{"id":9217,"date":"2018-08-23T06:00:04","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T10:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/?p=9217"},"modified":"2018-08-23T13:14:44","modified_gmt":"2018-08-23T17:14:44","slug":"back-to-school-health-and-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/back-to-school-health-and-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"School Time Health and Safety Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">It\u2019s that time again; it\u2019s back to school time.\u00a0 It&#8217;s time for all the prep and practical planning needed to launch the school year for your children. The American Academy of <\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Pediatrics shares about health and safety tips at the start of the school year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/School.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9224 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/School-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"picture of a grade school\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/School-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/School-1024x575.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/h1>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"color: #003366;\">MAKING THE FIRST DAY of SCHOOL EASIER <\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Remind your child that there are probably a lot of students who are uneasy. Assure your child that the teachers will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Point out the positive aspects of starting school. \u00a0She&#8217;ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years. Especially when she returned home, after the first day, with high spirits because she had a good time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your student can walk to school or ride with on the bus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If it is a new school for your child, attend available orientations and tour the school before the first day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If needed, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>BACKPACK SAFETY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child&#8217;s body weight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If your school allows, consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs. They may be difficult to roll in snow, and they may not fit in some lockers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>TRAVELING TO AND FROM SCHOOL <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Review these basic rules with your student:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>SCHOOL BUS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Children should board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or the school building.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Remind your child to wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Make sure your child walks where she can see the bus driver. This means the driver will be able to see her, too.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Remind your student to look both ways to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing the street.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Your child should not move around on the bus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If your child&#8217;s school bus has lap\/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>CAR<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">All passengers should wear a seat belt and\/or an age and size appropriate car safety seat or booster seat.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Your child should ride in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible. Then she needs to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when: She has reached the top weight or height allowed for her seat, her shoulders are above the top harness slots, or her ears have reached the top of the seat.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle&#8217;s seat belt fits properly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4&#8242; 9&#8243; in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age. This means that the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent at the knees. Her feet should be hanging down and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder. The shoulder belt should not be near the neck or throat. The lap belt needs to be low and snug across the thighs, and not the stomach.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">All children younger than 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat, move the front-seat passenger&#8217;s seat as far back as possible. Then have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You should require seat belt use, and limit the number of teen passengers. Do not allow eating, drinking, cell phone conversations,\u00a0 texting or other mobile device use to prevent driver distraction. Limit nighttime driving and driving in inclement weather. Familiarize yourself with your state&#8217;s graduated driver&#8217;s license law. Consider using a parent-teen driver agreement to facilitate the early driving learning process. For a sample parent-teen driver agreement, see <span style=\"color: #003366;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.healthychildren.org\/teendriver\">www.healthychildren.org\/teendriver<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong style=\"color: #003366;\">BIKE<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Use appropriate hand signals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Respect traffic lights and stop signs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility. White or light-colored clothing and reflective gear is especially important after dark.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Know the &#8220;rules of the road.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>WALKING TO SCHOOL<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Make sure your child&#8217;s walk to school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Identify other children in the neighborhood with whom your child can walk to school. \u00a0In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider &#8220;walking school bus,&#8221; in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Be realistic about your child&#8217;s pedestrian skills. Small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic. Consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If your children are walking to a new school, walk with them until you are sure they know the\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Bright-colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>EATING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home and have them posted on the school&#8217;s website. So, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Look into what is offered in school vending machines. Vending machines should stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, water and 100 percent fruit juice. \u00a0Learn about your child&#8217;s school wellness policy and get involved in school groups to put it into effect.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child&#8217;s risk of obesity by 60%. Choose healthier options to send in your child&#8217;s lunch.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>BULLYING <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Bullying or cyberbullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood. It can also occur over the Internet, or through mobile devices like cell phones. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>When Your Child Is Bullied <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> 1. Look the bully in the eye.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> 2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> 3. Walk away.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Teach your child how to say in a firm voice.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> 1. &#8220;I don&#8217;t like what you are doing.&#8221;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> 2. &#8220;Please do NOT talk to me like that.&#8221;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> 3. &#8220;Why would you say that?&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Teach your child when and how to ask a trusted adult for help.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Encourage your child to make friends with other children.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Support activities that interest your child.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child&#8217;s safety and well-being when you cannot be there.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Monitor your child&#8217;s social media or texting interactions so you can identify problems before they get out of hand.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>When Your Child Is the Bully <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Set firm and consistent limits on your child&#8217;s aggressive behavior.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Be a positive role model. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, counselors, and parents of the children your child has bullied.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>When Your Child Is a Bystander<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Tell your child not to cheer on or even quietly watch bullying.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Help your child support other children who may be bullied. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Encourage your child to include children being bullied in activities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong><br \/>\nBEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">During early and middle childhood, youngsters need supervision. A responsible adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning and supervise them after school until you return home from work.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If a family member will care for your child, communicate the need to follow consistent rules set by the parent regarding discipline and homework.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Children approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come home to an empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual maturity for their age.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If alternate adult supervision is not available, parents should make special efforts to supervise their children from a distance. Children should have a set time when they are expected to arrive at home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by telephone.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If you choose a commercial after-school program, inquire about the training of the staff. There should be a high staff-to-child ratio, and the rooms and the playground should be safe.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>DEVELOPING GOOD HOMEWORK AND STUDY HABITS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Children need a consistent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Schedule ample time for homework.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Establish a household rule that the TV and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Supervise computer and Internet use.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child&#8217;s homework for her.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">When your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren&#8217;t able to help,\u00a0 atutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child&#8217;s teacher first.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Some children need help organizing their homework.\u00a0 Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If your child is having difficulty focusing on or completing homework, discuss this with your child&#8217;s teacher, or school counselor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Source: American Academy of Pediatrics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-socializer wpsr-buttons\"><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"\" data-layout=\"button\"><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-show-count=\"false\" data-related=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-size=\"small\" data-via=\"\" data-hashtags=\"\">Tweet<\/a><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-google_plus\"><div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"medium\" data-annotation=\"none\" ><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-linkedin\"><script type=\"IN\/Share\" data-url=\"\" data-counter=\"none\"><\/script><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-pocket\"><a data-pocket-label=\"pocket\" data-pocket-count=\"none\" class=\"pocket-btn\" data-save-url=\"\" data-lang=\"en\">Pocket<\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">!function(d,i){if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(\"script\");j.id=i;j.src=\"https:\/\/widgets.getpocket.com\/v1\/j\/btn.js?v=1\";var w=d.getElementById(i);d.body.appendChild(j);}}(document,\"pocket-btn-js\");<\/script><\/span><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s that time again; it\u2019s back to school time with all the prep and practical planning needed to launch the school year of for your child(ren). <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-socializer wpsr-buttons\"><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"\" data-layout=\"button\"><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-show-count=\"false\" data-related=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-size=\"small\" data-via=\"\" data-hashtags=\"\">Tweet<\/a><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-google_plus\"><div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"medium\" data-annotation=\"none\" ><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-linkedin\"><script type=\"IN\/Share\" data-url=\"\" data-counter=\"none\"><\/script><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-pocket\"><a data-pocket-label=\"pocket\" data-pocket-count=\"none\" class=\"pocket-btn\" data-save-url=\"\" data-lang=\"en\">Pocket<\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">!function(d,i){if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(\"script\");j.id=i;j.src=\"https:\/\/widgets.getpocket.com\/v1\/j\/btn.js?v=1\";var w=d.getElementById(i);d.body.appendChild(j);}}(document,\"pocket-btn-js\");<\/script><\/span><\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[905],"tags":[241,2324,1695,1699,2039,1698,1928,1927,1697,255,1700,1694,1885,1886,286,1985,1895,25,1696],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9217"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9217"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11621,"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9217\/revisions\/11621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}