One more thought on warmth. I think that dressing warmly--with undershirts and heads covered-- is the single biggest thing I wished I had realized more when Angelica was a baby. I think it has taken me a while to understand the importance of warmth for health partially because I was raised in California and had to learn about layering clothes only after moving out east-- but also because our society of constant temperature control 24-7 and shuttling from heated house to heated cars to heated stores has made us forget the connection between our bodies and the world around us. It is possible for us to lose heat very fast, especially a child, and when that happens we are much more prone to illness.
My favorite book for home remedies is by Aviva Jill Romm, called Natural Healing for Babies and Children and she has a whole section on the importance of warmth for the child to grow and thrive, which is wonderful to think on. This is not always easy because children often insist that they are warm when they are really cold and just distracted. Remember those kids that pee their pants because they'd rather play. But I think the payoff is well worth keeping those little necks and ears and chests well covered from the cold winter winds.
okay, I'm off my little warmth soapbox.
6 comments:
On that note (which I totally agree with), can I just add that it is SO HARD to find mittens that will stay on little hands? Finding gloves is next to impossible, and little mittens just won't stay on unless the kid is old enough to know how to put his thumb in the thumb hole and hold them on his hands. I'm talking about kids under two, like my Andrew who love to play outside, but can't keep a mitten on to save his life.
maybe I'll try duct taping them onto his coat sleeves....
Very interesting, I'm going to have to pick that book up. I constantly struggle with keeping the boys dressed. Even if I can manage to keep them in a shirt and pants, they won't wear socks and their little feet freeze. Finn, at the very least, has a security attachment to his hat, so he wears it all the time. He even sleeps in it. He'd wear it in the tub if I let him.
That book sounds great!
My kids have continued going barefoot (like me) even in cold weather and don't seem to get sick much... I guess the California way hasn't left us yet!
When they were babies I usually would put a hat on their heads when we went out and we avoided ear infections because of that (I believe).
P.S. Your children all look adorable bundled up for the winter weather!
Zita is so cute! And she reminds me of me when I was little. Not because she's cute--she's way cuter than I was--but because of the little round face and the funny ponytails.
I have boys who shun the clothing as well. It is difficult to keep them dressed. Although, since we've gotten more snow then we're used to, they've been happy to don the wool socks and gloves, and hats.
My girl is so funny. She insists on dressing herself, and is pretty good except for everything is on backwards, but she will usually let me layer her... although it takes forever for her to get herself dressed with many layers.... I love two year-olds.
thank goodness for 70 degree days!
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