Back-to-school safety

  • Published
  • Air Force Flight Test Center Safety Office
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The following health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Going back to school after summer can be intimidating for kids, especially ones who have just moved. Starting over at a new school can be difficult for children. Moving never gets easier, and saying goodbye to friends is hard. 

Transitions can be tough on military children, but the smaller community at Edwards can help make a new school fun. There are several ways you can make this new adjustment easy for achild. 

· Remind the child that he or she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Everyone else was new at one point too, and many of the children at Edwards schools just moved here too. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible. 

· Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. He or she will see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh his or her memory about previous years, when he or she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because he or she had a good time. 

· Find another child in the neighborhood with whom the youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus. 

· If you feel it is appropriate, drive the child (or walk with him or her) to school and pick them up on the first day. Driving may be necessary in the hotter days of the summer for young children. 

Backpack Safety 

· Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. 

· Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 20 percent of the student's body weight. 

· Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles. 

· Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow. 

School Bus Safety

· If your child's school bus has lap/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times when in the bus. 
 
· Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb. 

· Do not move around on the bus. 

· Check to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing. 

· Make sure to always remain in clear view of the bus driver.
 
Safety Walking to School 

· Make sure the child's walk to a school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection. 

· Be realistic about your child's pedestrian skills. Small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision. 

· Bright colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers. 

Eating while at school 

· Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat. 

· If the child's school doesn't stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, low-fat dairy products, water and 100 percent fruit juice in the vending machines, encourage them to do so and send the child with these items apposoed to money for the vending machines.

· Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60 percent.