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5 Things To Do to Get Your Child’s Health in Order Before School Starts

Cute Kid Are Getting On The Bus, Ready To Go To SchoolThe first day of school is right around the corner. And while summer coming to an end may be the last thing you want to think about, it’s time to start getting your child’s health in order. There is a lot to take care of before school starts; getting a head start will ensure that your child is set for a successful school year. When my girls were younger we always had a routine when it came to the end of summer. Follow these tips for getting your kids health in order before school starts.

First, start going to bed at a regular time. Lack of sleep can contribute to illness. If your child is used to going to bed late and sleeping in, the first day of school will be a huge adjustment to their internal clock. Messing up their schedule for too many days in a row could wipe out their immune system causing them to get sick and run down.

Second, schedule an appointment for their annual well visit. This is important to go over their general health and see if they have anything going on mentally, physically or emotionally. A child’s well visit is especially important for the kids of reproductive age or those in high school. It gives the doctor a chance to discuss with them the importance of abstinence or how to practice safe sex. It also opens the door for the discussion of drugs and alcohol. Your child may be more willing to open up to their doctor as opposed to you or your spouse.

You may also want to consider getting an eye appointment scheduled for your child. It is important to determine if they have vision problems, or if they need a stronger prescription. If they can’t see the board, they won’t do well in school. I will be digging deeper in to this topic in an upcoming post on Thursday, so be sure to check back on the blog for more details!

Also, when you take your child to the doctor for their well visit make sure you get a sports physical. In order to participate in sports, teens must have a current physical on file.

Third, if your child takes a certain type of medication that they don’t take during the summer get them started back up a few weeks before school starts. A lot of kids who take medications for ADD or ADHD don’t take them during the summer. Start back up on it a few weeks early in order to give them time to readjust to the medication.

Fourth, get your kids in the habit of eating breakfast. If your child doesn’t eat breakfast already it’s time to start. Many nutritionists feel that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And if your child’s blood sugar is low they won’t be able to concentrate in school. They need to fuel their brain for the long day ahead.

Fifth, if your child has a medical condition, inform the school ahead of time. Let their teacher know of any allergies or if they require a specific medication at a time throughout the course of the school day.

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. Getting your child set for the school year will allow you to have fun and finish off your summer on the right note.

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My Greece Vacation

GreeceI just returned from an amazing trip to Greece. On my vacation, I traveled to Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Crete with several wonderful girlfriends who regularly travel together.

Although I had a fantastic time once I was in Greece, it was extremely difficult for me to make the decision to go on an extended vacation abroad. It’s always difficult to leave daily life, work and children behind. I struggled with the idea of being away from my business and in a different country than my daughters. My friends convinced me that the trip was a necessity, and now I know they were right! I needed the trip to relax, unwind and enjoy myself.  My daughters were fine and my business was still standing upon my return home.

Vacations are so important for your personal health and well-being! People forget the importance of getting away from the daily grind. In 2014 in the United States, employees only used 51% of their vacation time and 15% of people didn’t take any time off at all. Recently, some employers have started to encourage their employees to take vacations given the many health and workplace benefits.

Vacations are good for you — they increase your productivity and they reduce your stress. Vacations allow you to unwind, recuperate, and feel healthier. People even have a reduction in cholesterol after a vacation and feel more satisfied with their lives in general after a vacation.

Given all the perks of vacations, where are you going this summer?

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my workbook for dealing with caring for your children, as well as your aging parents: Life in the Sandwich Generation. Life in the Sandwich Generation is a workbook filled with information, tips and tricks for managing the demands needing to care for your aging parents, as well as taking care of your children. It details how you can involve your children in the process and how to learn more about your parents health and finances, while still making time for yourself and your spouse. You can find it here for only $10!

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Eight Benefits of Breastfeeding For You and Your Baby

Soft focus image of newborn baby breastfeedingAugust is National Breastfeeding feeding month. In order to celebrate we will be discussing everything you need to know about breastfeeding throughout the whole month. Today, we will be talking about the benefits of breastfeeding for you and your baby.

Breastfeeding can help boost your newborn’s immune system. Breast milk is chock full of proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. These components help reduce the incidence of illnesses such as diarrhea, colds and the flu. Breastfed babies have less trips to the hospital than formula-fed infants.

Breastfed babies also have a lower risk of developing allergies. Breast milk contains specific immunoglobulins that boost their immunity, preventing allergies from setting in.

Breastfeeding can decrease your child’s risk of becoming obese. Children who are breastfed are better at determining when they are full. Also, infant formula is filled with insulin, which increases fat gain, which can lead to obesity later in life.

Breastfed babies have a tendency to be whiz kids. Breast milk contains choline, which increases brain cells. All of the nutrients found in breast milk can also help the brain to develop quicker.

Breast milk is unique as it customizes to your baby’s needs. Right after delivery colostrum, aka pre-milk, comes in. Colostrum is full of antibodies to help boost your newborns immune system. It also has a high protein content to help baby stay full and to keep them keep a stable weight post-delivery. Several days after birth mom’s the full milk comes in. Full milk is higher in sugar to help your baby to grow.

Another added bonus to breastfeeding – it’s FREE! It’s basically liquid gold. This can save thousands of dollars each year.

Breastfeeding isn’t only beneficial for baby, mom benefits from it to.

Breastfeeding is a calorie incinerator, helping mom to shed those pregnancy pounds. Every ounce of breast milk contains around 20 calories. Thus, torching upward of 500 calories a day! Say bye-bye to baby weight!

These are only a handful of the benefits of breastfeeding for you and your baby.

 

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my workbook for dealing with caring for your children, as well as your aging parents: Life in the Sandwich Generation. Life in the Sandwich Generation is a workbook filled with information, tips and tricks for managing the demands needing to care for your aging parents, as well as taking care of your children. It details how you can involve your children in the process, how to learn more about your parents health and finances, while still making time for yourself and your spouse. You can find it here for only $10!