It is back to school time already. For parents it is important to start preparing now and here are three things you can do to get your children ready for school.
The first thing to consider is the sleep pattern. Sleep patterns in children tend to get thrown way off during the summer. They tend to stay up later at night and sleep longer in the day. Getting that sleep schedule shifted back to the school schedule can’t be done in one night. It will take a week or two in some cases to switch those sleep times back. Make sure you slowly adjust the bed times of your kids so that the night before school, they are getting their full rest. Most kids still need at least 8-11 hours daily.
Secondly, start weaning down the screen time with your kids. Often, they tend to over-consume video games and television during the summer. Ideally, you want your kids to have less than 2 hours daily. There have been recent studies that demonstrate a certain level of video game addiction that may occur in some kids. You may notice a change in behavior as you wean them off the games prior to the start of school. Pay particular attention to limiting television and video games within 1 hour of bedtime as it can cause sleep disruption and reduce sleep efficiency (they will still be tired.)
Finally, ensure they are getting good nutrition. Children’s brains need good fuel to thrive and survive. It needs a well-balanced diet on a regular interval to work at its best. Ensure they are getting enough fruits and vegetables during the day with a good dose of healthy proteins to fuel their entire body. Keeping their meals and snacks at regular intervals keeps their blood sugar levels in the healthy range all day.
For tips like these and many others, join me for my show on Facebook Two “Sense” Tuesdays with DoctorJarret, every Tuesday at 1:00PM EDT on my Facebook Fan Page @Doctorjarret.
