The new school year is upon us, and it’s every parent’s mealtime (and lunchbox) crusade – getting your kids to eat healthier. Well, its mine at least. Easy(ish) when they’re young and they pretty much eat anything you put in front of them. Not so easy when school starts and they discover a whole new world – like their classmate’s lunch boxes filled with no-no’s like soda and Doritos.
When my 3 kids were babies I started them all of with what I think is the Bible of healthy-baby-eating, The Super Baby Food Book. Well, I admit that it got to a lesser degree with #2, but with #3 came the the advent of commercial organic baby food, which made things a lot easier. Whether you are a DIY Mom like Ruth of the Super Baby Book (who also makes her own Play Dough, mind you), or prefer to buy from the organic aisle at the supermarket, know that giving your kids a healthy diet now means setting up their foundations for a healthy life. Now isn’t that a worthwhile mission?
Here are my tips on how to help you get started (and hopefully keep going!):
1. Teach Them About Health
My Mom did this for my sister and I (she was and still is what you would call a “health nut”), and I have to say that it stuck. Explain to your kids WHY certain foods are good or bad for you and you’ll be surprised how well they’ll respond. I try and use language they understand like: “…healthy food like fruit and vegetables helps you get bigger and stronger, but also makes your “soldiers” strong to fight bad germs so you don’t get sick“. There are a few kids shows now which touch on this, as well as books. Read/watch and talk about it with them and be prepared to answer their questions.
2. Vegetarian Meals= Budget meals
Yes, its true! Add a vegetarian meal or two to your weekly menu and see how much you can save. It’s a known fact that fresh produce is significantly cheaper than meats (which are some of the costliest food items in stores), so by serving say, a vegetarian lasagna rather than the “al forno” with beef, you not only give your kids a veggie-filled nutritious meal, you also save on the weekly budget (yipee!), plus it’s good for the planet. Why? read about vegatarianism and the environment here.
3. Make it Fun!
My kids and I like to play quick games like guessing which food is “healthy or not”. For example, what’s better? french fries or apple slices with cinnamon? (Okay, so my husband doesn’t join in and prefers to roll his eyes- but WE enjoy it!). The winner gets a small prize like stickers. You can also make healthy food attractive and fun by using a cookie cutter to make shapes and adding “faces” (raisins and sliced red pepper make easy instant characters). Brit Mom turned kid-food guru, Anabel Karmel is a total wiz at this and I love her cookbooks.
4. Go Organic
Finding organic food is really easy these days, and the health benefits are huge. Would you prefer to feed your kids things without harmful chemicals and pesticides? With more nutrients and vitamins? I would. It’s a really simple choice, and really worth the extra effort.
5. Plan Ahead and Cook More, Mom!
I really believe that planning ahead, being organized and cooking yourself is the key to healthier eating. Look online for new healthy recipes to try (you can get the kids to help choose here), add more fruit and veg to your meals, and take a few minutes every Sunday to plan healthy weekly menus- this really helps keep me in budget too!
Since I have three kids below 8, and given that my husband and actually enjoy taking them traveling (yes, we’re crazy), packing is something I take very seriously. Of course, unless you are Bree or Martha, you are bound to forget some things, so the best advice I can give you is START EARLY, keep the list handy in a place at home where you can tick through it as you go along.
Packing For Babies and Toddlers
Hand Carry - I suggest you purchase a bag that is the right size for you to carry, and not too bulky that it won’t be allowed in an airplane or will give you a backache for the rest of your trip. Pockets and compartments are all good, and even better if there’s is an insulated bit. Backpacks are a good choice!
The Top 14 Essentials For The Carry-On Bag
1. Snacks – “o” shaped cereal, biscuits/cracker (I like organic/low sugar kinds), cheese, fruit pieces, small cartons of juice (not for airplanes).
2. Change of clothes and a cardigan or jacket – 2 outfits
3. Disposable diapers – 3
4. Baby wipes
5. Burp cloth – handy for mopping up any mess on baby
6. Sun hat for hot weather or bonnet/cap for cold
7. Blanket – handy for naps or to lay on a floor to crawl/sit on or as a cover-up for breastfeeding.
9. Formula in container and pre-boiled water in a bottle.
10. Water in a sippy cup or bottle
11. 2 small toys/books/ teether.
12. Band-aids and antiseptic wipes/cream
13. 2 Pacifiers
14. 2 Bibs
15. Baby fork and spoon
16. 2/3 Plastic bags – to dispose diapers, for dirty clothes.
* Don’t forget any medications if your child is taking them and always keep it in the carry-on bag! Ditto with anything else your child can’t do without, like a favourite stuffed toy or “lovie”. Heaven forbid your luggage gets lost and poor teddy is never seen again!
* If going on a long haul flight/train journey, pack enough diapers and an extra outfit for an overnight stay, just in case. Most airports have drugstore/pharmacies now, but it’s still better to have your own stash of necessities.
In The Suitcase
*Some of these things depend on the age of your baby.
1. 2 outfits for every day of the trip
2. 2 pairs of shoes, 4 pairs of socks
3. Bibs
4. Summer essentials: sun hat, sunblock, swim suit or trunks, swim diapers, mosquito repellent
Or Winter essentials: warm clothes, mittens, boots, etc.
5. Toys and books (only bring favorites, new ones can be bought at destination)
6. Toiletries: Dove soap (I use it on both baby’s hair and body), baby powder, baby toothbrush, hairbrush or comb
7. Medicine Kit: antibacterial cream for wounds, small rubbing alcohol, band-aids, thermometer, nasal drops, water replacement powder, antihistamine, paracetamol, Lacticare , Cetaphil cream
8. Diapers – 3 diapers per day, plus 3
9. Formula (I buy enough for the trip, just in case I can’t get the brand we use)
10. Baby food/ snacks – I always bring a small supply of food I know he likes, just in case. Baby jars, instant oatmeal, organic macaroni cheese etc.
11. Baby monitor and universal adaptor – it can be cumbersome to pack, but I’m always glad I did.
12. DVDs – Just a few of your baby’s faves as most places have DVD machines now, even computers. Alternatively, an iPod loaded with the vids works too.
13. Ziplock/ plastic bags
*Stroller – An absolute essential! If travelling by air, don’t check it in, take it all the way to the gate. It’s also handy for hanging duty free shopping and the hand-carry bag!
*Website tip: This site does customized packing lists. Good for grownups.
“He has PNEUMONIA”. It’s a very very scary thing to hear from your pediatrician, and it is just what she told me last Friday when I took baby Wills for a check-up. The thing with being a mother-of-three is that you fancy yourself a pro, even when it comes to health matters. So when little Wills started coughing on Monday and developed a fever which continued throughout the week, I didn’t even call or text Dr. J. Yes, I gave the normal meds and used the puffer for the cough, but only when his fever still spiked after the 72 hour grace period, did I rush him to get checked.
Luckily, she’s also a pediatric pulmonary specialist, and when she listened to his chest, she immediately said “Momma! it’s not good“. I put on her stethoscope and heard some crackling noises, which apparently meant that the infection had gone to his lungs, which meant pneumonia.
Pneumonia is a frightening word to us parents, but it simply means an inflammation in the lungs and can be treated easily, at home. While it certainly isn’t a disease to take lightly, babies, toddlers and the elderly are the most susceptible to the disease, and it is particularly bad in developing countries where antibiotics and treatments aren’t readily available.
How did he get such a nasty bug? Who knows? Nat probably brought it back from big school and did have a mild cough for a few days. But what was important was that Dr.J said that it wasn’t too bad a case (no need for an x-ray or worse, confinement at the hospital), and she was sure he’s be fine in a week if he started taking antibiotics today.
Now, just three days since taking his first dose of clarithromycin, he’s almost back to his useful sunny self. The bad news? I think Mom’s caught it.
Little Wills is now 14 months (where does time go?) and toddles about the house like the full-fledged toddler he is. With his cherubic golden curls, sunny personality (he screams with delight when he gets excited) and amusing “toughness” (if you take the object of his fascination away he gets angry!), he’s a joy to have around and wherever he goes people can’t help but smile.
It’s his 2nd Easter now, the last one he was a newborn and hardly noticed, but this year his eyes (and hands) are darting around the house, mostly at the Easter decorations that we just put up yesterday. As we are a family big on holidays (it makes life more enjoyable), we have 4 Fun Easter Activities lined up for some quality time with the children.
1. Bake an Easter Bunny Cake – This recipe from Betty Crocker is the cutest and will get the kids excited and hopping around like bunnies for sure. It uses a cake mix and ready-made-frosting so it suits Moms who don’t have the time. If I’m feeling energetic by Saturday, I’ll do it from scratch – time consuming, but a much healthier option!
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Dogs like many creatures have an inert ability to learn and getting them started early is key to avoiding problems in adult life. Being nice to have around kids, they teach them the fundamentals of responsibility that can go both ways with dog training. Simple routines that the animal can remember gives them character and takes away some of the mischievousness they possess in adult life.
Dogscan be taught many a unique skills and they often learn so much they can amaze many with that ability. Your kids can also learn with a little encouragement that their dog is a responsibility, getting to share the load of care and upkeep of the pet. Dogs live an average of 10 to 12 years depending on the breed and for a good relationship, one that is manageable to the family and home is best. Breeds that tend to love kids grow protective of their young masters as well as the rest of the family. Being social, getting them to move around is good for it develops good social behavior essential for a well mannered canine. In the end your family will have a pet that loves you all with the bond getting stronger each passing year as you both grow in love.
At least one or twice a week, my husband and I hear little footsteps in the dead of night, traversing from across the hall and into our bedroom, with “Mommy, I had a bad dream”. Usually, we are both too exhausted to take them back, so we end up with one (sometimes two) little bodies squeezed in between us. And putting them to bed is even more of an issue, with claims of “Mommy I’m scared”, “Mom I don’t want to be alone” (even if they aren’t alone, “Mommy I have bad dreams” etc etc., making the bedtime ritual stretch out even longer until bone tired Mom is about to pass out on the bunk with them.
So when I saw this product on My Daily Om, I thought, What a clever idea, I wish I thought of it!….followed by… I have to get one!. Formulated by a Mom, this fabulous spray gets rid of those bedtime monsters both physically and psychologically. Physically, because it uses essential oils and works it’s magic through aromatherapy, and psychologically, well, you know. We Moms are all amateur doctors, right?
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Most first time parents due to inexperience, panic in the face of medical emergencies. Me and my wife for example have two totally different approaches to emergencies such as the frequent bumps and scratches that sends your child running to you so learning to recognize something serious is the key and experience would educate you best. My wife gets into a panicked state every time she sees blood accompanied by the uncontrollable cries of our child, I merely step back, take a look at the situation and analyze the situation if it needs medical attention or if first aid can do the trick. For example, an open wound and compound fracture is always serious so speed to the hospital for care. High fever during teething is normal and can be handled with analgesics while being in constant contact with your pediatrician who would tell you to get help if needed.
Having experienced medical emergencies as a volunteer which developed my abilities to recognize life-threatening and trivial injuries, just hope more people would recognize this as a vital skill to have for it helps you lower your insurance premiums. Do some research on the web for health tips that can add to your knowledge of which emergencies to treat seriously and which are mere casual. Information and knowledge is the key, the more trips you take to the ER, the more a risk you are for the insurance firm so they have the option to ask more for insurance.
Just a little more than a week and Christmas Day will be here! I bet that your kids can barely contain their excitement as you start your preparations for the big day. I know that in our house, putting up the Christmas tree and lights is making everyone jump and down with the anticipation of Christmas. But have you decided on your presents for the kids yet?
I have several in mind but to be honest, I won’t be doing my shopping till tomorrow. I am sure that I am going to regret keeping it till this late when I am met by throngs of late shoppers tomorrow as well. Anyhow, I found an article detailing the most popular toys for kids this Christmas. Some of the recurring items that I noticed were gaming consoles and iPods. Umm, I think I shall refrain from these this Christmas – it’s too early for these this year. Perhaps the Wii, but nothing more.
For girls, the things on the list include the Nintendo DS Lite, Webkinz toys, Hannah Montana toys, and Barbie (yep, she is still at it). For toddlers, some ideas include Tickle Me Elmo Live, Lamaza Baby Toys, Leapfrog Little Touch LeapPad, and V-Tech Vsmile Baby.
I am leaning towards the educational toys for toddlers although I am really thinking about giving more books than toys this year. Some might think that this is the boring route but then again, get your children used to books and you will see just how much delight they will take in them.
What are you getting the kids this Christmas?
The (mini) Donald
Halloween is huge in our household. Since the 1st of October, we’ve had our Halloween decorations out and increasing (who can resist a “Halloween Tree” I found at a sale last week? Picture a pumpkin on a spider web, black, with spiders, black cats and ghouls hanging from it- adorable!). There are orange lanterns with jack-o-lantern and witch faces dotting our house, giant spiderwebs with spiders, bats and bloody hands on our windows, a rather large “witch” wind banner blowing in the garage, an assortment of spooky garden stakes in the front lawn (with glow-in-the-dark eyes), and a “face” for our tree at the front of the house which makes it look like the apple-pelting ones in the Wizard of Oz.
We threw a Halloween Party last Friday after school. Nothing fancy, just games and snacks for around 15 kids, and potent Bloody Mary’s for the grownups courtesy of my hubby, who’s perfected the art of the Bloody Mary. My three went as Wizardess, Cowboy and Superman, and there was Darth, Sandy from Grease, a Pirate, a Mermaid, 3 Rambos, a Fairy, a Spider and a kid who boringly went as himself with his skateboard.
On Friday my kids have their second set of costumes (except baby Wills), Wednesday Addams and Peter Pan (a gift from my Aunt), and we’ll have a little pizza party at home after the Trick or Treating. Exciting! If you aren’t a Halloween-obsessed Mom like me, and still haven’t decided on a Halloween costume for your little ones, here are some of my favourites.
1. Donald Trump (pictured above) – You have to love the hair! This costume makes the Donald look absolutely adorable.
2. Fire Breathing Dragon – A crafty Mom can put this together easily, and create a fantastic magical costume sure to be a showstopper.
3. Baby Yoda- Ok, its not the most original, but when I see a little one in this costume it makes me melt.
4. DJ Lance- He’s the funky guy from Yo Gabba Gabba and if my 3-year-old son didn’t have a costume already, this would be it.
5. Sushi Roll – My 6 year old loves sushi, so again, if I didn’t already have 2 costumes for her, and if I got myself organized a lot earlier, I would have made this her costume for Halloween. Oh so clever.
Written by Lara on October 28th, 2008. 4 Comments »
Filed under Activities, Babies, Crafts, Fun and Games, Holidays, Inspiration, Moms, Preschoolers, Shopping, Toddlers.
It is that time of the year again – when children go back to school. For some it is coming back. It is a familiar experience. Something that they look forward to. For others, it is a totally new experience. There is the element of fear as well as anticipation. For the parents, the supporting role has never been more important. This is especially true for those parents who have kids who are going to school for the first time.
I still remember my first day in primary school. My mother worked as a teacher in the same school I went to. Still, it took two teacher helpers and the teacher herself to pry me away from my mother’s arms. And I was bawling like a baby.
How can we help our kids when they first go to school? The best thing to do would be to make school familiar to them. They are going away to a strange environment and will be out of their comfort zone. Even before they actually have to go to school, there are some things that we can do to help them.
One thing that you can do is to pass by the school often and point it out to your child. Tell him good stories about school and prepare him for the day that he would actually have to go there. Build it up and encourage him. More so, tell him about your own positive experiences in school. Tell him how exciting it is and how he is going to learn a lot of things and make new friends. Try it – it has worked for me.
But how about you, how do you think you can prepare your child for school?
