Tension can be particularly pronounced if the child is making the transition from elementary school to junior/middle school, or up to high school. This sort of concern is normal and healthy. However, there are warning signs to watch for that may indicate your child is experiencing a level of anxiety that is beyond "normal" and needs to be handled with sensitivity and care.

A child who is overly concerned about returning to school, or being at a new school, will often develop "clingy" behaviour and may not want to leave the house. He or she may also complain of stomach aches and/or headaches.

If your child appears to be experiencing school-related anxiety, you should gently question her to determine the source of her concerns. For a younger child, it may simply be fear of leaving the security of home, whereas an older child may worry about whether or not he will fit in with his peers.

If you suspect there is more to your child's concern, and your child has experienced bullying, you may want to contact the school authority for advice on this issue. You may also want to visit the Government of Canada website www.safecanada.ca, and follow the link to bullying, then bullying in schools.

If your younger child appears merely apprehensive, you can make the transition of returning to school easy and fun by involving him in the process. Allow him to help choose school clothes and supplies and encourage him to suggest snacks for breaks and lunch. Older children are usually concerned about fitting in and appearing cool among peers, so suggesting you shop for something special to wear when school starts can help boost confidence. You may also consider budgeting for a new outfit after school is in session, allowing your child to determine what is "in" for the new school year.

If your child has been out of touch with friends for the summer, you might suggest inviting one or two over so that they can reconnect before school starts.

Once classes begin, it is important to stay connected to your child to let her know that you are interested in her experiences at school. Be sensitive and non-judgemental. Often a child's worst fear is that he won't be able to turn anywhere for advice or that fears that are very real to him will be dismissed as unimportant or silly. Usually, all it takes to help your child's transition back to school is a good pair of ears, a willingness to talk problems over, and a hug.

"Don't Talk to Strangers"

It's a mantra worth reconsidering. The Canada Safety Council website, www.safety-council.org, relates an incident that happened in Utah, during June 2005: An 11-year-old boy was lost in the wilderness for four days. All this time, he stayed on the trail, where he saw people searching for him but deliberately hid from them, afraid that someone might "steal" him.

Eventually, he was found, and all ended well.

According to the Canada Safety Council, this incident shows how unwise it is to instill a fear of strangers in children. The 'stranger danger' message can hinder children from developing the social skills and judgement needed to deal effectively with real-life situations. In a predicament, a stranger could be their lifeline to safety.

Having a child go missing is a parent's worst nightmare. However, the threat of abduction by a stranger is minimal when compared with other possible reasons for a disappearance.

In 2004, there were 67,266 missing-children cases in Canada. Only 31 of these involved kidnappings (less than one percent). In most of those cases the kidnapper was a relative, friend or person known to the family. There were 671 cases of children wandering off, and 332 cases of abductions by a parent. Almost 80 percent of all cases were runaways. Teens aged 14 to 17 accounted for 80 percent of missing-children reports. Fewer than one percent were children five years of age or under.

The Canada Safety Council points out that these statistics cast doubt on the idea that children should never talk to strangers. When it comes to the relatively low risk of abduction and kidnapping, children are most frequently taken away by people they know. This implies they need a sense of whom to trust. Wandering off is a far more common cause of a child becoming lost - and a lost child may have to call upon a stranger for help. This means he needs to develop the ability to judge what kind of people to approach.

Unfortunately, the "never talk to strangers" rule does not protect children in the situations they are most likely to face. On top of this, the message can be confusing since adults do not model this behaviour. A child may not know how to define who is a stranger, and who is not. If strangers are dangerous, then they must look unpleasant. On the other hand, a friendly, attractive person must be okay. Even though the opposite may be true, this is how a child's mind may work.

What Parents Can Do

Always closely supervise pre-schoolers and younger children. Children in this category do not understand risk and tend to act on impulse.

It is important that older children develop the habits and attitudes that will protect them from the real threats and dangers they may face.

If she is lost outdoors or in danger: Teach your child to stay put (or in hazardous conditions, find the nearest safe spot), try to attract attention, and wait for a rescuer.

If he is lost in an urban environment: Teach your child to ask for help from a uniformed officer, restaurant or store staff, information booth or mother with children.

If she becomes separated from the family: A school age child should memorize her given name and surname, address and phone number in case she becomes separated from the family or other group.

If someone makes him feel uncomfortable: Whether it's someone he knows or not, your child should be taught to trust his instincts and to seek out an adult in whom he can confide.

To help develop your child's skills and resources, it is wise to practice 'what if' scenarios, such as getting lost in a mall, being approached in a park, or being offered a ride with a stranger. Many families  teach that anyone who has been asked to pick a child up first provide the child with a 'secret password' known only to the family.

Keeping Little Hands Clean

Teaching your child to wash his hands frequently is an important part of germ-proofing him against fall and winter ills. Explain to your child that while washing hands throughout the day is important, it is particularly so at these times:

• before eating
• after using the bathroom
• after handling animals or their waste

Be sure to teach your child how to wash her hands since many children simply swish their hands under cold running water and assume this constitutes a 'wash'. Here's the germ-fighting way to wash hands:

• Wet hands in warm, running water.
• Lather well with soap. Rub hands vigorously for 15-20 seconds.
• Scrub all surfaces (back of hands, wrists, between fingers, under nails)
• Rinse well. Dry with a clean or disposable towel.
• When using a public or school restroom, leave the water running, dry hands, and turn off the faucet using a paper towel.

For times when handwashing is not possible, consider tucking a bottle of Purell hand sanitizer into your child's backpack. Purell kills 99.99 percent of the germs that cause common illnesses.

Make Sure Your Children Stay Active

Health Canada says that research shows more than half of Canadian children and youth are not active enough for optimal growth and development. When children are not physically active, their bones and muscles simply don't develop as they should. Compounding the problem are soft drinks that contain phosphates - substances that leach calcium from growing bones.

To ensure your child's growth is not impaired, encourage outdoor play, walks, and participation in sports. Try to incorporate physical activity into family pursuits, such as going for a hike, walking the dog, or playing ball.

Also encourage your child to drink beverages that do not contain phosphates, such as water, juices and milk or soy/rice based beverages.

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