Back to School with Seventh Generation

And the winner is:  Elizabeth GoHary!  Congratulations Elizabeth.  Send me your mailing information and your Seventh Generation Back to School pack will be on it's way.


Well it's that time of year again.  Summer vacation is over and the kids are back in school.  This seems to signal the beginning of cold and flu season, we all know how kids love to share those pesky little germs!

Here's a little history lesson on germs for you to watch:


 
According to a survey conducted by Senventh Generation, "82 percent of parents with kids in grades K-5 fret about the germs in their children’s classrooms."  So this year, Seventh Generation is sharing some tips on how to protect your kids during back-to-school season from pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene.  Dr. Greene advises that the following precautions be taken:

Optimize the immune system

• Reap the benefits of probiotics like those found in yogurt. A recent study showed that children who received enough probiotics daily throughout the cold and flu season had a significant reduction in the number of illnesses they had and, when they did get sick, the symptoms were both milder and didn't last as long. 
• Be sure your child is getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, from food, or from a supplement.
• Build a strong foundation. Good food, good sleep, and good physical activity all help the immune system to flourish.

Be wise about reducing unnecessary exposure to harmful germs

• Teach children the key times to clean their hands in the classroom. The most important times include after sneezing, coughing or using the restroom, upon leaving "high-risk" places (recess, naptime, play stations) and before meals or snacks.
• Sixty percent of teachers surveyed said that they request that parents donate disinfecting wipes to the classroom. Seventh Generation’s disinfecting wipes kill 99.99% of germs* naturally using the active ingredient thyme, a component of thyme oil which is derived from the herb thyme.
• Stress the importance of not touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Demonstrate to your children how to cover their mouth and nose for every cough and sneeze. This simple maneuver has spectacular results in decreasing the spread of viruses and bacteria floating about the room, waiting to be inhaled

 One of the best ways to help stop the spread of the germs that can cause colds and the flu is to disinfect common surfaces such as doorknobs and counters.  This is where Seventh Generation's line of disinfecting products comes in handy.  Seventh Generation surface cleaners are botanically based making them safer for the environment and the user while still retaining their efficacy, killing 99.99% of household germs including those that cause Influenza A.

The wonderful folks at Seventh Generation and MyBlogSpark sent me a wonderful gift pack containing 2 disinfecting wipes (one to keep and one to give to Nick's classroom), disinfecting spray, papertowels, tissues, and an adorable backpack.

 

They are also providing an identical gift pack for one of you.  To enter to win the above gift pack, provided by MyBlogSpark and Seventh Generation, leave a comment with your tips for keeping kids healthy and germ free as they head back to school.  I will randomly select a winner using random.org from all the comments submitted by 2 pm MST August 26.

All information, including video and picture, and both gift packs were provided by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark.