Issue Date - August 03, 2010

Helping Kids Overcome the Back-to-School Blues

What do glue sticks, lunch boxes and colorful notebooks have in common? They signal the end of summer and the start of a new school year.

Starting a new school year can be an adjustment for children entering school, be it for their senior year of high school or their first few weeks of kindergarten. The idea of leaving the sun-filled, carefree days of summer and going back to the classroom can be upsetting for some kids, especially if they enjoy spending time with their families at home.

According to Rochelle Harris, PhD, clinical psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the UMKC School of Medicine, most children experience mixed emotions about going back to school.

"Children will usually express two feelings," Dr. Harris says. "They will be excited about school at one time and at another time think, ‘Oh, what a drag.’"

Whether or not your child is feeling some of these emotions during the first few weeks of school, it is important for each parent to ask their child how he or she is adjusting to the new school year.

"Parents need to take seriously the responsibility of getting the children ready," Dr. Harris says.

If your children seem excited about the new school year, listen to what they have to say. If they seem anxious, listen to their concerns. Often times parents can help their children overcome their back to school "jitters."

Before the new school year begins, Dr. Harris offers the following tips to help your children make the transition from the pools to the classrooms.

• Tape a picture of the family or your child’s pet inside your child’s lunch box. For children who can read, enclose a note with the child’s lunch or in a notebook, saying something like: "Thinking of you," or "I’m proud you’re in school today." If your child is anxious about being away from home, these things can ease his or her feelings and fears of separation.
• Speak positively about school and relate your own positive experiences. "Kids like to hear that mom and dad were once in third grade, too, or what school was like for them," Dr. Harris says.
• Let your children have input. Whether it’s letting them choose what’s in their lunch box or what clothes they wear, the more input children have, the happier they will be. Letting children make decisions helps boost their self-esteem
• Review safety tips. Teach your child to obey traffic markings, to look both ways before crossing the street, to avoid strangers, to wear a helmet when riding a bike and to sit at all times while the school bus is moving.
• Compliment your children. Preparing for the school year is a difficult adjustment for many children, so be sure and acknowledge their efforts. Children look up to and seek approval from their parents and a well-timed hug or word of praise can make your children more willing to follow school routine.

Visit our Back To School Web site for helpful videos, articles, podcasts and links to other important information.

Germ Avoidance Keeps Kids Healthier

Experts say that the main way illnesses such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A, infectious diarrhea and the common cold spread is via droplets from coughs and sneezes that are then spread through contaminated surfaces, food, water and hands. Considering some bacteria and viruses can live two hours or longer on surfaces, including tabletops and doorknobs, how can your family avoid becoming ill from them and spreading them? Here are two simple steps the experts recommend for minimizing the spread of germs.

Cover Your Mouth and Nose

The experts at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze—and teaching your children the same behavior—is a fundamental first step toward stopping the spread of germs and being polite to others around you.

Wash Your Hands Often

“Hand washing is the single most important way to not spread germs,” says Cindy Olson-Burgess, RN, infection control nurse at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics.

You and your children should also wash your hands before you prepare or eat food and after:

• coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose
• cleaning house
• playing outside
• touching animals
• using the bathroom
• visiting with sick family or friends.

Because proper hand washing is a worthwhile thing for your children to learn, here are some ways to add a little fun and variety to help ensure that your children learn it.

• Offer alcohol-based disposable hand wipes and gel sanitizers. They will quickly reduce the number of germs on skin, and occasionally gel use may be gentler on skin than soap. Teach your child to thoroughly wipe hands, fingers and wrists.
• Provide fun soaps in a variety of colors, shapes and scents to make washing enjoyable.
• Sing a little song. Effective washing takes only 15 seconds, but children tend to skimp. Sing a short song with your kids while they wash to so they can learn the proper length of time to wash.

Grab your children (with your clean hands of course) and watch our 2 minute video on how to properly wash those germs away!

So You Just Had a Car Wreck…

If you or your teen are ever in an auto accident, knowing a few simple steps for handling the situation will help things go more smoothly and may even improve the outcome for everyone involved.

Here are steps from the Teen Consumer Scrapbook to help you keep the scene of the wreck as safe as possible and ensure that everyone is treated fairly. Following these steps will help make filing a police report and filing for insurance compensation much easier. If you don't follow these steps, your insurance company could refuse to pay your claim and you might even face fines.

Clear the Road

If you're in a moving vehicle when a wreck occurs, immediately and safely pull over to the side of the road, turn off your car, and turn your hazard lights on. Check to see if anyone is hurt. If there is an injured person, do not move him or her until first aid can be administered. Place flares, cones or triangles alongside the road a few hundred feet before the wreck so other drivers will be aware that you are there.

Is Everybody OK?

If there's an injury, or even if you suspect one, call 911 and tell emergency workers about it. If you are on a freeway and do not have access to a cell phone or telephone, check for a roadside phone that you can use.

What You Will Needed

The information you need includes:

• the insurance companies of all drivers involved
• the name, address, phone number and driver's license number of each driver involved
• the name, address and phone number of all passengers or witnesses
• the registered owners of all cars
• the year, model, make and license plate numbers of all cars involved.

Finally, phone your insurance company and report the accident.

Be Aware Behind the Wheel

You've probably heard the term "defensive driving," but do you really know what it means? Driving defensively means not only taking responsibility for yourself and your actions but also keeping an eye on all the drivers around you. Here are some tips from the National Safety Council to help you drive defensively.

• Be alert. If you notice a car is straddling the center line, weaving, making wide turns, stopping abruptly or responding slowly to traffic signals, the driver may be impaired. Avoid an impaired driver by turning right at the nearest corner or exiting at the nearest exit.
• Be respectful of other motorists. Follow the rules of the road, don't contest the right of way and don't try to race other cars when merging.
• Don't follow too closely. Always use at least a three-second following distance.

Obey the speed limits —both maximums and minimums. Driving too fast or too slowly can increase the likelihood of collisions. To learn more about teens being safe behind the wheel, visit our Healthy Kids column.

Tomato Basil Pizza Snack

For hungry kids just getting home from a busy day at school, an afternoon snack may be just what the doctor ordered. These delicious mini-pizzas only take a few minutes to make and will satisfy your children’s taste buds. You can add variety to this basic snack by topping the mini-pizza with your child’s favorite fresh vegetables or lean meats.

Tomato Basil Pizza Snack

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• whole-wheat English muffin
• 2 tbsp. no sodium-added tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tsp. tomato, diced

Directions
Preheat the broiler, and place the English muffin on a baking sheet. Cover the top of the English muffin with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle cheese, tomato and basil on top. Broil the muffin until cheese browns. Serve.

Nutritional Information

Servings: 1

Calories: 154 Fat: 6g

Fiber: 3g

Sodium: 239 mg

• Nutritional information may vary with chosen toppings.