By the end of August, pretty much all school-aged kids in Arizona are back at it; hitting the books, the homework, and the after school activities and sports. Back-to-School time is both exciting and anxiety-riddled. Here in Phoenix, Back-to-School can mean sports physicals, vaccines, and simple health check-ups to ensure that everyone in the family is ready to take on the school year. Back-to-School health and wellbeing is also important for moms and dads. With all the rushing around, carpools, practice and more, it’s important that everyone, including mom and dad, are healthy and ready to take on the school year.
There are quite a few things that you can do right now, even as school has gotten back into session, to ensure that you not only start off healthy, but your entire family remains healthy throughout the school year. Our Phoenix family doctors have put their heads together to come up with some great Back-to-School tips!
1. See Your Phoenix Family Doctor – One of the first things that your family should do is get into your Phoenix family doctor for a simple health and wellness exam. Make sure the kids are all caught up on vaccines and that they have no underlining issues that could complicate a healthy return to school. Also, make sure mom and dad are ready for the busy school year. It’s important to put your best foot forward as the new school year starts, and one of the best ways to do that is to talk to your Phoenix family doctor.
2. Breakfast – The best meal of the day, and the most important during Back-to-School times, is breakfast. Our Phoenix family doctors will absolutely tell you that breakfast should be an essential part of your morning routine. It should be healthy, filling, and brainpower. Studies have shown that kids who get a good breakfast are more likely to consume more quality nutrients and have lower Body Mass Indexes that those who don’t. Take it from your Phoenix family doctors – get your child as well as yourself a healthy breakfast each and every morning.
3. Lunch – Though school lunches around the nation, including here in Phoenix, are getting better, the smarter, healthier choice is still to bring your own lunch. By packing your child’s lunch you have (almost) complete control over how healthy that lunch will be. Sure, your kids will probably trade an item or two, so do your best to make that healthy lunch fun and tasty so that your kids won’t want to trade it. Taking from an expert Phoenix family doctor, packing a lunch for your kids, and even yourself, can save time, money and, more importantly, calories.
4. Snack – No matter your age, or your child’s age, healthy snacking plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy diet. So, from school to after school and throughout the day, have healthy snacks on hand.
5. Keep Moving – Kids who exercise, or are involved in after school sports, statistically do better in school. Physical activity keeps the blood moving and keeps kids motivated. Phoenix family doctors here at Family Practice Specialists will encourage you to get your kids involved in sports, but if sports just isn’t your child’s thing, consider daily walks after school or in the evenings to keep your child moving and healthy.
Staying healthy for the start of school is important for the entire family. As any Phoenix family doctor, and any parent, will tell you – once one child gets sick the whole family usually ends up sick, and then there’s missed homework and missed practice and missed work. Be proactive about your family’s health this school year!