What parents can do now to set their kids – and themselves – up for a successful year
It’s important for parents to talk to their school-age kids about the upcoming school year. Some nervousness is to be expected, but having regular conversations now can help ease jitters.
BREVARD COUNTY • ROCKLEDGE, FLORIDA — Parents spend weeks gathering backpacks, notebooks and lunchboxes, but one of the most important back-to-school preparations can’t be found in the school supplies aisle – making sure kids are physically and emotionally set for the year ahead.
“Getting themselves back into a routine is the biggest thing, both parents and kids,” said Amy Cannon, a Nurse Practitioner with Health First Medical Group-Rockledge.
Amy Cannon, APRN, Health First Medical Group, said back-to-school routines should be introduced gradually, before the first bell rings.
As an internal medicine provider and mom, Cannon fields all kinds of health questions from people prepping for the school year.
Brevard Public Schools is in session Aug. 10, with Eastern Florida State College welcoming students Aug. 20.
While plenty are packing their shopping carts with educational necessities during Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax holiday (which ends Aug. 20), saving money shouldn’t be the only thing on parents’ minds. Setting the family up for a successful, healthy school year should be in the mix, too.
Here are Cannon’s top tips on how to do just that:
1.) Don’t wait until the last minute: Parents, if you’re not well underway with these, get going now:
• Get those physicals and sports physicals done or on the calendar now. Parents should schedule appointments as early as possible to avoid last-minute availability challenges.
• Submit school-required medication paperwork and health forms
• Dental appointments and vision checks
• Make sure immunizations are up to date, and the school has those records
• Have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in place
Not only will this ensure everything’s set before the first day, but it also prevents last-minute stress and scrambling.
“The wait times are quite long, and so getting a jump start on all these things is really going to be priority for people in this direct area,” Cannon said of trying to set a doctor’s appointment last-minute. “We really need to be very proactive.”
2.) Rebuild healthy routines now: Children – and adults – need to start adjusting sleep routines gradually. Ease kids back into schedules – set family time, mealtimes and get back into nighttime rituals like meal prep for the next day now.
“I’m big on not starting at the last minute and not doing it all at once,” Cannon said. “Pick one thing every week to start adjusting.”
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends children ages 6-12 regularly get nine to 12 hours of sleep per night, while teens need eight to 10 hours.
3.) Watch for signs of back-to-school anxiety: Up to 28% of kids experience school avoidance, according to the Kids Mental Health Foundation. This is often anxiety-driven, and the start of a new school year can be a trigger.
“Parents should just start talking now to them about whether or not they’re excited, what they’re looking forward to, anything that they’re concerned about,” Cannon said.
While some nervousness is normal, continued anxiety can surface in not-so-obvious ways. In younger children, these nonverbal cues can show up as sleep changes, more tantrums and behavioral shifts. Older children might complain of physical pains, such as stomachaches, as well as behavioral shifts.
“Rather than trying to jump in and fix it, just sort of validating their feelings can really make that transition easier,” Cannon said.
4. Summer’s over – but the sweltering heat’s not: A University of Florida study showed 94% of heat-related illnesses in student athletes happened during the first 19 practices of the season (when students are adjusting to practicing in the heat and humidity).
Set the kids – and yourself – up for staying hydrated:
• Carry a refillable water bottle
• Hydrate before, during and after activities
• Understand warning signs of heat illness
With the influx of newcomers from the Northeast and other less stifling climates, it’s important to heed heat warnings.
“A lot of people are moving to Florida. They’re not from hot, warm temperatures like this,” Cannon said. “If you start to get headaches, visual changes, that’s when you should really take a break and cool down.”
5.) Stave off school-year sickness: Practice routine handwashing, use hand sanitizers, stay home when you’re sick and monitor fevers. Eat healthy, nutritious food and get regular physical activity to boost your immune system.
Cannon personally uses saline rinses and finds them helpful, though she emphasizes that families should discuss them with their healthcare provider and follow safety guidelines, including using purified water.
6.) Don’t forget the school nurse: Any students who have an allergy or depend on regular or emergency medications should already have connected with the school nurse’s office. These include asthma action plans, allergy information, medication authorizations and emergency contacts.
“Making sure that those letters that they need or the documentation they’re getting now from their physicians or providers,” Cannon said. Ensuring “they have that ready before day one is going to be paramount.”
7.) Get organized with school dates: Schools and instructors provide schedules or syllabuses at the start of the semester or year. Don’t toss them aside. Plot them out.
Cannon turns to her Google calendar once she’s got the lineup.
“I put every single possible date that they give you in advance,” Cannon said of events, holidays and more, which helps her coordinate her work schedule. “It’s not easy to be a parent who works, so having as much advance notice and getting yourself prepared has saved me.”
Getting ready for the school year isn’t just about making sure students have the right highlighter or trendiest backpack. Helping kids feel physically, emotionally and mentally prepared for the year ahead is just as important.
“The biggest thing is not the school supplies,” Cannon said. “It’s that emotional readiness and having those conversations now with yourself, your kids and your family.”
