Parenting Isn't for Wimps: Quick Tips: Backpack Safety

Friday, September 22, 2017

Quick Tips: Backpack Safety

Today's tips are from me and are two days late because I forgot to post them!

Quick Tips: School Back Pack Awareness Day was September 20, and here are some tips about using them safely.

Back packs are a normal part of school life, but it’s important to use them safely.

Backpacks should not exceed more than 15% of the wearer's body weight. That means if your preteen weighs 100 pounds, the backpack shouldn't weigh more than 15 pounds--unless the backpack is on wheels, not on the user's back.
The proper way to wear a backpack is on both shoulders with straps adjusted so it fits snuggly on the back with the bottom against the curve of the back. Wearing the pack too low or loose can pull a child backward and cause muscle strain. A waist strap is a plus, too, as it helps distribute the weight.
You might want to check what's in your child's back pack. It's not just books making the pack so heavy. Lap top computers, ipods, cell phones and other items add to the weight. Encourage your child to unload items he doesn't need, leave unneeded books at school and pack the rest so that the weight is evenly distributed.

Backpacks are part of school from kindergarten to senior year. Help your child use his backpack correctly to avoid neck, shoulder and back problems in the future.

For more school tips, check out my book The Middle School Survival Manual