Having a tough parenting week? This video will remind you that it's worth it.

It’s amazing how as a child, things just get done for you.

Things that are done for the simple objective of helping to keep you happy and healthy. Things that, at the time, you don’t realise or appreciate because they just occur, out of love for you.

All you know is that hot meals appear in front of you when your tummy starts rumbling, blankets and cosy sheets make their way on to your bed when the weather gets cold and a magic cleaning fairy visits your house and clears away the evidence of food fights and muddy football matches in the dead of night.

Once you have kids of your own, you gain new found respect and acknowledgement for all of the effort, energy and thought that went into memories and moments making up your childhood (thanks mum).

Often, by the time you realise how much effort actually goes in to caring for a family, and helping to keep them happy and healthy, it’s because you’re the one doing it. (The cleaning fairy thing is croc by the way. I left the muddy clothes out for ages and she never showed.)

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Dettol. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

I’ve always thought that parenting was fundamentally about “keeping them happy”. As flippant as it sounds, it’s true.

Healthy, well-fed, nourished, stimulated, socialised kids are happy kids, and I, like any parent, just want my kids to be happy and to grow and develop into their best. I’m not talking about the huge life changing decisions parents often make for their kids. I’m talking about the everyday little things that mums and dads all around the world do, just for the ones they love.

Currently my life, as some would already know, is ruled by small people. I’m okay with that. In fact, I’m in love with that.

It doesn’t mean it’s not exhausting and difficult at times but it’s also pretty awesome. That old saying is true, you stop living for yourself and start living for someone else from the minute that baby is placed in your arms, and now, with a 2.7-year-old and a 10-month-old in tow, every minute of my day is focused on them.

I’ve often heard it said that motherhood (or fatherhood – good dad’s work bloody hard too) is a thankless job, and yeah, at times that’s very true. I don’t really expect my son to turn around and thank me for sneaking grated vegetables into his dinner, or my baby to cheers me for the liberal application of bum cream. But knowing I’m doing what I can to help keep them healthy and enjoying their little worlds is enough for me (until Mother’s Day, in which case hubby, feel free to put their appreciation into something shiny or chocolatey).

I got involved with the Dettol Mission For Health Campaign because I loved the simple idea behind it. It’s easy to celebrate the big, grand gestures in life, but I really loved the notion of acknowledging the little things that mums, dads, grandparents and carers do every single day just to help keep their families healthy.

Having seen some of the other fantastic videos as part of the Dettol Mission For Health Campaign, I was really looking forward to having “my story” included. Even though the thought of filming a video with my kids filled me with terror, they actually did really well.

Being part of the campaign actually made me think about the small things I do with my kids that are just second-nature to me now. Particularly, thinking back to things my mum used to do for me when I was young, that now have somehow just become part of my routine with my kids. I had a great time filming my Mission For Health video. With two young kids, my life can be a mess, but it’s my beautiful mess. I hope you enjoy watching my Mission For Health video as much as I enjoyed making it.

What are the little things you do for your family’s health? Share them in the comments section below – we’ll be giving a $100 Dettol Prize Pack to our favourite three!’

Dettol has made a series of videos celebrating the little things you do for your family’s health, check out Kate’s story below. 

There are countless little things you do for your family’s health every single day.  From putting fresh fruit on the bottom shelf so the kids can reach it, to turning hand washing into a fun game – it’s the little things that all add up. They often go unnoticed, so we set out to celebrate, support and share all the excellent work you do as part of our Mission for Health.