Dealing with a snot tsunami? Here are 7 tips for treating kids' colds.

Parents: brace yourselves.

You would think, having had one child already, that I would have been prepared for the snot tsunami that came my way after my baby started at her early childhood education centre two months ago.

Childcare is a wonderful place. The toys are better, there’s awesome art supplies, the staff are far more interested in the children than they are in the laundry etc etc. But the bugs. The coughs, the colds, the stomach flus – they pick up everything.

Inevitably, children get sick at the worst possible moment. An innocent midnight cough will have my husband and me looking at each other with terror. Before we even know if one of our kids are sick we’re already negotiating who can work from home tomorrow and who can skip which meeting.

So, baby goes into childcare and I’m so proud because I’m super prepared for once in my life. I had my name labels, new sleeping bags, dummies, dedicated clothes and socks and a cute little bag shaped like a panda bear for them to all go in. I’d done the paperwork and organised all the financials. I had a drop off plan, and a pick up plan.

Did I remember the onset of black plague that I would soon be enduring and stock up on all the sick kid essentials?

Ha. NO.

Idiot.

Happily though, I’m a quick learner and I’m now able to present The Ultimate Sick Kids Checklist.

Here’s everything you need to keep stashed away for when the kids go down with a cold.

1. ABC Kids and a warm blankie.

Because if your kids are anything like mine, the chances of them sleeping this cold off are minimal. This is when ABC Kids comes into its own, helping harassed parents get through the day. What would we do without Peppa Pig?

2. Chicken soup.

Canned is completely legitimate. God knows, I’m not up to making a fresh chicken soup when the kids are well, let alone when they’re not. But it is awfully comforting, and gentle on a sore throat. It helps to keep their fluids up as well.

3. Euky Bear Steam Vaporiser.

Steam is great to help little people (and big people) get through the night. Steam keeps the air moist which helps clear congestion and coughing. Euky Bear Steam Vaporiser is the quietest on the market.

That means a nice quiet sleep environment, along with a clear nose so baby can keep her dummy all night you can get as much sleep as you can. Because you’ll need it.

If baby is two years old and up you can add a little Euky Bear Inhalant to help.

4. Euky Bearub.

A nice calm massage with a good chest rub filled with eucalyptus and menthol like Euky Bearub helps soothe sore chests and throats, clear congestion as well as getting everyone nice and sleepy before bed. Recommended for use two years and up. But for baby, you can rub it on his singlet.

5. Tissues.

Many, many tissues. All the tissues. I do not know where the small people keep all of that snot they’re throwing out their nostrils, there’s so damn much of it. I like the ones infused with aloe vera, because eventually tissues start to feel like sandpaper on the sensitive skin of kids.

6. Children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Good to have on hand if little one gets a fever. Use according to directions.

7. White wine and chocolate.

That’s for you. Because you got through the day with a sick kid lying on top of you. Well done.

Tell us your best cold and flu prevention tips? 

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