Nemours and KidsHealth.org Offer Healthy Habits for Children Going Back to School
Orlando, Florida
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 @ 12:00 AM EDT
by: Jarrod Cady
jcady@nemours.org
Remember the mixed emotions that going back to school brought when you were a kid? You were anxious and excited, but disappointed that summer was over. Whether your kids had a summer jam-packed with activities or were bored to tears by the end, they might have a hard time making the transition back to school. KidsHealth.org in partnership with Nemours, are offering tips for parents to help kids start this school year strong. Kidshealth.org, a project of Nemours, is the most visited Web site about children's health and parenting.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Start a routine: Put mealtimes and bedtimes on a schedule. Be sure that kids are having a healthy breakfast each morning.
Write it down: Capture the need-to-know information, such as locker combinations, what time classes and lunch start and end, homerooms, teachers' and/or bus drivers' names, etc. Write it all down in a special place for them so that they know where it is and can find the answers on their own.
Pack the night before: Help kids organize and set out what they need for the school day the night before (i.e., homework and books should be put in their backpacks by the front door). That way they are not rushing in the morning to find what they need.
Dress for success: Many kids feel more confident in their favorite shirt or pair of jeans. Some kids may want to wear a new outfit for the first day. Find what works best for your child and be sure it?'s clean and ready the night before to make getting ready easier for you and your child.
Make time: Adjust your schedule for the first week back. It's especially beneficial for parents to be home at the end of the school day for the first week. But many working moms and dads just don't have that flexibility. If you can't be there when school let's out, try to arrange your evenings so that you're able to give kids as much time as they need, especially during those first few days.
Children may need a little extra help with the transition of going back to school to help them feel prepared and confident. "The beginning of the school year can be filled with excitement about potential fun as well as anxiety that stems from the unknown," said Mike Campbell, Ph.D., a clinical social worker in the Nemours Children's Clinic Orlando Behavioral Pediatrics Division. "Children can benefit tremendously from having parents who actively encourage their children to discuss their day as well as their active participation in routine development leading back into the school year. Appropriate externalization of emotion is a healthy way for children to learn to cope with their environment. The flood of emotions that accompanies the beginning of school offers a rich opportunity to learn and practice these healthy coping skills."
Although it's normal to be anxious in any new situation, a few children develop real physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches, associated with the start of school. If you're concerned that your child's worries go beyond the normal back-to-school jitters, speak with your child's doctor, teacher, or school counselor.
For more information about back to school, visit KidsHealth.org to read these helpful articles:
Back to School (for Parents)
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/back_school_p2.html
Back to School (for Kids)
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html
Back to School (For Teens)
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/back_to_school.html
To schedule an interview, contact:
Jarrod Cady: (407) 650-7462 or jcady@nemours.org
Ryan Biliski: (302) 651-4046 or biliski@KidsHealth.org
modified: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 @ 09:42 AM EST
created: Thursday, January 24, 2008 @ 09:32 AM EST
About Nemours
Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.
Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.
Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.
