Latest Updates for Healthier Young Lives

Stay connected with stories that support your child’s well-being. Here you’ll find helpful tips, new resources, and updates from Healthy With Harvey—all created to make healthy habits easier for families and teachers. Each post offers simple guidance and real-life ideas you can use right away.

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Healthy With Harvey September/October Newsletter

Simple Stories. Strong Science. Healthier Kids.

🍂 This Month’s Feature

Small Choices. Healthy Habits. Caring for Each Other.

Fall is here!

School has been underway for a while now. The new backpacks aren’t quite so new anymore, everyone is settling into routines, and the days are starting to feel a little different.

That makes September and October a great time to think about something Harvey talks about a lot:

The little choices we make every day can make a big difference.

Washing our hands. Getting enough sleep. Eating breakfast. Moving our bodies. Getting our vaccines. Covering a cough. Telling a grown-up when we don’t feel well. Helping a friend.

None of those things seem very big by themselves.

But put them together, and they help us take care of ourselves — and each other.

🐾 Harvey’s September/October Message

Look What I Can Do!

Hi, Friends!

I’ve been back at school for a while now, and I’m getting pretty good at some things.

I know where my stuff goes.

I know our classroom routines.

I’ve made some new friends.

And I’m learning that I can do more things for myself than I thought I could!

I can remember to wash my paws — I mean, hands — before I eat.

I can help get my things ready for the next day.

I can choose a healthy snack.

I can tell a grown-up when I don’t feel well.

I can cover a cough or sneeze.

And I can notice when somebody else might need a little help.

Sometimes I still forget things. That’s okay. Learning to take care of yourself takes practice.

And here’s something else I’ve learned:

Taking care of myself helps me take care of other people, too.

That’s a pretty important job for a kid.

Or a dog.

Love,
Harvey 🐾

⭐ Harvey’s Healthy Habit Challenge

Pick ONE Thing You Can Do for Yourself

Growing up means gradually learning how to do more things on your own.

This month, ask your child to choose one healthy habit to practice without being reminded.

Maybe it’s:

Washing hands before eating
Brushing teeth
Putting dirty clothes in the hamper
Packing the backpack
Filling a water bottle
Choosing a healthy snack
Getting ready for bed
Putting toys away
Remembering a jacket on a chilly morning

Parents and Caregivers: Resist the temptation to jump in too quickly. A forgotten step can become an opportunity to learn.

At the end of the week or the month, ask:

“What can you do now that you couldn’t do by yourself before?”

Celebrate the accomplishment — no matter how small.

💉 Harvey’s Vaccine Corner

Why Do I Need a Flu Vaccine EVERY Year?

Harvey has a question.

“Wait. Didn’t I get a flu vaccine LAST year?”

You did, Harvey!

But influenza viruses change over time. That’s one reason flu vaccination is something we think about every year.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends annual influenza vaccination for children beginning at 6 months of age unless there is a medical reason they should not receive it.

Flu isn’t just a bad cold. It can cause serious illness in children — including children who were healthy before they got sick.

What should families know?

Children should receive a flu vaccine appropriate for their age and health.

Some children ages 6 months through 8 years need two doses at least four weeks apart, depending on their previous flu vaccination history. If you’re not sure what your child needs, ask your pediatrician or other healthcare professional.

🐾 Harvey Says:

“I don’t really love getting a vaccine. But I do love staying healthy enough to learn, play, visit people I love, and have adventures!”

Vaccination is one of the best ways families can help protect children from preventable illness.

🩺 A Health Note from Susan

Prevention Is Something We Practice

As a nurse and health communicator, I’ve spent much of my career thinking about a simple question:

How do we help people make good decisions about their health?

For children, the answer begins much earlier than we sometimes realize.

A young child can’t make every healthcare decision. Parents and caregivers make those decisions with guidance from healthcare professionals. But children can begin learning what it means to take care of their bodies.

They can learn to wash their hands.

They can cover a cough.

They can tell us when something hurts or when they don’t feel well.

They can begin to understand why sleep, healthy food, physical activity, and vaccines help keep their bodies healthy.

And importantly, they can learn that it’s okay to ask questions.

That’s one reason I believe so strongly in giving families clear, trustworthy health information.

Good health decisions shouldn’t be based on fear. They should be based on the best available evidence, thoughtful questions, and conversations with healthcare professionals you trust.

As we head into flu season, this is a good time to check your child’s vaccination record and talk with your pediatrician or other healthcare professional about what is recommended.

At Healthy With Harvey, we look to trusted pediatric experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, for evidence-based guidance about children’s health.

Susan K. Laird, DNP, MSN, RN
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Healthy With Harvey, Inc.

❓ Questions Are Healthy!

Help Children Participate in Their Own Healthcare

Sometimes children are frightened by vaccines, doctor visits, or other healthcare experiences simply because they don’t know what is going to happen.

We should not tell children, “It won’t hurt,” when they may feel a pinch.

We can be honest and reassuring.

Before a vaccination, encourage your child to ask:

What is this vaccine for?

What is going to happen?

Will I feel a pinch?

Can I hold someone’s hand?

Can I look away?

Children might choose to take slow breaths, count, sing, hold a favorite toy, squeeze someone’s hand, or look at something interesting while receiving a vaccine.

These small choices give children a little control over the experience.

And they teach a much bigger lesson:

It’s okay to ask questions about your health.

Learning to ask questions, listening to trusted adults, and understanding why we do things to stay healthy is part of becoming a good health decision-maker.

🧼 Harvey’s 20-Second Superpower

Clean Hands Help Stop Germs

Here’s a superpower almost everyone has.

Handwashing!

Soap and water can remove germs from our hands before those germs get a chance to make us — or someone else — sick.

Can you remember Harvey’s five steps?

💧 WET

Wet your hands with clean running water.

🧼 LATHER

Add soap and rub those hands together. Don’t forget the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and around your nails.

⏱️ SCRUB

Keep scrubbing for at least 20 seconds.

🚿 RINSE

Rinse away the soap and germs.

🖐️ DRY

Dry your hands.

And remember some of the really important times to wash:

Before eating.
After using the bathroom.
After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
After playing outside.
Whenever your hands are dirty.

October 15 is Global Handwashing Day, so it’s a perfect time for the whole family to practice Harvey’s 20-Second Superpower.

🤧 OOPS! Where Did That Sneeze Go?

AAAA-CHOO!

Sneezes happen.

Coughs happen.

But we can decide where they go.

Teach children this simple routine:

Tissue → Trash → Wash

Have a tissue?
Cover your nose and mouth.

Finished?
Put the tissue in the trash.

Then?
Wash your hands.

No tissue?

Use your elbow — not your hands.

Why?

Because hands touch everything!

Door handles. Toys. Pencils. Tablets. Food. And other people.

Always covering coughs and sneezes and keeping our hands clean are simple ways we can help keep germs from traveling.

See feature story

🧠 Emotional Skills

Sometimes My Brain Needs a Break

Fall can get BUSY.

School.

Homework.

Sports.

Dance.

Music.

Birthday parties.

Family activities.

Even fun things can sometimes feel like too much.

Kids need downtime, too.

Harvey is learning to notice when his body and brain are telling him:

“I need a break.”

Maybe he needs to curl up with a book.

Color a picture.

Build something.

Listen to music.

Sit quietly.

Take a walk.

Or just do nothing for a little while.

Talk About It

Ask your child:

“How does your body tell you when you’re getting tired or overwhelmed?”

Then ask:

“What helps you feel calm again?”

Recognizing the need for rest is another important healthy decision.

🍁 Fall Is for Exploring!

Take Your Healthy Habits Outside

Cooler days give us a wonderful reason to get outside and move.

Take a family walk and turn it into an adventure.

Can you find:

🍂 Three different colored leaves?
🐦 A bird you’ve never noticed before?
🌰 An acorn?
🕷️ A spiderweb?
☁️ An interesting cloud?
🎃 A pumpkin?
🐿️ A squirrel getting ready for colder weather? What do they do? Why are they doing that?

Bring a bag and collect a few fallen leaves. At home, sort them by size, shape, or color.

That’s exercise + science + family time all rolled into one.

Harvey calls that a very good walk.

👨‍👩‍👧 Parent & Caregiver Corner

When the New-School-Year Energy Wears Off

September and October can be an interesting time for families.

The excitement of starting school is over, but the holiday season hasn’t arrived yet.

This is a good time to check in on the family’s routine.

Ask yourself:

Is my child getting enough sleep?

Are mornings constantly rushed?

Are we overscheduled?

Is there time to play?

Is there time to talk?

Are we eating together sometimes?

Does everyone have a little downtime?

You don’t need to fix everything.

Choose one thing that would make your family’s day a little calmer or healthier.

Small changes count.

❤️ Harvey’s Kindness Challenge

Notice Somebody

Here’s Harvey’s challenge for September and October:

Notice someone who might need you.

Maybe someone who is sitting alone.

Maybe a classmate dropped something.

Maybe your brother or sister had a hard day.

Maybe Grandma needs help carrying something.

Maybe a friend seems sad.

You don’t always have to fix the problem.

Sometimes you can simply ask:

“Are you okay?”

“Can I help?”

Being healthy isn’t only about taking care of our bodies.

It’s also about taking care of each other.

🐾 Harvey’s Fall Family Challenge

See how many your family can complete before our next newsletter:

☐ Take a fall walk together
☐ Practice 20-second handwashing
☐ Check whether everyone is up to date on recommended vaccines
☐ Let your child take responsibility for one new healthy habit
☐ Have a screen-free family evening
☐ Try a new healthy fall food
☐ Help someone without being asked
☐ Read a Healthy With Harvey story together
☐ Have everyone name one thing that helps them feel calm
☐ Do something kind for someone outside your family

📚 Trusted Information for Families

There is a lot of health information available to families — and sometimes it can be difficult to know what to trust.

Healthy With Harvey encourages parents and caregivers to look for information based on scientific evidence and developed by experts in children’s health.

One important resource is the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Parents and caregivers can also visit HealthyChildren.org, the AAP’s family-focused resource, for understandable information about children’s health, development, safety, immunizations, and many other topics.

And when you still have questions — and it’s perfectly okay to have them — talk with your child’s pediatrician or another healthcare professional you trust.

Good questions help us make good decisions.

🐾 One Last Thought from Harvey

I’m learning that being healthy isn’t just one thing.

It’s lots of little things.

It’s washing my paws.

It’s getting my vaccines.

It’s getting enough sleep.

It’s eating food that gives me energy.

It’s moving my body.

It’s asking questions.

It’s telling somebody when I don’t feel good.

It’s knowing when I need a break.

And it’s noticing when somebody else needs me.

That’s a lot to remember!

But I don’t have to do everything perfectly.

I just have to keep learning.

And so do you.

See you next time!