Holiday Hints

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30027, 11 January 1963, Page 2

Holiday Hints

Though hundreds of families will return from their summer holiday* this week-end, many are still to take their annual holiday*. For them, Miss Cynthia (filling, of the Health Education section of the Department of Health in Christchurch, offers these suggestions: Before you leave the house, ensure that the electricity and gas are turned off and the windows and doors are secured. The daily paper should be stopped. Holiday Clothes

You’ll want to cut down on washing and ironing, so dress th. children as simply as possible. Shorts, jeans, sunfrocks, T-shirts and sandals are ideal. Summer clothes should be cool and loose fitting, and don’t forget shady hats—and warm woollens in case the weather suddenly turn* cold. First Aid Kit

Blisters, insect bites, stings and scratches invariably go with holidays. So don’t forget to pack your first-aid kit. Put in crepe bandage, antiseptic lotion, sticking plaster, L sect repellent and calamine lotion. For insect bites some experienced trampers advocate equal parts of an antiseptic lotion and kerosene. Holiday Travel Keeping the children amused on a Long Journey is the surest way of having all occupants enjoy a long holiday ride. Pre-planning is the trick.

Here are a few suggestions —a pack of children’s playing cards, guessing games, “keepwatch” games. These are suitable for eight to 12-year-olds. Take toys for the younger child, but not the kind that necessitate much physical movement. Assign to one of the children the job of seeing that the car doors are locked, and you are not only protecting the family, but educating all of them, and giving one a chore that will increase his interest in the trip. Stow the luggage so that vision is not obscured. Remember that fatigue causes accidents. Do not try to drive too far in one day. High speeds are dangerous—drive sensibly.

z Car Sickness Children seem to be more susceptible to car sickness Whenever you can, avoid bumpy roads, sudden starts and stops. Make sure there is enough fresh air in the car. Anyone prone to car sickness should sit in the front Be Water Wise

Choose a safe place to swim, but don’t go in alone or swim out too far. Check the depth of the water before diving and make sure no hidden objects lurk beneath the surface Make sure your children are aware of the dangers and that you know how to apply rescue breathing. You may save a life. Don’t Be A Litterbug

In summer it is often difficult to find a camp or picnic spot that isn’t littered with broken glass, empty beer bottles, jagged tins and papers. How would you feel if it was your child who cut himself on a piece of glass? So always tidy up and make sure that your rubbish fire is not left burning. If there is no rubbish tin, bum or bury your rubbish or carry it home. Do not throw rubbish from windows of your car while travelling on the road. It will litter the road, or it may hit the car behind you Sunburn It’s wonderful to go home looking sun-tanned but don’t overdo going into the sun. Use sun-tan lotions and oils, and if you do get sunburnt you’ll need plenty of calamine lotion, smooth cold cream, or zinc cream.

For severe sunburn, make a solution of baking soda—one dessertspoon to a pint of warm waiter. Put stripe of clean cloth or lint saturated in the baking soda solution over the burn and cover with oiled silk or jaconette and cotton wool. If you have no waterproof material, moisten the cotton wool with solution to keep the dressing wet as long as possible. i Heat Stroke

Over-exposure to heat may cause you to become too hot, jerspire freely, develop a leadache and feel sick. If this occurs, lie down inside or in the shade. These are early signs of heat stroke. A the next stage you would feel cold and completely prostrate, and need to be covered with a blanket. In children the first signs are irritability and a feeling of sickness. Boating Care

Never overload or fool around in an open boat Standing up suddenly can topple the boat in a moment. Remember how quickly winds can rise—-particularly on lakes—and don't go too far from shore. Each person should wear a life-jacket (To be continued.)