Encourage your kids to keep healthy habits this school year

LOS ANGELES TIMES   

JULY 22, 2021

(BPT) - It may be mid-summer, but back-to-school season is just around the corner. While the world is slowly returning to normal, it can be a hectic time for you and your kids. You want your kids to have everything they need to do well in school. At the same time, balancing their educational needs with your responsibilities can be challenging.

One of the biggest challenges is ensuring your kids maintain a healthy lifestyle. A CDC study shows that when kids have healthy habits, they tend to have high academic achievement and display better classroom behavior.

When you encourage the proper habits, you can help your kids reach their full potential. To do so, make sure they:

 1) Get quality and consistent sleep

 

Rest is vital for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. According to Abington Health, young elementary school kids should get at least 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, which can feel impossible on a hectic schedule. However, there are a few easy ways you can help ease them into bedtime, like:

• Cutting out electronics one hour before bed

• Creating a bedtime routine

• Keeping their room at a cool temperature 

2) Eat a healthy breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and for a good reason. Breakfast not only helps your child break their overnight fasting period; it also boosts their energy. That energy can help keep them full and focused throughout the day. A solid breakfast with a mix of whole grains, fruit and protein can give them the energy they need to do well in school.

At the same time, getting your child to eat a healthy breakfast can feel like pulling teeth, especially when you're trying to get yourself ready in the morning. However, there are both convenient and nutrient-packed options your child can enjoy. Shine Bakehouse’s pancake and muffin mixes are packed with plant-based proteins, allowing you to give your child a nutritional boost without the extensive meal prep. For the pancakes, all you need to do is add water to the mix, stir, pour, cook and serve. The muffins offer simple recipe prep as well. Check out shinebakehouse.com to find more mixes your kids will love.

"Most healthy foods require extensive prep, but with an easy-to-make mix, you can achieve a great balance that you can feel good about,” says Randy Newbold, CEO of Custom Bakehouse, which makes the Shine Bakehouse Brand. “Even better? Shine Bakehouse Baking Mixes strike a balance of using plant-based protein and identifiable ingredients without sacrificing taste. Kids can have a breakfast or snack they can fully enjoy!"

3) Drink plenty of water

Keeping kids hydrated can significantly impact their health, especially if they're involved in sports or active when the weather is hot. The amount of water your child should drink depends on how old they are. According to a BBC Good Food report, children between ages 4 and 8 should drink approximately 5 glasses of water per day. If your child is between 9 and 13, they should drink around 6 cups a day for girls, and boys should drink approximately 7 cups a day.

Kids might find drinking that many cups of plain water a day boring, but there are plenty of simple ways to make it fun, like putting fruit in their water, or getting them naturally flavored sparkling water. 

4) Have nourishing snacks when working on assignments

Your child probably has homework and projects to work on after school. Having a snack that keeps them full and focused can help them tackle those projects with ease. Nutritional snacks can provide a natural source of energy, which is necessary for students of all ages. Shine Bakehouse has cookie, brownie, muffin and no-bake bar mixes to help you make delicious, better-for-you snacks.

As the days get shorter, it's important to have nutritious snacks that are easy to make so you can care for your kids on your timeline.