Canada Moms Blog

Thunderstorm Lullaby

2010-06-08T05:00:00-07:00

My great-grandmother, a tiny bird of a woman who was nevertheless made of surviving-the-war strength, was afraid of thunder. Because she did not want her children to shake with fear as she did during thunderstorms, even from the deep sleep of night she took their hands and led them to the windows to watch the lightning slash the sky.

“Watch,” she would tell them. “Isn’t is glorious?” Swallowing the fear in her throat, she smiled for her children so they would grow up braver than she.

Was it her legacy that led me outside during storms? Perhaps. Even as a small child I never felt fear when the dark clouds closed over the sky. I reveled in the electrical air, watched for the next lightning flash to crack into life, curled on the old musty porch swing and soaked in the rush & cool & currents & rumble. I loved the lull when it was done. Loved inhaling the wet, cool air, the gritty smell of rain-washed cement after heat.

Growing up in Eastern Canada where the humidity collected in the crooks of the St Laurence, thunderstorms were a part of my childhood. Now, having made my life on the opposite coast, sudden summer storms are a rarity. I take my daughter’s hand and watch with wonder when the occasional thundercloud rolls around but without the constant exposure I knew, she remains unconvinced. Such tempers from our moderate climate make her wary.

Attempting my great-grandmother’s trick without the help of summer storms, I bought Thunder Cake by Particia Polacco. A deceptively simple story, it is about learning to ride out a thunderstorm with a clever grandma at its heart and the sweetness of cake at the end.

When you hear a storm coming in low and fierce, gather your children close. Whisper stories of pirates at sea, count the spaces between thunderclaps, watch the sky roll and fold your babes safe in your arms. Rock them to sleep in the quiet after the rain has washed the skies clean and teach them, with thunderstorm lullabies, to find calm in the midst of the gale.

This is an original post by EarnestGirl for CanadaMomsBlog. You can find her further musings on motherhood at The West Coast Chronicles for TheYummyMummyClub

The picture above is attributed to freeparking from Flicker's Creative Commons.

I am Nujood, Aged 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali: A SV Moms Group Book Club

2010-06-02T01:00:00-07:00

Married as a child into an abusive relationship in Yemen, this little girl had the strength to escape and demand a divorce. Interviewed by the New York Times over Skype, Nujood Ali, who does not speak English and worked with a French co-author to write her memoir, I am Nujood, Aged 10 and Divorced, tells her powerful story of becoming a child bride. It is a story that is, unfortunately, not just hers. Join us today as we discuss the book I am Nujood, Aged 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali, with Delphine Minoui.

Here are what the SV Moms Group contributors have to say today, all inspired by the book I am Nujood, Aged 10 and Divorced:

Tiffany from Lattes and Life wishes we all had a little of Nujood in us
Grace from Tale of the Multi-Tasking, Craft-and-Design-Loving, Mother-of-Two, Singaporean-Living-in-US, Corporate-Working Mom Named Grace Hester was motivated to look up more into the practice of child brides in Yemen
Lisa H. from Hannemaniacs hopes other women can pull together the strength to reclaim their life and happiness
Kara-Noel from Eli's Lids: The Blog points out that Yemen is not the only place where 9-year-olds are on display
Sarah from The Travel Mommy considers when honor is at stake
Heidi from Coast to Coast Mom says that getting married at nine is like getting married at four
Garima from Mommy In Making determines that something can be done about it...it starts with education
Sharon from Channeling Ricky examines everyday bravery
Jen from Anybody Want A Peanut? asks what is hope?
Bay from Queen Mother Blog thinks this book should be fast-tracked to high school reading lists
Cheryl from SpecialSauce in the House views home as a springboard
Jennifer Z. from Dirty Little Secret says that many divorced people deserve a party grander than their weddings
Kristine from Mommy Needs therapy or a Bottle of Wine is given a book, a co-worker and some perspective
Melissa from Peanut Butter in my Hair shares lessons from Nujood
Helen P from I Want a Book Deal hopes it’s not for nought
Melanie from tales from the crib talk to her kids about "when I grow up..."
Michelle from Honest & Truly! examines childhood scars
Julie from Just Precious thinks about honor and family
Jill from Musings from Me on Kids, Preteens, and Teens reads the line "one less mouth to feed"
Lisa from blog on the wall is in awe of this little girl
Torie from Manhattan: For Better or Worse is thinking independently
Michelle from Wife and Mommy asks how old were you?
Nicole from Not Just a Working Mom "confesses" that she was married and divorced
Janelle from Mama Daisy is looking through a mommy lens
Zoeyjane from Raising Zoeyjane has a disclosure: how much is too much?
Linsey from Me Too You examines her other mother fantasies

DC Metro Moms Blog is hosting the book club discussion this month. Please leave a comment here join in the discussion.

Past SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:

The Body Scoop for Girls by Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin van Ogtrop, Editor of REAL SIMPLE magazine
National Geographic's Green Guide Families by Catherine Zandonella
Top 100 Finger Foods and Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel
The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman
The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex by Kristen Chase
Coco Chanel & Igr Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh
See Mom Run by Beth Feldman
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind by Phillip Done
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer
Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.
What Happened to the Girl I Married? by Michael Miller
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
Much to Your Chagrin by Suzanne Guilette
It Started with Pop-Tarts by Lori Hanson
Who By Fire by Diana Spechler
The White Trash Moms Handbook by Michelle Lamar
Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues
The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears
The Other Mother by Gwendolen Gross

Click here to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.

Is Multiculturalism Real?

2010-06-01T05:00:00-07:00

I think I have ranted on this subject before. My son doesn't get playdates.

We were wondering if it was him. Was he so unliked by either peers or parents that they swore to never let their children play with him. But he was getting invited to the odd birthday party and we noticed that some GIRLS were more than happy to come to our house after school or invite him to theirs.

But no boys.

Not in preschool, kindergarten, Grade one or Grade two.

Birthday Parties were so so in attendance. Usually though more girls than boys. If we stuck to class friends only.

So needless to say we approached THIS birthday with a bit of trepidation. The husband was dead against spending the big bugs on some THEME location for the kids. He just felt that our money would be better spent on our boy and not the boys friends.

I was not so sure. I knew he really wanted the social aspect of a birthday party. He is so hurt when nobody invites him over to their homes or comes to his....not when he sees Caity flitting weekly between her kindergarten cronies.

I decided to then keep it casual. If a playdate he wanted...a playdate he could have. School finishes at noon on Fridays and guess what...his birthday fell on a Friday this year. So I wrote up 6 little invites for him to hand out stating they were invited to a birthday PLAYDATE for after school fun and I that I could get the kids home at whatever time worked for the parents.

He carefully invited 3 boys and 3 girls. The 3 boys he considers his buddies and the 3 girls that are "JUST FRIENDS, MOM!'

Things were already awkward as the week before a dad of one of these girls had said 'See you at C's party' and we had to say that no, your daughter didn't invite the boy she professes to be her best male friend.

UNCOMFORTABLE!

He was hurriedly invited and all was well. Remind the parents about the playdate for Adam the following Friday and thought all was good.

Adam then confirmed attendance of the girls and the boys were 'asking.' I then tried to call two of the boys who I know Adam really likes. The one boy I just got the answering machine, and then told Adam he was too lazy to bother and would rather stay in daycare for the afternoon. The other parent hummed and hawed about the difficulty of it all...the live behind us and we offered to drop him off back home....I ended up hanging up during all the humming and emmming.

This boys family is from Sri Lanka. They don't do non family parties or playdates. He is walked home by an older sister...we never see the parents.

The other boy is Asian and I believe he and his brother are cared for by an elderly relative who does not speak English. I have met their parents and they seem nice..but very insular.

The other boy too said no and again, I am not clear on how well his family speaks English.

And this is what I have found as an issue time and time again here in East Vancouver. The cultures and races don't mix. The kids do at school....but that is it. 3pm rolls around and the doors of each 'world' shut tightly against the multitude of races, cultures and religions that fill this city.

It is certainly not just a cultural or language issues either. It is circumstance. In this expensive world, stay at home moms like me are a rarity. Most families have both parents working. Childcare is either a family member or at a daycare. Every playdate that Caity has gone to the kids house it has been under the care of an Aunt or Grandparents and often people who don't speak English and really are not capable of handling a house of young kids!

(Don't get me started on the amount of kids being picked up in extended family member cars with no car seats!)

We talk a lot about how great it is to have exciting and vibrant Asian, South Asian, Vietnamese, etc neighbourhoods in Vancouver...but not when that is where the people stick to for shopping, socializing and business.

I get that people feel comfort in numbers and 'their own' and so on. I emigrated here too. It was scary...and I spoke the language!

But I really feel that my son is getting short shrift when it comes to the friendship purely by the circumstance of the makeup of his class.

Oh and to make matters worse for his birthday.....all the girls bailed one by one as they banded together and decided a boy wasn't worth their time.

ONE mom of one of the girls was mortified and has promised to take Adam out to a show.

Nice birthday when nobody wants to come and it isn't the kids fault.

Suffice it to say....I felt that I totally failed my kid in trying to communicate with the families of his so called friends.

Even the friends clammed up when I asked if they liked Adam and wanted to hang with him.

I don't think - at least while we live around here - that we will bother trying again.

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Original Canada Moms Blog post. Kerry can be found writing about life and her kids at Crunchy Carpets. She also runs the community site for women bloggers on the west coast, Wet Coast Women.

The Body Scoop for Girls by Dr. Jennifer Ashton: A SV Moms Group Book Club

2010-05-20T01:00:00-07:00

What questions do teen girls have that they are embarrassed to ask? Who will they be asking? And what answers will they receive? Knowledge is power - why not give our daughters some of that? Join us today as we discuss the book The Body Scoop for Girls by Jennifer Ashton, M.D., Ob-Gyn with Christine Larson.

Here are what the SV Moms Group contributors have to say today, all inspired by the book The Body Scoop for Girls:

Jennifer from Connect with your Teens through Pop Culture and Technology says that teen girls today have more pressure, yet also more resources
April from It's All About Balance sees that these girls, they are a'changing
Lisa from Grandma's Briefs has no talk here
Michele Spring Fajeau from ReadOutLoud advises to "just say know"
FireMom from Stop, Drop & Blog reviews The Body Scoop for Girls
Nancy from From Hip to Housewife asks when is puberty ed a bit too ed-ucational?
Eileen from The Breezeway gets emotional about the future
Amy from Occupation: Mommy is giving her girls the scoop
Cristie from The Traveling Circus talks hormones with the girl
Bonggamom from Finding Bonggamom explain that girls have xxx and boys have yyy
Roxane from Rox and Roll has a confession to make
Rachel E. Ayers from A Little Each Day is doing a little advance planning, since her daughter is only 15...weeks old
Melissa from Life with Sophia states that it's not a vagina, people
Dannie from DannieSpeaks thinks it's ok to have a guide
Vanessa from Chefdruck Musings talks about the birds and the bees at home

DC Metro Moms Blog is hosting the book club discussion this month. Please go here to join in the discussion.

Past SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:

Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin van Ogtrop, Editor of REAL SIMPLE magazine
National Geographic's Green Guide Families by Catherine Zandonella
Top 100 Finger Foods and Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel
The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman
The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex by Kristen Chase
Coco Chanel & Igr Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh
See Mom Run by Beth Feldman
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind by Phillip Done
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer
Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.
What Happened to the Girl I Married? by Michael Miller
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
Much to Your Chagrin by Suzanne Guilette
It Started with Pop-Tarts by Lori Hanson
Who By Fire by Diana Spechler
The White Trash Moms Handbook by Michelle Lamar
Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues
The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears
The Other Mother by Gwendolen Gross

Click here to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.

The Babysitter is Twelve

2010-05-16T15:51:17-07:00

Cross-posted from our sister site, 50-Something Moms.

In Canada, Red Cross babysitter's training is the bottom line recommendation for mothers searching for someone to watch their children. It surprised me because back in my American home state, I'd never heard of such a thing though don't doubt it probably exists.

The minimum age at which a child can be left home alone, or put in charge of the care of younger children, is twelve. Anyone with sitting aspirations registers for the training at or shortly before this magic age.

I am not sure what it is about twelve. Here, children that age are likely in junior high - seventh or eighth grade - which perhaps is a tipping factor. Having taught primarily twelve and thirteen year olds back in the day, I never put much stock in age. Children's maturity levels, as far as I could tell, sprung more from innate temperament and their parents' willingness to delegate responsibilities and hold them accountable for their actions. Parents who demanded early, appropriately and often found themselves rewarded with more responsible pre-teens than those who were inconsistent and fearful.

Back in Iowa, finding babysitters was impossible, but here in Alberta, I've had a consistent supply of sitters and most of them have been twelve. As I myself began to babysit at around that age, and I fully expect to be able to leave my daughter alone for an evening at that age, I was fine with this.

Continue reading this post on 50-Something Moms.

The Changing Face of Media

2010-05-05T05:00:00-07:00

Being what is labeled a 'mommy blogger' means I am part of the blogging world that gets all sorts of press...mostly negative from the the mainstream media and am also fully aware of any of the so called mommy wars that erupt from time to time all over the internet, from Twitter to Facebook to personal blogs.

I have also noticed that as my Page Rank slowly creeps up and people notice that I do indeed do the odd review and or giveaway, that I get more and more notice from Public Relations and Marketing types.

Twitter, I am sure has helped this along. It does get you noticed.

So now I am on email lists for various press releases as well as requests for reviews and so on.

I try to respond to everyone, but babies make me forget my emails. I apologize to all you hard working PR peeps.

I do try to keep my focus fairly local and narrow for my reviews. Crunchy is a personal blog, but I do enjoy doing giveaways for things that appeal to me.

Wet Coast Women is more my event site, but again...I appreciate any help in keeping the site relevant to BC and the West Coast in regards to products, events and services.

The other type of PR request I get is to attend some sort of product launch.

I had the fun opportunity to test drive the new Chevy Volt.

I was also asked recently to attend an 'embargoed' demonstration of the soon to the shelves Maytag and Whirlpool Products.

I know the PR reps are focusing on us mom bloggers for that specific niche, but it still amuses me to see us mom's representing as moms do...with kids in tow to the these events.

Yoyomama brought her two children with her to the Chevy demo and I had my whole retinue with me. Emily of Aprons and Heels and I both had our wee one's in carriers at the Washer/ Dryer event.

The new look of amateur journalism is baby wearing. Didn't you know!!?

In truth, I would like this 'trend' to be not just for the amateur.

I think women in general have really taken Social Media and run with it.

The internet and things LIKE Twitter, Facebook and blogging technology have opened up SO many doors for women.

It speaks to our community mindset. Networking and community building come naturally to us.

Women have managed to create so many entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves through the digital marketplace.

Building a business for the likes of a stay at home mom becomes far easier..worlds are opened up when you can communicate in cyberspace.

I really wonder if as many women are feeling a push against the proverbial glass ceiling. It feels to me that instead women are just ignoring the ceiling and forging ahead in their own direction. I don't think women WANT to work like men or join any old boys club....women instead or forming their own clubs and networks.

Look at all the conferences dedicated to women now....BlogHer, Blissdom, Mom 2.0, and more and more each year.

Women and women who happen to be mothers are rocking the world with their ideas, drive and vision.

In fact, I feel like rather a slacker when I am 'just' blogging....I should be more inspired by all the creative women I have met.

I do realize that circumstance and the economy has spurred for many the need for income and so on...and so then thank goodness that the means were available...especially in these times of barely there daycare and so on.

But what do you think? Are things better now for working moms? Or moms who want to work?

Will we see more women carrying their babes at press conferences and marketing events...will the mom blogger be held as in high regard as the seasoned journalist next to them?

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Original Canada Moms Blog post. Kerry can be found writing about life and her kids at Crunchy Carpets. She also runs the community site for women bloggers on the west coast, Wet Coast Women.

A SV Moms Group Book Club: Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin van Ogtrop, editor of REAL SIMPLE

2010-04-30T00:41:42-07:00

While many of us moms don't want to engage in the debate about whether to be a working mom or a stay-at-home mom...or somewhere in between, it is a topic we often talk about. Do you miss out on things in your children's lives if you decide to be a working mom? Are working moms more crazy and stressed? Oh, it depends on your perspective, of course. Join us today as we discuss the book Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom by Kristin van Ogtrop, editor of REAL SIMPLE magazine.

In addition to the posts below, SV Moms Group bloggers have had the pleasure of spending a bit of time with Kristin van Ogtrop during her book tour. Some of us caught up with her in Chicago, when we were there for our Chicago Moms Blog brand/blogger event and when Kristin was there for REAL SIMPLE's 10th anniversary party. Then a few of the Silicon Valley Moms Blog bloggers were invited to join Kristin van Ogtrop for lunch in Palo Alto, California last week. A leisurely lunch in the California sunshine was certainly not any of our usual happenings and we thoroughly enjoyed it...although we then all had to rush off to the next appointment, to school pickup, to conference calls, to blog about socks with large holes in them strewn all over our houses. To top it off, Kristin joined the entire network of SV Moms Group bloggers on a conference call to talk about her book, whether 21st century mothers live in a state of ambivalence and/or guilt, how to be happy with your choice, the fact that many of us are lucky to HAVE choices...oh, the conversation could have gone on and on. But, of course, it was time to hang up and get back to the chaos.

Here are what the SV Moms Group contributors have to say today, all inspired by the book Just Let Me Lie Down:

Anna Grace from Chicago Moms Blog leads us off, defining balance: that ubiquitous and frustratingly vague state of equilibrium, when all the parts of your life are working in perfect harmony
Emily from West of the Loop asks: Is ambivalence the default state of mind for a twenty-first century mother?
Melissa from Life with Sophia examines the definition of "benign neglect"
Lisa from Grandma's Briefs enunciates the love
Jennifer from Ramblings of a Semi-Conscious Mastermind Mommy asks to work or not to work?
Zoeyjane from Mommy is Moody waxes poetic on little boxes made of ticky tacky
Cristie from The Traveling Circus has green, green grass
Jennifer from Connect with your Teens through Pop Culture and Technology educates us about popular sayings moms use and what they mean
Melanie from tales from the crib reminds us that if mama aint happy, aint nobody happy
Rebecca from Life With Boys has a favorite line from this book: "Pie Chart of You"
Joan from Just The Right Things read a whole book!
Garima from Mommy In Making is thinking of simple things
Evonne from Arlington Mama determines that magical thinking is not just for preschoolers
Kristine from Mommy Needs Therapy or a Bottle of Wine asks whether the mother of a special needs child should have a career
Lisa H. from Hannemaniacs calls their bluff, among other things
Eunice from Random Walk Down Mommy Street lists the top ten reasons she is a bad mom
Sue from Laundry for Six thinks this is the best title ever
Grace Duffy from Formerly Gracie confesses that it's not that she doesn't love her kids, but...
Meghan Harvey from Meg's Idle Chatter discusses love and laughter
Stacy from Laptop TV Mom has "corporate seepage" in her house
Linsey from Me Too You has a guilt factor

Chicago Moms Blog is hosting the book club discussion this month. Please go here to join in the discussion.

Past SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:

National Geographic's Green Guide Families by Catherine Zandonella
Top 100 Finger Foods and Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel
The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman
The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex by Kristen Chase
Coco Chanel & Igr Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh
See Mom Run by Beth Feldman
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind by Phillip Done
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer
Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.
What Happened to the Girl I Married? by Michael Miller
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
Much to Your Chagrin by Suzanne Guilette
It Started with Pop-Tarts by Lori Hanson
Who By Fire by Diana Spechler
The White Trash Moms Handbook by Michelle Lamar
Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues
The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears
The Other Mother by Gwendolen Gross

Click here to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.

Save Mandi's Life with Your Cord Blood Stem Cells

2010-04-25T14:28:44-07:00

Cross-posted from the Silicon Valley Moms Blog

Mandi Schwartz is a 22 year-old junior at Yale, where she plays forward for the women's hockey team. She is also fighting leukemia, a blood cancer that is destroying her bone marrow and rendering her stem cells useless. The only way she will survive this battle with cancer is with a bone marrow or a cord blood stem cell transplant. A partial-match bone marrow donor has been identified, but transplants using partial-matches often result in life-threating graft-versus-host response. Cord blood stem cells are the same stem cells as those in bone marrow, but partial-matches from cord blood stem cells result in complications much less often. Cord blood can be donated easily by pregnant women and can be collected from the umbilical cord post-birth with no danger to the mother or to the child. If you are pregnant, please consider donating your umbilical cord to the organization that can save Mandi's (or someone else's) life. How? Start by visiting http://becomemyhero.org. If you are pregnant, there is a non-invasive way to determine whether or not your baby's cord blood might be a match to someone whose life could be saved by your donation. To learn more about Mandi Schwartz, please click here. You can also sign a petition regarding stem cell transplants.

Please click here to continue reading this post or to leave a comment on the Silicon Valley Moms Blog...>

SV Moms Group celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

2010-04-21T11:44:29-07:00

Image by Barbara.Doduk via Flickr

Inspired by our Los Angeles Moms Blog writer, Elizabeth Peterson from Traded My BMW for a Minivan, we at SV Moms Group are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Collectively, we CAN make a difference. We DO make a difference every day. Today, we are sharing insights into new initiatives, advances and ideas for how to make our earth a better place. Read what the SV Moms Group bloggers are doing, thinking, sharing and feeling today for Earth Day.

Elizabeth Peterson from Traded My BMW for a Minivan is keeping herself open to new ideas today, when Earth Day is 40
SV Moms Group contributors discuss National Geographic's Green Guide Families for our Earth Day book club
Kimberly from Tippy Toes and Tantrums shares ideas for how to green up your kid's lunch
Shannon from ecochick has tons and tons of green shopping ideas for Earth Day
Stacy from DC Metro Moms Blog engages in confessions of a counterfeit recycler
April from It's All About Balance recommends starting with one thing that is easy for your family
Melanie from tales from the crib is going green
Laura from L.A. Story shares Earth Day celebrations in Los Angeles
Justice Fergie from Mamalaw admits it's not that easy being green
Jennifer from Connect with your Teens through Pop Culture and Technology wants you to share Earth Day with your teens
Sue from Motherhood and Me extended an Earth Day invitation to her mom's group and has all kinds of activities planned for the kiddos
Jessica from A Parent in Silver Spring has an article in the Washington Post today about free activities for families to celebrate Earth Day week in Washington DC
Jenny K. from jen0r dot com was alarmed when reading about Garbage Patches in the oceans
Elizabeth A from a moon, worn as if it had been a shell shares a corner view for Earth Day
Steph from Problem Solvin Mom asks if you know where your food comes from
Bonggamom from Finding Bonggamom is greening her lifestyle
Caryn from Rockin' Mama suggests simple changes: namely, recycling, being mindful of plastics, conserving energy, and opting for safe-er cosmetics
Robin from The Not-Ever-Still Life posts in honor of Earth Day
Kristen from Rage Against the Minivan has a public service announcement
Kristren from Mama Manifesto thinks that every day is Earth Day
Gina von Esmarch from Bowl Licker celebrates Earth Day with en vougue produce and Earth Day hullabaloo
Amy M from Teach Mama sneaks in some learning for Earth Day
Amy Turn Sharp from doobleh-vay shares ideas for raising eco consciousness in your family
Garima from It's a Start looks to Wikipedia for the answers
Nancy Loo says goodbye to hairspray for Earth Day
Alma from Marketing Mommy from determines that Earth Day is getting greener every year

Happy Earth Day to all!

National Geographic's Green Guide for Families: A SV Moms Group Book Club

2010-04-19T01:07:50-07:00

Earth Day IS every day, especially when you have a family - as families, our impact can be felt more, we tend to consumer more, and there is the very real fact that we are raising the next generation that will have to live in this world. The practical questions: What kind of diapers to use? What kind of products to clean and feed your kids and home? How can your family can "Go Green" together? Join us today as we discuss the book National Geographic Green Guide Families by Catherine Zandonella.

Special thanks to Nancy Friedman from New York City Moms Blog, who sourced this book club for us!

Michele from ReadOutLoud thinks every day should be Earth Day
Bonggamom from Finding Bonggamom is greening her family's lifestyle
Cristie from The Traveling Circus says it's not easy being green
Leticia from Tech Savvy Mama lists ways to be more green with your technology this year
Sophia Leto from Moody Mommy thinks about how to live a healthy life
Julie from Just Precious's visits to the farmer's market helps her children to make healthy green choices
April from It's All About Balance is eating green and healthy
Maxine from The french Mommy born in California is raising an enviro-radical...or just little Margo
Linsey from Me Too You has a green birthday party coming right up
Caitlin from A Hen and Two (Now Three) Chicks is loving this reference guide
Eunice from Random Walk Down Mommy Street has ants that go marching one-by-one
Kristie from Real Mommy Reviews is taking an active role in being kind to our earth
Lisa H. from Hannemaniacs wishes it was easier being green
Paige from Canning with Kids likes "green on a shoestring" tips
Stacy from Laptop Television Mom was reminded that being green is more than common sense
Stacy from Fabulous Miss S. watched Food, Inc. and read this book all in the same weekend, so is feeling like living a bit healthier
Roxane from Rox and Roll refuses to leave her kids with an Earth dirtier than the ones her parents left her
Heidi from Coast to Coast Mom thinks about her grandmothers and shades of green
Nicole from Not Just a Working Mom is going on a greener vacation

Silicon Valley Moms Blog is hosting the book club discussion this month. Please go here to leave a comment below to join in the discussion.

Author Catherine Zandonella also answered a couple of questions for SV Moms Group bloggers. If you have a question, please leave it in the comments below.

Question: It’s easy to recycle (or even forgo) the plastic bags from the market. How do you handle the endless sandwich, snack, veggie and bread bags? Can these be recycled even if used and peppered with crumbs or peanut butter? (I’ve already reduced the plastic bag use by choosing reusable containers for earth911.com or www.plasticbagrecycling.org. (California state law requires that stores collect plastic carryout bags for lunches, but we still use too many baggies.)

Answer: Many types of plastic bags can be recycled. These include newspaper bags, produce bags, bread bags, and "zip lock" bags (remove zipper first) can be recycled. You can find locations that will accept plastic bags at recycling, but you'll have to check with the retailer to see if they also accept other types of bags.) www.plasticbagrecycling.org site has a list of the types of plastic bags and plastic wrappers that can be recycled. In addition to the plastic bags listed above, you can also recycle plastic dry cleaning bags and plastic wrap on furniture and other purchased goods such as paper towels, napkins, and diapers. See the web site for a full list.

Plastics that CANNOT be recycled, according to www.plasticbagrecycling.org, are:

food or cling wrap
prepackaged food bags including frozen food bags (e.g., prewashed salad bags)
film that has been painted or has excessive glue
other bags or films
bio-based or compostable plastic bags

Make sure all bags are clean and dry before you recycle them!

Question: Our family swing set sits atop a blanket of recycled tire rubber. Until reading the Green Guide, we thought it was the best choice (environmentally & economically). Should we immediately swap out the rubber mulch for a natural wood product? If so, how should we dispose it? Can the rubber mulch be placed in the recycling container?

Answer: Tire disposal is regulated on a state by state basis, and you will have to contact your state's department of environmental protection or waste management board to find out what to do with the rubber mulch. In California, you might start with CalRecycle: www.calrecycle.ca.gov.

Past SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:

Top 100 Finger Foods and Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel
The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman
The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex by Kristen Chase
Coco Chanel & Igr Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh
See Mom Run by Beth Feldman
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind by Phillip Done
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Topper
Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer
Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.
What Happened to the Girl I Married? by Michael Miller
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
Much to Your Chagrin by Suzanne Guilette
It Started with Pop-Tarts by Lori Hanson
Who By Fire by Diana Spechler
The White Trash Moms Handbook by Michelle Lamar
Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues
The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears
The Other Mother by Gwendolen Gross

Click here to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.