Keep Calm and Breathe: How to stay calm amidst the haze.

The haze has been the talk of the town for the past week, as Singaporeans go through a roller-coaster ride of PSI figures. I remember the last time I was this "excited" about the haze was when I was in school, and every classmate of mine was looking at the daily PSI in hopes for school closure. Well, that clearly never happened.

On Monday when the haze started becoming really apparent and looking like it is here to stay for awhile, my mind started being filled up with a couple of worries.

"Dear me, my whole family is asthmatic! How now brown cow?"
That was my biggest concern when reading endless news about the imminent haze. My husband, myself and my two boys are asthmatic and among us all, I am the worst when it comes to keeping my asthma conditions under control. In fact, just as the haze hit us, I was already having an asthma attack and had to go for a nebulizer session at the clinic to clear up the airways. The other three boys are doing fairly well, although the younger ones are coupled with a bad cough the past few days as well.

So how do we minimize falling ill, and getting asthma attacks during this season of bad air?

+ We stay indoors and avoid bringing the children out unnecessarily.
+ We minimize strenuous activities even when indoors so that these children need not huff and puff all the bad quality air at double the speed.
+ Keep the children fully occupied with activities and play that are not exhausting.
+ Increase our immune system with anti-oxidant fruits like blueberries, strawberries, kiwis and grapes.
+ Keep ourselves well hydrated with water and fruits.
+ Practice good hygiene, by washing our hands and feet when we come indoors and after play and dining.
+ Regular vacuuming and mopping of the home will clear the house of rampant dust particles.
+ Have an air purifier to keep air quality clean and safe.

"It's the June holidays! What are we going to do indoors with the children?"
Fret not, for there are always plenty of fun things to do at home with your children! It only takes a little bit of spontaneity and a whole lot of patience, but it beats boring the children silly when keeping them indoors.

+ Build an indoor tent with gala poles and a bed sheet!
+ Play indoor hopscotch with scraps of paper!
+ Open the kitchen and let the kids show off their masterchef skills!
+ Indoor water play in the bathroom with pails and scoops!
+ Bang and Clang away with pots and pans, make a musical festival with the different sounds they make!

"I am having a panic attack, why is the haze so bad?"
Breatheeeeeee. I do find myself in such situations sometimes, when I worry too much about my health and my family's too. But then I realize there really is not much that we can do except make the best of such situations. Avoid going onto NEA to find out the hourly PSI, or Facebook to read about what those SGAG or TOC pages have to say. More often than not, the situations are exaggerated and people tend to stray away from the real situation. I am not saying that haze is good, but neither am I saying we need to panic, and start pointing fingers over whose fault it is. I'd like to think everybody plays a part in making mother earth this unhealthy and unpleasant sometimes. So stay positive, and we shall all hope this is but a phase that will go away quicker than we get to say shooooooo. :)