I love Christmas, but Winter and I have a love/hate relationship. Having had the flu several years in a row I am all about beating winter time bugs, especially in the kiddos. Snotty noses are part and parcel of winter, mainly unavoidable as little noses flit from central heating to the colder fresh air of the outdoors.
However we can do some little things to help give our smalls a healthy boost and hopefully keep them relatively healthy this season.
Get out doors!
I am a great believer in getting kids outside for good periods of the day regardless of the weather. The fresh cold air that gives our scarf wearing kiddos those rosy cheeks helps boost their circulation, increases their happy hormones, and also gets them in the winter sunshine for a top up of vitamin D. It also helps use up some of that pent up energy, so less moodies from homronal teens, hopefully!
Get the windows open!
Shove a jumper on, turn the heating down low, pull the duvets back and get those windows open. Yes it will be chilly for a very short time but the positive benefits are worth it. Opening the windows allows stale air to be replaced with fresh crisp air. Condensation build up can also be reduced, also reducing the risk of mould on the window frames and cills which can lead to health issues. Just 15-20 minutes a day is all you need to keep the air fresh in your home.
Eat your 5 a day!
With the body working a little harder to keep warm, and fewer day light hours, now is the time to fill your body up with goodness. Fill your plates with plenty of veg and make the most of the seasons offerings. Root vegetables are great fillers in soup, casseroles and as mash. Satsumas, clementine’s and tangerines should be overflowing in the supermarkets and are ideal for kids lunch boxes and for the desk drawer too.
Don’t skip breakfast!
My teen is terrible for skipping breakfast, and yet she always feels better after having it. Be it porridge oats or Weetabix, add some warm milk and honey to give your smalls a boost to their day. You can also add some fruit to help get in their 5 a day!
Give them a boost!
I don’t mean the chocolate bar, I mean with multivitamins. There are plenty great multivitamins out there on the market. Supermarkets often have deals on, and there are usually chewy ones for the smaller members of the family. Make sure they are suitable for their age, for example I picked up teen specific ones for my girl and Mr Men ones for my boy.
Do it together!
Kids are more eager to do things when their parents lead the way. This is especially true of our autistic children. When we are pulling our wellies and coats on, so are they. When we make the time to stop for breakfast, so do they. Kids learn best by observation and participation. Get in on the action and help show your family what a healthy winter feels like.
So enjoy your winter, beat the blues and keep your family healthy and fighting fit.
If illness does strike, here are a few of the things I keep on hand to help with the clean up!
Method Anti-Bac. This is a godsend for me. After the boy spent the best part of the other night vomiting, the rhubarb anti-bac from Method was a total life saver! Not only did it neutralise the awful stink that is vomit, but it also made clean up super quick too. Kitchen roll, a bin bag and a few sprays later and you’d never have known anyone had been sick.
Zoflora. There are some amazing scents available, including a great smelling Christmas one. I keep a spray bottle with some diluted solution on hand to quickly clean and anti-bac the house. I spray the mattresses and curtains down once or twice a month, and leave it dry with the windows open before remaking the beds. I also use it to freshen everywhere else too, like the sofa and carpets. It is amazing, and has been a regular in my cleaning cupboard for over 15 years.
Vicks & Vaseline. Coughs, sore throats and stuffy noses all get a good rub of Vicks on their chest and soles of their feet. Vaseline helps stop little lips from drying out and noses getting sore. They are in easy reach at all times! I even keep some in my bedside table just in case.
Tissues. I keep small packs in my handbags and the car because snotsicles that reach the navel are gonna happen at the most impromptu time. I also keep tissue boxes in the living room and my bedroom. They are a regular feature on my weekly shop, and it means the sneezes and nose blows can be quickly deposited into the bin followed by a hand wash.
What do you swear by for beating winter time bugs and keeping the family healthy? Do you have any go to items to aid in the clean up when the smalls get ill? Let me know in the comments below!
Sophie x
Please note this is not an ad or sponsored post. Any products mentioned in this post are ones I buy regularly and actually use.
Great suggestions i always have my windows open! Bloomin hate winter bugs x
It’s something I always remember my mum doing, even with thick snow outside. I just carried on, but found out more recently all the actual health benefits for airing your home especially in winter. I love it, and I sleep better for it too. Xx
We have to give our asd boy a lot of notice about going for a walk so he can get his brain round it and prepare, even more if it’s cold he hates the feeling of cold hands it’s very sensory for him. But it means we have to go. Love fresh air in the house something about the cold fresh air
Our two are ASD too, I usually throw their windows open while I do the school run to air the house. As for walks outside we’ve they don’t know any different thankfully as we’ve always taken them. Mine like mittens over gloves as I can pop a hand warmer in for them to keep their fingers toasty. They love that xx
Great tips. I am getting fed up with the bugs and colds in the house.
It’s exhausting isn’t it?! The kids always moan when I throw open the windows but they soon get used to it. Think the eldest is more upset she can’t have sick days off school haha! Xx
Such good advice. My eldest began with the start of something yukky last week but didn’t want to miss out on waffles at the Christmas markets and then said out in the fresh air had done him the world of good !!! No mean feat getting fresh air into the 17 yr old
When my stepsons come to stay (17,19&21) they all know we go for regular walks around the lake so thankfully they are used to it now, although the 14 year old daughter generally complains the most haha! But they always look so healthy and rosey cheeked afterwards. Xx
Really good advice. Totally agree with doing anything that increases the happy hormones, I think being happy and healthy definitely reduces the risk of catching bugs. Breakfast is mega important in our house x
These are great tips, we’ve all got the lergy over here!
Great tips. I’m a big believer in getting lots of fresh air in!