7 Natural Remedies for Sick Kiddos

I found this blog post over at HOW DOES SHE today.

7 Natural Home Remedies for Sick Kiddos
#1. BRAT diet
#2.Black Licorice for Constipation
#3. Baking Soda for burns
#4. Hot packs for ear infections
#5. Headache tips
#6. Teething applesauce rag
#7 Honey Lemon Tea

There are directions for them all in the link.
Hopefully we won't be using any of these ideas soon,
but it will be nice to have them here for future reference.

Wasp Warrior

We have been having a pretty big problem with these guys since the weather got warm.
At first I didn't mind a few wasps here and there.
I occasionally would purposely drown the ones I saw while watering my garden.

Their population seemed to grow quickly, and in no time there were easily fifty wasps flying around outside as we played outside
Nervous that a child would be bit, we decided to kill them.



We went to the hardware store and purchased two cans of some wasp spray, they were on sale for $0.99.
We came home and hunted down a few small nests on the fence, one on the front porch, and then sprayed the grate on the awning. It is closed, but seemed to have a lot of wasps flying in and out of it.

A few days later- even after knocking down five or so small nests, we still seemed to have a large wasp problem.
We tried a wasp trap.
It caught all of two wasps.
Me and my hose were about 100 x more effective.
Back to the store for 3 more cans of wasp spray.
It was mostly used again on the grate on the awning.
I even left the can outside so that when we were outside and I saw a wasp near that grate, I could spray him dead.

This continued for two weeks
Today I came outside and there were another twenty wasps buzzing about that grate again.

I was done.

Back to the store for three more bottles.
Majesty got the ladder out.
Even if it meant we had to pry apart the awning and gutter and possibly break it, we had to get in there and get these wasps.

Even more so, I was curious what we would see.
I imagined something like this.

Majesty opened up the awning and couldn't see anything.
But emptied a can of spray inside.
This resulted in about 30 angry wasps flying out.

After a few minutes had passed I decided to see what was going on.
Up the ladder I climbed, and stuck my head right up to the awning... closer than his Majesty had been willing to get. I wasn't afraid. I had been living with these wasps in my yard for a month now. I wanted to see where we were trying to spray. I was sick of this problem.

I found the nest. About the size of a cereal bowl, plastered to the inside wall of the awning. On it about ten wasps, and below it about 60 dead ones. Our spray had been working after all.

I got the spray. I was anxious to get the nest out. I sprayed inside. The wind picked up and blew some of the spray into my eyes. Momentarily blinded, something landed on my eyelid.
That something was a wasp. It was very evident in about the 1/2 second it took to bite me.

I cried. Turns out the eyelid may be the most painful place to be bit by a wasp.
I ran upstairs to find our StingEze.

This caused more stinging and burning. The StingEze is not meant to get in eyes, and trying to apply it to my eyelid caused it to run into my eyes.

I washed and started over. I applied vinegar for a few minutes. This smelled, seemed to help the burning and left me feeling like Chinese salad dressing. Some ice for the swelling, and I was returned to normal a few minutes later.

My first aid advice for the day is.
1. Wear some eye protection when you are taking care of pests.
2. If you happen to get bit by a wasp on the eye- don't try to use an external analgesic on it, it will just hurt more.
3. Vinegar is the best and most convenient way to ease a wasp bite.
4. Perhaps you should let those pest control summer sales men take care of your pests.

Goes to show...

We had a very busy weekend this weekend. My husbands Uncle passed away somewhat unexpectedly and a funeral was held in his honor on Saturday. It was a beautiful fall day, spent with a hundred or so wonderful relatives, celebrating one of the most welcoming men I've met. Dare I say we enjoyed ourselves at the funeral.
Mid service however, a rambunctious tot- thankfully not one of my own- split his head open on a pew and was rushed outside. I did not witness this, but was taking one of my own to the restroom moments later when I came upon the young mother, one upset little boy, and a pile of blood soaked paper towels. She had collected another cousin of ours who had just completed medical school, (nothing like having a family doctor at every family get together).

Me: Can I get you the bandaids out of my car
Ped: Yes, but what we really need is a butterfly and maybe some super glue.
Me: Oh I have those too
Ped: You have super glue in your car?

I loved that response.
I grabbed my kit and the Pediatrician was able to get the little boy all fixed up. Not to mention told me it was a fabulous car first aid kit. Nothing like having your first aid kit endorsed by a Pediatrician... even if he is family.

My car first aid kit has often come in useful to other mothers at the park, but a funeral? Who would have thought?

Just goes to show you it helps to be prepared in every occasion.
Being the one prepared makes me feel like a Rock Star.

Here is the full post of making those car first aid kits.

Giveaway!!!

Shelf Reliance has an incredible blog...to go along with all their wonderful products. Right now they are having a giveaway for a 326 piece OSHA first Aide kit. You can enter up to four times. The contest ends Friday. With only about 100 people entered right now I'd say you have a pretty good chance. May I suggest that you link their blog as well. They often have giveaways on Friday for great emergency essentials... and extras. Go enter to win!

Red Cross Classes

I have been considering enrolling myself in a first aid class recently. It has been four years since I was certified. My church is offering a three day CERT training starting in two weeks for only $25. This sounds like such a great course, but three full days seems a little impossible to get babysitting for.
When I was looking for a first aid class I had a little trouble finding anything other than what the American Red Cross Offered for my rural area. I thought I would link the site in case there were others who wanted to enroll. Whether you are looking for a refresher course or starting from scratch, looking for a babysitter course, or something geared towards caring for your own children in an emergency,the Red Cross has lot of options, you are sure to find at least once course you will want to enroll in.
Here is the link for Utah County, but you can enter your zip code here to find the classes offered in your area.

1st Aid Kits for Home and Car

I found these easy to do together because you can buy a lot of the same things and divide them between the three kits.

Time: 90 minutes- which includes a trip to the store
Cost: $30- $100 depending on what you already have at home.

Car Kits
Tupperware container- red of course
infant Tylenol- I seem to always buy when we still have 1/3 a bottle left- all the car needs
Ibuprofen
Benadryl
tweezers
latex gloves
gauze
tape
bandaids of all sizes
ace bandaid
tums
alcohol wipes
alka seltzer
iodine wipes
germ x wipes
saftey pins
Immodium
Vaseline
neosporin wipes
maxi- pads -use to stop bleeding from large cuts as well
Tic Tacs- keeping kids quiet in an emergency
Lighter
Fingernail clippers
super glue
Benadryl cream
eye drops
Emergency/ contact phone numbers
Basic first aid fact sheet
Allergy/ medication family information
Sting/ bite balm

Home 1st Aid Kit.
I had this great red cooler that we just don't use that often- perfect. It zips shut- where I could easily put a combo lock through it to make it more child proof. For now I just have it on the top shelf on the linen closet with a child proof handle. I love how easy it would be to grab and go in an emergency. Much better than standing there rummaging through my entire cabinet trying to find something while the person in need is somewhere alone waiting for me to return.
I don't know where you can find the bag I used- but I did find this one online.
Of course there is always something like this that is super official and for not much more money.





I went through our medicine cabinet and threw away everything that was expired- half of what was in there was
What was included in the kit

Infant fever reducer
children fever reducer
Ibuprofen
children's bendadryl
rubbing alcohol
hydrogen peroxide
cotton
ear thermometer
traditional thermometer- I had four. I guess I never need to buy another one
Imodium
Children's Imodium
Pepto
Children's Pepto
bandaids of all sizes
ace bandages
gauze
tape
super glue
icy hot
hot pack
surgical masks
latex gloves
eye drops
Tums
Vaseline
milk of magnesia
cold medicine
night time cold medicine
pain antiseptic
cold sore medicine
Tucks
Itch Cream
Cold Compress
Large Neosporin
Emergency/ contact phone numbers
Basic first aid fact sheet
Allergy/ medication family information
I am still also hoping to get an epi pen and/or sting kit

I also went online and ordered some more surgical masks and am going to get some more gloves since I only had a few of each. Knowing me the next time I am at the store I will make a quick sweep of the pharmacy to see what else I am lacking.
If you have an idea of things I should add- based on experience or need leave a comment.

Car First Aid Kit contents picture
Home First Aid Kit Contents


I found a few good first aid kits for sale online as well if you would rather have it delivered to your door with out much effort.

From Amazon- though you may have to add a few items. These premade kits always include a ton of bandages but not much else.




Or this one from the 7 store