Be healthy and active ....glide into winter fun! Enjoy opportunities for winter physical activity with your children and family. Try out ice skating, sledding, skiing and family winter hiking at local parks. |
Nurse at 104 W. Dorothy Lane, Kettering, OH 45429 US - Home
2011 St. Albert the Great School Wellness Survey for Parents. Thank you to all parents that participated. Your input is valued!
Ten Tips for a Healthy and Happy School Year
Summer is quickly coming to an end and with schools starting back in session during the next few weeks the National Association of School Nurses has developed “Ten Tips for a Healthy and Happy School Year.”
Count Down to Good Health: As parents, you can help your child improve their health and ultimately learn habits that will last a lifetime. It is never too late to make changes that improve your child’s health. Using the Countdown to Good Health ~ 5-2-1-0 Program is an easy way to instill healthy habits. 5-2-1-0 stands for:
· Children should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
· Spend no more than 2 hours in front of the TV, computer or video game screen each day.
· Get at least 1 hour of aerobic activity every day to keep their heart strong.
· Make it a rule – 0 sugary drinks!
Research has shown that healthy students are better learners and perform better academically. Setting a good example at home with the 5-2-1-0 program is an easy way to help your student at school every day. Additionally, the 5-2-1-0 program will sets up habits in childhood that will help reduce the risk of the three leading adult diseases – heart disease, cancer and stroke.
Sleep Needs of School Aged Children
There is more and more research showing that insufficient sleep affects cognitive ability, and emotional and physical well-being. These studies show that school performance may drop because of student sleepiness. Below are recommendations from WEBMD regarding the amount of sleep needed by children so they are performing at their academic potential.
3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day
Children at this age typically go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up around 6 and 8 a.m., just as they did when they were younger. At 3, most children are still napping while at 5, most are not. Naps gradually become shorter as well. New sleep problems do not usually develop after 3 years of age.
7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours per day
At these ages, with social, school, and family activities, bedtimes gradually become later and later, with most 12-years-olds going to bed at about 9 p.m. There is still a wide range of bedtimes, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., as well as total sleep times, from 9 to 12 hours, although the average is only about 9 hours.
12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours per day
Sleep needs remain just as vital to health and well-being for teenagers as when they were younger. It turns out that many teenagers actually may need more sleep than in previous years. Now, however, social pressures conspire against getting the proper amount and quality of sleep.
Please call Joan Hlinomaz, School Nurse, in the Health Office at ext. 243 if you have questions about any of the above issues. Thank You!