* Provided a predictable life with a reasonably ordered environment
* Held and touched often
* Talked to (or sung to) often
* Read to frequently
* Exposed to interesting experiences
* Given many opportunities to learn through play.”

All things that we at SIP advocate and encourage. The best part? None of these things will take your life’s savings. “Interesting Experiences” do not have to include flying to another country. It can mean taking an exploration walk around your neighborhood to look for insects, birds or colors. It can mean taking a backroad to Grandma’s house instead of the freeway in order to stop at a local cheese factory. Try it today!

Here’s another reminder: Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to those ears and the back of the neck. Tops of feet are another easily forgotten, easily burned location, especially during sandal/barefoot season. Reapply when you are out in the sun for long periods of time and after swimming. If your child has fair skin and fair hair, consider sunscreen on the head too (or a cute hat!).

The technology to test for these flame retardants — known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) — and other industrial chemicals is less than 10 years old. Environmentalists call it “body burden” testing, an allusion to the chemical “burden,” or legacy of toxins, running through our bloodstream. Scientists refer to this testing as “biomonitoring.”

The youngest child to have it done, 18 months old, had two to three times the level of flame retardants in his body that’s been known to cause thyroid dysfunction in lab rats.

What are we doing to our bodies and our children’s bodies?

If you are really concerned, Consumer Reports has a list of some home lead-testing kits that you can purchase and how well they work.

Also, the DailyGreen has a list of 250 lead-free toys. I can’t believe you actually need a list!

Thinking you should ban Made in China toys from your house? Well, Palm Bay, Florida is trying to ban all made in china products from the entire town. I doubt it will succeed but it will be interesting to see how far this goes.

Cherry tomatoes are a huge hit with The Boy. I will often find him out in the garden, eating juicy, red cherry tomatoes right off the vine. Of course, by the end of the summer, I am giving away bags of them to everyone in the neighborhood.

The regular tomatoes, though, I am a little more frugal with. What we don’t eat fresh (on pizza, sandwiches and just plain!), I like to freeze. I freeze tomatoes whole, without cooking them. I don’t know if this is the ‘right’ way to do it, but it works for me. I cut off the tops, put several in a freezer ziploc bag and ‘suck’ as much air out as I can before sealing it. I label the bag and pop it in the freezer. Freezer tomatoes are great to use in sauces and such later on. Take a bag out of the freezer and allow it to thaw a bit in the refrigerator. Empty the tomatoes into a microwave-safe bowl and finish thawing. The skins slip off quite easily and the tomatoes can go right into the pot or the pan.

Another way to save your excess tomatoes is to make spaghetti sauce and freeze that. If you live in an area that will support the growth of tomatoes all summer, try growing some yourself and save some $$ on fresh tomatoes all summer and sauces throughout the winter!

We have a variety of herbs growing, especially during the summer months. Parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, and basil are wonderful to have on hand and fresh. I hate to buy an entire bunch of fresh herbs at the store when a recipe only calls for one teaspoon or some very small amount. This feels very wasteful to me and I haven’t had success with freezing or drying the leftovers yet. I love to just grab my scissors and step outside to clip what I need right off the plant! Herbs can easily be grown in pots and planters too, if space or temperature is an issue for you.

We have had huge success with basil and rosemary especially. The Man has to hack back the rosemary every fall and we still get a huge bush by the next summer. Basil thrives in our region during the summer months. We love to use it fresh in salads, on pizzas and in sandwiches. But my favorite thing about basil is pesto. Pesto is so easy to make and freezes really well. Throw some fresh basil in a food processor with some olive oil, pine nuts and garlic. Process until smooth. Use it fresh with pasta or in eggs or as a sandwich spread. Or freeze it to use throughout the winter months. I freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop it out and store it in a freezer ziploc bag. At the end of the basil growing season, I make a huge batch and freeze it to use throughout the cooler months.

I’ll admit that I have a hard time eating leftovers for days. I often freeze a portion of our meals so that I can bring it out a week or two later and it seems like new. I label almost everything that goes into the freezer so that I can use things in a timely fashion. I also rotate leftovers in the fridge so that the first thing in there works out to be the first thing used up.

Recently, The Man asked for some sort of snack to take to work that would be similar to a protein bar and I decided to resurrect the Logan Bread of my youth. Sadly, dad no longer has the recipe, but I managed to find a good one at Allrecipes.com.

You can substitute different types of dried fruit for the raisins and I generally use chopped walnuts instead of sunflower seeds. You can also substitute 1/2 to 1 cup of soy flour for some of the whole wheat and white flour to add protein. The Boy loves this bread, as do The Man and I. I bake it once every two weeks or so, cut it into bars and keep them in the fridge or freezer.

This has been a yummy, inexpensive substitute for protein bars for The Man and a tasty way to start the day for all of us!

1. Find a spot that is suitable to your needs. For example: sunny, away from animals, etc.

2. Check the pH balance of your soil and compare it to the needs of your proposed veggies. Most seed packets have the necessary pH information. Add compost or potting soil to your growing area if needed.

3. Consider building a grow box lined with chicken wire. Especially if you live in gopher-prone areas.

4. Purchase seeds from a reliable source. Try to buy heirloom or non-genetically-modified seeds.

5. Set your seeds out in seedling trays. Grow veggies that are appropriate for your current climate/season.

6. Water your seed faithfully.

7. Transplant to your garden area when seedlings have at least two sets of leaves. Maybe more.

8. Continue to water and check for troublesome weeds daily if you can.

9. Harvest when ripe and enjoy!

I have emergency and non-emergency numbers for poison control, fire, police, and gas and electric. I have my home address and directions on how to get to my home. This might be especially helpful for a young babysitter who might need to tell an emergency service provider how to get to your home. I have The Boy’s name, birthplace, blood type, immunizations (I just pencil in “18 months immunizations complete” or something to that effect), age, weight and known allergies.

I have various family numbers listed, along with the names and numbers of our pediatrician, eye doctor, dentist and preferred hospital. At the bottom of the page, I’ve listed our medical insurance information and a brief, signed medical release statement in the event that The Boy needs medical attention and I cannot be reached. I’m happy to say (knocking on wood) that we’ve never had to use this information. It sure is nice to have all in one place though. I do leave a copy out when we have a sitter and I usually have a copy in the diaper bag for the rare occasion that I leave him at someone else’s house.

911
Poison Control
Fire Department Non-Emergency Number
Police Department Non-Emergency Number
PG&E Emergency Number

Home Address and Phone Number:
Directions :

Full Name:
Born at:
Blood Type:
Immunizations:
Age:
Weight:
Allergies to Food:
Allergies to Medicine:

Family Numbers:

Doctor:
Dentist:
Eye Doctor:
Preferred Hospital:

Medical Insurance Information:

Medical Release Information: I authorize any hospital or emergency facility to administer emergency medical treatment for my child, , in the event that I cannot be reached.

This book is chock-full of information on feeding infants and toddlers. There are recipes, food storage tips, health and safety tips and homemade craft ideas. There is a month-by-month guide to foods that could be introduced to your baby along with tips on how to prepare and store these foods at home. There are over 350 nutritious and delicious recipes for your baby and toddler. Who knew that I could whip up a batch of homemade crackers just like that?

I felt lost and confused when it came to feeding The Boy as he began to start on solids. This book really helped me plan out what foods to introduce and when. It also gave me some great ideas on how to store these foods. (In ice cube trays – you must read about that!) I highly recommend this book for any parent who wants to save money (and the environment – fewer plastic and glass containers) when it comes to feeding your baby. You will also know exactly what is going into your baby’s tummy. No extra preservatives or sugars.

The book is reasonably priced for the amount of information it contains. I was lucky enough to find it at a used book store for about half it’s new price. Remember to check out your library book sales, yard sales and online book trading/buying sites for cheaper books.

1. Clothing
Wash clothing in hot water if it is material that will not shrink or be damaged by the heat. If you don’t want to risk shrinking or bleeding dyes, wash on your long setting (if your washing machine has one) in cold water. Steer clear of used undergarments.

2. Shoes
Break out the lysol, baking soda, some newspaper and find a sunny spot. Spray the shoes with lysol and let air dry in the sun. Next, sprinkle baking soda inside the shoes and then stuff it with newspaper. I don’t know exactly why this works, but I’ve had luck with this method of getting rid of unwanted odors. Let them sit in the sun another day or so, then remove the newspaper and shake out the baking soda.

3. Toys
Give the toys a hot, soapy bath. Use a small amount of bleach in the water if you think it is necessary. Rinse well – this is important! You don’t want baby chewing on a soapy, bleachy toy. Let dry on a towel or in the dish rack. If the toy is plush, throw it in the washing machine.

4. Furniture, Bikes, etc.
Large outside toys (bicycles, scooters, swings, etc.) can usually stand a good spray with a hose. If you think they need it, use a bucket of soapy water on them or lysol spray. Furniture, such as a high chair or booster seat can usually be cleaned up pretty easily with your trusty lysol spray and a hose. I like to hose things down outside and then let them dry in the sun. Of course, I live in an area where we have dry heat for a good part of the year.

Our first decision was whether to go with an on-the-bike seat or a trailer. We opted for the trailer for various reasons, one of which being that I was uncomfortable with balancing the bicycle with the baby on it. So we embarked on a journey into the world of bicycle trailers. We wanted something fairly inexpensive, yet safe. the overwhelming choice for safety and quality was the Burley. However, this was far out of our price range. And you don’t often see them at garage sales, as people tend to keep them forever (at least in our area). After much research, we chose the InStep Quick N EZ. We are quite happy with this trailer. It cost less than $100. It seats two children and has some storage space as well. It attaches to the bike quite easily and was easy to assemble. We have yet to use the front wheel, but it does convert to a jog stroller as well. The only down-side for us is the space it takes up in the garage (along with our bikes).

Now, I must admit that the weekend after our trailer arrived our neighbors found an InStep Quick N Lite at a yard sale one street over – doh! However, they have had some problems with one wheel that was slightly bent when they bought it. I am perfectly satisfied with our trailer and the money we spent on it. We now have another free activity to pursue as a family. We often bike to the pedestrian bridge that spans the creek on the other side of town. The Boy loves to run back and forth on the bridge and watch for fish. And, especially on windy days, we are getting some exercise too!

Remember to wear your helmet! Happy Biking.

It should come as no surprise to people that having everything you and your children eat, wear and play with come from a country with horrible environmental and human rights records might be a bad thing.

One more reason to plant some heirloom crops, try make do with not made in China and eat locally grown foods.

Find a park that fits your needs. For an infant, find a place where you can park the stroller and let the baby play on the grass or on a blanket. If you are outside, make sure there are shaded areas. Baby swings are great. If you have young twins, sit them in the baby swing back to back.

Your toddler might be starting to climb on anything and everything. If this is the case, try out the play structure area yourself. Make sure the steps are safe and if there are places where your enthusiastic little one might tumble, stay with them as they climb. Check out the ground cover around any climbing structure as well. Thoroughly check out any sand play areas, particularly if they are not covered and if there are cats living in the area. Baby swings are still great for toddlers until they get too big. If your toddler is a ‘runner,’ watch for areas where s/he could run off or run toward a street.
Bigger kids might want a more intricate climbing structure. If they are old enough to keep track of their own toys, take a kickball or other toy to keep them interested. You may want to label the toys you take to the playground with your telephone number (not your name or your child’s name!) in case they are left behind.

If you are going to spend a significant amount of time at a park or playground, pack a diaper bag before you go. Include diapers, water or other drinks, snacks and sunscreen. If it has been rainy recently, take an old towel to wipe down the slides and other equipment. If there aren’t benches, take a blanket to sit on. If there are muddy areas in the park, take a plastic bag for soiled shoes and clothes.

Teach your kids from an early age to stay within ‘vision distance’ of you. They should be able to see you at all times. And you, as well, should pay attention to them all you can. Although I know the chance to sit down and chat with other stay at home parents is mighty tempting. If you are taking your child’s friend with you, check with their parents to make sure they don’t have any allergies that you should be aware of. If the play structure is wooden, do a once over for splinter-y areas. If the structure is plastic or metal, check for heat before sending your kids onto it.

…the research team found that with every hour per day spent watching baby DVDs and videos, infants learned six to eight fewer new vocabulary words than babies who never watched the videos.

I will toss my opinion into the fray and add that I think the best thing you can do for your baby/toddler/child is to read to them every day and talk to them. It doesn’t matter what you are talking about. Give them a blow-by-blow account of how you are fixing their breakfast. What matters is that they are listening to your voice. They are hearing your intonation and gaining new vocabulary. Ask them questions and then answer them yourself if they are not old enough to carry on a conversation. I don’t think all TV is bad, but I do try to limit The Boy’s TV watching to a half an hour per day. And to be honest, he usually loses interest after about 10 minutes anyway.

As a former teacher, I can not stress enough the importance of encouraging kids to read and reading to them. I could usually tell, by the end of the first week of school, which kids were read to at home. Most of the time, they were more focused and willing and able to do grade level work.

As your kids grow, try to set aside at least a little time every day to read with them. By talking and reading to them, you will see their vocabulary grow rapidly every day!

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. In fact, our family mantra comes straight out of this book: A Well-Rested Family Is A Happy Family. It is what I sign on all “advice to the new mother” pages at baby showers. It is what we said over and over when we were sleep-training The Boy.

Everyone has a different stand on sleeping and where the baby should sleep (in bed, in a crib, in a co-sleeper), whether or not sleep-training should be used and when a baby should no longer need to eat during the night. Whatever your own beliefs are, I do think this is a good book to read. Dr. Weissbluth covers a multitude of issues, from sleep training to night terrors, nap timing to bedtime routines. He does emphasize the importance of naps and wake time and suggests ways to determine your own child’s sleep pattern. I did not feel that this book was ‘preachy.’ In fact, I felt that I, as the reader, was being encouraged to figure out what would really work best for my own family. The book has statistics, but I didn’t find them too overwhelming.

Now, I must admit that The Boy was and still is a great sleeper. But this book helped us stay on track to establish a sleep routine and stick with it.

Dr. Karp describes the first 3 months of life as the 4th Trimester. Evolutionarily, he explains, babies had to be born with smaller heads in order to not cause harm to the mother at birth. This 4th Trimester, then, is a time period in which babies should be treated to situations that are as womb-like as possible. Dr. Karp of course gets into much more detail in his book. He has developed 5 steps to create a soothing experience for your baby.

The 5 S’s are: Swaddle, Swing, Sucking, Side, Shush. We found that a tight wrap, or swaddle, on The Boy really calmed him when he was fussy and helped him to sleep through the night. We swaddled him during sleep times from birth until about 6 months of age. This gives the baby that tight, warm feeling of the womb. All during gestation, your baby was gently rocked by your movements. This is where the swing comes in. We used a musical swing for nap times for the first few weeks. Most infants need to suck. Many sucked on fingers in the womb and they instinctually need to suck in order to eat after birth. Dr. Karp recommends a pacifier for soothing infants. One position that babies often feel most secure is a side hold. We would sometimes swaddle The Boy and hold him ‘football style.’ Shushing (or a white noise machine) may sound like what the baby heard in utero. We also often shushed him loudly while he was falling asleep. In our own experience the white noise machine did not work as well as mommy or daddy.
Dr. Karp writes with humor and includes some funny cartoons. There are also many anecdotes and personal stories from his own patients included in the book. It is repetitive, but I believe that this just enforces the 5 S’s and other ideas that he has put forth in the book.

If you are watching your pennies, then check this book out from the library or scour your local garage sales for a copy.

NOTE: I was excited to read The Happiest Toddler on the Block when The Boy got a little older. However, I was not as impressed as I was with the first one. It is still an interesting read, but it didn’t hit home like The Happiest Baby on the Block.

He has an article under his weekly column for 5/29/07 titled ‘Savor the joy of a picnic.‘ I love it. It is a call to bring back the family picnic and it is quite appropriate for this website too. Instead of paying for your kids to play in organized sports (there is nothing wrong with Little League or AYSO, it’s just expensive!), start organizing a family picnic tradition on sunny weekends. Take the kids, dogs and frisbees to a park and enjoy each other! Also, check out his Bill of Rights for Children.

The recall involves wooden vehicles, buildings and other train set components for young children listed in the chart below. The front of the packaging has the logo “Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway” on the upper left-hand corner. A manufacturing code may be located on the bottom of the product or inside the battery cover. Toys marked with codes containing “WJ” or “AZ” are not included in this recall.

Odd how some countries still use something that was banned in the United States about 30 years ago.

When we arrive at the Zoo, I take their picture with my digital camera (or camera phone). Now I have at least one good photo to use in future photo albums and (here’s the safety part) if – God forbid – they go missing, you have a very current photo to share with the authorities.

One of the examples that I use as much as possible is praise.

Praise is another way of encouraging specific behaviors. When a child does speak nicely or makes a polite request, a parent could say something like, “That was a very nice way of asking for a snack.”