A good night’s sleep and a backpack that’s not too heavy are two of the most important health-related things that parents can make sure of for their students as they get ready for another school year. For most families, fall means an earlier bedtime for kids. Denise Johnson with CareOregon says you may want to start getting into the routine right away.
Denise Johnson — “The payoff is not being sleepy once school starts. It takes awhile for the body to get used to new routines. If you start a week or two ahead of time, that first week is going to be much easier – for you and your child.”(click here to listen to quote)
Johnson says another important thing to keep in mind is that backpack your student carries every day. She says it shouldn’t weigh more than ten to 20 percent of your child’s body weight. And, she adds, remind your kids to use both shoulder straps to distribute the weight more evenly.
(Thanks Oregon News Service and Chris Thomas)
