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10 back-to-school tips that save time and money

(Family Features) Back-to-school season means it’s time to get back to the business of learning. This year you can ace your back-to-school shopping excursion with these time- and money-saving steps that can make getting the whole family ready for a new school year a breeze.

Start with a list.
Walking into the store without a list is an open invitation for impulse buys and forgotten items that end up costing you more time and money with a return trip. Create a thorough list by categorizing all the items you’ll shop for, such as supplies, electronics and clothing. If you want to take an extra-organized approach, try color coding items by the section of the store where you would expect to find them.

Set a budget.
Knowing what you can afford to spend ahead of time can save regret and returns after you shop. Calculate how much you’ll need to cover all the items your students truly need, then tack on some room for wants. One must-have is a high-quality backpack, like the High Sierra Access Backpack, which includes a dedicated storage area for your child’s laptop, among other features. If your total budgeted expenses exceed your available funds, consider browsing weekly circulars to keep your budget in check.

Explore your inventory.
It may be buried under a summer’s worth of knick-knacks, but digging out the supplies your child cast aside at the end of the last school year may be worth the effort. Items like scissors, rulers and protractors may not need to be replaced every year if they’re still in working condition. Assess what items you have that can be reused and those that need to be replaced for the new school year.

Cut extra stops.
Dashing all over town to find all the items on your supply list is not only time-consuming, it’s unnecessary. At stores like Office Depot and OfficeMax, you can find all the academic tools and supplies your student needs to head back to the classroom. What’s more, a store that specializes in school supplies will have a broad selection and ample stock of the essentials.

Try online shopping.
When you know exactly what you need, shopping online is a great time-saving solution. Online shopping makes it incredibly simple to keep tabs on your budget before you make purchases and easily keep track of the items in your shopping cart. If you need to hand-select a few items in person, you can always take advantage of a “buy online, pick-up in store” option. This service lets you do your shopping from home with just a quick stop in-store to pick-up your purchases.

Buy in bulk.
It may seem counter-intuitive when you’re trying to trim your spending, but if you can swing it, go ahead and buy extra items that you’ll likely need to replace mid-year. The sale prices during the back-to-school season aren’t likely to repeat during the school year, so in the long run you’ll save money and avoid a last-minute shopping trip on a busy school night in the future. Items like Stellar fashion notebooks, which give note-taking a fashionable twist, are great to have on hand throughout the school year.

Research specials and promotions.
For many stores, the back-to-school shopping season is second only to the holidays. This means you can expect widespread sales, promotions and special deals, such as “deals as low as a penny.” Some states also offer tax-free holidays near the beginning of the school year, which are honored at multiple retailers and generally restricted to school-related purchases like clothing, supplies and some technology.

Weigh quality vs. quantity.
When you have a lengthy list of items to purchase for each child, it can be tempting to cut corners and skimp on spending. In some cases, being cost-efficient is smart, but do your research beforehand to avoid selecting items based solely on price. Value and quality don’t always go hand-in-hand and if you buy an item that falls apart or breaks down quickly, you may end up spending more to replace the items later. While it may be simpler for students to use printers and other machines at school, an all-in-one Epson Expression EcoTank Wireless Printer at home can be a convenient solution when late-night homework is bearing down.

Make dollars do double duty.
While most families expect to spend a sizable amount on back-to-school purchases (nearly $700, according to a 2016 survey by the National Retail Federation), making that money go a little further can soften the blow. You can help improve education in your community by shopping at stores that give a percentage of proceeds back to local schools. Programs vary; in some cases, you can even designate proceeds to the school district of your choice.

Take more notes on smart back-to-school shopping ideas and deals at officedepot.com.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

Back-to-School Health Check

Before school is the perfect time to screen for scoliosis

(Family Features) The leisurely days of summer are over and it's time to re-establish healthy habits and back-to-school routines. In addition to dental checkups and annual physicals, pediatric medical specialists recommend adding a scoliosis screening to back-to-school checklists.

Scoliosis, a musculoskeletal disorder that causes an abnormal curvature of the spine or backbone (sometimes resembling an "S" or "C"), is the most common deformity of the spine, affecting an estimated 6-9 million people in the United States.

Certain conditions can cause scoliosis, including muscle diseases, birth defects or injuries, but the most common scoliosis is idiopathic, which means the cause is unknown. Scoliosis is most commonly diagnosed between 10-15 years of age, during periods of rapid growth. Although 10 percent of adolescents may have the condition, not all will need care.

"Because most causes are unknown, early detection through routine screenings is key to providing the best possible outcome," said Amer Samdani, M.D., chief of surgery for Shriners Hospitals for Children® — Philadelphia.

Signs of scoliosis
Scoliosis can be hereditary and it is recommended that a child who has a relative with the condition receive regular checkups for early detection as they are 20 percent more likely to develop the condition. Pediatric medical experts recommend females be screened at least twice at ages 10 and 12 and males at either age 13 or 14.

Children and teens with scoliosis rarely exhibit symptoms and sometimes the condition is not obvious until the curvature of the spine becomes severe. In some cases, your child's spine may appear crooked or his or her ribs may protrude. Some other markers to watch for in a child who has scoliosis are:

• Clothes not fitting correctly or hems not hanging evenly
• Uneven shoulders, shoulder blades, ribs, hips or waist
• Entire body leaning to one side
• Appearance or texture of ribs sticking up on one side when bending forward
• Head not properly centered over the body

Diagnosing scoliosis
When confirming a diagnosis of scoliosis, a doctor will confer with you and your child while also reviewing your child's medical history; conducting a full examination of your child's back, chest, feet, legs, pelvis and skin; taking a series of X-rays; measuring curves; locating the apex of the curve and identifying the pattern of the curve.

Treatment of scoliosis
According to Samdani, there's no one-size-fits-all treatment for scoliosis.

"Some cases will just need to be watched; others will need physical therapy, bracing or surgical procedures to stop the curve from progressing," he said. "At Shriners Hospitals, we offer the whole spectrum of treatments under one roof, all working together to get the best possible outcome for each child. We also treat children regardless of the families' ability to pay, so that often provides a huge relief to parents."

For more information on scoliosis screenings, care and treatment, visit straighttalkonscoliosis.org.

A Life-Changing Discovery
For competitive swimmer Katie Lyons, a love for the sport began at 7 months old when her toes touched the pool's water for the first time. At age 4, Katie swam in her first meet. Weeks before she turned 10, her coach observed a rib cage protrusion that looked similar to another teammate who had been diagnosed with scoliosis during routine stretching exercises in practice, and contacted her parents. The next day, her pediatrician confirmed the life-changing discovery: she had scoliosis.

Within a week of being diagnosed, Katie traveled to Shriners Hospitals for Children — Greenville, where she began treatment for an "S" curvature of her spine and was given a 98 percent chance of needing surgery. She was fitted for a brace, which she wore 20 hours a day and only took off for swim practice and bathing. Now on her fourth brace, she has been removed from the surgical list and hopes to continue to avoid surgery as she goes through her adolescent growth spurts; which for many scoliosis patients, can send their curves into fast-forward.

Early detection gave Katie a wider range of options for the treatment of her scoliosis. The strength of her core and daily stretching from swimming has helped manage and lower her double curves.

App Helps Parents Detect Signs of Scoliosis
You can also check your child's spine for scoliosis with the help of your smartphone through the SpineScreen app – available for free in the iTunes and Google Play stores. For more information on the app and the importance of routine screening, visit straighttalkonscoliosis.org.

To be used as an initial at-home check, the app can detect abnormal curves when the phone is moved along a child's spine and determine if a follow-up visit with a doctor is necessary to confirm a potential diagnosis. If your child has scoliosis or any other orthopaedic condition, Shriners Hospitals for Children has 20 locations in the United States, Mexico and Canada that provide expert care.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images (School bus and doctor check-up)

Better Back-to-School Buys

(Family Features) When those first school bells ring and class is back in session for kids of all ages, make sure you and your student have everything in hand to help ensure success. Whether it’s tools for the classroom, supplies for a nutritious lunch, stylish clothes or helpful items for home, you’ll need to gear up for the school year ahead. Find more back-to-school solutions at eLivingToday.com.

Give Gratitude

Teachers’ hard work and planning begin long before the school year starts and classes are back in session. Show your gratitude to your children’s teachers with merci Chocolates, a thoughtful collection of fine, European chocolates. Each slim, stylish box contains eight unique, individually wrapped flavors, making it the perfect token of appreciation to teachers for opening minds and touching hearts. Find more information at merci.us.

A Helping of Hummus

Find the hummus you love in individual, portable containers with Sabra Singles, which are easy to add to a lunchbox when you’re on the move. Each 2-ounce cup of Sabra hummus is non-GMO and contains 4 grams of plant-based protein and 3 grams of dietary fiber with no added sugar. Serve with carrots for an easy and tasty way to increase the veggies in your child’s diet every day. Visit sabra.com for more information.

Simply Super Storage for Kids

Good organizational habits are important to a child’s success in school. That’s why ClosetMaid created KidSpace, a collection of kid-tested and kid-approved juvenile storage furniture ranging from toy chests to storage shelves. This robust line, which was designed with safety and storage in mind, helps parents avoid clutter and create more space for imagination, magic and giggles in bedrooms, playrooms, living rooms and more. For more information, visit closetmaid.com/kidspace.

Sporty Sneakers

Send your student to school in style with shoes that fit this season’s “athleisure” trend and kick it up a notch with a hint of sparkle. These retro-inspired Arizona Sparkling Sneakers can add a relaxed, sporty feeling to a wardrobe without compromising on appearance. Help your child stand out from the crowd by finding these and more at JCPenney with styles that are priced to buy and guaranteed to love. Find more back-to-school styles at JCPenney.com.

Tech Tools for Students

Teach students to code with the TI-Innovator Hub from Texas Instruments, which plugs into the TI-84 Plus CE or TI-Nspire CX graphing calculator many students already have. The hub is a palm-sized board with a microcontroller that turns a graphing calculator into a STEM tool for back to school. Students can light up LEDs or write a program to play a song using their calculators. Learn more at education.ti.com.

Lunchtime Upgrade

Give your old-school lunchbox a technology upgrade this school year. The Freezable Classic Lunch Box from PackIt is the only horizontal lunch box that chills healthy food for hours with built-in freezable gel that eliminates the need for ice packs. The lunchbox’s top-load design makes it easy to pack flat containers like bento boxes, and a buckle handle clips onto totes, backpacks or sports bags for convenient travel to and from school, day care and extracurricular activities. Find more lunchtime solutions at packit.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (Children at school)

What Moms Need to Know About Summer Nutrition for Kids

Hit a home run with essential nutrients for active kids

(Family Features) With summer in full force, kids are busy with physical activities and whether it’s little league baseball games, swim team or summer camp, they’re more active than ever. Moms, nutritionists and pediatricians alike know active kids and developing bones and muscles need essential nutrients to grow strong, but The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say most Americans, including children, actually aren’t getting enough fiber, calcium, vitamin D and potassium in their diets.

Moms can keep up by making sure kids fuel their bodies with proper nutrition and stay hydrated at the same time. As a drink kids already love the taste of, milk is a great choice when moms want to serve delicious and natural, high-quality protein for kids before sending them off on summer adventures. Many are also surprised to learn that milk can help hydrate after exercise due to its natural electrolytes and fluids.

Milk plays an important role for kids’ meals and snacks, providing three of the four nutrients most Americans, including kids, aren’t getting enough of (calcium, vitamin D and potassium), and it’s the top food source of these nutrients, to boot.¹ Plus, with 8 grams of protein per every 8-ounce glass, the farm-fresh beverage is a great way to help the whole family kick start the day.

One way to hit a home run for your kids is by stepping up to the breakfast plate with delicious baseball pancakes. Served with an 8-ounce glass of milk, this breakfast is the perfect combo to help kids fuel up with protein in the morning.

Find more nutritious recipes to pair with milk at milklife.com.

Home Run Pancakes

Servings: 4

• 1          cup all-purpose flour
• 1          teaspoon baking powder
• 1          teaspoon sugar
• 1/4       teaspoon salt
• 1          large egg
• 1          cup fat free milk
• 1/4       teaspoon vanilla extract
• nonstick cooking spray
• 8          strips low-sodium turkey bacon (optional)
• 2-3       tablespoons raspberry or strawberry syrup (optional)

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix egg, milk and vanilla separately. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined.
2. Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat and grease lightly with cooking spray.
3. Using 1/3-cup measuring cup for each pancake, pour batter onto pan. Cook until bubbles form and edges start to look dry then flip and cook another 30-45 seconds.
4. Cook bacon on griddle 3-4 minutes on each side, if desired, until desired crispiness is achieved.
5. Place cooked bacon next to pancakes for “baseball bats.” If desired, drizzle syrup onto pancakes to make baseball stitching.
6. Pair each serving with 8-ounce glass of milk.

Nutritional information per serving: 240 calories; 1.5 g fat; 55 mg cholesterol; 15 g protein; 40 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 420 mg sodium; 454 mg calcium (45% of daily value). Nutrition figures based on using fat free milk, and include an 8-ounce glass of milk.

¹Fulgoni VL, Keast DR, Quann EE, Auestad N. Food sources of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and potassium in the U.S. The FASEB Journal. 2010;24:325.1.

5 Tips for Active Summer Families

(Family Features) Summer is perfect for staying active and spending time outdoors with loved ones, but the frantic pace of the season and overload of activities can take a toll on the entire family.

With a little care and pampering, you can enjoy summer to the fullest while still keeping your family rejuvenated.

Eat Well. Food is fuel, and it’s necessary to keep the entire family energized. During warmer weather, cravings often lean toward lighter foods, making it the perfect time to add extra servings of seasonal fruits or vegetables to the family table each night. Also remember to ensure family members are drinking plenty of water as extended time in the sun can lead to dehydration and dry skin if fluids aren’t frequently replenished.

Make Sleep A Priority. Sleep is as important to your body as nutrition and exercise, and making it a priority can be beneficial, especially when your family’s calendar is packed with events. Sufficient, high-quality sleep contributes to a healthy immune system and helps repair damage done throughout the day. It also positively impacts metabolism and overall function while contributing to emotional and mental well-being. Most doctors recommend 6-8 hours per night for adults, and kids of all ages typically require even more, so work on getting into a nightly routine to ensure all members of the family are getting the rest they need.

Pamper Yourself at Home. Once you’ve completed chores in the heat or spent time enjoying family activities in the sun, some simple pampering can be done at home to rejuvenate skin. Start with your hands, which are at the center of everything you do and often the first point of contact with an activity, whether it’s cooking, gardening, crafting or aiding friends and family. The unique formula of Softsoap Hand Wash Plus Lotion liquid hand soap is made with a touch of lotion to lock in moisture for clean, soft hands. Available in Shea & Cocoa Butter, Aloe Water & Lime and Orchid & Coconut Milk fragrances, this innovative formula can make your hands irresistibly smooth, so your touch is always a soft touch.

Take Time to Exercise. Even a little activity can have a huge impact. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity at least five days a week. Taking time out of your family’s busy summer schedule to go for a walk, ride bikes around the park or neighborhood, or play a game outside together can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight and feeling more energized.

Slow Down. It’s easy to spread yourself too thin, especially in the summer when there are often more activities requiring your attention and attendance. When you get caught up in trying to make the most out of every second of every day, it can take a toll on both your family’s physical and emotional well-being. Slow down and take that well-deserved personal time – even just an hour a day – to do something you enjoy with the ones you love. Remember to take small breaks during activities to stretch or take a short walk to help relieve potential stress on your body.

Find more tips to make your family’s summer a happy, healthy and stress-free one at softsoap.com