Winter. It’s definitely a 4-letter word in my family. It’s the time of year I love to hate. Constantly sniffing noses, chesty coughs and washing that just won’t dry!
5 things I hate about winter
1. My washing takes 3 days to dry. I live in the inner city so having space for a dryer is about as unrealistic as hubby doing the washing up. I need bucket loads of sun to dry the sheets, towels and 20 loads of kids’ clothing and, as you know, the sun is not one of winter’s strong points.
2. The octopus struggle of dressing my cold four year old. Arms, legs and tantrums everywhere as I try to put a hat, jacket, shoes, scarf and gloves on a shivering kid. I long for the days of a shirt, shorts and a pair of thongs (and a toddler who will happily run around wearing nothing at all).
3. Coughs, coughs, coughs. In winter everyone gets some kind of sickness, but nothing is worse than the dreaded chesty cough that comes with a winter cold and wakes my snoring husband, leaving me to deal with him and a sick kid. Ugh. These days I always have a bottle of Prospan For Children in the medicine cupboard. It contains Ivy Leaf which is a natural ingredient that’s had a bunch of clinical trials to prove that it’s key to breaking up chesty coughs due to a cold. So once I’ve confirmed with our doctor that it’s just a cold and that Prospan for Children is the way to go, it’s nice to know a little relief for my four year old’s chesty cough is on the way
4. Doing everything in the dark. I know Sydney ain’t the UK but it sure feels like it could be when darkness sets in by 5 pm. Us mummas don’t get to knock off until the babes are in bed and by then, the sun has been gone for two or three hours.
5. The party stops. Not that us mums get out a whole heap, but when we want to it’s too cold to leave the house. The backyard BBQs dry up, the impromptu trips to the park or beach are shelved until spring and the idea of heading out with friends after the babies are in bed is, well, frozen. Winter is definitely the season for ‘It’s too cold, I am staying in with Netflix’ messages being pinged about between girlfriends.
Are you disappointed yet? I am and I can’t handle it! I can never list all my woes without wanting to cancel them out with some positives. So let’s take a look at winter’s good side.
5 things I love about winter
1. Uggies. These go with everything in winter, or at least they do in my wardrobe. Pro tip – buy pants big enough to go over them so no one knows you’re picking up the kids and running errands in these comfy, warm babies.
2. Scarves. Yes, slightly impractical for little hands that like to tug on them, but let’s be honest, a scarf is beautiful and sure does cover up the mess that the kids left on your shirt. Win win!
3. My trusty slow cooker. There’s a reason these were invented and it’s primarily for the winter season. Who doesn’t love dumping everything in the pot in the morning and letting it fill the whole house with delicious, spicy smells? It’s the ultimate to sit down to a beautiful stew at 5 pm that the kids love too. Three of my favourites:
4. Warm beds. It’s my guilty pleasure, jumping into a warm, warm bed and putting my cold, cold feet on hubby to warm up. It’s so nice to go to bed and have a giggle.
5. Beautiful sunsets. I hang out for the beautiful pink and orange skies of winter and the bliss of watching the sun dip slowly away. A warm beverage in hand while I watch the spectacle is just what I need after a cold, hard day.
My top tips for keeping healthy this winter
Before I go, I want to share with you some tips for keeping the family healthy this winter. These are five things you can do to increase your comfort levels all winter long.
I’d love to know, what do you love and hate about winter?
Stace x
This story is brought to you by Prospan for Children. Not to be used in children under two years of age without medical advice. Always read the label. Use only as directed. If coughing persists consult your doctor.
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