1. Freeze aloe vera gel in ice cube trays for extra cooling when you’re sunburned.
Store ready-made cubes in a Ziploc freezer bag.
2. Dip a Dum Dum lollipop in cough syrup if your child hates the taste of medicine.
Dum Dums work best because they’re small and easy to dunk in a small medicine measuring cup.
3. Remove a splinter with baking soda.
Applying baking soda helps the skin to swell, which draws the splinter up closer to the surface. Combine baking soda and water to make a paste. Apply to the area, cover with a bandage for 24 hours, then uncover and the splinter should be sticking out enough to pull it out with tweezers.
4. Control the spread of germs by attaching an empty tissue box to a full one with two rubber bands.
5. Treat dry skin and chapped lips with honey.
All that sneezing, congested mouth breathing, and nose blowing can cause chapped skin. Apply honey for instant, natural moisture.
6. Make your own Pedialyte.
When one of my kids gets sick, this easy homemade Pedialyte recipe does the trick and keeps them hydrated.
What You Need
- 4 cups water
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Orange or cranberry juice for flavor
Directions
- Heat 2 cups of water so that it’s hot enough to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Stir in salt and sugar until dissolved.
- Pour the hot water mixture into a pitcher or lidded container and add the remaining 2 cups of water.
- Refrigerate until cool.
- Add a splash of orange or cranberry juice. Stir well.
- Serve cold and store remaining “Pedialyte” in the fridge.
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7. Eat marshmallows if you have a sore throat.
The gelatin in marshmallows helps coat your throat and relieve soreness.
8. Relieve itchiness from insect bites or stings with a cotton ball soaked in vinegar.
Soak a paper towel or cotton ball in vinegar, then press to the bite or sting area. Leave on for 15-20 minutes. Repeat throughout the day as needed.
9. Fill a white sock with heated sea salt to relieve an earache.
Sea salt is naturally antibacterial and the heated salt will help draw moisture and toxins out of the infected ear.
What You Need
- 1 cup coarse sea salt
- 1 large white sock
- A rubber band
- A microwave-safe dish
Directions
Heat the coarse sea salt in a microwave-safe dish for about three minutes (longer if the salt isn’t hot after three minutes). Fill a large, white sock with the hot salt and tie a knot with the loose end (or use a rubber band). Test the temperature of the sock by placing it on your inner wrist (don’t use near your ear if it’s too hot!). Place the salt sock over and under the infected ear and lie down.
Add just enough water to a bit of baking soda to create a thick paste, and smooth over a splinter stuck in your skin. Cover the baking soda and splinter with a Band-Aid, and let the paste sit for at least 24 hours. The baking soda will help push the splinter out of your skin without ever needing to use tweezers!
10. Take your child’s temperature with a smart thermometer.
I just bought a Kinsa Smart Thermometer ($24.99) and had to share my love for it here. Not only did it keep a log of my child’s temperature for me when she was sick, but it also helped me keep track of when I gave her medicine, which was super helpful when talking to her doctor.
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