5 ways to get ready for back to school

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as always, the opinions are our own.

ahhh….school. it starts in one week from today and i am both looking forward to it and dreading it. i love my kids and have enjoyed having them home for a bit this summer. i’m also ready for routine and a few moments to myself during the week. i’m very aware, though, that with the start of school comes all of the crazy scheduling of the fall. with five kids, the sports and activities calendars are already full until christmas. that’s just our own version of #reallife. still, i love that my kids are busy and that they have sports to keep their minds and bodies busy during the school year. 

to get ready for back to school and all the sports that are involved, here are a few tips to ensure your kids have a safe and fun back-to-school experience.

5 ways to get ready for back to school

1. get your sports physicals and back to school check-ups done early.

we love heading over to the cvs minute clinic for sports physicals for our kids. not only can they fill out all the necessary paperwork for my children for sports but they can also check to make sure immunizations are up to date for my peeps. my sons’s middle school required an extra booster this school year (he was thrilled) and minute clinic was able to fill out all the state immunization forms as well. there was no wait and we were in and out in minutes. anything that saves me time is a win in my book.

2. start your kids back with some conditioning exercises or conditioning programs for their sports. 

my daughter is a gymnast so she has no summer break but my boys have had a relaxing summer. reentry into the world of sports requires some conditioning. to get ready, they can start with some running each day to gradually build up strength and endurance. don’t let them jump in too quickly as it can result in injury. increase intensity, distance and duration by about 10% a week to allow the body to rest, rebuild, recover and avoid injury (seriously, who has time for injuries?)

3. if you have kids involved in athletics, increase their intake of healthy foods like quinoa, chia seeds, kale and peanut butter. 

i know this is a tall order but i’ve managed to hide some of these gems in our meals and the kids don’t know the difference. they feel better and work harder when their bodies have the fuel they need. these are great foods for all the kids, even those not involved in sports. 

4. make sure your kids are up-to-date on their vaccinations before they head back to school. 

a new vaccine was required for middle schoolers in our state this year and new requirements are happening all the time. each state has specific requirements for meningitis and pertussis as well as other necessary vaccinations. you can find the state requirements for meningitis here: http://bit.ly/1fOYMDL and for pertusis here: http://bit.ly/1VRj8NJ. both vaccines can be given at our local cvs minute clinic in two seconds if you are not up to date. more information on vaccines and immunizations can be found here: http://bit.ly/1VRj8NJ. do your research early and get your child ready to go before the first day of school.

5. depending on when your kids are heading back to school, start a healthy sleep schedule for your children about a week before school starts. 

the first week of school is brutal on all students and parents as they adjust again to a morning routine and a full day of classes. a good night's sleep can make all the difference in student performance and the happiness of an entire household during the first week of school and beyond. 

most of all, enjoy another school year. it's so easy to get lost in the business of it all and the details involved in running a household. time moves extremely fast. savor the moments. be the parent that takes too many pictures on the first day of school. these days will be gone before we know it. i'm trying not to blink so i won't miss anything. i'm trying to enjoy the ride.

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for all your back to school needs, cvs is there to help. if you are getting a sport’s physical for your kiddos before september 7, 2015, you can get $10.00 off and a free johnson and johnson coupon book with $29.00 worth of savings! you can find the closest MinuteClinic to you here: http://bit.ly/lqKsSao