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Mommy Docs Summer Tips for the Holiday Weekend
The 4th of July is upon us and this means that summer is in full swing. This means picnics and swimming and catching fireflies. But with all of these great outdoor activities comes sunburn, bug bites, and belly aches. The good folks at MommyDocs wanted to spread the word on some safety tips to help make your holiday weekend and the rest of the summer safe for you and your kids:
Have a Sun Protection Strategy:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15. Look for products that provide "broad spectrum" coverage to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Use this sunscreen routine with your child–daily application 30 minutes before going outside and reapplication every 2 hours (or sooner if swimming, toweling off, or sweating). Creating a routine will establish good habits for the future. In addition, don’t forget a wide brim hat, sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB protection, and sun protective clothing.
Keep Pests off Your Little One:
In the summer, many insects can bite or sting your child. For pesky mosquitoes and ticks, consider a DEET containing insect repellant. Apply sparingly to exposed skin (avoid backs of hands and around the eyes and mouth) and/or to clothing once a day. As the percentage of DEET goes up, the duration of action increases. To prevent unnecessary exposure, always use the lowest percentage that will last for the planned length of time spent outdoors. Never go above 30% or use on children under 2 months old.
Keep the Pool Cool and Clean:
Small yard pools provide a great way for kids to have fun and cool down when the temperature rises, but they can also harbor germs, such as bacteria. To keep the pool free from unwanted "swimmers," after each use disinfect it with bleach by cleaning with a solution of ¾ cup regular bleach to one gallon of water, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Safety must: Always supervise children regardless of age when they are around any water; whether it’s a bucket, a small backyard plastic pool, or the local community pool.
High Heat Means Hydrate:
Excessive heat exposure may cause your child to experience a heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. How to prevent this: take breaks in the shade, avoid playing outside during peak sun exposure hours, and drink, drink, drink! Make sure your child is taking in plenty of fluids before he become thirsty.
Rid Rashes and Relieve Itchies:
Running through the yard in bare feet, taking a nature walk on a trail, and picnicing in the park are some of the joys of warmer weather. But all of this outdoor activity can expose your child to a host of plants including those which cause poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. If an allergic reaction occurs, ask the pediatrician about an oral antihistamine and/or a topical skin care product such as a steroid cream or calamine. If the rash is extensive, looks infected, or is not getting better, call your doctor right away.
I had never been to MommyDocs before, but wow! What a great site! I have already bookmarked the site for myself. There is a wealth of information there that I automatically trust not because these women are doctors, but because they are moms. If you are even half as paranoid of a mom as I am, you will want to visit MommyDocs.
Since I learned a ton from these safety tips and the site, I give this a:
Beaches Resort WonderFALL
Imagine this…warm, sandy beaches. A cool drink in your hand. Your children playing near you while you and your spouse have an uninterrupted conversation. Sound nice? I think so, and I think I have the place for you. Beaches Resort.
Beaches Resort is a great family vacation spot. With loads of activities for the kids, you can actually have a fun vacation. You can create cool pictures frames with Crayola products after a beach scavenger hunt. You can help mix batter with Cookie Monster for the cookies served on-site. You can listen to a story read by Elmo. Elmo! How cool is that?! There’s an XBOX 360 game garage (good for husbands and children). My son would adore the Pirate’s Island Waterpark. And if you don’t feel like hanging with the kids-childcare!
Beaches is now offering a new WonderFALL celebration during September and October. Besides all the usuals, during this celebration, you can save up to 45% off. If you stay 5-6 nights, you get a free night; if you stay seven nights, you get 2 free nights. But you have to hurry because you need to book by July 17th. It’s the perfect time of year to take a vacation and what a better time than when there’s discount. Check out their website for more info. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
For the great activities and great offer, I give WonderFALL a
Trip Flix
In just a few days, my family and I will depart for our seven hour drive to the beach. While I am very excited about our vacation, the trip to and from leaves a little to be desired. I’d like to say that it’s traveling with my four-year-old, but quite frankly, I get a little testy in the car myself.
I recently watched a new creation called TripFlix. This is an interactive DVD that helps buffer the "Are we there yet?" question. My son and I popped the DVD in at home and while he, at only four, was not very interested, I was fascinated.
You start by choosing what region you are coming from and what region you are traveling to. Then, a super cool teen pair, Alex and Emily, help you navigate your destination. What I loved about this DVD is how informational it is without feeling like a documentary. A lot of the information is not the typical travel book sort, either. I loved the part where they learned to build a boat (and finding out that I can, too, if I wanted to!).
I think that you’ll like this DVD to help in-car traveling boredom, but you’ll also enjoy using it on a rainy day with the kids to plan future excursions. You can check out more information at TripFlix. You can purchase the DVD for only $20 at either the TripFlix site or at Amazon.
For the older child and inquisitive parents, I give this a
More Strawberries, Please!
When I was pregnant with my son, one of my favorite things to eat was strawberries. I ate them, literally, by the pound. Although I don’t have allergies to them, I would still get very red in the face after eating far too many of them. I often wondered how my eating habits would manifest themselves in my son. Well, let’s just say I often have to hide the strawberries in my house. My son will eat an entire pound if I let him. He, too, gets red in the face after so many. But, hey, there are worse things he could want to eat pounds of, right?
Why bring this up? Did you know that California provides 88% of the nation’s strawberries? I had no idea! California strawberry growers are experiencing a huge harvest this year, and in my house, we think this is a good thing-a shortage in strawberries would be super bad for us.
While being such a little fruit, strawberries are great for you. I just learned that the antioxidants in strawberries aid in memory performance. This is great because, uh, what was I saying? Oh yeah, strawberries.
One of my favorite recipes to make with strawberries is a strawberry salsa. No matter where I take it, it always gets rave reviews and someone is always asking for the recipe. It’s a refreshing twist on salsa and a great way to use strawberries. You can find other recipes here.
To learn more about strawberries, play some cool interactive games, and try out some kid-friendly recipes, you can visit Strawberryville. I was having so much fun playing around on the site, I almost forgot to link to it. Parents, teachers and kids will all have fun at Strawberryville.
Because we love strawberries in our house and are glad for the bountiful harvest this year, I give this harvest, the Strawberry Commission and Strawberryville a
Ragu Fresh and Simple Pouches
Ready for a short test? Can you do the following things: 1. Clip a plastic pouch with scissors? 2. Pop said pouch into the microwave and set it for 90 seconds? and 3. Pour sauce in said plastic pouch onto favorite pasta or other dishes? If you answered yes to all three of these questions, you can say hello to your new best friend.
I was very excited to have the opportunity to review the new product from Ragu, Ragu Fresh & Simple pouches. Why? Well, first for the convenience, second for the Eat Smart factor, and third, I love pasta and sauce. Here’s the lowdown:
This pasta sauce is awesome, awesome, awesome! It is incredibly simple to make. I appreciate this because after work or a long day of parenting, making a fussy meal is just draining. The only "draining" you’ll have here is the draining of your pasta! The flavor is incredible. My husband, part Italian, raved about it, and I made him try the Tomato Basil, too. (He’s a meat sauce kind of guy.) He was worried the pouch didn’t make enough for us-it did with some to spare. I made one pound of pasta and it served all three of us, plus enough to cover the rest of the leftover pasta, plus I threw a bit out. I’d say the amount was pretty good.
If all that wasn’t enough, the most important element of this sauce is the quality of it. It contains no preservatives and no added sugar. The ingredient list is short (always a good sign) and I could pronounce all of the ingredients. All ingredients are natural or naturally derived. There is a full serving of veggies in one half cup of sauce. (Thank goodness my son likes pasta, because this is probably the only veggies he’ll get in a week!!) You can check out more info on Ragu’s website: www.ragu.com . You’ll find a easy meal ideas on there that sound yummy and fast.
When certain things started coming out in pouches, it was kind of scary. Some work, some don’t. This is a definite winner! For the amazing taste, the quality of the ingredients, and the ease of making, hands down Ragu Fresh & Simple pouches receive a
PS-I finished my review samples and went out and bought four more pouches. Trust me on this-go get some today!!!
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