NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As kids are heading back to school, there's a lot to do to get them ready.
Of course they need clothes, they need supplies and they need sleep so that means you've got to get them back on a “school night” schedule.
After a long, leisurely summer, help your kids perform their best throughout the school year with this late summer checklist from Consumer Reports.
Start a new school night sleep schedule about two weeks before the first day.
Begin setting alarms back about 15 minutes earlier each night until you reach what will be the new normal very soon.
And while we’re talking alarms, if it’s on a phone or tablet, set it, then forget it, says Consumer Reports health reporter Catherine Roberts.
“Personal devices should be turned off well before bedtime. Smartphones, tablets and laptops emit blue light, which can disturb kids’ sleep patterns,” said Roberts.
Creating a dark sleeping environment can also help.
Consumer Reports editors recently looked at blackout curtains. Gracie Oaks Olivia Signature Velvet Blackout Curtains earned a perfect score for blocking out light and heat!
If your kids are anxious about starting school in a new building, plan a visit before the first day. They can see how to get to their new classroom and find the
bathrooms!
“They’ll have a new routine at school - so remind them to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at key times like after bathroom breaks, before lunch,
or after playing outside.”
Kids entering elementary school may need shots against polio, chickenpox, and other diseases, while those entering middle school or high school might need the
meningococcal vaccine—which prevents meningitis—and the HPV vaccine, which prevents certain cancers. Everyone eligible should also get a flu shot by the end of
October.
It’s important to boost your child’s health by sending them to school with healthy lunches. Think whole grains, proteins, fruits, and veggies.
Consumer Reports also looked at granola bars and found two lower-sugar options, Made Good and Cascadian Farms. And staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water at school helps kids stay alert and focused and may even improve cognitive functioning, so don’t forget to pack a reusable water bottle!
Consumer Reports editors recommend the Yeti Rambler JR Kids Water Bottle and the Hydro Flask Kids Wide Mouth.
Keeping kids healthy inside and out all year long.
And don't forget about all of the many student discounts out there on everything from buying technology like computers to going to the movies or shipping packages.
Be sure to always ask if there's a student discount available. And usually, to get it, all your child has to do is show his or her student ID or use their school email address.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at (jennifer.kraus@newschannel5.com).
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
