Ten Tips For Ensuring a Safe, Healthy and Successful School Year

It is hard to believe that summer is more than half over and it is almost time to start preparing for the next school year. Airwear and my fellow TwitterMom, Beth Aldrich, are sponsoring an essay contest for consumers, encouraging parents and care-givers to share how they plan to help their kids live a healthy, safe and successful school year. Families can submit their thoughts by visiting LighterSaferGreener.com. One grand prize winner will be awarded $1,000, while 10 first prize winners will receive vouchers for Airwear lenses valued up to $400.

Here are my top ten tips to ensuring a safe, healthy and successful school year:

1. Make sure your child's school has all your contact information and your child's medical information. Double check to verify that it is up to date.

2. Take the time to get to know your child's teacher or teachers. They will be more open with you if they feel comfortable with you and know that you are invested in your child's education.

3. Talk to you child about bullies. Remind them that they should treat other kids how they want to be treated. Also make a plan with them for what to do if another child is bullying them.

4. If you child takes the school bus make sure that they get on and off the bus safely.

5. Start your child's school sleep schedule at least a week before school begins. They may be used to sleeping in during the summer but they will need to be well rested when school rolls around

6. Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast for a good start to the day. Eating a balanced, nutritional lunch is helpful as well.

7. Get to know your child's friends and their friend's parents. Communicate with them to make sure you are aware where your child is and what they are doing with their friends.

8. Talk to you child everyday about what happened at school that day. Try to ask open ended questions so they can't just answer yes/no or good/bad etc.

9. Help your child with their homework and check with the teacher on a regular basis to make sure your child is turning in all their homework.

10. Give you child age appropriate limits on television and video games. Use them as rewards for school achievement.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Airwear blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, visit http://airwear.twittermoms.com/about