If there's one thing the recent lockdown has taught me, it's to never again take our freedom to explore the great oudoors for granted. At the start of lockdown, the UK was only permitted to exercise outdoors once a day and that, along with the anxiety of actually coming into contact with the virus meant that our excursions out the house with our boys often felt stifled, restricted and slightly rushed. Coupled with this, I was also pregnant with baby number three which meant that I wasn't able to walk as far or run after them. For two energetic boys, this has meant they haven't quite had the freedom and adventures they have been used to previously but luckily they have been able to explore and play in our garden. Now that restrictions have been considerably lifted (and baby number three has finally arrived!) it's meant that we have been able to have more outdoor adventures, more time outdoors and a lot more fun!
It's been so wonderful to allow the children to once again explore their surroundings. My boys can be little whirlwinds; they have so much energy and need to be exercised daily (rather like Labradors!) One of their favourite places to go is to a field near our house. Once there, they run, spin in circles, hide in the grass, race each other and roll down the slopes. The actual walk would probably only take 15 minutes in total but it always takes us the best part of an hour to get there. This is because on the way there they stop every few minutes to climb a tree, jump over tree roots, splash in the stream, swing from branches, catch bugs and a whole host of other shenanigans that can cause my heart to miss a beat. Boys will be boys!
As fun as it is for them to have such adventures, the downside is that they run the risk of bumps and scrapes. Whilst it can be tempting to wrap them in cotton wool, bumps and scrapes are all part of being a child and certainly not a reason to discourage their activities.
Expecting, rather than completely preventing minor bumps and scrapes means that as a parent I can prepare myself for when this does happen. One way of doing this is to ensure I always carry a little kit to deal with any little cuts and grazes.
What's in my mini first aid kit?
Plasters
My boys love sporting a plaster and proudly present it to anyone and everyone! They enjoy picking one from the box, especially if it has a character or picture on the front like these plasters from Safe and Sound; my boys love the dinosaur ones! They are washproof, suitable for delicate skin and help to aid the natural healing process.
Antiseptic spray
To prevent against infection, antiseptic spray is a must have in my mini first aid kit. A simple spray to the wound can prevent against further pain and complications occurring from it. It can soothe minor skin irritations including cuts, grazes, insect bites, minor burns and scalds
Hand gel
I always carry hand gel in my bag. I think it stems from my nursing days but in these times, it's never seemed quite as vital to have a bottle to hand at all times. It serves to effectively leave hands germ free. When dealing with my boys cuts and scrapes if we are out and about, a squirt of hand gel ensures my hands are clean so that I can attend to the wound.
Foaming hand sanitiser
This also helps to keep hands free from harmful bacteria and germs. My boys like using this as it creates a foam which they love the feel of. There are always giggles when this comes out! It is gentle on delicate skin and also contains aloe vera!
Ensuring I have these items to hand not only gives me peace of mind but actively helps to keep germs and infections at bay so that we can concentrate on having happy family adventures again!
For more information or to explore the range from Safe and Sound, just click here.
*Collaborative Post
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