One of the hardest things about having a family with kids is the regular getting sick routine. You all get sick together or sometimes slowly falling over like dominoes. Winter is especially brutal. What can be done to weather this hard reality?
In this post I’m “thinking out loud” about how to lead a family into habits and living that set us up as best we can while still facing the reality of this sin-affected fallen world.
1. Limit Contact?
My wife and I know if we take our toddler to a nursery or some other kid-dense setting, it is almost always assured he will pick up something and bring it back to the house. This may just be a reality of the fall and we certainly don’t think we can avoid sickness (or want to avoid the immunity-building benefits).
However, especially in the winter months it doesn’t seem crazy to limit their contact with the droplet spewing, snot wiping, and generally messy fellow toddlers.
In our church and CoOp settings there seems to be many parents who have a pretty high bar for removing their kids from nursery and such. I don’t blame them but I also don’t really want to keep exposing our kids to the wide variety of contagions every single week.
This past year or two has been rough with the post-COVID lag of regular flu, colds, RSV, etc. all seeming to flare up in double strength as people re-normalize their social interaction.
We’re trying to find the balance here and not live like hermits but also not just toss our kids into a full contact MMA germ match in the nursery.
2. Increase Hydration and Humidity
I’m quite convinced that the biggest reason people get sick in winter months is… not cold… but water!
Your body being well-hydrated is super crucial to all kinds of things working well. In winter months we miss some of the cues and end up being greatly dehydrated without realizing it. We’re then more susceptible to poor immune response.
Closely tied to hydration is the indoor humidity level.
In winter months you heat your house. A few types of heat aside, like radiant floor heat, the negative byproduct is this heating removes moisture from the air. A good range for humidity % is probably 40-50%. In winter when this gets into the 30s (or lower) this is brutal to our lungs.
The best solution is a whole-house humidifier. These can cost a few hundred bucks plus install (or DIY!) but it is a fantastic investment as doctor’s visits, meds, and lost time are a REAL cost.
A support or secondary solution would be a humidifier targeted in a bedroom. These require some regular re-filling and monitoring but are particularly helpful if someone is already sick.
Humidity provides great relief for upper respiratory sicknesses and coughing.
3. Increase Sun and Vitamin D
Sunshine is a great and underestimated boon to health. Specifically that it triggers the creation of Vitamin-D. This is tough news for those of us up north with winters filled with gray, cold, and short days.
All hope isn’t lost. Here are some small steps to make it less troublesome.
- Take regular Vitamin D supplements. I’m a big fan of taking a large dose once a week – like 5,000 IUs
- When there is a sunny day, take advantage! Do something outside and soak it in.
4. Supplements and Diet
You can regularly all take supplements together at family meals. Some of the best ones seem to be:
- Vitamin D (as mentioned above)
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Echinacea
- Fish Oil
5. Limit Sugar
This is probably common sense for most people but we all probably underestimate how much sugar we’re having or the harm it is doing to us.
Watch “That Sugar Film” as a family. (Available on Amazon Prime)
Sugar can be enjoyable and in moderation is fine. But like most good things, it can quickly become something harmful.
Limit how much sugary foods you buy and the opportunity to consume goes down. Alcohol falls into this category and has similar healthfulness issues and might even deserve its own section.
6. Exercise!
This may be one of the harder ones as exercise can mean many things by age and interest-level.
I’m a big fan of weightlifting for men and women. It probably isn’t a great fit for most kids till high school.
Calisthenics, aerobics, and pilates videos are out there for free.
There is always roughhousing, nerf fights, ball games, bike or scooter riding, running, etc. It probably looks very different by family but the key is a daily habit of movement and physical activity.
7. Get Enough Sleep
This one seems unfair as often it just isn’t possible as a parent. But make your best attempt to get rest, sneak in naps, and take time off to recover.
Often skipping sleep just extends an illness rather than just investing the time to rest immediately.
The Final Word on being a Healthful Family
- Limit Contact
- Increase Hydration and Humidity
- Increase Sun and Vitamin D
- Limit Sugar
- Exercise
- Get Enough Sleep
All of these habits and pitfalls are great to keep in mind as an individual, but the key is to make these family-wide habits. This requires leadership and hard work.
So, what big dangers did we miss? What are some habits every family can build to stay healthy together?
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