Helping Kids Start the School Year Strong

A new school year brings opportunities to learn, grow, make new friends, and try new activities. As families settle into new routines, healthy habits can help children feel confident, energized, and ready for success.  

We checked in with Cecilia Mathis, MD, at Anderson County Hospital Family Care Center in Garnett, and Samuel Wilcox, MD, at Allen County Regional Hospital’s Iola Clinic, two of our Saint Luke’s primary care providers, to get their advice on back-to-school health tips.

From getting enough sleep and fueling busy days with nutritious foods to supporting emotional well-being and staying active, read on to learn simple strategies and tips that can help your child start the school year strong.

Prioritize sleep

A good night's sleep can make a big difference in a child's health, happiness, and success at school. Whether you're a parent helping with bedtime routines or a grandparent supporting busy family schedules, encouraging healthy sleep habits can help children stay focused, energized, and ready to learn.  

“If your child is not sleeping well, both academic and athletic performance can drop. The first thing to address is 'sleep hygiene' by evaluating if bedtimes and wake times are consistent," says Dr. Mathis. “As school activities pick up, it can be harder to maintain a consistent sleep schedule but keeping bedtime and wake time within an hour of the same time each day is very helpful.”

Here are a few other simple ways to help school-age children get the rest they need:

• Keep bedrooms sleep friendly. Make sure the room is cool, quiet, and dark to help children fall and stay asleep. Consider white noise or a favorite bedtime book to create a relaxing environment.
• Power down screens before bed. Phones, tablets, TVs, and video games can make it harder to fall asleep, so remove handheld electronics from the room before bedtime. Blue light exposure can suppress melatonin, delay natural circadian rhythm, and promote wakefulness, which is the opposite of what we want. Encourage screen-free time during the hour before bed and replace it with calming activities.
• Make mornings predictable. Packing lunches, laying out clothes, and organizing backpacks the night before can reduce stress and support healthier sleep routines.

Choose healthy snack options

Setting aside time on the weekend to plan and prep meals and snacks can help you stay on track during busy work and school weeks.

“Having your children help put together a trail mix is another easy way to get them involved in the kitchen and have a choice in their snack while helping build good habits for the future,” says Dr. Mathis. “Nuts, Craisins®, and fortified whole grain cereals like Cheerios® are some favorites to add.”

Other examples of healthy lunch and afternoon snack options include:

• Applesauce pouches with no added sugar
• Fruit or cheese sticks  
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Sliced turkey, cheese cubes, or carrot sticks  

“If you don’t have anything planned, it’s very easy to grab fast food or a frozen dinner, which can add up in cost and worsen health over time,” says Dr. Wilcox. “I like to have a variety of healthy snacks available for my kids when they get home from school to bridge until dinnertime.”

Check in on emotional well-being

While many children are excited about school, it's also normal for them to experience a mix of emotions as they adjust to change. Parents, grandparents, and other trusted adults can play an important role by checking in regularly and creating space for honest conversations.  

“If your child has certain preferences or medical conditions that require specific accommodations, being up front and proactive with the school staff can set your kid up for success instead of them getting behind or developing new anxiety if they are not keeping up with their classmates,” says Dr. Mathis.

Small, consistent actions can make a big difference in your child’s emotional well-being. Here are a couple of additional ideas for the year:

• Check in regularly. Make time for conversations to ask your child questions about how they’re feeling as they adjust to new teachers, classmates, routines, and expectations. Have an open dialogue with your child’s teacher as they may pick up on behavior changes or sudden drops in academic performance sooner, which could signify anxiety, depression, or other underlying health concerns.  
• Encourage healthy ways to manage stress. Help children identify simple strategies that help them feel calm and in control when they're facing challenges. Deep breathing, spending time outdoors, listening to music, drawing, or reading can be helpful ways to manage everyday stress. Encourage your child to explore what works best for them and practice those skills regularly.

Keep your little athlete healthy  

For many families, back-to-school season also means the return of practices, games, and weekends spent cheering from the sidelines.  

“One of the best outcomes of playing sports at a young age is getting into the habit of being active and having fun with it. Being active can help keep your child happy and healthy throughout their life—don't ruin that by pushing too hard now,” says Dr. Wilcox.

Here are a few healthy habits that can help young athletes stay strong, safe, and ready to enjoy the season ahead:

• Schedule a sports physical before the season starts. A sports physical is more than a requirement. It's an opportunity to talk with your child's primary care provider about growth, previous injuries, nutrition, training goals, and any health concerns that could affect participation. If your child is trying a new sport this year, ask about common injuries and what they can do to stay healthy throughout the season.
• Check equipment before the first practice. Just as children outgrow clothes and shoes, they can outgrow sports equipment. Before the season begins, make sure helmets, pads, cleats, shoes, and other protective gear fit properly and are in good condition. Small adjustments can make a big difference in comfort, confidence, and injury prevention.
• Prioritize hydration and recovery. Water plays an important role in keeping young athletes healthy, especially during late-summer practices and early fall competitions. Encourage children to drink water before, during, and after activity, and remember that recovery includes more than hydration. Adequate sleep, nutritious meals, and rest days help growing bodies perform at their best.

Scheduling an annual well-child visit can help set your child up for a healthy and successful school year. These appointments give families an opportunity to review growth and development, discuss healthy habits, stay up to date on vaccinations, and address any questions or concerns before the school year gets underway.  

“Annual wellness visits give us time to focus on keeping children healthy, not just treating problems when they arise,” says Dr. Wilcox. “If your child plans to participate in sports, we can also complete the preparticipation physical evaluation during the same appointment.”

Schedule your child’s back-to-school wellness visit at Anderson County Hospital Family Care Center or Allen County Regional Hospital’s Iola Clinic. 

Family Care Center: 785-448-2674

Iola Clinic: 620-365-6933 

Cecilia Mathis, MD, is a board-certified physician with Anderson County Hospital Family Care Center. Dr. Mathis enjoys providing care for patients of all ages and has clinical interests in pediatrics, women's health, preventive medicine, outpatient procedures, and sports medicine. She is passionate about building strong relationships with each patient and her care philosophy is to provide quality, evidence-based, holistic care.  

Samuel Wilcox, MD, a physician with Allen County Regional Hospital's Iola Clinic, is board certified in both family medicine and obesity medicine. His approach to care focuses on meeting patients where they are, recognizing that health is shaped by genetics, lifestyle, experiences, environment, and social factors. Dr. Wilcox provides compassionate, personalized care aimed at helping patients feel better and achieve their broader life goals.