From day camps to sleep-away camps, playdates with new friends to sleepovers with grandparents, summer vacation can be a great time for your child to hone their independence skills. But it can be scary, too. Sometimes a health issue, disability or allergy can make our kids seem especially vulnerable. Sometimes we’re just not sure they’re ready to take that next significant step in self-sufficiency. So how do we balance guarding them from harm with encouraging their growth?

In this special episode of The Mom Hour, we’ll talk about the tools you can use to help everyone feel ready for summer plans and the big adjustments that come along with the season. Meagan and Sarah share stories about times our kids seemed especially vulnerable, how those fears or nerves showed up in our kids (and us!), what we did to feel calm and confident, and how we plan for major milestones with kids who are content to stay tucked under our wings – or the ones we’d like to keep there longer than they want to stay.

We are excited to partner with BeeAware Allergy on this episode! We both have had different times during our motherhood journeys where we turned to research and education as a way to calm our anxieties. So often, just having access to the real facts and information helps us feel better about all of the “what ifs” that come with having kids. BeeAware is bringing that awareness around the topic of bee sting allergies, which are more common than we realized. 16 million Americans are living with a potentially life-threatening bee sting allergy.¹ 

BeeAware’s goal is to get it on our radar so we can be prepared. Most of us are probably familiar with the most common bee sting reactions, like burning, slight swelling, and a small welt. But symptoms like itchy or watery eyes, a runny nose, rash, significant swelling, hives, or dizziness are all signs to take things more seriously. On top of that, bee sting reactions can get worse each time. Just because you’re relieved when there’s a mild reaction the first time, that doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. The reaction itself can be a clue for what might happen next time. For example, hives increase your risk of your next bee sting being worse by  up to 40%.²

BeeAware’s message is that you shouldn’t wait for an emergency, you can prevent it. Contacting an allergist is one of the first steps toward prevention because they can talk you through your options for allergy testing and treatment. 

The last thing anyone wants is having their summer plans disrupted by a medical emergency. Go to beeawareallergy.com to find an allergist who can help.

• For more resources about bee stings, check out our sponsor BeeAware Allergy
• Sarah has found the books The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey and How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims very motivating to encourage kids to get outside their comfort zones.
• Sarah heard Martha Beck talking about brain science on Glennon Doyle’s podcast We Can Do Hard Things
• Read our Contributor Joanne’s blog post, “This Is Too Hard!”: How I’m Showing My Kids The Importance Of Doing Hard Things

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

1. Boyle, R., & Ludman, S. (2015). Stinging insect allergy: Current perspectives on venom immunotherapy. Journal of Asthma and Allergy, 75-86. doi:10.2147/jaa.s62288
2. Nittner-Marszalska, M., & Cichocka-Jarosz, E. (2015). Insect sting allergy in adults: Key messages for clinicians. Polish Archives of Internal Medicine, 125(12), 929-937. doi:10.20452/pamw.3216

The post Preparing Kids (And Ourselves!) For Summer Independence appeared first on The Mom Hour.