How I'm helping Harry in Summer

I don't think any of us were ready for the heatwave we had a couple of weeks ago, I certainly wasn't. Physically I weren't because during lockdown i've become the biggest slob yet and eaten almost triple my body weight. Besides the fact that I have been a real hot mess Harry has been my priority during this time. He wasn't as active this time last year because he had only just learnt to walk properly. I've noticed a huge change in him lately. I struggle myself in the heat so I can only imagine how Harry must be feeling, and being unable to say how he feels must be so hard too. I took to Instagram and so many of you gave me wonderful and really helpful advice. A lot of it I genuinely don't know how I didn't think of it myself because they were so easy and simple! 

I constantly give Harry his bottle because one of the key things is to keep hydrated. he refuses to take his bottle a lot of the time but I'm not sure whether thats because he's genuinely having fun in the pool or whatever or if he's so hot and bothered he really can't find the energy. It's very draining trying to keep a toddler hydrated, but i've introduced ice lollies to make sure he is keeping cool and hydrated. Also including a lot of fluid-based meals like thickened soup or cucumber is a really good way of keeping Harry hydrated I've found. A lot of the time Harry does drink but recently he's not been interested so it's important that I keep up with these extra ideas as the last thing I want is to have a toddler who's developed heat stroke because of my own faults. 

One of the main important things when it come to the sun is to keep protected. When I was younger I used to hate being told to wear sun protection because it sounded like such a chore, but in reality it's super important to keep protected to avoid and over exposure which may be a problem later in life. I use factor 50 myself because im so pale, so there's no doubt about it that I'm making sure harry is protected at all time. Fun fact that some people didn't know about was that you must always apply suncream even after being in the pool because water is a really good heat conductor, therefore hitting our skin much harder. I've been using the Nivea water protection factor 50 on Harry, so far it's been really good!

Harry has become very sensitive during the summer, he cries almost every time we tell him no and as frustrating as it can be, it does make me feel sad. I know he doesn't understand us when we tell him no, but its the best way to teach him the difference between right and wrong. I'm trying to be extra caring to him so that he doesn't feel upset during this hot time and so that he can enjoy the weather as much as everyone else. We've been spending a lot more time in the evenings together either watching a film or going for a walk in our local woods. Family time is so important to me, as it should be for everyone else, so ensuring that Harry is happy is my main priority.

The heat gets to us all, you'll find everyone arguing a little bit more because they're too hot and bothered and you'll find that you're always outside instead of indoors. It's perfectly normal for your little ones to feel the struggle too, but its so important to remind yourself that they don't understand like we do, and they don't always have a voice to let you know how hot they are and whether they're wanting another sip of their juice or not. Be patient with your little ones, they're depending on you.

Kay x