Yesterday, while visiting one of my schools, I could not help but notice the signs of the new school year starting, like the freshly waxed gymnasium floor and the little faces too shy to exchange smiles. One of my first memories of school was sitting quietly at my desk, carefully organizing all my school supplies inside its flip-top, which makes it so much fun for me to watch the kids discover their new classrooms, lockers, and all the friendships waiting to be made. By getting our children ready for school, we’ve passed our first test of this new academic year as parents. We can put an A down for preparation, but that was just the first grade of many we’ll receive this year. Now it’s on to the next test. What’s in your medicine cabinet right now? Do you know what types of medicine are in there? What about that “junk drawer” that we all have? Any medicines in there? I will be the first to admit that I was not aware of what was in my cabinet before my involvement with Five Moms, but now that I have educated myself, I realize that this is something I must stay on top of to help safeguard my home. The third step, and perhaps the most important, is sitting down with your children and talking to them about how dangerous it is to experiment with prescription and OTC medicines. My kids know that medicines are only given by mom or dad and that the medicine cabinet is off limits to them. Make sure your kids know and understand your rules, and you can achieve an A in communication, too! For help, check out our Educate Yourself and Protect Your Kids links. And, don’t forget to spread the word at your child’s school. Have a great school year!