How to get your child ready to go back to school

 With school less than a month away many kids are slowly making the transition out of summer vacation mode and for parents  getting kids their vaccine shots is just one of the things on the to do list.

In Maryland kindergartners are required to get two doses of varicella vaccine for chicken pox and seventh graders are required  to get one booster TDAP vaccine  and one dose of mennigococcal vaccine.

“It’s so important just because vaccines save so many lives every year and all these diseases are preventable with the vaccines that we have out there, so we just encourage your children to get vaccinated,” said Kelly Shockley with the Wicomico County Health Department.

Health officials also say kids should start getting ready to go to bed earlier well before school starts.

“There’s nothing worse than the night before trying to cram all these things in and get a kid to go to bed at 8 o’clock whose been up till midnight the whole week before,” said psychologist  Dr. Sam Scott.

Scott adds you should start getting your kids adjusted to their school bedtime three to four weeks early and have them going to sleep at the time they would during the school year around a week out from the first day. 

Another big thing for parents, pay attention if your kid is feeling nervous about going to a new school or entering a new grade.

“So a very important thing to do is don’t avoid talking about it. the more kids talk about it and they’re able to express some of their nerves, it’s kind of exposure in a way, they’re going to feel more comfortable,” Scott said.

So by making sure your kids are vaccinated, well rested and well assured your kids should be ready for the first day.