Prepping for Back to School

Adia Shabazz

So now that the tax free weekend is over and you’ve purchased your new school clothes, viagra dosage paper, viagra sale crayons, viagra 60mg pencils, glue, scissors and whatever other supplies seem to be staples for back to school you are all set, right? Maybe. I used to tell my students that as much as they love being out of school for the summer that their teachers love it just as much (maybe more). Summer allows the opportunity to learn at a pace not set by interim assessments, report cards and external time limits and exams. During the summer, students (and teachers) can languish in books, movies, projects and truly absorb and observe at their leisure. As summer comes to a close, it is time to reset our minds and bodies in preparation for the fall. Here are a few suggestions to help with getting in gear for the school year.

Go to bed

Sleep is necessary for many things: health, brain function, weight management, extending the quantity and quality of life and many more perks. When we “fell back” in the spring, the bedtimes in my house fell off. Little people and big people need more sleep than we think we need. How many times have you heard children say, “I’m not sleepy!” as they rub their eyes and nod off? How many times have you heard adults talk about how few hours of sleep they are surviving on like it is a badge of honor? Adolescents and college students, who nap managing to maintain a near coma-like state, have it right. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, and the amount of sleep increases the younger a person is. Web MD (http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children) suggests the following hours of sleep for the following ages:

1-4 Weeks Old: 15 – 16 hours per day
1-4 Months Old: 14 – 15 hours per day
4-12 Months Old: 14 – 15 hours per day
1-3 Years Old: 12 – 14 hours per day
3-6 Years Old: 10 – 12 hours per day
7-12 Years Old: 10 – 11 hours per day
12-18 Years Old: 8 – 9 hours per day

A good night’s rest allows for improvements in concentration, short-term memory, productivity, mood, sensitivity to pain and improved immune system function. Beauty sleep is not a misnomer either. If you are well rested it has been proven in research that you appear healthier, less tired, and more attractive. Lack of sleep is a contributing factor to obesity. A Harvard study that followed 69,000 women for 16 years found that the participants who slept five hours a night or less weighed 5.4 pounds more and were 15 percent more likely to be obese. There are also many other connections between sleep and weight. Those who sleep less are more likely to eat more when awake in the wee hours of the night, have lower levels of appetite-suppressing and eating- regulating hormones. Basically, it is really important to get enough sleep. Here are a few suggestions to help in maintaining healthy amounts of sleep. Exercise regularly. Children need to get outside and play. Being outside is important too. Our bodies are prone to programming by the amount of sunlight we receive. When we don’t receive enough sunlight our circadian rhythms, or the 24 hour cycle of resting and being awake, are thrown off. Avoid drinking liquids too close to bedtime, in order to avoid sleep interruption due to bathroom visits, and avoid caffeinated drinks before bedtime.

Return to your schedule

Children thrive in the comfort and regularity of a familiar schedule and routine. During the summer, we establish different patterns for vacations and various activities. Returning to your school year schedule before the school actually begins is a good way, for children and adults alike, to get prepared mentally and physically for the school year. If you’ve gotten away from story time before bed or nighttime bath routines, this is a good time to pick those routines back up. It’s also a great time to establish some new practices for the school year.

Eat breakfast

One of the routines that many families are unfortunately getting away from is breakfast. For some families, a healthy breakfast has been sacrificed. If breakfast is cramming some fast food into your face on the way to school and work, consider the necessity for a balanced breakfast and how it contributes to health. Eating a healthy breakfast has been shown to contribute to:

A more nutritionally complete diet, higher in nutrients, vitamins and minerals
Improved concentration and performance in the classroom or the boardroom
More strength and endurance to engage in physical activity

Lower cholesterol levels

Eating breakfast is especially important for children and teens. According to various studies, children who eat a healthy breakfast perform better in the classroom and on the playground, have better concentration, problem solving skills and hand-eye coordination. If you feel like there isn’t enough time for breakfast, some healthy on the go options include:

A veggie omelet and a piece of whole-wheat toast
A whole-wheat English muffin with low-fat cheese, a scrambled egg, and slice of tomato or lean ham
Smoothie made with fruit and low-fat yogurt
Salmon on 1/2 whole-grain bagel with light cream cheese
Whole-grain cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat milk
Oatmeal made with skim milk, raisins and nuts, with 4 ounces of orange juice
Low-fat yogurt and a piece of fresh fruit
Yogurt smoothie and breakfast bar
Hard-boiled egg and a banana

Breakfast, much like dinnertime, allows families a chance to slow down and connect with each other. In our harried world full of to-do lists, a sit down breakfast with the family, before everyone runs off to their appointed places, also allows us a chance to center ourselves, focused on the people who really matter to us and encourage us throughout our day.

Read

If you’ve managed to avoid reading all summer, pick up a magazine, newspaper, comic book (graphic novel if you are a grown-up), novel (fiction or non-fiction) any printed word to get (or keep) that brain in gear. Great readers are great writers. Great readers are also more articulate speakers. You know those intermittent posts that show up on Facebook where someone is expressing their chagrin at the improper use of they’re/their/there? Reading assists in making the proper choice for the utilization of one of “dem dere” words. Reading also gives students (and adults alike) a greater arsenal of words to include in their personal lexicon. By the way, if you are intending to read voraciously before school begins, be sure to register for the summer reading program being held in all Henrico County Public libraries. There will be drawings for iPad minis at the conclusion of August.

Turn your friends into study buddies

This tip is for older students, high school through graduate school. Hopefully, your crew of cronies that you’ve played with through the summer are also a group of friends that you can work with during the school year. Since birds of a feather (should) flock together, pull that same group of people that helped you let off steam during the summer to help you bolster your academic pursuits. Many older students study harder instead of smarter. I knew a young woman in college who would study, study, study and then sleep with her books under her pillow in an attempt to gain whatever she missed through osmosis. Instead of cramming and attempting to master various subjects solo, break up your reading assignments before they are assigned by the teacher, and assign each member of your study group a portion of the text to take notes on and review. When you gather as a group, each person is responsible for sharing their notes and presenting the reading selection they were assigned. Not only does this make you and your friends accountable to each other, it also bolsters presentation skills, note taking skills, makes each member an expert on their particular section, and helps to build teamwork skills.

These are just a few suggestions for the school year, and many of these tips wouldn’t be bad to make a part of life in and out of school season. Have a healthy and productive school year. Happy learning!