MACON, Ga. — For lots of parents and kids, with just a few weeks left before school bells ring, spending long days at the park in Macon is important.
Heather Wade is a mom to 8-year-old Lucas Wade who is autistic. As a mom, she says getting into routines for school is a priority.
“We'll come up here and he likes coming to the playground and it's kind of his routine,” Wade said.
For some parents, starting those routines a few weeks early helps get their kids back in routine.
“As we get closer to school, we try to put him to bed a little earlier, and then the weekly routine of getting up and going to school. We try to prepare him for that,” Wade said.
But sometimes getting back into those routines isn't easy.
“Structure so it does take a little bit of time to prep him to ease him back into school,” Wade said.
Pediatrician Lance Slade says parents can help students get off to a good start this school year by doing a few simple things.
“A lot of our health problems are fixed if we do get enough sleep, exercise, eat healthy," Slade said. "It fixes a lot.”
Slade says getting vaccinations is also important at the ages of 4,11, and 16.
“Vaccines are needed at certain ages, so my pre-k kids need it usually before registration,” Slade said.
For moms like Wade, getting certain vaccinations isn't on her list.
“I just feel like it will build his immunity naturally, that's why I don't always get the flu vaccination for him,” Wade said.
Dr. Slade says transitioning into school often isn't easy, so it helps when parents get a head start by making appointments early and then booking their kids next appointment after.
“Try to transition back to more of a normal hour if they have to be up at 6:30 a.m. Some of these classes start at 7:30 a.m. Something like middle schools and high schools then get let's get them up,” Slade said.