Fall is by far my most favorite season. The holidays, decorations, activities, and smells make life worth living! But bad always accompanies the good and for the Autumn season it comes in the form of germs. With school age kids they are always bringing home something to share with the rest of us, especially colds. This time of year we follow a stricter hygiene regime. Some tips that have worked to avoid cold germs are:
- Frequent hand washing
- Using tissues
- Being diligent with the germ killing spray on all frequently used surfaces around our home and car
- Dressing warm
We wash our hands like crazy this time of year. The goal is for at least 30 seconds or through two rounds of the alphabet song. And always washing before we eat or drink something. My kids firmly believe that their shirt sleeves are perfect tissues and I cringe every time I observe that habit. We are still working hard to make sure that the millions of tissue boxes around the house are being used and disposed of. Germ killing spray and wipes are my best friend and we use them on everything from doorknobs to toys to car seats. This one habit I think helps the most. We also do our best to always stay warm and dry inside or outside to avoid getting chilled.
Unfortunately, everyone gets sick at some point, even the healthiest and diligent folks. It is not easy but I am always on the lookout for cold symptoms. The earlier you detect it the faster you can treat it.
Cold symptoms:
- congestion
- cough
- runny or stuffy nose
- itchy or watery eyes
- sore throat
- feeling tired
- headache
- fever (more common in children)
There is no cure for common colds so as parents we are forced to let them run their course in our children. But, we can ease their pain as well as our own by providing some home treatments. Medication is not my favorite way to handle colds but sometimes when my kids are truly miserable it is my best friend. Using a humidifier, drinking lots of liquids, using saline rinses, and resting also speed up the recovery process. Don’t forget lots of love and that this misery only last about a week.
About Grace:
Grace was born and brought up in Bessemer, Alabama but has a great love for exploring new places. She has been married for 8 years and has 3 kids, expecting number 4 in December. Having been a student off and on for the last 10 years she is excited to say that she is finally graduating from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Marriage and Family Counseling this year. She loves to learn and share what she learns with as many people as possible. Strengthening and encouraging positive relationships with couples and families is a life goal and passion. Her biggest hobby is her family and finding new and fun ways to accomplish the above life goal in her home.
