Get a Healthy Start to the New School Year
Now that the kids are back in school and you’ve (almost) gotten yourself back into the swing of things, it is important to remember that preparing your child for a successful school year is about more than just back-to-school shopping. With each school year, it seems like kids have to deal with more and more homework and school-related activities, and this can be difficult enough even if they’re well-rested, happy, and healthy. For kids who don’t get enough rest and don’t eat a filling, nutritious breakfast, however, this can become exhausting! Here are a few tips to making sure your child starts each day off right this school year:
- Many kids, even before they reach their teenage years, can’t help but skip breakfast. It is easy to think of missed meals as just affecting kids who refuse to eat their vegetables, but the issue can be about much more than that. Many times, kids (and, yes, more than a few adults too) are running late and rush out the door without eating or drinking a thing. In these cases, the solution can be as simple as coming up with a better schedule for mornings, going to bed fifteen to twenty minutes earlier than usual, and/or trying to cut back on eating after 8:00 pm.
- If you’re trying to get your kid(s) to have breakfast, have them ease into a regular routine of eating every morning. Don’t bombard them with an all-out, five-dish American breakfast buffet. Start off with some fruit, a bowl of cereal, or even a bran muffin along with a glass of juice/milk, just so they can get accustomed to eating in the morning.
- Even if they eat the same thing for every other meal every single day, kids can turn into the pickiest eaters when it comes to breakfast. Every once in a while, it can help to add some alternatives to the traditional eggs/oatmeal/cereal lineup. Smoothies are both flavorful and rich in nutrients, and they can be filling without feeling too “heavy”. From quesadillas to quiche, there are plenty of off-the-wall breakfast ideas you can try for your family.
Kids who regularly eat breakfast are, on average, more attentive and focused in class and bring home better grades than those who don’t. Even if you are guilty of missing a breakfast or two yourself, don’t pass it off as something “everyone does”. Make sure you and your family start each day with a satisfying, healthy meal and take the time to enjoy it. It will pay off in the end! Have a great start to the new school year, and don’t blow off breakfast!