Disclosure: I have partnered with YMC and Benadryl and have received compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.
Our summers every year are spent at the lake. It’s my happiest happy place, and I’m pretty sure it’s quickly becoming Em’s too.
It’s the place where our family comes together, and the place where life slows down. It’s far away from the city, and that’s just how I like it. Quiet, remote and peaceful (insert joke about my inner introvert here!).
There’s absolutely nothing more magical than seeing your kids explore the same place you love so fiercely. Watching Emmett wander through the forest trails, roll down the grassy hills, and work up the courage to jump into the lake is EXACTLY how I want his summers to be! Spent outside, adventuring, and jam-packed with fun!
But here’s the thing… all of the reasons I love the lake so much, (ahem… remote, quiet, peaceful) yup, they’re the same things that give me just a little bit of anxiety.
If you’re new here, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’m a planner. I feel most relaxed when I’m prepared – and I try to convince my family that this slightly neurotic part of my personality is charming… and not at all annoying (!). So, imagine having a wild, energetic toddler racing around a remote lakeside property where medical care is over an hour away, and I have ZERO idea what kind of things he’ll get into. Yah, I had no idea how to prepare for that either.
So, because I, a) don’t want to be the mom hovering over him all summer, and b) want to be able to relax myself, I’m making a new plan and stocking a few summer essentials at the cottage to keep myself sane. Here’s what’s in our summer survival kit:
- Sunscreen and reusable water bottles – staying hydrated and protected from the sun, means we can spend more hours outside together! And did you know hydration helps reduce your likelihood of having an allergic reaction?!
- Polysporin and Band-aids – because you knoooooow Em’s going to have a bump/scrape on the daily. He calls Polysporin ‘magic cream’ and I kind of love it.
And here’s the big one for us this year….
- Children’s Benadryl! Because I 100% know that at some point this summer he’s going to get bitten by bugs, stung by a bee, get covered in poison ivy, or just be rolling around in some grass and (because he’s my son) he’ll get a reaction to it. And instead of panicking about a rash, I want to be able to give him the Benadryl he needs to get him back in the action as quickly as possible. (Also, did you know Benadryl comes in liquid, chewable, itch stick and itch spray formats?! Sign me up!!!)
And you know what? I’ll be the mom who’s relaxing on the dock, sipping a frozen daiquiri while her son digs holes in the forest with the dog… because I know I’m prepared for whatever the summer’s going to bring.
