the rest of their lives. Start the habit of a 15-20 minute family reading time after dinner where you or dad read to the kids. Fun fiction or historical books are great for this!
7. Do some measuring. Every year before the school year starts, take your child’s height and weight measurements. Then you’ll have something to compare from year to year. Some families have a special wall where they mark the measurements each year.
8. Plan some quick healthy breakfasts. Just like snack time, think through some healthy breakfast options for school day mornings. Then you’ll be all ready when you get home from that morning walk!
9. Sleep. Simple enough. Or not. Encourage your child to get into the habit now of getting into bed on time even though it’s still summer.
10. Smile and laugh. Start a tradition of a family comedy night where you either watch a funny movie or create skits and jokes together as a family. As they say, “laughter is the best medicine!”
Some more information from Transitions Lenses:
An average of one in four children has an undetected vision problem, which can interfere with their ability to read and learn. Proper eyecare and eyewear are critical to performance inside the classroom and in everyday life. Undiagnosed vision problems are one of the major causes of learning difficulties in school-age children, because during their first 12 years, visual learning accounts for 80 percent of the learning process.
When vision problems are undetected, children often have trouble reading or completing their schoolwork. They may exhibit a lack of attention or appear to be fidgety during the school day, which can potentially be misdiagnosed as a learning disability. To learn more about protecting the health and wellness of children’s eyes and to locate an eye doctor near you, visit www.Transitions.com. Since 80 percent of what a child learns is through vision, it’s never too early to begin getting regular, comprehensive eye examinations by an eye doctor. Studies show that 50 percent of vision loss can be prevented with an eye exam.
About Transitions Optical, Inc.
Transitions Optical is a joint venture of PPG Industries, Inc. and Essilor International. The first to successfully commercialize a plastic photochromic lens in 1990, today the company is a leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers worldwide. Transitions Optical offers the most advanced photochromic technology in the widest selection of lens designs, materials and brand names.
Transitions® lenses are the ideal everyday choice for healthy sight. They are clear indoors and at night. Outdoors, they automatically darken as light conditions change. Transitions lenses provide visual comfort, and enhance visual quality by reducing glare and enhancing contrast, helping you to see better today. Transitions lenses block 100 percent of harmful UVA and UVB rays – helping to protect the health and wellness of your eyes – so you can see better tomorrow as well. More info on Transitions Lenses: www.transitions.com
About Eye Didn’t Know That!
Transitions Optical created the Eye Didn’t Know That! program to help people of all ages learn more about healthy vision. The program was developed by a team that includes eyecare professionals, science and education experts, and Transitions Optical, Inc. The Eye Didn’t Know That! website offers materials for children, parents, teachers and eyecare professionals to use to teach and learn more about eyecare basics and the importance of eye health and regular comprehensive eye exams. The information includes fact sheets, games, quizzes, lesson plans and free downloadable materials. To learn more and to find out what makes your friends and family say “Eye Didn’t Know That!” visit www.eyedidntknowthat.com.
Transitions Lenses on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/transitionsslenses
Follow @transitions on Twitter
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.