Posts filed under ‘Parenting’
Pesticides Linked to Neurological Issues in Kids?
Below is an exert from my friends Ron & Lisa – The Healthy Home Dream Team and their fabulous article about reducing pesticide intake.
“Contrary to popular belief, an apple a day may not necessarily keep the doctor away today. Topping The Dirty Dozen™ list this year were apples! In 99 percent of cases tested, apples contained at least one pesticide residue while the next two top offenders— strawberries and grapes—revealed nearly every sample containing pesticides with one grape alone showing traces of 15 pesticides! For information on genetically modified plants (GMOs), be sure to read the EWG executive summary. P.S. You’ll looove this convenient app for your smart phone HERE as well.
Finally, hold on summer squashes and leafy greens! EWG expanded the Dirty Dozen™ with a Plus category this year to highlight two crops – domestically-grown summer squash and leafy greens; specifically kale and collards. Although these crops didn’t meet the Dirty Dozen™ criteria, they were found to be contaminated with pesticides that are toxic to the nervous system, including organophosphate pesticides (potent neurotoxins that can affect children’s IQ and brain development; even at low doses) and organochlorine pesticides (ie: dieldrin, DDT and heptachlor; neurotoxins which studies link to cancer, neurological damage, Parkinson’s disease, and more). Watch below as Dr. Sanjay Gupta tours a grocery store to show us which foods have the highest levels of pesticide residue and how to reduce 80% of your food pesticide exposure:”
CNN.com – Choosing Fruits & Vegetables at the Grocery Store
Since eating 100% organic food isn’t necessarily cost effective for many of us, and growing our own food may not be feasible either, the amazing team at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) created a list called the Annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ which includes The Clean Fifteen™ + The Dirty Dozen™ lists (click HERE for the entire guide).
The good people at at Body Unburdened created a great visual of these two lists that you can print and carry with you or put on the frig as an important reminder. (See above.)
Here is also an excellent DIY recipe to clean conventionally grown produce, the chemical-free way! Check out this fast and affordable tip HERE using just vinegar + water. Now this idea is not for those grab and go moments, as it requires about 10 minutes of soaking time, but it’s awesome when planning ahead.
Let’s keep our families healthy longer with these simple changes. We’re worth it!
Doesn’t Get Any Sweeter Than This!
Accidentally came across this today with my daughter and she asked me to share it with you.
We were so moved by Kai’s passion, we could barely see through our tears of joy.
Kids are truly amazing, and Ellen is a lucky girl!
A Reason Not To Judge Ourselves & Others
WE LIVE IN A VIBRATIONAL UNIVERSE,
AND WE CAN ONLY EVER BE WHO WE ARE.
AT SOME POINT, THAT HAS TO BE GOOD ENOUGH.
Let’s teach this to our children.
The Daily GOOD is Really Great
This is one of my FAVORITE new websites! You gotta check it out. Everything on it is GOOD. Now how great is that?
I love today’s article about a traveling Science Lab called The Think Tank. If you’re a fan of experiential education or a proponent of STEM, take a peek. You’re gonna love this!
http://www.good.is/posts/this-mobile-think-tank-will-give-science-experiments-street-cred/
Easy Ways To Praise Your Child
It felt like a very long holiday break at my house. At one point I thought my girls would never stop fighting. They fought with each other, the neighbors, me. Very few moments of love, peace and joy. If I heard “it’s not fair” one more time, I thought I was going to drop kick someone. (Again, no love, peace and joy there!) Of course, as their levels grew, so did mine. By the end of vacation I was beginning to wonder if they’d make it to puberty.
Then I read something that changed everything. I happened upon a list of Ways to Praise Your Child that I received from my daughter’s 3rd grade teacher. I’m always looking for good words and phrases to use, let’s face it, you can only say “nice effort” so many times, and my girls have out grown every standard line I have in my arsenal. So eager to learn I read:
Wow * Way To Go * Super * You’re Special * Outstanding * Excellent * Great * Good * Neat * Well Done * Remarkable * I Knew You Could Do It * I’m Proud Of You * Fantastic * Super Job * Nice Work * Looking Good * Beautiful * You’re On Top Of It * Now You’re Flying * You’re Catching On * Now You’ve Got It * Incredible Thinking * Bravo * You’re Fantastic * Hurray For You * You’re On Track * You’re On Your Way * How Nice * How Clever * Good Job * Nothing Can Stop You Now * Good For You * You’re A Winner * Remarkable Thinking * Remarkable Work * Spectacular * Great Discovery * Fabulous Connection * You Figured It Out * Way To Show Good Judgement * Bingo * Magnificent * Marvelous * Terrific * You’re Important * Phenomenal * That’s Sensational * Super Work * Creative Thinking * You’re A Real Trooper * You’re So Responsible * What An Imagination * Keep Trying * What A Good Listener * You Made That Fun * You’re Growing Up * You Tried Your Best * It Shows You Care * Nice Sharing * Outstanding Thinking * You’re Such a Good Friend * I Believe In You * I Trust You * Your Opinion Matters * I’m Listening * You Mean A Lot To Me * You Make Me So Happy * You Make Me Laugh * You Brighten My Day * You Make My Heart Sing * I Respect You * That’s Correct * You’re A Joy * You’re A Treasure * You’re A Winner * You Made My Day * That’s The Best * You’re The Greatest * You Deserve A Hug * You Deserve A Kiss * I Love You
I realized while reading this list that I wasn’t seeing Spirit in my girls. I had forgotten how to see their magnificence. Instead I was solely focused on what needed to be fixed in them, or better yet, what my interpretation was of what needed to be fixed. I had forgotten to light up when they walked in the room, remembering that they are truly gifts to the world…like we all are.
I have put this small shift into place this week and boy what a difference it made! I’m convinced! I’d rather live in a house where I’m loved and adored for who I am, rather than one where I am judged and constantly improved upon too, even if it was for my own good.
So my New Year’s resolution for 2013? Remember to find G-d in my beautiful children.
Happy New Year!
Shopping For The Holidays
My friends at MissRepresentation.org have been diligently working to challenge the media to portray women and girls in a positive light, to show them expressing important ideas and opinions, instead of being hyper-sexualized and objectified.
I stand with MissRepresentation.org, ToGetHerThere.org, SeeJane.org, and many others, who believe in that inspiring future. With MissRep’s recent victory in persuading Spirit Halloween to remove unnecessarily sexualized language describing children’s costumes from their website, worldwide film screenings reaching thousands of viewers, and recent power plays on Black Friday to avoid sexiest products, I’d say progress is being made.
To that end, with December upon us, it’s essential that we continue to stay aware of the media we are consuming and sharing with our friends and family. We hold the purse strings. We vote with our dollars. We can send the biggest message of all by NOT buying. Millions of movies, books, music, magazines and video games will be given as gifts over the next few weeks. We must be conscious of the way our women and girls, our sisters, cousins, mothers and friends, are represented in every THING we buy and make sure to support products that inspire and empower the gender.
A Mighty Girl.com has lists of girl-positive gifts in almost every category of media — check it out! #MediaWeLike on Pinterest highlights media recommended by the MissRep community for people of all ages. Lastly, of course, MissRepresentation itself is currently available on DVD and can be a great way to talk about media awareness with the ones you love because Media Literacy is an important human issue.
So as you shop this holiday season, keep in mind the old character building adage what I say and how I say it, tells others the kind of person I am. Before you buy ask yourself this question, “Does this gift acrately reflect the kind of notions, ideas and values I want to perpetuate in the collective consciousness of life?” If so, then give freely and with an open heart. If not, then thank you for being honest, and maybe you can find something else that better reflects who you are and the kind of world you’d rather live in. We are the change. Happy shopping.
How To Fight with Your Children
I have the awesome privilege of raising two head strong little girls. My challenge is how to bring them up them without squashing their own inner guidance system. Daily I walk the line between allowing them to find their own way and trust their feelings about things, and arguing why showers and teeth brushing are an important part of good hygiene!
As the mother of 8 and 6 1/2 year old children of the now, I find solace knowing that I’m not alone when my thoughtful efforts to calmly guide my daughters towards positive resolution are thwarted and I am left only with my proudest parenting moments which include shouting at the top of my lungs and the dropping of the f-bomb ringing in my ears. It’s comforting to know that other mommies have daughters who also know everything, and that nothing is ever fair in other households as well.
I know this should make me feel better, but alas, frustrated and annoyed with myself mostly, I sought guidance. The coaching I received was so profound and beautiful I had to share.
“It’s good to remember that there are benefits to sparring with others, for competition brings out your best and unleashes your passion and commitment in what you believe. It teaches you to respect others and to not mindlessly impose your will on them. It is suggested that when you do battle with others you:
- Fight fairly
- Learn from the conflict
- Don’t compete just to let off steam
- Fight for progress
- Fight for higher understanding for all concerned”
queen of connection | Shelby L. Phillips 