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TGIF! Have an awesome weekend everyone!

I had a wonderful vacation in Florida recently. My family stayed at a resort right next to The Magic Kingdom. Of course we had fun at the Disney parks but I think the kids enjoyed Sea World and the just hanging out at the pool the most. I was really excited to get home though…Florida was HOT and dry. It really made me appreciate Ohio more. I was downright giddy when we pulled up to our house and it was cool and rainy.

I have been slow to blog lately…I have been gardening, spring cleaning, preparing for guests from Mexico next week, and doing a bit of fiction reading. I wrote about why I love being a work at home mom and the Twilight series of books I have read on some other blogs. I’ve also been organizing files and pictures and getting a new computer up and running which is always fun…not. But here is pic from vacation:

Okay….interesting links for the weekend.

First up I loved a post from The Good Human about planting a row for the needy. When I was making new year’s goals in January this was a goal I had…to plant extra and give the surplus to the needy. It is a truly awesome idea for helping out the needy in your community. It is incredibly easy to just plant a bit more than you need and then donate to food banks or shelters in your area. If all the small family gardens were to do this imagine how many mouths we could feed.

My garden is looking GOOD! I have plenty of lettuce and spinach ready to eat now. Still growing is cabbage, zucchini, cucumber, beans, tomatoes, squash, and watermelon. I still have a lot of planting I need to get done NOW.

The rest of the yard looks beautiful too. I LOVE spring!

I ran across a link to a cool game called Earthopoly. I think I need to buy this. Players become caretakers of a variety of global landmarks and charge other players carbon credits for landing on them. Convert the carbon credits into clean air and help the fight against global warming! The paper is recyclable and the printing is done with soy-based inks.

The game is full of plenty of helpful information and educational for players of all ages. The game won’t change the world, but it can help educate us all in ways in which we can. I especially love the game board pieces…things like a piece of wood, a Lima bean, a shell, etc. It looks like a great game for the family.

I am anxiously awaiting another eco game…more on that when we get a chance to play.

As I stated in my last post I am officially a homeschooling mom now. Woot! I pulled my son from public and notified the superintendent of my intentions. His teachers were actually excited for him and they gifted us with tons of reading books, workbooks, math books for the next few years, etc. This week I need to make a portfolio to keep track of his progress and meet state requirements. I am also hitting yard sales looking for fun learning items. This week I picked up books and a very well maintained flute. I am hoping that one or more of the kids will want lessons. Fun times ahead. This week we are hoping to visit a science museum, go to a National park, see a play, and visit some Indian caverns.

Homeschool link love for this week: A great post about learning outside with sidewalk chalk.

In other family news…I had a tragedy in my family…well it feels like one anyway. My last co-sleeping child has moved out of my bed and into her own. I can’t even tell you how depressed I have been about that. And people say attachment parenting and co-sleeping creates dependent children…hogwash! It creates dependent parents is what it does! LOL.

Oh well, another article I liked that natural moms should read this week is about vaccination and the future of the process…like aluminum toxicity, immunosupression, allergic and asthmatic Conditions, and future Pandemics/Epidemics.

And it is time for me to say goodbye for the weekend. I am seeing a movie this afternoon and my daughter is expecting her new big girl bed to be delivered.

So what is new with you?

Tomorrow I officially withdraw my son from public school and our homeschool journey begins…sort of. I have many activities and fun things planned for the summer that will be highly educational but we aren’t calling it “school”. One important facet of this will be crafting and creating but I admit we can get carried away consuming supplies so I want to emphasize recycled crafts and projects.

Many times parents marvel at the items children will choose to play with for amusement. From pots and pans to empty boxes children have been known to select these creative toy choices over the slicker mass produced and marketed toys costing many times more. I almost never have to recycle boxes because my son scoops them up and uses them in his art projects before I can blink.

In this age of eco-friendly living, it’s perhaps time for more parents to engage children in the joy and spontaneity of crafting and playing with eco-friendly toys. Eco-friendly toys are ideally made of recyclable or reusable material and should not contain any toxic substances.

Here are some ideas for eco-friendly toys/projects you can create.

The Big-Empty-Box-Racing-Car-Track

Small children love their little match box cars and other similar sized mini vehicles that they can push around the house. So why not recycle the available boxes at home and turn it into a racing track!

First start collecting those boxes. The next time you purchase a big item that comes encased in a big box – hold onto it! When the creative mood strikes you, unfold the carton box and pull out your markers. You and your child can then decorate the sides of the box with roadway lines and even other cars for more interest and fun. Then flatten your artwork out on the floor and rev up your engines!

Smaller boxes can be used to make small houses and decorated with paint, scrap paper, and popcycle sticks. Toilet paper rolls can be used to make turrets on a castle. When you have enough houses you can have a small town.

Organizing Can be Fun

It doesn’t take long to have an empty cereal box in a house with kids. Take that empty cereal box and ask your kids to turn them into magazine organizers. Tell your kids this is their opportunity to design some neat pieces for their room. They can then store their favorite books or magazines in a box that reflects their personality. Use wrapping paper or recycled homework to cover your cereal boxes.

Old Objects Can Make New Treasures

Do you have any old hardback books you plan to donate? Why not cut a section out of the middle to house secret treasures? It is something kids will cherish for a long time.

Old clothespins can be made into dolls with a bit of scrap fabric for clothes, some yarn for hair, a marker for the face, and some glue.

Make a kite with sticks, string, paper, and streamer.

A book I highly recommend is D.I.Y Kids. It encourages the design it yourself spirit of homemade arts and crafts. This important for instilling creativity and discouraging consumerism. The book is FULL of design concepts and artwork created by real children. It teaches them about binding their own books, sewing their own clothes, making dolls and toys, and many other cool projects. Each project has step by step instructions. Each project is also rated by difficulty, time, mess, and cost. Most of the projects are aimed at children ages 7-12. This book was a big inspiration to my two oldest kids.

Childhood obesity is at an all time high and kids are killing each other over the newest technical gadget or fashion craze. Are these the after effects of too much commercialism? TV is encouraging a sedentary lifestyle that is seeing our kids developing habits that foster obesity.

Not only are TV programs monopolizing our children’s attention and imagination (or what’s left of it) but the commercials are too. Even if a child eventually loses interest in a program he’s watching the commercials keep him glued with boisterous messages and music promoting products and an image of what is hip or cool today.

Commercialism is everywhere making it very hard for parents to control. Visit your nearest theater and you are bombarded by commercials for the first 20 minutes of the show. Large companies “buy” placement in the movies and television shows to make their products look cool. I suspect cigarette companies do this. Commercialism is also in our schools and in “sponsored” educational materials sometimes given to our kids. I recently read about one school system that had McDonald’s coupons on the report cards. But what if you don’t want your children to accept blindly that these institutions and products are beneficial to us? How do we keep these values from infiltrating our households?

While this may seem monumental parents can play a significant and role in keeping commercialism at bay for their kids. Here are some ideas:

• Teach by example. If you resist consumerism you will be able to teach with conviction to your kids the merits of resisting consumerism.

• Sew your kids clothing and teach them to sew as well. This eliminates the logos and brands issues associated with store bought clothes and it teaches kids a valuable craft. Kids might also find they have a talent for designing. At 16 years old I remember making myself a vintage gown from a 1940s war era pattern. It is gorgeous and people raved over it…there was nothing like it available at stores and I LOVED that. Don’t sew? Take classes…at your local fabric store….its never too late. Your kids could also take classes.

• Try turning off the TV for a week. Then try 2 weeks. Then have a discussion about the merits of having a TV when quality news and entertainment can be obtained elsewhere. I follow and unschooling philosophy as far as TV and movies go. I don’t have restrictions or limits but yet we don’t watch that much TV…the key is to provide alternatives that are vastly more fun and entertaining. Try this TV Free Family site for ideas.

• Expose kids to other media – like art/surrealist films, art exhibits, public lectures on topics that might interest them. We are BIG on art in my house. We have all the supplies I could need for just about any project. This week my oldest painted a half dozen beautiful landscapes, he made several 3-D pictures, a Mardi Gras style mask for me, and a Pinata for his Dad for father’s day. All I did was supply him with the means. I have had to cover his bedroom floor in cheap scrap carpets because the paint gets EVERYWHERE!

• Teach your children to be independent thinkers who do not follow. Visit your local library and introduce them to great people in history who were independent thinkers (develop your own list based on your heroes or talk to the librarian). This is one reason I have such issues with public schools. The teachers generally don’t like independent thought and being challenged by their students…even in first grade I can already see this. Even in art class my son tells me the teacher has rules about the techniques one uses to paint or color…WTH? There are certainly some great teachers out there but there are also plenty of bad ones with control issues. I don’t want my children to “conform” or be “conditioned”. This is why I encourage freedom of expression in our home and we don’t get hung up on societal expectations or arbitrary rules.

• Encourage your kids to get involved in creative play. Introduce them to great outdoor games like hopscotch, four-square, hide and seek, double-dutch skipping, jumping rope, dodge ball, soccer and a host of other neighborhood games that will keep your kids busy and “physically active” for hours. The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Daring Book for Girls are good places to start looking for ideas.

• Grow your own food and involve your kids. Discuss the strong connections in the natural world and how our actions impact them. Most kids haven’t a clue about where food comes from and why 80% of what you find at the grocery store doesn’t even resemble real food.

• Encourage your kids to think about social issues outside of themselves. Help them to be empathetic and to have concern for the needs of the most vulnerable in your community. Discuss ways in which your family can help out a person in need. Go through the house and put together a bag of food items that you can take to the local food bank.

When I think of what I want my bedroom to be, I think about a serene and tranquil place that I can retire to after an exhausting, activity filled day. I think the bedroom should be a place of calm and relaxation…a place to unwind and think quietly about anything that is on my mind. It needs to have windows to let in natural light and cool breezes, it needs to have good lighting to read by, and above all it needs to be a place that is natural, safe, and conducive to good sleep.

Sounds good in theory right? Well, this is actually a tall order these days because many of the items in your bedroom might be dowsed with chemicals that can affect your health and your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Last night I was watching the news…which I hardly ever do, weird….but they did a feature on flame retardants and human exposure to them. A female politician in Orgeon (I think) had her blood tested for flame retardant chemicals and the results came back that she has 19 different flame retardant chemicals in her blood. She is now working to ban some of the worst offenders as independent studies begin to show that these chemicals are more dangerous than the chemical industries would have us believe and humans and animals alike are being exposed in massive doses. Moms are passing these chemicals on to their babies in breast milk even.

Mattresses today are required by law to have fire retardant materials in them to allow consumers more time to get out of their homes in the even that there is a mattress fire. While that is the goal, the exposure that consumers may have to fire retardant materials in the mattress may be leading to the same potentially lethal outcome.

Boric acid, a household product often used to kill roaches is now being added to some mattresses to help them pass the government’s flammability test. Other chemicals being used include antimony trioxide a flame retardant chemical which has been dubbed by consumer groups as a “probable carcinogen.” The ones we hear about most are the Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs.

These chemicals are in a variety of products. The news show even showed my daughter’s exact car seat as an example of a car seat that has these chemicals. But the culprit products we are exposed to most would have to be mattresses. Conventional mattresses contain toxic chemicals which leach out into the air over time (off-gassing). Also children’s pajamas are usually doused with flame retardants. We spend MANY hours sleeping and the chemicals in the products we are laying on are being breathed into our lungs and absorbed into our skin and bloodstream.

So ready to get a good night’s sleep? What we need is a toxin free bedroom.

Think about it. We spend a third of our lives in our bedroom sleeping. Now we might eat organic foods, clean with non-toxic chemicals, exercise daily, etc. but we might be might be ignoring the health hazards of the place we spend a third of our lives in. This just doesn’t make sense. This has been on my mind today because my last co-sleeper has been mentioning wanting her own bed….so time to buy a new bed and mattress for her.

So where do we get started? Well, we need to get rid of airborne allergens and chemicals like dust mites, mold, mildew, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)….things that can cause long term health problems and disrupt our sleep. We also need to replace products contributing to this problem with “cleaner” ones.

Renovate Your Bedroom:

Mattress: This is one of the biggest must-haves in a natural, healthy, and organic bedroom. Conventional mattresses are made with materials that were grown under heavy pesticide use. They are also heavily sprayed with flame retardant and stain fighting chemicals. Foam cushioning might also contain PBDEs or petrochemicals that off-gas chemicals. The waterproof liner you might be using has more chemicals still. That is a heck of a lot of chemicals to be sleeping on and breathing in every night.

The alternative to these toxic mattresses are natural or organic mattresses and covers. Eco-friendly and healthy mattress suppliers offer mattresses that use materials that are often renewable, all natural and not toxic to humans.

So what are your alternatives?

Organic Cotton Mattress - Nearly one-third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used for every pound of cotton harvested. It is not hard to see why organic cotton is the better choice. Natural and organic cotton ventilates body heat, offers more comfort, and is more durable than typical synthetics used in conventional mattresses. The batting does not contain petrochemicals either. Some people feel that organic cotton mattresses are bit stiff but a wool bed topper should do the trick and many come with wool wrapped around the coils.

One to consider: Green Nest Quilted Innerspring Mattress

Organic Wool Mattress – This fiber offers firm support and it is also a natural insulator and helps regulate body temperature. In the winter, wool traps the heat that your body produces. In the summer, wool helps you stay cool as it is able to absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture and still remain dry to the touch. Wool is also very comfortable to sleep on. Wool is also a natural flame retardant. Natural organic wool is produced without the use of hormones or pesticides and it is sustainable because it is merely shorn off of sheep. Surrounding the organic wool is organic cotton which serves to make the mattress softer. It does require more care than a conventional mattress though.

Natural Latex Mattress – Natural rubber (a completely renewable resource) is harvested by tapping the milk (sap) of Hevea brasiliensis. The sap is whipped up and turned into latex foam and is a sustainable resource because sap can be collected from the trees up to 180 days per year and the tree heals within an hour. Natural latex is anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, dust-mite proof, and very comfortable to sleep on. Wrapped around the rubber core there might be a layer of organic wool which serves as a fire retardant and regulates moisture.

To consider: Green Nest Natural Rubber Mattress or the Organic Rubber Core Mattress from Happy Planet.

Don’t get sticker shock when you look at what some of these mattresses cost. Save up to buy one if you have to…purity has its price. The mattresses I mention above are VERY reasonably priced. If I linked to the ones I REALLY think are tops they would run $4000 and up. Frankly I wouldn’t be willing to pay that price myself until I no longer have little kids who would spill juice on them.

For your young ones there are also natural crib/toddler mattresses. Make sure to choose a mattress made with organic cotton filling. Also pay attention to the substances used in the mattress cover that will be beneath your child. Many crib mattresses are covered in materials made with highly toxic vinyl/PVC. An environmentally friendly alternative to toxic vinyl/PVC is Polyethylene. This environmentally friendly plastic is used throughout the food packaging industry for its non-toxic properties and its recyclability.

I think this is the one I have for my youngest: Organic Wool-Cotton Natural Latex Rubber Crib Mattress.

I haven’t seen any bassinet mattresses but I did find this American Baby Company Fitted Organic Cotton Velour Bassinet Sheet.

Conventional mattresses have that awful off-gassing property which puts us at great risk of being exposed to potential carcinogens over a long period of time. Organic mattresses are made of products that are natural, often renewable and aid in repelling dust mites (which can’t survive in many of the materials used like rubber and wool). Remember our beds and bedrooms are where we spend a good deal of our time so investigate your eco-friendly mattress options carefully.

If you are not ready to buy a natural and organic mattress then you might look into an organic mattress pad. They provide a thick, natural barrier that goes on the top of the mattress.

Wool Fill Organic Mattress Topper

Organic Wool Mattress Pad

Sheets and Bedding: Sheets are usually what your skin is connecting with when you sleep and they have the potential to be laden with chemicals and flame retardants too. Select sheets, blankets, and duvet covers made with untreated or organic cotton, wool, or bamboo. You can get natural fiber bedding in a variety of exciting styles and colors. Happy Planet has organic flannel and sateen sheets.

Amazon also has some really reasonably priced organic sheet sets.

As for crib sheets my absolute favorite sheets for crib/toddler mattresses are from Kee-Ka. Their sets are so beautiful and they are organic. We have the Monkeys and the Cupcakes sheet sets and some of the chocolate blankets. They really stand up to heavy use and they super soft. My son loves the designs too. I keep emailing them begging for the cupcake sheets in King size…but so far no dice.

And lastly don’t forget the house plants and the air purifiers to clean the air in the home and bedroom so you can breathe easy at night. Sweet dreams!

Also…see my article about natural, organic pillows.

I read a really powerful and valuable book for parents this week called He’s Not Autistic, But… How We Pulled Our Son From the Mouth of the Abyss by Tenna Merchent, M.H.

I was initially drawn to this book because 1. The author’s son was on the autism spectrum like mine and 2. the author believes that vaccines caused or at the very least greatly exacerbated her son’s condition just like I believe was the case with my son. The author shares her journey to heal her son in non-conventional and alternative ways when industrialized medicine was not able to do a darn thing for him. And guess what…she found the healing she was looking for…the healing that conventional doctors say doesn’t exist. She did pull her son from the mouth of the abyss. The book touched me and made me cry. I wish every parent could read it and be forewarned. I made the decision to forever alter my own son’s life on the second day of his life when I allowed a Hep B vaccination shot and I sent him further into a darker hole with each subsequent vaccination until FINALLY one sent him over the edge and almost into a body bag. The realization that vaccines did this was of little comfort though as my son lay in a hospital bed hooked to a respirator. I can only hope that with books like these, that more parents will realize this is risky business.

It is also a good book for people who want to learn about what alternative medicine has to offer. The author not only healed her son but she was sick as well and she healed herself and has since become a Master Herbalist and is pursuing her N.D (Doctor of Naturopathy) degree. Interestingly she believes that her sickness…aluminum toxicity and a yeast overgrowth were passed on to her son in utero and this what what set him up for all the problems he had…allergies, autism spectrum, Candida, speech delay, sensory issues, etc. I say HAD because her son is now CURED.

In the beginning of this book Merchent gives us a long list of the behaviors her son exhibited that clearly showed he was at risk for autism. Then she goes on to describe issues facing most autistic children that must be addressed, allergens and yeast. Many kids on the autism spectrum are allergic to milk, corn, soy, eggs, and wheat. They also have yeast build-ups in their bodies. Surprisingly though Merchent mentions that aluminum in our bodies is usually the cause for the yeast imbalance. Aluminum kills off the good bacteria and then sets us up for an imbalance. Aluminum just happens to be found in tons of prescription medications for children and adults. It can also be found in many food products and of course, cans of soda…which Merchent drank religiously. Merchent points out that we will not be able to get yeast under control unless we get rid of the aluminum first and she explores this in depth in subsequent chapters. Merchent basically believes that she had an aluminum problem, in large part due to a diet soda habit..she passed that on to her son who received aluminum from other sources including vaccines, and meds given to him to fix his illnesses contained aluminum and so and so on. Very interesting stuff.

This is only the tip of the iceberg though…seriously you have to get his book, especially if you plan on having more kids…or even if your not. I will not be having anymore but I still went to town on this book with a highlighter and notes in the margins. It has some seriously important health info.

For instance, Merchent shares the three things that can really set your child up for autism that happen before they are even born or at birth and two of them are interventions. She also shares her experiences with painful nursing despite the fact that she was doing everything right…the cause was yeast overgrowth and she describes the symptoms of yeast overgrowth you may not even know you have…she had it for years and never knew. She also talks about sensory integration issues that her son had and seem to quite common nowadays.

The vaccines chapter I read all the while nodding my head in agreement. Vaccines are connected to SIDS, seizures, learning disabilities, and autism. My son was injured by a vaccine and 3 of those 4 things affected him in some way although only one affected him severely. She made a sobering statement at the end of this chapter that I identified with:

I am one of the lucky mothers; my son recovered from the damage caused by shots.

I hear you Tenna. I am one of the lucky ones too. When I think of what could have been…well I don’t like to think about it.

Her chapter on allergies really got my wheels turning. Her son would walk on his tippy toes and bang his head against things if he had chocolate. My youngest son doesn’t have bang his head but he does walk on his tippy toes quite a bit and it has always bothered me because typically it is a sign of autism. He is also almost 28 months old and doesn’t speak. I need to read the book she referred to as the allergy Bible, Is this Your Child? by Doris Rapp, M.D. I wonder if my youngest could be allergic to something that is delaying his speech and causing the tippy toe walking. I just ordered the book they are only a couple bucks used, at Amazon.

Merchent walks us through the first year and a half of her son’s life and her experiences with his doctors. After reading about it I want to track them and slap them silly. This kid had TONS of problems and all they cared about was giving him vaccines. They also acknowledged after much time that he did have allergies to several foods but advised his mom to feed him those foods anyway so he would gain weight. I was furious just reading about what she went through.

As I said though I have only scratched the surface. There is some great information about allergies and aluminum that EVERY person should read….especially if you get sick often, have Candida or suspect that you might, have allergies, or if you drink soda from a can. I put this book down and immediately started looking for a Master Herbalist to visit in my area.

I highly recommend this awesome book: He’s Not Autistic, But… How We Pulled Our Son From the Mouth of the Abyss by Tenna Merchent, M.H.

Camping with kids may sound like a stressful idea, but it doesn’t have to be. Some input from everyone will help the trip run a little smoother right from the beginning. The best thing about camping with kids is that you don’t need special skills, just some life lessons. Some of my all time favorite childhood memories revolved around camping. I used to pretend I was an explorer and I called myself Tiffiana Jones, LOL. I would hike, look for animal bones, catch craw fish (and let them go), and generally have a good time roasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate. I ended up marrying a big camping buff and while we were dating we went on many camping trips with big groups of people…good times. Even the time when my hubby’s daft best friend sent me down and 4 wheel drive only trail in a rented Ford Explorer.

If you are new to camping I would pick up a book about camp sites, trails, and hiking places in your state. I have TONS of these kind of books, although most are specific to Arizona since that is where I lived most of my life. I am slowly building an Ohio collection.

Camping with kids is also a great time to teach them about nature and the wonderful things that are out there. Maybe a good first lesson would be about poison ivy/ oak. What it looks like, where it is, and why they should stay away from it. Also educate them about dangerous wildlife in the area…bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, etc.

Just like anything else, preparation helps out immensely. Camping with kids is more fun for everyone when they feel involved. Having them ‘pack’ their own survival kit will come in handy when they get bored. You know- toys, bedtime buddy, favorite blanket, pillow, whatever fills their needs. My oldest would be over the moon with a compass, Swiss army knife, magnifying glass, Canteen etc.

Meal time is a good time for the kiddo’s input. It also helps them to want to be part of the food preparation. They might even volunteer to go to the grocery store to help you. Of course, camping with kids you most usually hear about eating hot dogs and marshmallows. That is not really our style. Our list would probably include homemade marshmallows (hubby makes them), trail mix, dehydrated fruit, flax crackers, homemade beef jerky, and Larabars. Plus we almost always go somewhere were hubby can fish so fish would likely be on the menu.

Campfire time can be relaxing and start toning down the day toward bedtime. Kids love roasting their marshmallows. Story time at the campfire is always fun when you are camping with kids as well. Watch out for teens that like to fling flaming marshmallows into the hair of the girl they like….a no-so-cute tactic of my husbands.

Remembering things that you liked as a kid really comes into play, too. Playing ball, taking a hike, and races are always good for a fun time. Family swim time is an awesome activity to strengthen the family and the family bond. When I was young we used to go a place called seven springs and it would take all day to hike all of the springs. Sometimes we would have to wade through water just below our necks but it was so much fun. There was also a bridge with a rope we could swing on. Man…now I want to go camping!

You have many choices as to what environment to camp in. There is the old fashioned, go out to the deep woods camping- going back to the natural basics. There are campgrounds that have different facilities, like a pool, tennis court, basketball court, and much more. Also, there are family campgrounds, which are especially oriented toward camping with kids. The family campgrounds usually have an activity list for what they are doing, and at what time. For camping with kids the friendliest atmosphere is the family campground.

For sleeping facilities there are also several choices. You can go with just the sleeping bag and pillow under the stars. There is the old home made stick and blanket tent. Store bought tents come in many shapes and sizes now from the little pup tent all the way up to the family size with rooms attached. Of course for vehicles you can camp on the back of the truck, in a camper or in an RV.

To keep things earth friendly remember to pack it in and pack it out. Leave the area the way you found it or even better. Build a fire in an established fire ring only and hike on designated trails. Use solar lights and flashlights if you can and keep food locked up if there are wild animals around.

There are many options when it comes to camping with the, but most importantly keep them involved and enjoy the time together, and it will all work out well in the end. If you have a “bad” trip, just call it a practice run and do better next time or change the location. Here is to giving our kids camping memories that will last forever…

A family camping pic:

Homeschooling is one of the most misunderstood institutions in the world as we know it. Many people are misinformed by the powers that be, that homeschooling is not good for children. What they share are mostly myths and fallacies. When I had my first child I dreamed of homeschooling. I imagined studying world history with my kids as we actually traveled it…taking in the ancient pyramids of Egypt or the visiting the Colosseum in Rome. Well, it didn’t exactly work out like that. My oldest had many health problems and when it came time for him to go to school according to the public school schedule, he had so little socialization under his belt it was sad. I think I could count one hand how many times he had “played” with another child and have fingers left over. Since kindergarten is supposed to be about fun and games I decided to let him go to public kindergarten and live it up. He had a blast too. Then he wanted to continue going to public school which as you may recall from previous posts is not the same bed of roses and we will be homeschooling for second grade.

Despite the fact I did not hoemschool I very much supported it and it really angers me when I see people spouting off about how homeschool kids lack social skills, are falling behind in math and sciences, can’t get into college or are being indoctrinated by Bible thumping, prejudiced parents. The last one is really common and it bugs me the most. I am not particularly religious and not a bit prejudiced about other races and nationalities. If anything I want to homeschool because I feel the opposite is true and I want my kids exposed to all different kinds of people and many different belief systems. There is something seriously wrong with any institution that says you can only find truth and knowledge here.

How does one debunk those homeschooling myths? Let’s examine a few and consider the facts of each.

Myth: Homeschool children are not socialized

In his book, The Hurried Child, Dr. Raymond Moore writes, “”The idea that children need to be around many other youngsters in order to be ’socialized is perhaps the most dangerous and extravagant myth in education and child rearing today.”

The truth is that a homeschooled child who is around his parents and siblings more than other peers are more self-confident, respect themselves more, and, feels more worthy than those who are bothered with peer pressure on a daily basis in traditional school. Children model behaviors that they see. Do you want your children modeling the behavior of their peers because that is what they are most commonly exposed to 9 months of the year?

The homeschool community is very good at providing activities for homeschooled children and families. There are sports associations, theatre arts groups, teen circles, books clubs, and more. And just like traditionally educated children, homeschool kids have friends who they hang out with too. Why so many people don’t “get” that is beyond me.

Myth: Homeschoolers Can’t Get Into College

In the past this may have been true, but today many colleges welcome homeschool students. Homeschoolers are eligible to apply for any college they wish to attend. The fact is a homeschooler can attain the credits, grades, and all the necessary requirements it takes to get into college.

There are many colleges that do not look for a diploma or GED for admissions requirements from a homeschooler. They are looking for capable, motivated learners, and responsible people to attend their schools. Colleges like Brown, Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown, and MIT accept homeschoolers because they see the students have great leadership skills, a strong work ethic, and stronger moral values.

There is no need to fear that a homeschooler can’t get into college when there are over 1400 colleges who accept them.

Myth: Parents Need to Have Credentials to Teach

The fact is that a parent does not need a teaching degree to homeschool because children learn in so many different ways. Traditional schools tend to focus on teaching one type of child; the auditory learner; and credentialed teachers are trained to teach in this manner. The homeschooling parent for the more part focuses on teaching according to the needs of the individual child.

When it come to teaching the child a homeschool parent has many options such as online charter schools, guided curriculum, homeschool co-ops where parents work together to teach children, and tutoring. I know if there is ANYTHING my child wants to learn that I cannot teach I will connect them with the resources they need. In that sense you are more like a learning facilitatior than a teacher.

With the homeschool family, the sky is the limit when it comes to teaching. There is no set way of learning for the homeschooled child.

Debunk the myths of homeschooling by being wise and knowing for yourself the truths about homeschooling. And when someone says something that you know is not true, enlighten them with the facts.

The belief that green living is expensive is not always so. Sure there are some green products and processes that are very expensive, but green living does not always constitute a lot of money. There are MANY ways to live naturally and green AND save money.

Grow Your Own -If you love to get your hands dirty, starting a garden will save you enough money to go on a small weekend getaway by year’s end. With the price of food and gas today, if you have a garden you have your own fresh produce to cook with. A garden filled with herbs, grains, fruit, and vegetables will keep you from weekly trips to the store because you can make your own dressings, seasonings, and even items like bread, cookies and cakes. With a garden, your trips to the grocery store are limited to meat purchases and staples that you can’t make at home. Cut meat out of your diet and think how much more you will save. There is no need to run to the store and waste valuable fuel and time. Just go to your backyard with your reusable grocery bag and fill it up with fresh produce. Doing this is also a source of fun and exercise for the whole family.

Buy Second Hand - Many people miss the huge savings in purchasing used. Thrift stores and yard sales are a treasure trove of items that you would pay five to ten times more for in department stores. Items like clothes, books, dishes, linens, and furniture can all be found in your local thrift shop at your neighbor’s yard sale. Sure not everything is in great condition but for the most part the items are in decent to good condition; sometimes you can even find items that have never been used before. Most thrift stores also have special half off days and on those days you can add more change to your savings account.

Go Virtual - What about managing your financial affairs in the virtual world? By doing things like getting investment reports and paying bills online, doing direct deposit, and opting out of receiving catalogs in the mail, you can save $150-200 per year because you are not using checks or stamps; and you even avoid those dreaded late fees. You can also buy music and movies online and watch them right on your computer.

Clean Green - The average U.S. household spends approximately $600 per year on household cleaning products. By learning to use inexpensive items like baking soda, vinegar, lemons juice, essential oils, and borax to clean your home, you can cut the cost by about $500. Add to that a savings from using only cloth rags instead of paper towels and you have saved a bunch. Your home will be naturally clean and you will feel better knowing that you have a safer home with some cash in your pocket.

Natural Beauty - You can make natural beauty products and toiletries right at home for cheap. Make your own toothpaste, lotions, deodorant, diaper rash creme…the possibilities are endless and the solutions are just as good as what you pay top dollar for in a store.

Cloth Diapers - This option has gone mainstream and for good reason. Cloth diapers are a superior product, they are safer for children, and they save a lot of money. Parents will easily spend thousands of dollars on disposables diapers for just one child…but a nice collection of cloth diapers will usually run from $300 for the minimalist to $800 for the snazzier diapers with bells and whistles AND they cloth diapers can be used for one or more subsequent children or sold. The used cloth diaper market is huge. I cloth diapered two kids and LOVED every minute of it.

Green is Healthy - Using green and safe products and eating sustainable, organic foods often translates into health. Think about all the doctor visits and prescription drugs you can avoid because you are living healthfully. Let me just give you an inkling of what I mean. My bad choices in years past resulted in cancer. Conventional treatment was oh so modestly priced at $7000 a week, every other week for 6 months. Add to that what I spent on natural and homeopathic products and treatments and you can see why I wish I could have avoided it altogether.

Long Term Savings - Even the so-called expensive green investments like solar panels or energy star appliances are not really more expensive in the long run. You save money on lower energy costs every month for the life of the product.

There are many ways to save money living green. That is a good thing. However, the benefits of going green far outweigh the amount of cash you have in the bank at the end of the year. It is about helping your family to get healthy. It is also about the longevity of an Earth that is more than good to the people who dwell in it. Do you part and save money while you help the Earth.

Now it is your turn. How has going green saved you some green?

One of the best ways to have natural fun in the summer is to have a mix of spontaneous and planned activities for your kids to enjoy. Summer is all about FUN…kids are out of school (unless you homeschool) and the weather is great. The days are also long so there is plenty of time to pack a summer full of activities.

First you’ll want to see what planned activities your kids will be involved in. For instance if they’ll be taking swimming lessons or day camps look at what their days or weeks will be like and coordinate schedules with friends and family who may have kids that will want to join your kids for some planned and not so planned fun.

Summer time marks the return of birds and all kinds of wildlife that was either hibernating or away for much of the winter. Take the time to teach your kids to watch and record the wonderful changes happening around them. My kids and I can’t get enough of this. We can just meander outside all day looking at spring blossoms and all the life bubbling over after a long winter. Today we spent quite a bit of time trying to find the source of a lovely black licorice smell. It was divine…I wish I knew what tree was responsible so I could plant ten more of them!

This is not only fun but a great learning opportunity especially if you home school your kids. Have your kids write down and catalog the types of birds in their yard or neighborhood. If you have mature trees where you live it can be a wonderful activity to watch the various types of birds that are attracted to your trees and garden. Right now we are seeing Cardinals and Blue Jays and some unidentified yellow and brown birds that seem to love our birdhouses.

To attract more birds, do some research with your kids to determine the kinds of seeds preferred by various birds. You might even take a trip to the library to make this a really interesting research project.

Some local bird feed and pet stores can be a wealth of information about seeds and the types of birds that are indigenous to your area. Talk to these store owners and consider some of their suggestions. Obviously they’ll be able to offer bird attracting devices like bird houses, bird baths and all the different types of bird feeders you need to consider when trying to attract certain types of birds to your property or home area. Our yard is filled with them…seriously we have probably a dozen birdhouses and another dozen feeders.

Still keeping with the topic of wildlife, why not plan to make a few trips to the zoo this summer. Take a little different approach than the usual stroll through the pavilions. Spend some time getting to understand each animal’s habitat. Ask your children to tell you what they find interesting and unique about the wonderful and exotic that have been gathered at your local zoo for their enjoyment and education.

Encourage your kids to interpret their perspective of animal life by drawing pictures of the animals they see at the zoo. That kind of activity makes the experience more meaningful and it will provide and interesting record in the years to come. I have seen kids doing this at the zoo before and thought it was awesome. Who knows…your child may develop such an interest in the animals they focus upon that they’ll end up wanting to support initiatives that help to protect these animals in other parts of the world where they may be endangered.

Another idea for summer fun activities is going to a local state park. The beaches, trails, camping and boating would definitely keep the kids entertained for quite some time. Most parks let them bring their bikes as well and biking is great exercise.

We can’t forget that summer is also the best time for great outdoor activities that don’t require 30- minutes of gear preparation! A bathing suit and towel are the basics for a great day of swimming or running through the sprinkler. If you don’t have your own pool make sure you get the schedule for your nearest community center pool and arrange it so that your kids can swim regularly. It’s great exercise and it is a good way to ensure that your kids get the experience and teaching they need to play safely around water. Don’t forget the non toxic sunscreen. My kids will NOT be bored in this regard. Their grandparents bought them a Vortex Spin Slide and Pool. This thing is MASSIVE…but they are going to love it.

One of the age old activities that kids have done in the summer months to wile away the hours is to create a skit involving neighborhood children. Electronic games and TV may have placed a damper on this activity in recent decades, but with the renewed emphasis on physical activity you have an opportunity to get your kids involved in this kind of creative fun once again. Help them along by suggesting venues (the backyard deck), theme ideas and suggestions for a script, costumes and the creation of a “kids’ promotion team” to advertise the play to neighbors and friends. Need cool props? Check out this play parachute and these playsilks.

Most importantly though…enjoy the summer fun!

When it comes to summer vacation, one thing is for sure, parents always get worried about keeping their kids occupied and kids just want to have fun. Keep these simple things in mind when planning your summer: Kids want to get wet, be outside and have their friends around, with these in mind, you are good to go when it comes to planning.