Bug bites giving you an itch to scratch this summer? Here’s how to Prevent & Treat Bug Bites in Kids – perfect tips for parents! This is a sponsored post. All bug bite prevention opinions are my own.

How to Prevent & Treat Bug Bites in Kids

Florida, aka mosquito heaven. While I love the glorious winters, the eternal sunshine, and that beach life so much, you can’t step outside of the house during the summer without being greeted by a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. Eww. And dealing with the mosquito bite aftermath with my kids – it can be itchy torture! But there’s absolutely NO way that I’m keeping my kids cooped up indoors this summer. There’s so many outdoor summer memories yet to be made. Prevent and treat bug bites on our kids this summer (especially those pesky mosquitoes!) with these best tips. Do you know the right way to apply sunscreen AND bug spray? [Read more…]

Is sunscreen application a struggle in your home? Here’s 10 Tips to get Kids to Wear Sunscreen Without a Struggle. This is a sponsored post. All parenthood opinions are my own.

10 Tips to Get Kids to Wear Sunscreen Without a Struggle

“Yay, it’s sunscreen time!” said no kid ever. While us parents are a little older and wiser the ways of sunburn prevention, some days even this Florida mom has trouble convincing her kids to wear it without a groan. So how do we get the wiggly worms, the meltdown toddlers and even the whiniest children to cooperate when it comes to protection against skin cancer? Here’s 10 Tips to Get Kids to Wear Sunscreen Without a Struggle. Be sure to have your ninja mom skills on standby.

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Do you & your kids know how to safely dispose of your over-the-counter meds at home? Check out these Safe Medicine Disposal Tips for Parents. This is a sponsored post. All mama-bear opinions are my own.

Safe Medicine Disposal Tips for Parents

Out with the old, in with the new. 2018 has been the year of family travel. The more that we’re out exploring, the more I realize how much more our family is thriving. Bringing those travel adventures home, I’ve been spring cleaning the house with a new look at life – less stuff, more memories. A house full of stuff is nothing, NOTHING compared to the memories we share. And as our house has gone into spring cleaning overload, (Sorry, honey, can you schedule another donation pick-up?), I’m realizing that our medicine storage has grown so large that it has overtaken our kitchen area…because I had no clue how to trash our old meds.

I know, poor excuse. 

Before writing this post I had no idea how to safely dispose of medicines at home. When I was a pediatric nurse in a hospital setting, we had procedures for these types of things. But who knew that we were only a few steps and a few household items away from finally cleaning out our medicine cabinet once and for all. Let’s spring clean our medicine cabinets together with these Safe Medicine Disposal Tips for Parents…and hey, don’t forget to pour that extra cup of coffee. 🙂

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How are you keeping your kids safe? Grab your up & away medicine safety tips for National Poison Prevention Week. This is a sponsored post. All pediatric nurse opinions are my own.

Up & Away Medicine Safety Tips for National Poison Prevention Week

I remember the first time my daughter was able to push herself on the swing. She was so proud of herself. When my kids play on the swings, so much happens in those few seconds between the ground and the sky. Determination turns into smiles and laughter. Hard work turns into carefree play time. And as much as I’d like to focus on my kids swinging “up and away” today, I have to remind y’all that this week is also National Poison Prevention Week.

Did it make you cringe? Me too. Because the surprising stats instantly pulled at my mom heartstrings.

During one of my few pediatric ICU rotations, I witnessed a child laying in bed from an accidental medicine overdose. Hooked up to all of the machines and breathing apparatuses and about 5 IVs running through his little fragile body – it’s truly heartbreaking what can happen to a child in seconds. According to SafeKids, almost every minute of every day there is a call to a poison control center because a young child got into a medicine. Approximately 60,000 kids go to the ER every year because they got into medicines that were left within reach (this equals 4 school bus loads of kids every day). I don’t know about you – but that’s way too often for my comfort. Let’s talk REAL medicine safety tips, parents. We need to. Please read these really important tips, self-check your home and have your questions ready for an informative Facebook Live session this week. Let’s do this, for our kids.
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Are you ready for cold and flu season? Be prepared with your Parent Guide to Treating Fever in Kids. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Parent Guide to Treating Fever in Kids

Can you hear the sniffles yet? Cold and flu season is back and with it, fever. I don’t know about you, but when my kids spike a fever, I get worried…even with my background as a pediatric nurse. Remember my viral Theme Park Nightmare post? But being informed, knowing what to look for, and knowing how to treat your kids quickly and safely can make a difference in an emergency situation. So today I’m sharing my Parent Guide to Treating Fever in Kids, answering your common questions for medicine dosing, when to treat, when to call the doctor and alternative treatment options.

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‘Tis the season…for lice! Here’s your Parent Guide to Preventing & Treating Head Lice at Home, including best tips! This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Parent Guide to Preventing & Treating Head Lice at Home

Is your head already itchy? Mine too. ‘Tis the season, my fellow parents. Head lice.

I remember praying for a daughter when we were trying to get pregnant. I want all of those memories of braiding her long hair and doing those adorable mother/daughter salon sessions. Fast forward to today, this girl is a little rough when it comes to “payback” hair brushing.

One of the things I had not anticipated with my daughter going to preschool for the first time is the potential of those beautiful curly locks becoming infested with evil bugs of doom. Besides keeping her home forever and shaving her head (trust me, this was pondered upon), I’ve gathered together the best tips in this complete Parent Guide to Preventing & Treating Head Lice at Home. Deep breath, parents. Let’s tackle this infestation together. (Or at least enjoy that one time I let my daughter make my hair all “pretty.”)

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Are your kids safe this Halloween? Here are 6 Halloween Candy Safety Tips for Kids you may not have thought of yet! This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

6 Halloween Candy Safety Tips for Kids

It’s 6 days before Halloween. I have one little girl determined to be Moana – not budging. And I have one little boy opting between 5 different costumes…5!!!

(Can anyone else relate? Just me?)

But here’s the thing, while most families are worried about what their kids are going to wear, getting the best pictures and making game plans for the best candy routes, I want to get serious for a hot minute. Maybe you’re an expert on Halloween Candy Safety Tips. Maybe you’re not. But here’s the thing, this is a good time to stop and take a moment to really let these tips sink in before we run out of the house for trick-or-treating. I’ve got 6 tips today and the last one is probably my most important tip, especially if you haven’t discussed this yet with your kids. Let’s make it a thing, an important thing, to keep our kids safe this Halloween.

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Are your kids coming home with back to school germs? Find out How to Treat Back to School Illnesses + Video. This is a sponsored post. All sickness preventing opinions are my own.

How to Treat Back to School Illnesses + Video

Cough. Sneeze. Wipe. “MOM!”

Once a nurse, always a nurse. While I may have given up my days of 12-hour shifts at the hospital, I’m often laugh with my husband about how often I use my “nurse skillz” (yes, emphasis on the z) since becoming a mom. With back-to-school now underway for two kids in my house, I know that Mom (aka nurse!) is going to be on high alert for this cold and flu season. I’m grabbing my stethoscope, humidifier, tower of tissues, over-the-counter medicines and these tips for How to Treat Back to School Illnesses for parents. Check out the fun video below (with yours truly in it) for really helpful tips on treating those back-to-school germs too. Because let’s face it, we parents all have to pull out our “nurse skillz” when our kids get sick!

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