As a mother of two children when I say I can relate to the stress going back to school has caused families, I really mean it. I have been stressing about back to school for many weeks maybe not for the same reasons as everyone else but the stress is still there. We all want to do what is best for our kids and we are all striving to get them back to some normalcy in a healthy way, without sacrificing wellness, academics, and other activities which round them out as individuals. The goal is to raise responsible, healthy, caring adults who will be the next generation to take care of this world. That goal is actually a VERY tall order since we also have to take care of our own health, possibly the health of aging parents, work, home and countless other responsibilities. I don’t have to tell you, its quite a balancing act to get it all done well. My truth is that I don’t get it all done well. With regard to kids going back to school I wanted to find a way to do this well and remove stress from both myself and my children. I have seen so many kids and adults in the clinic during the last few months whose bodies are showing signs of stress, and anger. We are all feeling it but there are ways to help yourself and your family.

For some of you the main concern is ensuring that your kids don’t get sick. The best way to help them is to boost their immune systems. It is a good idea to start this now before school starts so that they are prepared for all the germs that they may encounter. Remember that the goal is not to keep them completely away from all germs. They need to interact with different germs in order to build up the microbiome in their little bodies and create their own antibodies for various infections. The goal is that WHEN they encounter these germs their immune systems are strong. You don’t have to give your kids 20 supplements a day to build up their immune system. All of the antioxidants you need are in the fruits and vegetables section of your grocery. The key Vitamins you want to be sure there are getting plenty of are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin A and Zinc.

Great sources of natural Vitamin C would be Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower Green and red peppers Spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, and other leafy greens, Sweet and white potatoes Tomatoes and tomato juice, and Winter squash. Vitamin D is a bit trickier as there are not as many kid friendly options but some great vegetarian sources of natural Vitamin D are cremini, portabella, white button mushrooms, almond milk and coconut milk. Daily sunlight exposure in the morning 10-20 minutes also provide a great and healthy source of vitamin D. For Vitamin A natural sources would be carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe, apricots, spinach, kale, and collard greens. As you can see some veggies and fruits give you both vitamin C and vitamin A in natural sources.
Zinc can be found in shiitake mushrooms, green peas, spinach, lima beans, lentil sprouts, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, okra, and sweet corn.

I also am keenly aware that kids don’t always cooperate and vitamin might be the way to go. I am not a rep or affiliate for Juice Plus but I do like the product of their vitamins for their well-documented health benefits. If you going the supplement route then choose vitamins that are in capsules which you can easily hide in smoothies instead of the gummies. Aside from being a dentist’s worst nightmare many gummies are created using other chemicals that are not beneficial for your children to be exposed to.

One of the other concerns that many parents are concerned about are the psychological ones. Thoughts, Trauma and Toxins are the cause of disease and sickness but some think that there is nothing you can do about your thoughts. The first step is always acceptance. If you are scared that your kids are going back to school and if your kids are scared too it’s always best to acknowledge it out loud. This gets the thoughts out of your body and out in the open. In this case I would talk to my partner and express my concerns between each other. Then I would ask the kids how they are feeling about going back to school. If they are apprehensive that would be a great time to talk about all of the healthy ways you are going to work together to keep them safe. This accomplishes the goal of working on the emotional component of release as well as securing buy in from your kids. I want to be clear this should not be used as a scare tactic. For example, “drink this smoothie or you will get COVID -19”, but rather it should be a collaboration with your kids. They are very perceptive and in-tune with you and what is going on in the world and most kids would respond better if parents were to respect the fact that they are not clueless blobs ready to do whatever you say. I say this from experience as that is exactly what my kids have said to me. I find that my kids enjoy when I explain the individual benefits of each fruit or vegetable they like to have those fun facts in their brain. Cherry’s’ are one of the only natural food sources of melatonin which helps you sleep better. Carrots are a particularly good source of beta carotene,which is converted to Vitamin A in the body.  We need vitamin A for healthy skin, our immune system, and good eye health and vision. Spinach is rich in vitamin C which is an antioxidants and helps us from getting sick. I could go on and on but you get the picture. The more simple information you can provide the better. Today’s smoothie will be packed with XYZ which will help you in your day to focus, concentrate, and stay healthy. Remember the goal is not to get sick at all. The goal is to have a strong immune system so that when the body encounters these germs the body will be able to fight it off and create antibodies making the child even stronger and less suspectable to future germs they may encounter.

Let’s talk about masks. Now I am not going to fall in the trap of taking sides on this issue. Everyone has their own personal reasons for wearing masks or refusing to wear them and I fully respect both perspectives. Breath is the source of life and is so important for all of your body functions. In the current climate masking that breath is what our kids will need to confront each day in their schools unless of course you are choosing to home school. In the car drop off line you have an opportunity to practice a breathing and relaxation technique. Before your kids put on theirs masks and exit the car ask your kids to take 3 huge breaths hold at the top for a second and then let the breath out slowly. While they do it ask them to drop their shoulders, relax their faces, and drop their tongue away from the roof of their mouth. While they are still breathing and relaxing their bodies you can recite a mantra that is meaningful to your family dynamic. Taking these few seconds prepares them both body and mind for their day. After drop off when you are back at your desk or home do the same for yourself. Getting everyone up, dressed, and out the door is not easy and some relaxing breaths are certainly called for.

We cannot protect our kids from everything but we can take steps to help them get through these weird times safely in a collaborative way.