There is nothing more difficult than when our children are constantly unwell. If you think about the time it takes for you to recover from an illness with your robust immune system when your kids are sick all the time, it can easily make you dread every time they start having a sniffle or a cough. Common colds, fevers, and ear infections can easily upend our routines, making it difficult to work or even to get a meal together. So what are the things we need to remember when our children get sick?
Know the Numbers
It might not be music to your ears, but if you are barely making it 3 weeks without a child getting ill, this works out to the average amount of times they could get sick in the space of a year. There are many common questions about ENT specialists, specifically in relation to ear infections, and if your child has 8 or more ear infections within the space of 12 months, this poses a major problem. The reality is that when it comes to ear infections, anything less than 3 is fine, and if your child is getting up to 10 colds a year, this is still in the normal range. It’s when a cold lasts more than 10 days, fever lasts more than 5 days, and difficulty breathing beyond a stuffy nose is when it becomes a problem and you need to seek medical advice.
Ensuring You Get the Balance Right
The fact is your children are going to be exposed to a variety of germs and bugs when they are in school or in daycare, but it’s essential for you to make sure that they have the right tools to fight off these things more effectively. When you have your first child, the number of bugs that you will catch from your children is incredibly surprising and can wage war on your own immune system you will find you are in a better place to help your children fight these things. The best thing you can help your children with include some of the following:
Making sure your children get lots of sleep. It can be difficult, especially if they are waking up a lot at night, but ensuring that they feel as rested as possible makes a big difference.
Increasing their vitamin intake. Vitamin C is incredibly important, and low levels have been linked to more severe colds.
Improving their gut bacteria. If you have taken your child to the doctor a few times this year resulting in a number of courses of antibiotics, this could have an impact on their immune system. Improving gut bacteria is one of the best ways to improve the immune system overall.
It is incredibly difficult when our children are unwell, but it’s important to recognize that their being sick is more common than you think. If your children are unwell every few weeks, this is par for the course. The best thing you can do is to make sure you and your children are more comfortable so they can ride it out.
As stay-at-home dads, many of us strive to squeeze in time to get our heart rates up with our favorite workouts. While during certain weeks, our schedules may, in fact, permit time to fit in our ideal workout, this is only sometimes the case. As our days get squeezed by the demands of our kiddos and never-ending domestic responsibilities, it is tough to consistently find the time to enjoy our optimum workout regime, whether a two-hour ride, swim, or gym session.
The schedule and intentions we set for ourselves at the start of the week need to consider the often erratic nature of looking after youngsters, whose demands can significantly fluctuate at a moment’s notice. If we don’t take into account the unpredictability of caring for our youngsters, we set ourselves up for frustration when our coveted ‘me time’ gets taken away. And if our ‘me time’ is our exercise, our frustration can escalate into irritable behavior, negatively impacting the vibes in our household. In my case, missing just one or two days of intense physical activity can significantly impact my mood. Therefore, I do what I can to be resourceful. When I can’t find the time to go for an hour or two-hour gym session or bike ride, I become innovative and find shorter time increments to exercise while looking after the kids.
What is important for us to recognize is that our exercise regimes don’t always need to be perfect or that lengthy. When time is tight, and we are faced with a full day with the kids, we need not despair. Instead, we can choose to adopt a resourceful mindset by looking for fun and efficient ways to fit in our exercise while keeping the kids engaged. Hey, who said that guys can’t multi-task anyway?
While I’m sure many of you are already well aware of the health benefits of shorter, more intense exercise increments, I thought I would reiterate the significant health impacts these ‘quick hit’ sessions offer. An increasing number of health studies have demonstrated that even twenty minutes of medium to high-intensity exercise can help improve cardiovascular health, strength, and overall well-being. According to Stephen J. Carter, a cardiovascular physiologist at the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health, shorter, more intense workouts can be more advantageous for our health than longer, less intense physical activity. Carter states that, among other health benefits, these ‘quick hit’ workouts help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower mortality rates. So, with increasing studies backing their effectiveness, why wouldn’t we incorporate these time efficient high impact exercise sessions into our weekly routines, especially when our little ones demand so much of our time?
So, the next step is strategizing how we can implement these mini-workouts amidst our never-ending childcare responsibilities. Following are some examples of resourceful mini-exercise sessions I have been able to implement with my kids on several occasions that I’m sure most of you can fit in as well. Keep in mind that the ideas presented below will need to be adapted based on the developmental stage of your kiddos.
At the Playground:
Between pushing them on the swing or chasing them around the playground, do some natural bodyweight exercises like chin-ups, dips, push-ups, and lunges. Feel free to give them a good push on the swing or help them onto the slide and then fit in a quick set. You can even jog to and from the kiddos when needed in between sets. As an alternative to box jumps, try some park bench jumps. They are awesome for leg strengthening and jacking up the heart rate. Spinning them on the merry-go-round can be a tremendous oblique strengthening exercise. Don’t worry what the other parents think! They will likely be impressed and perhaps even inspired to do the same at some point.
Jogging while they Bike or Stride:
If they love to bike, jog with them. Understand that the jog may not be at a steady pace, but even if you have to stop now and then to pick them up off the pavement after they crash, it will still get your blood flowing and boost your endorphins.
At the Park:
Play some games of tag or do some fun races (running, hopping, bear crawling, or otherwise). Grab a soccer ball, baseball, or frisbee and sprint between kicking and throwing. Give them a head start while you sprint with them to get the ball.
In the Snow or on the Ice:
If you live in a snowy winter climate or have access to an ice rink, put a leash or rope around your waist and do running intervals by pulling them on a sled or skating rink. My kids love this, and it is a fantastic way to ensure an intense workout while they experience some good fun.
In and Around the House:
If your kids love to be taken on daddy horsey rides and you’ve got the strength for it, get them to sit on your back while crawling around the house and doing push-ups. For the legs, get them to hop on your back while doing squats or lunges. Body weight squat holds are fantastic for quad strength and mental fortitude. Have them count reps and seconds while you feel the burn! Airplane rides can also work the quads as well as stabilizers. Have fun with it!
For those with equipment at home, do circuit training with your kids. They will enjoy the creativity of coming up with their own fun exercises.
On the Trampoline:
If you have access to a trampoline, get on it and bounce with them. Kids love being double-bounced, but be careful not to launch them into your neighbor’s yard. You will be surprised at how much of a workout some good old-fashioned bouncing can provide. The quads and abs will be feeling it for sure.
Of course, you must ensure that these ideas are implemented safely and consider your children’s developmental stage. However, most of them can be adapted to best suit a range of ages. Each of these will also provide a legitimate increase in heart rate, in turn providing the health benefits our bodies need.
So, when you encounter a domestic turn of events and realize that your optimum workout may not happen, feel free to incorporate some of these mini-exercise regimens with your kiddos. Not only will you be gaining valuable health benefits yourself, but you will also model the importance of physical activity for your kids. Just remember to engage your resourceful mindset and have some fun!
I would also love to hear some of your creative mini-workout ideas, so please share them in the comments below.
Testosterone boosters are supplements that can be taken to improve fitness. It is a hormone that is produced in the body, and testosterone boosters aim to increase the levels. It is considered that they play an important role in muscle growth and strength, so by increasing testosterone levels, the boosters can often help improve our fitness. There are many different types of booster supplements available, such as the Nuviton Testosterone Booster, so it is important to research which one is right for you before purchasing.
Increased Energy Levels and Mental Clarity
The potential benefits of testosterone boosters include increased energy levels and improved mental clarity. This can help to improve physical performance, as well as having the potential to help with fat loss and muscle gain.
To get fit, we need the energy levels in the first place to contemplate it, then the endurance levels to sustain the activity for long enough to make a difference. Sometimes, we might need a helping hand in this. The body does not always produce enough testosterone to go to that next level. So this is where booster supplements are seen as useful. Those wanting to keep fit will contemplate the boosters to help them with training and reach the peak of fitness.
Improving Recovery Times
Boosters can also help reduce inflammation in the body, reducing recovery time after exercise.
We all want to get on with something else after exercising and so will welcome sooner recovery. This might include making our way to the office after our exercises or moving on to another aspect of training.
It is about stamina when you are exercising and this is why we might need a boost. The body can only produce so much testosterone.
Who Can Take Testerone Boosters?
Testosterone booster supplements are taken by men who are looking to enhance their fitness and look. Although, it is important to discuss with a doctor before starting any supplement regime to ensure they are suitable. With the right supplements in place, testosterone boosters can offer potential benefits that help improve fitness. However, it is important to remember that dietary changes and regular exercise are also key components of an effective fitness program.
Examples of the Different Types of supplements
Testosterone booster supplements come in a variety of forms, including capsules, powders, and liquids. Some testosterone boosters contain herbs and other natural ingredients, while others may be synthetic compounds that mimic the effects of testosterone. It is important to research these types of testosterone boosters before taking them as some can have side effects. Ultimately, testosterone boosters may offer potential benefits but should not be viewed as a quick fix for fitness and health problems.
It is important to look into the different types of supplements carefully and speak to a health professional before beginning a supplement regime. With the right combination of supplements, diet, and exercise testosterone booster supplements may help improve physical performance and reduce recovery time. It is important, however, to remember that caution should be the approach and what works for one may not necessarily work for another.
For more information on testosterone booster supplements, their potential benefits, and the different types available, have a look online to see just what is available, and then do your research into the potential benefits and whether they are suitable for you medically or when it comes to sporting regulations. It is not just professionals, however, that will use testosterone boosters but also those who just want to make fitness easier, feel better about themselves, and become fitter as the result. Everything can then become easier when we are fit enough to take part in activities that require the ultimate levels of strength and endurance.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
