#winter – This Momma Juggles

After a snowy day or blizzard, what do children want to do? Yes, go play outside, make snow angels, build a snowman, or go sledding. They do not even think twice about the low temperatures and could care less if it’s freezing cold. Parents, on the other hand, know that low temperatures can lead to injuries and other conditions. But that does not stop children from going outside and we must keep them safe.

With that being said, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends etc. please remember safety first and follow the tips below.

BUNDLE UP!!! Dress children, babies, and yourself in layers of clothing, wear hats, gloves, scarves, and winter boots to prevent frostbites.
KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS!!! Even if nearby streets are closed to traffic please be very careful if sledding on the street. Poor Visibility is dangerous.
TIME CHECK!!! Remember to check on the children playing outside and ask if they are wet or freezing and have them go indoors.
CAUTION AROUND FIRE!!! Wood-burning stoves, fireplaces and outdoor fire-pits are cozy but can present danger – especially to small children.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT!!! Teach all children to wear helmets when snowboarding, skiing, sledding or playing ice hockey.
WATER SAFETY!!! TEACH children to stay away from icy or frozen bodies of water.
WINTER NOSEBLEEDS!!! Use a cold-air humidifier in their room if they suffer from winter nosebleeds. Saline nose drops can help keep their nose moist.
HYDRATION!!! Yes, children still need to be hydrated in the winter.
BE AWARE OF DANGER SIGNS!!! Look out for signs of frostbite, pale, grey or blistered skin on the fingers, ears, nose, and toes. If you think your child has frostbite bring the child indoors and put the affected area in warm (not hot) water. Signs of hypothermia are shivering, slurred speech, and unusual clumsiness. If you think your child has hypothermia call 9-1-1 immediately.

Sources: Save the children, national safety council

Thanks for stopping by!
-This Momma Juggles

“Cheers to the New Year’s” is what thousands of us were just saying last week. Well, that wasn’t the case for myself, my family, and a huge part of the Cape Verdean community living in the U.S and Cape Verde. Last week, two young healthy brothers and a cousin, all took a trip to the ocean and unfortunately, became lost at sea. Days later, the two brothers were pronounced dead. I can only imagine how terrifying this news was for the parents and family of these three young men. On my Facebook newsfeed, bad news, was all I saw on this drowning incident that happened back home in Cape Verde. I quickly noticed how many people in the U.S. were impacted by this. For this reason, I have decided to create a post on Water Safety in the Winter! Yes.

Most times, many of us only think of water safety in the Summer. Sadly, we should honestly be preparing our children and maybe ourselves in the winter. Learning, how to swim could be the first step we all take. It is very important, attempting to get to safety,while, near large bodies of water, whether that be at the beach, lake, river, pools, or bathtubs. Water safety in our own homes is often overlooked. Sometimes we don’t think that leaving a little one unattended in the bath tub could be dangerous or forget to properly secure our backyards with pools. As we know, shit happens unexpectedly, and the worst feeling is not being prepared.

I encourage everyone to check in with their local community centers, Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, Parks & Recreation Department, and search for private water safety facilities, organizations, and associations dealing with water safety.

Below are some resources in Rhode Island & surrounding areas offering swim lessons and water safety

https://northprovidenceri.gov/recreation-department/pool-fitness-center-programs-info/

https://www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?team=neses

http://www.cranstonri.com/generalpage.php?page=64

http://www.podsswimming.com/

https://www.ymcagreaterprovidence.org/

https://bgcprov.org/

http://www.jaycethehealer.org/

http://ndpa.org/

Take it further and please educate yourself on all water safety precautions by visiting some of the websites above. Hope this Water Safety blog post could help.

Thanks for stopping by! -This Momma Juggles

Tag: #winter

Winter Fun and Safety

Water Safety in the Winter! Yes