As students prepare to head back to school, health providers are reminding families that getting ready involves more than buying school supplies.
Dr. Justice Stoltz, a primary care sports medicine provider with CHI in Kearney, says parents should pay attention to how much their children are carrying to and from school. Stoltz recommends keeping a child’s backpack at about 10 to 15 percent of their body weight.
“The rule that I always kind of went by and still go by for even my own children is about 10% to 15% of their body weight,” Stoltz said.
He also recommends using both shoulder straps and making sure the backpack fits snugly against the child’s body. The heaviest items should be placed closest to the child’s back, and families should limit items that don’t need to be carried between home and school.
“You want it to fit snugly against the body,” Stoltz said. “You want to use either a chest strap or a waist strap to kind of help hold it there.”
Sleep is another important part of getting students ready for the school year. Dr. Michael Schooff says families should start adjusting children’s schedules before school begins rather than making a sudden change.
“If they’re really off, you’re probably a little behind the curve at this stage,” Schooff said. “But it’s better to start sooner as you can.”
Schooff recommends moving bedtime earlier by about 15 to 20 minutes every one or two days and gradually adjusting wake-up times to match the school schedule. He says preschoolers ideally need 10 to 13 hours of sleep, elementary and middle school students need nine to 11 hours, and teenagers need eight to 10 hours.
Schooff also recommends exposing children to sunlight in the morning to help reset their biological sleep-wake cycle. He says families should try to keep bedtime and wake-up times roughly the same on weekends as they are during the school week.
Morning routines and nutrition are also important as families transition back to a more structured schedule.
Ellen Thompson, a dietitian and certified diabetes parent education specialist in the Omaha metro, says families can make the transition easier by planning meals around their new schedules.
“I think first is kind of like a family refresh,” Thompson said. “Come together.”
Thompson says breakfast is especially important for students because it can help with memory, focus, attention and mood. She recommends having quick options available for children who don’t have much time before school.
“Definitely some convenience, quick things can be an option if you’re trying to sleep in and then run to the bus, but definitely want to get something in the morning,” Thompson said.
Options include yogurt, fruit, nuts, whole-grain bars, peanut butter on whole-grain bread or a banana and string cheese.
As the school year begins, health providers say families can help students start strong by establishing consistent routines, keeping backpacks at a manageable weight, making sleep a priority and planning simple nutritious meals.