Keeping Kids Healthy This Winter

This is part of a sponsored campaign in collaboration with Pediacare® and Latina Bloggers Connect, however all opinions are my own. 

Winter is my personal favorite time of the year. I live in California so we don't get snow or even much rain, and since our town is very hot, winter is the only time of year with great weather. But something that winter brings with it that is not fantastic is illness and even though each year we try so hard, we all get sick a few times during each season. Because our family is big and all the older children are in school, germs come into our homes on a daily basis. It's not easy keeping those germs at bay and no matter how many times you wash your hands, wash the kids hands and how many times you disinfect, eventually the germs will win. Right now we are just getting over the latest round of illness brought on by my mom visiting the mechanic when he was very sick. That one trip into a room with someone who had a really bad cold, was enough for my mom to catch his cold and within the week the rest of us had caught it.To think that we made it into February without getting sick only to get the worst cold/cough ever after taking such care. Now that we are all feeling better it's time to put our guards up and not let it happen again. The kids can not take another week off school this winter and I don't want to feel that crummy again.  

Tips on how to keep the kids germ free during the winter months.

Hand washing: washing hands for about 20 seconds and rinsing with warm water constantly throughout the day is the best way to keep germs from entering your body. If you're in a public space teach kids the napkin trick so they never touch surfaces or doorknobs.

Wet Ones: Antibacterial gels and Wet Ones are in each child's backpacks and in my purse. When we are out I like to give everyone a Wet One as we get back into the car.

Staying out of crowded spaces: Staying out of crowded places full of sick people is a good idea. I was at Target a few evenings ago and you could hear someone coughing in every isle. It was actually pretty scary to think just how many sick people where in that store at that very moment.

Disinfecting your home: We all clean our homes but during cold and flu season more disinfecting is called for. All high traffic areas should be wiped down with a child safe disinfectant. It's also a good idea to wash all bedding more often, especially after someone was sick. I am doing all of this laundry tonight.

Drink plenty of fluids and have a healthy diet: keeping your kids immune system strong is key during these months. A well balanced diet and a water bottle on them even when they are at school keeps their immune systems stronger.

Like I said, no matter how hard you try the kids are most likely still going to get sick. There is just no way to completely guard against all germs, especially with our busy lives that take us out in public all day. When the children do get sick, it's then time to take care of their little bodies so they can recuperate as quickly as possible. I have a Dollar General two blocks away and this is where I picked up Pediacare® Cough & Runny Nose. This covered both cough, runny nose and fever, which we all had with this latest bout of sickness. You can find several Pediacare® varieties to cover your child's cold.

Click here to download the PediaCare® dosage chart, which helps you match your child’s symptoms with one of their products. When using the chart, it’s best to weigh your child first to determine proper dosing of PediaCare® products. If weight is not known, use age.

Get $1 off coupon for PediaCare's Cough & Runny Nose plus Acetaminophen at your local Dollar General. Getting sick is the pits, watching your children be sick is even worse, but if you're ready to deal with illness once it strikes, then you'll be rid of it that much sooner. I always have plenty of medicine at the ready and I love stocking up with a coupon. Don't forget to download yours.