Healthy Habits Article Archive

• Germs: Why Do We Do That?Most of us know some basic facts about germs, but it can be a challenge explaining the whys to kids. Here’s our guide to answering questions about germs.
• A Better Lunch BoxA great lunch for kids is satisfying, tasty, and healthy. Here are some ideas for creating healthier versions of lunches kids already love.
• A Stress-Free Morning RoutineA missed school bus. Forgotten homework. Arguments over outfits. Does all this sound unbearably familiar? Don’t worry, you’re not alone; almost all parents have experienced some frustration about their child’s morning routine. The good news is that a little patience and planning can go a long way toward better school mornings for everyone.
• After-School Options for Fun and LearningMany communities offer interesting and cost-effective alternatives for filling a child's after-school hours with opportunities for fun and learning. Have you checked out what your community has to offer? You might be surprised.
• Fun Alternatives to Screen Time for Kids and FamiliesKids need at least an hour of physical activity every day, but it is often difficult to tear them away from their electronic devices. One way to get them moving is to play games that are so much fun, kids won’t mind pausing a video game or taking a break from texting.
• Help Your Kids Stay Happy and Healthy at SchoolIf you have children in school, you know how easily they seem to get sick. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can help minimize sickness with some reminders about ways your child can stay healthy at school.
• 6 Childhood Illnesses That Are Icky, Gross, and Disgusting (but Harmless)They’re unpleasant but exceedingly common. We’re talking about head lice, ringworm, and other “icky” childhood illnesses that are more repugnant than harmful. Here’s how to handle them...and the “yuck” factor.
• Concussions in Youth Sports: When in Doubt, Sit It OutThe incidence of concussion among student athletes is on the rise, as is knowledge about trauma the brain sustains during and after a concussion. Many states have passed legislation requiring school concussion management plans, but awareness of concussion symptoms begins with parents—and student athletes themselves.
• 6 Tips To Help Kids Develop a Positive Body ImageChildren develop a body image of themselves, positive or negative, as early as age 8. Here’s what parents should know about how that “snapshot” is formed, and six tips from child experts on how to improve your child’s self-image.
• 3 Keys to School SuccessGet your children charged up and ready to learn with these tips.
• Keep Kids Healthy and in SchoolToo many sick days? Teach your kids these 6 ways to fight germs, and be sure to follow 6 additional keep-healthy tips yourself.
• Help Your Child Reduce Test StressIt’s normal for kids to worry about tests, but worrying too much can be bad for kids and their grades. Here’s how to tell if your child has text anxiety and what you can do about it.
• Managing Stress in Middle SchoolMiddle school kids often worry about interactions with peers and their school performance.
• Help Kids Learn To Manage StressBeing a kid can be stressful. Parents can help by teaching them how to cope with anxiety.
• Backpack Safety: Help Balance the LoadHelp prevent backpack-related injuries by teaching students how to safely carry their books home from school.
• Does My Child Need Antibiotics?Taking antibiotics for the wrong reasons can have a negative effect long-term. Find out when antibiotics will help your child get well and when they won't.
• Swine Flu and SchoolHealth officials have changed their initial recommendations of how parents and schools should respond to the H1N1 virus. Here's what you should know.
• Food Allergies and School-age KidsGood communication and education are key for children with food allergies, their parents, school administrators, and other school employees.
• After-School EnergizersFun ideas for healthy snacks kids will actually eat.
• Teach Your Child About Online SafetyThese days, kids seem to know more about computers than adults do.
• Minimize Family Stress at the End of the School YearNear the end of school, kids experience more stress.
• Encourage Good Nutrition, Exercise For School SuccessDiets often change as children approach the teen years.
• Let Your Child’s Schedule Include Time To DaydreamMany kids today are overscheduled.
• Decreasing TV Time Can Increase Attention SpanIf you want your child to be able to pay attention for longer and longer periods (a necessary skill for school), it’s a good idea to sharply limit TV time.
• Top 5 Causes of Missed SchoolThe top five infectious illnesses that keep kids home from school and child care.
• Internet Safety Tips for ParentsKids need to use the Internet; these tips will help you keep them safe.
• Food Safety Tips for Packed LunchesEven though today’s lunch boxes do more to keep food safe, it still pays to be cautious when packing lunches. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides these safe food-handling tips.
• 5 Sack Lunches Kids LoveDistract finicky eaters by putting together a meal that’s so much fun to eat, they won’t be thinking about whether it’s on their short list of “likes.”
• Eating, Sleeping, and LearningEstablishing healthy habits now can ease the transition to a new school year.

Nutrition & Diet

• Delicious, Colorful, and Healthy School Lunch Box IdeasThese fresh ideas for school lunch meet all the criteria for success: ease of preparation, nutrition, colorful presentation, and involvement from your child.
• 7 Tips for Easy and Painless Meal PlanningSpending a few minutes planning meals for a week eliminates last-minute “What’s for dinner tonight?” woes.
• School Lunch Menu IdeasYes, you can find a sack lunch that your kids will like and that’s healthy, too—even if they don’t know it!
• Fun Lunch IdeasComing up with fresh ideas for your child’s lunch box can be challenging. These simple dishes are nutritious, but still fun enough that kids will give them a try.
• Schools Push for Healthier SnacksBirthday treats and bake sales are out at many schools. Baked chips and fresh fruit are in.
• School Cafeteria MakeoversKids need a nutritious lunch to stay focused in school. Here’s what some school cafeterias are doing to offer healthier foods to students.
• Breakfast Ideas for School SuccessA healthy breakfast lets kids do their best in school. Try these ideas to help children get the nutrition they need in the morning.
• Food Allergies and School-age KidsGood communication and education are key for children with food allergies, their parents, school administrators, and other school employees.
• Provide Nutritious Snacks for After-School Study SessionsChances are, the refrigerator is your middle schooler’s first stop upon walking through the door after school.
• Eating Breakfast Improves Behavior, Problem-SolvingThe older children get, the harder it is to get them to eat breakfast.

View all 'Nutrition & Diet' articles.

Health & Fitness

• Fun Alternatives to Screen Time for Kids and FamiliesKids need at least an hour of physical activity every day, but it is often difficult to tear them away from their electronic devices. One way to get them moving is to play games that are so much fun, kids won’t mind pausing a video game or taking a break from texting.
• 6 Childhood Illnesses That Are Icky, Gross, and Disgusting (but Harmless)They’re unpleasant but exceedingly common. We’re talking about head lice, ringworm, and other “icky” childhood illnesses that are more repugnant than harmful. Here’s how to handle them...and the “yuck” factor.
• 10 Easy Ways Families Can Exercise TogetherTelling kids to “go out and play” doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily get the exercise they need. Pursuing fitness and an active lifestyle as a family, however, shows your child how much you value exercise and fitness, as well as learning new things.
• 9 Ways To Help Your Child Manage PE AnxietyPhysical education classes at school can strike fear and anxiety in the hearts of many children. If yours is one, these tips will help your child address her anxieties and learn to manage anxious situations.
• Help Your Child Deal With GriefAs a parent, helping your grieving child is difficult and complicated. Our experts offer answers about talking with his teacher, helping him inform his peers, and using activities to draw out his feelings.
• Screen Time: Finding the Right Balance for Your ChildOur experts offer wise guidance about how much time kids should be spending on the computer, in front of the TV, or playing video games.
• Outdoor Winter Activities To Enjoy With Your KidsIt may be snowy and chilly in most parts of the country during wintertime, but that’s no reason for you and your child to remain indoors.
• Playground Safety: Tips for ParentsSupervision, quality equipment, and common sense mean fun—and safety—for all.
• Make School Sick Days Less StressfulUnexpected sick days can throw the whole family for a loop. These tips can help things go more smoothly when your child is too ill to go to school.
• Handling Head LiceHead lice happens. Here’s what you should know if your child or others at school become infested.

View all 'Health & Fitness' articles.

Sleep

• Today’s Multitasking TeensToday’s teens spend seven-plus hours a day involved with some type of technology or media—including time when they’re studying or doing homework. A researcher specializing in teens and media offers tips for parents to help kids disconnect and focus.
• Adolescent Sleep and the Effect of Sleep DeprivationIs your teen slow to rise each morning and perpetually exhausted? It turns out there are biological reasons why. Follow these tips from national sleep study experts to help your child get the necessary rest.
• 3 Keys to School SuccessGet your children charged up and ready to learn with these tips.
• Middle Schoolers Need More Sleep To Do Better in SchoolThe older kids get, the later parents let them stay up.
• Adolescents Need More, Not Less, Sleep During Teen YearsTeens need at least nine hours of sleep each night. Ideally, they should sleep from about 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.
• Encourage Your Teen to Get Nine Hours of Sleep a NightDid you know your teen may actually need more sleep now than she did a year or two ago?
• Help Your Teenager Get Sleep Needed For School SuccessTeens who are tired can’t do their best in school. And research shows that many teens are tired every day.
• Make Sure Your Teen Is Getting Enough SleepThe last thing your teen probably wants right now is a regular bedtime. But it may be the best thing for him.
• Sleep, Nutritious Food Are Essential for Teens in MayA big test tomorrow. A prom on the weekend. A major project due Tuesday. That’s a typical schedule for an overloaded teen during the frantic month of May.
• Healthy Sleep for KidsTips to improve your child's sleep habits.

View all 'Sleep' articles.

Setting Limits

• Screen Time: Finding the Right Balance for Your ChildOur experts offer wise guidance about how much time kids should be spending on the computer, in front of the TV, or playing video games.
• Today’s Multitasking TeensToday’s teens spend seven-plus hours a day involved with some type of technology or media—including time when they’re studying or doing homework. A researcher specializing in teens and media offers tips for parents to help kids disconnect and focus.
• Counteract Negative Effects Of Television With These TipsParents can’t control what shows are aired on television.
• Is Your Child Under Too Much Pressure?A little pressure can be a good thing.
• Try ‘Waging War’ Against The TelevisionGetting kids to read more usually means getting them to turn off the TV.
• Help Your Child Make Good Choices About Watching TVThere’s no question that television influences children—sometimes for the better and sometimes the worse.
• Help Your Child Plan a Healthy Television "Diet"The American Academy of Pediatrics says the average child watches three hours of TV a day, and that’s too much.
• Perfectionism Hurts Children's Ability To LearnWe all want children to live up to their potential. But that doesn’t mean they have to be the best at everything.
• Make Rules About Screen Time: 5 StepsDoes your child have a TV in his bedroom? How much time does he spend online?
• Turn Off the TV To Help Your Child FocusU.S. children watch about four hours of television a day.

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Cold and Flu

• Help Your Kids Stay Happy and Healthy at SchoolIf you have children in school, you know how easily they seem to get sick. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can help minimize sickness with some reminders about ways your child can stay healthy at school.
• Make School Sick Days Less StressfulUnexpected sick days can throw the whole family for a loop. These tips can help things go more smoothly when your child is too ill to go to school.
• Swine Flu and SchoolHealth officials have changed their initial recommendations of how parents and schools should respond to the H1N1 virus. Here's what you should know.
• Schools Recovering From Swine FluThe spread of the H1N1 flu led hundreds of U.S. schools to close their doors. Parents and students might need to make up that lost time classroom time.
• Glossary of Flu TermsThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides definitions of swine flu and other common flu-related terms.
• Sensible Swine Flu PrecautionsA few simple steps can reduce your family’s chances of contracting H1N1 flu or other types of flu illness. Here’s what you should know about avoiding the flu and treating it if a family member becomes sick.
• Flu Prevention TipsA few commonsense practices can help keep your child (and others) healthy.
• Is it a Cold or the Flu?Although flu and cold share some of the same symptoms, if you know what to look for it's easy to tell them apart.

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