Back to School

It’s been a great Summer holiday: sleep-ins, cruisy breakfasts and long, lazy days at the lake or watching the tennis. It’s hard to believe school starts next week! That means trying to wake up kids who are used to sleeping in, getting uniforms and shoes on when they’ve been going barefoot all summer, hastily throwing together a lunchbox and getting myself dressed and out the door, all before 8.30!

Once again I have left preparations like getting school stationery and uniforms organised until the last minute. I’m assuming my kids still fit into their uniforms but the way they’ve been eating during the holidays makes me think I need to check sooner rather than later. If you are gearing up for school here are some tips:

First up is shoes. It’s been 6 weeks since the kids had their school shoes on, and they seem to grow like weeds over the summer so check existing shoes still fit. It’s important to have the correct size shoes to provide comfort and support. Choose a shoe that is light and durable but also provides plenty of support and breathes in this hot weather. Feet do a lot of work to support the body weight and provide correct alignment up through the knees, pelvis and spine so it’s worth investing in a good quality pair of shoes.

If you are buying a new school backpack the variety out there can be confusing, not to mention the pressure to purchase the latest princess or superhero one. However, a backpack with the right features and worn correctly can really support your child’s spine. Too many times I’ve seen kids wearing their book-laden backpack slung over their shoulder or hung down past their bottom and worried about the extra load it puts on their growing spines.

Here’s some advice on backpack features and the correct way to wear a backpack:

• Choose a backpack that is the same length as the child’s back, not too big.
• Make sure it has wide, padded shoulder straps that are adjustable to pull the backpack closer to the spine.
• A good backpack will have an internal frame to mould to the shape of the spine.
• Chest and waist straps are a bonus as they help distribute the load across the body.
• Multiple pockets help and the heaviest items should be placed in the bottom of the backpack and closest to the child’s back, and the lightest items at the front of the backpack.
• Most importantly, don’t overload the backpack and wear it over both shoulders with straps done up tight.

Now it’s just getting the stationery, lunch boxes and drink bottles sorted, buying new hair bands, and getting the kids into bed at a reasonable hour. That school routine seems as unfamiliar as a fax machine. Good luck!