How busy is too busy for your kids? It seems that the extracurricular participation of kids in sports and the arts is increasing. Yet, for all this time out of the house, there is time lost for homework, play, proper meals, outdoor time and family. While keeping kids active and engaged in activities they enjoy is extremely healthy, this needs to be balanced appropriately based on the child and the resources of the family. The following from the Huffington Post discusses some key signs to look for if you are concerned that your child is overscheduled.
Back to School – Backpack Safety
Backpacks are a staple for every student. They travel back and forth between home and school, lugging books and school supplies. They are put through the unavoidable daily abuse of being thrown on the ground, trampled on, stuffed into a cubby or locker, saving a spot in line, and become over-stretched and over-used with the necessities of school. They are a necessary part of your child’s education, yet how much thought do you really put into the backpack your child wears aside from maybe price or color? Have you considered the health implications of an improperly worn, fitted, or poorly supportive backpack?
Backpacks are meant to be worn over both shoulders so that the weight can be evenly distributed across some of the largest and strongest muscles in the body. Due to this, backpacks are preferable to shoulder bags, however they must be worn properly in order to avoid postural issues and injuries to the back, shoulder, and/or neck (1). Additionally, backpacks that are too heavy or large increase a child’s risk of injury due to falling or tripping (2). The following are some simple tips to help ensure your child’s backpack is fitted properly in order to avoid any negative health implications.
First of all, when choosing a backpack look for the following features (1,3):
- Make sure the backpack is made of a lightweight material. Sure, some trendy materials may look cool, but these can also add unnecessary weight.
- The backpack should have two wide, padded shoulder straps that are adjustable. Thin, narrow straps can cut off circulation resulting in pain, tingling, and numbness. Straps with a clip to secure them across the chest are best.
- Look for a padded back to increase comfort and also to protect your child from being poked by items inside the bag.
- Backpacks with a waist strap help distribute the weight more evenly and can protect the neck and shoulders from carrying the weight independently.
- Check out backpacks that have a roller option if allowed in your child’s school. This allows freedom to switch between wearing on the back (for example on snowy days when rolling is not practical) and rolling the bag on the ground to take stress off of the neck and shoulders.
- Ensure the backpack has multiple compartments as this helps to distribute the weight more evenly, and keeps things organized and separated.
Once you have found the perfect backpack, ensure the backpack is worn properly by following some of these general guidelines:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that backpack load should never exceed 10-20% of your child’s body weight. Make sure unnecessary items aren’t traveling back and forth – leave heavy items at home or school if possible.
- When putting on a backpack, ensure your child bends at the knees (not the waist!) and uses both hands to lift it onto their shoulders. Watch for signs of strain or difficulty when putting it on – if any are present consider reducing the load in the bag by having your child carry a few items.
- ALWAYS use both of the shoulder straps. No matter how “cool” your child thinks using one shoulder strap looks, it can cause muscle, spine and orthopedic injury down the road.
- Tighten the shoulder straps and use the strap around the waist (if available). This helps to ensure even weight distribution. The bag should sit in the center of the back, about two inches above the waist (not down near the buttocks!).
- When packing, ensure heavy items are near the center / back of the bag. Use all of the available compartments to help distribute the weight more evenly.
- Talk to your child about making frequent trips to their locker, desk or cubby to avoid carrying extra weight around all day.
- Consider the backpack as a possible culprit if your child starts complaining of back pain, numbness or tingling in the shoulders or arms, or discomfort in the upper body or lower back. If so, consult with a professional about how to correct the issues, and prevent these from getting worse. Core, back, or strengthening exercises might be needed if your child is having difficultly lugging around their school stuff – and consult a professional to have any exercises prescribed.
Then, make it fun! Give your child a list of things to look for when picking out their backpack, and comment on the different features of the ones at the store. Once purchased, load this up with different things so you can show them the difference when weight is distributed evenly, unevenly and gets too heavy. Have them try the straps at different lengths so they can comment on what is most comfortable. Encourage them to leave things at school that should stay there (like indoor shoes) and consider having a double set of school supplies at home so these don’t need to travel back and forth. Make Friday “clean out your backpack day” for a special treat.
Remember that you get what you pay for. A $10.00 backpack chosen on style or color may cost you a lot more in the long run. Backpacks are not an item you should cheap out on!
1) American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (2013).
2) KidsHealth (2013)
3) American Academy of Pediatrics (2014)
Weekly Mind Bender
The more you work, the more I’ll eat.You keep me full, I’ll keep you neat. What am I?
A pencil sharpener.
Blind Golf: “You Don’t Have to See it to Tee it”
Golf can be a difficult game for anyone. Even pros like Tiger Woods struggle at times, but image the struggles if you are visually impaired! Blind golf has become a huge sport all across the world whereby golfers with a visual impairment play with the help of a sight coach to help them visualize the course and set up their shots. The following from the American Blind Golf Association gives a snapshot into what golfing without sight would be like. There are visually impaired golf associations across the world so if you or someone you know wants to hit the links despite a visual problem, check out the following:
Ontario Visually Impaired Golfers
International Blind Golf Association
And remember… “you don’t have to see it, to tee it…”
Katu Sports: “Driving Blind: You Don’t Have to See it to Tee It”
Comparing The Top Milk Alternatives
Lactose intolerance, food allergies, and lifestyle choices are resulting in people choosing to switch to a dairy free diet. While life without dairy is necessary for some and can be healthy, it is important to ensure the substitutes you consume are providing you with the vitamins and minerals your body needs. The following from Eat Life Whole compares the most popular milk alternatives in the marketplace to help you find the right replacement to maintain a healthy diet.
How to Create a More Productive Work Environment
No matter what type of work you do, everyone can experience productivity blockages during the day. Whether it’s a poor sleep the night before, the afternoon sluggishness, or simply a lack of inspiration for the project you’re working on, these slowdowns in productivity can be detrimental to your success. Occupational therapists are often involved in helping people to achieve workplace productivity by providing solutions for a more adaptable and comfortable working environment. The following article from Forbes discusses 5 small changes you can make today to help you concentrate and increase your productivity.
Forbes: 5 Small Workspace Changes That Will Make You More Productive
Turning the Back to School Blues into the Back to School “Yahoos!”
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
Last year, my September blog was called “Stress-tember”. For many, the September transition brings about new routines, adjustment chaos, and change that can be met with resistance, fatigue and stress. This year I wanted to take a different approach. I thought instead I would start the conversation early and give parents, teachers, and even kids some proactive strategies they can use to manage this transition as smoothly, productively, and as positively as possible.
1. Plan Ahead
The last few weeks of August will go quickly as we all try to cram in those last care-free moments of outdoor time, vacation, and a less chaotic schedule. But, don’t let September catch you off guard! It is best to look at your schedule now and find time when you will be able to fit in back-to-school related tasks. Start with a list of jobs that need to be done to get back-to-school ready. Personally, with four kids, my list includes: closet and drawer clean-out to compile a list of needed clothing items, shoe inventory, looking at our available school-supplies and backpacks to determine what needs to be replaced, and sitting down with each child to ask them about the lunch foods they will happily consume if these land in their lunchbox. With one child transitioning to an out-of-catchment high-school we need to understand her new schedule and arrange transportation including some city bus trials and carpooling. Once we know what needs to get done, we need to have structured schedule to do it. When can we shop for clothes, shoes, supplies, groceries? When the first week of school arrives, it is best to have the shopping done and even meals prepared, so that the stress, anxiety and chaos of the new routine is easier to manage.
2. Get a Family Calendar
Having a calendar placed in a common area (e.g. the kitchen or back hall) can help with organizing weekly plans. Using a different coloured marker for each family member can help you to easily identify who needs to be where and at what time. You can also encourage or assist your kids with keeping track of homework deadlines, school events like picture day, and other social outings. Once school begins, set aside a time each week for the family to go over the week ahead to ensure everyone is on board and prepared (i.e. “we need a birthday present for Tuesday, rubber boots for the trip on Thursday” etc.).
3. Establish Routines
Due to vacations, sleepovers, and the unstructured nature of no school, daily routines are often disrupted over the summer months. A consistent nightly routine for kids is critical to them getting a good sleep. Be consistent with when they are to start getting ready for bed, which nights will be for baths / showers, teeth brushing, and how they enjoy falling asleep (story time, hugs and kisses, that favorite stuffie, nightlight etc.). The importance is in the consistency of the routine as this is what cues your child that he/she is ready for sleep. Set up a routine that works for you and your family and start early. Having an established bedtime routine in place BEFORE school begins will help to make the transition go smoothly.
In addition to bedtime routines, it is important to re-establish what after-school time should also look like. We have our “after school routine” typed, laminated and posted in the back hall. This includes “shoes and back-packs away, lunch boxes emptied, dry snacks and water bottle packed for the next day, paperwork from school in the “in box”, have a healthy snack, do any homework, then play (no technology)! We review this with the kids before school starts, confirm the expectations, get their commitment, and make any changes.
4. Re-Adjust Sleep Schedules
Just as the overall bedtime routine is disrupted during the summer months, so is the timing of sleep. It is important to get back into a regular routine before school starts to avoid tired and cranky kids. A good way to ease into it is to adjust your child’s sleep/wake routine by ten minutes each night, so you can gradually get back to the regular routine by the time school begins. Having alarms in the kids’ bedrooms will help them to wake at an appropriate time so that they are not rushing, skipping breakfast or brushing their teeth in order to make a bus. And watch out for the snooze button! Letting your child delay waking will only become a bad habit harder to break as they get older. Put the alarm clock on the other side of the room if you have to – walking to turn it off will deter them from returning to bed.
5. Honour Your Child’s Anxiety
If your child is nervous or anxious about getting back to school, acknowledge this. Let them know that these feelings are normal. Ask them what you can do to make this easier. If your child is going to a new school or concerned about a new teacher, call the school and see if you are able to visit the school and/or classroom teacher before the school year begins. Or, see if there is a friend also in the same class they can meet with over the summer to ease their concerns. Often just being in the new environment, or being exposed to other kids transitioning prior to the school year beginning can ease fears and calm nerves.
6. Be Consistent
The most important aspect of making the transition back to school easier is consistency. With a familiar and consistent schedule in place, children are more prepared for what is to come which minimizes anxiety, reduces behavioural episodes, and provides kids with clear expectations and structure to their day. And when kids adjust more easily, so do parents!
7. Check your Expectations
Sometimes the worst part of any transition is not having reasonable expectations in the first place. Expect that your kids will need time adjusting, allow them to be tired, out of sorts and cranky, know that you too will need some extra time for yourself to unwind or get some extra rest. Don’t be reactive to the adjustment but rather just acknowledge this as one of the toughest times of the year and accept that in good time new routines will be established and the family will once again be in sync.
So, I hope the above tips will be helpful as you make this necessary transition back to “normal” – whatever that looks like for you. Personally, I will still find September stressful and hectic, but I expect nothing less in a household of six. Like with all things, some preparedness, patience and consistency will make it easier on all involved!
Weekly Mind Bender
What’s the difference between a well-dressed man on a bicycle and a poorly-dressed man on a tricycle?
A tire.
30 Days Of Organization
This August Entwistle Power has launched a social media campaign dedicated to helping you clear the clutter and get organized! Being organized, at home and at work, helps increase productivity, decrease anxiety and stress, and can help teach responsibility to children. Check out these great organization tips from WebMD and follow our campaign using #organizedOT for daily tips and tricks to help get yourself and your life in perfect order.
WebMD: 10 Ways to Cut Clutter in Your Home
The “Death by Sugar” Dilemma
Recently Maclean’s published an article “Death by Sugar” about how sugar consumption is one of the leading causes of the obesity issues in North America, and may also have links to rising numbers of diabetes, heart conditions and alzheimers disease. Statistics Canada indicates that on average Canadian adults consume 88 pounds of sugar each year. Many of us are good at avoiding high sugar sources such as chocolate bars, candy and pop, however, due to lack of information on nutritional labels we are not fully aware of the sugar consumption in everyday foods. Foods such as bread, cereals, spreads and pastas are all high in sugar content and it’s time Health Canada made the average consumer better aware of this.
Check out the full “Death by Sugar” article from Maclean’s here.