9 Pro-Parenting Tips To Keep Your School-Age Kids Healthy

👧🧒You blinked and May became August just like that! You know MBG has got you covered on the cutest girls clothes. But did you know we've also got the tea on how to keep your little ones healthy as they head back to school for Fall 2023? Read these 9 pro-parenting tips to make sure all your bases are covered when they board the bus or enter the classroom.🩹🏫

1. Know what's out there 🤔

How do you protect against potential health threats? According to pediatricians, these are the 10 most common school-age illnesses

Common Cold

Stomach Flu (gastroenteritis)

Strep Throat

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)

Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)

Head Lice

The Flu (influenza)

Chickenpox

Meningitis

Mono (mononucleosis)

2. Follow Up 📋

Doing your own research is always important. Not just online, but within the school as well. The environment, the lunch menu, your child's daily or weekly schedule can all be factors for increased health concern. Check in with teachers to see if there have been any bugs going around

3. Plenty Of Sleep 💤

We know it's asking a lot of your little one to adhere to bedtime rules, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

10 to 13 hours each day for preschoolers

9 to 12 hours daily for children ages of 6 and 12

8 to 10 hours of sleep for teens

  Which bracket does your child fall under?

4. Balanced Meals And Snacks 🍎

Growing kids and busy students require a healthy and balanced diet. Be sure to add a little something from all five food groups on a regular basis, are giving them plenty of water, and throw in a few autoimmune-boosting items like orange juice which is packed with Vitamin C or yogurt chuck-full of probiotics!

5. Form Healthy Habits 🧼

As a parent, you know the smallest things often can make the biggest differences in your kids. Regularly working in healthy habits like washing your hands for 20 seconds, sneezing/coughing into your elbow, and respecting personal space means less chances of spreading or catching germs. The more it's practiced at home, the easier for them to practice at school.

6. Get Up And Move!🤸‍♀️

Most children don't have problems with energy, but focusing that into exercise can help improve their overall health! Going for walks, making up dance routines, or even time set aside for stretching and breathing can go a long way

7. Keep Sanitizers On Deck 🧴

Having wet wipes, tissues, or hand sanitizer in your child's backpack or lunchbox is a super easy way to make sure they are always prepared for messy (or germy) situations when soap and water just aren't an option. Great for afterschool activities, sports, and fieldtrips.

8. Plan Ahead 🧰

For all our efforts, children may still get sick. We simply can't protect them for everything. But we CAN prepare for anything! Know the signs of the most common illnesses and their methods of treatment. Be sure to keep over-the-counter medicines for children in stock at home for emergencies. Wanna go the extra parenting mile? Create a Sick-Day Kit for your child with activities, snacks, or movies to help them feel better as they recover!