Parents, now that school is back in session, your “To Do List” just got longer. You drop your kids off at school, you commute to work, and you return to school to be a chauffer to your kids. To add to the list, you spend 30 minutes or more waiting for them to be dismissed from practice or a club before you can head home to start on homework and dinner…Whew!
Now that you have less time for you, how will you stay healthy amid the back to school chaos? These helpful tips will keep you healthy while your kids keep you busy.
1. Keep It Moving
If you’re stuck in your car waiting for your kids to be released from school or after-school practice, you can use this time to get a little exercise in. Take a walk in the parking lot or walk where your child is practicing (gym, football field, baseball diamond, etc.).
Getting in at least 30 minutes of exercise every day is beneficial for heart health, stress relief and keeping your joints lubricated for pain-free movement. For a more well-rounded routine, you can incorporate lunges, squats and knee raisers into your walking routine.
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2. Get Organized
If you have time in between work and kid pick up, you can use it to get more organized. To make use of the time, you can create your grocery shopping list, meal plan, or budget while you’re waiting. This will help you to make healthy and budget-friendly choices when you are on your next shopping trip.
When you have a list in hand or a meal planned ahead of time, it saves you from walking down every aisle trying to remember what you need to purchase. You are also more likely to steer clear of items that are not healthy for you.
You can also use this time to get rid of loose paper or wrappers that may have accumulated on your floors or backseats. This will help to keep insects, germs, and illness away from you and your kids.
3. Self-Reflect
By the time you reach your child’s school, it’s been a long day for you. While you’re waiting for your kids to be dismissed or on your lunch break, you can use this time to reflect on the day. Using these few quiet moments to journal or meditate are great ways to mentally and emotionally decompress.
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Writing down your thoughts and feelings several times a week will help you to keep your mental health intact and help you stay on target with goals and plans. This will also help you become more emotionally available to your kids and allow you to focus on listening to their stories about their school day.
4. Sanitize
Clean hands are essential to a healthy body, but the hustle and bustle of parenting can bring you into more contact with germs. Be prepared for germs by keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car, your purse, your work area, and at the entrance of your home.
Have your kids sanitize their hands as soon as they buckle their seat belts and when they enter the front door of your home. This will decrease the chances of you and your kids getting sick from the latest virus being passed around at your child’s school.
5. Snack Healthy
Eating right while on-the-go can be a challenge. However, keeping healthy snacks readily available as you run errands will keep your health and weight on track. It’s easy to underestimate how long you will be away from home while grocery shopping or commuting from home, work, or your child’s school.
You can combat hunger by carrying a thermal water bottle and insulated lunch box filled with water and fruit, raw veggies and nuts. This will help you resist the urge to buy a chocolate bar or chips while in the checkout line during your shopping trips.
As parents, we put the time and effort that is necessary to keep our kids safe, loved, and healthy. While you are doing the work of being a good parent, don’t forget to be good to yourself. Remember, if you aren’t healthy, your kids will miss out on all that you have to offer them.
Dr. Candace McMillon-Dantley is the health-empowering creator of The Doc Knows and she’s on a mission to motivate you to a life of health. She has a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences. When she’s not health writing, she is health motivating and educating during her interactive presentations on healthy nutrition, self-care and conditions of the body. Her experiences as a business owner, chiropractor, wife and mom of two resonate and relate with her audiences. Connect with Dr. Candace on Instagram @drcandace.
