School is back in session! Increased interaction with other kids means a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. We’ve gathered some ways to help your kiddo stay healthy this school year, read on to see things from hand sanitizer recommendations to school lunch tips!
You know what they say; out of sight, out of mind. Having a small bottle of hand sanitizer on hand will allow kids to remember to use it when they see it, especially if they have a fun holder that can be hooked onto their backpacks! Remember to make sure it is a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol, which is recommended by the CDC to kill germs quickly.
If your kiddo is having symptoms that may point to COVID-19, make sure to test them before going to school. Use a rapid test with high accuracy (we’re partial to ours 😄) to quickly test before a school day if they’re exhibiting symptoms the morning of. With On/Go One, you’ll have results in just 15 minutes, the perfect time for a breakfast/testing break. We know the testing process can be intimidating, so we’ve done our best to make it as easy and fun as possible. We wrote a blog about how to make the COVID-19 testing process easier for kids!
Not only are masks a great way to help slow the spread of COVID-19, but they also allow an outlet for your child to express themself. If your child is hesitant, you can make it fun by ordering their masks together! Help them choose a mask with their favorite Disney, Pokémon, cartoon character, or one in their favorite color. Their involvement will help them feel more confident about wearing one during class time or school bus commute.
When you order your child’s masks, it's a good idea to put a couple extra in the cart. Children can sometimes forget their masks in a playground tag session or in the lunch room. Making sure your kiddo is prepared just in case allows them to confidently take on the school day.
A healthy lunch will keep your child focused and calm during the day, and should include all their nutritional needs depending on their age. Make sure it isn’t full of added sugar, simple carbs, and food that will digest quickly and leave your child hungry not long after they’ve eaten. A key factor in fullness is protein, which can be found in ingredients such as chicken, kale, cheese, or beans.
Unfortunately, food insecurity in children is on the rise. You may not have thought about how the pandemic has impacted your child’s classmates at school. “Food insecurity in households with children rose in 2020 after a decade-long decline,” according to the USDA Economic Research Service. “Households with children, however, experienced statistically significant increases in food insecurity during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, even as overall food insecurity stayed the same. In 2020, 85.2 percent of households with children were food secure, while 14.8 percent were food-insecure, up from 13.6 percent in 2019.”
Because of this, we encourage donating to a local food pantry, or starting one at your child’s school!
With school extracurriculars, make sure your child is prepared to be in close contact with others. Explain to them that they should keep a distance, regularly wash their hands, and use their masks when needed. Going over these basic health safety tips will help you and your child understand how to stay as healthy as possible and remain resilient as the pandemic evolves.
Vaccinations are proven to lessen the severity of COVID-19 and other diseases. Making sure your kids are up to date on their vaccinations will allow you to add a layer of confidence that your children are as protected as they can be against diseases. The FDA has approved COVID-19 vaccines for children ages six months to five years.
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