If you’ve left the house at all in the last few weeks, then you’ve seen the signs everywhere: it’s “Back to School” time. Depending on where you live in the country, school might be starting as early as next week, or you might still have a month to go before it’s time to head back.
For Darah, “school” is her part-time day care program, and it doesn’t start back until mid-September. That feels like a million years from now, but I know it will be here before I know it!
I’m going to be shopping at some consignment sales in the next few weeks to get her some “new” clothes, and her Grammie-O is also coming in September with tons of those awesome hand-me-downs that my sister-in-law so generously shares with us. So we’ll be all set with clothes. I’m also taking advantage of the various school supply sales happening in the drug stores every week so that I can help stock the room with crayons and such.
But there’s another thing that I’ve stocked up on, as well, and it may be something that you aren’t thinking of: remedies for when the wave of germs hit. That’s right, back-t0-school means back-to-germs! If your child has ever been in a classroom full of other kids, toddlers or babies before, then you know that getting a cold (or worse) in August or September has just as much of a chance of happening as getting one in November.
You need to do an inventory of the medicine that you have on hand that is safe for children, and then add what you need to your list.
I happen to have a recommendation for you: Zarbee’s. This is a brand of cough syrups that are designed for children. They have a really cute bee on the packaging, but that’s not why I’m suggesting that you get them. From their site: “Zarbee’s Cough Syrup contains a blend of special dark honeys, vitamins and immune-boosting ingredients. The ingredients in Zarbee’s are all-natural, side-effect-free and proven in clinical trials to be effective at calming coughs and sore throats in children and young adults.”
You see, most cough syrups on the market have not been proven to be effective at all (a nurse taught me this last year and I will never forget it). In fact, in studies, honey has been shown to have more of an impact than the majority of cough medicines available over the counter. That’s why I love that Zarbee’s makes use of the ingredient that actually works, and adds to it immunity boosters.
And you can imagine that if the key ingredient is honey, that this is actually something your kids will be willing to take without a fight! Hooray!
Buy it!: Zarbee’s is available at retailers nationwide, including Walgreens. For a complete list, click here.
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a variety of Zarbee’s products to get you ready for all those germs headed your way once school is back in session (ARV $24). The contest will run until August 12th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.
Mandatory entry: Check out the resource page at Zarbee’s and tell me something you learned!
Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like Zarbee’s on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of the page.
Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Carolyn McAvoy says
I follow stuff parents need on twitter, carrie2bob
Carolyn McAvoy says
I liked Zarbee’s on facebook!
Carolyn McAvoy says
I learned it’s made out of antioxedent-rich dark honeys and immune boosting ingredients!
AEKZ2 says
I learned that research conducted at Penn State confirmed that the ingredients in Zarbee’s are scientifically proven to be more effective and safer than traditional, drug-based cough syrups at calming sore throats and coughing in children and young adults.
hripsime andonian says
Like Zarbee’s on Facebook
hripsime andonian says
I learned that the syrup soothes the cold, instead of suppressing cough, which can be harmful
katklaw777 says
I Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter w/ katklaw777.
katklaw777 says
I learned that it is Safe: All-natural, and thoroughly proven in clinical trials at Penn State, Zarbee’s Cough Syrup gently calms a child’s cough and sore throat, and does it naturally without the use of drugs.
susan smoaks says
i learned that zarbees is safe, natural and effective!
Laurie Brown says
Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter
frugalwahms
Laurie Brown says
Like Zarbee’s on Facebook
Laurie Brown says
I learned that their cough syrup is safer and faster than other cough syrups
Andrea S says
I am following you on Twitter, andisueks.
Andrea S says
I like Zarbee’s on FB, andisueks.
Andrea S says
I learned that clinical trials show that Zarbees is scientifically proven to be safer and more effective than traditional cough medicine. Yay!
Erin Cook says
follow you on twitter @cooks1978
cookster77@aol.com
Erin Cook says
I like Zarbees on facebook ERin Cook
cookster77@aol.com
Erin Cook says
I learned that instead of supressing the cough it calms the cough and sore throat
cookster77@aol.com
Alicia C. says
I follow you on Twitter
amccrenshaw
ohmiss14 at yahoo dot com ☮
Alicia C. says
I like Zarbees on FB
alicia crenshaw
ohmiss14 at yahoo dot com ☮
Alicia C. says
I learned that these people know what they’re doing. Rather than stopping a cough (which the body needs to do to help get rid of the illness), it calms and soothes instead.
ohmiss14 at yahoo dot com ☮
Lana Bradstream says
I like ZarBee’s on Facebook.
Lana Bradstream says
Zarbee’s was created in 2008.
Marlene V. says
I learned that the product has been proven in clinical trails at Penn State. Thanks for the chance to win.
amy deeter says
its all natural
amy16323(at)gmail(dot)com
Jammie says
I like zarbee on fb Jammie M
Jammie says
I like zarbee on fb Jammie M
Jammie says
I learned it is clinically proven to work.
Diana Bradford Hatch says
I follow you on twitter
Diana Bradford Hatch says
I like ZarBee’s on fb
Diana Bradford Hatch says
I learned that it was all natural
CAROLANN WESTBROOK says
Be prepared for those winter months ahead….buy a cough medicine that not only helps the cough, but makes your throat feel better as well.
Danelle says
I follow/like you on Twitter- DanelleJohns.
danellejohns at gmail dot com
Danelle says
I like/follow ZarBees on FB-danellejohns
danellejohns at gmail dot com
Danelle says
I learned that it was a trial that was run comparing over the counter cough syrups to buckwheat honey, which buckwheat honey seemed to calm coughs in both children and adults.
danellejohns at gmail dot com
tess says
i like zarbee’s on fb
tess c
tcogbill at live dot com
tess says
it does it safe without the use of drugs
tcogbill at live dot com
Pamela James says
twitter follower
pj436
pjames330 at aol dot com
Pamela James says
fb fan of zarbees
pamela j
pjames330 at aol dot com
Pamela James says
It’s natural and pure and contains honey
pjames330 at aol dot com
Amber L. says
I like Zarbee’s on Facebook (Amber Larkin)
appetizerforacraftymind(at)yahoo(dot)com
Amber L. says
I’m following you on Twitter @buttonlove
appetizerforacraftymind(at)yahoo(dot)com
Amber L. says
I learned that “According to the FDA, as reported by The New York Times, emergency room visits caused by overdoses of dextromethorphan rose to nearly 8,000 in 2008.”. That is really scary! I would much rather give my daughter something that is natural and not going to send her to the emergency room.
appetizerforacraftymind(at)yahoo(dot)com
renee says
I learned from their website that Zarbee’s doesn’t suppress a cough like most cough medicines. It soothes and calms the cough naturally and safely.
Jennifer C says
It soothes instead of trying to supress.
Amber says
I follow you on Twitter
@littleamberfate
littleamberfaith at yahoo dot com
Amber says
I learned that it is all-natural and proven at Clinical Trials at Penn State.
littleamberfaith at yahoo dot com
BeautyToLove says
-I learned: It is all-natural and proven at Clinical Trials at Penn State.
aliaskys (at) yahoo dot com
THANK YOU!! 🙂
Sammi says
that they are safer than mass produced cough syrups – that sounds good to me
crystle tellerday says
thay make all natural products
susan varney says
their products are all natural mverno@roadrunner.com
Erin says
Entered The Natural Dentist giveaway =)
Erin says
Entered Zac Omega Bars giveaway ! =)
Erin says
Following Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter =)
heavenscents_
Erin says
I LIKE Zarbee’s on FB =)
Erin says
I learned that the ingredients in Zarbee’s are proven to be more effective and safer than traditional cough syrups
Amy T says
I follow SPN on Twitter
amylynthompson at gmail dot com
Amy T says
I liked Zarbee’s on FB
amylynthompson at gmail dot com
Amy T says
they want to raise the age from 4 to 6 years old for children taking cough meds!
amylynthompson at gmail dot com
latanya says
I like Zarbees on facebook
latanya says
I follow you on twitter
latanya says
it is special blend of antioxidant of rich dark honeys
Lois Jones says
Liked Zarbees on Facebook.
Lois Jones says
That it was made with several different dark honeys.
NW Homesteader says
Twitter follower 🙂
NW Homesteader says
ZarBee’s Facebook Fan 🙂
NW Homesteader says
It doesn’t suppress the cough, it soothes the throat.