Winter Wellness & Survival Guide (with kids)

This post was sponsored by Scotties Facial Tissues

Winter …I feel like you either love it or hate it. I personally lean more towards hate. #justbeinghonest  I’m a Floridian who moved to New Jersey and the cold can be tough! Add in kids, especially young ones, and you’ve got yourself quite the challenge! You have the task of not losing your mind AND keeping everyone healthy & entertained – some days you only get one around here. haha! On top of the cold and windy days, the winter months usually come with sickness, germs, and runny noses. Gross! My daughter and I recently had a head cold and whoa. Let’s just say I’m glad we had Scotties Tissues on hand because our house was a snot parade for days. (TMI? sorry) During our cold, I did learn that my two-year-old loves blowing her nose which is pretty adorable!

A few tips & tricks I have learned over the last few years for surviving winter with kids : 

• Vitamin C is your best friend to boost your immune system
• Vitamin D is also crucial because you’re not getting enough sunlight during the winter months usually
• Play outside! I know it’s hard, I get it. Getting yourself and your child dressed in winter/snow outfits takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R! But the fresh air is great for your immune system and prevents cabin fever
• Fruits + Veggies! Diet plays a huge role in staying healthy & is important to maintain health.
• Be active every. single. day. for yourself and your kids! It helps mood improvement so much.
• Have tissues handy: we like Scotties’ and love all the designs they offer!
• Rest & Water are very important (like always!)
• You need activities to keep you from going crazy! Even more so with kids. I like going to the gym because I can drop my daughter off at the gym daycare to play and run around, while I workout! Other ideas are gymnastics, swim lessons, storytime at the library, playdate groups, nature walks on warmer days.
• Keep an ice scraper in your car. ( learned this one the hard way my first year in Jersey)
• Tea – enough said.
• Upgrade to the heated seats – your cheeks will thank you over, and over, and over again.
• Search PINTEREST for activities – there are SO MANY THINGS there, it’s almost overwhelming. Also, if you want to check out some boards I’ve pinned – follow me on Pinterest here.
• BUILD A FORT!
• Hop on a flight to somewhere warm and don’t go back until winter is over. (kidding….kind of.)

Something else I like to do is buy fun mugs for coffee and tea, it makes me happy during the winter! Is that weird? Anything that cheers me up during these cold months is a win for me – ha! Speaking of cute, I like using Scotties Tissues in our home because they’re soft on our noses, and Scotties has the BEST designs! No one wants an ugly cardboard box of tissues ruining the decor, right?! With tons of designs and color options, you can combine comfy + cute in your home! #ScottiesStyle

Mom hack: leave a box of tissues in every room during the winter so you and the kids always have easy access! No one wants snot and boogers getting all over faces and toys – barf. I put this adorable box of Scotties in my daughter’s room! It’s pink with little leaves and perfect for her own space. She thinks it’s cool that she has her own. Or in her words, “MINE!”

Most importantly, if you are feeling down and depressed or need some help – speak up! The Winter “Blues” is a real thing and many experience bouts of depression during this time of year. Self-care and your mental health is SO important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is help and support out there! Also, CHECK ON YOUR FRIENDS, even the happy ones.

Stay healthy and SANE this winter, friends!