Mother Knows Best Archive

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Sick Kids in the World

By
Heidi Strawser
– January 8, 2013Posted in: Around the World, Mother Knows Best, Trip Planning

Mother 300x227 Sick Kids in the WorldMother Knows Best is a regular column on Your Highway in the Sky dedicated to celebrating Disney with Kids. Traveling to Disney with kids can be lots of fun. Whether you’re taking a baby or a teen, or any age(s) in between, we’d like to share with you ideas to help you make the most of your family trip. It’s even possible to enjoy a Disney vacation with children of multiple ages!

386580 10200240149384810 356059697 n 300x225 Sick Kids in the WorldLast week, I had two sick kids at my house.  Since I practically live and breathe Disney, this got me to thinking . . . what would we do if we were vacationing at Walt Disney World and one of the kids got sick? 

This past September, when the kids and I visited Disney, I was the one who ended up sick!  I got a sore throat the afternoon before we flew out; and my ears closed up on the plane and stayed that way for the first 48 hours of our visit!  I felt miserable, but wanted to make the most of our few days.  So, I asked a friend who had a vehicle on property to drive me to a pharmacy or grocery store.  I stocked up on sinus medications and the grocery store at The Crossroads.

Next time, I’ll be sure to pack medications, even if we don’t anticipate needing them!  Here are a few that I’d recommend including in your suitcase:

  • Tylenol
  • Advil
  • Cold medicine
  • Sinus medicine
  • Cough medicine
  • Vitamins
  • Anti-diarrheal medicine
  • Any prescription meds
  • Insurance & prescription cards

I know it sounds like overpacking, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! 

 I asked my friends and blog readers if they’ve experienced sick kids at Disney and what they have done about it.  Here are some of their suggestions, which I found quite helpful:

  1. Visit the Baby Care Centers in the parks.  They have over-the-counter medications available.
  2. If you’re in your resort, call the front desk to alert them to the fact that you have a sick child.  One reader said “they told me it was Disney 911 – they sent two paramedics and they checked her out, hydrated her and basically told me everyone from everywhere brings every virus known to man with them to Disney!  Best part about this service- it was FREE!  They also arranged for us to have a late check out so we could all get some much needed rest. It was a very cool DISNEY PERK! (Just call the front desk before you hit 911 – to make sure the same rules still apply!)”
  3. Stay in your room.  The resorts have much to offer and the rooms are comfortable.  Settle in, turn on the tv, and relax.  If you have two (or more) adults traveling with you, take turns going out to the parks.
  4. Use a stroller or wheelchair to navigate the parks.
  5.  Visit an urgent care facility off-property.  I found a list of facilities and pharmacies that are near the WDW resort here. It may be a good idea to print this list out and take it along with you, just in case!
  6. If the situation is serious, visit the Emergency Room at Celebration Hospital. 

So, what about you?  Have you ever experienced Disney with a sick child?  What did you do? 

 

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2

Storing Your Disney Pins

By
Heidi Strawser
– August 3, 2012Posted in: Mother Knows Best

Mother 300x227 Storing Your Disney Pins Mother Knows Best is a regular column on Your Highway in the Sky dedicated to celebrating Disney with Kids. Traveling to Disney with kids can be lots of fun. Whether you’re taking a baby or a teen, or any age(s) in between, we’d like to share with you ideas to help you make the most of your family trip. It’s even possible to enjoy a Disney vacation with children of multiple ages!

Several months ago, before our last Disney trip, I shared with you an idea for a pin-trading bag (that would keep your kids from losing their pins from lanyards).  Since returning from that trip, I’ve been contemplating what to do with all the pins that my kids want to keep (at least for now).

0111 150x150 Storing Your Disney Pins

Gracie’s pin bag

Both of my girls have “official” Disney pin-trading bags.   They are very nice; but when your pins are in the bags, that’s where they stay – in the bags.  I rarely see either of them pull out their bags, open them, and look at their Disney pins.  To me, a collection should be prominently displayed somewhere so that you can enjoy it.  

Ian’s pins were displayed on 2 lanyards that were hanging from a hook in his room.  While they were visible to him, they were somewhat cluttered-looking.  And, they were up high enough that, even though he could see them, he couldn’t really enjoy them.

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Ian’s pin board

Because we are a homeschool family, we tend to have “extra” school supplies laying around our house.  The other day, my eyes fell upon a small bulletin board that was no longer in use.  Rather than seeing just the board itself, I saw a collection of pins on it – very similar to the pin-trading board that my kids have so enjoyed at the gift shop at Port Orleans Resort – Riverside (maybe all the resort gift shops have them?)  

I brought the board to our dining room table, gathered all of Ian’s pins, and had him sort them – the ones he wants to keep, and the ones he wants to trade.  The keepers found homes on this board.  The finished product is now prominently displayed in his room (low enough for him to see and touch).

010 300x225 Storing Your Disney Pins

Gracie’s pin board

We liked the result so much that Gracie decided that she wanted a pin board in her room as well. Fortunately for us, the school supplies are on sale right now!   A trip to the local Wal-mart yielded a much larger bulletin board, complete with a black frame (which would work perfectly in her room), for only around $6.

She’s a bit more organized than her younger brother, so she really took ownership of her board and where the pins should be placed (though she did graciously allow me to help).

What do you think?  They look great, don’t they?  I love that the pins are up on their walls for them to look whenever  they want to.  (We’ll still be using our homemade pin-trading bags at the parks – in fact, they are all packed up and ready to go with us in September!)

When I shared this idea with my blog readers on Facebook, I got a lot of feedback.  Some thought it was a great idea and were planning to create their own pin boards.  Others had already done so.  I thought it would be fun to share some of their finished products with you.  So, here are some pictures from my reader, Laurie (her pins are displayed in shadow boxes and the results are really cool):

563991 3339735066606 2048702990 n Storing Your Disney Pins 552614 3339726426390 1086744740 n Storing Your Disney Pins 481037 3339730466491 623833849 n Storing Your Disney Pins

 

So, what about YOU?  How do you display your Disney pins?  We’d love for you to share with us.  Leave a comment here or share a picture on our FB wall. 

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