I’m not a runner.  I like to think of myself as a really supportive Rooster for the Healthy Hen.  One thing she enjoys about running is the simplicity of it.  All you really need, in its purest form, is a pair of running shoes.  So for years, I watched her pack up the baby jogger and her shoes into our minivan (I like to call it the Hoop Ride, it makes me feel just a bit more hip) and take off running from all sorts of destinations:  hotels, campgrounds, the kids’ schools, you name it.  She would wear a regular watch, and just decide how much time she was going to run for.  When she would get done, she would make an educated guess on what her pace was, the distance she ran, that sort of thing.  The only time she usually knew her true pace and distance was running with her sister, who a few years ago got a Garmin Forerunner, which they used to help train for a marathon.  Read the rest of the story...

Kindness, courage, and respect. Yes, Ma’am.  Yes, Sir.  Karate.  My boy recently started karate lessons and his first test – for the coveted white belt – was a smashing success.  So of course it this week’s Healthy Highlight!  For those of you that have tried to find the right activity to help bring confidence to your child, you’ll appreciate my enthusiasm.  We found it!  Karate is the answer to our son’s bashful tendencies.  Read the rest of the story...

Taking your kiddos temperature when they’re not feeling well is always a challenge. Open up and say aaah…not so much. Let me stick this in your ear…NOOOO!  Now, the challenge is over. With Exergen’s Temporal Scanner Thermometer, taking that ever elusive temperature is as easy as a quick swipe across your little one’s forehead.  That’s it! This week, Five Hens is giving away an Exergen Temporal Thermometer (MSRP $49.99) to one of our lucky readers.  If you’re interested in learning more about the Temporal Scanner, check out Painted Hen’s post about it here.  Read the rest of the story...

And the winner is…

• Linda G. from Bartonville, IL

No, this isn’t a post about alien brain scanners – although that might really make it a hit with your kids! Not even two weeks into school, my six year old has the fun trio of sneezes, stuffy nose and sore throat. Since I tend to lean toward medicine in moderation, being able to check my child’s temperature was always a necessary task that involved two adults. One to hold the thermometer in their mouth and the other assigned to “child entertainment” to prevent said thermometer from being repeatedly spit out. My kids were born with ticklish armpits, so those readings were just as much fun. It was difficult to GET a reading, much less be able to trust it.

We started using the EXERGEN Temporal Artery Thermometer six months ago and now my kids ASK to have their temperature taken! You just hold the button and slide the scanner from the center to the side of their forehead. That’s it. No waiting, no squirming. You can even take their temperature while they’re sleeping! The temperature reading is taken from the temporal artery and remains on display until you take another reading or turn it off.  Read the rest of the story...