As cold, flu, and COVID season creeps closer, Kinsa's mom-in-residence Lauren Davis gives tips on how she keeps her family germ-free for as long as possible to keep illness at bay.

Like clockwork, my little one woke up this morning, her first day of kindergarten, a little sniffly. It happened last year too - does it truly only take one meet-the-teacher ice cream social for the germs to start their annual game of freeze (sneeze) tag? This year, being an 8-year-veteran of parenthood and having survived nearly that many orbits around the daycare/preschool/school snot-filled sun, I decided to jot down my tried-and-true tips for staving off illness (back to school) season as long as possible.

Flu fighting foods (and drinks)

There are a lot of great websites that will show you how to cook gorgeous, kid friendly foods that will trick children into scarfing down spinach and beets by the bushel. But for most days, as a busy working mom who, let’s face it, was never gifted in the kitchen, I have 2 go-to tricks:

The Morning Smoothie

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There are a million options, but this one has become the simple, crowd-pleasing, daily go-to. I have it sitting on the counter ready when they come downstairs:

• 1 cup frozen organic blueberries (we get these in bulk at Costco)
• 1 banana
• 1 big handful of whichever green (spinach, kale, etc.) is on hand
• 1/2 cup water

Blend it all together and serve it with a Smoothie Straw (house rule: super awesome smoothie straws are only used for smoothies).

Fruit & Veg-Filled Dinner

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The most I ever do to a fruit or veg in my house is steam (or in a rush - microwave) it. The key is my superior plating skills, along with this awesome Face Plate. I’ve used this guy for years and to this day, I’m shocked at his ability to keep my children eating when I say things like “Don’t let him listen to us! Eat his ears!”

Non-Stop Water

Everyone knows hydration is a good idea, but putting it in practice is another story. I think we could fund a well for a village with the money we’ve wasted on water bottles over the years. We’ve finally realized that the answer for keeping us (and our cabinets) sane is to pick one system for the whole family. Klean Kanteen is far from cheap, but it has everything we need (a range of colors, sizes and tops, from bottle to coffee, hot to cold, bike to car), and is generally unbreakable and spill proof. I recommend you get the biggest one they can carry for all-day use, since the screw tops are a little tough for little hands.

Daily Vitamins

Want to fight cold, flu, and COVID and feel like you’re sneaking candy while you do it? In our house, we only have eyes for Smartypants vitamins. We’ve especially loved the fiber filled version for our littlest one and finally splurged for their (just as tasty) adult gummies so my husband and I would stop sneaking them from our children. They’re not cheap, but that’s because they’re made from the best form of each nutrient possible. I also like them because they are a mission driven company that gives vitamins to kids in need. And if you keep them on your Amazon Subscribe & Save list, they aren’t much more than other, less worthy brands.

Washing Hands

Few topics cause my kids to lie straight to my face as much as hand washing. Thankfully I have 2 follow-up demands that have taught them I mean business:

1. Let me feel them.
2. Let me smell them.

Demand 1 alone leads to a quick hand-dampening on the way out, whereas Demand 2 confirms the use of soap. Along with this aggressive tactic are a few friendlier methods to ensure compliance:

Let your kids pick out their scent. Mrs. Meyers has 14 to choose from! Try a bottle for EACH kid on the sink (their choice). The best part about this is that if one is way lower than the other, you’ve caught them red (and dirty) handed!

Have a hand-washing song that’ll keep them scrubbing long enough. The classic you’ll see everywhere is (to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”):

"Wash, wash, wash my hands / Make them nice and clean. Rub the bottoms, and the tops / And fingers in between."

But any song will work (“Great Green Globs of Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts” is topical), especially songs your kids create or modify themselves, such as:

• “You need to wash up with the soap foam” (think: “You used to call me on my cell phone,” Drake)
  
• “Wash my hands and face after I poo” (think: “I can’t feel my face when I’m with you,” The Weekend)
  
• “Hand wash after I poo-yeah” (think: “Girls hit your hallelujah,” Bruno Mars)

Sleep

My final tip keeps kids healthy, fights off all germs, costs nothing, reduces stress, promotes smarts, and magically stops both parents and kids from acting like turds. But it doesn’t come easy for many. We’ve always held sleep high on our list, but we let down our guard in a big way over the summer, and it’s still wreaking havoc. Thankfully, there are some great guides that can get you (and them) back to the bed, like this one.

And if all else fails? Fire up your Kinsa, keep an eye on any symptoms, stock up on cute tissues, and know that as fast as time flies by with kids, illness season will be over before you know it.

Photo credit: Lars Plougmann via VisualHunt / CC BY-SA