Introducing Our Top 5 Entries for BENADRYL® Canada's Most Prepared Mom Contest

I have four boys and I am prepared for anything.  A bandage in every bag doesn't cut it--no pun intended. For trips, my top three survival tools are TWEEZERS, BALLOONS and TAPE.  My boys always rub their splinter prone hands along wooden fences or grab sticks to make light sabers. And, as the years go by it is comforting to know I have tweezers for 'surprises' I didn't notice in the mirror!

While waiting endless hours in an airport--I learned the balloon was the best toy I could pack.  We find a corner in the Terminal to play catch and soccer.  When it is time to board, we just sit on the balloon until it pops.  After 13 years, we still keep balloons handy.  Each summer you can spot us at rest stops along the I-75 playing balloon soccer.  Naturally the boys also like to slowly release the air to make balloon farting noises. Boys....

Aside from the obvious uses of holding things together, tape takes third place. Roll up a small ball and play table hockey. Ever drop a small toy on the airplane floor? It is next to impossible to pick it up without throwing your back into a full spasm.  But, drop your scotch tape ball and no worries -- just make another one!  I have grabbed a few precious minutes of quiet by giving my toddler a bit of tape to stick to the table, to wrap and 'mummify' toys, and my husband's personal favourite, -- wrap tape loosely around their fingers and watch them try to unstick it. 

Three tools and I'm ready to be Canada's Most Prepared Mom!

I have been on many a boat trip with my husband and 3 children and 3 small dogs where I have been instructed that only the 'bare essentials' can come aboard.  The boat is only 24 feet and there is no room for extras.  The children were allowed only one small backpack each and minimal toys.  I had one large bin for food and one for dishes and pots and pans.  Each meal was carefully planned because the ice in the cooler would be melted within the first 2 days.  Fresh water would have to be carefully rationed so we would not run out.  With a boating list fine tuned from previous trips I called out the items as  the children gathered them up in a pile.  I was always amazed at how little we actually needed once we were out on the water sailing in the Gulf Islands.  We would anchor out and climb into our small dingy and row ashore.  Our daughters had endless fun swimming, building sandcastles and floating on logs they rolled down the beach into the water.  I always made sure I packed a first aide kit with bandaids and pain relievers as well as Benadryl for allergies.  I also made sure I took along extra food in case we ended up needing to stay out longer.  There was one trip where we had engine trouble and my daughters and I sailed the boat while my husband hung over the back boat repairing the outboard engine.  Another trip we forgot the bag of toys and we had to improvise by finding a stick on the beach and each time we went somewhere we marked on it the stick and decorated it.  My daughter still has the stick and we called it a 'memory' stick.  My husband would read to our daughters as they were tucked into their beds each night they would fall asleep to the sound of the water lapping against the sides of the boat.  I still like to make a list before every trip I take and bring only the bare essentials.  

Prepared is my middle name. After some thought I realize that there are three main reasons for this. One: my personality, two: money(or lack thereof) and three: my low blood sugar. This was clearly manifest when we took the kids to Ottawa for the first time a few years ago. I have always been a bit of an anxious person and a natural survival skill is to plan ahead that way you know what to expect. So as soon as I found out we were going I headed straight to the library and got the Frommer's guide and planned every single thing we would do including some neat out of the way things the kids would like such as slot car racing. A tight budget means eating in as much as possible and since the car ride was six hours  I planned as many snacks and meals I could to avoid eating out on the road. We rented a chalet with a kitchen and that was great as well. Having low blood sugar means when I get hungry I need to eat NOW -- not the next stop. So I have acquired some great preparation skills because of this. A snack is never far away when you're with me. I thought I may outgrow this habit once my kids got older but I think all along it was me who needed the looking after. Anyway to keep the kids busy and happy I planned ahead and made "Bingo" cards with things you would see while travelling on the road. I had presents wrapped and when a row was completed they had a new small toy to play with. We still talk about this trip and I like to think I had a small part to play in its' success. I don't think I'll kick my preparation habit just yet.

I have always been a planner.  Embarking on something outside my daily routine without a plan, well, it just doesn't happen.  

I was blessed with a baby girl two years ago and that took my need to be prepared to a whole other level.  Babies need so much!  You can't leave the house without a diaper bag full of gear that has been carefully checked off your survival list. However, I didn't just have a baby.  I have a little one who is rather demanding and has health issues.  So, being prepared is not just a luxury it is essential.

Leaving the house with a toddler (my baby is now two) can be a challenge at the best of times but leaving something behind, in our case, can be disastrous.  Do I have her inhalers?  Will her prescription run out before we get back from where ever we are going?  Do I have her antihistamines? Sunscreen?   Is everything packed safely and somewhere where it will not get misplaced.  My daughter's health depends on me being dependable.  Never mind all the other non health related but still essential to keep a toddler happy paraphernalia that we have to drag along everywhere we go.

As a mom of two beautiful children aged one and three,

There is no situation that I could not foresee.

My 'mommy bag' is my survival kit that holds every tool,

Any problem, I can solve without losing my cool. 

'Mommy I'm hungry or thirsty!' for this I am prepared,

I always have a snack or a drink, so a crisis is spared! 

I've heard it all from: 'My nose is running' or 'I have a boo boo!' 

'Mommy, my hands are dirty' or the famous: 'I have to go poo poo!'

I'm always ready with tissues, bandaids, wipes, and even a toilet seat cover, 

There is no circumstance from which I cannot recover.

It's not just preparedness that I would say is the trick,

Sometimes it's about being creative, and thinking quick,

For example, that snack of crackers in that cute container,

Can double over as noise making toy - a baby entertainer! 

The tissue and bandaid can work together to create a new sock,

With the tools in my bag, and my creativity, there's rarely a shock.

I welcome the challenge of any predicament or tough situation; 

I bet I will encounter at least one if we win this family vacation!