Browsing Tag

family

0 In health/ parenting

How to keep your kids healthy during cold and flu season

How to keep your kids healthy during cold and flu season
This post is sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cold and flu season is upon us and the Coronavirus pandemic continues to surge. Typically, the peak of it happens during the coldest of winter months December-January, right around the holidays. As a nurse and mom, I’m sharing some things you can do to keep your kids and your family healthy.

How to keep your kids healthy during cold and flu season

  1. Get your flu shot! And any other vaccines your children may need.  With the pandemic, us parents are stretched thin. Working from home, homeschooling, maybe you’re caring for elderly parents and with that, many kids have fallen behind on their preventative care and vaccinations. Or you may be afraid to take your kids to the doctors out of fear that may contact COVID-19. I know I myself have been trying to limit their exposure everywhere I can. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that keeping up with your child’s immunization schedule and preventative care is one of the easiest ways you can keep them healthy. Trust your pediatrician’s office to have safety measures and precautions in place to help prevent the spread of any viruses or disease. I encourage you to call your pediatrician to make sure your children are up to date or caught up on all of their routine immunizations. For more information visit https://bit.ly/HealthyChildrenAAP.
  2. Remind your kids to practice frequent handwashing, cover their mouth when sneezing/coughing and avoid touching their face. Germs are spread by touching surfaces that are contaminated and then touching your face, or coughing/sneezing and then touching another object. Instill in your children washing their hands after going to the bathroom and before meals. Have them wash with soap and water for 20 seconds. Make it fun and choose their favorite song and have them sing it while they wash their hands.
  3. Maintain a healthy diet and move your body often – This may sound simple and like something you already know but during the holiday season I think this gets forgotten. Eat your fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water and take your vitamins. Teach your children to fill their plate with a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables as they contain the healthiest nutrients for your immune system. And if they fill up on healthy foods, they’re less likely to binge on the unhealthy stuff like sweets and treats. Make it a point to exercise for 20 minutes a day, whether it be walking, biking, dancing or just playing outside. Exercise has been shown to keep inflammation at bay and promotes circulation of the blood, including white blood cells which are your body’s defense against germs and disease.
  4. Stay well rested – The holidays are a busy time of year with getting together with friends and family, and no one wants to miss out. I know I get FOMO. But if you’re feeling under the weather, stay home. If you feel tired, listen to your body and rest. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night to keep your resistance up and help you fight off any infection.
  5. Limit stress – I know, easier said than done, especially during a pandemic. But research shows that stress and constant release of the hormone Cortisol weakens your immune system. Make it a point to take care of your mental health. Find one thing that you enjoy and do it for yourself each day whether it be having a cup of coffee in peace while everyone else sleeps or partaking in your favorite hobby.

 

Hoping you and your family stay healthy this cold and flu season! And if you haven’t already, call your children’s pediatricians to ensure they are up to date on their vaccines and well care!

0 In family/ travel

A Weekend Getaway for the kids to New Jersey

Weekend getaway for the kids to New Jersey
Disclosure – I received tickets to Diggerland and Legoland in exchange for this honest review.

After a long year in quarantine, we wanted to take the kids somewhere special and fun. We recently took a little weekend trip to New Jersey and the kids had a blast! We stopped at Diggerland, Legoland, and Nickelodeon Universe. I’m sharing all of our stops and some tips to help you plan your trip.

We split the weekend up in two days, doing Diggerland on Saturday and then Sunday we did Legoland and Nickelodeon Universe since they’re both in the American Dream Mall.

 

Diggerland USA – East Berlin, New Jersey

Diggerland USA

Our first stop was Diggerland USA. A place where it’s totally appropriate for kids to operate heavy machinery. A few things that are worth noting – We went on a Saturday and were there for 11am which is when their website says the park opens. We were able to get our tickets and get in however, the rides, attractions, don’t actually open until noon. So we waited for an hour which was a little tough with two excited kids who just wanted to explore. So my tip would be, plan to arrive at noon, otherwise, you’ll sit around. My suggestion would be pack a little lunch and have a tailgate party in the parking lot until they open.

Trip to Diggerland USA in New Jersey

Secondly, most of the rides require children to be 36 inches tall, which was perfect for our oldest, but with the exception of 2 rides, there wasn’t much our 2 year old could do so I would plan accordingly.

Diggerland USA

There is also a waterpark as well so if you’re going in the warmer months, bring your bathing suits and towels!

 

Legoland Indoor Discovery Center – in the American Dream Mall East Rutherford, New Jersey

Legoland Indoor Discover Center NJ

This was our favorite part of the entire trip! Legoland is located right in the American Dream Mall near the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, closest to Parking lot A on the first level. One important distinction is that this is not the same as Legoland. Legoland is an outdoor theme park which we plan to hit up in the future. Legoland Indoor Discovery Center is an indoor playground perfect for ages 3-10 years old. As soon as we entered Legoland, we hopped on the Imagination Express, a train ride through different lego worlds where you have the ability to partake in a simulated video game. The kids had a blast.

I think the one thing that captivated us adults was MiniLand, a New York City replica made completely out of legos featuring various famous NYC attractions such as Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Coney Island and the kids favorite – the NY Islanders hockey rink.

Legoland indoor discovery center NJ

Other attractions include a 4D Lego movie, areas throughout the for building with legos and character meet and greets.

Legoland Indoor Discovery Center NJ

Also next door to Legoland is the New Jersey SEA LIFE Aquarium which featured over 10 tanks and an area where kids can actually be hands on with the sea life.

Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park – in the American Dream Mall East Rutherford, NJ

Right after we finished at Legoland and the SEA LIFE Aquarium, we hit stopped and got something to eat inside the mall and then walked over to Nickelodeon Universe. Buy your tickets online and you will be given a block of time to visit.

Nickelodeon Universe is an indoor amusement park featuring rides and attractions based off of popular Nickelodeon shows. There was something for all ages, thrill rides and big rollercoasters, to smaller rides for younger kids and families. Rick and I were hit with nostalgia seeing the shows from when we were younger such as Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Nickelodeon Universe American Dream Mall

The kids enjoyed the rides with their favorite characters such as Blues Clues, Paw Patrol and Blaze and the Monster Machines.

Nickelodeon Universe American Dream

 

There’s a little spot for toddlers where they can play in Adventure Bay and climb on all of their favorite pups vehicles. Mav’s day was made!

Nickelodeon Universe American Dream

 

Overall we had a great time as a family! The kids had a blast and it was nice to have a little sense of normalcy after a crazy year.

 

For more travel, check out our Family Vacation to Rhode Island.

1 In Lifestyle/ mom hacks/ spring cleaning

Keeping your floors clean with dogs and kids.

keeping your floors clean with dogs and kids
This post is sponsored by The Libman Company but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Trying to keep your home clean with a dog, let alone kids is no easy task. I’ve just come to the realization that my home will never be as clean as I’d like it to be. But there are some tips and tools you can use to keep your floors clean and spend more time with your babies – both fur and human. (And be sure to scroll to the end of my post to see how you can get a $3 off coupon from the Libman Company)

My little furbaby is Lola, a 5 year old puggle we got shortly after getting married. She is my “furst” born (furst, get it, hahaha). It’s a good thing she’s cute because she certainly gets into trouble and makes quite the mess. Sometimes (actually most of the time) she’s more work than my 2 year old. But I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.

keeping your floors clean with dogs and kids

Here are my tips for helping keep your floors clean:

1.) Vacuum regularly

Luckily, Lola doesn’t shed alot compared to other dogs. But I still vacuum regularly to try and stay up with the dog hair. All the praise hands for my robotic vacuum. I set it to go off while we’re all at work and I feel like I have my own little personal cleaning lady.

2.) Create a station for all to wipe their feet/paws

When we let Lola in, there’s a little mat at the backdoor where she knows to stop so we can wipe off her paws. When we come in from outside we come in through the laundry room so we can automatically remove any muddy/wet shoes or clothes and throw them in the wash. This helps prevent tracking dirt and footprints through the house.

keeping your floors clean with dogs and kids libman mop

3.) Invest in a good mop

My mop of choice for keeping my floors clean is the Libman Company Freedom Spray Mop. I used to make fun of adults that had a favorite mop or vacuum but now I’m that person. #momlife. My favorite features of the Freedom Spray Mop are:

  • There’s no bucket needed and no sloshing around of dirty water. Simply fill the cannister with your favorite cleaner of choice, spray and clean.
  • No need for bending over. The mop features a head that swivels 360 degrees.
  • When you’re done, just take off the microfiber pad and throw in the wash. Good for up to 100 washes!

keeping your floors clean with dogs and kids libman mop

What are some of your tips for keeping your floors clean?

Get your $3 off coupon here! Happy Spring Cleaning!

keeping your floors clean with dogs and kids