HEALTHY SUMMER FUN FOR KIDDOS!

Ah, summer is upon us and if you have kids at home, you know the lazy days of summer are halcyon for us guardians. Not for our kids though! They are out there swimming, playing, and running around making their own memories right in front of us. 

It’s important to do our best to enjoy those unstructured days, the summer fun, the sleepovers, late bedtimes, sleep-in days galore and family vacations when possible. I remember those days fondly, both as a child myself and later as a parent to a wild bunch of my own children.

What we don’t often see in the photos of summers gone by are the down days, the tired days, the yucky-tummy days and too-wound-up for bed nights. And why should we? With a good balance of fun and reasonable boundaries, plus a little help from Cedar Bear, summer can be filled with dancing days, silly days, fun-filled nights, and healthy family meals! 

STICK TO A (GENERAL) ROUTINE

Settling into a summer routine looks different for every family. Some families have full time stay at home guardians, whether they be adult siblings, parents, grandparents, aunties, or otherwise. Some families seek out summer care and day camps. However you strategize your summer with your kiddos, a routine packed with fun and good habits is the best recipe.

A general wake up time and breakfast schedule sets the day straight. Don’t forget to enforce chores, just because it is summer doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a chore chart! Set up morning activities, a regular lunchtime, then afternoon activities. Keeping a dinner schedule may prove to be the hardest depending on everyone’s schedule, but plan out at least a few sit down family meal times each week if possible. If your kids are in summer care, try to prioritize the evening meal as a time to regroup as a family. 

HEALTH TIP: Start the day with protein. Sugar and summer seem to be synonymous. A good breakfast and lunch will offset the grumpy blood sugar rollercoaster, otherwise known as the grunchies. And help prevent “hangry” moments!

If your kids are up early for breakfast, consider an early lunch around 11 am and a healthy snack mid-afternoon to refuel. If they sleep in, have ready to eat proteins available, such as hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, or a pot of beans. This will get them up and going for the day much faster than searching the cupboard for cereals that will leave them wanting for more. If they are in summer care, pack some protein in their snack bag and remind them to actually eat it!

WELLNESS TIP: Balance videogames or any screen time with exercise and outdoor activities if your climate allows. If you live in a hot climate, prioritize outdoor time upon waking up or before bed when it is safer (and more comfortable) to be outside. Screen time can be reserved for the heat of the day for kids at home during the summer break.    

CEDAR BEAR HERBAL TUMMY SUPPORT

Queasy Ease - a fantastic formula for upset tummies, don’t leave it behind when heading out on a road trip! Or better yet, use it ahead of time to prevent carsick troubles. This is a great remedy in a pinch when there is gas, bloating, and just sluggish digestion in general. Great for after a day at the carnival too, if you know what I mean! And it tastes great!

Gut Flora Friend - summer diets get all out of whack, too much sugar, irregular meals, trying new foods, the list goes on. This formula will help neutralize the yucky tummy feeling while supporting beneficial bacteria in the gut.

BALANCE SUMMER FUN WITH HEALTHY HABITS

Whether your kids are staying at home, in summer programs, or a combination of the two, there will be plenty of time for family shenanigans. Long weekend stay-cations or long distance vacations alike call for some loosening of the rules! 

What is summer without an occasional popsicle at 6 am? Or a stay in your pajamas kind of day? What about a perfect day at the beach or the lake where you wind up on the brink of a sunburn? 

The key to success is planning ahead and rolling with the punches. 

HEALTH TIP: Take all the almost overripe fruit you have and put it in the blender. Make breakfast popsicles to serve alongside their protein. Add ripe avocados to pack an extra creamy and nutritious punch.

WELLNESS TIP: Keep a well stocked pool/lake/beach bag on hand. This is a mental health treat for the caretaker headed out the door on the next kiddo adventure. Think sunscreen, blanket, clean towels, changes of clothes, water, snacks! The kids can grab their own beach toys. Have or help everyone apply sunscreen before leaving the house and use a timer on your phone to remind you when to reapply.

CEDAR BEAR HERBAL SUPPORT

Chamomile Calmer - keep this on hand for a day that was just too fun to end! Just like Peter Rabbit’s mother’s remedy for a long day in Mr. MacGregor’s garden, this formula will soothe a wild child’s nerves, smooth out irritable moods and tummies, and help them relax to dreamland. 

Intestinal Cleanse - new foods, irregular meals, and travel are all exciting aspects of summer fun, but sometimes they can lead to digestive issues that need some herbal care. This formula gently helps to neutralize negative influences (from digging around it the dirt) and clear the system intestinal tract.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ENDLESS SUMMER (BUMMER)

Like all good things, summer must come to an end. Depending on where you live, this may come sooner rather than later. The West Coast generally begins their school year a month before the East Coast! Either way, winding down summer can be a bit bumpy. 

As a seasoned veteran on summers gone by, here are some tricks I have up my sleeve. 

Be sure to keep immune systems in peak condition. It’s easy to fall off the health wagon in summer, but the one thing you do not want to get too lax on is immune health. Once all those kiddos are back in school with new teachers, new classrooms, and new germs, you’ll be thanking yourself for your hypervigilance on immune health all year round. This includes a good diet, good sleep, and immune boosting herbal tonics from Cedar Bear Naturales! 

Start reining in those bedtimes. They seem to creep later and later as the summer goes on, so start incrementally bringing them back until they are at appropriate school night times. 

If academics went out the window for the summer, start reintroducing a daily dose of self-paced reading, math games, anything that will get their heads back into the school game. 

Add in new, age appropriate chores. New school year, new growth, new chores! Laundry, dishwashing, setting the table. For the older kids, car washing, sibling drop offs/pick ups, cooking dinner, running errands... This intentionally sets up healthy new routines to usher them into a successful year of growth and accomplishments. 

Health Tip: Opt for cut up fruit instead of sugary drinks and afternoon snacks. Make an ice cream bar a special treat, not a daily desire.

Wellness Tip: Involve the kids in preparing snacks and packing bags for summer adventures. This can be blissfully helpful for the caretaker once kids get into the swing of things. 

CEDAR BEAR HERBAL IMMUNE SUPPORT

Herbal Minerals - kids grow fast and need essential nutrients to build strong, healthy bones, teeth, hair and skin. This formula not only supplies a healthy dose of naturally occuring minerals from herbs, it also helps kids’ bodies assimilate nutrients and minerals from the foods they eat.

Immune Blast Off! - an immune stimulating formula with echinacea and thyme partnering for a superior boost, this is a remedy that can be taken off and on as a tonic to safely support kids’ immune systems throughout the year.

WHY CEDAR BEAR?

Cedar Bear is dedicated to following FDA (Federal Drug Administration) regulations in providing safe as well as effective herbal products. Each herb goes through careful systematic review and rigorous testing protocols from independent laboratories to assure they are indeed the correct herb and are free of any bad chemicals, bacteria, molds, or anything else. Only herbs on the USDA GRAS list (Generally Recognized As Safe) are used.

It’s not just the herbs that make our formulas so effective at revitalizing your health. Over 35 years ago, using ancient alchemical principles together with modern technology, Carl developed a process that was totally new and the most ‘synergy-enhanced’ of all liquid processed herbal products. 

More than a TINCture, (no alcohol ever used) and much more than an exTRACT, and working better than either, Carl called his revolutionary process the TincTract®. From there, he began applying his training in phytopharmacology and biochemistry to formulate amazingly effective herbal remedies.

Cedar Bear’s TincTract® process makes herbs both bio-available and bio-utilizable, so every drop goes right to work supporting your health and well-being. 

100% alcohol free and safe for kids, what’s not to love? Best of all, the TincTract® process not only makes herbs work better, but they taste better, too!

(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are  not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)