Holiday Allergies

We have been sneezing like crazy at our house. I saw this story today from Medstar and wondered if all the Christmas decorations are to blame. I think my 6-year-old got out every holiday decoration he could find. We have three Christmas trees and lights everywhere. It looks a little tacky, but it was so much fun watching him. Anyway, I am sure there are dust mites on some of this stuff. I bought one of the trees at Big Lots about 10 years ago!

FROM MEDSTAR: Holidays are supposed to be fun, but it’s possible the things you’ve decked the hall with are bringing you down - with allergy symptoms! You can put the “merry” back into the season by eliminating the allergens nipping at your nose! Rochelle Doctor looks forward to the holidays, but she also has to look ‘forward’ to avoid allergy triggers. Rochelle Doctor “I’ve really worked at eliminating triggers, because once you’ve been exposed to a trigger, all you can do is take medication to try to control it.” Rochelle’s strategy starts with keeping her decorations as dust-free as possible from season to season.

Rochelle Doctor “Just take like a little brush, and just brush it off lightly, and put it in a plastic bag or Ziploc bag and then store it away.” Her allergy doctor takes the decoration advice a step further. Her allergy doctor takes the decoration advice a step further. Dr. Clifford Bassett “I usually recommend to individuals who believe they have allergies to try something that’s plastic, metal or glass that’s easy to clean.” In fact, this time of year can take a toll on many unsuspecting patients’ merriment. Dr. Clifford Bassett “Many sufferers complain of a variety of nasal and sinus symptoms during the holidays, and they don’t realize that they indeed have allergies, and they have holiday allergies that are making them worse.”

So what’s on the naughty list? Molds blooming on fresh trees… dust lurking on artificial ones… and strong scents. Dr. Clifford Bassett “The smallest amount of airway irritant such as smoke, fragrance, potpourri, incense and particularly candles, could really wreak havoc during the holidays.” There is hope, though, if you make a list of possible triggers, and have an allergist check it twice before the season starts.

Dr. Clifford Bassett “It’s important to find out if you have them because treatment really does work, and it helps to prevent symptoms from getting worse.” A way to avoid re-gifting yourself with holiday allergies next year! Food allergies can also present a problem during the holidays. Hidden ingredients in party foods, like nuts, seafood or dairy products can cause reactions. Doctor Bassett recommends that food allergy patients alert hosts or restaurants to their sensitivities, and also plan ahead by bringing a safe snack.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Spoiled at Christmas?

The theme of Christmas this year in our household? "I didn't order this from Santa!" That sounds bad, but our son actually said it more like a question. He couldn't figure out why Santa brought him all these toys that weren't on his list.

Here's how we got to this point:
A friend of mine had this great tip for preventing kids from being spoiled at Christmas. Let your 4-year-old pick something he wants and something he needs. O.K. that sounded fine to me, but I don't see my son (the first grandchild on both sides) only getting two gifts. However, I attempted to do this anyway because I don't want him to be spoiled. My son wrote a letter to Santa asking for a kitchen and a cash register with money.

My husband and I decided to travel to all three grandparents' homes this holiday. (I think we're crazy.) I didn't realize how inconsistent the Santa stories would be from house to house and how quickly my son would start questioning things.

My dad's house was first. He got him some great gifts, but he said they were from Santa. What does my son say? "I didn't order this from Santa! I think he got my name mixed up with another kid." And he didn't just say this once. It was repeated over and over this year! It was quite embarrassing! He only expected the two gifts we wrote down in his Santa letter.(And yes, my 4-year-old said "order" instead of "want." I'm not sure where that came from.)

And the stories about why Santa brought him gifts at every one's house made absolutely no sense. Some gifts were left at the door. Other gifts were under the tree after church. Some gifts magically fit through the chimney. Others were left on the front porch because they didn't fit through the chimney. It was crazy trying to keep all the stories straight, but also very amusing!

So, my little one didn't expect to be spoiled for Christmas this year, but it happened anyway. I don't know what to do now. I think we'll have to start over next year and just make him very grateful for all the gifts he got this year. We also talked about giving away some of his toys he no longer plays with.

I got to thinking, what is a spoiled child anyway? When I looked at the definition of a spoiled child I realized my son isn't really spoiled. He just got too many gifts. Spoiled has a lot more to do with how a child acts. Are there a lot of tantrums? Does he follow instructions or say "no" constantly? Does he try to boss other people around?

And what really causes children to be spoiled? Most experts say it's the parenting. It's about sticking to the rules you set and not giving in. I think we all know it's sometimes much easier to give in! I will have to keep this in mind.

Dr. Barton Schmitt estimates about 5% of children are truly spoiled.

Do you have any advice for parents trying to prevent their kids from being spoiled?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen