Today’s school backpacks are an amazing amalgam of fashion and function – with sometimes a dash of technology as many seem to come either prewired for ear phones or with a special place for them.

As our kids move through elementary school and beyond, the look of this bag becomes as important as what is inside – and perhaps even more so. Today’s backpacks remind me of Hermione Granger’s purse – they all seem to hold an endless array of stuff. The thing is that pile of necessary stuff packs on the pounds setting the state for a lifetime of back woes…unless we change the equation starting today!

Backpack’s are one of the leading causes of injury to children with more than 7000 children injured last year due to overloaded backpacks according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Back experts recommend that backpacks weigh no more than 10-15% of a child’s weight but many kids carry at least 20% of their weight. The type of injuries caused by backpacks are more varied than you may realize. The most typical injuries are shoulder and back strain from improper backpack use and overloading. Shoulders and backs are not the only part of the body at risk from backpacks, however. Many children each year actually injure their feet, toes and legs from tripping over heavy backpacks put on the ground to give their owner’s backs a break. Head trauma and lacerations have also been reported from children using their backpacks as impromptu balls. Backpacks indeed put the entire body at risk.

Helping our children not only choose a proper backpack but wear it correctly will dramatically reduce a child’s chance of injury. Leading orthopedic experts agree that most back and shoulder pain in children is avoidable by simply wearing the backpacks correctly and resisting the temptation to sling the back from one shoulder. Additionally, the straps should hold the bag close to the body fairly snugly. Spreading the contents throughout all the compartments will help distribute the weight more evenly in the bag but in the end it’s the overall weight that matters.

Just like with clothes, backpacks are actually sized. Just like we would never have our children wear adult sized shoes, we need to be careful they are not hauling adult size backpacks. In addition to the weight of the actual pack, a fully loaded backpack may end up weighing more than your child!

True outdoor stores such as LL Bean and Eastern Mountain Sports, as well as popular retain stores, have backpack lines designed just for children and teens but similar lines. So, before you pull out your wallet and head for the cash register, check the tag of the backpack to make sure it’s designed for your child’s age.

What features of a backpack should you look for beyond the age specifications on the tag?

• wide shoulder straps with one for each shoulder so the bag’s weight can distribute evenly over the child’s back and not place too much strain on any one shoulder joint.
• Padded backs and waist straps to help distribute the load in the bag more evenly.
• Wheels: while many kids refuse wheeled backpacks these are the best way to avoid strain on the back. However, these are only a good option if your child’s school is on one floor.

Keep in mind that part of the issue is the amount of material our kids need to trek to and from home each day as well as to each class. The school day doesn’t seen to allow kids to return to their lockers easily so many end up lugging a heavily load all day long…and on one shoulder!

Keep in mind that while most backpack injuries are weight and use related, some are due to tripping over packs put on the ground. A few kids a year do break toes and sprain ankles and wrists from tripping over heavy backpacks put on the ground to give their wearer a much needed break. The solution for this is for kids to not only pay more attention to where they are walking but for kids to pay more attention to where they leave their backpacks…at least until we collectively fix the weight problem.

So, as you embark on back-to-school shopping, add backpack fitting to the list and have kids try a few on for size and comfort. In the end, your child will find a backpack that provides the fashion statement they desire with the safety and fit features you know they need.

(Originally published 2008; updated 8/22/2011)

Looking for some homework helpers for the new school year? Here’s a list in progress of sites that have helped my kids over the years.

Ask For Kids

Great search engine for kids of all ages.

Ben’s Guide To US Government For Kids

Huge assortment of topics and web sites for fun and learning.

Fact Monster from Information Please

True fun with learning for teens and tweens.

FirstGov for Kids

Government Sponsored Web sites on oodles of topics. You name it, you’ll find it here.

High School Ace

Homework helper for High School students.

Homework Spot

Great site for older elementary school and middle school students.

KidSpace

Online Library for Elementary School and Middle School students from The Internet Public Library.

Teenspace

Online Library for Teens from Internet Public Library.

Kid Info

Has sections for younger elementary school kids and older kids on every topic their school covers.

National Geographic for Kids

Everything adults love about National Geographic done kid-style! Covers many nature and social studies topics.

Reading Rainbow

Targets ages 4-8. Has games, family activities and ideas to help your young child learn to love reading.

Refdesk.com

Online reference desk for kids of all ages.

Time For Kids

Great for older elementary school and  middle school students. Covers world news appropriate for kids in a way they can understand.

Yahooligans – web guide for kids

There is one rite of passage that all families have to endure before school can begin…back to school shopping.

It’s an experience met with many mixed emotions. There is undeniably some trepidation about what the new school year will be like and how we’ll all get through it. At the same time, a new school year creates a buzz of positive excitement, too, with hopes for new dreams and new possibilities.

This year, the stores were packed as we made our way through my girls’ lists. I typically push the cart while my girls, now in grades 9 and 11, consult each other and gather their supplies. Every once in a while I’ll be presented with a question or a couple items to help them decide between. But, for the most part, I’m the cart pusher. This is their school year so I leave it to them to pick what they want for the hard work they’ll be doing.  I was clearly in the minority this year with this approach.

While a few other parents were hanging with me in the center waiting for our kids, many more looked like these parents:

1. A mom with her 3 teenage girls was frantically zipping about the store snapping at her girls to keep up a she picked up all sorts of supplies and tossed them in the cart. The few times her girls tried to chime in with ideas, mom’s reply was “will you stop distracting me – I only have a few more items.”

2. Down the next aisle was a family of 4: a mom, dad and two school age kids, a boy and a girl. The mom and dad were in deep conference, actually hovering above the class supply list, with the dad measuring supplies to make sure they fit in the backpack correctly.

3. At the front of the store was a mom lost in thought holding the supply list. As she grabbed a set of pens, her frustrated tweenage boy yelled: “I hate those! At what point do I get to choose what I will be using in my own class??!!” Mom stood there looking stunned.

These parents are as well meaning as the rest of us but with one big difference: they don’t seem to get that the school year is about their kids, not themselves. For these parents, school supplies are an extension of the “I know best” philosophy that permeates so many families today. The thing is, school is about our kids and it’s all too easy to forget that.

So, if you found yourself shopping for your kids and not with them this year, take a step back and give up the reins on the little stuff to your kids. Jump in when the stakes are higher, like when a teacher is being unfair with a grade or a bully is lurking.  That stuff they need you for. Pens and binders…trust that they can do that themselves, with you there as guides if needed.

“Back to schoolitis”…All our kids experience this – it is really a form of stress. Kids handle transitions differently from each other and many do just fine but the start of a new school year is a transition and you should expect the other shoe to drop as expectations and work increase. Each Fall, Pediatricians and school Guidance Counselors see an increase in kids of all ages having vague symptoms including:

• Fatigue
• Sleep issues
• Stomach complaints: aches, constipation, diarrhea
• Nervousness to frank anxiety
• Headaches
• Anger
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Depression

What should you do? First, reassure your child that he or she is doing just fine and feeling the same way as every other kid at school this time of year. If your child is in elementary school, talk to your child’s teacher. Find out how your child seems at school. It is very normal for a child to get through the day at school and “let their hair down” at home showing you their true feelings. If all is fine at school, I would worry less. If your child is in middle school or high school where many teachers are involved, the school guidance office is the place to start. School typically assign a student to a guidance counselor who can talk to your child and see if there is anything going on beyond expected school transition issues.

If your child’s symptoms begin to interfere with home, social or school functioning that’s the time to call your child’s pediatrician to intervene. Medication may help with the physical symptoms. If stress is the issue, counseling may help. If school is causing issues, the school should get involved and help form an action plan based on the root cause.

Education is complicated and issues in school from academic to social do manifest with physical issues at times. So, keep an eye out and let your pediatrician know if you are concerned.

(updated September, 2011)

It seems the fashion industry doesn’t realize we still have a good half the summer to go! Everywhere I go there are reminders that another school year is around the corner. Although we’d all rather block this from our brains, it’s actually not such a bad idea to at least get into a quasi-back to school state of mind. Doing so will help you and your kids considerably once that first day of school does arrive.

Since the last school year ended, we’ve been on a diametrically opposite schedule from what we live when school is in the mix in just about every way:

• Sleep: Sleep tends to be more free in the summer with later bed times, wake up times and no set schedule.
• Nutrition: Fruits and veggies may be more abundant but people also indulge on more ice cream and treats at barbeques they don’t often eat at other times of year.
• Exercise: Many kids are either not in camp, in “indoor” camps or in sports camps that focus on just one sport and not overall fitness, so kids are actually less active in the summer than in the past.
• Activities and Hobbies: Most kids put on hold the activities they pursue rigorously over the school year – music, art, even some sports.
• Reading: Many schools have reading expectations for the summer so most kids do read each summer.
• Technology: For most kids, especially tweens and teens, they’ve had much more use of technology over the summer than in the school year and likely without the oversight that you’d normally have over the school year.

Making small tweaks now in all these areas will help ground our kids and give them the energy they need to stay on top of school and the increased demands they’ll feel.  To nudge your kids back to tip, top school shape, try these ideas out:

• Sleep: You can change your kids’ biological clocks from summer to school  by moving them to an earlier bedtime and having them wake up with an alarm for at least 3-5 days before the first day of school. The more time their bodies have to adjust to the new time, the better they will feel when they have to do it every day – and the easier it will be.
• Nutrition: In addition to needing three meals a day, kids eat healthier when they help make meals. Try that out this month and then continue it in the school year.
• Exercise: Growing kids need daily exercise, even if they play team sports. And, kids who play sports need a break once in a while or they risk overuse injuries. The goal is 30 minutes of moving a day. If you can get that in for your kids, they’ll feel great and their bodies will benefit.
• Activities and Hobbies: The best rule of thumb is to slide into the school year and see what the work load is like before adding too many new activities, especially if activities are already in place from last year. And, to remind your child it isn’t the end of the world to try something new and drop it if they don’t like the activity or it’s too much for their schedule.
• Technology: Whatever your usual technology plan is for the school year, now is the time to regroup on that and revisit expectations that make sense once homework kicks in. I’ll have more on this soon so stay tuned!

If you enjoy today while being realistic about tomorrow, tomorrow can be enjoyed much more, even if it is the first day of school!

Preparing for a new school year is always challenging, and always catches even the most organized of parents off guard. In the blink of an eye, summer is over and we’re in school mode again – just like that!

Before you panic, keep in mind that you don’t need to organize the entire school year right now.  To help you get organized, just think

“BACK TO SCHOOL”!

Breakfast of Champions!
Activities
Cell Phone Rules
Kid Time
Texting & Sexting, and the Internet
Oh my aching back!
Sleep
Come To Dinner
Health Check
Outdoor Time
Organization & School Work
Lunch Plan

Breakfast of Champions!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not having it is like attempting to drive your car on fumes for miles and miles. Breakfast doesn’t have to be huge or complicated…it just has to occur!

Activities
Don’t overload the plate! Try to balance sports and nonsports.  If  your child wants to drop a sport or musical instrument for another, don’t get caught up on age or how many years have been invested. All isn’t lost…this is childhood and variety is the name of the game, not specialization.

Cell Phone Rules
With cell phones common and ubiquitous, we need to be involved with how our kids use them. Check in with your kids to be sure they are using features appropriately and not using features such as the web that has zero filter and ability to control from a cell phone right now.

Kid Time
Kids who work hard need to play hard! Make sure your kids have time each week of nothing scheduled for 100% down time.

Texting & Sexting, and the Internet
Do you talk with your kids about social networking, sexting and computer use? Dr. Gwenn’s new book CyberSafe has all the information you need to get you on the same page with your kids and perhaps even a step ahead.  More information coming soon!

Oh my aching back!
Backpacks are true health hazards for our kids. Be sure they are the proper size and that your kids are wearing them properly. For more information, click here:

Sleep
Kids in school need at least 10 hours of sleep. Start tweaking that schedule now to get into the sleep/wake cycle your child will have for the new school year, and try to keep to it on weekends.

Come To Dinner!
Studies show that family dinners not only help boost our kids self-esteems but may be the best antidrug around.

Health Check
Even if your school doesn’t require an annual physical, this is the best way to be sure that all the needs or your child are addressed entering a school year including medications, immunizations, issues lingering from the prior year, including emotional issues.

Outdoor Time
Studies show that spending time outside not only is a stress buster but an excellent way to increase daily exercise for kids.

Organization & School Work
Help your kids have a homework routine. If homework seems excessively long or stressful, call the school and ask for guidance.

Lunch and School Day Snack Plan
Helping kids plan for their school day meals and snacks helps them understand how to make healthy decisions. The more involved you are, the more informed they will be.

All kids have butterflies out of the gate even if they don’t show it. The more organized and in control you are, the more at ease they will be as the year slides into full swing.

(Originally posted August 2009; Updated August 2011)

Our summer has had some interesting moments. Summer camp had barely begun before our 9 year old daughter threw us a curve ball. “Mom, J is going to sleep away camp this year. You HAVE to let me go next year – otherwise I’ll be the only 5th grader in the entire world not going.” I have to say, while she’s been somewhat of a pneumatic drill on the topic this summer, watching her try to convince us has been quite amusing. She’s tried everything from emailing us to leaving notes around the house to borrowing the overnight camp promotional DVD from here friend. In her mind, She is completely convinced life will stop if she does not go next summer – the first of many such situations we’re sure to face as her preteen years creep in. Somehow, we went from the cat’s meow to yesterday’s news in the blink of an eye. Just goes to show you that just when you think you have your child figured out, they change again….

Have you ever stopped to consider just how important peers our for our kids and at very young ages and with even ordinary events? We recently had a funny experience at a local restaurant with friends when we discovered that the 9 year olds and 7 year olds were conferencing about what to order and unwilling to order something the others did not like, want, or agree to. So, my friend’s 9 year old ended up eating prime rib because my daughter “had to have it”, and my 6 year old actually ate food she’s never eaten before because her 7 year old buddy was eating it! If only all peer experiences could be so positive – and so innocent….

Peers are good – we need them to develop and thrive. We influence them and they us. It’s really in all our wiring to want to be accepted by our peers and to want to seek out their opinions. Just watching kids in action for even simple, daily interactions you’ll be amazed at how pervasive kids sense the need to be like each other. Our kids get easily energized by what excites their friends – from books to sports to movies to food. And, just as easily, kids can be swayed to the “dark side” and try things that are not acceptable – shoplifting, drinking, drugs, skipping school, bullying, to name a few. The goal is to empower our children so much when they are young in feeling positive and good about their choices that when the stakes are higher they’ll know what to do. The little stuff in early childhood is practice for the big stuff in the teen years and beyond. And, in many ways, how we handle our kids’ mistakes and decisions when they are young will color whether they turn to us when the stakes are really high.

So, take a deep breath and consider these simple ideas to help you help your kids with their peer negotiations while keeping you in the wings the entire time:

1. Help your kids learn the language to get out of a situation or say “no” to something they are not comfortable with. Role play to give your kids scripts for what to say in different situations. Take turns being different types of people.
2. Many kids think they need to solve their own problems instead of turning to an adult. Help your kids understand this by explaining to them that even adults turn to others for advice when in a tough situation.
3. Kids who feel good about themselves and good about what they do are less likely to get into trouble or mix with the “wrong kids”. Praising our kids often and watching the tone of criticism will help our kids think about themselves positively.
4. If you are worried about the type of kids your child is hanging out with, redirect your kids towards kids and activities that are more positive. At the same time, explain to your child what made you worried or uncomfortable about a particular situation or person.
5. Try to find consistent time to talk with your kids each day – even if while driving to the next activity, just asking “how was your day? Anything you want to talk about?” will give your kids the message you are available.

You can never start too young or with too mundane an event to start reinforcing “good” vs. “bad” peer issues with your kids. In my mind, it’s the simple decisions when our kids are young that will arm them with solid self-esteems and well rehearsed strategies when they are older. For example, if your daughter wants to play the trombone and every other girl she knows is playing the flute, she may feel left out and the other kids may look at her odd for playing a “boy” instrument. Use humor – have her picture what that band would be like with 100 flutes!! Find some role models in the “real” world where girls play instruments that are not thought of as a “girl” choice.

So, find something wonderful that your kids have done today and tell them that you noticed. Find a decision they made that was good, and tell them how proud you are of that. And, if you get a strange look, just smile knowing you hit the nerve that will keep them coming home when it counts.

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