'''Healthy Lunchboxes"

Susie says that it is important that parents do not 'over-carb' kids this school year.

While growing, active kids do need plenty of energy, energy in the form of processed, high sugar carbs such as fruit snacks, juices, snack bars and biscuits are digested quickly, and result in a high release of the hormone insulin and leave kids prone to overeating and weight gain long term.

A lunchbox should contain:
Protein i.e. wrap
A piece of fruit
Dairy food

A snack food

Susie's 4 lunchbox recommendations

1) Ham/cheese wrap, choc milk, pack of chic nuts + 1 peach

2) Dinner roll with tuna + 100g yoghurt + muesli bar +15 frozen grapes

3) Vegemite/cheese wrap + small hommus/vege + cut up melon + milobar

4) Small tin tuna + 4 crackers like corn thins + baby tomatoes + goulburn valley frui + mini muffins + small cheese

Susie's Snack recommendations

Chic nuts, trail bars, baby bel cheese, mini yoghurts, calci yum milk, mini muffins, vege chips, mini milo bars.

'''Preparing Mentally"'
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, the Sunrise parenting expert, says that the back-to-school phase can be an overwhelming time, especially for children.

GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL
No yelling or raising your voice
Early to bed, early to rise
Showers and baths should be taken at night
Pack bag and lay out uniform at night
Before bed ensure lunches are madeRETURNING TO HOMEWORK
Feed them before they start
Establish a study routine
Create a quiet place
Be supportive and encouraging
Monitor Facebook
Communicate with the teacher if need beBEDTIME ROUTINE
Gradually adjust schedules before school returns
Help your child adjust with a sleep mask
Use a small electric fan to create "white noise"
Create a cool bedroom. Below 24C
Getting Organised
Peter Walsh - Oprah's organising guru - took us through how to get organised for back to school.

1) If you like it, label it! Label your kids lunch boxes, uniforms and school books if you don't want them to go missing! No point in spending all that time and money getting them ready if they are going to lose them! Your kids’ teachers will thank you for this too.

2) Organise your kids’ homework area. This will help them be successful at school and show that this area is important to you and should be to them also. Keeping items off of the desk helps give them more room for books and projects. Using colours also helps them remember where different things go when it’s time to clean up. With smartly-labelled, colourful bins, things like scissors, tape, glue, pens, and pencils don’t go missing as easily! When everything has a place, no time is wasted hunting for things – and no money is wasted buying duplicates of things you know you already have!

3) Create a family nerve centre.This a calendar and schedule on the fridge or in a well-trafficked place in your home should list school functions, meetings, assignment due dates and other important family dates. Train your kids to pin all school notices in this area for quick and easy reference and to save you headaches!