To Vaccinate or Not?

By now you have heard about the rise of the flu epidemic has become this winter. Either you caught it or someone you know has been suffering from it. Unfortunately, the flu hit our home & my son has been victim to it. I have never felt so helpless before. I can't do anything to make him feel better. He has bursts of moments when the fever is gone, his stomach pains have diminished and he's back to playing. Then in a quick turnaround, its all down hill. Its been a struggle with keeping him home from school. Hubby & I work full time jobs so we had to shift our work schedules on who can stay home with him. It's not how I wanted to use my personal days from work but its a sacrifice that all parents make for our kids.
If you ask yourself, "did he get a flu shot?" Well no, none of us have ever gotten the flu shot and we still won't get one in the future. I have never "believed" in the shot. My mom chose not to have us get it while growing up & I've never had it. Yes Andre got the flu but he's only 6. He's amongst germ infested classmates all day . As much as I can drain it in his head everyday about washing hands, he's a boy & he's just not into cleanliness right now. I can't run behind him every second of the day sanitizing him down. Its just not going to happen. Do I regret not getting Andre vaccinated? Absolutely not. I have known people that received the shot and still got flu like symptoms. I think as anything you can take preventative measures. That's what my family will do.

Here are some tips on how to avoid catching the flu from WebMd.

1. Achoo! Cover Your Mouth and Nose to Stop the Flu
It starts with a tickle, a prickle, an itch: Achoo! Cover up that sneeze to avoid spreading flu germs. Here's the latest tip on how to cover up the right way.

2. Prevent Flu: Soap Away Germs
Scrubbing germy hands is one of the top tips for preventing spread of the flu. So is a quick splash-and-dash all you need?

3. Don't Be Touchy: Keep Your Hands Off Your Face
Rubbing your eyes, nose, or mouth is a sure-fire way to get the flu. But how long are surfaces contagious?

4. Good Health Beats the Flu: The Power of Healthy Habits
When you're in good health, your immune system is stronger. So keep yourself in top health this flu season -- and throughout next year! Here are five healthy habits to get hooked on. 

These all seem like common day to day habits that we should all do but for a kid its just not that easy to remember. We can just try to instill these in them and hope they will keep these habits up as adults. So hopefully you can avoid the flu for the next month or so. If you believe in the shot, then get it now! Happy Winter!