Warm Kids?!
Are your kids warm enough? It would normally be kind of a nutty question in May, right? Well, maybe not. There seems to be some lively weather happening these days! In Michigan we tend to have a big, “Whew!” as June draws near, finally pulling out the summer gear for at least a few months. Yet, here at Indigo Forest we’re still getting a steady stream of inquiries with sore throats, coughs & colds as the weather rapidly and repeatedly shifts between the low 40F’s and the mid-80F’s.
Midwives from England once shared that their perspective that if you kept your neck warm, it almost didn’t matter about wearing a hat. Spring in Michigan is exactly what they were talking about! How about keeping those little necks warm with a cool bandana, a favorite scarf, the ‘turtle’ cut off an old turtleneck for the hard-playing kiddos, or even thin wool balaclava that cover those sensitive lymph nodes, ears & necks?
The last couple of years have brought extreme weather throughout the country and around the world; locally we’ve had extended power outages right at the coldest part of the year. Summer is EXACTLY the time of year to creatively outfit your family with warm layers for all season! Look for thin base first layers to the heavier warmer outer layers at your local church sales, rummage sales, garage sales and mom-to-mom sales. Mix silk, wool, fleece & synthetic. Cotton is great for summer, but can be dangerous in the winter when it doesn't insulate when they get damp. Cotton also takes a lot longer to dry. ALWAYS pick up the soft European wool/silk long johns if you’re lucky enough to find them anywhere, anytime! We never pass up the chance to also keep kids cozy with used versions these priceless items, and often just buy even the wrong size to swap with other moms when we come across woolens at a thrift or yard sale.
We’ve found that warm hats on infants seem to cure the hiccups, warm bellies seem to have less constipation, and warm bodies bring pink healthy cheeks. It’s hard to have too many mittens, wool socks or rain gear!
And for the creative among you - what about the bunny soft cashmere sweater for $5 at the Salvation Army, a weird cowl neck in that crazy peach color? Cut off the arms, run it through the hot cycle of your washer to mildly felt it up just a bit, and you have the basis of a fabulous sleep bag for your infant or toddler! Or a man’s old wool sweater with elbow patches, could those long arms become the base of your preschooler’s wool trousers over tights? .
Anytime is the right time to stock up for great outdoor fun year round (1000hoursoutside) and family safety regardless of what the weather might throw at us!