Back to school: Making new routines a breeze

After summer’s free-for-all, returning to a set back-to-school routine of bedtimes, alarm clocks, bustling morning checklists, and getting out the door on time can be both a comfort and a challenge. To make this seasonal switch easier, we put together a few simple tips to help you get ready for school days without any tears or meltdowns.

1. Bedtime routines

A good night’s sleep is the foundation for a good day, so start your back-to-school prep by getting your bedtime routines back on track. Many kids struggle with going to bed, so try these tricks to help make setting a bedtime easier.

• Go screen free before bed. Turn off screens at least an hour before bedtime. Blue light can interfere with the natural production of sleep hormones.
• Find natural ways to unwind. Help those wound-up kiddos calm down from a day of summer fun with a relaxing bath or make their room a peaceful sanctuary with essential oils. For a little extra help, spritz their bedding with Lavender helps.
• Start small and work your way up. If bedtime was nonexistent over the summer, try setting a later bedtime and moving it 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night until you’ve reached your desired time.
• Have a plan for nights when settling down is tough. On nights when high-energy children need extra help settling down.
• Prepare what you can in advance. Lay out kids’ outfits for the next day to avoid the inevitable morning rush to find something to wear.

2. Morning routines

Once you’ve got your bedtime routine back to running like a well-oiled machine, it’s time to tackle the chaos that hits each morning.

• Start setting those alarms again. Getting into the habit of rising earlier will make it that much easier on your school days.
• Pick the right scents. Diffuse bright and cheery essential oils to refresh your living spaces such as your kitchen or living room.
• Keep breakfast super simple. Make breakfast easier by limiting the number of options you give your children. Instead of asking what they want for breakfast, ask them if they’d prefer this or that. This gives children the satisfaction of having a say in what they eat, and you can then choose options that are quick and easy to make.

• Brace for incoming illnesses. As kids go back to school, they’re inevitably exposed to more sicknesses and viruses. Then they bring those illnesses home and share with the whole family. It’s important to strengthen children’s immune systems. Incorporate children’s supplements into their morning routine to help your kids get a boost of vitamins and minerals to start their day.
• Leave plenty of time for lunch prep. Allot enough extra time for your kids to pack their own lunch, this allows them to weigh all their food options. Allow them to pick foods they prefer so they’re actually excited for lunch.

Talking about immunity and illness, here are some must-have items that help supporting a healthy immune system, soothing sore throats, encouraging wellness, and more!

Cough Drops

When cold symptoms strike, it’s important to have something on hand to offer immediate relief. Cough Drops soothe scratchy throats, relieve coughs, and cool nasal passages using the power of naturally occurring menthol. Some essential oil-infused Cough Drops offer minty, spicy, and sweet without processed sugar, dyes, artificial flavors, or preservatives, these cough drops are made with naturally derived ingredients, including pure essential oils such as Cinnamon bark, Clove, Eucalyptus Radiata and Lemon and menthol from Peppermint.

An essential oil blend to ease the sniffle

After a long day out and about, there’s nothing like the aroma of pure essential oils to help rejuvenate and relax your kiddo before bedtime. With 11 essential oils, including Eucalyptus, Dorado Azul, and Pine, this oil blend offers a crisp, invigorating aroma. Apply it to your child’s chest just before bed.

A MiIGHTY vitamin for kids

As much as we try to get our kids to eat nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, they could probably still use help getting all the vitamins and minerals they need each day. Some chewable tablets with all plant-based ingredients deliver a spectrum of essential vitamins, minerals, and whole food-based ingredients such as wolfberry powder, barley grass, broccoli sprouts, natural vitamins, biotin, iron, zinc, and so much more! With the best ingredients for your child and the delicious flavor of wild berry and orange cream, this is a win for both parent and child!

Wolfberry juice

Sneak a delicious serving of antioxidant-packed superfruit into your kid’s diet with Wolfberry juice! Add it to a smoothie, offer it to them straight, or mix it with Greek yogurt. You can also freeze it for a slushy-like refreshment without any artificial colors or excess sugar. It’s a treat you can feel great about giving them, and they’ll adore eating it!

3. Space out snacks and meals

If summertime turned your kitchen into a 24/7 cafeteria, setting a few boundaries can help prepare those little tummies for the long breaks between breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks. Let your kiddos know the kitchen is closed after breakfast and limit snacking after lunch.

4. Create an organized space for school supplies

Avoid the scene where backpacks are thrown on the kitchen table with papers and pencils all over the floor by dedicating a space for all things school related. This can be something simple like a school supply bin or a wall hook where your kids can hang their backpacks. Make children responsible for putting their own school items away. This organized space will also help prevent many school-morning mad dashes to find misplaced items.

As you incorporate these tips into your back-to-school routine, you set your family up for a successful school year!

Members’ benefit

BHBL EDUCATION facebook— Testimonial and sharings on healthy lifestyles

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BHBL AromatherapyCourse facebook– Hong Kong’s first Aromatherapy course (French style), BHBL members enjoy half price and priority registration

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