Mother Can I Trust the Government?

Once again, the government has failed to protect the youngest citizens. Yesterday, it was announced that the most common baby bottles may be dangerous. The baby bottles in question are made of hard, clear plastic made with Bisphenol A, also called BPA. Heating a BPA bottle increases the amount of leaching, which is a common practice for warming breastmilk or formula in a bottle. Babies and young children are most at risk from the leaching effects of BPA. According to a CNN article (courtesy of the Web Savant), "Rachel Gibson, a lawyer for Los Angeles-based Environment California, said the laboratory tests on bottles from all five brands - Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex (Charts) - were found to leach bisphenol A at amounts known to harm animals in laboratory animal studies." Environment California Research and Policy Center conducted the independent test on baby bottles. “Parents cannot be expected to deal with these issues on their own,” said Gibson. “California must act to assist parents and ensure that products on the market are not potentially harmful for children.” Click here for more information from Environment California about baby bottles. A report from San Francisco television station KTVU can be obtained here. For additional information on Ecochildsplay, please visit our previous posts "San Francisco Bans Certain Plastic Toys" and "Finally, A Safe Sippy Cup". The best alternatives are stainless steep sippy cups for toddlers made by Klean Kanteen (available through Amazon or Reusablebags.com) and glass baby bottles. The potential dangers of plastic baby bottles reminds us that the breast is best for our children.

Downshifting Week-Slow Down and Green Up!

April 21-April 27 is National Downshifting Week, created by sustainable living writer and broadcaster Tracey Smith. During this week, citizens in the UK and US are asked to "Slow Down and Green Up!" Here are a few tips from the press release to help you downshift:
· Cut up a credit card - “Learning to live within our means is key to downshifting and positively embracing living with less is better still.”
· Plant something in the garden you can cultivate and eat - “Grow a few tomatoes or chillies on a windowsill if you have no garden; pesticide-free produce tastes amazing. It also breaks the myth that all food comes from the supermarkets!”
· Contact local food producers and re-think your vending machines at work – “Low mileage food and drinks and Fair Trade and Organic treats in the workplace…whatever next!”
· Book a half-day off work to spend with someone you love, no DIY allowed - “How can we have ‘quality time’ with great people, if we spend so much of it chasing the money? Money can’t buy you time.
For more information, visit www.downshiftingweek.com, where you can find suggestions for individuals, companies, and schools. Tracey also provides a great free ebook on the topic of downshifting.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"-Leonardo Da Vinci.

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends

Both of my kids became interested in Thomas the Tank Engine wooden railway system when they were two years old. I have always been amazed at how this simple wooden toy sustains their attention. It is true that many children and families succumb to the mass merchandising for Thomas toys, clothes, etc.; however, the wooden railway system is a natural toy that is common to many households in America. In my opinion, that is a good thing. Of course, there are many plastic Thomas toys, but I find the wooden railway system of good quality and designed for open-ended play. It is neat to watch a child evolve from depending on adults to build the tracks to creating their own unique track systems, which is very good for learning about spatial relationships. The train play can be open-ended with children making up their own storylines; however, I do know children that rely on storylines from the tv program for their train play. Thomas the Tank Engine wooden toys are expensive, but they do last and you may be able to find them second hand. We began with the figure 8 conductor set, then added an expansion kit. In addition, we have received various individual products as gifts. Thomas the Tank Engine is a very commercial line of toys, but the fact that they are made of wood makes them a natural toy in my opinion. There are other companies, such as Brio, that make wooden railway systems too.

Do You Need a Good Laugh?

Searching around the Blogsphere, I came across this hilarious list of "The Top 10 Most Ridiculous Products for Baby" writtne by blogger Matt Dinniman. Although this list does not contain natural toys, there are several items that try to mimic natural processes or parenting. Personally, I think the above pictured cradle by Moffi is rather cool; however, I understand Matt's opinion that, "I bet it's probably really comfortable for the baby, but man is it creepy. If the baby spends too much time in this thing he'll probably end up on late-night radio in 30 years talking about his repressed memories of being abducted by aliens." Number 8 on the list is product designed to allow men to "breastfeed". Matt even includes a link about a man who was able to lactate! (Click here to read.)
Number one on Matt's list is the above pictured Zaky Pillow. Matt describes the Zaky Pillow as, "Disembodied zombie hands to hold the baby in place. I don't care how well they say this works. It's the creepiest baby product I have ever seen, and it deserves its place as #1 on this list." Although Matt's list is intended to by humorous, there are several comments of people supporting the use of these products. I think it is important to be able to laugh but understand that every parent needs to find what works for them.

Make Paper Toys!

About two weeks ago, I read about a fun website on Z Recommends, one of my favorite parenting blogs. The Toy Maker is full of downloadable PDF files for paper toys. We tried making the magic wand and fuschia box. Each toy takes a certain amount of fine motor skills, thus they are not appropriate for little children or arthritic hands. I would recommend these projects for children older than 10, if you expect them to participate in the construction. Otherwise, younger children are amazed at your talents when you construct one of these toys for them. I recommend printing on recycled card stock, as regular paper is too flimsy. Our fuschia box has a tilt to it from using regular computer paper. In addition, for many projects you need to know the difference between a mountain and valley fold. I love to make handmade books, so I was familiar with these terms. A mountain fold creates a mountain peak shape; a valley fold creates a "v" shape (perhaps it should really be called a gorge fold, as a geographical valley is not usually so narrow). As Z Recs writes, this site is useful for "a quick and easy new toy to help turn a tough day around." This would be a very useful site for babysitters! Below, I've included Amazon products by my favorite author on paper arts Shereen LaPlantz and the Toy Maker's book.

Lead in Lunchboxes-Part 2

The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is a great source for information on lead in lunchboxes. In answer to the question "How dangerous are lunchboxes with lead?", CEH replies, "The levels CEH found in lunchboxes are not high enough by themselves to cause acute lead poisoning during normal use. However, wth prolonged use or if you child is exposed to lead from other sources, a leaded lunchbox would add to their health risk. Because lead has been shown to cause developmental problem in young children at very low levels, CEH beleives it is important to eliminate all controllable sources of lead exposure, including lunchboxes." In addition, CEH offers a a kit and instructions for testing your lunchbox for lead. These kits are also commonly available at hardware stores. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has posted two recent articles on lead in lunchboxes:
Are You Poisoning Your Child With a Lead-Tainted Soft Plastic Vinyl Lunchbox?
Consumer Protection Agency Covered Up Risks from Lead in Children's Lunchboxes
The OCA writes, "Government documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) were released today, revealing that the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) withheld information about high levels of lead found in its testing of children’s vinyl lunchboxes, and falsely claimed that agency tests showed no need for concern." This investigation began almost two years ago and finally the mainstream press is picking up on this issue. I can't believe it took a Freedom of Information Act filing to reveal this information. I have no faith in the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). For more information, please see our previous post "More Lead Hazards: Lunchboxes". Reusablebags.com offers many lead-free lunchbags.

The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Toy

This toy is expensive, but I feel it is well worth the money and a great gift to request from grandparents. Magic Cabin's Recycled Tire Horse Swing is great fun! Do follow the instructions when installing it, as we forgot to tie a knot around the tree branch so
our swing slips sometimes. You will need a 2 x4 piece of wood and rope. The instructions are just a picture, so it is easy to miss a step. My daughter loves to play on this recycled toy! We have tied an additional rope to it, so that another child or adult can pull the horse back and forth. Another favorite activity is to twist the horse round and round, then let go and spin yourself dizzy. The toy is rated for ages 3 and up and for up to 200 pounds. I can't say that I have tried to ride it, but maybe I should now I know it can hold me (but can the tree branch?). This is the coolest recycled tire toy I have ever seen. The only information I could find regarding the risks to tire exposure involved the manufacturing of rubber tires and recycled tire crumbs used on playgrounds for cushioning. If you have information on the risks of children playing with tires, please post a comment.

Snow Day

It is snowing here! We have about four inches on the ground. Just three days ago, it was sunny and 68 degrees. Our satellite internet connection does not work in the snow (I have to pour water on the dish every 15 minutes to melt the snow...and sometimes that doesn't even work), thus we may have trouble updating Eco Child's Play for a couple of days.

Store Wars

I was first sent this organic parody of Star Wars about a year ago, and now it has come back around to me again.

More Lead Hazards: Lunchboxes

I just received an email from the Sierra Club with a quote about lead in lunchboxes that caught my attention: "When it comes to a lunchbox, it's carried. The food that you put in the lunch box may have an outer wrapping, a baggie, so there isn't direct exposure. The direct exposure would be if kids were putting their lunchboxes in their mouth, which isn't a common way for children to interact with their lunchbox," said CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese." What...lead in lunchboxes? I assumed that the culprit must be the old school metal lunchboxes....but no! Vinyl lunchboxes/bags contain lead! I am shocked anyone would put lead in a kid's toy (see previous posts "Please Sign This Petition" and "Ban on Lead in Kid's Jewelry in the Works"), let alone an item that comes into contact with food! The above quote from the Consumer Product Safety Commission is ridiculous. Do you put your child's apple in a plastic baggie in their lunchbox? Once again I am outraged that given the known risks of lead contamination, products designed for children test positive for dangerous levels of lead. According to CNN,
• Study found one in five vinyl lunchboxes tested contained unsafe amounts of lead
• CPSC statement indicated "no instances of hazardous levels"
• FDA sent a letter to manufacturers warning of possibly dangerous lead levels
• Experts say elevated levels of lead in blood a significant health hazard for children
To read the full article, click here. Magic Cabin offers a great alternative to the vinyl lunchboxes, as mentioned in my previous post "Eco-Friendly Lunch Bag". Reusablebags.com also offers several lead-free safe lunch bags for kids children.

A Recommended Blog

A friend of mine sent me a link to an interesting parenting blog called the Lactivist, "Supporting Breastfeeding in Public, Extended Breastfeeding and Breast Milk Bank Donations", written by Jennifer Laycock. I love the name lactivist, as this blog focues on parenting and breastfeeding. I found her post on "My Conflict with Cosleeping" interesting and honest; however, I do not share her opinions. I love cosleeping with my children and dread the day my little one will be in his own bed. He is such a snuggle bug, and nighttime is a great time to reconnect after a busy day. A king sized bed would be nice for cosleeping, and many parents worry about smothering their child or their child falling out of bed. Our solution was to take one side off of the crib, outfit the crib with an
organic cotton mattress, then place the crib right beside the bed. One side of the bed is protected with the remaining sides of the crib, and my son can sleep on that side of me to avoid falling out the bed or his father's tossing and turning. Another post by the Lactivist I found interesting is " Wooly Boobs?" Jennifer writes, "So...again...I ran across a fascinating story today out of the UK that involves a 73 year old woman, a lactation counselor and some wooly boobs. What? Did you read that right? Yep...WOOLY BOOBS. Apparently one of the hospitals over in the UK ran out of funds to purchase the expensive plastic breasts that are often used by LCs to show mothers how to latch baby on, how to manually express milk and so on. The solution? Find a pattern for knitted breasts and ask a grandmother to go to work. They did, and she did and the result are some of the softest (and most colorful!) breasts that you can imagine." Wooly boobs is a great natural alternative to plastic! The Lactivist also recommmends a book I can't wait to order in her post "Book Review: Mother's Milk". The Lactivist writes, "The book features one line of rhyme per page to tell the story of all the ways that moms love their breastfeeding babies. It shows babies nursing while mom sleeps, babies nursing in the park, a foal nursing in a field, a coyote nursing her young, even a shot of both a dolphin and a whale nursing their offspring while swimming in the ocean." This sounds like a very sweet book. The Lactivist Store offers the best breastfeeding t-shirts I have ever seen (including pro breastfeeding shirts for men), and donations are made to the Mother's Milk Bank of Ohio. The Lactivist posts from central Ohio, which is also where I grew up.

Newberry Controversy

I love children's books, and perhaps spend too much money on them. When today's New York Times featured an article about a controversial Newberry-winning book, I had to order it. The Higher Power of Lucky is about a 10 year old girl who's mother passed away. The controversy appears on the first page when Lucky's dog is bit by a rattlesnake in the scrotum. Librarians across the country have decided to ban the book based on the use of the word scrotum. The NY Times writes, "The inclusion of the word has shocked some school librarians, who have pledged to ban the book from elementary schools, and reopened the debate over what constitutes acceptable content in children’s books." The author of The Higher Power of Lucky Susan Pantry, who is also a public librarian, comments on her use of the word scrotum,“The word is just so delicious. The sound of the word to Lucky is so evocative. It’s one of those words that’s so interesting because of the sound of the word.” I'm not sure I agree with the description of the word as "delicious"; however, I do not find it offensive (and I hope Eco Child's Play readers don't either). Personally, I think children should be taught the correct name for their body parts, including their genitals. We have never used cutesy names for our children's genitals. In fact, vagina became a speech articulation lesson for my daughter who struggled with the difference between /b/ and /v/. She called it her "bagina". Scrotum is not a word we have taught our children yet (but will as soon as our copy of The Higher Power of Lucky arrives). We'll let our readers know what we think of this Newberry winner, once we've had a chance to read it to our children.
To read the full NY Times article, click here.

A Disappointing Boat

For the most part, I have always been very pleased with the natural toys that have come into our home; however, every once and awhile we receive a natural toy that disappoints (this is one reason why we began this blog). The rubber band powered boat from Magic Cabin is one such toy. We had seen a similar version of this toy at a friend's house and thought it was really cool. Our friend's boat worked great with the simple twist of a rubber band. When I saw Magic Cabin had a similar boat, I ordered it for our bath tub fun. The Magic Cabin boat is smaller than our friend's boat and made of less dense wood. As Magic Cabin advertises, it does float; however, the rubber band does not move the paddle significantly to power the boat. I tried different rubber bands hypothesizing it was the weak rubber band's fault, but no rubber bands worked. The rubber bands are very difficult to feed through the small holes on the side of the boat, which makes changing rubber bands a frustrating task. Even if the toy worked, this would still be an issue. Little children love to take things apart to see how they work. Putting the boat back together definitely takes a patient adult. Perhaps there is a trick I don't know about. If anyone knows this trick or where to obtain another working version of the rubber band boat, please post a comment. I would like to try the other boat offered by Magic Cabin powered by a balloon. The balloon boat is recommended for ages 8 and above, probably due to the chokeable hazard balloons hold and the fact that young children can not blow up balloons on their own. Since children are well-supervised in the bath tub, I don't think this would be a huge issue.

Naturally Resistant Sleepwear?

Garnet Hill has just announced naturally flame-resistant sleepwear. According to product descriptions, these pajamas are made of "55% modacrylic/45% cotton blend that is naturally flame resistant without the use of chemicals." According to Wikipedia, "Modacrylic fibers, first produced in the United States in 1949, are modified acrylic fibers made from acrylonitriles." Modacrylic is flame-resistant; however, it is a synthetic fiber. Therefore, I do not feel Garnet Hill's new line of sleepwear is "naturally" flame-resistant, since the sleepwear is not made of natural fibers. However, the absence of flame retardants is to be applauded. Many people are concerned about our exposure to Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the most common flame retardant in the US), especially since their presence has been found in breast milk (click here for USA Today article). In fact PBDE levels in humans are doubling every two to five years! Europe and California (starting in 2008) have already banned PBDEs; however, PBDE's are not found in sleepwear but mattresses, computers, tvs, etc. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, "To prevent burn injuries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges parents to make sure their children's sleepwear is either flame-resistant or snug-fitting. Loose-fitting T-shirts and other loose-fitting clothing made of cotton or cotton blends should not be used for children's sleepwear. These garments can catch fire easily..." The safer, natural alternative I advocate is to provide your child with snug fitting cotton pajamas. The Green Guide writes, "Is fire-retardant sleepwear toxic? Most likely not, but it might be uncomfortable because synthetic; the polyester used in sleepwear is a fire-resistant blend, even without additional treatment. In 1977, a toxic fire-retardant called Tris commonly used in sleepwear was banned, and since then most fire-resistant sleepwear has been additive free. We have not found any sleepwear that does use PBDEs as a flame retardant. In any case, washing should dissipate chemical additives, while the CPSC requires fire-resistant sleepwear to be effective through at least 50 laundry cycles..." For information, check out the Green Guide.

One Love

Reggae King offers the coolest 100% cotton t-shirts/rompers for your infant, toddler, and child. The "B is for Bob" shirt is my favorite. In fact, I just ordered another one for my son in a larger size, as he is out growing his first one. These shirts do run a little small, so I suggest you order a size up for your child.
B is for Bob creeper
B is for Bob toddler t-shirt
B is for Bob youth t-shirt
These shirts have inspired me to create t-shirts in this style for my preschool students. We will be using a digital camera to take a picture of the child. Then using Photoshop, we will write "M is for Mary" (or whatever the child's name is) and reverse the print to mirror image so that it reads correctly on the t-shirt (this is a very important step). Next, the image with text will be printed on iron-on transfer paper made for ink jet printers. The final step is to iron on the image to a clean t-shirt. Of course, using an organically grown t-shirt will make the project more eco-friendly; however, my preschool budget will not allow this. Once we complete this project, I will follow up this post with photos of our "B is for Bob" inspired shirts.

Recently, I discovered the music of Bob's youngest son Ky-Mani Marley. Ky-Mani taps into his roots, as well as existing in modern times, and is able to achieve musically what Bob's other children have failed to do. You can view a video by clicking on his official webpage. His voice is eerily reminiscent of his father and fills me with emotions. The physical resemblance is strong, as well. The prophet lives on!

Every Child Deserves a Set of Blocks

Every child deserves a good set of blocks! Blocks are perhaps the quintessential toy for child development. Creative play and imagination abound when playing with natural toy blocks. If you buy your child a toy car, the toy car is always a car. If you give your child blocks, a block can be a car, a train, a telephone, a bed, etc. The only limits are your child's imagination. At one point in my life, I had the romantic notion that I would make my children a set of blocks. A wise friend, who had tried it, advised me against it. A good set of blocks has been sanded to softness and the corners have been routed to roundness. I personally prefer the unpainted blocks. Melissa and Doug make an affordable option. The age recommendation is three years old, like most toys because of liability issues, but I would not wait until my child was three to introduce them to the wonderful world of blocks. School sets of unit blocks can be very pricey. The Melissa and Doug architectual blocks are more affordable and made of quality hardwoods. If you child becomes quite the block fanatic, you may need two sets, as there are only four columns in each set. Just like most Melissa and Doug toys, the blocks come in a nice wooden box with handles that can be used for quick clean up and storage. Remember, children's work is play!

A Handmade Doll

My friend Teri Elfrink (wife of the infamous Web Savant)has once again graciously written a guest post for Ecochildsplay. Teri writes:

Doll Kit from Magic Cabin
I've made one of these dolls for each of my children and I love them! I looked everywhere for Waldorf-style dolls but couldn't find one in my price range. This kit is very inexpensive and the doll turned out great! It feels like so much more than a toy when it's made by hand. Plus you can add your own special touch to each one. The materials are all natural and the kit includes patterns for clothes.

Thank you Teri! You have inspired me to order a dollmaking kit. If Teri can find the time with three little ones to make a doll,I should be able to do it too! My daughter is very excited about having a doll made by mother's loving hands. Please read my previous post on "The Search For a Natural Baby Doll"

Selecta Natural Baby Toys

Selecta Spielzeug is one of my favorite toy companies, especially for infants. We have several of their quality wooden toys. These small baby toys are perfect for little hands (and mouths). Even though my son is a toddler now, he still enjoys manipulating the beads and rods of his Selecta toys. They are great little toys for the car and make a great gift for a baby. Oompa carries a large selection of Selecta toys, including the awesome baby gym mentioned in an earlier post. According to the Oompa website, "The designers at Selecta believe that the warmth of wood stimulates all of a child’s senses. It inspires creative play because it appeals to each of the senses in a different way. They are careful to select wood that is flawless and of the best quality. Selecta uses only environmentally friendly, water-based colors. Their toys are finished with beeswax, a substance that child-friendly, safe and has a wonderful, subtle aroma." The beeswax and water-based color finishes on Selecta toys make them safe for teething and the best alternative to plastic teething toys (See "San Francisco Bans Certain Plastic Toys"). The Selecta website reports, "Because wood is a natural material, it can be taken without doubts into the mouth. The Holzspielzeug of Selecta contains excluding pollution free, completely harmless colors and lacquers, in order to emphasize the special structures of the different woods."

A Natural Counting Toy

The Guidecraft wooden ring counting toy is a great, simple math manipulative. My father bought this toy for my daughter for her very first Christmas, thus we have had our Guidecraft ring counter for five years! For this first Christmas (and everyone since!), I sent a friendly email reminder to all our family members that we did not want plastic, battery-operated toys. Some family members listened, some did not. While searching the internet for natural toys, my sister found the Guidecraft ring counter and told my mathematician dad about it. Just like the abacus of a previous post, the ring counter toy allows children to explore mathematical concepts and make discoveries. I still remember when my daughter spontaneously made her first ABABAB pattern with the yellow and blue rings. The Guidecraft ring counter has been essential for teaching my 2.5 year old son his colors. Placing each colored ring on the appropriate post also builds motor skills and reinforces sorting skills, as well. The different quantities can be compared for greater than and less than comparisons too. The possiblities are endless with this simple, natural toy.

Don't Panic, It's Organic

There is no doubt that buying organic food is going mainstream, and baby food is leading the way. Organic Consumers Association reports, "Consumer Reports says going organic for your baby is a good choice. Baby food is usually made from condensed fruits and vegetables. This means that the pesticide residue can sometimes be concentrated as well. So you'll get higher levels than in regular food. In fact, studies have shown that children who eat organic food have lower levels of pesticides in their blood than children who eat regular food. And Consumer Reports says pesticides can pose a bigger risk for children than for adults." Click here to read the full article. But does the mainstreaming of organic foods come at cost of ethical standards? The practices of Horizon to use feedlot dairies and White Wave's switch to cheaper grown Chinese soybeans are alarming trends in the organic food industry. In addition, large health food store chains such as Whole Foods and Wild Oats are guilty of the Walmart Effect, by forcing smaller health food stores out of business.

Many families of limited income wonder how they can afford to buy organic foods, which tend to be more expensive. Buying or trading for local produce from farmers and gardeners, in my opinion, is the best solution. Or even better, start your own organic garden! For the Grist's response to such a question posed by Brokeass, click here. Once again, you know organics are going mainstream when Newsmax, the leading independent online news site with a conservative perspective, advises its readers on what organic products to buy: "More Americans than ever are worried about carcinogens from pesticides and fertilizer in their food, and they are adding organic foods to their food carts. When the FDA and USDA ran tests on more than 100,000 samples of food, they found pesticides known to cause cancer, damage to the brain and nervous system, and birth defects. But if you don’t have a lot of money to add to your food budget, but still want to expose your family to as few chemicals as possible, where should you put your valuable food dollars?
Here’s a list of the most contaminated food products:
Meat. Beef, poultry and pork have higher residual levels of pesticides than any plant food. Chemicals accumulate in the animal’s fatty tissue and go straight to the dinner table.
Milk, Butter, and Cheese. Pesticides are concentrated in milk. In addition, growth hormones and antibiotics are also found in non-organic milk, butter and cheese.
Strawberries, Raspberries and Cherries. Strawberries receive the most pesticides of any crop grown in America. Thirty-six pesticides are applied to strawberries and 90 percent of berries tested have pesticide contamination above levels considered safe. Raspberries and cherries don’t rate much better.
Apples and Pears. The FDA detected 36 chemicals in apples. Half are neurotoxins which cause brain damage.
Tomatoes. A tomato’s thin skin allows the more than 30 pesticides used on conventionally-grown crops to seep through the entire tomato.
Potatoes. Heavily contaminated with both pesticides and fungicides, the FDA found that 79 percent of potatoes had levels of several pesticides that were deemed unsafe.
Spinach. Spinach is the vegetable most often contaminated with the most powerful pesticides used on food. The FDA found that 83 percent of spinach had dangerous levels of pesticides. Other greens are also heavily contaminated.
Coffee. The pesticides that are so dangerous they’re not allowed to be used in this country are shipped overseas where they’re used on crops and shipped back in our foods. Coffee is one of the worst.
Peaches and Nectarines. 95 percent of peaches and 97 percent of nectarines tested were contaminated from the forty-five pesticides used in conventional orchards. Don’t think you can avoid the pesticides by peeling; their thin skin allows the pesticides to soak deep into the fruit.
Grapes. Thirty-five different chemicals sprayed on grapes are showered on several times during their growth. Testing found 86 percent of grapes were contaminated with pesticides. Imported grapes have even more pesticides, with those from Chile having the most.
Celery. 94 percent of celery was found to have dangerous levels of pesticides.
Red and Green Bell Peppers. Bell peppers, doused with 39 pesticides, also have high levels of chemical residues. In addition, peppers are often coated with unhealthy wax."
For more information, please read our previous post "Greenwashing of Foods".

A Crown Fit for a Natural Princess!

As you can tell from our previous posts, we love Magic Cabin! Their silk crowns are amongst my favorite Magic Cabin products. These crowns are beautiful and fit for the natural princess or prince. Made of raw silk and adorned with jewels or roses, the only drawback to Magic Cabin's silk crowns are that they are a little too small for me! The crowns are closed with velcro, making them
adjustable for children ages 3-12(not 35-bummer!). The velcro closure makes it easy for little hands to put the crowns on and off at ease. Dramatic play is important for children's development, and Magic Cabin's silk crown are by far the most beautiful and natural alternative to the plastic crowns that dominate the toy market.

Please Sign This Petition

I am not sure how effective online petitions are; however, I continue to sign them in good faith. Today, I signed the new online petition from the Sierra Club regarding the ban on lead in kid's jewelry. It appears this is a new petition from the Sierra Club, but it is similar to a previous one. In my previous post "Ban on Lead in Kid's Jewelry in the Works", I wrote about the dangers of lead in kid's jewelry. I just don't understand how anyone would think putting lead in a child's toy is a good idea. We don't even have lead in our paints or gasoline anymore, but we still have it in our toys! This is so disheartening. Here is an excerpt from the text of the petition: "Because there is no safe level for lead in blood and the benefits from lead in toy jewelry negligible, the CPSC needs to push the level of lead in toy jewelry to the lowest level possible. Not only must the regulation prohibit the addition of lead to the product, it needs to force manufacturers to adopt quality-control procedures that ensure the exclusion of raw materials that have lead added or that have lead as an impurity." Please sign this petition!

Wear Your Baby!

A common complaint of new parents is that they can't get anything done. Baby wearing is the solution! Newborns are used to being inside their mother's body and feeling the rhythms of the mother's heart, breathing, walking, etc. Baby wearing allows the infant to still feel these rhythms by firmly holding the baby against the mother's/father's body. By wearing my babies, I have been able to cook dinner, do the dishes, teach preschool and art, rototill, hike, grocery shop, etc.

My favorite baby wearing device for both of my children is the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier. There are many other cheaper made versions of this front style carrier; however, the imitations do not hold up to the comfort of the Baby Bjorn. Using the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier, newborns are snuggled close facing their mother's chest. As the baby gets older, they can be placed facing outward in the Baby Bjorn. The straps on the Baby Bjorn are adjustable to fit the growing baby and the various caregivers that will use it. In fact, after carrying two infants in our Baby Bjorn, I have grown quite attached to it and have saved it for my sister. I could not have survived my children's infancy without the Baby Bjorn!

Once my babies outgrew the Baby Bjorn, I switched to the backpack by Kelty. These backpacks are expensive (thank goodness for grandparents), but essential if you plan to hike with your child. Of course, I used mine for more than hiking but taught preschool and art, mowed the lawn, shopped, etc. while keeping my growing child happy. The backpack also comes with a shade, which is great for keeping the sun off your child. With the shade on, it looks like your baby is in its own little tent.

I have tried several slings for baby wearing, including the organic one by New Native. I have never been comfortable with slings, as I do not feel like my baby is securely held by the sling. However, I was given the Maya Wrap for my second child. Maya Wraps are made of the most beautiful fabrics and are adjustable. They also work well to support your baby on your hip, once he/she has the ability to sit up. A good friend of mine uses her Maya Wrap constantly, including getting her son to sleep for his nap. The Ergo Carrier is another great baby wearing product that a friend of mine recommended when I started having back trouble. This carrier adjusts from a front pack to a back pack as the child grows. I don't have personal experience with this product, as I couldn't justify the expense for my second child when I already had other baby wearing products. The thing about baby wearing is each person is different in what they feel comfortable with for their baby and their body. Unfortunately, many of these products are expensive, so it is hard to try them out. If you can borrow one from a friend and wear it for an hour, you will know if it is the right product for you. Of course, it is essential that whatever baby carrier you decide upon, it must be easily washed!

Links to articles about baby wearing:
Mothering Magazine
Dr. Sears

A Fun, Affordable Natural Toy

Here is another great toy from Magic Cabin! Silk Streamers are great for encouraging creative movement in your child. Children of all ages love to play with them. We've had teenagers play with my daughter's rainbow silk streamer. At $8.95, this is one natural toy that is affordable. We have had our silk rainbow streamer for 3 years. The wooden dowel handle broke, so now we simply have a shorter handle. My daughter loves to dance around the house with the silk streamer swirling around her (I think it is fun to play with too!)Magic Cabin offers the silk streamer in three styles: rainbow, starry blue celestial, and heart. The heart silk streamer would make a nice Valentine's Day gift.

Valentine's Day

When I was a child, I fondly remember waking up on Valentine's Day morning to a small heart shaped box of chocolates on the kitchen table, lovingly placed there by my father. I wanted to start a similar tradition for my children, however the only organic chocolate in a heart shaped box I could find was in Europe. Worried the chocolate would not arrive in time, I found these sweet heart shaped fairy chimes and ladybug chocolates from Magic Cabin. I had hoped the chocolate ladybugs were the organic ones made by Rapunzel; however, it appears they are not organic but made in Germany of all natural ingredients. The heart shaped fairy chimes are also available from Hearthsong, Magic Cabin's sister store. When I ask my daughter what her favorite holiday is,she answers Valentine's Day. She says it is all about showing people you love them. When the box from Magic Cabin arrived, she asked me what it was in the box. I told her it was for Valentine's Day. She told me that you aren't suppose to buy presents for Valentine's Day but show people you love them. I guess I fell into that consumerism attitude that you show your love by buying gifts. Leave it to a five year old to remind me there are better ways to show love than giving gifts! The Organic Consumers Association has some other great Valentine's Day ideas.

Is Breastfeeding to Blame?

After visiting two pediatric dentists, I have been told that my son's excessive amount of cavities is due to breastfeeding. Somehow, I have a hard time accepting this information. Almost every child I know was breastfeed on demand, yet my son is the only one who's mouth is riddled with cavities. One dentist explained that when we sleep, we produce less saliva in order that we don't choke on the saliva while we sleep. Saliva protects our teeth, thus nighttime nursing creates a situation where the sugars in breastmilk stick to the teeth. Of course, I am aware of the dangers of baby bottle mouth, but I thought the problem was with the bottle being left in the child's mouth as they slept. The breast doesn't stay in the mouth after the child falls asleep, so I never considered nighttime nursing a risk to dental health. I asked the pediatric dentist in San Francisco why the information regarding nighttime nursing was not promoted along with the baby bottle mouth campaign. She said that they did not want to discourage nursing, because the benefits are so great. Hmmmmm...now my son needs to go under general anesthesia to have his teeth repaired. I have asked several of my respected mother and midwife friends about the risks of nighttime nursing to dental health. One friend remembered an article in Mothering Magazine on the subject. "Big Bad Cavities: Breastfeeding Is Not the Cause" by Lisa Reagan is a very informative article that every dentist should read. Lisa writes, "More than three dozen studies showed that my son's early cavities (also called caries) were not caused by nursing-breastmilk is not cariogenic-but by an infectious disease classified only recently as Early Childhood Caries (ECC).1 Moreover, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), breastfed children are less likely to develop this disease than their bottle-fed counterparts, and population-based studies do not support a link between prolonged breastfeeding and ECC." We are still following our dentists' advice to stop nighttime nursing and to brush after every daytime nursing session. However, I do plan on forwarding this great article to our dentists.

Of course, the ultimate source on breastfeeding is the La Leche League.

Eco-Friendly Lunch Bag

As a child, I remember taking my lunch to school in one of those classic metal lunch boxes. I think mine had Scooby Doo on it. When I outgrew the lunch box, I remember using a small brown paper bag. My parents would buy these disposable bags in large quantities for everyone in the family to use. In fact, "brown bag lunch" is synonymous with bringing a lunch from home to school or work. Now, children bring their lunches in insulated soft cooler-type containers. Recently, I read a post on Mindful Momma about the lunch bag dilemna. Her experience with reusable lunch bags bought at Target is that they don't last. In her post "Lunchbag Woes", she suggests buying a lunch bag made from recycled billboards made by Relan. This is a cool idea; however, I wonder what kind of inks and other products are used in the creation of billboards. Would these products be safe around food? Besides, the billboard lunchbags are pricey at $26. My daughter uses the Reusable Lunch Bag from Magic Cabin. This bag is awesome! It is made in the USA (great for those of you boycotting Chinese products) of a cotton outer fabric and insulated plastic liner. The Reuseable Lunch Bag is machine washable. My daughter has been using her pink paisley lunch bag since the middle of August, and the bag still appears brand new. I think it will last her several years. On most days, the lunch bag is the perfect size. Occassionly, it is a tight fit to put all of her lunch in the bag, but that is more the fault of the fact we don't have the right size reusable containers for her food than the size of the bag. If your child's school is like mine, the lunches prepared by the school are horrible, and there are no vegetarian options. Packing a home lunch is the healthiest option for little brains that need good food to help them learn! Another interesting blog on lunches is the Vegan Lunch Box.