Birthday gifts

There are lots of children's birthday parties happening in the next few weeks, which has me thinking about presents. In trying to come up with something different: i.e., not plastic, cheap, full of flashing lights and annoying music, I've been surfing around for inspiration. Of course there are tons of web sites selling "natural" toys - wooden, simple, BPA and everything-free. But even that seems a little off. There's a definite underlying feeling of who can be crunchier in our little town, and this whole genre of toys plays into the competitiveness just as much as the Fisher Price stuff. Parents look for the most au naturelle toy to "prove" they are better, and least likely to mess their kids up.

So, that's not for me either. Instead, I came across this article 7 Ways to Foster Creativity in Kids with very simple advice:

Next time someone asks for a gift suggestion for your kids, ask for things like art supplies, cheap cameras, costume components, building materials. Put these in easy-to-deal-with bins that your kids can manage.

It seems obvious now that I've read it but what kid wouldn't enjoy a basket or box full of face paints and glitter? I hesitate when I think about the reaction when the kids rip off the wrapping paper. It takes a certain bravery to wrap something that you know is lacking in wow factor. But, I feel determined to get beyond the need to impress the parents let alone the kids, and at least try to give a gift with truly endless - and lasting - possibilities.

Summer Camp Conundrum

Summer is approaching (not fast enough for me!) and I have noticed that for many parents, there is a certain dread. Even for the Stay-at-home-parents (or especially for the SAHPs depending on your POV...) it's an overwhelming task to figure out how to entertain the kid(s) for 8 long weeks.

My eldest is highly energetic and a social butterfly. He craves other kids to play with regardless of age or gender. So for us, summer camp is a no-brainer. It's not cheap but I regard it the same way as property taxes - a bill that has to be paid no matter what. I always set aside enough from our tax refund to cover about 5 weeks give or take.

Even with camp there's still lots of entertaining to be done - some camps are only a few hours, others are only 3 or 4 days a week. I don't know what families with two working parents do (and that's the source of today's discussion over at Moxie so I won't go into it here.) But I do find myself in a dilemma. In my country of origin summer camp doesn't exist. My mother was a teacher so she had the summer off technically but she still worked most days on lesson planning for the next year. We had 6 weeks off (instead of 8) and we spent it at home. We usually used up 2 weeks on family vacation but that still left 4 weeks. We played in the neighborhood, had play dates elsewhere and shuttled around the relatives. That's what I remember.

But I know my child, and I know from experience that even with a fully planned and scheduled week of activities I am not enough of a playmate for him. He needs kids his age. And these days very few of them are home just hanging out the way we were. They are all at camp...I don't know if that's a good thing.

I just wonder if summer camp had been an option when I was a kid whether my parents would have used it.

Ouch! Nursing is worth it, really....

While I navigate the intricacies of nursing an infant WITH A TOOTH, I was heartened to read more evidence that breastfeeding benefits the mother, as reported in the New York Times and elsewhere.

This was a large-scale study on 139,681 women and the results were impressive:

Women who had breast-fed for more than a year in their entire lifetimes were almost 10 percent less likely than those who had never breast-fed to have had a heart attack or a stroke in their postmenopausal years. They were also less likely to have diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

Women who reported a lifetime history of more than a year of breast-feeding were 20 percent less likely to have diabetes, 12 percent less likely to have hypertension, 19 percent less likely to have high cholesterol and 9 percent less likely to have had a heart attack or a stroke...

Of course the doubters had to quash all the lovey-dovey by saying it may just be the case that nursing mothers lead a healthier lifestyle. And the best results were from mothers who breastfed for a year or more (something that's not exactly the norm in mainstream USA). There were benefits to nursing for a shorter period but they weren't that impressive.

I'm just glad that more research is being done. If studies like these help to persuade women to nurse, even just one handful at a time, then that's the benefit right there. And it helps women like me, with bite marks for um, less than exciting reasons, that nursing is worth it, for all the right reasons.

Call to Action from a surprising source

Wow. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has issued a Call To Action On Breastfeeding. Being quite the cynical type I am actually blown away by the details on this, such as:

It is time for our society to get serious about giving families the support they need to be successful with breastfeeding. For this reason, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) would like to open up a national dialogue on how to make breastfeeding easier in this country.

This seems unprecedented.
Everyone is invited to comment:

We are especially interested in new ideas that will increase equity in breastfeeding rates among all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Ideas should build on programs and policies that are recognized to be effective or evidence-based. In addition, we welcome suggestions to adopt, expand, implement, research, or improve existing strategies.

There are 12 topic areas for you to submit your comments. Individuals and organizations may comment on any or all of the 12 areas.

PLEASE go and read the full description and COMMENT. Who knows when the next opportunity like this will come along?

Did Obama write this :-)

Auntie Beebs Recipe for Relaxation

I found this post describing Ten Ways to Beat the Blues quite amusing, coming from the good old BBC. It's just so....British. (And I'm a Brit, so I'm allowed to say that). Take number 6, for example:
"Pat Yourself on the Back".

ONLY a Brit could list this as a way to feel better. Here in the US, back-patting is a way of life - a sense of entitlement starts from day one and is encouraged at every opportunity. Brits, on the other hand, are notorious for knocking down anyone who seems to be inching ahead socially - and it makes no difference whether that's a neighbor or a pop star. Win a contest and the knives will come out. Land a new job and everyone will wonder who you knew to get it. Pass an exam and prove you didn't cheat. No wonder everyone is so miserable there.

Pat, pat, pat......I feel better already.

Random Thought for the Day

Parenting a 6 month old is physically difficult. Parenting a 6 year old is emotionally difficult.
Discuss.

I Could Have Told You This: Eating Habits Nose-Dive after Pre-School

I can definitely relate to a recent study that compared the eating habits of pre-school kids age 3-5, with school-age kids, age 6-12. The study, published in the January 09 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that:

"Parents of older children report greater consumption of sweetened drinks instead of low-fat dairy drinks, as well as higher consumption of salty and sweet snacks. ."

Why am I not shocked? And no, it is not the fault of the school. Although my son takes a packed lunch the parents provide snack every day. Finding something a little guy can carry in a backpack for 25 kids and survive the trip on the school bus is no mean feat. But man, the crap they eat - processed "cheese" that hasn't been near a dairy, white bread, salty crackers, drinkable yogurts (basically liquid sugar), juice galore, not to mention the birthday treats like cupcakes, brownies etc. Ok, a treat once in a while is no problem, but these kids seem to have birthdays every other week!

Preschool was an oasis of health - no sugar, no junk, no packaged foods, always fresh fruit, whole grain bread products, or things the children made from scratch.

And the kids that also have school lunch - I really worry for them.