My kids start school on September 14, which means exposure to more germs, virus, and sickness… again! If you’re looking for back to school savings tips, this is sooo not that post. Anyway, so I was looking for some helpful mom tips on how to send our kiddos to school not only smarter, but healthier and stronger to ward off these pesky viruses.
Handwashing. This is the simplest but the biggest prevention tip according to the experts. You can never get enough handwashing. I tell my kids to wash everytime they go to the bathroom, AND before they eat snack or lunch.
Use hand sanitizer. If they can’t wash their hands because they’re not allowed to go out of the classroom for some reason, they can use this instead. They can also use this to sanitize their stuff if needed. But I emphasize to my kids I prefer handwashing over this.
Stay away from sick people. I let my kids know it’s ok to stay away from sick friends for a while so they won’t get sick. If they get sick, then they will have to miss school and friends longer so it’s best to protect themselves as much as they can.
No touching. Some kids (like mine) are so friendly that they’re used to hugging friends. I always remind them to keep their hands to themselves so as not to get in trouble also. If they’re not used to touching friends then they’re better off not touching people when they’re sick.
Cough or sneeze on your elbows. Germs coughed or sneezed out will be on your elbows instead of your hands. So this is more of spreading prevention. But I also tell my kids to remind their friends or classmates to do the same thing to protect themselves.
Vaccinate. If you give your kids flushots, now is the time to do that just before they get back to school. This year, I switched to a different pediatrician and she recommends giving flumists instead of flushots for better and longer protection. So far, I liked what I’ve read about it so I’m having them try it. I’ve also heard that there will be swine flu vaccines that will be available in October, so you might want to look into it as well.
Have them well-rested. I value sleep not only for myself but especially for my kids. It’s when the body does its job uninterrupted. I’ve also read it improves immunity. And so, I make it a point to have them sleep for at least 10 hours a day.
Avoid sugary snacks. I’ve attended a seminar one time that discussed about the effect of sugar on one’s immunity and ability to fight off diseases. A snicker bar and a can of soda is enough to immobilize your immunity for 4 hours! So do the math if you let your kids munch on chocolates, candies and soda everyday. We don’t have these stuff at home. They only get to eat these if they’re at parties. If my kids don’t see it, they will not be tempted to eat it. I don’t give them sugary snacks in school too. They always have fresh fruits, sandwhich, crackers and water. And I’m thankful that they’re school also encourages parents to have their kids bring healthy snacks. And there’s no cafeteria nor vending machines to tempt them!
Give them healthy whole foods. Fresh fruits (not the one in cans that are laden with sugary syrup!) and veggies. As much as my kids love fresh fruits, they hate veggies, so I either cut it into tiny pieces or puree it. You should see them devour strawberries and cherries! The point is, the nutrition they get from these healthy, whole foods help in boosting their immunity. Processed foods and chips that says “loaded with vitamins” does not count!
Let them stay at home when they’re sick! Like you, I work fulltime, on top of my blogging and online business. But if my kids are sick, they stay at home and I call off. There was even a time when I called off for two weeks because everyone in our family was sick! It’s tempting to send the kids back to school soon but if they’re not ready yet, they will get worse, and you will have to stay longer and spend more of your PTO days.
