With this being our first official “Back-to-School” season, keeping the little ones healthy and ready to rock is important. While my four-year-old will begin Pre-K this year, I’m not so much worried as I am concerned about the other kids she’ll come into contact with – a motley crew (or Crüe?) bringing who-knows-what kind of germs into the school, and thus onto her, who will bring them back to Rock Father HQ and my 14-month-old. We’ve been very fortunate to have some really healthy kids, and in the roughly 49-months (that’s 4 years, one month) since I became “The Rock Father,” our oldest daughter has only been truly “sick” a couple of times… and we’re not talking serious ailments of any kind. So how do we keep our little ones healthy? Is it common sense? Is it luck? Is it dark magic? I’m not entirely sure, but here’s three simple tips on raising healthy kids during Back-to-School season, based on my non-scientific experience as a parent…
1. Start the Day Off Right: Breakfast with a Glass of Milk plus DHA Omega-3:
Fact: I have not personally had a glass of milk since 1989. Long story, but 100% true. Also, Fact: My children will enjoy milk with breakfast and dinner each and every day. There’s some debate on the benefits of DHA Omega-3, but the fact is, we have been giving the girls Horizon Organic Milk plus DHA Omega-3 since day one. DHA Omega-3 may support the brain, heart, and eyes… and I believe that it does. In addition to being healthy, Addie sometimes acts as if she’s too smart for her own good. Now, to teach her to use that brainpower for Good instead of Evil… THAT is the true challenge! ANTHRAX has a song called “Milk.”
2. Sunscreen… because Summer isn’t over yet:
“Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen),” or so goes the famous song by Baz Luhrmann, which was, in fact, based on a column in The Chicago Tribune by Mary Schmich. The advice that bookended the piece is the advice that I give to you today: wear sunscreen, or, more specifically, make your children wear sunscreen. Summer isn’t over, and as it was 100 degrees here today, I can only expect that when Addie walks into school next week, it will also be hot. Regardless of overall “heat,” the Sun will still be dishing out harmful rays until the End of Days… and we must protect the delicate skin of our children.
3. Hand Sanitizer: A True Friend to All:
I’m fully aware that we shouldn’t raise our children to be germaphobes, and that too much of a good thing can backfire. But when it comes to antibacterial hand sanitizer, there’s always a “PocketBacs from Bath & Body Works strapped to my diaper bag (which is Camo, btw). Kids touch weird stuff. Weird germs live on weird stuff. Don’t let weird germs live on you. Go listen to the punk rock band, the GERMS, though. Not familiar? Pat Smear of the FOO FIGHTERS is in that band. Seriously, though – Antibacterial hand sanitizer gets used before and after class, and anywhere else that seems questionable.
The folks at iVillage have a ton of great tips about keeping kids healthy, but I’d like to hear some reader feedback on this one. Share your tips in the widget below!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of iVillage . The opinions and text are all mine.
