Green Goes Simple: Conservation at Home

By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple

The jars came first. Instead of sending my growing collection of empty glass receptacles to their usual fate at the bottom of the recycle bin, I did something unexpected — something wild. I peeled off their labels and plopped them in the dishwasher.

I wanted to see just what would happen if I gave these jars another chance. Full disclosure: I was motivated not only by the thought of transforming trash into something new, something useful, even something cool, but also by the fact that jars were clogging up my kitchen. You see, we’re a jar-centric family, tearing through what I’m starting to believe is an abnormal amount of pickles, mustard (the spicy French and yellow varieties), sauces of both apple and tomato, and jams and jellies.

Bright and sparkling, fresh from a wash, empty jars were exactly what I was missing. Without their labels and sticky contents, these vessels found instant new homes as beverage glasses (drinking jars are big on rustic charm), loose-change receptacles, pen holders, and — my all-time favorite — vases. Nobody can resist a mason jar filled with daisies. Nobody.

Not a fan of pickles? No problem. Jars aren’t the only way to reuse that which you’d otherwise throw out. Paper towel tubes, shoe boxes and detergent bottles are all contenders for a useful second act.

Paper Towel Tubes
Pulling the last paper towel from the roll used to signal the end of something, but now it’s the start of something new. Paper towel tubes in their natural state are the ultimate building blocks for art projects — they provide hours of rainy day entertainment with kids — and they serve practical purposes too. Try these ideas:

1. Glue on a pair of paper wings or a tail, then draw on a face for an instant cardboard-tube animal.

2. Attach two tubes and decorate with paint and stickers for a pair of homemade binoculars.

3. Turned upright and outfitted with orange and yellow paper flames, paper towel tubes make fantastic fire-free candlesticks. Decorate them in orange and black for Halloween, or choose a Christmas or Hanukkah theme.

4. Adults can put paper towel tubes to good use by employing them to prop up droopy windows or to hold silverware and sharp knives when camping or picnicking.

Detergent/Fabric Softener Bottles
Empty, clean detergent and fabric softener bottles can be transformed into hand-held shovels or scoops (simply use a utility knife to cut off the bottom off the bottle). Adults and kids can use these in the garden and at the beach. Bonus: remove the cap and you have a funnel!

Shoe Boxes
Yes, shoe boxes are ideal for household organizing (think: recipe cards, old love letters, office items, sewing supplies, Legos, electric cords and much more). But they’re even more versatile than that. Moving? Shoe boxes are ideal for packing smaller, loose items like tchotchkes, silverware, medicine bottles and the like. Gifting? Cover them with decorative paper, and you’ve got a homemade (and let’s admit it — more meaningful!) present package.

Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. She is the managing editor of and frequent contributor to Green Goes Simple.

Image source: handsonblog.org

Healthy Kids from Teeth to Feet: Kids & Health

By Peg Rosen for Healthy Kids from Teeth to Feet

Whether they’re scrambling for outfield hits, sticking back handsprings on the mat or swimming laps, kid athletes put heavy demands on their developing bodies. “Eating well has a significant impact on their performance both on and off the field,” says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D., a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and director of wellness coaching at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Here are some expert food tips to keep your kid athletes in top form:

Fuel ’em with complex carbs: “The big difference between the nutritional needs of young athletes and their more sedentary counterparts is their greater demand for complex carbohydrates, which gives them the energy they need to perform,” says nutritionist Ilyse Schapiro, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., who practices in Westchester County, N.Y. Fruits and veggies — plus whole-grain breads, pastas and rice — should make up 55-65 percent of their total daily calories, versus 40 percent for nonathletes.

Mix in protein and fats: Another 10-15 percent of your kid athlete’s daily calories should come from lean protein, including chicken, fish, eggs, beans and nuts, along with three to four servings (totaling 1,300 milligrams) of low-fat dairy or calcium-rich foods per day to build and strengthen bones. Athletes also burn more calories. Check with your pediatrician to see what your child’s daily caloric needs are so you can be sure you’re meeting them.

Time it right: To avoid cramping and allow the body to digest and metabolize, kid athletes should eat full meals at least two hours before vigorous activity, says Schapiro. If that timing doesn’t work, feed your young athlete a satisfying snack that includes complex carbs and some protein no less than an hour before she hits the field. Peanut butter and jelly or turkey sandwiches are good options. A light complex carb snack, like whole-grain crackers and fresh fruit, is OK up to about a half hour before play.

Keep ’em hydrated: Children aren’t as efficient at producing sweat as adults are, so they’re more at risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and muscle cramps, says Schapiro. Kids should arrive at their sport having had at least one 8-ounce glass of water, and they should drink every 10-20 minutes during their workout even if they aren’t thirsty. Afterward, they should drink two or three cups of water or a sports drink, says Jamieson-Petonic.

Eating the right mix of foods at the right time and drinking enough liquids will help keep active, athletic kids at the top of their game.

Peg Rosen has contributed to numerous magazines and websites, including Healthy Kids, MORE, Redbook, SELF, Real Simple, Parents, Family Circle, American Baby, ParentCenter.com and WebMD.com. She blogs at Relish-This.Blogspot.com.

Image source: eatright.org

I am thrilled that PrintRunner has offered one of our readers the opportunity to win 100 postcards!  Have a business or planning a Birthday Party?  Try to print postcards with PrintRunner; they are an online printing company that provides quality printing for less.

PrintRunner was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later their company became one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California. Their commitment to provide the best value and high quality full color printing at affordable price made their company grow. PrintRunner is a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.

Details of the giveaway prize:

Postcards

Postcard Size: Postcards 5×7

Quantity: 100

Colors: 4/0 Front Only Printing

Paper: 14 PT. UV Coating on Front,

Rounded Corners: Yes

Proof: None

Ready to Ship In: 4 Business Days

***Just comment for a chance to win!

“Like” WAHM Resource Site on Facebook. (2 entries)

Giveaway Rules:

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only, ages 18 years old and above. Standard shipping Fee is for free. Expedited shipping will be shouldered by the winner. Random.org will be used to select the winner. Giveaway ends 5/18/12, at 11:00 pm CST. The winner will be announced and must respond with a current email address within 48 hours to claim. Otherwise, another eligible entry will be chosen. Please make sure that you leave your email address in case you win. Good luck everyone!

Disclaimer:  I received no monetary compensation for this post. The opinions herein are my own.  Thank you to PrintRunner for providing us this giveaway; I will receive a set of postcards for hosting this.

Green Goes Simple: Conservation at Home

By Elizabeth Barker for Green Goes Simple

Planting and cultivating a garden with your family can offer a bounty of benefits to you and your kids. Along with fostering your kids’ fondness for fresh fruits and veggies, gardening with your children can enhance their eco-consciousness.

“It’s so valuable for kids to see the direct effect of their taking care of the earth,” says Rose Judd-Murray, education specialist for the National Gardening Association. What’s more, working in the garden gives kids hands-on learning about hard-to-grasp concepts, like reducing pesticide use and preventing soil erosion.

Even if you’ve never picked up a trowel, starting a garden can be a snap! Here, four easy ways to build a kid-friendly plot that thrives:

1. Get Prepped
First, size up the soil quality and sunlight availability in your backyard. Choose a space that sees about six hours or more of sunshine each day. To prepare soil for planting, you can add composted matter (a great way to use the contents of your kitchen compost can, if you have one). Then, loosen the soil to give roots a place to grow, and remove any visible weeds. For more tips on prepping soil, visit Garden.org. Don’t be afraid to start small, says Judd-Murray. “You don’t need to dig up your entire lawn,” she says. “You can just begin with a couple of containers, or go to a garden center and pick up some transplants that pop right out of the plastic and into the ground.”

2. Choose Your Crops
When gardening with little ones, keep short attention spans in mind and include a few seeds that won’t take too long to sprout — think carrots and radishes for vegetable gardens, sunflowers and zinnias for flower plots. And while inspiring kids to try new veggies is a great gardening perk, focusing on foods they already love is also essential. “Children might like to plant raspberries to make their own jam, for instance, or grow the ingredients for homemade pizza sauce — such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, marjoram, garlic and basil,” says Elizabeth McCorquodale, author of Kids in the Garden.

3. Add an Eco-element
To teach your kids that plants can flourish naturally, look to eco-options for pest control. “Keeping plants healthy so they can defend themselves is key, so make sure to nourish them with homemade compost and use mulch to seal in moisture,” says McCorquodale. Building barriers from ground eggshells can also shield your plants from attack, she notes. And introducing beneficial bugs like ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies can provide natural defense against the bad bugs and stop them from chowing down on your crops.

4. Cultivate Your Kid’s Green Thumbs
As your children get gardening, take note of the tasks they most enjoy. “Some kids will love the digging and weeding and organizing, while others will get a thrill from the competition of growing the fattest, sweetest or shiniest plants,” says McCorquodale. To keep that enthusiasm from waning, she recommends dividing the more tedious gardening duties into brief blocks of time.

Setting your kids up for gardening success is also a smart move, according to McCorquodale. “Give the children their own sunny corner and fill it with the best weed-free soil,” she suggests. “When it comes to nurturing their love for gardening, remember that a little success can go a long way.”

Elizabeth Barker is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and executive editor of fashion blog NoGoodForMe.com. Her work has appeared in Body + Soul, Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Variety and Kiwi. Her articles have previously appeared on Green Goes Simple.

Image source:  homeandgardenideas.com

Healthy Kids from Teeth to Feet: Kids & Health

By Peg Rosen for Healthy Kids from Teeth to Feet

Parents aren’t always naturals at soothing their children’s fear of doctors or dentists. But there are things they can do to make the visits less upsetting, says Meghan D. Kelly, M.S.Ed., C.C.L.S., director of the Phoebe H. Stein Child Life Program at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Besides staying calm, keep this advice in mind:

Doctor Phobia Strategy No. 5: Be up front. “Believe it or not, I’ve seen some kids coming in for surgery whose parents told them they were going to Toys”R”Us,” says Kelly. Not helpful. If you’re going for a routine checkup, explain to your kids that in order for them to have strong bodies and healthy teeth, their doctor needs to check if everything is working well. Describe what the doctor might do: look in his ears, listen to his chest, etc.

Doctor Phobia Strategy No. 4: Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Promising “no shots” is a bad way to get kids through the door — unless you’re 100 percent sure there won’t be any. An artful omission is OK, though. “You can say, ‘I’m not sure what’s going to happen today, but I trust the doctor to decide what you need,’” says Kelly.

Doctor Phobia Strategy No. 3: Acknowledge the fear. Denying that something might hurt or telling your crying child to “be a big girl” will only make her feel ashamed and more anxious, says Kelly. Instead, validate what she’s feeling and offer coping strategies, such as “If you want, I can count to three. When I’m done, it will be over.”

Doctor Phobia Strategy No. 2: Use comfort strategies. Giving kids choices makes them feel a bit more in control, which ultimately eases anxiety. Let them decide where they’d like to sit during the exam — on the table or on a chair. Use the art of distraction. Chat about a favorite show or read a picture book you’ve brought along.

Doctor Phobia Strategy No. 1: Use low-key language. If a shot is unavoidable, stay away from words like “sting” or “burn.” Instead, Kelly suggests saying, “You’re going to feel the doctor pressing on your arm. It might feel warm, and then it will be finished.”

If your pediatrician seems insensitive to your child’s fears, set up a time to address your concerns. If she still doesn’t get it, it may be time to move on.

Photo: @mommy-moments.com

Peg Rosen has contributed to numerous magazines and websites, including Healthy Kids, MORE, Redbook, SELF, Real Simple, Parents, Family Circle, American Baby, ParentCenter.com and WebMD.com.  She blogs at Relish-This.Blogspot.com.