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Is your child picking up more than the ABC´s in school? While you´re packing your child´s backpack with the pencils, notebooks and tools they´ll need for a great school year, don´t forget the supplies they´ll need to stay healthy and germ-free, too.

With nearly 22 million school days lost each year due to the common cold and flu (CDC) and as many as 2.7 million bacterial found per square inch on common school surfaces (NSF International), it´s no wonder that 82 percent of parents with kids in grades K-5 fret about the germs in their children´s classrooms (according to a survey conducted by Seventh Generation).

This school year, Seventh Generation is sharing tips from best-selling author and pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, to help parents protect their child´s health during back-to-school season. Dr. Greene suggests taking the following precautions:

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. (My kids love yogurt!)

Be sure your child is getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, from food, or from a supplement. (I make sure my energetic boys get lots of outside time!)

 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. (One benefit of homeschooling is less exposure to 'high-risk' places)
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. (I appreciate the donation to 'our classroom'.)

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. (If parents could get paid for every time they say 'Cover your mouth please', we would be rich!)
*Refer to disinfecting product labels for full details

I received a gift pack from My Blog Spark and Seventh Generation to try out and review. This "Back-to-School" kit included a Seventh Generation backpack, two canisters of Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes (one for home and one to donate to my child´s classroom), disinfecting multi-surface spray cleaner, facial tissue and paper towels. I loved the scent of the wipes, like walking through an herb garden. We homeschool so I kept the extra wipes for 'our classroom'! The paper towels and cleaner work great and my husband has appreciated the facial tissue.

My Blog Spark would like to give a gift pack to one of my readers! This is a short giveaway so please respond fast! The giveaway will end Sunday, September 26 at 11:00 P.M. EST.

For entries do one or more of the following:
1. Be a subscriber to this blog.
2. Follow me on facebook (Once Upon A Qpon) or twitter (onceuponaqpon)
3. Blog, facebook or tweet about this and leave a link
4. Answer either of these questions: What are your tips for keeping your kids healthy and germ-free? or
What ways do you keep your households clean during the school year?

For extra information on Seventh Generation products follow them on facebook or twitter!
**I received this gift pack free of charge from My Blog Spark and Seventh Generation in exchange for my honest review**
April

Largest Ice Cream Social

Free Ice Cream
Mark your calendars for Sept. 30 to receive a free 3 oz. cup of ice cream at
Cold Stone Creamery.  Read details here.

Madagascar Giveaway Winner

Congrats Susan! You won this giveaway. I've sent you an email to get your address info.
Have a great day!
April

FIX teas free sample
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Parents Magazine-free 6 months
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Hi Everybody,
I am republishing this giveaway. I've never done a giveaway where there wasn't any entries. So I am redoing it and extending the deadline.
If you are having a problem entering a comment let me know at onceuponaqpon(at)gmail(dot)com.
Thanks!
April

SUMMER IS STILL IN SESSION AROUND HERE! We are doing school but still enjoying the outside kiddie pool and having lots of play time with go karts, four wheelers, bikes and rolling around on the big dirt hill.

Along with family vacations and trips to the zoo, General Mills is teaming up with Nickelodeon´s The Penguins of Madagascar to bring the action-packed adventures of summer to your very own breakfast table.

Inside specially marked boxes of General Mills cereals, you´ll "commence operations" with one of five characters from The Penguins of Madagascar; Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, Private or King Julien. Each participating cereal contains one character launcher with mission details outlined on the back of the box including:

Dive In, Soldier - Set an empty plastic cereal bowl on the table and try to pop your launcher into it. Wear a helmet or you´ll be squid bait.

Longest Propulsion Launcher - Challenge your troops to see who can launch their character the furthest. Go long or go back to the zoo.

Target Practice - Create a landing zone with a spoon and try to strategically drop your character into the sweet spot. Hit the target or go back to the drawing board.

Clear the Wall - Do you have enough projectile pop to push your launcher over the top of the box? Proceed launchin´ troops, earn those wings!
Each character is unique and has their own specific role, and together, they´re a team with lots of character. With five character launchers to collect, make a splash this summer and try to successfully complete all of their missions.

As a member of MyBlogSpark I received the following gift pak to review:
A Penguins of Madagascar prize pack which includes one box of Trix cereal, a Penguins of Madagascar launcher and the new Penguins of Madagascar movie, The Penguins of Madagascar Operation: DVD Premier.
You can imagine the squeals of delight from my crew. They already love
the Madagascar movie and this DVD has provided many extra hours of TV reward time without the commercials!

MyBlogSpark is offering to giveaway one of these gift paks to one of you!
To enter this giveaway do one or more of the following:
1. Be a subscriber to this blog.
2. Follow me on this site, twitter (onceuponaqpon) or facebook(Once Upon A Qpon).
3. Answer one of these questions: Which character from Penguins of Madagascar is your child´s favorite? Which episode made them laugh the hardest?

This giveaway will end September 10, 2010 at 12:00 EST.

Good Luck!
April

The giveaway pak was sent to me by MyBlogSpark and General Mills in exchange for my honest review!

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