Keeping Your Kids Healthy and Engaged For the Upcoming School Year

School is important, not only for educating young minds and molding them to be successful, but also for providing a social environment for them in which they can develop their social skills. With a pandemic currently going on, however, school children are spending a lot more time at home and learning online. Following are some tips you can use to keep your family healthy and engaged for the upcoming school year.

Schedule a Dentist Appointment

It is important to schedule a dentist appointment for your child before they get back to school. Staying at home for a long period may have encouraged them to develop a relaxed attitude about caring for their teeth, encouraging issues with braces and cavities. About 84.9% of children aged between two and 17 have visited their dentist in the past year. This is a good number, but it could be higher to make sure that any problems that may develop are caught before they get out of hand.

Check For Any Signs of Stress and Anxiety

Children are often under a lot of stressful situations each day, and adding onto them homework, social pressures, and tests may aggravate issues. Anxiety and stress have been shown to have negative effects on the health of both children and adults, so it is important to deal with any signs of these when they are seen. Brainstorm with them about how they can relieve stress, including taking walks in the woods, playing board games, or even writing in journals.

Talk to Them About Safety in Your Neighborhood

It is important for children to be able to go out and about, having fun in their neighborhoods, but this should be done safely. You can teach them basic rules like not staying out beyond certain hours, and make sure they have either your number or your partner’s number, so they can easily reach out in case of anything. Every year, around 2.25 million American kids are bitten by dogs annually according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s important to make sure your children know what to do when they cross paths with a dog that is not leashed.

Make Use of Puzzles or Crafts

Every family has taken a shot at solving a puzzle at some point, and with good reason. It is fun to watch as it draws towards completion, and it will also teach children patience and hone their problem-solving skills. Crafts come in a variety of types and difficulties, so it should be easy enough to find something your children will enjoy. From painting and drawing to origami and beading, there are many crafts you can give to your child or children to help them pass the time responsibly while not getting up to mischief.

Make Sure You Have Access to What They Need For School

As children get ready to get back to their regular school activities, it is important to get them the supplies they need to use for their studies. These include notebooks, highlighters, pencils, and backpacks, which are important to pick well so you are not giving your child too heavy a bag to lug around. A report done in 2018 referenced by the FCC shared that in 2018, a whopping 2.3 million students did not have access to broadband services that were in line with the commission’s connectivity goal which is 100 Mbps per every 1,000 group of staff and students.

It may seem a bit overwhelming for your family to deal with the side effects of the pandemic as well as making sure your children are on the right track. With a little practice and giving yourself some grace when things don’t fall into place as they should, it is something that everyone can do.