Decide what you want, decide w…
Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” H.L.Hunt
How to Protect your Child from Playground Germs…or at least try!
How do you protect your little one from the many germs that reside on public playgrounds?
Firstly – relax. We all follow the smart mommy guide’s anti-germ playbook: regular hand washing, once-a-day kitchen counter wiping, and the like. The vast majority of germs are harmless; experts even say they can be helpful. “Exposure to germs is what teaches young immune systems to fend off bad bugs and mature into efficient germ fighters.”
Secondly – Hand washing is key. Wash before the playground and after the playground. Carry those pop-up wet ones in the car with you at all times. You really can’t keep kids from all the germs in the world. Like I mentioned, actually exposing them to germs (a little at a time) helps build their immune system. Once they are in kindergarten, they are exposed to the same germs so building the immune system now, may help later.
Lastly – public sandboxes are pretty dirty and I would do my best to keep your kids out.
Kids may see the playground sandbox as their own little beach in the city or suburbs, but cats, dogs and other unknown critters consider it a public litter box. Although the risk is small, if your child sticks his fingers into his mouth after playing in sand soiled with animal feces, he or she could get sick with parasites like roundworms, which can lead to fever and stomach pains; or hookworms, which result in painful skin infections and diarrhea. I love handy anti-bacterial wipes! When your kiddo is finished playing, use the handy wipe and then wash them again with soap and water when you get home to remove lingering traces of dirt.
Voila- playing outside isn’t so bad after all!
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-08-28
- Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. #
- I Believe…
That even when you think
You have no more to give,
When a friend cries out to you,
You will find the strength to help. #
For better or for worst (the humorous and the serious side)
Years will reveal the essence of those words in big ways and in little ways.
The Humorous side :
There was the time I was adventurous enough to fry chicken for dinner.
Now let me summarize this story by simply saying that even today-
many years later- it is known that in our house, dinner is ready when
the smoke alarm goes off. Thats right, I set the frying pan on fire
and tried to put it out by covering it up with the “furry” rug which
of course also caught fire. Once I finally got the fire out you
couldn’t see your way out of the kitchen. Hubby said – that’s okay
honey – we can always eat out.
The serious side:
A friend recently asked me if I had ever really
witnessed “true love”. I shared the story of when my step mom was so
ill with incurable cancer. She and my father tried everything that was
available to try to save her life. Nothing seemed to work. She was so
very sick. I saw my father sit by her side and hold her hand every
single day. I watched him take care of her every need. I witnessed him
brush the hair from her face and kiss her hand and tell her she was
the most beautiful woman he has ever seen – even as her face revealed
the pain and suffering she had been through. I felt his heart ache as
he felt her slip away. But he loved her so deeply and so completely
-right up until she took her last breath and after.
Does true love exits – I believe it does. Can there be a happily ever
after? Yes of course there can be. It lives in your heart.
