Back to school is an exciting and intimidating experience. On one hand, the kids get to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, experience new subjects, and dive back into their favorite school-year sports. On the other hand, it usually means being exposed to lots of germs, earlier mornings, and potentially piles of books and homework.
We’ve made a list of 5 tips to help your kid stay on track this school year.
- Wear your backpack correctly.
- Build your immune system.
- Learn how to read (correctly!).
- Eat more vegetables and healthy fats.
- Get adjusted.
How do each of these things help your kid stay on track? Let’s take a closer look:
Wear Your Backpack Correctly
Wearing your backpack the wrong way seems to always be in style, doesn’t it? Whether it is wearing just one strap or keeping the straps so loose that the backpack hangs down past their bottom, kids seem to know the exact wrong ways to carry their backpack. What’s the right way to wear a backpack? Here are some general guidelines:
- Keep straps tightened so that the backpack stays close to your back, and doesn’t fall more than two inches below the wastiline
- Always use two straps, and aim for the straps to be 2″ wide
- Make sure the backpack does not weight more than 10% of the wearer’s weight (for example, a 100lb student should not exceed 10 lbs in the backpack)
- Utilize multiple sections of the backpack to evenly distribute weight
Using a backpack correctly can help decrease the risk of headaches, back/neck/shoulder or knee pain, and poor posture. Kids learn better when they aren’t in pain!
Build Your Immune System
Sick days inevitably happen, and inevitably impact your child’s learning. Keep sick days to a minimum by keeping the immune system strong. Several ways to boost the immune system include:
- Eating a whole-food, nutrient-rich diet
- Minimizing processed food and added sugars
- Supplementing with Vitamin D, Nucleo Immune, Congaplex, or other immune-boosting blends (ask Dr. Aaron or Dr. Rob at your next appointment which may be best for you)
- Getting 8 hours of sleep each night
- Move your body (yep, being too sedentary is not good for your immune system!)
Learn to Read Correctly
You might be thinking, “my kid already knows how to read!” but we aren’t talking about “how” in the sense of being able to identify words and string them together to create meaning. We mean learning how to best hold a book (or tablet or laptop) without straining your neck or upper back.
Especially since the cell phone takeover, we spend a lot of our day looking down. This creates a real issue with our posture, as our necks are actually supposed to have a slight curve in the opposite direction of how they are curved when we look down.
In order to maintain a neutral spine while reading, prop books, tablets, or laptops on a pillow or use a table.
Eat More Vegetables
The majority of Americans don’t get enough servings of vegetables in their day. This is unfortunate because vegetables are incredibly important for brain health. Studies have shown that vegetables are even more protective than fruits for preventing cognitive decline. They are full of nutrients and compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier and provide protection against free-radical damage.
The brain also thrives on healthy fats, so packing school lunches or enjoying after school snacks that include nuts, seeds, avocados, or olives gives your kids’ brain a boost to fuel all that learning! Fun fact: The brain uses about 20% of your body’s energy… more than any other single organ!
Get Adjusted
Getting adjusted has been scientifically shown to affect the brain. A study conducted in 2016 found that correcting spinal subluxations especially impacted the prefrontal cortex of the brain and affected somatosensory processing.
The prefrontal cortex is integral to executive function. This is the area of the brain responsible for controlling a lot of behaviors, such as differentiating among conflicting thoughts, understanding good versus bad, conceptualizing future outcomes/consequences, and social control.
If your child is having difficulty with any of the executive functions listed above, we highly recommend scheduling an appoint at your earliest opportunity.
You can schedule an appointment with our front desk staff by calling 952-949-0676.
