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LifeWorksQuarterly NewsletterQ32009Welcome to the First EditionWelcome to the first edition of the LifeWorks newsletter. This quarterly publication willcontain timely, helpful articles on a wide variety of subjects as well as what’s new atLifeWorks. This newsletter is for you, so we’d love to hear what kind of subject matteryou’d like featured. Contact us today at lifeworks@ceridian.caGetting the School Year Off to a Healthy StartNow that the school year is starting, your childwill be facing many challenges — from gettingto know new teachers and learning newsubjects to adjusting to a new school-yearroutine. All of these tasks will be easier if yourchild can maintain healthy habits and stayenergized. Read on for ways you can help.Make sure your child getsenough sleepOne in four children feels tired at school everyday, according to a survey by KidsHealth. Andchronic drowsiness puts children at risk forproblems that may range from lower grades toaccidents on the playground. Here are two waysto make sure your child gets enough sleep:ßßEncourage healthy homework andsleep habits. Children between theages of six and 12 generally need 10 to11 hours of sleep a day. Help your childset up a regular study schedule that willallow him to finish his homework withouthaving to stay up past his bedtime.Turn off the computer and TV asbedtime nears. Research has found thatlooking at a bright screen just beforebedtime may interfere with the biologicalrhythms that govern sleep. And playingvideo games and reading e-mail or textmessages at bedtime may over-stimulatechildren and make it harder for them tofall asleep. To eliminate the temptation,consider keeping your child’s bedroom atelevision- and computer-free zone.Maintain healthy eating habitsDeveloping healthy eating habits now willhelp your child stay strong during all herschool years.ßßServe a nutritious breakfast. As oftenas possible, choose healthy foods such aswhole-grain breads and cereals or low-fatcheese and yogurt. Look for juices with noadded sugar.Plan for a healthy lunch. Try to includefresh fruit or vegetables in your child’slunch every day — an orange or apple,cut-up carrot sticks, or green or red pepperstrips. If she buys lunch in the cafeteria,teach her to make good choices. Go overthe cafeteria menu with her, talking aboutwhich of the foods would be healthiest.As an alternative to the pop in vendingmachines, send your child to school eachday with a refillable water bottle.Other ways to get the schoolyear off to a healthy startß Weigh your child’s backpack when it’sfully loaded. Overloaded backpacks cancause back pain and other aches and throwoff a child’s sense of balance, which canlead to falls.ß Work with the school nurse onmedications. Make sure the nurse hasthe correct and up-to-date instructionsfor any medications your child needs totake at school. This should include inhalersfor asthma attacks, acetaminophen oribuprofen for headaches or menstrualcramps, as well as any other medications.ß Teach your child a few timemanagementtips. Procrastination onhomework assignments can be a majorsource of stress for school age children.Get your child a big wall or desk calendarand have her write the due dates for herIn this issue:Getting the School Year Off to aHealthy Start......................................... 1Readjusting Your Expectations........... 2Strategies for Emotional Well-being... 3Thinking Ahead to Save MoneyDuring the Holidays............................. 4reports, papers, and projects on it —many children find it easier to rememberdeadlines they can see. Encourage yourchild to set intermediate deadlines foreach part of a big project and to writethose on the calendar, too. If she hasto do a book report, she might set fourdeadlines: one for choosing a book, onefor reading it, one for writing a roughdraft, and one for writing her final report.Finally, make sure you stay involved withthe school. Go to back-to-school night orother programs for parents and caregivers.Encourage teachers to let you know aboutany problems your child has so that youcan work together to find solutions. Ifyour child has any special needs, set upcommunication lines with his teachersright from the start (such as e-mail or anotebook that goes back and forth fromhome and school), so that you can stay ontop of his progress. The more you knowabout how your child is doing at school,the better able you’ll be to help himprepare, both mentally and physically, forthe challenges he faces every day.For more information, log on towww.lifeworks.com.This newsletter is brought to you by Ceridian, a leading provider of managed human resource solutions designed to maximize the value of people.© 2009 Ceridian Corporation. All rights reserved.