Back-To-School Basics 2.0

Most parents have a back-to-school checklist packed with pencils, notebooks, and other supplies. But it’s important to have a back-to-school “well-being” list, too. Before your child’s first day, talk to him or her “about issues like healthy friendships and bullying,” says Ellen Lestz, MD, a pediatrician with White Plains Hospital Medical & Wellness in Armonk. Even if your child hasn’t had problems in the past, they may encounter “bumps in the road,” Lestz explains, so “it’s essential for them to know what to do and where to get support if needed.” As kids get older, Lestz recommends that parents encourage them to “begin advocating for themselves with teachers, the principal, the school nurse, other parents, and friends.”