THE GROWING MIND BY DR. KAREN SUMNER a freelance writer and editor based in King City
WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S WELLNESS BACKPACK? PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE THEIR BEST EVERY DAY. HERE’S HOW TO HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
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STUDENT’S BACKPACK IS their home away from home. Along with textbooks and notebooks, it may carry gym clothes, a laptop and phone, a water bottle, a snack, some money, perhaps cold meds this time of year, maybe a ball to grab for recess and, for the older students, possibly a coveted car key. For most kids, there’s a lot jammed in there. But what about their wellness backpack? Our children need much more than pencils and calculators to be their best. They also need a rested mind, a healthy body,
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a sense of balance, a close connection to family and friends, and a level of confidence in meeting the ups and downs of any day. So it’s important to also consider what’s “packed” into their minds, hearts and bodies when they leave the house in the morning. What inner resources can they call on to get through the day, the week, the term? Through the tests, the teams, the clubs, the friendships, the breakups and the triumphs? With habits that support reliable mental and physical “school supplies,” children can live and learn to their fullest. Here’s what they can pack inside themselves each day.