What was your favorite part of back-to-school as a kid? Maybe it was the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, or the excitement of a new classroom, or getting to see those playmates you didn’t get to see over the summer. Whatever your favorite part of school was, you probably weren’t crazy about getting ill (cough medicine—gross!). Now, as a parent, wouldn’t you try to do everything in your power to ensure your kid doesn’t become sick during the school year?

As parents, we tend to focus so much of our energy on the complicated parts of raising our children: making sure they’re registered for the right classes, giving them preventative medicines and vitamins, and signing them up …