Nothing makes me jump up out of my seat more than hearing a sniffle coming from my daughter. At the first sign of a cold or a flu, I go into Doctor Mommy mode and try to catch it before things get out of hand. The reality is, as hard as I try to keep my 7-year-old healthy, there are some things that I just have no control over.

As much as I wish I could be stationed at her school, watching her every second of the day and making sure she always remembers to wash her hands, that isn’t realistic at all. Instead, I talk to Ayva a lot about the importance of washing her hands, not putting her fingers in her mouth, and covering her mouth when she sneezes or coughs.

Still, the flu is a tricky little thing, and no matter how diligent you are, if you aren’t careful, it’ll catch you.

We’ve been very fortunate because Ayva hasn’t had the flu in the last 4 years. In addition to her regular vaccines that she’s been receiving on schedule since she was born, Ayva also receives the flu vaccine each year. After a lot of research over the years, Terrence and I decided that vaccines are necessary to protect our child from infection. Taking her to get the flu shot each year is a preventative step that we take to protect her and the children around her.

How else do we make sure Ayva is protected from infection in addition to vaccinations? Well, we make sure she’s filled up with healthy meals in order to keep her immune system in top notch shape. We regularly disinfect our home, including door knobs, the refrigerator door handle, and other places that we touch frequently. We also make sure Ayva gets plenty of rest because we know that the body needs sleep to be able to help fight off any nasty germs she might come in contact with.

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, service chief of pediatric infectious disease at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford shares more about the importance of vaccines in this post from Stanford Children’s Health.

If you’re looking for a family-centered pediatric healthcare network, check out Stanford Children’s Health. They have over 60 Bay Area locations to serve your family. Talk to a physician at Stanford Children’s Health in the Bay Area to have all of your questions about vaccines and staying healthy during cold and flu season answered. Learn more about Stanford Children’s Health on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stanford Children’s Health. The opinions and text are all mine.