...so peaceful, quiet, relaxing, refreshing, and beautiful.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Snow
I miss the NY snow during the Holidays...
...so peaceful, quiet, relaxing, refreshing, and beautiful.
...so peaceful, quiet, relaxing, refreshing, and beautiful.
What's the meaning???
As we make the switch for the fall festivities to the winter holidays, let’s reflect on what the big holidays mean to us. What will they mean to our children?
It’s easy to get swept up in the tide of commercialism, especially around Christmas. And I will be the first to admit that I'm into it- big time! And yes, I did go shopping on Black Friday... I didn't really plan it but hey, the kids were up at 6:00am so I figured I might as well have made good use of my time!
As parents, we need to make sure that our kids are seeing the big picture - not just round after round of food, gifts, and rushing from here to there doing all the "required" Holiday Activities.
HealthDay News offers these tips to help us make holidays meaningful for the kids:
* Create traditions in the family that your children can look forward to. Talk about why it’s important to have traditions, and which ones are their favorites.
* Encourage children to volunteer, and to make donations and gifts for those who are less fortunate.
* As a family, make homemade gifts to give to friends and family members. Help your children understand that a gift doesn’t need to be something that’s bought from a store.
* Don’t let yourself get stressed during the holidays. Let your children see that it’s a time to enjoy spending together as a family. (I’ll let you know if I ever figure out how to remain stress-free during the biggest holidays of the year!)
Here's another article that I quickly read through on Psych Central.
What's the meaning of the Holidays for you? What do you hope for your family?
It’s easy to get swept up in the tide of commercialism, especially around Christmas. And I will be the first to admit that I'm into it- big time! And yes, I did go shopping on Black Friday... I didn't really plan it but hey, the kids were up at 6:00am so I figured I might as well have made good use of my time!
As parents, we need to make sure that our kids are seeing the big picture - not just round after round of food, gifts, and rushing from here to there doing all the "required" Holiday Activities.
HealthDay News offers these tips to help us make holidays meaningful for the kids:
* Create traditions in the family that your children can look forward to. Talk about why it’s important to have traditions, and which ones are their favorites.
* Encourage children to volunteer, and to make donations and gifts for those who are less fortunate.
* As a family, make homemade gifts to give to friends and family members. Help your children understand that a gift doesn’t need to be something that’s bought from a store.
* Don’t let yourself get stressed during the holidays. Let your children see that it’s a time to enjoy spending together as a family. (I’ll let you know if I ever figure out how to remain stress-free during the biggest holidays of the year!)
Here's another article that I quickly read through on Psych Central.
What's the meaning of the Holidays for you? What do you hope for your family?
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Holiday Toys
Holiday and birthday season fanfare has already begun, and I am thinking of a new holiday motto: No more junk toys!
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and/or the Winter Solstice, if you have children, you know what junk toys are. Junk toys are toys that have little educational value, are usually made of plastic, are overly commercial, and end up in our landfills. Further, kids will play with them for 5 minutes... and then they just sit in a bin waiting to be played with. They are often in the price range of 1 cent up to 1 dollar... maybe 2, 3, 4, or even 5 dollars if you're lucky!
Mothering Magazine featured a great article four years ago titled "No More Junk Toys: Rethinking Children’s Gifts" by Judith Rubin. Rubin writes,
"Like junk food, junk toys can be fun but are devoid of nutrition. Buying them requires little forethought. They are excessively commercial, and are often linked to cross-marketing schemes. They excite children at first, but that initial flicker doesn’t endure. Also like junk food, junk toys have hidden environmental and social costs for which the consumers pay."
The safety of toys made in China has been in question lately with the recent rave of recalls- toys poisoned with lead, toys containing phthalates and other "drugs", and toys that are just unsafe for our kids- for whatever reason!
Yes, my kids LOVE these little, non-purposeful toys- for about a day.. and then these junk toys are stuffed into a closet, toy bin, in my purse (?) or on the floor of my car. I keep saying that I am going to do a "big toy clean out" before all of our upcoming birthdays and toy-giving holidays... I just keep procrastination... kinda like that baby book I need to finish once and for all!!!!
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and/or the Winter Solstice, if you have children, you know what junk toys are. Junk toys are toys that have little educational value, are usually made of plastic, are overly commercial, and end up in our landfills. Further, kids will play with them for 5 minutes... and then they just sit in a bin waiting to be played with. They are often in the price range of 1 cent up to 1 dollar... maybe 2, 3, 4, or even 5 dollars if you're lucky!
Mothering Magazine featured a great article four years ago titled "No More Junk Toys: Rethinking Children’s Gifts" by Judith Rubin. Rubin writes,
"Like junk food, junk toys can be fun but are devoid of nutrition. Buying them requires little forethought. They are excessively commercial, and are often linked to cross-marketing schemes. They excite children at first, but that initial flicker doesn’t endure. Also like junk food, junk toys have hidden environmental and social costs for which the consumers pay."
The safety of toys made in China has been in question lately with the recent rave of recalls- toys poisoned with lead, toys containing phthalates and other "drugs", and toys that are just unsafe for our kids- for whatever reason!
Yes, my kids LOVE these little, non-purposeful toys- for about a day.. and then these junk toys are stuffed into a closet, toy bin, in my purse (?) or on the floor of my car. I keep saying that I am going to do a "big toy clean out" before all of our upcoming birthdays and toy-giving holidays... I just keep procrastination... kinda like that baby book I need to finish once and for all!!!!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Digital Photo Frame
My brother got me a digital picture frame for my birthday back in August. I finally uploaded pictures to the frame and... I love it! It's so cool to have all my favorite shots of the kids on display in a rotating manner. It was relatively easy to program and I'm very thankful for this gift. Everyone who has been to our house since I set it up has commented on how neat it is. Thanks Bri!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Tainted Toys Anyone?
Okay, here goes...
Not that long ago, the first alerts regarding “tainted” toys from China made the news. Many parents, rightly so, were outraged. How could a toy, made for a child, contain lead in the paint? Good question. Let’s all ponder it.
As the days have turned to weeks, more and more toys are being recalled. Sadly, many of these toy recalls aren’t making as much headlines because, let’s face it, toxic lead-tainted toys have made the news repeatedly. There are so many recalls, how can we be sure that our children haven’t been gnawing on a block made from who knows what?
This is one place to start: Us Recall News.
What can you, as the consumer, do? Well, more than you think. Yes, a lot of things are made in China. Don’t believe me? Read the book “A Year Without, Made in China” to learn a bit more on the process. Some things say made in the US or Germany, but contain parts that were made in China.
I realize that all these recalls may mean that you might have to shop differently this Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa season. It may mean you end up paying a bit more for an item, but that can be evened out by not buying as much other "unneeded junk". You know what I mean- stocking stuffers, junk toys, holiday candy and such.
Purchase quality. Purchase safe.
Still, there are items from China that do not contain paint and, as one retailer said “are not a possible toxicity problem.” Will you purchase those toys? If we purchase toys from China that do not contain “a possible toxicity problem,” will the people who make the purchasing decisions pay attention?
If you’re concerned, read the label. Make an informed decision. This article in USA Today says that about 80% of all toys are made in China. EIGHTY PERCENT! It blows my mind to even comprehend that.
If you need some help trying to find safer toys, check out this web site. In order for this problem to be fixed, we need to take appropriate action! Give your business to those who can provide safe and quality items.
Just like nobody wants a fruitcake, nobody really wants lead poisoning, either.
Not that long ago, the first alerts regarding “tainted” toys from China made the news. Many parents, rightly so, were outraged. How could a toy, made for a child, contain lead in the paint? Good question. Let’s all ponder it.
As the days have turned to weeks, more and more toys are being recalled. Sadly, many of these toy recalls aren’t making as much headlines because, let’s face it, toxic lead-tainted toys have made the news repeatedly. There are so many recalls, how can we be sure that our children haven’t been gnawing on a block made from who knows what?
This is one place to start: Us Recall News.
What can you, as the consumer, do? Well, more than you think. Yes, a lot of things are made in China. Don’t believe me? Read the book “A Year Without, Made in China” to learn a bit more on the process. Some things say made in the US or Germany, but contain parts that were made in China.
I realize that all these recalls may mean that you might have to shop differently this Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa season. It may mean you end up paying a bit more for an item, but that can be evened out by not buying as much other "unneeded junk". You know what I mean- stocking stuffers, junk toys, holiday candy and such.
Purchase quality. Purchase safe.
Still, there are items from China that do not contain paint and, as one retailer said “are not a possible toxicity problem.” Will you purchase those toys? If we purchase toys from China that do not contain “a possible toxicity problem,” will the people who make the purchasing decisions pay attention?
If you’re concerned, read the label. Make an informed decision. This article in USA Today says that about 80% of all toys are made in China. EIGHTY PERCENT! It blows my mind to even comprehend that.
If you need some help trying to find safer toys, check out this web site. In order for this problem to be fixed, we need to take appropriate action! Give your business to those who can provide safe and quality items.
Just like nobody wants a fruitcake, nobody really wants lead poisoning, either.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Deep Thoughts
Just the other day, I popped in the movie Pinocchio for the L kids to watch while I did a little folding of the never-ending laundry. It was a movie I remember from my youth– though I can say that I didn't remember all the details. Honestly, I was shocked at what I saw. It seemed far too dark for my almost 5 and almost 3 year old. I’ve always loved Disney movies– call it marketing at its best, but I’ve always had a special place for them. Disney equals good in my book.
But then, I thought about Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, Bambi, and Snow White to name a few. Kinda Scary. Eating a poisonous apple? A young deer who loses his mother in the middle of a forest? An evil stepmother who orders a hunter to kill her stepdaughter because she is the "fairest of them all?" Hhmmmm... things I want my kids to see? Values I want to teach them? Not so much. Young children should not have unnecessary worries and, in my book, that involves some of the darker themes that come with certain children's movies.
And no, I am not bashing on Disney. Actually, Little Le and I went to see Disney Princesses on Ice just tonight! We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, dancing, singing, and skating. I will say, however, that there were some very scary moments throughout the production- a large fire breathing dragon comes out in a cloud of smoke, pirates fight each other with swords, and a boat becomes shipwreck during an ocean storm. Necessary parts of the show? Not in my book. The $25 programs and over-priced "trinkets" weren't really needed either, but, hey, you might as well make as much money as you can!
---------
There are parents who hustle their children by the needy without explaining the concept of homelessness. Families who never let their children experience disappointment, the "nuisances" of life, or the meaning of the word "NO". There are people who try to keep their children sheltered from everyone who is different from them- be it religion, socio-economic status, culture, or race. Many (not all, and no, I’m not saying you) are comfortable with this fact, but often times, when someone dares not show their child something from popular culture or buy the latest and greatest toy (probably tainted with lead but that's a whole other post), they are automatically delusional.
Babies grow up, that’s a fact of life. They’ll experience heartache and sadness. They will be disappointed, frustrated, and angry. But, they are little for a short period of time and it is my job, as the parent, to shield their hearts and minds from excessive darkness, worry, and fear.
It is up to each parent to decide what is acceptable for her (or his) child. It is okay if we all have different opinions on what is acceptable or not. This is just something that my husband and I value. We want our kids to learn their morals, beliefs, and values from ourselves, grandparents, teachers, and friends- not from movies and society in general! I will let my children watch some Disney movies... because I know that my husband and I are open and honest with our kids and teach them to think for themselves and to have compassion for all people. I think the problems with Disney movies was not premeditated or dangerous, it’s what society perpetuates and so while some movies really touch a nerve, many can open dialog with children and offer a teachable moment about one of life's many lessons.
All in all, know your child. Know yourself. Know your family.
Don’t let popular culture tell you what is right.
Any thoughts???
But then, I thought about Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, Bambi, and Snow White to name a few. Kinda Scary. Eating a poisonous apple? A young deer who loses his mother in the middle of a forest? An evil stepmother who orders a hunter to kill her stepdaughter because she is the "fairest of them all?" Hhmmmm... things I want my kids to see? Values I want to teach them? Not so much. Young children should not have unnecessary worries and, in my book, that involves some of the darker themes that come with certain children's movies.
And no, I am not bashing on Disney. Actually, Little Le and I went to see Disney Princesses on Ice just tonight! We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, dancing, singing, and skating. I will say, however, that there were some very scary moments throughout the production- a large fire breathing dragon comes out in a cloud of smoke, pirates fight each other with swords, and a boat becomes shipwreck during an ocean storm. Necessary parts of the show? Not in my book. The $25 programs and over-priced "trinkets" weren't really needed either, but, hey, you might as well make as much money as you can!
---------
There are parents who hustle their children by the needy without explaining the concept of homelessness. Families who never let their children experience disappointment, the "nuisances" of life, or the meaning of the word "NO". There are people who try to keep their children sheltered from everyone who is different from them- be it religion, socio-economic status, culture, or race. Many (not all, and no, I’m not saying you) are comfortable with this fact, but often times, when someone dares not show their child something from popular culture or buy the latest and greatest toy (probably tainted with lead but that's a whole other post), they are automatically delusional.
Babies grow up, that’s a fact of life. They’ll experience heartache and sadness. They will be disappointed, frustrated, and angry. But, they are little for a short period of time and it is my job, as the parent, to shield their hearts and minds from excessive darkness, worry, and fear.
It is up to each parent to decide what is acceptable for her (or his) child. It is okay if we all have different opinions on what is acceptable or not. This is just something that my husband and I value. We want our kids to learn their morals, beliefs, and values from ourselves, grandparents, teachers, and friends- not from movies and society in general! I will let my children watch some Disney movies... because I know that my husband and I are open and honest with our kids and teach them to think for themselves and to have compassion for all people. I think the problems with Disney movies was not premeditated or dangerous, it’s what society perpetuates and so while some movies really touch a nerve, many can open dialog with children and offer a teachable moment about one of life's many lessons.
All in all, know your child. Know yourself. Know your family.
Don’t let popular culture tell you what is right.
Any thoughts???
Saturday, November 10, 2007
What's the date?
Isn't it only November 10th?? Every store I walk into has full-on Christmas displays complete with trees, lights beyond belief, giant blow up Santas, snowmen, reindeer, the sleigh, and yes, even the Grinch. A larger than life sized Grinch on your front lawn- now that's cute!?!? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the holidays but I also LOVE the autumn time- back to school, Halloween, apples and pumpkins, changing leaves, cool, crisp sunny fall days, and Thanksgiving time with family and friends. I want to enjoy this autumn season... not feel rushed and pressured to dive into Christmas and such. Let's enjoy each season and all that it brings... not rush to the next!
Although I will admit that I'm using the good old, "Santa is watching you!!" phrase a little too much these days... ;-)
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
My Top Ten Children's Books (+ 3)
(In no particular order)
1. Harold & the Purple Crayon
2. The Little Taxi That Hurried
3. The Mitten
4. Where the Wild Things Are
5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
6. Madeline
7. The Snowy Day
8. Amelia Bedelia
9. Tikki Tikki Tembo
10. Charlotte's Web
11. The Little Engine that Could
12. Green Eggs and Ham
13. Caps for Sal
What's on your list?
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