Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 1, 2019 | Page 11

Manage stress Teach basic hygiene
Going back to school is stressful for children and parents.
But too much stress can lead to health issues like
sleeplessness or a sluggish immune system. Talk to your
children not to overload anyone's schedule including
your own. Schoolwork and after-school activities are
important, but it's also important to take time to relax,
play and spend time together as a family. One way to stop your child from bringing germs home
from school and getting sick, is washing hands. Soap
and warm water are best. Hand sanitisers will do when
soap and water are not available. Encourage your child
to spend enough time washing their hands. Tell them to
sing the alphabet song from start to finish as they wash
between fingers and the palms and backs of their hands.
Teach them to wash hands after using the bathroom and
before eating a meal or a snack. Remind your children to
cough or sneeze into their elbow or sleeve if they don’t
have a tissue handy.
Choose nutritious foods
Eating a variety of healthy foods is important for your
child’s wellbeing. Snacks like soft drinks, chips and
cookies are easy to find with no preparation needed and
therefore often end up in your child’s lunchbox. Choose
healthy alternatives instead. Stock up on foods like fruits,
vegetables and whole-grain bread. Take a few minutes
over the weekend to cut up fruits and vegetables
for convenience in the mornings and have plenty of
containers handy for dinner leftovers. Consider getting
an insulated lunch bag with a small ice pack to allow for a
wider variety of lunches.
Ensure they get a good night’s sleep
It is important for children and adults to get a healthy
amount of sleep each night to stay focused through the
day. Sleep is important for a child’s brain activity. Rest also
helps keep the immune system strong. So try to get your
children into a disciplined bedtime routine. Although
sleep needs are different, most adults need about eight
hours of sleep each night and children typically need
more than nine hours. Sticking to a routine is important
too, so don’t let weekends become regular late nights.
We are here to help
Bonitas provides a range of benefits to help keep your child
healthy. These include cover for taking your child to the doctor
and dentist, as well as Babyline, a 24-hour telephonic health
advice line. We aim to give you peace of mind by providing
you with healthcare advice you need urgently, saving you
unnecessary trips to the emergency room and keeping your
child safe and healthy.
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