Back to school: 10 healthy habits to be better

When the month of September ends school holidays and many families live a new challenge: their children return to school. For other families, on the other hand, it is the first school for the youngest children. In any case, it is appropriate to adopt a series of healthy habits that give us the necessary energy, both for children and parents, to successfully face this new stage that requires effort on the part of the whole family.

Within this framework, the Spanish Society of Outpatient Pediatrics and Primary Care (SEPEAP) and the Spanish Association of Pediatrics of Primary Care (AEPap) recommend making responsible use of extracurricular activities, in order to facilitate the child's adaptation to this new stage


Dr. Antonio Redondo Romero, pediatrician of the AEP, recalls that "there are many parents who, very busy with their work and their own obligations, are desiring - somewhat desperate - to start the school year again, because the Summer has been * a bit long, in the same way, many students wish to reconcile with their classmates. "

Back to school: 10 healthy habits to be better

All this means that, once again, the parents "have to act as such and begin to put the" new "norms and leave aside some of the habits lived during the summer," explains the doctor. . You have to prepare your children for a return to their routine.


1. Implement schedules. It is very positive, for children and parents, to reinstate habits and schedules in order to give order and meaning to their life. The schedules are one of the fundamental aspects for a good adaptation of the child to school, to the school schedule, being convenient that they start up a few days before the arrival of the first day of their schooling and, if possible, by mutual agreement.

The hour of the awakening of each morning is one of the moments that causes more conflicts; "This must be established progressively", so that the body becomes accustomed to the new awakening two or three days before the start. Closely related to awakening, is the time when they have to go to bed; It may be useful to "tell the children to go to bed, or to put them to bed, every day a little early so that they get up in the morning with the necessary time to clean themselves, have breakfast, and go to school." Other times that have to be recovered are those related to meals and the possible excess of television, use or abuse of video games, Internet * "Once the course has begun, it is convenient to agree -and in the teenagers to negotiate- the study schedules and rest at home.It is necessary to create a quiet study environment, with silence, respecting the need of each one, "says Dr. Redondo.


2. The routine changes. The holidays have allowed the children to be more relaxed, without hurry to go to bed, without having to get up early, being able to forget about studies, duties and other obligations. Now, with the return to school, we must ask and collaborate in the adaptation effort to assume the changes and be able to return to the previous routine, that is, to the activities (less playful and more serious) imposed by the school year .

3. Positive vision. The changes also extend to the contact with new teachers, the knowledge of new classmates, the new subjects and, sometimes, even a new school. According to the pediatrician, "it will always be easier for children if they have the support of the parents-educators binomial and they convey a positive impression of what it means to return to school."

4. The readjustment. In the same way that the famous post-holiday syndrome is raised in adults when they return to their jobs, children can get nervous and anxious when they have to go back to school, let alone the first schooling. Older children, ie "veterans", and those who are willing to go back and see their friends, do not usually give any problem.

In one or two weeks most of the students tend to adapt to school normality, starting from the assumption that both the school and family environment are adequate. There are some students who are going to take something else; "With these you have to have patience and tranquility, without demanding much and offer them a bit more time to recover the rhythm, since each child has their time measure, always avoid happy comparisons," says Dr. Redondo.

5. Extracurricular activities. During the first weeks it is usually organized the programming of the extracurricular activities that the children are going to do this course. It is always recommended that you think about the child and with your head; You have to make responsible use of this extra effort (languages, sports, computers, ...) and think that they need time to rest and play, not overloading them with obligations. "Parents should not consider the development of these activities as a race against the clock."

6Reviews about the state of health. The pediatricians consider that it is always necessary to maintain a good state of health and doing it during the school year becomes doubly necessary to be able to face the demands of the school. For this, it is necessary to go to the specialists for ophthalmological and dental examinations, mainly.

7. A complete and varied diet. You have to eat everything. The day should start with a full breakfast. It is worth noting the studies that relate the lack of school performance in those students who do not eat breakfast or do it insufficiently. It is a habit that should never be lost and, if this habit has been relaxed, it is a good time to retake it positively. They should not miss meals, nor eat more than the bill. Here excesses are also paid.

8. Daily physical activity. It can include the practice of a sport that will help to be in shape, both at the level of body and mind.

9. Exercise good family control of activities related to new technologies (television, computer, Internet, mobile phone, ...). Remember that children should not have a television or a computer in their room. They are very useful resources for leisure or work, but should be shared with the family; in this way, the possible isolation of the child can be avoided and control can be exercised over the possible inappropriate use of these great technological advances.

10. Review the childhood immunization schedule. The vaccines will protect students from the risk of aggression from different germs. Hence the importance of children being well vaccinated, following the instructions of their pediatrician.

Marisol Nuevo Espín
Advice:Dr. Antonio Redondo Romero, pediatrician of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, AEP.

Video: 2019 5AM Optimal Morning Routine | NEW YEAR NEW ME | Productive & Healthy


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