Taking Care of Mama - Eating Well

We've all done it from time to time - taken bites of the kid's leftovers because we don't like wasting food, grabbing a pop from the fridge because it's an easy drink, snacked on chips because they are handy. Let's face it we are busy people. Convenience is well, convenient. It's also bringing a recipe for disaster (pardon my pun). I know that where I am at weight wise and health wise is a result of all of these little habits. Part of my plan of re-evaluating my life and working towards taking better care of myself include looking at my own eating habits and making a change for the better.
Here are some things that I've started to incorporate in my life to help me on the road to a better me.

1) Water,water, water - I don't know why turning on the tap seems like such a big deal. It's not. I've deliberately left pop off my grocery list this past month and started filling up my big water bottle. Every morning, it's part of my new morning routine. I keep my water bottle close at hand to grab throughout the day. I'm very pleased to say that I have been pop free for one month now and I feel better for it.

2) Eat your veggies - yes chips are easier. Here's how I'm making snacking on veggies easier. I keep a container of cut up veggies in my fridge. The day after my grocery shop, I take the time to chop up my favorites and toss them into the container. Makes for a quick and healthy snack.

3) Reasonably portioning out meals - I have a good sense of how much food my kids need on their plates. I also know how much is a portion for myself. By taking a few extra minutes at meal time to measure out servings I'm eating the amount I'm supposed to. I've also made it okay with myself to toss out the few bites that may remain on the kids plates. I don't need those calories.

4) Planning out our meals - this is something we started a few years back. I plan meals out for 2 weeks at a time before I grocery shop. I plan meals that are an interesting balance of good tasting and good for you food. As a result we eat out a lot less. And I mean a lot! Picking up fast food just isn't an option any more because I really like the meals we make. It's also a balance of intense and easy to prepare meals. A typical week looks something like this:
Sunday - Thai curry
Monday - chicken, sweet potato fries, veggies
Tuesday - fish, rice, veggies
Wednesday - pizza
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - steak, baked potatoes, salad
Saturday - spaghetti
Wednesday night is always pizza, Thursday is always leftovers

5) Only have in the house what is good for me. Just like keeping pop out, I don't buy potato chips, chocolate or anything else I would enjoy snacking on for the moment.

6) Popcorn - popcorn is a fantastic snack - hot air popped is low in calories, high in fibre and delicious

Sometimes it is the small changes in your life that can have the most positive effect. You'll be amazed how how amazing you feel!

Taking Care of Yourself - Spiritually

The last post I wrote about Making Time for Mama seemed to hit a chord with other Mamas. It got me thinking about ways that we should be (I should be) taking care of ourselves. You know the things that often get pushed aside because we're just a little bit too busy for that right now. Yet it is often these things that build us up the most. As I start to work these areas back into my life, I'd like to share them with you.
I very rarely write about my spirituality on here. But it is an area of my life that I know has been suffering lately. I've been a Christian for over 11 years now. My relationship with Jesus is an extremely important part of my life, but you wouldn't know it lately by the way I spend my time. Sure, I still teach Sunday School and pray with my kids each night, but that's giving out time, not pouring in time. I've been slack on my personal Bible reading and simply spending time in worship or in a quiet place with God.
So, what am I doing about it? I started off easy. I first picked up a copy of Our Daily Bread at church. Our Daily Bread is a daily devotional published by RBC Ministries and distributed for free. It is an easy jump start to reading your bible and thinking about life with God. Having it on hand worked for me, but once the 3 months was over (it's printed in 3 month chunks) I couldn't find the next publication. I was really disappointed by this. I also knew I couldn't slack back again and use it as an excuse. On a whim I did a Google Search and sure enough Our Daily Bread can be emailed directly to you each day. So now each morning I start the day, iPhone in hand with Our Daily Bread. It links the reading to Bible Gateway which is very handy, so you don't have to be fiddling with any books or papers. I'm really happy about this one.
What's the next step? I need some time for worship. Sometimes it is as simple as putting on one song of praise and singing your heart out or dancing (no one's watching, except maybe your kids, and chances are they'll love it too).
It is also as simple as finding maybe 15 minutes in your day and being still before the Lord.
Because I teach Sunday School, I often am not in the service to hear a sermon. I've started making up for that by using OnePlace.com . One Place, if you aren't familiar with it, broadcasts most well known ministries on line. So when I'm cooking or cleaning, I can have a preacher I enjoy on on my computer. It makes for good company. I quite enjoy listening to Chuck Swindoll, David Jeremiah and Greg Laurie. They've got good stuff to say.
Recently Greg Laurie shared some advice that was given to Billy Sunday when he was a new Christian. Spend 15 minutes a day talking to God, 15 minutes a day listening to God and 15 minutes a day talking with someone else about God and it will change your life. I thought it was good advice. Look where it took Billy Sunday.
This is where I'm at. These are the ways that I'm looking to fill the spiritual needs in my life. How about you?

Links related to this post:
RBC Ministries (where you can sign up for Our Daily Bread)
One Place (where you can hear many different sermons)
Billy Sunday

Time for Mama

"You look relaxed" my husband declared last night. He was right. I was. Very. Relaxed.
This was a long time coming. Recently I've been feeling over-stressed and edgy and I didn't know why. I've been living as a SAHM (apologies to all who are full time SAHMs who may take this the wrong way, it's not intended that way). I figured as a SAHM I would have lots of time. Time to do housework. Time to spend with my kids. Time to spend with my husband. And time for me. What I didn't count on was my own sense of self. Self-worth and productivity were all muddled up in a very strange twisted dichotomy.
You see the first year at home, I wasn't really a SAHM. I was a woman on mat leave. I was still getting paid, but was staying home with my kids. Since February, my mat leave has run out and I'm on extended leave without pay. I figured I would be able to pick up some home daycare work. That prooved easier said than done. And I really was living as a SAHM. Just me. At home. With my kids. No income.
What I found myself doing at first was intense work. I had lists, I had things to do, I was being busy. Then all those lists and business started taking their toll. What good was it doing laundry when all you ever did was laundry (with 5 people in the house it never gets completely finished). Same with the dishes, and any sort of cleaning. I was becoming disheartened. The more I worked, the more work there seemed to be. Nothing seemed to be getting done, even though it was.
I also found myself getting edgy with my kids. Little things were driving me insane. But even my husband's suggestions of getting out of the house for an hour or two rubbed me the wrong way. How could I leave when I had to be doing something.
Therein lied the problem. Because I was no longer bringing an income in to the home, I felt that my value as wife/mother rested in me contributing. I started doing more in an unhealthy way. When my husband declared that I was contributing, I was of value, I didn't hear him. I was only hearing the little voice in my head that told me to keep going and going. And going and going I started to realize was breaking me down. I was not being the wife and mother that I should be. The night my husband sent me out of the house with orders (really suggestions) to visit Chapters and get a Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks was a turning point for me. Of course I needed some me time. I started to relax and enjoy the break instead of resenting being sent out of the house. Since that night (2 weeks ago), I've started to see me again. The me who loves my kids and plays with them. The me who does stuff around the house not because it's a chore but because I like having a clean home. The me who prepares food that is healthy and tasty. The me who takes an hour here and there to spend enjoying my husband's company. The me who walks in the sunshine to the library pushing the stroller. The me who takes a bubble bath on a Saturday night good book in hand, followed by a glass of wine and a good movie. Interestingly enough, this me gets more accomplished. This me is more pleasant to be around. This me is in fact relaxed.

Growing Boy! and ideas to help kids as they grow.

It's happening again, I'm being eaten out of house and home.  This time by my 3 year old.  Every time I turn around he's asking for a snack, or seconds of a meal.  This is highly unusual.  He's usually quite a picky little eater.  There's only one explanation:  growth spurt!  This suspicion was confirmed as he cried out in the night about sore legs (growing pains).  Fortunately Dr. Mom has a few tricks in her sleeve and uses regular aloe lotion as a special "cream" to rub on sore little legs, letting him get back to sleep quickly.
To help kids as they grow there are 3 things you can do as a parent.  First, make sure they get proper rest.  Kids need 10-12 hours of sleep a night.  Second, provide good nutrition with a balanced diet.  I use Canada's Food guide while menu planning for my household.  Third, make sure your child lives an active lifestyle.  Activity can range from neighborhood walks to playing in the park to organized sports.  *During the winter we try the following:  Playing in the snow (building, shoveling, sliding - it's all good).  Clearing a spot for hockey practice.  Even though we have a little yard with no room for a rink, we've made a hockey practice zone to shoot pucks at some plastic bins - they love it.  We run indoor races of all sorts (running, skipping, hopping, "Speed Skating" in socks...).  Finally, we have dance parties in the living room - turn up the music and just go for it!
I have to say with two boys in the house I'm a little scared for the future.  If this is how they eat when going through a growth spurt as little guys, what will my grocery bill be like when they are teenagers!

Let's Talk About Sex - pre-puberty

Do you know what movies your kids are watching?  How about shows on TV?  What books are they reading?  What are they looking at online?  What music are they listening to?  Do you know the content of all of it?  The answer to these questions is exactly why we need to have an open relationship with our kids.  You may think that 8, 9, 10 years old is too young to know about topics related to sex, but I counter that they already know something.  I'll use the Twilight example.  I know that  9 and 10 year old girls  have read this series (numerous times) and watched the movies.  Have you read them?  I have.  And I would not want my daughter reading them when she gets to that age.  These books have blatant aspects of lust and sex in them.  If your daughters are reading them, have you talked with them about the books? 
When I was a kid, my mom had 'talk time' with each of us at bedtime.  'Talk time' was just that, a time each night that was just her and me (or my brother).  She started when we were very young, part of our bedtime routine.  And we would just talk, about our day, about what was going on in the family, what we were thinking about, what was happening at school.  Little did I know that she was making a way to talk to us about some of the sticky subjects of life.  Talking with your kids about sex can't just be a one time thing.  It has to be a topic that is open anytime.  You need to decide where your ins are.  Sometimes they are tie-ins: songs on the radio, a scene in a movie, a book.  You can use these to get a sense of where your child is at.  Ask what they think about what they heard and saw and then talk about it with them.  Let your own opinions be known, not in a lecturing way, but in a nurturing way.  Other times it is a subject that you just have to bring up.  I was reading how they are finding some girls hitting puberty at a very young age (as early as 7).  7!  I was shocked when I heard that number.  So we need to start preparing our kids young for changes that will be happening to their bodies.  I remember when I was in school we had the 'puberty talk' when we were in grade 5.  I would have been 10.  I also remember when my mom had the same talk with me, it was the year before when I was 9.  I also remember how many of my classmates had only heard about puberty through Judy Blume books and Teen magazine until that point in time. 
Chances are, if you haven't started talking to your kids about sex by this age, they already know something about it.  What is that something?  That depends on your kid.  Usually, girls are a little more mature in this area (for the time being, some boys catch up pretty quick).  Some of them know too much.  I remember a classmate of mine showing me her brother's stash of X-rated magazines when we were about 8 and I was shocked.  I was a lot more innocent than she was to say the least, but that had a lot to do with how my parents raised and protected me. 
I wish I had a good book to recommend to you to help you along with this age group, but I don't.  My kids aren't here yet and the kids I worked with on this topic were older than this age.  I speak as a parent anticipating this topic with my kids and a teacher who has taught this age group.  I did find a great list on Amazon that has the bestselling books on this topic for all ages, so the books range from pre-school age to teen:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/3245/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_5_last
The ones that stand out to me are "The Period Book", "How are you changing" and "Almost 12".  But I haven't read any of them myself.  They are ones that I would look into if my kids were at this age.

Let's Talk About Sex - starting young

"Where do babies come from?"
This is the usual first question kids ask that opens up a discussion about bodies and sex.  Another opening may be, "How are girls different from boys?", or the one I got, "Mom, why don't you have a penis?"
Kids are naturally curious about everything.  It is our job as parents to teach them about everything, including matters of the body.  Pre-schoolers will ask questions like these.  It is important that we answer them honestly and in an age-appropriate manner.  Kids this age don't need to know the details of intercourse, Daddy having sperm that meets Mommy's egg is usually a sufficient answer for them.
More importantly our kids need to know that yes there are differences between the way boys and girls are made.  It is good for us to let them know what these differences are and what the proper names for body parts are as well.
I know a lot of you are totally nervous about this.  It is so important for us to look at our own feelings about sex and bodies and think about how our attitude is going to transfer over to our children.  Many people unwittingly pass on feelings of shame to their kids when it comes to discussing bodies.  This can come from our own personal feelings due to our own personal experiences, or even by the refusal to talk about it, glossing over the subject (saying things like "down there" instead of calling a penis a penis).
When I started to talk about bodies with my kids I bought two books to help me along.  One specifically talked about private parts.  The other talked about bodies as a whole, how our bodies work and function.  I wanted them to see their bodies as an entity.


Amazing You! by Dr. Gail Saltz is written with pre-schoolers in mind.  It describes the differences between boy bodies and girl bodies.  The pictures are drawn.  The book is written in a very positive way to introduce kids to this topic.  The back pages have a letter to parents to help them along as they talk to their kids.  I really recommend picking this one up as a conversation starter for you and your kids.  I bought it when my oldest was 4 and asking a lot of questions.  My 3 year old is now asking some of the same questions so I've brought this book out and found that it is helping.


The Busy Body Book is the other book I bought to help me to teach my kids about how their bodies work.  This book focuses on fitness and healthy living.  Again, the pictures are drawn.  This book shows the different systems of the body (skeletal, muscles, brain & nerves, lungs, heart & blood vessels, and the stomach & intestines).  It gives an overview of how the body works together and what we do to maintain a healthy body.
I think it's great to cover the body as a whole system.  The more kids know to be healthy, the better off they will be.

Things I've learned about talking to my kids about their bodies:
1) teach them the correct names for body parts.  It's fine to use the word "pee-pee" for everyday talk, but let them know a penis is a penis.  Teach your girl the difference between a labia, urethra and vagina.
2) let them know early on that parts of their bodies are private, and only for them.  It is perfectly fine for your child to know the meaning of privacy and grant them the opportunity to change in private, pee in private and wash in private (yes, supervise their bath for safety).  We started with privacy when our oldest was 2 and in daycare.  We knew that the daycare workers were changing his diapers.  We taught him the phrase "wipe, wipe, done".  He knew that if people were handling his diaper changing longer than that that he needed to tell us.  Yes, that is how early we started.  We've kept this topic open often.  One way to describe what a private part is is anything that your bathing suit covers is private.  We've also taught our kids the importance of telling us no matter what anyone else tells them.  My kids know that there are some adults who are not nice and who tell lies.  It is more important that mommy and daddy know what adults (or bigger kids) are saying and doing than what those people tell them.  Their bodies are their own.
3) talk to your kids about everything.  My husband was raised in a family where kids were seen and not heard.  He was a kid with lots of questions and didn't get many if any answers.  The more questions you answer about everything with your kids (no matter how tedious), the more open they will be to come to you with questions about their bodies.
4) talk with a straight face.  Practice saying the words, or, reading the book of your choice for them if you have to.  I have an easier time with this than my husband does.  I think it's because of the homes we grew up in.  He wasn't allowed to talk about it.  My mom was an RN and did talk to us from a young age.  She was straightforward with us and that's how I want to be with my kids.
5) think age appropriately.  Kids at this age do not need to know everything.  The details are not yet important.  They need to know the basics.  They need to know what bodies look like.  They need to know that their bodies will change as they get older.  They need to know that a sperm + egg = a baby.  They need to know that babies grow inside of a mommy's uterus (not tummy) before it is born.  When I was pregnant with my 3rd child, my (then) 5 year old really wanted to know exactly what was going on.  I found a beautiful book at the library with color pictures describing the development of a baby.

Lennart Nilsson is a well known Sweedish Photographer who captured babies in utero.  This is exactly the book that my son needed at the time.  I now know that there is another similar book geared to children called "How was I born?" from the same photographer and author.

5. Books are excellent tools to get questions answered and conversations going.  You may find you have an easier time talking with your kids if you are all looking at a book together.
6. Be ready for any question at any time.  They will come when you least expect them.  It is okay to give them a quick answer and say, "You know, that's a great question.  Why don't we talk about it tonight when Mommy has a good amount of time to talk with you about it?"  Then make sure you follow up!

Remember, you want the best for your little ones.  Knowledge is crucial for them.  They trust you most in this world, we need to return the favor be honest and open back.

Let's Talk About Sex

It is one of the most important topics our kids face and I'm bold enough to say, I think we've completely failed our kids on this one.  What???  Oh yes.  As a whole our kids are not well informed when it comes to their bodies and sex.  Before you start arguing with me on this one I want you to first ask yourself, "what have I done in opening the lines of communication on this topic?".  Then think about this, what did your own parents do to talk about sex when you were growing up?  Now you may be thinking, but my kid is only 4, this isn't something I have to worry about yet.  Well, I would counter that opening this topic starts young, in an age appropriate manner of course.  You start with bodies when they are little and the topic grows over the course of time.
Take a look around us.  Our society glorifies sex.  It can demean women.  It can destroy men.  We have not done well with this topic.  The only way we can help our kids deal with sex is to teach them about it.  Over the next few posts, I'm going to talk about how to talk to your kids about sex.  What is real, honest and appropriate.  I'm no expert.  I'm a mom.  I'm also a teacher.  I've also been a youth leader for young women.  It's from conversations with these girls (ages 13-17) that has had me worried the most.   I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic too.  What have or haven't you done to educate your kids when it comes to matters of sex? 

A Glass of Wine

My husband and I went out on a date tonight. We rarely eat out, never mind in a restaurant void of a playplace, so this was very exciting for us. Uninterrupted adult conversation and good Italian food on the table. What more could I ask for. A glass of wine to go with it? Perhaps, but I really wasn't sure. I knew a glass of wine would be enjoyable, but I'm a breastfeeding mama. My 4 month old daughter relies on me for her dinner. Yes, I could (and did) give her a bottle, but how long until I could breastfeed her again? Do I pump and dump? Or can I just wait it out?
I found the answers at Motherisk's website. Motherisk is a program out of Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. For 25 years it has been dedicated to research and education for women concerning the health of their unborn and breastfeeding children. It is a clinical, research and teaching program dedicated to antenatal drug, chemical, and disease risk counselling. I knew if anyone would have my answer it would be them.
They have developed a chart based on the mother's weight and number of drinks consumed as to how long they would have to wait before being cleared to breastfeed again. The chart is an estimate and the Motherisk article preceding it fully explains the thoughts behind alcohol consumption and breastfeeding. I strongly suggest you take a look through it. Personally, I do not want to expose my baby to alcohol which is why I found their chart helpful.
To find the article and the chart click here
To find out more about Motherisk and their programs click here

Life in the NICU - the monitors

The monitors will drive you nuts if you let them. All the babies in the NICU are hooked up to monitors. They keep track of their heartrate, oxygen saturation levels and Resps. They are a guide. And they aren't fool proof. It's pretty scary to watch your child's heartrate monitor flatline, but when you look down at them you know they are breathing and nice and pink. Sometimes it's just the monitor not picking it up. Or your child has squirmed so much that the monitors are now on top of each other and not reading correctly. Don't jump at all the bells and dings either. Relax about it. Yes, it is hypnotic to watch. The nurses themselves don't use those as the actual readings. They take the vitals for heart and resps themselves. So yes they are there, but they are a guide and remember, when you take your precious one home, they won't be hooked up to them anymore, you have to learn to look at your baby yourself to know what's going on with them. All in good time.

It's Potty Time

Want to start a good old mama debate real fast? Ask how potty training is going. Here's a list of possible topics that can come out of this:
-when to start?
-are they ready?
-pullups?
-just underwear?
-potty?
-right to the toilet?
-what about at daycare?
-what about leaving the house?
-night training?
And the list goes on and on and on. I don't claim in any way to be an expert at potty training. I have ideas. I have experience with one child and I'm starting to get experience with my second. To our great surprise and wonder, our second has decided to start training on his own. I really don't know how this happened and I have no idea how to make your child decide to do this. Our boy is 2 and a half. We struggled training his older brother until he was 3 and a half. We tried everything. We read potty books. We filled him with liquid and sat him on the potty every hour. We tried reward charts and treats. We paid out so much money in pull-ups that I should have taken stock in the company and nothing worked. He simply wasn't ready. Do you want to know what finally did it for him? Hockey underwear. He loves hockey and decided that he didn't want to get the hockey players dirty. That was it. That was his big motivator and it worked.
I think our second is being motivated simply because he wants to be a big boy like his brother. We've had the potty out for a while now and let him sit on it when he wanted with no expectation for anything yet. The hope has been that we would work on potty training at some point before he's three and the new baby comes along (I really don't like having 2 in diapers). Last weekend, he shouted to me from the bathroom, "Mommy, I peed!" and I had this little naked boy running excitedly around the house. Sure enough, on his own initiative, he had ripped off his diaper and peed in the potty. I was shocked. And very excited. The next day I went searching for training pants. The thick white cotton kind. He told me he wanted to wear underwear - so that's what we did. He wears the training pants first with pair of little underwear over top. He's extremely proud of this. At this point we are only doing this while we are at home. He hasn't yet gone potty at daycare and we're not pushing it. He's still wearing a diaper when we go out because I don't think he's ready for that next step yet. Once he's a little more consistent with using underwear and making it successfully to the potty then we'll venture out diaperless.
How has it gone since that first time last Saturday? Pretty good. He's gone potty at least once or twice each day when we've been home. The times where he hasn't quite made it there, he's almost made it and told me he has to pee or has run into the bathroom and just didn't quite give himself enough time. We're taking the stance of being relaxed and encouraging about it. It's a learning process. We know he's starting to pick up his own body cues which is great, and now it's just a matter of putting it all together. Sure there's extra laundry to do, but it's to be expected at any stage of potty training (just wait until it's sheets for night training, then the extra pants won't seem like much). At this point we're not buying him pull-ups, but that's not to say we won't at some later point. I like that he feels wet immediately with the training pants, but they soak up enough that it doesn't leave a mess behind. Training pants can be harder to find these days (not like when we were kids and that's all the option our parents had), I believe I found ours at Zellers. They are basically a thick underwear, made out of a similar material to long johns.
As with anything potty training is something that you need to find what works best for you and your child. I don't think there is a perfect way to do it. Just take a deep breath and relax, everyone gets it eventually.

Sick and Pregnant

As opposed to being sick because I'm pregnant, or sick of being pregnant.
I have what is known as seasonal flu. No, it's not H1N1, the symptoms are different. I woke up yesterday feeling slightly achy, but decided to brave it out and go to work. I knew by lunchtime I'd be staying home today. Last night I faced the chills and fatigue. Today, the chills and fever are gone, but the fatigue and a cough remain (a productive cough though, which is good).
My husband very generously offered to make me up a Neo Citran, which I couldn't accept because of the baby. I don't like to take anything when I'm pregnant, I even kicked my 1 a day Diet Coke habit for this little one. And then I tried to remember how did I handle being sick when I was pregnant the last 2 go rounds. Here's some home remedy tips that should help you out if you are ever in this same situation.
1. A nice warm bubble bath should take some of the edge off the chills
2. Likewise a hot shower will create the steam to help clear out any congestion you may have.
3. Take the time to rest - that's why we have sick days! Yes, I took my 2 year old to daycare today, I wouldn't have gotten a nap in otherwise. And yes, I relaxed my TV time allotment rule yesterday afternoon so I could sit up on the couch curled up in a quilt. It's just a day, it's not going to ruin them for life. Use your sick day to really rest, not catch up on stuff. The dishes, laundry and other household things can wait, they wouldn't have gotten done if you'd been at work anyways! If you are a stay at home mom, this is the time to cash in favors from friends and family, ship your kids out for a little while.
4. Make your own hot honey & lemon drink. No, it doesn't have the medicine of a Neo Citran, but it does help soothe a sore throat and cough. I have big Starbucks mugs, so I use 2 TBSP of honey and one TBSP of lemon juice to the boiling water. Smaller mugs can use less.
5. Prop yourself up a bit for sleep time - it won't irritate your cough and you'll get some much needed rest.
6. Boost up on Vitamin C. I don't like oranges (most people find this strange) - but I do like other things that contain Vitamin C, such as red peppers and strawberries. Today I munched on fresh pineapple.
7. Drink plenty of liquids - keep yourself hydrated
8. Dig out the humidifier and get it going for yourself
9. Change your bedding and your PJ's - you'll feel fresher and know you aren't sleeping in your old germs
10. Clean your toothbrush - same reason as above
11. Make yourself a warm moist cloth compress to put on your forehead, cheeks and/or eyes to relieve pressure from sinus pain
12. Ginger has long been used as a home remedy - try some ginger tea or some soup with ginger in it.
13. Cash in a backrub from your significant other - it sounds silly but it really does help fight flu and cold (I don't know why, you'll have to ask someone else about that part)
14. A warm foot soak can help relieve pain and pressure
15. Use a heating pad on your back or wherever you are finding an ache.

These are just some of my tips. You probably have some of your own to add to my list. Let me know in the comments section. Feel well and take care of yourself!

Night Training

Potty training and night training are two completely different things. My oldest son has been potty trained since he was 3 and a half, we've been working on night training ever since. I really didn't know where to turn for advice on night training. Jill was no good, her kids just do it naturally and she has no idea how that happened. Another mother I know told me not to worry about it her son is 8 and still wears pull-ups at night. Oh great, I really did not want to be buying pull ups for that long!
We'd been working at training in pull-ups with ups and downs and it all came to a head a few months back. Our son was getting ready for bed at a friends house. The other kids his age happened to see that he was wearing a pull up under his jammies. That did it. Peer pressure. He did not want to be seen as wearing a 'diaper'. Up until that point he believed pull-ups to be different than diapers. From that night on he would only wear underwear to bed.
Well, one does not stay dry instantaneously. As I began to do a lot more laundry, I figured there had to be a better way. So I did some reading. It relaxed me a lot. It told me that boys were harder to night train than girls. Most boys aren't night trained competely until they are 6 (if they are still not by then you need to talk to your doctor). My son was 4 so I felt he wasn't so far behind. There are few things that we do now to guarantee that he will be dry all night.
1st - his last drink of the day is 6pm. Nothing after. He hates this, but knows that until he wakes himself up to pee he has to stick by it.
2nd - We both (my husband & I) wake him and take him to the toilet in the night. Our son is a pretty deep sleeper so he needs this help. I go to bed somewhere around 10-11 at night and make sure to get him up at this time. My husband usually turns in around 1 and he gets up him up then too. So far it works. I really don't know how long we'll have to keep getting him up like this but you can't argue with success. The happiness in his face when he first started waking up dry was priceless. He was so excited and so proud! "I'm dry!" he declared.

When your friend's child has food allergies . . .

My oldest son, Andrew, has food allergies. His allergies are not life threatening, but if he were to eat three strawberries, drink a glass of pop containing caffeine or have several licks of an ice cream cone he would have such bad intestinal pain and gas that he would be out of commission for several days. His behavior would deteriorate, his sleep would be disrupted and he would develop an uncomfortable rash that might stay around for a month or more. No, I would not have to pull out an epi pen, nor would he have to be rushed to the hospital, but we would all be a lot happier if he had not eaten the food he was allergic to.

Some kids can eat small amounts of one food that bothers them, but eating several small amounts of several foods that bother them could overload their body the same as eating a lot of one food that they are allergic to. My son is mildly allergic to tomatoes, strawberries, peanuts, caffeine, chocolate, and all milk products. This means that if he has a chocolate chip cookie, he will be okay. If someone accidentally puts butter on vegetables and serves them to him, he'll have a bit of a sore tummy, but otherwise be fine. But if he were to have a piece of chocolate cake with icing made with butter and a hot dog with whey in it at a birthday party, he would be writhing in pain at about 11pm that night. Other common allergens in this category are soy, eggs and red food colouring.

If neither you nor your children have allergies, it can be easy to forget about or dismiss other kids' mild allergies. Many of the foods we think of as being "kid friendly" are the very ones that will upset they systems of kids with allergies. Below I have provided a list of do's and don't, along with a couple of stories about what it can be like for a young child with food allergies.

Do NOT:

• Decide they are being over-protective and serve their child something that contains an allergen.


• Comment in front of their child that they are missing "the good stuff" at a party or social event.


• Make a big point about their allergies in front of the child's friends.


• Ignore or dismiss their child when they tell you they can not eat something -- even if they are a pre-schooler.


• Put toppings on the child's food -- butter, soya sauce, salsa, ketchup, whipped cream or chocolate chips may be harmless enough for most kids, but they could cause a major reaction in an allergic kid.


• Give them seasonal "treats" such as milk chocolate or red suckers as the soul gift at a seasonal party or event.

One time we went to a supper that was held after a fund raising event. The food had been provided by several ladies at the local church. They had each made a casserole. Quick, think of a casserole that doesn't have milk, cheese or tomatoes in it. Oh, there isn't one. My son ate plain white rolls and carrot sticks for supper. For dessert, a local store had donated chocolate bars for the kids. Again, my son had to watch all the kids around him break into their chocolate bars, and be left with nothing. Several well meaning people offered to get him a chocolate bar, or to share theirs with him. I had foolishly assumed that there would be something there he could eat, and had brought no alternative options. We left the event early, and my son cried in disappointment and frustration on the way home.

DO:

• Have a chat with mom about the food you will be serving at a party or event. Most moms with allergic kids will gladly bring along some soy ice cream or jelly bean easter eggs so their child can join in the fun. I have even brought a sub along to a party where the main meal was to be pizza.


• Discreetly discuss food preparation with your friend or their older child before you add things that might bother them. Keep one cupcake un-iced until you check with someone.


• Offer a choice of toppings on the side at a meal or event.


• Sympathize with or distract your friend's child if their allergy is not taken into consideration at an event.


• If your friend visits frequently, keep alternate products that store well on hand. One family we visit often keeps a small container of soy ice cream in their deep freeze for Andrew. Pea butter for sandwiches is a nice alternative for slightly peanut allergic kids.


• Add a few basic foods, such as rice, potatoes or bread and a plain protein option at a family gathering or pot luck. Good desserts to add to cake and ice cream are watermelon or Rice Krispie squares or gummi bears. Set a bit of dough aside before you add the chocolate chips to that batch of cookies or banana bread. If you do not have time to do this, ask the mom to bring something their child can eat to share with all the kids.


• Give pencils, balloons, noise makers, art supplies or stickers instead of food items in goodie bags or seasonal swaps.

One time my son's allergies were handled well was when my son's playschool class went on a tour of Dairy Queen on their last day of school. The trip ended, predictably, with all the kids having a chance to make their own ice cream cone. My son walked out proudly holding the ice cream cone he had made on the cool big machine, only to have to give the cone to his little brother and watch all his friends eat ice cream around him. I could see that he was on a downhill spiral towards a meltdown as he asked, "How come they don't serve soy ice cream here?". One of his friends' moms wisely said, "They should serve soy ice cream. That would be great, wouldn't it?". This comment raised my son's spirits. We then asked the store manager for an official dairy queen cone that he could fill with soy ice cream when he got home. This was enough to get him past his disappointment, and he happily socialized with his friends while they ate their cones.

Midnight Panic

Last night I awoke to the scariest sound ever, my youngest son was trying to get a breath and struggling to do so. It sounded like choking, he was crying and drooling everywhere. Just like that panic alert set in.
My husband and I got to him at the same time (my husband was still up, it was just midnight). Both of us have our first aid/CPR current so we knew that as long as he was crying, his airway wasn't completely blocked, but we also knew that this wasn't right either. I took our boy, my husband took the phone and dialed 911.
We couldn't see any obstruction and had no idea what was going on. He had been perfectly healthy and happy going to bed 4 and a half hours earlier. Fortunately, the firefighters (yes, they got to us first) were there within minutes and the paramedics were not far behind. As soon as they heard his choking noises they knew what the culprit was, croup.
I remember reading about croup, but this was our first experience with it. If you haven't ever heard it before it sounds like the scariest thing. Your child is struggling to breathe and making noises that sound like a seal barking. Our boy was also gag-coughing, as if he has something caught in his throat (like a cat with a hairball).
We've learned a lot about croup in the last 24 hours. It is a viral infection that causes swelling near the vocal chords. It can and does come on as quickly as that, in the middle of the night, which is scary for both parents and their child. Croup often hits children under 5 as their airways are quite small.
Both the doctor in the emergency department and the paramedics were quick to reassure us that although croup is common among children, never hesitate to get your child seen. Croup can become serious and the earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the better. Our son was given a dose of ventenlin in the ambulance, which helped his breathing. He was also given a dose of corticosteroids at the hospital, which counteracts the swelling. The rest of the things that can be done to treat croup can be done at home. They include:
-using a humidifier in the room
-staying calm, and calm and distract your child - use a story, favorite video, rock in the rocking chair and speak softly to your child - crying only makes the croup cough worse - the paramedic noticed Elmo on my son's jammies and started to talk to him about Seasame Street which got his attention and eased his crying off
-take a walk in the cool night air (bundle him up in a blanket)
-offer fluids, including soups and freezer pops
-hold your child upright - the doctor told me it wasn't neccessary for him to be propped up while sleeping, but being held upright when he's coughing will help ease the cough
-sleep in the same room as your child so that you can get to them quickly and hear what is going on (croup coughs often happen in the middle of the night - our son is camping out in our bed for the next few days just in case)
*note - cough medicines do not help with croup and should not be given, most medicines are not reccommended to be given to children under 6 anyway
Signs that are troublesome and show that you need to get your child seen (or re-seen) include:
-funny whistling breathing noises (both in and out struggling for air)
-high fever (often fever accompanies croup, but anything over 103* F or 39.7*C is too high)
-showing the ribs when breathing - breathing too hard
-drooling, difficulty swallowing
-starts to look blue
-you cannot get him to calm down and the struggle for air is becoming worse
*call for help immediately if any of these things are happening
The doctor told us that croup runs its course in about 5 days and that the 5th day could be the worst. In my son's case it was caught early enough and mild enough that it probably won't develop into anything serious, but again, he wanted to reassure me to bring him back if it did get worse.
I did call his daycare to let them know. Croup is semi-contagious so it may run through the daycare centre. Our daycare manager called public health who told her that as long as he wasn't running a high fever and was mostly better he could attend daycare. It's always good to let your child's daycare, caregiver or school know if they pick up any illness, just in case. Most care centres and schools have a health policy for each kind of illness so you want to make sure that you are following their guidelines (you don't want other little ones to run ill).
I was extremely impressed with everyone we saw last night, from the firefighters to the paramedics to the nurses to the doctor. Everyone was so wonderful with him. They knew that this was a scary thing for a 2 year old to be going through and they were so gentle and kind to him. Often, we don't take the time to thank those who do their job well and these people really were fantastic, so thank you!
To learn more about croup check this out:
Mayo Clinic: Croup