Healthy Habits to Establish Before School Starts

By Genevieve Cunningham

Even though it's still summer, most kids and all parents are starting to think about the school year ahead. It takes weeks to collect all of the supplies and new clothes. It takes weeks for kids to get their minds ready for a new teacher and a new group of kids. Even though we don't like to think about it just yet, deep down we know that it's time to start getting prepared. But how? How do we get prepared without missing out on the fun of summer? We just start slow. If you want to easily transition into the school year, take a look at these habits that you can start today.

A Bedtime Routine

Kids get off schedule really easily. It doesn't take many nights of staying up late before they can't seem to go to bed at night. And then they get irritable and frustrated. Even though there are still a few weeks until school begins, now is a good time to re-establish bedtime routines. Get your kids going to bed on time and waking up in time for breakfast and school. While it might be a challenge right now, it will make all the difference when school rolls around. And as a bonus, you might find your kids feel better and act better for the rest of the summer as a result of good sleep.

A Lunch Schedule

During the summer, kids tend to eat whatever they want whenever they want. They wake up late and eat a late breakfast. They snack here and there and eat lunch at random times. But during school, the constant snacking won't be a possibility. If your kids have been living a carefree eating schedule, start reining them in right now. Make them eat a good breakfast, and then schedule their lunch for midday. Doing this now will allow their bodies time to adjust to a schedule so they won't be too famished or distracted when school begins.

An Afternoon Stress Reliever

School is stressful. It doesn't matter how old your kids are or what grade they're in, school is tiring and mentally draining. Now is a great time to find a good afternoon stress reliever for your kids to do when school is out at the end of the day. Find a good activity or a good place to go in order to relieve that stress. Maybe a few minutes at the park. Maybe a snack and a nap. Find what works for your kids, and get them in the habit of doing it every day. School can make your kids feel overwhelmed, but having a constant, a staple, a habit that relaxes them at the day's end can make all the difference. 

It's not too early to start preparing your kids for the school days ahead. The more prepared your kids are, the better they'll do overall. Use these tips to get them mentally and physically ready, and transition into the school year with ease.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Alpharetta, Ga.