Health
Sleep is critical – – not only for your child’s learning, but it contributes in a profound way to physical and emotional health. Nothing boosts grades like healthy sleep habits.
But sleep is different in the teen years. The more you know the better you can help your child harness this amazing part of brain development.
Here’s a set of short videos by UC Berkeley Professor Matthew Walker, author of “Why We Sleep.“
- How Do Teenagers Sleep Differently?
- How Can Sleep Affect A Teenagers Education?
- Ted Talk: Sleep is your superpower
- How To Improve Your Sleep
- Matthew Walker Busts Sleep Myths
- 5 Tips For Falling Asleep Quicker, According To A Sleep Expert
- What Happens To Your Body And Brain If You Don’t Get Sleep
- What Happens To Your Brain When You Dream
- How Lucid Dreaming Works
Say “No” to Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco
Abusing alcohol, drugs and tobacco at a young age can be harmful to a student’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development, and it increases the risk of unsafe behaviors, automobile fatalities, and substance abuse later in life.
What You Can Do
Parents are important influences on their children’s behavior.
- Share your values and expectations with your kid. Make a drug- and alcohol-free pact with through high school and college.
- Set consequences. Do not allow them to think they are “getting away” with behavior that is unacceptable to the family.
- Keep communication open about alcohol and drug use. If you overreact to bad news associated with drug and alcohol use by teens in your community, you are likely not to get a full story when you bring up the issue the next time.
- Help your student develop a strong sense of self-esteem, along with the social skills necessary to withstand peer pressure to use alcohol and other drugs.
- Set a good example with your own habits. Do not use drugs, and be moderate or abstain in your own use of alcohol.
The Vaping Crisis in Our Youth Webinar
There is a disturbingly high increase in the number of teens using e-cigarettes. The market has exploded, promoting appealing flavors and discreet design, but leaving long term and harmful consequences.
Join us as we discuss the data, the effects and what we can do in this October 25, 2018 recorded webinar facilitated by Kelly Langston, Member, National PTA Mission Engagement Committee, and featuring speakers Marcella Bianco, CATCH My Breath Program Manager; Lorrie Odom, MD, Co-Chair, Colorado PTA Health, Wellness and Safety Committee; and Yvonne Johnson, Member, National PTA Resolutions Committee.
Learn More
- National PTAs Opioid Symposium: A Public Health Epidemic- A Crisis for Families.
- Power of Parents (MADD): An underage drinking prevention program that targets parents of high school students.
- Smart Moves, Smart Choices (National Association of School Nurses): Helps parents start a conversation with their child about prescription drug abuse and misuse.
- National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) for Teens: Created for middle and high school students, parents and teachers, this website provides accurate and timely information for use in and out of the classroom.
- Partnership for Drug Free Kids: Created to reduce teen substance abuse and support families impacted by addiction.
Ensure Access to Mental Health Services
The Facts
Early detection, treatment and Family-School Partnerships work.
- Half of all lifetime cases of mental disorders begin by age 141. While 21% of all children ages 9 to 17 in the United States have a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder2, only 20% of them are identified and receive mental health services each year3.
- Early detection and treatment of mental disorders is imperative for student success. Half of all students ages 14 and older who live with a mental illness drop out of high school—the highest dropout rate of any disability group—and these youth also experience higher suicide and incarceration rates4.
Together, we can increase the percentage of students who receive the mental health services they need in order to succeed in school, continue to develop socially, and fully experience the purpose and joys of life.
Mental Health and the State PTA Webinar
Addressing mental health in our schools can be complicated and overwhelming. How does the State PTA best fit in? How can we make the biggest difference and how do we get started?
Join us as we hear from Lynn Makor, MA, CAGS, Consultant for School Psychology, and Sharon Goldblatt, Member, National PTA Mission Engagement Committee and Past State PTA President in this November 29, 2018 recorded webinar facilitated by Kelly Langston, Member, National PTA Mission Engagement Committee.
- What is mental health?
- What should we be considering when discussing mental health in our schools?
- What does the data tell us?
- What are the facts?
- How do we use the data to prioritize our efforts?
- What advocacy efforts have had/might have the greatest impact?
Learn More: Webinars for Families
- The Link Between Kids’ Stress Levels and Technology Use: National PTA and the American Psychological Association co-hosted a webinar for families concerned about the stress constant technology use puts on kids.
- Talking with Teens About Stress Management: National PTA and the American Psychological Association partnered in featuring board certified clinical psychologist, Dr. David Palmiter on the impact of stress on teens’ health and how you can model healthy stress management strategies.
- How to Tell When a Kid is Emotionally Struggling: National PTA partnered with the American Psychological Association to host an important conversation about the signs to look out for.
- Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health: The Signs, Strategies and Services Families and Schools Need: National PTA partnered with the National Association of School Psychologists to discuss ways to access special education services offered by your school when your child has a mental health disorder.
Stop the Spread of Influenza
Fast Flu Facts
- The flu can affect anyone, young or old, at any time—even otherwise healthy individuals.
- Flu viruses can cause illness from early October to late May, however seasonal flu activity most commonly peaks between December and March.
- The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot every year.
- An annual flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
- Everyone should have their flu shot by Oct. 31 every year.
Debunking the Myth
Does the flu vaccine cause the flu?
No. The vaccine typically takes 2 weeks to reach full strength, however, so if someone is exposed to the flu virus during that time, they may still get sick.
What You Can Do
Children are at higher risk for severe flu related complications, including death, so it’s important that families and schools work together to prevent flu and stop the spread of an outbreak once it occurs.
- Get every member of your family vaccinated annually. It’s the most effective way to prevent the flu. Search for locations in your community that offer immunizations.
- Beat the Bug: Post this tip sheet in your home to remind family members of things to do to stay healthy during cold and flu season.
- Five Questions Every Parent Should Ask Their School: Use this to guide your conversation with your school Principal about flu prevention policies and procedures.
- Cleaning Protocols for Germs in the Classroom: Share with school leadership how to properly kill bacteria on the surfaces teachers and students encounter every day.
Additional Resources for PTAs and Families
- Healthy Classrooms (Lysol): Teaches students, teachers and families techniques to keep germs from spreading and reduce sick days.
- Keep Flu Out of School (National School Nurses Association): Provides information and resources about flu prevention, including annual vaccination, to school nurses, parents, teachers and students.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Provide information about flu prevention, symptoms and treatment.
- Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives (CDC): Fact sheets, posters, social media messaging, stickers and other health promotion materials that schools can use to teach students about keeping hands clean and preventing illnesses.
Building Healthy Minds and Bodies
Nearly 49 million Americans—one in five children—live in households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basis. Students who don’t have enough to eat are likely to get sick more often, do not perform as well in school and are less likely to graduate from high school and go on to college.
Federal nutrition programs play a critical role in helping students build healthy minds and bodies. The National School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs, offered during the school year, are provided to students most in need at free or reduced costs. Over the summer the USDA Summer Meals Program provides nutritious, no-cost meals when school is not in session.
These meals, when eaten, provide students with balanced nutrition and the majority of calories needed every day to grow and thrive.
Learn More
- Summer texting hotline (Share Our Strength): Families in need can text the word “FOOD” or “COMIDA” (in Spanish) to 877-877 and receive a text back with the address of summer feeding sites closest to them, or information about how to find their closest feeding site.
- Summer Meals Site Finder (USDA): Helps families and children easily find summer meal sites near them.
- Cooking Matters (Share Our Strength): Helps families to shop for and cook healthy meals on a budget, as part of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign.
- Community Eligibility Resource Center (USDA): Provides extensive resources to help facilitate successful implementation of the Community Eligibility provision in your school.
Lead-Based Drinking Water Poses Danger
Potable, or safe, drinking water is essential to the health of all children.
Although progress has been made by federal and state governments to reduce water pollution through the Clean Water Act (1972) and ensure tap water safety through the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974), recent water contamination incidents across the United States highlight the fact that children, particularly children who live and learn in high poverty communities, may be exposed to lead-tainted water in their homes and schools.
The EPA warns that exposure to even low levels of lead can cause developmental and educational problems.
National PTA’s Position
The National PTA, in recognition of the importance of safe drinking water to the health of all children, supports the following:
- Careful preservation and protection of water supplies;
- Strong, strict water quality standards that help assure a healthy environment for all children, regardless of race, education level or financial status;
- Local, state, and federal legislation and regulations to maintain the highest possible levels of water quality;
- Effective implementation of local, state, and federal water quality standards;
- Legislation and regulations to allow cities, counties, and states to have higher water quality standards than the federal standards;
- Right-To-Know legislation and regulations in order for the public to be more aware of the environmental health hazards in their community;
- Regular water testing in schools and day-care centers for lead contamination
What You Can Do
To Avoid Lead Exposure
- Determine if there is lead-based paint in your home. Homes built before 1986 are also more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder.
- Ask your child’s school district to inspect the school’s water for lead contamination. Many school buildings in the U.S. are old and were built when lead pipes, solder or fixtures were allowed to be used.
If You or Your Child Have Been Exposed
- Make a plan with your doctor for testing and treating your child
- Contact your local health department
Safe Drinking Water: What Families Should Know
Family members are invited to view this webinar to learn more about the issue of lead-based drinking water in school, the signs and symptom of lead exposure in children, how to advocate to change in communities and tools that are available to increase access to drinking water in schools.
Learn More
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Information for families on identifying sources of lead, preventing exposure to children, and resources in your state.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Basic information on lead in drinking water, and learn tips for how to protect your family through exposure testing and proper home maintenance.
- Healthychildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics): What parents need to know about blood levels in children and simple steps to make your home safer.
- American Public Health Association (APHA): A 3 part webinar series on lead exposure and health, and links to contacting your Senator or Congressperson to advocate for better funding and resources.
- Webinar: Child Lead Poisoning: Preventable Harm: Co-sponsored by the Coalition on Human Needs, First Focus, Children’s Leadership Council, Partnership for America’s Children, and the National Head Start Association. Provides expert evidence about the consequences of lead poisoning in children, examples of work being done in Flint and Philadelphia to stop this scourge, and timely information about Congressional proposals to fund the solutions.
- Drinkingwateralliance.org (National Drinking Water Alliance) A coalition of nonprofits, academic institutions, advocates and individuals, works to ensure that all children are able to access safe water in the places where they live, learn and play.
Reverse Childhood Obesity
One-third of children are overweight or obese. If we don’t reverse this trend, this will be the first generation to live sicker and die younger than their parents.
The best place to teach healthy habits is at home. Parents can set a great example for the whole family by stocking their pantries with healthy foods, creating healthy new family traditions and getting active alongside their student.
Healthy Habits
Follow these two National PTA plans:
Promote Healthy Eating
Kids eat what is available and what they see adults eating. Surround your kids with healthy options at home and demonstrate good nutrition to encourage a lifetime of healthy eating. Improve your family’s nutrition habits.
Encourage Physical Activity
Physical activity is a critical to preventing childhood obesity. Exercise is most effective and more fun when it’s done as a group. In addition to promoting your child’s health and learning, you’ll feel better too! Make exercise a family habit.
What You Can Do
- Parents for Healthy Kids (CDC): A website for parents by parents, that teaches families how to get involved in school health and wellness to create healthier schools, no matter what your knowledge or experience is in school health.
Learn More
- Together Counts (Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation): A nationwide program inspiring active and healthy living.
Surround your Kids with Healthy Options at Home
Kids eat what is available and what they see adults eating. Surround your kids with healthy options at home and demonstrate good nutrition to encourage a lifetime of healthy eating. Healthy eating habits formed during childhood lead to a healthy life.
Kids need different amounts of foods at different ages, genders and activity levels. Proper nutrition is key.
Parents can teach their children good eating habits by being positive role models in their own choices and by explaining to their children the importance of a balanced diet and how to choose healthy options from each food group. Learn about your child’s nutrition requirements.
Improve Your Family’s Nutrition Habits
Involve your Kids in Food Choices
- Include your kids when planning the weekly family menu.
- Look at your school’s website together to see what is being served, and decide if you will make breakfast and lunch at home or buy it at school.
- Shop for groceries together. Make a list before you go to the store and only buy foods on the list. Once in the store, let your kids help you find items on the list. Read food labels out loud and talk about the choices you are making.
- Invite your child to cook with you. They are more likely to try new foods if they’ve helped to prepare them.
- Hold family tastings. Buy different brands of a healthy food (whole grain pasta, for example) and let family members decide what they like best.
Snack Healthy
- Healthy snack ideas include:
- Fruits (sliced or cubed, applesauce or dried fruit without added sugar)
- Vegetables and dips (try carrots and ranch dressing, celery sticks and peanut butter, snap peas with hummus)
- Whole grains (pitas, tortillas, rice cakes, popcorn, granola)
- Low-fat dairy foods (yogurt)
- Nuts and trail mix
- Give your child a variety of healthy options, so there is no wrong choice.
Reduce Sugar
- Offer water, low-fat milk or 100% fruit juice instead of juice drinks, sports drinks or soda.
- Do not give sweets or candy as a reward. Try nonfood rewards or family activities instead.
Watch Your Own Habits
- Never skip meals, especially breakfast.
- Avoid fast-food restaurants by planning meals and snacks in advance, before leaving home.
- Eat only when you are hungry. Teach (and show) healthy alternatives to eating when bored, frustrated, anxious or sad. (Exercise, reading and working on a project are good options.)
- Enjoy family meals together whenever possible.
Learn more
- USDA ChooseMyPlate.gov: Provides practical information to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information.
Make Exercise Effective and Fun
Physical activity is a critical to preventing childhood obesity. Exercise is most effective and more fun when it’s done as a group. In addition to promoting your child’s health and learning, you’ll feel better too!
Research shows that when children are fit and receive the proper amount of exercise, they perform better in school and are able to learn at a higher level.
Children must be given opportunities to be physically active throughout the day. Use the tips below to find out how you can help reverse the trend toward inactivity in the home and help your children achieve.
Stay Active at Home
Make Exercise a Family Habit
- Walk or bike to school together.
- Take a family walk around the block each night after dinner.
- Play upbeat music and dance your way through family chore times.
Play Together
- Discover free and low-cost physical activity options near your home (parks, bike paths, hiking trails, tennis courts or community swimming pools).
- Spend an afternoon at the local playground.
- Play a round of miniature golf together.
Set Family Fitness Goals
- Post goals on the refrigerator, along with a way to track everyone’s progress. Cheer each other on as goals are achieved!
- Train together for a charity walk or run.
- Get pedometers and have a contest to see who takes the most steps in a given week.
Exchange “Screen Time” for Active Time
- Limit sedentary screen time (computer, tablets, video games, TV) to no more than two hours per day.
- Encourage your kids to sign up for some form of physical activity. Everyone can find something they enjoy.
- Support your child by making a commitment to practices and showing up for games or performances.
Learn More
- Move Your Way (CDC): Includes tools, videos, fact sheets and tips that make it easier to get a little more active.
- Walking School Bus (Safe Routes to School National Partnership): An organized group of children that walks together to and from school with the supervision of an adult.
- Bike Trains (Safe Routes to School National Partnership): A group of students and adults who bike to and from school together, making stops along a previously designated route to pick up others as they approach the school. Great for kids who live too far to walk!
- Map Of Play (KaBOOM): Allows you to find, add and rate great playspaces in your area.
- Tools to Help Connect Kids and Nature (National Wildlife Federation): Provides tools to help families find nearby nature spaces and fun activities, as well as share wildlife sightings
Function at Maximum Potential
Students with chronic health conditions can function at their maximum potential if their needs are met. Their attendance, alertness and physical stamina will improve; they will have fewer symptoms and restrictions on their participation in physical activities and special events and they will experience fewer medical emergencies.
What You Can Do
- Anaphylaxis: Be Aware, Prepared and Ready to Respond: A three-part video series is designed to help create a safer environment for children with severe allergies.
Learn More
- Healthy Classrooms (Lysol): Lysol® has partnered with National PTA and the National Education Association (NEA) to educate students on proper hand washing and other techniques to keep germs from spreading and reduce sick days.
- Safe at School (American Diabetes Association): A campaign dedicated to making sure all children with diabetes are medically safe at school and have the same opportunities as their classmates.
- Food Allergies: What PTOs and PTAs Need to Know (Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE): Review National Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools, including recommended practices to help ensure students with food allergies are safely included.