The Not Quite Crunchy Parent

Best Toys For The Holidays - Blocks and Building Toys

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:54:00 +0000

A few years ago I wrote a series of posts on the "best toys for the holidays"...from a Not Quite Crunchy Perspective. Since then, my child has aged...so I'm a bit more hip on toys for elementary age kids and I was involved with a contest to find the "Best Green Toy".

So I thought I'd update a few of my "Best Toys" posts. First, if you're looking for great eco toys for upcoming events - check out the Best Green Toys Facebook Page. there are over 50 great green toys listed here and you can add your own.

And now, please see my updated post on "Best Blocks". The last part on older kids is where I've added a few new favorites!

Yesterday, we scored a big box of unit blocks on Craig’s List for $50.00, an early Christmas present for The Hamster. I was ecstatic. I danced around. I gloated. I was perhaps a bit silly. My DH commented, “They must be gold encrusted.” when he observed my glee.

I was perhaps a bit too jubilant. But this is important. Really. Unit blocks are expensive. Unit blocks are important. Unit Blocks are….blocks!

Blocks are one toy recommended by most child development experts. They are open ended. They promote creative play. They aid in developing mathematical skill, spatial relations and physics. They demonstrate the effects of gravity; promote social interaction and improve hand-eye coordination. What more could you want in a toy?

As the Back to Basics movement gains ground this year and parents look beyond electronic toys to traditional toys that actually ARE educational, blocks may make a come back. Looking for something for the children on your holiday shopping list? Try some of the blocks on this list

For infants, small, soft blocks are for rolling, stacking and most importantly knocking over. As they get a little older they will find new ways to incorporate them into their play as doll accessories and cannonballs.

1. Non-toxic (duh), fabric blocks and/or made from organic cotton are best, since we know they’ll chew them.

2. Foam blocks are another choice, though be sure that they are rated for infants or you'll be picking bits of foam out of your little one's mouth.

Toddlers, with their better fine motor control enjoy wooden stacking blocks. They also begin to recognize the folly of stacking a large rectangular block on top of a small triangular. This makes the following two good choices.

3. Standard square alphabet blocks are perfect for the younger toddler. The constant shape makes stacking easier and less frustrating for this age group.

4. This is also the time to introduce a small set of mixed wooden blocks. Most major toy retailers carry these types of blocks but they may be in the back of the store or section.

The preschool and early elementary years are the perfect time to have blocks of all sizes around.

5. Oversize blocks of foam or

6. Cardboard are perfect for building forts, making towers and creating castles, a popular activity with this gang. These blocks need lots of room so be sure to find a good storage container or you’ll be tripping over them on a regular basis.

7. Unit Blocks, which I’ve written about here, are perhaps the most carefully calibrated blocks around. Designed by Caroline Pratt, a well known educator specifically to aid in teaching the 4 mathematical functions, a good set will set you back a bit but will be played with for years.

8. On the other end of the spectrum are Waldorf school recommended, tree blocks . Odd shaped and including the tree bark, these smaller blocks invite fantasy play and spark imagination.

9. Action blocks and build your own marble runs are also great for this age. Note I mention, “build your own”. Pre-build marble runs are what we call “10 second toys” around here. You play with them for a day or so then you’re done. A marble run with lots of variations provides greater play value.

Is nine too old for blocks? How about twelve or Fifteen? Well no, not for these blocks. As children begin their study of higher mathematics, physics, ancient civilizations too, blocks can be a great tool to enhance their learning!

10. Architectural blocks include shapes perfect for building castles, palaces, skyscrapers and pyramids. The smaller size makes these more appropriate for older children and creations can be displayed on a shelf or dresser top.

11. For master builders, brick building sets that include mortar for permanence may be attractive. Note: encourage the reusable version of play first or you may find your wallet a little lighter as you buy more and more sets

12. Legos - yes, they've been around for years. Yes, they have integrated a number of commercial characters and the sometimes violent themes may not be appropriate for younger children, but they remain a super building toy and one that lasts for years.

13. K'nex - I was only introduced to these this year, but they've found a place on our toy shelf because they offer a classic open-ended building toy with more options for three dimensional play than some of the standard blocks and Legos. (See a recent review here.)

14. Lincoln Logs - I have to add these because they remain a favorite in our house. I find my son uses them less as a straight building toy than as a prop for his storytelling - that's a good thing as it extends building into imaginary play!

Did I forget any? Do your kids play with blocks? what good ideas do you have?

More Holiday gift Ideas here

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How To Fight Swine Flu -( I Hope)

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:29:00 +0000

It’s scary, it’s coming. Anybody else freaked out about the swine flu? A child at our school got it. A boy in our neighborhood had it too. My niece’s school in Pennsylvania was shut down for 3 days because too many children were absent with the flu.

Am I panicking because I’m paranoid or because I’m prescient. I’m even waffling on the swine flu vaccine. Should I get it? Should my son get it? What if he doesn’t get it and he gets sick?

Since it seems there is a rush on vaccines, it seems likely we will not be getting it.

My DH raised in Europe in the land of homeopathic medicine is against it. I’m OK with that, but have all my flu coping strategies in place. We are all taking echinacea and Vitamin C supplements. I’ve signed up again with my neighbor for Juice Plus supplements and I’ve located my son’s inhaler for when it inevitably goes to his lungs.

And I’ve started to stock up on all sorts of remedies. I received some free samples of Boiron cough syrup, and cold relief tablets to try. Since I’m already a big fan of homeopathic remedies, I’m anxious to give them a shot. You can try them too- get a coupon code here:
http://children.boironusa.com/)

Wait, hmmm…well, actually I hope I never have to try them, but it sure seems likely. I’ll keep you posted.

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Ford’s New Big Idea

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:17:00 +0000

It’s been a long time coming but one of the big three auto makers made a big hit with parents everywhere yesterday. They introduced inflatable seat belts for the rear seats. In other words, cars will now have a suitable version of the air bag for rear seat passengers!

I traveled to Dearborn this week to witness the big announcement and was not disappointed. I was able to see and touch the new inflatable seat belt and try it out myself. Plus, I received a tour of the safety lab This was really cool for a geeky person like me who likes to know all the whys and wherefores, though I had to strain to remember college physics concepts like g force and energy dissipation.

I was quite excited about this new option which will be available on 2011 model cars as an option…though at what cost and in what packages still seems to be a bit fuzzy.

This is a big deal because, as was explained to use, children’s bigger heads, softer bones and different proportions leaves them open to more injuries than adults. (BTW- elderly persons are also more prone to injury, more for loss of muscle and more brittle bones so this is also great if you have an aging parent for whom you care.)

The inflatable seatbelt works for all children in a regular booster seat- in other words, more or less, age 4 and up. I’m hoping this is a first step toward more protection for children of all ages.

Ford has had an incredible year this year, skipping the government handout taken by the other 2 big auto makers, aggressively pursuing greener and safer cars and even making a profit. Besides that, I found them friendly and willing to listen – seems like a model for American businesses across the board.

You can see more photos and more stories about this new innovation by following #fordsafety on Twitter or Googling "Ford inflammable seatbelts.

Aromatherapy On The Road

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:35:00 +0000

I'm in Detroit today visiting the Ford company. Check out what's going on on the Twitter feed #fordsafety. Since I've gotten to be a bit of a road warrior this year, I actually am starting to have a basis for comparison of hotels, airlines, etc. So, a couple of observations.

I almost hate to say this in case Homeland Security is reading this, but things are loosening up a bit. On my flight out a passenger in front of me gave his small lighter to the security folks and was told to just keep it. Female travelers flew through security with carry-ons...surely filled with many small tubes of liquids and gels. This, at first appears to be good news until on guard told me that they actually just "assess the threat". Sounds like racial/ethnic profiling to me....

On a different note, I was quite pleased to see that the Dearborn Inn, a Marriott hotel has just wonderful aromatherapy products- shampoo, conditioner and body lotion - yummy. unfortunately they are all individually packaged. I'd prefer to see them in a dispenser. While Marriott, I know is working on going green, dispensing with the Styrofoam coffee cups and individually packed toiletries.

I'll be home later today...probably should purchase some carbon offsets for this one day trip...

Pumpkins In Costume – An Alternative to the Halloween Jack-O-Lantern – No Cutting Involved

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Technically, they probably aren’t Jack-O-Lanterns, but my friend Tan turned me onto what has become a great Halloween tradition – turning small pumpkins into costumed creatures.

While we still cut out the obligatory Jack-O-Lantern face on a pumpkin every year, scooping out the gooey seeds and pulp, drawing a face with a marker and carefully (sometimes not so carefully) cutting out eyes, nose and mouth, in addition we make 4 or 5 or 6 “pumpkins in costume”.

Our Pumpkins in Costume start with small pumpkins, about the size of those mini watermelons. Using a glue gun or any strong glue, we add googly eyes. We put on hats, make tails from pipe cleaners and fashion costumes from bits of fabric.

Last year my son made a ghost by tossing a piece of cheesecloth over the pumpkin and adding pom-pom black eyes on the front. This year he made a ninja- which is what he will be for Halloween. Not having a daughter, I went girly and made a cowgirl, complete with finger-knitted braids.

We’ll make 3 or 4 more this year as the mood strikes us – a princess, an astronaut or a cat. An added bonus- they last a lot longer than a cut pumpkin…making them perfect for kids excited about Halloween waaaaay before the actual date!

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Review Time

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:35:00 +0000

I posted a few articles on my review blog this last week.

Jif Omega-3 Works For Me

and

The Eating Right Review

Check them out to see what the not Quite Crunchy Parent and child are eating these days.

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Soccer Snacks and Swine Flu

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:14:00 +0000

Last week when I wrote about Healthy Waste-free Soccer Snacks, I was proud that I seemed to get buy-in from the other moms on the team. As I was team mom I was able to set a good example with fresh fruit in a large bowl to pass around...demonstrating both healthy and waste-free....

Not So Fast.

This past week, I found out that...maybe the message didn't quite get through enough. Snack mom number two brought a yummy mix of fresh fruit for the halftime snack...in individual plastic containers....not the sugar laden kind you buy at the grocery store, but fresh fruit cut up and placed in plastic containers with lids.

Hmmm.

I've started thinking now. Obviously that was either a lot of work to cut up fruit and put it in containers or those were pretty expensive to buy at a store. (I couldn't ask her because she was working and sent hapless Dad to the game with their son.) Could it be, my "big bowl of fruit" scared some parents?

With all the talk about swine flu going around in my mom circles, I began to wonder. Will swine flu delay the waste-free movement? Will parents prefer individually wrapped treats to avoid other children's hands on food going into their child's mouth?

Should I worry?

What do you think?

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Hey I'm Green

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Readers please welcome my sister Elle to the writing team at the Not Quite Crunchy Parent. She's on the green path and excited to share what she has learned along the way!

I must admit I am a little stressed out over the whole term. So, I decided to actually look up the term ‘Going Green” and see how far off the radar I was. Turns out, not too far.

The definition of Going green is “the process of changing one’s lifestyle for the safety and benefit of the environment.” Some of the things that define you as being green are as follows:

Sustainable Living- Okay, I cannot and I repeat cannot live without my flat iron.

Green Products- Buying organic and here’s a funny story. I was buying organic meat for quite a while when I read a report that the hormones in non-organic meat and dairy products were contributing to the early development of young girls ( think breasts.) Well, let me tell you how fast that trip to Whole Foods stopped. Suddenly I was drinking half gallons of regular milk like it was going out of style (and I’m lactose intolerant.) It was to no avail though as a doctor friend informed me that am likely to occur ONLY during puberty, Darn, I hate when that happens!

I absolutely visit my local farmers market at least twice a week. If you have one near you and most everyone does I highly recommend shopping there. The produce is fantastic and cheap!

Recycling and reusing – This is a big one at my house. We have so many recyclables, it’s embarrassing. But every Tuesday there they sit like some big mountain outside of my house waiting for Stan to pick them up. (Don’t you love that my garbage man is named Stan, get it?) Oh and one more thing, my husband changed all of the light bulbs in our house a couple of years ago to some weird ones that only get bright after they have been on for a few minutes so when you first turn them on, you think possibly you are going blind.

So, okay I’m not so bad but clearly I still have a lot to learn and I am determined to try harder to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Have any ideas for me? I would love to her your suggestions (within reason!)

Peace,

Elle

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Elle

Healthy Waste Free Soccer Snacks

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:24:00 +0000

Another sport, another snack dilemma. I’m Team Mom for my son’s soccer team this year…so I’m feeling a little bit more in control…but just a bit.

In the short time that my son has participated in organized sports I’ve been fairly appalled at what other parents consider appropriate as a snack. Candy, sugar filled cupcakes with mountains of frosting, bubble gum, potatoes chips and every possible iteration of unhealthy snack you could imagine. And the stuff that’s thrown away…little paper bags filled with individually packaged snacks…or cut fruit in baggies!

I admit, I’m a bit hard core. Yes, I let me son have a piece of candy on occasion- parties and holidays, at someone else’s house or when his dad gives him one. But in general, processed, packaged sweets are not part of our lifestyle. That’s how I was raised too.

Though I was raised in a typical “throwaway” culture, I also find myself more and more trying to go wastefree – to conserve out resources.

So this year, as team mom, I gently suggested that we all bring healthy snacks for the kids each week AND bring a filled reusable water bottle or two – snack parent will not be required to bring a drink at the end (in a throwaway container).The response was, in most cases positive, with one exception who managed to talk herself out of it when I responded to her complaint with “oh” and “um” and “hmmm”. – I love that when that happens!

Since I was first on the snack roster, I felt obliged to set a good example. This, of course necessitated running out to the store at the last minute, since I only thought about what a good idea it would have been to make home made cookies at the last minute.

It also required me to make 10 little brown bags of filled with snacks…OF COURSE I should have run to Target and bought 10 little cloth reusable bags – sigh- someone else do that please!

I ended up buying oranges which I sliced and passed around in a big bowl rather than putting them in baggies.(Grapes, cut apples or any other fruit would work here too.)

In my snack bags I put a box of raisins, a bag of pretzels and a granola bar. Any dried fruit, Pirate Booty, cereal bars or healthy cookies would work too. Cheese sticks or chunks, carrot or celery sticks, even salami slices or crackers would be even better.

The waste free part is harder. OK- putting the fruit in a big bowl to pass around worked great for the half time snack. Reusable cloth bags are better than throwaway …but what about that snack at the end that is usually 2-3 things in a bag? Could we just have a few bowls of things? Would that work at your soccer games? Has anyone tried it or have any other good ideas?

This month’s topic for The Green Moms Carnival is “Conserve” hosted by Mindful Momma (Watch for her book “Practically Green” coming out in October.)

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Kindergarten Pressure – Here We Go Again

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:05:00 +0000

I haven’t written a post about my opinion on super high pressure kindergartens and preschools. Probably because my son is now past kindergarten age, but hey, why should I let that stop me?

Since I’ve been working with Goddard Child Development Center recently (they sponsored me for the Blogher conference and I’m now judging an Eco Toy Contest for them) I’ve been thinking about early childhood education again.

So when I read this article in The Boston Globe, Pressure Cooker Kindergartner, I managed to get all riled up again. I’m a firm believer children learning to read and write and do math…when they are ready.

That’s why the best preschools, in my opinion, are those that offer the opportunity, but don’t push. Great preschools gather the children on the floor for storytime- every child needs lots and lots of storytime! Great preschools engage the children in physical activities and do lots of art and developmental play.Great preschools introduce the ABCs as the children gather around the rug but teachers don’t stress if a number of children are just there for the fun pictures and cute songs.

I think though great preschools also offer reading and writing and even math with manipulative for those kids who want them. My son’s school was one like that. Many of his classmates loved to go to the writing table and write their names (He preferred riding on the bikes.) Several of the children were happy to sit and do basic addition with manipulatives and yet others picked out words in books – all good. But for those who were not interested…there were lots of developmentally appropriate toys – toys that build prereading skills and teach pre-math skills.

Schools that offer foreign language – very easy to learn at the preschool and kindergarten level and great hands on activities are even better. So, this article about kindergartners being made to sit at desks and take tests…well just makes me mad!

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Learning To Read – Don’t Push but DO Support

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:45:00 +0000

As usual a week spent with Best, my crunchiest friend, opens my eyes to new ways of raising my child. I usually return with lots of great ideas she has given me as a result of her son’s attendance at her local Waldorf school. This time the tables were turned.

So much of the curriculum at Waldorf schools is supportive of growth in the whole child – learning to knit, play the recorder and exposure to different languages. In many ways though, Waldorf schools are just like any other school – you just can’t leave your child’s education up to the school.

This shocking “ah ha” (JK) came up during our conversation about reading. Waldorf schools delay teaching reading until first grade. While most kindergarteners these days are focused on basic reading skills, those in a Waldorf School get to play one more year. First grade is the start of academic work.

This falls under the theory of “don’t push”, with which I heartily agree. But, “don’t push”, doesn’t mean “don’t support”. Best has found that despite the delay in teaching reading, children entering second grade at her Waldorf school tend to have the same range of reading ability that can be found in just about any middle class first grade classroom.

This was surprising to me until I realized that, like some parents of children in any classroom in the country, those parents were teaching their children to read at home.

I had done this with my son. Over a period of perhaps 2 years, since he was 4 and first asked me to learn to read, our nightly routine of my reading to him took on a new component. I give him a reading lesson then I read to him.

These lessons were over in 30 seconds flat in the beginning. But it became a nightly thing – I pull out a Bob book, he reads one word and

then quits – highly appropriate behavior for a 4 year old.

I think though the key, that I learned from other friends was… I shouldn’t quit. Despite the frustration, despite the . ..ummm…lack of cooperation we continued.

It wasn’t until he started kindergarten and was learning in a structured environment though that my efforts started to pay off. Slowly he began to read more of a page, then two pages, then five.

And this I think might be the key. Don’t give up. My friend, Best... had. She was waiting until her son COULD read before HAVING him read. Her thought that sitting him down to read was pushing. I think sitting down with a very easy book every night and “helping” him read it is supporting.

And so I did that with my friend’s son – using the Bob books, helping him sound out words and giving him the ones he didn’t know. (For anyone who has done this you know that it takes a lot of patience and you will feel like jumping off a bridge at least once a week…or alternately giving up.) Don’t.

It worked for my son and seems to be working for Best's son. I’m just passing on wise ideas I got from my smart mom friends – don’t leave schooling up to the schools. We all have to “homeschool”!

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Thank You Lands End

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:41:00 +0000

Like most of my blogging friends, I returned from the Chicago Blogher Conference with a bag full of SWAG.

After years of working in marketing and at different points in my career, managing a PR department and working in and for a PR agency, I know these treats are not given out of the goodness of the marketer's hearts. Marketers hope the recipient will write about them.

I also know, as one who has spent countless hours wrapping product samples in cute bags with shiny ribbons and creative, hand written cards, that most recipients will not only not write about them but will also not acknowledge their receipt.

That’s fine and those are the rules of the game (PR mailings are junk mail for journalists). So, I rarely feel compelled to write about product samples I receive.

However, I did receive a Land End backpack at Blogher. I don’t THINK I was the intended recipient. It occurs to me that perhaps I found this backpack lying on a hallway table with a bunch of other sample products that another blogger did not want and left for those who might – one of the “casual recycling centers” that seemed to pop up in the hallways of the Hyatt in Chicago that weekend.

But…I’m certainly glad I did receive this backpack as I just returned from a 5 day trip to Yosemite National Park with my best friend and our 7-year-old sons.

This sturdy, compact and lightweight backpack was perfect for treks and hikes from our tent cabin abode and had lots of hooks, pockets and compartments for storing all of our stuff-

So Thank you Lands End! I’ll be using this backpack for all of my hiking trips and we have many planned!

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5 Ways to Go Green For Back To School

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Obviously back-to-school is a hot topic on the web these days. I’ve seen quite a few articles, blog posts and videos greening back-to-school too. But since our Green Moms Carnival this month is on greening back-to-school. I feel compelled to throw in my tips.

Realize that I have a grade-schooler who very un-greenly attends a school some distance from my house – I drive him a fair distance, wasting natural resources so he can go to a school that serves organic lunches, recycles and teaches eco-awareness- go figure!

So, the greenest thing that I could do, of course is to put him in a school that is closer, but…that isn’t going to happen, so I’ll share with you how I plan to make up for that- my own little version of carbon credits.

1. An Eco Lunch Box – I’ve been embarrassed this summer as I pack his lunch with a zillion little plastic bags. It’s a several years old lunchbox – so I guess that’s green, but the little plastic bags are defiantly not. I do wash and reuse to some extent, but not nearly enough.

So, I’m on my way today to search for a kids bento box. One of my friends has them for her kids and so, I have been able to get a good handle on how and what to pack. I’m feeling much greener already.

2. Use Cloth – while we’re on the subject, don’t forget to include a cloth napkin in the Bento box. We’ve been on a cloth napkin kick for about 2 years. I pick them up at estate sales, where they tend to have just beautiful ones.

I’m also planning to give up on the tissues this year, in favor of a handkerchief. I managed to dig out an old one that was my mothers for my use but am on a search for a few for my son. Of course they’ll get lost, so I’m looking for a whole stack at flea markets and estate sales.

3. Last year’s Backpack or backpack trade – There really isn’t any reason to buy a new backpack every year – that is, if you buy a fairly good one in the first place. I learned this the hard way. My son’s kindergarten one is still in great shape – I spend a fair sum for it from a good manufacturer. Then I slipped and bought cheap. The kindergarten one is too small now and the grade school ones are trashed. Fortunately, I picked up this eco friendly LandsEnd one at Blogher this year, so that will be my son’s backpack for a few years. ( You can also trade backpacks with friends!)

4. Walk, Bike Bus to school – this is one that I obviously won’t be able to take full advantage of, but I am going to try to work more from coffee shops around his school rather than drive home and back. Barnes and Noble now has free wi-fi so that should certainly help- as long as I don’t but 25 books while I’m there.

5. Scrounge for Pencils and Pens –I’m often guilty of buying new pencils, pens, markers every year, while I KNOW I have hundreds stuffed away in drawers. I think I’ll make a game of seeing who can find the most lying around the house this year instead of buying new- complete with prizes!

I’m sure I’ll think of a few more green ideas to share for back-to-school but, in the meantime what are yours?

This post is part of the September Green Moms Carnival - read more posts on greening back-to-school at Organicmania.com. Want to join in? Send your link to greenmomscarnival at gmail dot com.

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Live and Green From Blogher

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:27:00 +0000

I’m in Chicago today at the Blogher conference. (Remember I TOLD you I was going!) Thanks to my sponsors Womego.com and Goddard Child Development Centers, I’m eating drinking and learning a lot.

A number of my “friends who live in my computer” are here and geez, they all look even better in person.

It’s obvious that green is hot as can be seen at this conference. Despite the masses of “stuff” being given away (which surely isn’t green) there have been some pretty good efforts to make this conference as eco friendly as possible.

You can read about them here.

A few last minute changes like Pepsico after a request from the Green team of Blogher changed their original idea of distributing bottled water. Put this in the “win” column. Put in the “lose” column that The Sheraton doesn’t seem to have the requisite card giving directions to those who prefer to reuse their bath towels more than one day!

The Sheraton gets a “sorts-win” for supplying Fair-Trade coffee in-room, albeit in disposable cups. In fact, there was perhaps a few too many disposables here and I had to fight the urge to pack my suitcase full of them for use in our recyclables art bin in our playroom.

I will, of course be returning with a mountain of free stuff – so much that I had to pack another suitcase!

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Do Caterpillars Get Married

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:10:00 +0000

As is not unusual, on a Sunday afternoon, I'm sitting on the front steps beside the playroom door working on my computer, while the neighborhood children play inside the playroom.

This last week, my son and some visitors built an elaborate fort from playstands, old curtains, laundry clips and old boxes. The usual contingent of children is playing in it...with their caterpillars.

That is, with the caterpillars they picked off my neighbor's sorry looking sunflower and ensconced in "homes" made of old shoe boxes, cling wrap and tape.

From inside the tent I heard:

"Do caterpillars get married?

"No," said my son, "they mate."

"What does mate mean?"

....long thoughtful pause

" yeah, they get married.

I encourage forts, they make eavesdropping so much easier!

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Going Green Early – The Sooner The Better

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:20:00 +0000

I’m starting to prepare for my trip to The Blogher Conference in Chicago and wanted to write a bit about one of my sponsors that will help me to offset the cost of my trip. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I have a very explicit review policy that boils down to – I only review selected products and am brutally honest in my reviews.

So though I discussed sponsorship with a few different brands, I have been very selective about with whom I am willing to work. So today I want to write about The Goddard Schools.

There was an article about Goddard’s yoga program in The Houston Chronicle this week.

I’m a big believer in yoga in schools. Several of my son’s teachers have incorporated it into the curriculum. It’s beneficial for children several reasons. The Yoga Journal cites:

“Yoga enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. Doing yoga, children exercise, play, connect more deeply with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them.”

I actually had the opportunity to visit a Goddard School near my home (they have over 330 schools for infants through kindergarteners across the country.) We talked about a number of green initiatives that Goddard offers, including simple things like automatic faucets and recycling bins to more complicated programs like solar water heaters and spending the extra dollars to purchase furniture and equipment made from recycled materials. (I, of course had to add my two cents by suggesting they add an organic vegetable garden in a corner of their (large and lush) play yard.) Not surprisingly, considering their focus on green, they liked this idea.

Spending so much time on sustainability, I tend to judge whether a company is committed to green by which initiatives they implement and how focused they are on the end result – which I perceive as constant improvement and publicizing the results. I don’t consider that greenwashing, I consider it education and increasing awareness with the general public. Goddard also has the responsibility of educating a new generation, which they do, by incorporating “earth-friendly” activities into the curriculum.

You’ll be hearing more about Goddard from me in the future – this is an early childhood development center I can recommend. You can follow them on Twitter too!

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When Organic …Isn’t

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:22:00 +0000

It’s been bubbling around the web for awhile, but today I read a report in the Washington Post, Purity of Federal 'Organic' Label Is Questioned that goes into detail about, how “business as usual” has impacted the certified organic label – you know, the one on products for which we get to pay exceptional amounts of money.

Three years ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture employees determined that synthetic additives in organic baby formula violated federal standards and should be banned from a product carrying the federal organic label. Today the same additives, purported to boost brainpower and vision, can be found in 90 percent of organic baby formula.

Isn’t that just terrific?

The article goes on to discuss how a lobbying effort by baby formula manufacturers caused a USDA program manager to over rule her staff and allow certain non organic ingredients.As a marketer, one has worked in the food industry, I certainly understand that there are non-organic stabilizing ingredients that need to be added to processed food products to extend shelf life. But, then, they should not carry a label that consumers interpret as “all organic”.It really annoys me.

No, I’m not annoyed at the food manufacturers. They have a product to sell and restrictions on what they can actually do and stay in business. I’m annoyed with the USDA and by extension, the last administration which hampered their ability to do their job. (OK – let’s just say it, they are under- regulated, understaffed and under-directed.)

If I’m going to pay extra; I’d really like to know what I am getting. Now “certified organic” joins “natural” as an ambiguous label that means we get to pay more for…well…umm…what? (BTW- Natural Means Nothing.)

Would it be so hard to put in a graduated scale that consumers could understand, with certified organic at the top and various grades underneath? It’s back to that pesky transparency issue. We don’t care what you do; we just want to be informed so we can make buying decisions that are right for our families!

This month's Green Moms Carnival will be hosted by Alline over at Eco-Village Musings. Pop over there on Monday, July 13 to find out why the green mom-o-sphere thinks "Food Matters."

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3 Rainy Day Summer Activites For kids

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:13:00 +0000

I made three phone calls one day last week. All were business calls to clients, vendors or associates.

Each call was punctuated by the person on the other end marginally covering the phone and saying one of the following:

1) No, wait, not now sweetheart, mommy's on the phone.

2) Yes, No... can you get that for your sister please.

3) Daddy has some work to do you'll have to wait just a minute.

One caller finally admitted, "School's out and camp has not yet started."

In the new work at home world, it's tough to give kids a summer like you had as a child and actually get some work done! I admit, I'm not above putting in a video from time to time (my son and his friends are watching a Schlessinger Space Video, borrowed from the library right now as I type.) But in general, I try to be a bit more creative.

Most days that means trading with neighborhood parents, taking turns supervising outdoor activities and pool side watching. This week it's a bit too chilly, so we've come up with some other ideas. Nothing too elaborate, mostly just things we did as kids... and kids don't necessarily do as much anymore.

1) Make a couch fort- a few blankets and all the couch cushions on the floor. No need to elaborate on this one!

2) Make "potions" - it's amazing what kids will do with a big bowl and copious amounts of flour, sugar, salt, etc. this time I snuck in baking powder and white vinegar. Ha! They were too smart and KNEW to expect a bubbling explosion. (Yes I did have to sweep and mop the floor afterwards.)

3) Cleaning out the bookshelves. Yes, this sounds like work, but really, not too many books get thrown away, but lots of reading goes on.

What are your ideas?

Raising Kids With Less or Rather Without More

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:16:00 +0000

I have a bit of a reputation for re-purposing various articles and making do with less. I have been at times been considered tight.

I’m now considered fashionable. In these tight times, frugal has become cool!

This didn’t always extend to purchasing things for my child. But in the last few years as toys have slowly threatened to extinguish any semblance of living space in our home, I’ve found that yes, my child can make do and actually prosper with less or rather, without more.

And, not only are we conserving cash, we’re promoting creativity; finding ways to teach humility and raising a whole person, not just an aspiring consumer.

What do we do? Well, lots of things

1) I’ve always supported recycling, but recently tinkered with another of the 3 Rs – “reuse”. This started with saving paper towel tubes, and plastic containers and progressed to my drowning in recyclables.

But along the way the children who haunt our playroom have made plastic trays into paint palettes, paper towel tubes into swords and amazingly creative art projects.

2) I’ve always been a pack rat, so we tend to keep toys for years – not all of them, but many. And as a result, I’ve rarely bought a toy with which he didn’t play- eventually. He still has his toddler “button pushing” toys, now repurposed as space ship control panels. Stacking blocks are now used as counter weights in his latest “physics experiment”. What’ I’ve found is when kids don’t have the latest and greatest, they find new ways to use the old.

3) While I enjoyed shopping for my infant and toddler as much as any new mom, I’ve more recently become a fan of “pre-loved” clothes. Since my “suppliers” are all friends with older or bigger children, my son knows the previous owners and thinks about his buddies when he gets dressed.

It’s like wrapping oneself up in friendship.

4) Though our home is filled with books, most of them are pre-loved too. And they are frequently of higher quality than anything I would buy at my local mega book store. We buy at used book stores local and online, library book sales and estate sales, all of which tend to traffic in older, more interesting books. At 25 to 50 cents a piece we can afford to buy a lot.

5) Old clothes don’t leave the house at our house. While we still give boxes full to charity, the thrashed and trashed play clothes, the silk dress I accidentally put in the washer and the blouse with the ink stain, stay with us.

Some become rags, but others take on a new life. Some go directly to the dress-up box. Others are stitched together to make quick outfits for play figures and masks. Some replace the expensive and wasteful wrapping paper we used to buy and are used again by the present’s recipient.

We’ve “bought into” reuse. And I’d say, we’re richer for it.

This post is an entry into the TROP50™ Be a Guest on The Juice contest running over at Blogher.

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Knitting With Children

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:19:00 +0000

My son's school started a handcrafts program this year!Impressed with the Waldorf School philosophy, they hired a lovely lady connected with the local Waldorf school. They bought some wool yarn, they informed the parents about the benefits of handcrafts.

I was ecstatic.

First project for the first grade - Knit a Teddy Bear

Ummm...isn't that, shall I say, a bit ambitious for children who have never done much handcrafts?

Well...yes it was and a month later after tangled threads and knots and holes, we were well behind schedule.

Fortunately several moms jumped in to help. Even more fortunately, since most of the moms couldn't knit either, some grandmas were recruited.

We managed to complete the bears on time. Aren't they cute?

So, what project will the First Grade do next year? They'll start with finger knitting...much better idea!

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Please Sell Your Ticket To Blogher

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Please Sell Your Ticket To Blogher............to me!

In my often procrastinating manner, I did not purchase a ticket to Blogher in Chicago in July this year.

Now I want to go!

If you find you can't go, Please email me, I'll be happy to buy it from you! I'll be happy to take notes for you! I'll be happy to shout your name from the top of the Sears Tower!

Whew! Can you see I'd like to go?

Update: I found a ticket thanks to the power of social media! Now I'm going and would love to hook up with my blogging friends!

The Tasting Garden – Container Gardening For Better or Worse

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Last year I wrote about ~~my sorry excuse for~~ small but cherished garden. In it I planted strawberries, carrots and a variety of herbs. After a lackluster harvest I promptly dubbed I the tasting garden.

Since it’s short, I’ll reprint the post below.

For the past two years we have attempted to plant a garden on a tiny plot of salt encrusted soil behind our house. Tirelessly we plant, fertilize, water and watch our crops grow…or not. Striving to grow an yields less than half that of conventional gardeners, we expected to lose 50% of our crop to various wildlife. But, we didn’t quite realize what that means.

Now in year two we understand low yield means 10-12 strawberries over the season, 2-3 tomatoes and savory bits of various vegetables. And with this knowledge comes freedom. Lowering our expectations we don’t expect our carefully tended crops to yield bushels. Rather than gathering our crops and storing for future use, we snip off pieces as they ripen and savor them in situ, in our garden.

Renamed, our tasting garden we gleefully now plant whatever comes to mind. Soybeans last year (we harvested two pods), corn (not a traditional plant for Southern California) this year. Later in the season we’ll try pumpkins, while my DH watches for real bananas on his decidedly tropical tree. Who knows, perhaps he’ll be successful.

Meanwhile, we’ve cheerfully bought into the process not the outcome and that has been the best outcome of all.

I’m taking the time this year to report on how we are faring in year three.

We’ve progressed!

Yes, we still have tiny harvest of strawberries and the corn never did come up last year, but we also have some good news.

My DH’s banana tree actually yielded a tiny bunch of small but sweet bananas, much to everyone’s amazement. We have not bought lemons in over a year as our harvest has met our needs. Tomatoes are plentiful and our herbs as well as our lettuce yields supply the table on a regular basis…all grown in pots!

Yes, we still buy into the tasting garden idea since we once again planted carrots and expect a similar harvest – that is tiny. We’ve also branched out to try to grow green beans (awesome in a pot) and even spinach. Those that come up plentiful we will eat. Those that don’t well…we’ll rejoice in the process!

This post is part of the Green Moms Carnival hosted this month by Green and Clean Mom! Stop by and see all of our great posts on green gardening.

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A Decorative And Healthy Dessert

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:49:00 +0000

I don't often post recipes, many of you know why this is - I'm not the most creative or capable cook. As I often put it: I CAN cook. I DON'T cook.

Or bake for that matter, though I DO make birthday cakes each year and managed a strawberry chiffon pie a few weeks ago. But usually I am one to just whip something together and place food on the table, in no particular fashion.

My son, it turns out has other ideas. perhaps he has spent to much time in Japanese restaurants, where presentation matters. Or maybe he is just a bit more creative.

Either way, one night he requested a glass, some skewers and a variety of fruit and "made dessert".

Who can argue with perfection - healthy, tasty and pretty too!

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A Birthday Party Craft - Eco Art

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:38:00 +0000

Though I recycle, recently I have been trying to reuse before I recycle. This has resulted in a huge pile of boxes, egg cartons, plastic trays, paper towel rolls, plastic bits and bottles and a wide variety of bits and pieces in my playroom designated for “crafts”.

It has gotten a bit out of hand.

So, I borrowed an idea from my friend Prism and included an eco art station at my son’s birthday party this year.

The set up was simple. I pulled out and organized my boxes of crap recycle items and set up a table with glue, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, markers, scissors, some bits of fabric, buttons and beads. I eschewed the Glue gun and instead supplied Tacky Glue and some old bottles of colored and glitter glue. I also skipped the paint as I thought party guests’ parents would be less than appreciative.

It was, fortunately, a hit. Rather than give them direction (I had considered showing them how to make a diorama) my son and a friend made a few samples of various things that could be done and left them on the table. No more direction needed.

….which meant while children happily glued and cut and pasted, I could enjoy the party.

Added bonus- now all of those boxes, rolls and various bits and pieces of recycle stuff adorn my guests’ parents’ homes…not mine!

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Raising a Bibliophile

mcmilker@gmail.com (NotQuiteCrunchy) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:22:00 +0000

I've been asked to review two books targeted at the youngest bibliophiles. (You can read the review here.) Perhaps it would be better to say that they are targeted to those interested in creating bibliophiles from of our newest members of the planet – of which I am one.

With all of the screen time activities available for both children these days, an interest in reading has all too often taken a back seat to more passive activities involving a screen. I know, I know, video games are hardly passive, but it’s a rare screen activity that both provides information and develops imagination. So, I’m a reading buff.

I tried to instill that love in my son at the very earliest age…that is when he was an infant. I spent those hours and hours of down time, in between nursing and frantically trying to squeeze in my work, reading everything I could about child rearing. I discovered that whenever I read a brightly colors book with pictures of babies, he was happy to “read” along.

This lead to months of reading board books to my infant and then longer and harder books. It has lead to my haunting library book sales, yard sales and used book stores trying to find books on every subject under the sun. it has lead to a house filled with children’s books.

For years he would spend hours at a time (OK. Not hours, who am I kidding?) leafing through the stacks of books that lie in every corner of the house. Now he reads by himself, but…also just looks at the pictures.

This has lead to my not always subtle query, “Did you read it or just look at the pictures?” Often the answer, is, “I just looked at the pictures.” This, I must say, frustrates me.

But, I’ve come to terms with it. My goal was perhaps not necessarily to create a bibliophile, but to raise a child who loves books – or is that the same thing? If a child loves to look at the pictures as well as read, is that bad or is it a sign that he knows information is be found there? And perhaps that’s a good thing. It sure beats relying on the often misleading information on the web.

When he finally does start doing research on the web, I’ll have to instruct him, as I do the college students I teach, that there are facts, opinions, gossip and blatant untruths on the web…and how to tell the difference.

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