The EcoChic

It’s that time of year again – children across America are going back to school!  While many of us make the extra effort to ensure our children are healthy and living a green life at home; what are our schools doing?  Check out Eco Chic Parties and the #HealthyBack2School Twitter Party on 8/26/10 to learn more tips about going back to school with EcoMom.com and Dr. Alan Greene.   

Here are some areas where you can make a difference:

School supplies:
If you’ve looked at a school supply list lately they are littered with unhealthy and sometimes toxic requests.  The standard school supply list includes crayons, scissors, glue, paper, folders, binders, notebooks, paper, paper towels, hand sanitizers, cleaning wipes, and other items that are less than green.  Don’t feel like you have to be tied down to those lists – talk with your students teacher about the alternatives and be responsible with what you send in with your child. 

Here is my son’s school supply list for second grade:
Glue Sticks
Crayons
Scissors
24 pencils
2pks eraser caps
Markers
School box
2 boxes of tissues
1 roll paper towels
1 bottle of hand sanitizer
1 contianer of cleaning wipes
Notebooks, folders, copy paper, post it notes
1 box gallon sized zipper bags

Responsible alternatives and options:
Crayons – 1) Send in used crayons, we have a TON why not reuse them until they can’t be used again.  2) If you are buying new look for soy crayons which are healthier for your child and the environment.
Pencils – 1) We get pencils in all our birthday goodie bags during the year.  We found all 24 without having to buy anything new.  2) If you are buying new look for recycled or forest friendly manufacturers.
Tissues – 1) Buy recycled content. 2) If your teacher is really progressive suggest reusable ‘hankies’ and volunteer to wash them each week.
Paper Towels – 1) Buy recycled content.  2) Again, if you have a progressive teacher suggest reusable towels and volunteer to wash them.
Hand sanitizers/Cleaning wipes - Avoid products with Triclosan which are in popular antibacterial sanitizers.  WHY?  Triclosan is actually a pesticide and studies show that we should use them with caution.  Green and Clean Mom wrote a good article on some of the other options.
All paper products – Buy recycled content whenever possible. 
Gallon sized zipper bags – I’m at a loss on this one because I don’t know what they use them for – but I’m going to ask tomorrow.

A warning about PVC products: 
What is PVC?  Polyvinyl chloride – one of the many toxic plastics we should limit our children’s exposure to.  A tip for determining if a plastic contains PVC – look at the bottom for the recycling triangle.  If it has a number 3 inside the triangle there is a good chance that it is made from PVC and should be avoided.  Did you know that PVC is commonly found in lunchboxes, backpacks, rain gear, 3 ring binders, some kids shoes, and art smocks?  Want to find our more about PVC and how to choose products that are PVC-free?  Visit Healthy Child, Healthy World and the Center for Health, Environment & Justice for a downloadable guide to PVC.

School lunches:
It’s estimated that the average school age child generates 67 pounds of garbage each year from school lunch alone!  Help reduce this number by packing their lunch in reusable containers and lunch boxes.  Check out the Green My Lunchbox Campaign for a list of companies who sell products to help reduce your child’s waste.  Don’t forget the reusable bottles too.  And if your child really prefers the juice pouch try to implement a TerraCycle Brigade to upcycle the pouches.  TerraCycle even has a Brigade for Lunchables this year too. 

Other areas of concern:
Indoor air quality at the school.
Playground equipment and maintenance.
Pest control.
Cleaning supplies used in the school.
Art materials.
Outdoor air quality – implement no-idling policies for buses and parents.  

It’s no wonder that some parents choose to homeschool their kids!  While all this information may look quite daunting you have to be an advocate for you child.  One excellent way to make a difference is to volunteer with your schools PTA/PTO and/or Green Committee.  I approached the PTA last year about some eco-ideas and was appointed to head up the new green committee.  This year I’ve been promoted to Vice President of the PTA and I’m learning that we really can make a difference.  It may take a while to implement the changes but with enough parental involvement and a cooperative administration YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!   No one else is going to be the voice of your child – you have to speak up and let your concerns be heard. 

What steps have you taken to green your child’s school?  Have you had any success you would like to share?  Leave us a comment below.

Did I just type those words – potty training? 

I know the technical term is actual potty learning but I’m old school!  More importantly am I actually entering the early potty training age with my daughter?  She’s 18 months and spent a week with Grandma in early June where she was introduced to the potty seat.  We’ve actually had 2 on hand for several months (one for 7 yrs – from my son) but she hasn’t really wanted to go near it.  Thanks to Grandma (who trained my son ironically) she now wants to sit on the potty ALL the time! 

Did you know that babies who use cloth diapers actually enter potty training earlier than babies in disposables?  It makes logical sense – babies can feel when they are wet (or dirty) in cloth diapers.  I can actually tell when she is going to the bathroom now because she stops what she’s doing and squats.  She doesn’t like to be wet or dirty so she usually tells me (i.e. pitches a fit) when she’s had enough.  She still isn’t talking much but she communicates quite well.  I ask her is she wants to go change her diaper (or go potty) and she runs to the bathroom door trying to strip her diaper off in the process.

Grandma uses old fashioned techniques to get the wee ones excited about the potty – she bribes them with candy!  In Lil’ B’s case it’s mini-marshmallows – she has a small sealed bowl of them sitting above the potty – and she KNOWS where they are!  She gets one for sitting on the potty and another one if she actually pee’s or poops on the potty.  I’ve been very fortunate to be able to read her signs and she’s gone pee and poo once for me.  And she demands to sit on the potty a few times a day.     

Anyways – I can’t believe we’ve entered this stage already.  I’m just now getting fully buried in cloth diapers and loving it so much that I can’t imagine life without them.  I’m pretty confident (based on my son potty training at 25-26mo) that she’ll be out of diapers in the next 6-8 months.  Of course there are a few things I won’t miss – like the toddler ammonia battles!

Here’s a cute pic of Lil’ B at Grandma’s – she’s quite the pro!

After a very LONG week away from our 17 month old I am happy (at least I am) to report that we are STILL breastfeeding.  I finally grasped the concept of manual expression of the milk since I left town without my child and my pump!  It wasn’t an easy concept to master but after a few days I became a pro! 

My worst fear was that I would be reunited with the tot and she wouldn’t ever ask for mommy milk again.  It took her 2.5 hours before she started to get cranky and tired - then she started to make her way back to her comfort spot.  Everything works the way it did before she left – like she never skipped a beat. 

It was difficult for me to decide whether this should be our weaning period or if she should continue – after all big brother weaned at almost a year.  We’ve far surpassed my expectations but I want this to be her decision - at least for now.  It’s not restricting me from doing anything and she does fine if we are apart.  I only wish that my support system understood the connection, the bond, and the desire to continue. 

On Father’s Day I’m blessed to be the wife of an awesome daddy – even if he doesn’t understand his crazy wife!  In years to come you are the one she will come running to for solving lifes little problems – the daddy daughter bond is there and will be there for life!  The ties that bond the mother and daughter aren’t always as strong – these are my years to be her special someone.  Thanks for understanding that much.  I love you!

Explanation – Sunday after church my son gives me his art project from Sunday School.  He then explained to me that the blue pipe cleaners represent water and the brown represents oil from the spill.  He’s SEVEN years old – and THIS is what he thinks about!  It makes me sad that he has to think about oil spills and environmental damage – but that’s the world we live in.

Lil’ B is now 17 months and 3 days old and is still proudly breastfeeding a few times a day.  While she’s with the sitter during the day she gets regular cows milk, water, or juice but when she’s home with me she usually asks for mommy!

I started offering her sippy cups when we are having meals or when we go out in public – just because it’s easier than dealing with questions over breastfeeding my toddler.  While I’m extremely proud of where I am today I’m not really in the mood to defend my right as a mother and provider. 

Next week hubby and I will be traveling without the kiddos for 4 days – and I’m wondering if I should officially wean?  This morning while she was breastfeeding she reached for her sippy cup that happened to be sitting next to the bed!  She would alternate between the two – boob and sippy – until it was time to get up and dressed for another day.  It was kinda funny actually to see her holding the sippy while nursing!  She thinks she’s a big girl when she gets her cup but I love our special time together.

I’ve tried NOT offereing mommy milk unless she asks – which by the way involves a toddler PULLING my shirt off until she finds the goods!  I know she’ll be fine without it but I wonder if I should continue to pump while we are away?  Will she still look for it when we get back?  Will she be sad or angry if her fountain is closed?  Or will she be like her brother and never look back. 

I think mommy might be the one to take weaning hardest – this is my last baby – my last nursling!

Many of us have switched to a more eco-friendly lifestyle because of our children.  We have switched to cloth diapers, we breastfeed, we make our own organic baby food, there are lots of changes we have each made in our lives – primarily for our children!  The biggest trend in the baby industry that I’ve noticed is getting away from BPA laden products (bottles – toys – and more) because of the possibility of leaching estrogen disrupting chemicals into our babies!  My son is one of thousands of children who are becoming a statistic – he was born with hypospadias.

Hypospadias is a birth defect that effects the urethra – the urinary opening is abnormally placed.  While my son had a mild case others might not be so fortunate.  Instead of the traditional circumcision (which I know some of you are very adamant against) my son had reconstructive surgery at 9 months to correct the hypospadias (and give him a perfect circumcised appearance).  This surgery was optional and the specialists told us that he would have grown up just fine without the surgery – but both my husband and I agreed that life for teenage boys is hard enough without adding any extra complications!  My son has no idea (7 years later) that he is any different from other boys. 

What causes hypospadias?  Recent studies are linking the increase in hypospadias to the presence of BPA during pregnancy.   Cases of hypospadias in 1970 occured in one out of 500 male births; while in the 1990′s that rate had decreased to one in every 250 male births.  Is my son a statistic?  Very possibly so! 

 Hypospadias is only one of the many birth defects and health risks that our children face because of our modern conveniences.  Tune into a two night special on CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta to learn more about our Toxic America!  Here is what is being said about Toxic America:

Toxic America is hosted by the always wonderful Dr. Sanjay Gupta and will run over two nights (June 2 and 3) with the first night, dubbed Toxic Towns.  It will focus on CNN’s year-long investigation into the residents of Mossville, Louisiana, who for decades have claimed that toxic chemicals in the air have been making them sick.  And for just as long, they say government agencies have done next to nothing to protect them. This once rural, African-American community in southwest Louisiana is now surrounded by 14 chemical plants, spewing tons of cancer-causing chemicals and other toxic chemicals into the air. Chemicals have also seeped under Mossville and into the nearby bayous. Since CNN began its yearlong investigation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has started testing to see whether Mossville qualifies as a Superfund site, meaning federal funds for cleanup and, possibly, relocation. Also, the Organization of American States has agreed to hear a human rights case brought by Mossville against the U.S. government for failing to protect the community against toxic chemicals.

The second night, Toxic Childhood, delves into effects of unseen chemicals on ALL of us, particularly how much of these toxins are being passed onto the babies of pregnant women.  Here’s a few of the show’s findings – crazy stuff:

-Exposure to car and truck exhaust in the womb has been shown to result in lower IQ at age five.
-Babies enter the world with more than 200 dangerous chemicals in their blood (!), including flame retardants, dioxins, substances in non-stick coatings like Teflon and hormone-like compounds found in plastic.
-Out of the 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States, the EPA has only tested about 200 and only banned five.

You can attend a live video broadcast for Dr. Sanjay Gupta next Tuesday at 3pm ET on www.CNN.com/Health.  They will also be answering questions from the audience – to submit a question to be answered by Dr. Gupta click below to submit, or just email cnntoxicamerica@turner.com

“Ask Dr. Gupta About the Environment”
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/27/toxic.america.questions/index.html

If your question is addressed by Sanjay, he’ll give a shout to you and your blog as well.

So what questions do you have for Dr. Gupta?

Personally I think this is a huge #FAIL for Huggies! What do you think?

With summer fast approaching – and your dream beach vacation already booked – what do you need to pack for your wee ones to make the beach fun and relaxing?  Being a Florida girl (at least for the last 5 years) I’ve found some important things you don’t want to forget on your next trip.  

If you aren’t lucky enough to be staying ON the beach your bag might be a little more like mine – our beach is about 10 minutes away.  For those of you who are staying ON the beach you may need to modify the list slightly.  

Me Top Beach Accessories: 

-Beach chairs, blanket, and towels.  I’m more of a blanket/towel girl while my husband likes to lounge in his beach chair.  We found some great beach chairs at Target that are very functional – especially when you are toting a tot!  Our chairs have a backpack strap on them and a pocket for storing you towel, shoes, or wallet.  This type of chair costs a little more but it’s worth the investment so you can throw it on your back and go.  

-Family Beach Cabana Tent.  With a new baby last summer I had to find a way to keep her protected from the sun and sand so we could enjoy our day at the beach.  One Step Ahead sells the Smarties Cabana Tent and I was hesitant to invest in it.  The reviews were ok – but not great – and at $79 it’s not a small investment.  The main problem with the reviews was folding the tent back into the cute little bag it comes in.  I found a video online that shows you how to fold the tent and I would recommend watching AND practicing before you head out to the beach.  Once you get the hang of folding it back it’s a piece of cake.  Why do I recommend the tent to my friends?  1) If you are breastfeeding the tent provides fold down sides for privacy.  2) The tent comes complete with a backpack carrying case and is lightweight.  3) The tent is a great place for babies (and big kids…or mommies) to play or nap in the shade.  Roll the sides up and the breeze can blow through the tent or down for a little more privacy.  We never go to the beach without our tent! 

-Sunscreen.  While I haven’t researched all the available sunscreens on the market, I do know that The Safe Mama has.  If you are concerned with Parabens and other toxic chemicals that are in your beauty products be sure to check out her Safe Sunscreen List.  We currently use a mix of questionable products that I’m sure aren’t on the list – but baby gets Earth’s Best which is paraben free.  It’s a little thick and hard to rub in but it will certainly keep her from getting burned.  Whichever brand you use –please don’t forget the sunscreen!  You will turn into a baked lobster in under an hour! 

-Sunglasses and hats.   Protect your eyes from UV rays – and your babies’ eyes too.  They make baby sunglasses and hats that will keep them safe from the damaging rays. 

-Snacks.  Pack a small bag or cooler with snacks and drinks for yourself and the kids.  There is nothing worse than having to leave the beach because you’re hungry.  Eco-tip: Bring a reusable bottle filled with ice and water.  

-Trash bag.  I try to always throw in a grocery bag (yes – we still have a few) to take with us.  We always find trash littered on the beach and it’s a nice lesson to teach your kids.  Typical items we ALWAYS find are straws, cigarette butts, and bottle caps.  Most public beaches have trash cans placed as you exit the beach so just toss it in the can before you leave.  

-Cloth Diapers & Wet Bags!   Yes – we take our cloth diapers with us to the beach!  While they do sell special swim diapers (in cloth and disposable) a standard cloth diaper used without the liner works just as well (if not better).  And don’t forget the wet bag to toss your wet diapers and swim wear into before you leave.  

Now – if only there was a perfect accessory to keep all the sand out of my car!  It feels like we take the entire beach home with us by the looks of my backseat.  

What about you?  Have a beach trip planned?  What are you taking with you?

A letter to my darling tot -

Today is a day of celebration – you are 501 days old! 

For 501 days I have watched you grow from this tiny baby into this blossoming, beautiful, independent little spit fire!  Each day you wake looking up at me while you fill your belly with the milk that God gave you – I can only imagine what you are thinking about as you grab my hair and twirl it around your tiny fingers.  And each day as you go play with your friends and explore the world around you I know that you will come home to me – only to look up at me once more as you fill your belly with that same mommies milk.  You may not be able to vocalize your thoughts but your eyes tell me the stories of your adventures.  And each evening I love how you press your body against my chest and doze off to slumber - resting your tired body on mine - dreaming of another tomorrow.  I’m thankful to God everyday that he made you and provided us with this opportunity to build our bonds with one another.  I’m thankful that he provided me with the resources to nourish your tiny growing body – naturally. 

Some may not understand our bond – they call it weird and extreme – but when you look up at me with those big blue eyes of yours the rest of the world seems to vanish.  One day I know that you will wake up and forget about this special bond as you run off and play - but until that day happens I will continue to listen to the stories that your eyes are telling me. 

Always yours – Mom

While I was counting the days on the calendar today I decided to see how old other mammals were when they were weaned naturally – the Gorilla (also a primate like humans) is naturally weaned at the age of 3-4 years of age.  Much later than most Americans consider as ‘normal’ for humans.  Here is a great article that discusses the natural age for weaning in primates.       

          Photo courtesy of Steuart Dewar, Gorilla Haven