I’ve been thinking a lot recently about natural sunscreen. Even though I have found a ‘better’ sunscreen for my kids, I still cringe (a little) at what I’m smothering on their skin each morning before school. Because I don’t feel I know enough about it.
Sunscreen is a tricky one. I don’t feel comfortable making my own, and I don’t want to NOT use it, but I don’t just want to layer it onto my kids’ super awesome and absorbent skin either. Ermmm… quandary. If I’m honest with you, I don’t put it on my kids more than I do (don’t judge). We all know Vitamin D in its purest form (sun) is really good for us, BUT ALWAYS within SAFE limits.
So, I did my research – and here it is. Are you ready? Time to switch your brain on…
Wellness Mama says: “Of the 1,400+ sunscreens tested by the Environmental Working Group, only 5% met their safety standards and over 40% were listed as potentially contributing to skin cancer.
Many sunscreens also contain methylisothiazolinone, which the American Contact Dermatitis Society named as its “allergen of the year”.
She then goes on to say..
Most sunscreens completely block the body’s ability to manufacture Vitamin D. Statistically, 75% of us are deficient in Vitamin D and Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to higher risk of cancer and heart disease.
We might literally be cutting off our noses to spite our faces when it comes to sun exposure. We lather up with chemical sunscreens that have the potential to greatly increase skin cancer risk and reduce Vitamin D production in the name of avoiding skin cancer, and increase our risk of more widespread diseases related to Vitamin D deficiency.”
This was what I was wresting with, maybe because in Vancouver, we used to have to give our kids a drop of Vitamin D every day – which seemed crazy to me coming from sunny South Africa. They used to encourage us to get our kids naked and put them in direct sunlight for 20 min a day. Of course, this is all relative to where you live, your weather and state of the ozone layer above you.
But, DON’T PANIC. There are solutions to this (potentially terrifying) information: NATURAL SUNSCREEN.
I found interesting information on Natural Lab’s Blog and have added some thoughts from Wellness Mama’s blog post on the (controversial) topic. And they have sort of put my thoughts on paper (screen) for me… (my additions in italics).
Here are the benefits of a natural sunscreen:
1. They contain no parabens. Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in personal care products. They stop fungus, bacteria and other microbes from growing in your products. Their names are a mouthful – methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben. Scientists have been debating for the last few years whether these chemicals are harmful to our health and are linked to cancer due to their ability to mimic estrogen. Research is not conclusive, however we would rather not take the chance.
2. They contain no artificial fragrance. It is estimated that the majority of synthetic fragrances on the market today are derived from petroleum by-products. A trademarked scent is protected by the law as a “trade secret”. These types of protected fragrances are not required to list the concoction of chemicals on the product label. They are only required to list the term “fragrance” or “parfum” with the list of allergens. The chemicals that are often used to formulate these fragrances can be toxic to the body over time as well as cause allergic reactions. Completely natural sunscreens use natural fragrances such as essential oils which do not contain these harmful chemicals. (I’ve always been wary of perfumes, scents or fragrances on my kids from a very early age; my first born had a severe reaction to them. Almost everything we use is scent free OR it only contains pure essential oils.)
3. They contain no Chemical UV blockers. This gets a bit technical. (This is copied and pasted from the blog article!) Sunscreens can protect your skin using PHYSICAL (mineral) barriers or CHEMICAL barriers. Natural sunscreens use physical barriers, these are metals out of the ground such as Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide which reflect or scatter the suns’ rays. These are safer to use than chemical barriers provided they are non-nano (particle size not too small which could potentially make its way into the blood stream). Chemical barriers are ingredients such as octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3 (oxybenzone) and benzophenone-4. These are very useful ingredients as they have the ability to absorb UV light very well, and protect your skin from UVA rays. However they also have a potential negative effect (not founded, we are saying “potential”). When a molecule of one of the above mentioned chemical UV blockers absorbs a UV photon (a quantum of UV light), it becomes excited (energised). However the sunblock molecule does not stay excited forever. Eventually it releases the absorbed energy by emitting lower energy protons and interacting with other molecules. These secondary effects often lead to the formation of harmful chemical byproducts, particularly free radicals. If this occurs inside the skin (i.e the molecule has penetrated the skin before absorbing UV photon) the free radicals (and possibly other secondary effects) may potentially cause skin damage, irritation, skin ageing and, some believe, increase the risk of cancer. Again, this is inconclusive, however we are led to believe that there is a risk of this happening based on various studies that have been performed.
4. Chemical UV blockers may alter hormones and impair male fertility. Well that sounds awful. We’ll let you decide how grounded the research is based on the 501 couples they studied over a 4 year period. Read this article.
“This new research by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) reveals that the chemicals commonly used in sunscreen are endocrine disruptors, estrogenic and may interfere with thyroid and other hormone processes in the body.
The most common sunscreen chemical, Oxybenzone, was found in 96% of the population by a recent study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is especially alarming since oxybenzone is considered an endocrine disruptor, can reduce sperm count in men and may contribute to endometriosis in women.”
5. Natural Sunscreens are often rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can offer skin health benefits and are touted to reduce oxidative stress by neutralising free radicals when the skin is exposed to UV light.
Here are some natural sunscreens available in South African Health Stores which we recommend you try:
It is important to be responsible with sun exposure, but many sunscreens offer a false security of sun protection and may do more harm than good.
The safest option is covering up and supporting skin health internally and externally. Mineral sunscreens (without nano particles or sunscreen chemicals) are a good option, but for the most part, spray and chemical sunscreens should be avoided (Consumer Reports warns that spray sunscreens should not be used on children and that adults should exercise caution and make sure not to use on the face or inhale them, as convenient as they are…)
More and more natural mineral sunscreens are on the market now, so please consider choosing safer sunscreens for your family!
It feels like we went overseas, came back, and everything was different. BOS iced tea is like the new ‘it’ drink and is available in every corner cafe and, much to my delight, Pure Beginnings Organic Skincare is available… every-where!
Having been attacked by mozzies upon our return to SA in mid-summer, I sent my hubby out to find a natural mozzie repellent, and voia la – we were officially introduced to the Pure Beginnings brand.
As with all reviews, there is a plethora of overly-shmoozy things I could say about Pure Beginnings. I could say I love them because they’re EcoCert certified (so they cannot include any baddies such as propylene glycol/PPG/PEG, petrolatum, mineral oil, parabens, sulphated surfactants (SLS/SLES), DEA (Diethanolamine) / TEA (trethanolamine), phthalathes, DEP, DBP, DEHP, aluminium, fluoride, synthetic colourants & fragrances) or because they support African Communities and Biodiversity Conservation through fair trade and ethical sourcing (I love ethical). I could also say I love them because they use recyclable packaging and use only ingredients that are biodegradable and are approved by the Vegan Society, Beauty without Cruelty and Phytotrade Africa. It could also be because they have a good understanding of healthy (vs. bad) bacteria and consider optimising the beneficial bacteria in ones ‘body-ecosystem’. It really could be because of any of the above, right? Pssst… I like this last healthy bacteria bit in particular and it’s why I drink kombucha.
Buuuut, let’s pretend I didn’t say any of the above. I met them. In the flesh. So you can take my gushyness of Pure Beginnings to heart. They are RAD, they are trying to find better ways of doing things for you and your family, and they care.
Pure Beginnings genuinely believes in keeping your skin as pure as the day you were born by creating high quality, effective, organic skin care products that care for you and your family’s skin (and that are not harmful to the environment). Again, if you’ve read the post on why we cloth diaper, you’ll know this ‘skin as pure as the day you were born’ stuff was where I had my ah’ha moment, which has since changed everything.
Pure Beginnings started out in 2007 with their focus being specifically Organic Baby and Organic Kids ranges and has since, expanded into a skin care brand for the whole family. Do I hear a ‘hoorah’? Since then Pure Beginnings has been the leading and most trusted baby and kids organic skin care brand in South Africa. Over these past 8 years, this family owned and run business has worked closely with mothers, midwives and child birth educators (and doulas!!) to develop a skin care range that meets the needs of babies and kids using the purest and safest natural and organic ingredients.
Surely you’ve seen these gorgeous products with the super adorbs child friendly characters…
…looky here! There’s a new addition to the troop (more info coming soon!)
The ranges are comprehensive. And there is a product for preeeeetty much everything you need. (I even used the baby bum cream to moisturize my dry, sniffly nose this winter)…
My faves: No doubt the Berry Toothpaste is on my shopping list about once a month (my little one looooves teeth-brushing time!!). The Baby Wipes are fantastic and are my backup in case I run out of my homemade wipes. The Teething Gel sits on my night stand in case bubs gets fussy in the night. We also love the Bum Cream and the Insect Repellent. (The stick container makes it so easy to apply) .
My faves: Fresh Mint Toothpaste! While my hubby is not sold on my homemade kind, this is what he always asks for. My dad also loves the shaving cream!
Please. Do yourself and your family a favour and get onto the Pure Beginnings bandwagon. You can find all of their stockists here (there are HEAPS so no excuses), and take a peek at the latest news on their blog, facebook and twitter pages. Prices of products range from R35 – R115, and it’s money well spent.
Whether we think about it all that much, we vote with our money. Just like the food we eat either helps or harms us, how we spend our money directly influences which companies thrive and which suffer. Let’s please choose WISELY as to how we spend our money and support local businesses. Let’s join together and support those who are making it easier for us to care for our families and for our environment.
Today I was driving in the car with my kids. Exhaust fumes were BULLOWING out of the car in front of us, in a hazard like manner. My oldest likes to have control of his window, which he did at the time (and he likes it down) but for the sake of our lungs, I took over and closed the windows tight.
In an attempt to explain the situation to my fairly upset 3yr old, he started on the ‘Why’ Series. “Why did you wind our windows up? Why are exhaust fumes bad? Why is it coming from that car? Why shouldn’t we breathe it in? Why is it worse than normal air? Why?”
I had to come up with some pretty ingenious answers but two things stood out to me (innocence and wisdom from the mouths of kids ‘eh?)
– he was questioning… (obviously)
– did the answers I give him make a difference?
I’m all for a good sesh of playing devils advocate but I find people who question things for the sake of complicating a situation or to force their opinion on someone else irritate me. And I think, out of that frustration, we’ve forgotten to question.
Be it questioning faith issues, accepted societal and cultural norms; what we eat and drink, what we buy, where we buy it from, what we consume or whether or not we should commit ourselves to the Zero Waste initiative (which terrifies me!) I think what I’m learning, is the art of mindfulness (even in my own small way).
This is a HUGE topic I’m barely scratching the surface of, and I’d hate it to springboard into a group of people anti-this and anti-that. Let’s not be devisive in our differences, let’s rather encourage each other in our individual convictions.
If I can suggest one practical change in this intimidatingly huge topic it’s this: stop, and think, before autopilot takes over. I’m an easy one to talk. It’s only from personal experience and desperation did I ever think ‘outside’ of what I had assumed to be right or correct (with little thought given to it).
I’m absolutely LOVING the conversations I’m having with people who are starting to question things (in healthy ways). We learn from those around us. So instead of always having done things this-way-or-that, let’s rethink it. Start afresh. Create your own new habits. And let’s stop outsourcing solutions to others – be it in the health and food industries or even in composting and/or recycling your waste. Let’s take ownership of what we have and responsibility in what we do with it.
The cliche of ‘be the change you want to see’ is very apt. Please do.
It gives me great joy to see in our shower currently: honest shampoo and conditioner, pure castile body soap, a homemade face scrub, a coconut body scrub and a natural face wash. I’m slowly but surely swapping out the old and bringing in happy, honest and more natural replacements – slowly, one at a time, in a sustainable manner. Let’s.not.get.crazy.
Something I’ve been meaning to try my hand at for a while is homemade deodorant, but it’s never been at the top of my priority list. Maybe that’s because I’m a mum and I’m more concern about cloth diapering and making the gazillionth batch of homemade wipes, and buying cherry tomatoes by the bucket load (are your kids also popping cherry tomatoes like sweets?)… and and and.
Our underarms (and what we smear on them) are frighteningly close to our breasts. My mom has had breast cancer, and I have previously found lumps (which turned out to be cysts), and it’s scary. You don’t need to be a scientist to see how much awful stuff makes up your sweet watermelon smelling roll on (which, I’ll be honest, at one time I was a little obsessed with). Most deodorants and anti-perspirants contain aluminum, parabens and propylene glycol. WAIT! There is ALUMINIUM in your deo?!? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???
I was inspired when a friend said she’d made a batch and was super impressed with it, so I grabbed a quick moment once the kids were in bed (and after my delicious SOiL shea butter order had arrived) and I got to it. I’d looked at a number of recipes and Homemaker Chic‘s deo sounded seriously convincing. It’s easy as, and quick! Tricky and tedious don’t work for me.
We all sweat, and it can smell. It’s normal. But I’ve noticed, when I’m breastfeeding, I perspire like Federer playing Djokovic and it STINKS. So, this deo needed to be right up there with the best of the best. And it is. Oh man. This is the truth peeps. I absolutely CANNOT smell my underarms, no matter how far into my pits I can get my nose.
Taking Homemaker Chic‘s recipe as my foundation, I made a couple changes, and this is what it came out with…
10-15 drops tea tree essential oil (or any other EE you’d prefer)
Small jar or empty deodorant tube stick
Method:
In a double boiler (or in a glass jug placed in a pot of boiling water), melt the shea butter.
Once the shea butter is melted, add your coconut oil, and your essential oil of choice. You can really use any scent you like – do your research on the properties of certain oils. Some people like to use tea tree oil in their recipes for its anti-fungal properties. Get creative and go wild!
Once your oils are blended add in the icing sugar. The purpose of the icing sugar is that when the sugar combines with your natural body sweat it creates a sort of osmotic substance that then becomes a natural antiperspirant! Madness. I mean what’s not to love about sugar (besides the obvious). I do find that I still sweat a bit, but not excessively. Dissolve the sugar using a small whisk.
Keeping the mixture over the heat, begin stirring in the bicarb of soda, and arrowroot powder, adding it slowly. You will see it start to thicken.
Once everything is well incorporated, you can pour the mix into either the jar or a deodorant stick (I haven’t tried a deo stick – but I think I will try one as I get more daring). Allow it to set up at room temperature for a couple hours. I poured my deodorant into a small mason jar. With the jar you just have to spread about half a fingertip amount of the deodorant on your underarms. It might seem a little firm at first, so you might want to soften it between your fingers before applying but mine sort-of melts onto my skin. Voila!
And there you have it! Happy, honest, homemade deo. Who would have thought! Let me know if you’ve tried something similar and how it worked out for you…
I never wanted an iPad. I knew our child would become addicted and with his strong personality, I wasn’t really up for the fight. But, as it would happen, we did get one (Happy 30th Birthday me!!) and it came with much delight to the parents (a.k.a us), and STRICT stringent rules for the kid/s.
As parents in this (absolutely terrifying) generation (of technology and all-things-accessible), there is this ongoing debate about how many hours of TV are appropriate for what age (each to their own), and should kids be allowed to play on iPads and are they ‘evil babysitters’ and are you a terrible parent for allowing your kids a brief viewing when you simply need a cup of tea and a slab of chocolate? To put your mind at ease, if you are even only the slightest bit concerned about this stuff, you’re top notch and should purchase yourself a noddy badge this very minute (or at least grab a glass of wine… after 5pm, please).
A number of friends have asked how we do the book/ipad/tv stuff. We are by no means the know-it-alls around this (I have no degree in early childhood development), but I thought I’d share a little insight into our family…
We are a BOOK family. This is by intention (my husband is an academic) and well, because our kids are not big TV fans. I know – it’s made that battle slightly less stressful. In fact when we were on a long distance flight recently, I enthusiastically found the in-flight kids channel and forced the earphones over my 3 year old’s ears desperate for some distraction but errr… well… no. It lasted all of about 1 minute – accompanied by our bribery food of choice – banana chips.
‘It is through hearing stories about wicked stepmothers, lost children, good but misguided kings, wolves that suckle twin boys, youngest sons who receive no inheritance but must make their own way in the world and eldest sons who waste their inheritance on riotous living and go into exile to live with the swine that children learn or mislearn both what a child and what a parent is, what the cast of characters may be in the drama into which they have been born and what the ways of the world are. Deprive children of stories and you leave them unscripted, anxious stutterers in their actions as in their words.’
But, we’re also a bit of an iPad family – far less so than the books but it still makes its presence known often. After my son had an eye op, we were instructed to patch his strong eye and interestingly enough, our ophthalmologist ENCOURAGED the iPad. There you have it. It’s hard not to feel judged when people watch your glasses-wearing toddler staring at a bright iPad screen because doesn’t too much screen time cause the need for glasses? Apparently not folks.
So while I’m going to be of no help on the TV front (sorry!), I will share with you our BEST books and iPad apps that our kids love (and when I say kids I mean the older one because the younger one just has to abide by what the older one wants – as you with multiple kids would know).
‘In this classic of modern children’s literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day’. A must have.
A classic, where kids learn counting, days of the week, and transformation using an interactive board book with pages cut short and with holes in the pages, where the caterpillar has ‘eaten through’ them. Apparently a favourite of former Pres. George W. Bush, this book has been linked to America’s obesity problem – but I mean… come on.
Another winner, read almost every night before bed. A quick read, featuring many different animals as they go to sleep. Rhyming words, delicate illustrations, and a recommendation by Mary-Ruth Wilkinson (who I trust with my LIFE when it comes to children’s book recommendations).
Bought for us by a friend on my oldest’s 1st birthday – I LOVE this book. It has such wonderful rhythm and rhyme making it the perfect book to read aloud.
“Horn went ‘Beep!’
Engine purred.
Friendliest sounds
you ever heard.”
‘Little Blue Truck is friends with all of the barnyard animals, and he is always nice to everyone. Meanwhile big, mean Dumptruck has no time for anyone smaller than him and thinks he’s the biggest, most important thing around. Then Dumptruck gets stuck in the mud and since he’s been so mean no one wants to help him out…’
If you want to buy a bible – please, please, please buy this one. It won the 2010 ALA Notable Award and the 2010 Mom’s Choice Awards and the Debbie Knighton-Fitt Mom Choice Award all years running. As a gift for our firstborn from his Godmother, we received this with the audio CD and he is obbbbb-sessssed with it. Hands down, the best bible I’ve seen, gorgeous illustrations, catchy sayings, and theologically beautiful. I’m desperate to buy the DVDs.
‘This book is about a mouse who took a stroll into the woods, along his way he scares a fox, an owl and a snake by telling them the story of the gruffalo who eats them for dinner. The mouse then runs into the gruffalo and he is hungry for mice. The mouse advised the gruffalo that everyone is afraid of him and that the gruffalo should be scared. To prove himself he advises the gruffalo to follow him behind, as they walk through the woods they come across the fox, the owl and the snake who run away when they see the gruffalo although the gruffalo believes they are running from the mouse as he is the most scariest creature in the woods.’
A gorgeous turn-around story, so cleverly written with wonderfully descriptive phrases and catchy wording.
Buy this book, buy this book now! An ABSOLUTE bedtime favorite, and with a rhyme/song you will immediately recognize, this is well loved by all children. This has been torn apart (with excitement and immaturity) and taped back together again, and again. Another recommendation by Mary-Ruth Wilkinson.
About a boy who finds a penguin. An emotional one for us since it’s the first book our firstborn ‘recited’ as he was learning to talk – much to our amazement. We read this over and over and oooover.
‘This is a lovely book about friendship. One day, a little boy finds a penguin on his doorstep. Presuming the penguin is lost, he decides to help the penguin return to the south pole. They set off in a rowing boat and the boy tells the penguin lots of stories on the way. Once arrived at the south pole, the boy sets off for home alone, but both he and the penguin are sad. Eventually the boy realises that the penguin hadn’t been lost, but had simply wanted a friend and they are reunited.’
The Runaway Bunny is a 1942 picture book written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. The plot deals with a small rabbit, who wants to run away. His mother, however, tells him that “if you run away, I will run after you”
Given to our boys in New Zealand by very dear family of our friends, this has been read a gazillion times. A NZ favourite and bestseller, this is ‘definitely one of the best picture books for kids learning how to read; a simple and clear text with a solid rhyming scheme, awesome bright pictures, and a practical message. The book works through progressively bigger tractors getting stuck in the mud, and then unspools it with the little yellow digger ending up the ultimate hero (and the concrete pad finally laid).’
Given to us by another one of my favourite girlfriends in the entire universe, this book had ME captivated at first read. This is imagination at its BEST! Without question, a must-buy. You can’t go wrong with this one.
‘Opening the pages of Press Here a child enters into an imaginative world filled with dots of all colors and sizes, but it all starts with a simple yellow dot. As pages are turned and actions completed the dots come to life before a child’s eyes. Turn the book, shake the book and even blow on the dots in the book and listen to the laughter pour into your home as children & adults everywhere fall in love with this ingenious little picture book’.
The day we left Canada, while our bags were packed and sitting in our apartment, we took a stroll down memory lane. We drove past the hospital where the boys were born, we popped in at Regent College where my husband had studied and we took a walk through Chapters on Granville and Broadway – where I had worked my first job (and had been there approx 9 days). In a moment of pure spontaneity, we bought this ridiculously heavy and expensive ($45) book for the kids. Out of 4.5 years in Vancouver, this has to have been one of the best things we bought overseas. I get emotional just thinking about it.
Want a good GREEN story? Read The Lorax (included in this collection)…
‘The Lorax presents the complicated issue of caring for our environment to children in an approachable lesson about the mythical creature “the Lorax”. The Lorax “speaks for the trees” as he defends a forest of “Truffula” trees from the greedy axe of the Once-ler, a man selfishly determined to make a fortune without thought to his lasting impact on the environment and creatures around him. The Once-ler is successful, as least for a while. But before long, the Truffula trees are all gone, the forest creatures are forced to leave for their own survival, and the Once-ler who refused to heed the warnings of the Lorax is soon out of business for good. The story offers an element of hope and redemption at the end, as the Once-ler gives his account to a small boy many years later, offering him the last Truffula seed with the expectation that the boy will reverse the damage that he has done’.
Winnie the Pooh, a Collection of Tales and Poems – A.A. Milne
Another irresistible collection of stories and poems. This is another classic that has captivated the minds of adults and children alike. Beautifully written, and illustrated, you can’t help but love the simplicity (and depth) of the storytelling and the characters who reside in the Hundred Acre Wood.
‘When Christopher Robin asks Pooh what he likes doing best in the world, Pooh says, after much thought, “What I like best in the whole world is Me and Piglet going to see You, and You saying ‘What about a little something?’ and Me saying, ‘Well, I shouldn’t mind a little something, should you, Piglet,’ and it being a hummy sort of day outside, and birds singing.”
‘Happy readers for over 70 years couldn’t agree more. Pooh’s status as a “Bear of Very Little Brain” belies his profoundly eternal wisdom in the ways of the world. To many, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and the others are as familiar and important as their own family members. A.A. Milne’s classics, Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, are brought together in this beautiful edition, complete and unabridged, with recolored illustrations by Milne’s creative counterpart, Ernest H. Shepard. Join Pooh and the gang as they meet a Heffalump, help get Pooh unstuck from Rabbit’s doorway, (re)build a house for Eeyore, and try to unbounce Tigger. A childhood is simply not complete without full participation in all of Pooh’s adventures’. (All ages) – Emilie Coulter.
‘In a Time to Read, Mary Ruth K. Wilkinson and her daughter, Heidi Wilkinson Teel, have compiled a helpful guide to children’s books. More than bibliography A TIME TO READ also includes essays on the nature of children, families, literature and story–and how these hold together in a Christian life, reflecting Mary Ruth’s 30 years’ experience teaching a literary and Christian approach to children’s books.’
~ Right, so, I lent this book to someone in Vancouver. I’d love it back if that’s you!
Far from being the perfect parent (FAAAAR), I have limited the iPad to only having educational apps. The kids know no different – they love them. We also put the clock timer on, on the iPad itself so when it buzzes, time’s UP (no tantrums).
The Endless Series: My ULTIMATE favourite. Of.all.time.
Usually, the initial download is free and then if you wish to acquire more words, letters, numbers etc. then you need to purchase them. Worth every penny.
I’m fairly certain my child can recite and sound out his alphabet, can count and build words (!) PURELY because of the AMA-ZING Endless Series. I love love love LOVE these apps.
‘Endless Alphabet is a great educational app that allows children to practice their alphabet while learning new words and definitions as well as practice their spelling skills. With highly animated letters and characters, this app takes learning to a new level. It engages and educates little minds as they explore new words with fun and silly characters.’ – www.bestappsforkids.com
Practice writing your ABCs with Winnie the Pooh in this interactive app. Help Pooh complete his quest for honey by catching falling letters and bringing letter puzzles to life. (Parents and caregivers can track proficiency for up to four children in the comprehensive parents’ section).
The PrestoBingo Apps were great when my son had his eye patch on and needed to use his weaker eye to identify shapes and colours…
PrestoBingo Color’s first set of colors covers basic identification for preschoolers: black, blue, brown, gray, green, orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow. On each screen, kids are asked to find objects of a certain color. Friendly narration guides them if they get stuck. To make it more challenging, sometimes kids will need to tilt their device to find a hiding shape that’s just off the screen. Then, when the basics are mastered, the difficulty level can be changed. Magenta? Periwinkle? Plum? Developing a broad vocabulary to describe color becomes a fun game.
Learn SHAPES! Beautifully illustrated and animated puzzles hide up to 20 shapes. This game teaches your child circles, diamonds, ovals, rectangles, semicircles, squares, trapezoids, and triangles. Each type of shape is explained and identified. Play a game of hide and seek. Some shapes are in plain sight, but some can be tricky to find! Do I spy an oval, hidden in the tree? Do I spy a diamond kite floating in the sky? See how many shapes you can see in each puzzle.
Little engineers will be entertained for hours as they play with come-alive puzzles, creativity-boosting coloring pages, and brain-building matching games (currently a little too advanced for my tots). Extend the play even further by purchasing additional packs with new puzzles, coloring pages, and collectible match cards.
Please join in the conversation!
What are your child’s absolute favourite books, iPad apps, and TV programs? Do you give them a TV limit per day? Do you limit the iPad to desperate measures? Let’s chat about these things as we navigate ourselves through such a technologically advanced society that we feel sane, and after all this, that we’re doing okay…
When I first embarked on this green life about 3 years ago, coconut oil popped up every-where. It’s like I couldn’t get away from the stuff – and for good reason.
If you spend 7 seconds browsing Pinterest you’ll see literally thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of posts about coconut oil, the benefits, the uses, the recipes, the health properties, and on and on it goes. It seems coconut oil really is one of the most versatile and healthy MUST-HAVES in your pantry, bathroom, bedroom, kids room, ANY-room.
You can read up more about their vast number of benefits and uses here and here. Below I’m highlighting three products in particular that I’ve found to fit into my day to day.
Now, if you’re new to this, it’s good to know that coconut oil is an OIL. So it’s oily. Got it? I know a few people whose sensory vibes don’t dig the oil factor and so if that’s the case this might not be for you. But, as for the rest of you, let’s get greasy.
Oh wait, another thing. Coconut oil solidifies in cool temperatures, so, in colder climates it might need a slight warm up before use (like dipping the jar in warm water), and in hotter climates, if you don’t want to dip your fingers into runny oil, then keep it in a cool dry place, out of the sunlight.
Smothering my kidlets with coconut oil comes as NO surprise to me. From the very beginning, I ditched all the fancy branded creams (which had plenty of unknown ingredients) and went al-natural with the littlies using a single ingredient – Organic Coconut Oil. In fact when my second was born, his skin looked like it was almost cracking on his feet and hands and I lathered him up goooood and proper with the stuff. Within days, his skin was plump and juicy. And its a huge money saver as a little goes a very looooong way.
Uses: Can be used to treat baby acne, cradle cap, croup, nappy rash, ear infections, massage, bath oil and as a moisturiser.
Liven up your little ones bath time routine by running a warm bath, dim the lights, cuddle up your littlie in a towel, put on some relaxing music, drop some lavender essential oil in the diffuser and enjoy bonding time together involving some baby massage.
I didn’t even know there was such a thing. Stevia, yes, Xylitol, yes… But coconut sugar?
Coconut sugar is made from the coconut flower, where the sap is removed and heated and you’re left with a sugary substance which leaves a caramelly aftertaste in your mouth. Whoooooaaaaaa, it is delicious. I can eat this stuff by the teaspoonful. In fact, if I’m honest, I do.
Compared to Xylitol, coconut sugar has a milder taste and flavour. When added to coffee, it knocks that bitter taste off, or adds a slight sweetness to tea. My rooibos addicted toddler loves coconut sugar in his morning tea and I way prefer using this than any other sweetener. Win.
Uses: you can use coconut sugar in many different sweet and savoury recipes. It is safe for diabetics and has a low GI of 35.
I like things with as few ingredients as possible, and this scrub has 2. Coconut Oil and Sugar. So it’s a scrub, aaaand a dessert (almost).
Since my scrub had hardened, I warmed it up (you can pop the bottom of the jar in the bath) and gave it a stir to distribute the oil and sugar evenly (as the sugar had settled at the bottom of the jar). I quite like the oil-on-oil method of cleaning and so for me personally I like oil based scrubs. This scrub has a neutral smell and so if you don’t have a high sensitivity to essential oils, you could add a couple drops to your bath depending on what mood you’re in. Being oily, its quite nice to just give yourself a little neck massage while you’re at it. Well that’s what I do anyway.
Today in the car on the way to school, our toddler called himself silly. He was trying to fit little square books into a little box and one fell out by accident and he said – “ahhhgggg I’m so silly”. No big deal, or is it?
Let’s not overthink this one, but in a generation of so much bullying, nastiness, self-esteem issues and peer pressure (from a horrifically early age) maybe we should be teaching our kids to think differently. I recently overheard an interview with a child psychologist and she was saying that self-talk is one thing we, as parents, friends, grandparents and siblings, can be extra aware of and encourage the health of. How your child talks to THEMSELVES is, quite obviously, very important.
So after I nipped the silliness speak in the bud, I went on and on, listing the things that he was: loved, kind, funny, smart, thoughtful, imaginative, fun, gorgeous, valued, important, caring, wonderful, and and and. I know, what a way to swing that one around huh?
While I’m most probably purely to blame for the silliness speak (I often call my husband ‘Billy’ as in Silly Billy) and while it’s not THAT big of a deal really, maybe let’s give some thought to how we talk to (and about) ourselves, our kids, our spouses (eek) and our friends, LET ALONE strangers; the petrol attendant, or the shop cashier, or the post office clerk.
Let’s find the balance between being silly (in an awesome, fun, laughter-filled way) and calling someone Silly (in a demeaning, derogatory way). There is a difference, even if it’s a little blurry.
Then this picture popped up on Facebook and it punched me in the stomach. Not because my toddler was calling himself silly, but because life is hard, nasty words get thrown around, and you can’t control it all. It’s heavy, but true.
How about we add some Dr. Seuss to the mix, to brighten up the mood. We LOVE Dr. Seuss in our house.
And so while we work on the ‘silly’ word in our house, know we’re fighting the STINKY word too. Only bums and feet are stinky in our house. And the todd(ler), in his wildly sneaky wisdom, has started calling things sting – as in he’s leaving off the ‘keeeey’. Sting(keeeeey). Tough one.
As Ellen DeGeneres says, at the end of every Ellen show “Be kind to one another”.
My hubby has a weird (!) skin condition called urticaria. You would probably not notice it, but when he’s been tucking into the gooey cinnamon buns and double thick milkshakes (errrrmmmm read: eating particularly badly), round red-ish spots appear on his arms, ankles and sides of his chest (mainly). Not cool.
For the most part, he’s just dealt with it, and then it flairs up, itches and bugs him, and then he just tries to ignore it and it tends to go away.
Baobab oil is made from baobab seeds found in the fruit of the baobab tree. (Side note: my son has this African Alphabet CD and ‘B is for Baobab Tree (the big, beautiful baobab tree’), so the tune is running through my head as I type this. Hysterical). It is cold pressed and the oil is therefore squeezed from the seed. 100% pure. What I like to see.
The uses? Basically, go ahead and smother your entire body with this good stuff; in the shower, in the bath, over dry patches, eczema, scarring, stretch marks, acne, sun burn and and and. Being natural and fabulous, it is safe on pregnant mums and children, just don’t drink it. You can find more uses for baobab oil here.
Baobab oil not only nourishes and moisturizes your skin, but it is packed with all natural goodness including omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.
So I gave the bottle to my husby to try on his sensitive skin. I am certainly the more excited, spontaneous, optimistic and convinced-these-things-will-work of the two of us. So after a few days (only!) when he came to me saying the baobab oil not only diminished the urticaria spots fairly dramatically, but had almost immediately stopped the itching, I was thoroughly impressed. As was he.
But we all love a good story behind a good product don’t we?
Meet Dr. Sarah Venter – founder of EcoProducts (on the very right).
For thousands of years, baobabs have made an important contribution to people’s livelihoods for food, fibre and medicine in Africa. More recently, the global trade in baobab powder and oil has become an important source of income for many rural families. EcoProducts works with rural people, producing baobab powder and oil which is then sold to the manufacturing and retail sectors. This provides the local Venda communities with employment and much needed income.
However, Dr. Sarah Venter felt that there was still so much more that can be done to promote not only environmental awareness, but also social upliftment. She decided to create a non-profit organisation, the EcoProducts Foundation so that she could make a stronger connection between global markets and the source of baobab fruit. This allows for benefits to flow directly to the care for these ancient trees and to the lives of the women and children who live around them. As I said in the title – Africa at its finest.
Caring is a big deal to Dr. Sarah Venter. She’s encouraged Creating a Culture of Caring because she believes caring for ourselves, others and our environment is desperately needed in the world right now. Caring needs to become not just something we do every now and then, but what we do on a continual basis so that to care becomes naturally embedded in our culture.
Birthing from this idea of intentional care, came two key areas – the Baobab Pre-School Programme and the Baobab Guardians Project. It.is.incredible what is going on behind the scenes of the simple baobab oil and powder products. For more info, please follow the links to learn more.
EcoProducts also holds the following impressive accreditations:
(Retail Price: R32 for 5ml, R118 for 30ml, R153 for 50ml and R234 for 100ml)
Watching Facebook, I’ve seen a fair few comments about the shallowness (harsh term, I know, or lack of depth) of recent posts. Which, I can understand.
I’ve also found myself feeling sad that very often those Facebook memories that pop up, take you back to a time when we used to write on each other’s walls and almost interact as humans (albeit online). Now it seems we’re simply reposting trending articles and sharing humorous pictures, arb celebrity statements or competition entires (nothing wrong with that – I love winning a good compo).
But something new struck me yesterday morning when my friend Carrie posted an Instagram pic online, and it’s this: how the most beautiful and profound things are often hidden within the little (seemingly normal) things. It’s not so much the artistically enhanced Madonna quote, or the breaking news about the worlds biggest sandpit, it’s the glimpses into people’s lives – and the small, quite regular activities that are real and beautiful and emotion-stirring.
Of my 4 closest Regent-wives-turn-moms who were a huge part of my community in Vancouver (we all had our kids together), Carrie is last one standing and is due to bid Vancouver farewell in the upcoming weeks. The end of an era. And yesterday morning, when this beautiful friend posted a pic of her 6 month old daughter on a picnic blanket in Almond Park with a Grounds For Coffee cinnamon bun, my heart was stirred. It was simple, normal and deeply rich – an experience anyone who has memories of a certain place will understand.
Because when you embrace it fully, I find that life really is made up of very many small moments. And those small things really matter.
Thinking about this on my way into work that morning, I swung past the post office to pick up a parcel. YAY. I love parcels! It was unexpected one, and from my friend Jo in New Zealand. She had sent me a much anticipated book, along with a block (slab) of Whittaker’s chocolate and her 3yr old sons art. Just the writing on the package struck an emotion. Nothing needed to be explained, all the contents were fairly small, normal things but each held an immense amount of meaning, memory and intentionality.
And that’s what counts. As a parent, it’s easy to click into autopilot. School lunches, bath time, brushing teeth, laundry, mismatched socks, squabbling siblings, toys EVERY-WHERE, unending mess, and nothing happening quickly enough. Then you stop, breathe and notice the smiles, the joy, the fun, the innocence in trying to pick up a snail and the winking eyes and loud giggles coming from these little humans. It’s the carefree ears-in-the-wind galloping of our dogs across the beach. It’s the warmth your lounge fireplace provides on a cold night, the getting lost in a good book or conquering of a crossword puzzle.
Sure there are the BIG things we can celebrate – and should celebrate; a new birth or adoption, the buying of your first home, or the finishing of a tough slog-filled degree. They deserve a huuuuge glass of champers. Absolutely. But I think those big ‘achievements’ often overshadow the very events that mean more (and often got us there in the first place), that occur continuously during the 24 hours we are given every day.
More often than not it’s reading the love letters from your then-boyfriend-now-husband or the taste of a $2 box of timbits that can inject one with inner joy. The sight of snow capped mountains or drinks off the back of a bakkie at sunset. It’s the endorphins that took you running around Stanley Park or climbing Table Mountain. It’s the sound of the bus stopping or the subway screeching; the smell of the sea or 7/11 (7/11 has a VERY distinct smell overseas – I think it’s that flavoured bottomless coffee). They’re like moments locked in time, all small and often mundane with deep meaning, memory, and enjoyment.
I think we forget that each and everything we decide to do, or decide not to do, collectively, forms habits, builds (or breaks down) morale, and paves a direction in which our lives then lead. And it’s the small experiences (and the gratefulness of them) that build upon one another and make all the difference.
And so be present during the weekend pancake breakfasts, the planting of herbs, jumping on a trampoline, the dripping of ice cream down a small hand, cuddling under a duvet, and reading of a storybook over and over and over again – make those moments count. Because they’re pointing towards something much bigger than what you imagine.
It’s winter and we have Eskom running the show. So, I’m loathed to spend any more money on electricity and at times my human hot water bottle (who, every night I’m thankful for) is not enough. I’ve never loved rubbery hot water bottles and (call me crazy) I’m a little nervous of electric blankets. Also, well I’m just not 100% stoked with electric current under my body (ESP since I’m sure I’ll forget to turn it off and then will worry and and and).
If you’re new to the greenish world, this is the PERFECT project for you. It’s easy, cheap, and pretty darn satisfying. Making a reusable rice heat pack is a total win.
You can use heat packs in so many ways:
They keep you warm on a cold night, they’re helpful during labour, they help relieve sore muscles and even help you sleep. You can also pop this bag in the freezer to make a cold pack.
The only downside to is that you need a microwave to heat it (which I don’t looove, and isn’t very green), but hey, 2-4min in the micro is better than boiling water on repeat or hours of pumping heat into your electric blanket.
All you need:
– Scraps of cotton fabric (we used old 1000 count percale sheets that had ripped – they feel heavenly) and cotton thread.
– Rice (I bought the biggest, cheapest bag I could find since we were not eating it).
– Essential oils (optional) if you want to add a scent to your bag. Recommended scents are mint, eucalyptus, cloves or lavender (I’d suggest lavender to help encourage relaxation and sleep).
Errrr… That’s it. Easy huh?
Sew the fabric together (in a square or rectangle) leaving a gap for you to fill it with rice. Fill it around 2/3rds full, leaving enough empty space whereby you can move the rice around within the bag to form shapes and where it can hug the body. Add a couple drops of essential oils into your bag (optional) and sew it up.
Pop it in the micro for 2-4 min and throw it in your bed as you wrap up your late night TV series binge watching. If you want to go extra fancy, you can design your own fabric, add lace or make different shapes. We made mini ones for the kids that won’t maintain too much heat so they can’t burn them.
