The flu is nasty, seemingly everywhere, and, for infants, a genuine health threat. What it is not, however, is inevitable or unbeatable. Flu season does not have to trigger a months-long quarantine. Flu is a sickness and, like most sicknesses, it can be prevented or cured. Is there a one-size-fits-all solution? Absolutely not, but there are plenty of answers to the questions parents have about children’s health. When does flu season start? When does flu season end? What do seasonal flu symptoms look like? How many boxes of tissues should I buy? How can you keep a baby from getting sick? These are all answerable questions.

To that end, Fatherly has built this guide to surviving (and thriving) during flu season. Here you’ll find all the information you need about flu season dates, dealing with stomach flu in kids, and getting the flu shot for kids. Once you know, you can prepare. Once you prepare, you can stop stressing — or stress a bit less anyway.