Pesticides & Kids

I just read an EPA article about Pesticides and Food. I know....happy reading.

Here's the scoop: Infants and children are more susceptible than adults to pesticides in our food supply because

* their internal organs are still developing and maturing;
* in relation to their body weight, infants and children eat and rink more than adults, possibly
increasing their exposure to pesitcides in food and water;
* certain behaviors -- such as palying on floors or lawns or putting objects in their mouths --
increase a child's exposure to pesticides used in homes and years.

Here's some advice:
Wash your fruits and veggies. Buy organic or go to the local farmer's market and find the health-oriented sellers. Also, cancel any "spray" companies you may have coming to the home and don't use awful products like Lysol in the house (it's so nasty). I use all natural cleaners in the home, too, and highly recommend that route (my husband says I've ruined him...he can't stand the smell of chemical cleaners now at other people's homes. What? As if that was a good thing for him before??)

I'm even totally against tenting for termites. I admit I did spray in the backyard once for a little black widow problem but I arranged it for after we left for a 2-week vacation. I figured the black widows were potentially more dangerous in the short-term!

For more information, visit my website, click on Healthy Home and read the article I wrote about What Consumers Need to Know About Home Toxins. You won't feel the same in the grocery store ever again (sorry!)

www.improvehomehealth.com

Commercial Free Kids?

If you have little ones, it's shocking just how influential telelvision commercials, product promotions and product placement are on their little lives. There are days I just want to throw up my arms and move to Idaho (any better there?) and other days I just give up the war and let them devour commercials to their hearts content.

Neither extreme works as a long-range realistic parenting strategy. It is tempting to cancel cable (I know a lot of homeschool moms who don't have it) but I also remember my sister-in-law saying that she limited television so much for her oldest that the kiddo missed out on some cultural references and nuances that were familiar (perhaps too familiar) to her peers. That actually was the best reason I could find for keeping the cable and just managing the time spent consuming television and commercials. I also REALLY talk to the kids about advertising; how it works, what rules they do and don't follow; how in other countries there are laws against advertising certain products directly to kids (like all of Europe). My kids know that the commercial for some flying fairy doll was basically a lie because we bought the darn thing and, in their words, "it sucked." So....good lesson. Applies to junk food too.

On a societal level, I believe that the advertising and marketing promotions directly targeting kids and creating the official and aptly named "nag factor" are out of control in the U.S. As with anything in our country, change has to come from a movement and there are some great organizations making a fuss about this issue. Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is really making an impact. You can get on their email list and recieve updates of really egregious examples of marketing to kids and what the CCFC did to counter it. It's important to stay informed: http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/

I'm taking my kids to see The Chronicles of Narnia this week -- but I also told them that the makers of the film spent million and millions to have other companies like McDonalds get excited about the film. You know kids just think that everybody is celebrating because of the new film. They don't get the economics behind it until it's pointed out.

For that matter, neither do some adults. Oh well! I would support laws that limited advertising to kids, especially junk food. I think junk food will be the subject of my next blog...

Lisa

Why I Homeschool -- Part I

The real reason I homeschool is that my daughter seemed to be struggling with reading at the end of kinder and my husband freaked out and said we needed to do something (We?). I wasn't happy with other school options (for her) so we decided to homeschool. I never planned on homeschooling and I don't have a strong agenda about it. That said, a year and a half into this adventure I have found some nice consequences to homeschooling that I didn't fully expect. The main reason has been successful -- she's reading beautifully and with confidence. I don't recommend homeschooling for everyone but I do believe that structured school settings are not the best learning environment for every child. Here's what I've learned:

I know my kids learning style, strengths and weaknesses really well.
My children are generally kind as they aren't exposed to a lot of attitude.
We can go quickly through material they understand and spend time where they need help.
My children play together well because they are eachother's primary friends.
We don't have homework (usually done by 1 p.m.) so our evenings are for family time.
The one-one instruction is an amazing tool for learning. They "get it" or we do it again.
We have a lot of homeschool and other activity friends so socializing is a non-issue (most homeschool kids you'll meet have very good social skills and can communicate with adults, too).

The cons are what you'd expect: not a lot of free time for mom and your kids are with you ALL the time. I do have some babysitters so that helps. I think my home business online is a way for me to "get away" while still being here. The kids have learned to respect when mom's on the phone for an hour or so after they've been exscused from school.

I found this other list online -- Good Reasons To Homeschool:
-Spend more time together as a family.
-Spend more time with children when they are rested rather than tired and cranky from school.
-Allow children to have time for more in-depth study.
-Allow children to learn at their own pace, appropriate to their own developmental stage and
learning style.
-Provide long, uninterrupted blocks of time for writing, reading, playing, thinking, or working so
that the child is able to engage in sophisticated, complex activities and thought processes.
-Use impromptu, meaningful "lessons" throughout the day.
-Spend more time out-of-doors.
-Help more with household chores, developing a sense of personal responsibility.
-Learn life skills, such as cooking, in a natural way.
-More time available for nonacademic pursuits such music lessons and sports.
-Learn to work for internal satisfaction rather than for external rewards.
-Reduced peer-pressure; less pressure to grow up as quickly in terms of clothing styles, music,
language, interest in the opposite sex.
-More varied friends, not just the child's chronological age peer group
-More time for volunteer service activities.
-More bonding with siblings and parents since there is more time spent playing together,
working together, and helping each other.
-Immediate and appropriate feedback on children's work.
-Ongoing observation and discussion at home.
-Consistent guidance in family's values.
-"Different" children can avoid being subjected to the constant and merciless teasing, taunting,
and bullying which so often occurs in school.
-Children with special needs encouraged to reach their full potential.
-Increased safety from gangs, drugs, and guns.

Hiding My Juggling Act

I know a lot of people. I know a lot of people because I DO a lot of things. I have a handful of close friends but I don't always DO stuff with those friends. But that's okay with me, and with them too, because they're about as busy as I am. It's never boring when we catch up.

However, at some point along the way, perhaps in my twenties although I think it was even earlier, I stopped telling most people the real answer to, "So, what are you up to?" I just found that when I explained all that I was REALLY up to their eyes would gloss over and I'd usually get a, "You've got to be kidding" response. Why? Because I juggle WAY too much for a normal plate. But it's my plate and I like it messy. In conversations about everyday life I stick to two subjects -- what are THEY up to and I pick just ONE thing I'm doing. If I talk too much I can just tell what others are thinking (in parentheses): I have three kids -- all doing great. (Okay, she's normal enough). I homeschool the oldest two. (Okay, a little wacky). I have a successful business, mostly online. (How does she have time). I'm about to launch a website that I've worked on for months. (When? When did she have time to do that....Answer: 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.) My husband and I are the leaders for our local Engaged Encounter program and we often do weekend presentations. (Huh?). I've done a lot fo public speaking about Healthy Homes and plan to get back to that soon. (Huh?) My little one attends a cooperative preschool. I get a little break from that this year but I'll probably be on the Board of Directors next year. (Cooperative preschool? The one where you give up time to work in the classroom? I totally can not relate to this person).

I just do a lot. I don't sit around. I don't watch TV. My "me" time is doing time, not shopping. I'd rather pay a personal shopper to just put stuff in my closet than find it myself. I'm always planning stuff to do or how to fit something else in my life and I'm NEVER bored. How could I be....there's too many interesting things to do! My biggest regret of homeschool is that the actual academic part gets in the way of all the fun outings we could do!

The reality that I hide my juggling act came to me at a nice holiday party tonight with other moms -- some I hadn't seen in a while. That same old question came up. I fell back on my tried and true solution. I talk about ONE thing I'm doing. At this party, because it's relatively unique among public and private school moms, I talked about homeschooling. Same commend me, some think I'm nuts. I discuss the pros, cons, etc. I did start chatting with one old friend about launching my website soon and how much work it was and how psyched I was to give the final sign-off. I think she asked, "Why? Why did you do a website." Oh, ya....she doesn't know the entirety of my juggling act so the website doesn't compute. I cut it short and said I'd send her the link sometime! Do you think I should start telling everybody I blog, too????!!

A Healthy Home

What is a healthy home? I think it starts with an attitude. Then it involves real behavior. This blog is for exploring issue surrounding the most important part of our lives -- family and home. How do we raise our children? What social norms do we accept or object? How do we handle the onslaught of advertising that influences kids...and even adults to always want more? What simple things can we do to rise above the craziness and make a healthy home for our loved ones?

Welcome. Learn with me. I'll learn from you.