The kids have been back in school for a couple of weeks now and you have a whole new set of issues to deal with. Homework is in full swing, cold and flu season is around the corner, kids are starting to really feel the summer blues, and this rain is helping anyone.

So how do you combat these things? How do you make sure your kiddos are learning as much as possible, eating right, exercising, and NOT getting sick this school year? To a certain extent it is impossible. Kids get sick. Homework seems to be never ending. And it’s hard for even the healthiest adults to get the right servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

But there are a few things you can do so minimize your chances of getting sick and keeping healthy this school year.

First things first: WASH YOUR HANDS! Wash them before you eat, wash them after you eat, wash them before cooking, any time you are outside wash your hands as soon as you come inside. If you cough or sneeze, wash our hands. You use your hands to touch your face and head over and over again throughout the day. Easiest way to keep germs out of your face is to keep them off your hands.

Second, cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing. A sneeze can travel 200mph (YES, REALLY!) and up to 3ft. That means the kid sitting across from yours at lunch could easily get them sick if they don’t cover their mouth. Teaching your kids this early will not only save other kids from getting sick, but it’ll help you from catching what your kiddo has.

Next, if your kid is sick, leave them at home! The rule of thumb is to stay home until all the major symptoms have been gone for 24 hours. This includes temperatures above 100° F, body aches or chills, coughing, sneezing, vomiting and diarrhea. After that 24 hours is up, it is safe to send your little ones back to school.

Eat your veggies! Yes, having a healthy, balanced diet can help keep you healthy. Because your body is getting the right amount of nutrients, it is better prepared to fight of infection. Make sure you and your kiddos are getting a good variety of healthy foods. You should be able to see several bright colors on your plate from the fresh foods. Different foods have different vitamins that can help keep your whole family healthy this winter.

No matter what you will probably get sick once this fall/winter. However, taking a few simple steps can make a huge difference! Making sure you minimize the spread of germs and eating a healthy, balanced diet can help your family survive the winter with minimal sickness.