It’s a Babywise Friendly Blog Network trade day! I’m over at Chronicles of a Babywise Mom with some tips for newborn twins. I have Emily from The Journey of Parenthood blogging here today!
Summer is here, and fortunately it hasn’t gotten too hot yet. But I know it is coming. I do not like the heat and humidity of summer. I hate to sweat. It’s one thing if we are out working out, or at an activity where sweat is expected. But just randomnly to be out in the middle of the day? No thank you. Well, now Ben is two, and kids need to get outside. I want Ben to be able to go out and enjoy the summer. I want to teach him and Ali and Sammy to love to play outside. This means I need to mom up and get us out! Luckily for me Emily lives in the south and has some awesome beat the heat tips here. I will for sure be using these this summer!
Be sure to check out the rest of the BFBN to see what they have today!
–Kim
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I live in SOUTH Georgia. As in the hottest place on Earth. We are not near an ocean. We do not have cool breezes coming from the water. It’s hot. And in the summer? It’s unbearable. I know other areas of the country have high summer temps as well, but throw in our insane humidity and I think we win 😉
When summer approaches we see commercials showing family gatherings outside. Bike riding. S’mores. Watermelon eating contests. Every winter we fantasize that maybe this summer it won’t be so hot (maybe all that “climate change” stuff will work in our favor!). But every summer we are stuck with the heat!
Outdoor play is not just important for our vitamin D or for our children to get out of the house and get a break, but it’s also important for ourselves. Breathing in fresh air (yes even 100 degree humid air) is refreshing and revitalizing and will help ease the stresses that being a mom brings (especially being a mom who is home with kids all day every day all summer long!).
Here are some tips for beating the heat so you can enjoy your summer fun:
1. Go Out Early (or Late): Being a Babywise Mom my kids are all in bed right around 7:00 each night and get up right around 7:00 each morning. I’ve found that if I get out to walk with the kids between 8-9 I can usually beat the heat of the day. We’ve had luck with not being overly hot when going on family walks after dinner as well (around 6:30) but that’s not always possible…and the further into summer we get the less likely it is it’ll stay nice around that time. By having outside time scheduled first thing in the morning it makes it easy to prevent getting overly hot AND helps the kids burn off some energy before the day even really gets started!
2. Go Out OFTEN: I’m a person who doesn’t like to sweat. I loathe it. I am also a person who gets sweaty SUPER easily. This is my first summer with the goal of getting outside EVERY SINGLE DAY. And guess what? It doesn’t seem as hot to me as usual! I truly believe that by exposing yourself (and your kids!) to the weather every day will help adjust to it. As it slowly warms up, we just adjust to the new temps. #science
3. Have a “Cool Off Supply Box”: There are many helpful products to keep cool. Not only do we live in South Georgia, but we also love Disney so I’ve become pretty knowledgeable in products that help keep you cool in the heat. Going on a family walk? Clip a stroller fan on the stroller for the baby. And for those who can walk? Get a Frogg Togg towel. They are legit game changers! I also recently bought some super cool misting water bottles! Everyone can stay hydrated and cool!
4. Incorporate Water: We are fortunate to have a pool in our backyard so we swim several times a week. But even when we don’t feel like jumping in the big pool I like to have other water type toys handy for my kids to play with outside. They are able to stay cool and have fun and still be outdoors! Water tables are wonderful. Not only for toddlers, but my older kids love ours too! Of course nothing beats jumping through a sprinkler in summer time either 🙂
5. Popsicles for the WIN: We have really upped our outdoor game this summer and go on walks several times a week. It’s not always fun for the kids to walk beside the stroller so we’ve made it part of our routine to have a popsicle when we get back home. We sit on the back porch (under the fan ha!) and cool off and eat our popsicles. It’s amazing how quickly a little popsicle can help cool you off. SO many foods are great frozen (my kids love bananas, blueberries, even apples!) and are easy to take outside as a snack. Even if they thaw out a little they will still be nice and cold and refreshing!
6. Setting Spray: This is a tip just for the moms who may be like me and like to wear makeup even when playing outside in the yard. I’m the mom who has learned if I don’t get fully ready for the day before my kids wake up, then it’ll never happen. I get up 20-30 min before they do and get ready and part of my routine has been incorporating a setting spray! My makeup will last all day long, even with our outside adventures!
How do you keep you and your babies stay cool in the summer time? I’m always looking for tips to help beat the summer heat and would love to hear yours!
