If we’re friends, there’s no doubt that in quite a few of our conversations I’ll talk about what I learned in such-and-such podcast. I LOVE podcasts ever since I started listening to them when my kids were babies.
Know what I love most about podcasts? That I can get all my boring chores done in warp speed! Not only does it pass the time, but I barely notice what I’m doing which actually makes things like sorting go more efficiently I love to learn, and I’m an auditory learner so podcasts really fulfill that for me while allowing me to keep up with my responsibilities at the same time.
I also feel like it’s a good mental break for the afternoon while the kids are playing on their own. Being a mom is awesome and rewarding, but I also like to take a break from the kid world to recharge. We all know that generally sitting down with a book isn’t an option, but podcasts are totally doable! I’m going to tell you my top ten favorite things to do while listening to podcasts down below.
How to listen
I have an iphone now, but I held off getting one for a LONG time. I had a little purple ipod that eventually went through the washer and stopped working, which I then replaced with a super cheap Mp3 player. The MP3 player is still going strong- I stored Huckleberry Finn on it for the kids to listen to during quiet time.
I listen with earbuds pictured above, but I almost always leave one out so I can hear what’s going on around me. This doesn’t affect the sound in podcasts since the sound plays through both ears. If I’m running or walking I need to be aware of who else is on the trail, if the kids are with me I need to be able to hear what they’re doing… or hear if it suddenly gets too quiet ~grin~
1. Fold and put away laundry. I always have a pile of clean laundry to fold. If my kids are underfoot, they get enlisted to put it away for me.
2. Clean the bathroom. Yeah, not my favorite job either, but the podcast distracts me from the uckiness of actually washing out that trashcan and giving the my-four-year-old-son-often-misses toilet a good going over.(oh, and if you have a son that misses, enzyme based pet cleaner is fantastic of getting the stink out of the floor. bleach doesn’t work)
3. Exercise. I am doing the couch-to-5-K program and I’m kind of stalling on week 4, but I’m still getting out there and exercising 3 days a week! If I don’t get out for my walk/run I go up and down my 10 front steps 25 times. I use kettlebells too. I’ve tried listening to music while I exercised, and all I did was count how many songs left I had to go until I was over. With podcasts, I’ll often go another mile cool ‘cool down’ to finish the podcast because it’s so interesting!
4. File paperwork and sort mail. I’m not sure I’d pay bills while listening, but I do tackle my desk clutter with a podcast on.
5. Yard work. Moving and feeling the sun on you.. and picking up the dog poop, and half composted lemons that fell off the tree a while back. Even raking leaves is a million times more interesting to me while I’m learning about nutrition at the same time. My yard is happy when I have a podcast to listen to.
6. Walk the dog. I’m training our dog to heel and not get distracted around other dogs and people now, so that means that I’m walking him often.
7. Clean out the window sills and wash the inside windows and mirrors. I love it when this job is done- clean glass is the best!
8. Edit photos. I’ll go through the piles of pictures that end up on my hard drive and delete the ones that I’m really not going to want, and edit ones of the kids or for the blog.
9. Declutter. I like being a little distracted while I declutter because it keeps me from getting too sentimental or think too hard about anything. I keep a pretty minimalist house because I find it easier to keep up with, and with that comes constant decluttering. (oh, and by the way, I donate a LOT and I’ve never regretted anything I got rid of. It’s really freeing to free up square footage in your home!)
10. Dishes. This is by far my favorite, because there are always dishes to do and it feels so good to have them done!
Now, doesn’t that sound like a fun way to be productive, learn, and get some time to yourself?
Original article and pictures take healthhomeandhappiness.com site
10 everyday items are listed that you’d be better off without
Clearing your kitchen of artificial sweeteners, plastic food containers, non-stick cookware, and replacing old spices will eliminate common sources of toxins and boost your health
Air fresheners, toiletries and cosmetics, antibacterial soap, and commercial cleaners are other sources of toxins to eliminate. Reassessing your use of technology and your chair can also boost your health
By Dr. Mercola
Each and every day, you come into contact with a large number of items—many of which have health risks that can accumulate over time. Many chemicals appear safe yet aren't, and are not likely to be suspected when your health starts failing.
But other items that are part of the "standard" of contemporary living—such as electronics and even your office chair—can also do more harm than good in the long run.
The list of offending items can certainly be made exceedingly long, but here I will list 10 everyday items that you'd be better off without. A recent article in Time Magazine1 lists even more items you should throw away for better health.
#1: Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) trick your body into storing fat and raise your risk of diabetes, so if you're looking for health benefits, you'd be better off throwing those colorful little packets in the trash. Additionally, you can take the Artificial Sweetener Challenge from Naturally Savvy to help identify and remove artificial sweeteners from your diet.
The same goes for any food or beverage containing artificial sweeteners, such as diet soda. Besides worsening insulin sensitivity and promoting weight gain, artificial sweeteners also promote other more serious health problems, including heart attacks, stroke2,3,4 and Alzheimer's disease.
One of the mechanisms by which artificial sweeteners promote obesity and disease is by disrupting your intestinal microflora.5,6,7,8 Specifically, artificial sweeteners alter metabolic pathways associated with metabolic function.
Decreased function has been observed in pathways associated with the transport of sugar in your body, for example. Artificial sweeteners have also been found to induce gut dysbiosis and glucose intolerance in otherwise healthy people.
#2: Plastic Food Containers and Bottles
Tossing your plastic food containers and plastic bottles is a basic step to reducing your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-S (BPS), and phthalates.
Your endocrine system as a whole is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, as well as sexual function and reproductive processes, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been linked to a wide number of adverse effects, including:
Hypertension: According to one randomized, controlled trial,9 BPA from cans or plastic bottles can raise your blood pressure within just a few hours of ingestion
Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
Heat, along with wear and tear through multiple washings can increase the amount of chemicals being leached from containers and bottles, so holding on to old containers is not a good idea.
While I used to support switching to BPA-free containers, it's now been revealed that even "BPA-free" plastics can leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are just as bad as BPA.
Your best bet is to avoid plastic containers altogether, and replace them with glass bottles and containers. Also opt for glass baby bottles if you have young children. Make the switch to glass, and you won't have to struggle figuring out which plastic might be safer than another, only to later find out it wasn't such a great trade after all...
#3: Non-Stick Cookware
To further clean up your kitchen act, toss non-stick pots and pans and replace them with ceramic or glass cookware. The non-stick coating is made with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been labeled a "likely" carcinogen by an independent scientific review panel that advises the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Although PFOA is a long complex name, it is essentially a complex chemical and relies on fluoride for its non-stick properties. The problem is that once you heat the pot or pan, the fluoride vaporizes into the air where it can kill small birds and harm you and your family. You can easily bypass this unnecessary health risk by switching to ceramic or glass cookware that do not emit toxic fluoride.
#4: Air Fresheners
Room deodorizers frequently contain 2, 5-dichlorophenol (2, 5-DCP), a metabolite of 1,4-dichlorobenzene, which has been linked to precocious puberty and other health problems,13 including cancer. Endocrine-disrupting phthalates are also commonly found in air fresheners and room deodorizers.
If you're having issues with unpleasant smells, you'd be wise to address the root causes rather than masking them with chemical sprays.
Opening your windows and doors from time to time can help, and will also improve the general air quality in your home or office. If you want a scent, opt for high-quality pure essential oils, which can actually support your health and wellbeing.
#5: Antibacterial Soaps and Detergents
Routinely disinfecting your body and surroundings may actually cause far more harm than good in the long run. Not only does it promote the development of drug-resistant bacteria, but antibacterial compounds such as triclosan have also been linked to a number or harmful health effects, especially in young children.
For example, research has shown that triclosan can alter hormone regulation and may interfere with fetal development in pregnant women. This antibacterial ingredient has also been linked to:
Allergies
Thyroid dysfunction
Endocrine disruption
Weight gain
Inflammatory responses
Warm water and a mild soap is really all you need to safely eliminate disease-causing microbes Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that "there is currently no evidence that [antibacterial soaps] are any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water."
Besides hand soaps and products specifically marketed as antibacterial, triclosan can also be found in a number of other household and personal care products, including cutting boards, toys, acne cream, and Colgate Total toothpaste—all of which are also best avoided.
One all-purpose disinfectant that works great for kitchen counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms—all places where germs like to grow—is 3% hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. Simply put each liquid into a separate spray bottle, then spray the surface with one, followed by the other. In tests run at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and surfaces when used in this fashion, making this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner.
#6: Commercial Cleaning Products
You can avoid quite a few hazardous chemicals simply by tossing those commercial cleaning products in the dustbin. Every single one of them can be replaced with a short list of basic ingredients. Here's a simple starter list of what you need to make your own natural cleaning products:
✓ Baking soda
✓ White vinegar
✓ Lemon juice
✓ Hydrogen peroxide
✓ Liquid castile soap
✓ Organic essential oils (optional). Certain ones, including lavender and tea tree oil, have anti-bacterial qualities
✓ Mixing bowls
✓ Spray bottles
✓ Microfiber cloths
For a great video on how to use these ingredients and other tips for cleaning your home without hazardous chemicals, please review the article "How to Keep Your Home Clean Naturally." For example, lemon juice is a natural whitener, vinegar and water makes an excellent window cleaner, and vinegar combined with hydrogen peroxide works exceptionally well as both a disinfectant and sanitizer. Baking soda is also great for scrubbing your bath and kitchen.
#7: Personal Care Products
Chemicals are very effectively absorbed via your skin, so cleaning out your bathroom cabinet can go a long way toward reducing your toxic load. This is particularly true for women, who tend to use several different products on a daily basis. Makeup is also a hidden source of heavy metals. In the report Heavy Metal Hazard: The Health Risks of Hidden Heavy Metals in Face Makeup,14 Environmental Defense tested 49 different makeup items, including foundations, concealers, powders, blushes, mascaras, eye liners, eye shadows, lipsticks and lip glosses. Their testing revealed serious heavy metal contamination in virtually all of the products:
96 percent contained lead
90 percent contained beryllium
61 percent contained thallium
51 percent contained cadmium
20 percent contained arsenic
If you use conventional makeup on a daily basis, you can absorb almost five pounds of chemicals into your body each year15 -- and that's without adding in body lotion, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and other personal care products! To address this health-defeating cycle, switch to organic brands of toiletries and cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group has a great database16 to help you find personal care products that are free of potentially dangerous chemicals. Better yet, simplify your routine and make your own products. A slew of lotions, potions, and hair treatments can be eliminated with a jar of coconut oil, for example, to which you can add a high quality essential oil for scent.
Embed this infographic on your website:
<img src="https://media.mercola.com/assets/images/infographic/personal-care-products.jpg" alt="personal care products" border="0" style="max-width:100%; min-width:300px; margin: 0 auto 20px auto; display:block;" /><p style="max-width:800px; min-width:300px; margin:0 auto; text-align:center;">Your skin is your largest organ, and anything you put on it should contain only the best and safest ingredients from nature. So before slathering lotion or body wash on your skin, take a look at this infographic on toxic chemicals found in <a href="http://www.mercola.com/infographics/personal-care-products.htm"><strong>personal care products</strong></a>. Discover these common yet deadly chemicals and how they can potentially sabotage your health and well-being. </p> <pre style="max-width:800px; min-width:300px; margin: 20px auto 0 auto; padding:10px; border:solid 1px #999999; background: #ffffff; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap:break-word;"><code><img src="https://media.mercola.com/assets/images/infographic/personal-care-products.jpg" alt="personal care products" border="0" style="max-width:100%; min-width:300px; margin: 0 auto 20px auto; display:block;"><p style="max-width:800px; min-width:300px; margin:0 auto; text-align:center;">Your skin is your largest organ, and anything you put on it should contain only the best and safest ingredients from nature. So before slathering lotion or body wash on your skin, take a look at this infographic on toxic chemicals found in <a href="http://www.mercola.com/infographics/personal-care-products.htm"><strong>personal care products</strong></a>. Discover these common yet deadly chemicals and how they can potentially sabotage your health and well-being. </p></code></pre>
Click on the code area and press CTRL + C (for Windows) / CMD + C (for Macintosh) to copy the code.
#8: Stale Spices
Herbs and cooking spices contain a wide variety of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and help maximize the nutrient density of your meals. On a per gram fresh weight basis, herbs rank even higher in antioxidant activity than fruits and vegetables. Many studies have also shown that most spices tend to have unique medicinal qualities. Four spices that are particularly effective at quelling inflammation are:17
Freshness matters, however, so if your pantry is filled to the hilt with old spice bottles, it may be time to refresh your stock. Expired, stale spices also will not provide you with much flavor, so if your attempts at spicing up your meals have left you unimpressed, they may simply have gone stale.
# 9: Electronic Devices
While few would consider getting rid of their smart phones or computers, you would be wise to reconsider how you use all of your devices, and just how many you surround yourself with at any given point of the day. Some kids, especially teenagers, tend to be surrounded by multiple electronic gadgets for hours at a stretch. I feel the evidence of long-term harm of EMF and wireless radiation is very clear, necessitating a prudent approach.
On May 31, 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a report admitting cell phones might indeed cause cancer, classifying radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Class 2B).18 The classification came in part in response to research showing wireless telephones increase the risk for brain cancer. To reduce exposure, avoid continuously carrying your smart phone on your body.
Tucking it into your bra or pocket may be convenient now, but it's an open invitation for health problems down the road, and that may be more than just a little inconvenient! It's important to realize that as long as your cell phone is on, it emits radiation intermittently, even when you are not actually making a call. So wearing a cell phone on your hip for 15 hours a day is giving that area of your body nearly continuous radiation exposure. For more tips on how to reduce exposure, please see my previous article "Heavy Cell Phone Use Can Quadruple Your Risk of Deadly Brain Cancer." Also consider unplugging from your digital life from time to time to "smell the roses" as it were. As noted by Time Magazine:19
"Mounting research indicates that information overload—what happens when you use smart devices constantly—is linked to depression and anxiety. Recent studies suggest that this is particularly true for people who are overly attached to their smartphones and tablets, and for those who use multiple devices at once (which experts call media multitasking). Power down and stow your devices in a drawer at least a few times per week to give your brain a break‚ ideally on a set schedule (for example, weekdays after 9 p.m. or weekend mornings before noon)."
#10: Your Chair
While I placed this last, mounting research clearly reveals that your chair may actually be one of the most dangerous items to have around for your health. Prolonged sitting has repeatedly been shown to be an independent risk factor for chronic disease and early demise, even if you exercise regularly and are very fit. That's right; exercise cannot undo the damage caused by hours of daily sitting, just like it cannot undo the harm done by smoking.
Along with obesity, sitting is the new smoking, increasing your risk for lung cancer by more 50 percent.20 Who would have guessed that sitting is far more dangerous than second hand smoke? Sitting has been found to increase your risk of death from virtually all health problems,21,22 from type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and all-cause mortality. And, the less you exercise, the more pronounced the detrimental effects of sitting.
What's the solution?
Stand up as much as possible. A standing desk is one option. Barring that, make sure you stand up at regular intervals during work hours. For a number of other tips and tricks, see my previous article, "Tips for Staying Active in the Office." As a general rule, if you've been sitting for one hour, you've sat too long. At bare minimum, avoid sitting for more than 50 minutes out of every hour. If you don't already have a fitness tracker, it may be money well spent to get one. I recommend aiming for 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day, over and above any exercise regimen you may have. I was probably doing 2,000 steps a day prior to using a fitness tracker, and now I am up to about 15,000 steps a day or about eight miles.
For many, simply getting and staying out of your chair is a first step that can bring you closer to a healthier lifestyle. As you become more used to low level, non-exercise activity, you're more likely to get motivated enough to start exercising more vigorously.
Eliminate Known Risk Factors That Prevent Optimal Health
We live in an extremely toxic world; that's an unfortunate reality. Your diet plays a significant role, but you're also exposed to a great amount of chemicals from all the products you use, and your skin serves as a very efficient delivery system, straight into your blood stream, bypassing many of your body's innate filtering systems. Taking some time to go through and reassess the products you use is a positive step that can help to significantly reduce your toxic burden, and that will have nothing but positive ramifications for your health.
Environmental pollution is a massive problem, but for most there aren't many immediate solutions to address it. Your time is far better spent focusing on your immediate environment; your home, and all the products you come in contact with on a daily basis. Addressing habits like sitting and your use of electronics will also help you optimize your health, and reduce your chances of chronic disease.
The New Year is traditionally a time for resolutions but change can be overwhelming. To help turn this year’s resolutions into a permanent lifestyle I am providing one health tip each day in January.
I chose this approach because the most complex tasks can be made easy if you just take one step at a time. These daily tips are an empowering and invaluable resource for beginners and experts alike. Together, these 30 tips will form a comprehensive guide that will allow you to take control of your health. Just a few of the topics addressed are:
What to eat and when to eat it
Exercise strategies that you can implement today
The power of emotional health
Enhancing your health with essentials like air, sunshine and water
How to get the restorative sleep that your body requires
Remember starting January 1, a new tip will be made available each day, free of charge, to Mercola subscribers. Whether you are making major changes or just want to stay focused on maintaining healthy habits, this 30-Day Resolution Guide will be your ultimate health resource.
Original article and pictures take articles.mercola.com site
My baby turns three today, and I’ll be 48 tomorrow. Still not pregnant, I’m having to reconcile myself to the idea that this little one may well be my last… and that those precious, fleeting days of breastfeeding may all be behind me (sniff sniff).
But while they’re still fresh on my mind, I’d like to share some of the things my babies and I enjoyed most about those sweet times of togetherness. If you’ve been nursing for long, you’ve likely discovered many of these joys for yourself, but it took me several babies before I learned how to really milk the breastfeeding experience for all it’s worth (pardon the pun).
Since my youngest is a girl, I’ve elected to use feminine pronouns for this list, but baby boys will enjoy and benefit from these practices just as thoroughly as baby girls will:
STARE AT HER:
Use those close times of breastfeeding to study her velvet lashes, her chubby cheeks, her contented smile. Drink in every tiny detail of your baby as she drinks you in. She won’t be little for long, so memorize each feature while you have the opportunity to do so.
PRAY FOR HER:
Breastfeeding a baby always filled my heart to overflowing with gratitude to God for placing another little one in my care, so prayer has become a natural outflow to nursing. Pray for your baby’s physical health and protection. Pray for her character development and her spiritual growth. Pray that God would bring her to faith at an early age and would keep her foot on that straight and narrow path throughout her life. Pray that she would enjoy a close relationship to her parents and any siblings. Pray for her future spouse. Pray that God would grant you the wisdom and patience and grace and strength and unflagging energy that you’ll need to mother in a way that pleases and honors Him.
SING TO HER:
Serenade her with standard lullabies or with songs you make up yourself. Sing scripture songs to her and hymns rich in doctrine. Sing silly songs and lyrics that have her name in them. Several of my babies liked to hum while they ate, and I found if I hummed two or three notes in succession, they would match my pitch. I’d start by humming middle C until the baby joined me on the same note, then I’d proceed slowly up the scale. After a few days of matching single notes, I’d try singing intervals. My last few babies loved this game, learned quickly, and have continued to demonstrate a love and aptitude for music even as they’ve grown older.
TALK TO HER:
Look deep into her eyes and tell her how much you love her and how glad you are that she is and your family. Call her name from one side and then the other, teaching her to track your voice. (My firstborn would invariably unlatch every time I tried this, but the rest of my babies would follow only with their eyes, so we could play the game without interrupting their nursing).
CARESS HER:
Pet her silky soft hair, but don’t stop there. Using long and smooth, but firm strokes, rub her from the top of her head all the way down to the tips of her toes. Baby massage is a great way to stimulate your baby’s nervous system, and it provides myriad other health and developmental benefits for both you and your baby, as well.
PLAY WITH HER:
Peekaboo is a terrific game to play with baby while she’s nursing. My babies never tired of that one, but for variety’s sake, we’d also play Patticake, This Little Piggie, and How Big is Baby? (So big!!)
COUNT WITH HER:
Count her eyes. Count her ears. Count her fingers and toes. Count the buttons on her blouse or the flowers on her dress or the snaps on her pajamas. Count anything and everything you see, and keep on counting. When it’s time for her to learn math later on, the numbers will feel like old familiar friends.
READ TO HER:
Read picture books from authors like Dr. Seuss, Margaret Wise Brown, Audrey Wood, and Bill Martin, Jr.. Or if that proves to be too big a distraction while she’s nursing, read poetry aloud. Or Bible stories. Or the newspaper. Children whose parents read to them are more likely to succeed, so start setting the example early, while baby’s still at your breast, and keep it up until she’s grown and gone (which happens so much sooner than you think).
QUIZ HER:
Ask her lots of questions (and lavish her with praise when she answers correctly): Where are your eyes? Where are your ears? Can you point to your nose? Can you wiggle your fingers? Can you clap your hands? Depending on how long you breastfeed (the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends continuing for at least 12 months; the World Health Organization for 2 years), this game can be expanded to include all sorts of information. By 12-18 months, several of our babies could even identify their clavicles, phalanges, vertebrae, and patella. The sky is the limit!
SLEEP ALONGSIDE HER:
Of course, when they are extremely new, babies will not stay awake for much of this, but that is a-okay. They need their rest (and so do you), so use those first few days and weeks to sleep when your baby sleeps (some of the best advice I was given as a new mother). This is a great way to rest and replenish your energy as you cuddle and bond with your baby. My husband and I have always kept our little ones in bed between us for the first few months. Bedsharing makes nighttime feedings so much more convenient for Mom, who can tend to a hungry infant without getting out of bed or even fully waking up. What’s more, research indicates that co-sleeping is good for baby and may even protect against SIDS.
To be sure, there are other things you can do while breastfeeding a baby: I’ve managed to iron clothes, darn socks, tutor math, write books, sew curtains, vacuum floors, change diapers, fold clothes, surf the Internet, backpack Europe, and — in a pinch — even shop for groceries with a baby latched onto me. It’s called multi-tasking, but I don’t know if I’d really recommend it in this instance.
Some of those tasks were necessary, to be sure, but from my present vantage point, I feel I may have squandered too many opportunities, especially in my early years of mothering, to simply cuddle and love and breathe in that blessed scent of my babies — babies who, in the blink of an eye, were no longer babies at all.
So pay attention while you can, Mama. If you don’t, you may miss the miracle that is unfolding before your eyes, and there will be no going back for a redo.
Blessings,
Jennifer
PS. I sometimes use affiliate links to share products or services I love and think you'll love, too (like Walmart's pickup grocery service below... how did we ever survive without that?). You can view my full disclosure statement here.
Related
How Do I Wean My Three-Year Old? In "Babies" Q&A: How Can I Get My Baby to Sleep thru the Night? Original article and pictures take i1.wp.com site
10 Things the Mainstream is Wrong About Natural Health
Last week, I wrote a post called 10 Things the Mainstream is Right About Natural Health. I’m no lover of the mainstream, but credit where credit is due and all. Plus, it sometimes frustrates me to see some myths passed around in the ‘alternative’ world. Some of those not-very-true and kind of “out there” ideas are why the mainstream doesn’t trust natural health or anyone who believes in it.
All that said, though, the mainstream is still very wrong about a lot of things in natural health. Today I’m going to highlight 10 ways.
The mainstream generally believes that all supplements are useless.
The thing is, that’s not true. There are certain quality supplements that are worth taking. Which ones are worth it depend on what your particular needs are. Taking a handful of grocery store vitamins? Not going to do you any good.
But real, whole foods supplements that address your particular deficiencies are definitely worth it. I personally take gelatin, liver pills, GutPro probiotic, zinc picolinate, fermented cod liver oil, and magnesium lotion. Your needs may vary. All of these are top quality and have definitely helped me. It’s all about choosing carefully.
2. Cleanses are Useless All the Time
The mainstream holds the view that because the body has its own natural detox pathways, cleanses are useless (and maybe even dangerous).
But the thing is, we deal with so many different sources of toxins in our modern world. Food, air, personal care products, etc. Some peoples’ bodies are also naturally less efficient at detoxing than others. Livers, gallbladders, and other organs can become overwhelmed, sluggish, blocked. (If you’ve struggled with gallstones, you’ve experienced this.)
In the context of an otherwise healthy diet (as much as possible) and healthy lifestyle, the semi-annual cleanse can help unblock these detox organs to allow your body to do what it does naturally, more efficiently. I believe that this is worthwhile, especially if you are experiencing some health crisis that indicates your body isn’t functioning optimally. Problems are fixed by addressing underlying causes, not by throwing drugs at it.
(And since I’m not a doctor, if you are really struggling with your health, find an alternative doctor who can guide you through a detox protocol and help you make some changes to your diet and lifestyle to maintain your improved health.)
3. There’s No Such Thing as “Super Foods”
To the mainstream, food is food. It’s all about the same. GMO is the same as non-GMO, and processed foods can be just as healthy as unprocessed. Of course, this is untrue. Some foods are simply healthier than others. There are some that could be considered super foods.
Each person’s “ideal” healthy foods may be different, so there’s not necessarily a specific list of foods that are always “super,” but unprocessed, whole foods that are packed with nutrients are more “super” than, say, cheez wiz….
This one is always hilarious!
I love it when people try to argue that remedies (usually homeopathic, but occasionally herbal) are simultaneously inert and dangerous. “Inert” means “has no effect.” And “dangerous” means “has a negative effect.” So which is it?
Of course, the truth is, many herbal remedies are quite potent and very effective, if used properly. Herbal medicine isn’t something to play around with, because it can work (and some of it could be dangerous if not used properly). None of it is inert though.
Quite a lot of patented drugs are actually based on herbs/plants anyway. Where do people who don’t think herbs work think that drugs originally came from?
5. Nutrition is Not Really Important
This is another common belief — that nutrition really doesn’t matter that much. Eat food, make sure it’s not too sugary or fattening, but otherwise — meh.
This isn’t true, either. Food that contains a lot of junky, modified, not-quite-food ingredients (like modified food starch or cellulose) isn’t nourishing and isn’t helpful to our bodies. We require a good balance of healthy, unprocessed fat, carbs, and protein. And we require a large amount of naturally-occurring nutrients. Nutrition can honestly make or break you. Nutrition is the fuel for our bodies, that helps or hinders every process!
Mainstream hospitals are often (but not always) among the worst offenders. They often serve extremely cheap, extremely processed foods, and maintain that “eating anything is better than nothing.” Even if the patient only wants sugary cereal for every meal. This hinders healing!
There are tons of scientific studies showing the benefits of consuming more broccoli, blueberries, or other nourishing foods. It’s silly to say that nutrition is not that important!
6. Evidence-Based Medicine is Only Modern Medicine
Whenever people try to discuss modern medicine, the mainstream says, “Evidence-based medicine is where it’s at.” I agree with the statement. I disagree with the sentiment, which is “Modern medicine is the only evidence-based medicine and that’s what we should use.”
There is actually quite a lot of evidence for a hands-off approach (such as during labor and birth) or for alternative therapies (like ginger, pomegranate, and other foods and herbs). One only needs to search for whatever alternative word you want followed by “pubmed” to see the scientific evidence for natural and alternative medicine!
Of course, some of these people ignore any evidence in favor of alternative medicine because they only want to hear about mainstream medicine. All that other stuff is just “woo.” (sigh. Wrong.)
7. Modern Medicine Must Manage Everything (Intervention is Better Than Not)
There is this pervasive idea that should we have some major or minor health concern, it needs to be “managed” with modern medicine. We commonly see:
Women in labor “need” to be in hospitals, have continuous monitoring, IVs, etc. (even if they’re low risk and have had no complications)
Adults “need” cholesterol drugs
Adults “need” blood pressure drugs
Adults and children “need” drugs for reflux/GERD
Children “need” ADHD drugs
…and more
Really?
A lot of these circumstances could be just as well “managed” with hands-off observations, changes in diet, etc. Drugs are not necessary in many (not all) cases. But doctors are likely to jump quickly to drugs. It’s not all their fault — we live in a quick-fix, sue-happy culture. But a personal relationship with patients and some advice and encouragement to make some of those diet and lifestyle changes could make a big difference for many.
8. Trust Me, I’m a Doctor
As I said in the other post, you should trust your doctor. And if you don’t, you should get a new one.
Many in the mainstream believe that you should trust all doctors, though. Because they are doctors. Because they went to medical school and you didn’t, so therefore you are too stupid to know what you are talking about.
This is a pretty terrible attitude. Yeah, most people didn’t go to medical school. Yeah, doctors did. But doctors can’t know individuals as well as they know themselves. They can make mistakes, especially when office visits are very quick. Doctor-patient relationships work best when each respects the other’s very important role in quality care.
Doctors who are arrogant and think that patients contribute nothing, are stupid and scared, and need to be told what to do are bad doctors. And you shouldn’t trust them, just because they have “MD” after their name. Trust is earned — not demanded.
9. People Who Don’t Like Medicine Use Lots of Other Toxins
I often see people say “Gee, since you’re against antibiotics, I hope you don’t eat at McDonald’s or use store-bought shampoo because those are worse!”
I agree. So do many other parents.
This is a pretty funny idea because honestly, most parents who are concerned about one aspect of exposure to dangerous chemicals are also concerned about all those other exposures! I don’t know too many parents who choose antibiotics very carefully and yet let their kids eat fast food on a weekly basis…. It’s just kind of silly to assume that this would be true!
People who are interested in a natural lifestyle don’t have tunnel vision. They know there are lots of different issues and potential routes of exposure out there. They try to avoid those too!
10. As Long as You are Functional, Your Health is Fine
This is probably the biggest lie the mainstream tells!
There are lots of people walking around now, who are “okay” on a day to day basis (they can go to work, do their usual activities, and appear fine) who in fact are not okay at all. They have autoimmune conditions, a total lack of energy, they are very overweight, they are depressed and anxious. They are struggling with their health. They need help! This is not okay.
(And no, being overweight isn’t an appearance thing — you’re a worthy person no matter what you look like. It’s not a ‘lazy’ thing. It’s a complicated biochemical reaction to imbalanced hormones, toxic exposures, etc. and losing weight is not at all simple. The mainstream doesn’t acknowledge this. They still believe if people just ate less and moved more they would lose weight. This is a lie too.)
People who don’t feel well, who have underlying conditions, are not fine. They are unhealthy. They are in need of accurate information about health, so that they can feel better and experience life through energy and a sense of well-being! It doesn’t have to be that way. It really doesn’t. (Stick around here and we’ll help you — click that little ‘subscribe’ button in the sidebar so you don’t miss anything!)
Healing With God’s Earthly Gifts
While I have you, I want to tell you about my next book, coming out on August 19th!
It’s called Healing with God’s Earthly Gifts: Natural and Herbal Remedies. If you bought the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle last spring, you already have a copy. �� If not, this is your chance to grab one!
If you’re new to alternative medicine and just don’t know where to start, I’ll teach you.HGEG (as I like to call it for short) walks you through the basic preparation methods for remedies, shares my top 10 herbs and why I like them, has a chart of more than 30 symptoms and which herb(s) can help them, plus 25 recipes for home remedies — that cover almost any condition!
We’ll be starting the launch festivities a week or so before the official launch, and they’ll last through August 25th. You’ll have opportunities to win prizes, get bonuses, and even “unlock” special extra information. More details to come on Friday.
In what ways do you think that the mainstream is wrong about natural health?
Original article and pictures take modernalternativehealth.com site
10 Solo Parenting Survival Tips (From a Pilot’s Wife)
I’m married to an extremely competent man. He is a full participant in parenting, housework, cleaning, and cooking. We share the load pretty equally, which means that when I’m doing the solo parenting thing, his presence is very sorely missed.
He is a pilot and flight instructor which means that while he doesn’t travel as much as being in the airlines, he has still ended up being out of town more than most people I know.
He has flown long-distance trips for training purposes (like that one time he left on a 5-day trip to another country in a small plane and I, home with a toddler and newborn, came down with an awful and severe bout of mastitis an hour after he took off), ferried airplanes between Canada and Florida a week before Christmas, gone to California (10 days) or Alabama (6 days) for specialized aerobatic training, and traveled around the country filming aviation safety videos on a federal grant.
Yup, I’m a pilot’s wife, and I’m pretty used to it by now.
Our kids are 3, 5, and 7 now so it’s a bajillion times easier now than it was when they were basically all babies or toddlers at the same time, but I definitely know that the ample experience in solo parenting that I’ve had over the years has contributed that ease and rhythm I enjoy now.
Thankfully, I’ve figured out some tricks and hacks for making life easier when he is away. I’m the type of person that sometimes finds new situations difficult and stressful at first, but after gaining some experience actually doing it and figuring out what works, it feels like a total breeze.
I just needed to find my rhythm, and thankfully, I found mine with solo parenting a few years back.
(Please note that I’m using ‘solo parenting’ to refer to a family where there are two parents and one is temporarily away. Single parenting is not something that I could knowledgeably comment on. Single parents have my utmost respect for the work they do every single day!)
1. Plan meals ahead, especially the first night
Even if you’re not a regular meal planner, I HIGHLY advise you to at least scribble down each night’s dinner plan on a scrap of paper, and stick it to the fridge. (I highly recommend Plan to Eat – an online menu planning tool that makes this task way easier!)
If you make a big dinner the day before and save leftovers for you and the kids for Night #1, you’ll be your own hero. Day 1 and you’re rocking it already.
2. Grocery shop the day before
When he makes his travel plans, plan to have a few hours alone at the grocery store the day before to shop and strategize (and enjoy the peace and quiet).
Make sure you’re stocked for the meals and snacks you’ll require while your partner is away unless you enjoy hauling your kids to the store and breaking up fights over who gets to push the conveyer belt button while the teenage checkout boy looks on awkwardly.
3. Pace yourself, mentally
I have found that my patience tends to last exactly as long he is scheduled to be away, and on the last day, I need extra reminders to keep being a patient and gentle mama, even when the kids are melting down and behaving all wonky because they miss Daddy, too.
Because I know I’ll be struggling near the end, I try to really pace myself and be extra careful at the beginning, similar to running a marathon.
One little trick that helps me to do this is to have some kind of visual countdown – a calendar, or whatever. I like to use sticky notes on the bathroom mirror – one for each day, with “8 days left” and “7 days left” etc.
4. Pick your battles
Now is NOT the time to be starting a brand-new discipline initiative for that issue that’s been bugging you for months. It’s important to remember that the kids are likely feeling off-kilter too, and instead of cracking down on them, a hefty dose of graciousness and understanding all around is best until everyone’s under one roof again.
5. Plan special outings
I’m very much an introvert, and typically love nothing more than to stay home where I’m comfortable and cozy. However, even I find a few well-timed outings to be of excellent help when I’m in a solo parenting stretch.
It can be a quick visit to the neighbourhood library, or it can be an all-day journey to a museum in the city. The point isn’t to do something super expensive or even to spend all of your time on the go.
The point is simply to have a few special things planned throughout so as to avoid having it feel like one big monotonous, never-ending day.
Some of our favourites are the library, the dollar store, the free fast-food indoor play place if the weather’s bad, or a park if the weather is good. We’ve also enjoyed going to the zoo in the past when we had memberships. Your kids will be especially happy if it’s an outing that is somewhat new or irregular.
6. Have late-night rewards for yourself
I cannot stress this enough: be SURE to have some end-of-day treats for each evening after the kids are in bed and you fall into an exhausted heap on the couch. After another full day of being both mom and dad, the reward will feel oh-so-good.
Word to the wise: don’t stock up on a ton of junk food that you don’t normally eat, or you’ll just end up feeling gross by the time your partner returns.
Last time I was solo, I had some of these amazing potato chips (they use avocado oil instead of the bad vegetable or soy oils!) on hand, I baked myself a pan of gluten-free brownies to hide, and I had a few bottles of kombucha to savour. Those were my treats, and it was perfect! I’ve also indulged in a small container of this salted caramel ice cream that’s at least made with real cream, eggs, and sugar, and it was beyond yum. (It’s a Canadian brand.)
Other self-care rituals are helpful here, too. Your treat doesn’t have to be food!
Other ideas include indulgent candlelit baths, a purchase of a favourite TV show on itunes (I recently binged on Parenthood when hubby was in Alabama in January), or a really good novel that you’ve been saving. (This is the latest couldn’t-put-it-down novel that I devoured. If I had been reading this one while hubby was away I may not have even noticed he was gone, lol.)
7. Go to bed early
I kicked my stay-up-too-late habit last winter, and it has been life-changing. But I’ll be the first to admit that solo parenting stints can be some of the most dangerous temptations when it comes to pushing my bedtime because you’re on duty 24/7 while solo, and that’s mentally exhausting – especially if you’re an HSP introvert like me.
My advice: be SUPER vigilant about getting enough rest and going to sleep on time. Solo parenting is tough enough – you don’t need to do it with bleary eyes and a short fuse.
8. Reduce your expectations
No, you might not be able to keep up with everything that you normally do. Your evenings may get cut short because you have to get the kids to bed on your own, then come down and do the kitchen clean-up by yourself, too. By the time that all happens you might be too exhausted to start folding laundry. Such is life.
You may have to just make sure you have the essentials covered, and then let go of the rest temporarily.
9. Ask for help
In the last eight years that we’ve had kids, we’ve lived nearly half of those years in another city or province from our families. While we had family nearby, I asked for help from them when hubs was away. I’d go to my parents’ for dinner, or they’d come over for dinner and help with bedtime.
Now that we live in a city that’s 4 hours from our families, we ask for help from our church family or neighbours.
I would encourage you to reach out to your church family, especially if you’re solo parenting with really young kids and feel super overwhelmed. Go to a pastor or leader and just be honest with your situation and your overwhelm, and ask if there’s anyone who might want to offer you a bit of company or relief, or maybe even a meal or two. It’s daunting, but if you’re desperate it could be a total lifesaver. It’s a great ministry opportunity that they’ll hopefully jump at.
10. Compromise carefully
This last tip is brought to you by years of hard-earned wisdom. When you grocery shop, you’ll be tempted to stock up on a lot of quick and easy foods for convenience’ sake. Go for it! (But…)
I encourage you to think carefully about what kinds of compromises to your normal standard of eating that you can make without making yourself feel sick and blah in the process.
Some of my go-to’s are a bag of organic gluten-free cereal, some nitrate-free hotdogs, and some cheese strings. (My kids are weirdly obsessed with cheese strings, which I begrudgingly allow for solo stints.)
Bonus tip:
Bring home a bouquet of inexpensive flowers to brighten up your space while your partner’s away. A pop of beauty does wonders for the weary soul.
This post is brought to you in partnership with Plan to Eat because eating at home should be easier, especially when you’re flying solo! Thanks, PTE!
Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site
Afternoon snacks are the best…and worst. We are constantly in search of that perfectly balanced midday snack to hold us over until dinner (so we don't gorge the night away) while satisfying the stubborn hunger pangs. This time, we’ve found one that will take all the guesswork out of afternoon snacking and leave you happily satiated.
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Compensation was provided for this post. However, opinions expressed here are my own.
(Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) (Photo: Girl Scouts of America) Original article and pictures take asset.popculture.com site
You can’t find a more controversial topic than vaccines today. The CDC just released their 2016 Schedule, requiring over 70 vaccines by the age of 18. Considering one flu shot contains 250 times the amount of mercury the EPA considers liquid hazardous waste, it’s safe to say that any amount of vaccine can, and does, damage a child.
The debate is over,vaccines are toxic and damage your child’s health.
Before we move on, let’s tackle the “but how many?” issue. Your pediatrician and his handy marketing piece, the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS), will tell you that reactions are “one in a million.” The Vaccine Adverse Reporting System (VAERS) is where reactions are documented, although there are no requirements for doctors to do so, so the CDC itself admits the reaction statistics are more like 1-10% of the true numbers. In 2014, there were just under 37,000 reports filed filed.
Times that by 10 or 100. One in a million? Didn’t think so.
If you believe you’ve never seen a vaccine reaction, you probably truly have, but didn’t realize (or your doctor would not admit) that’s what you were seeing. Here we will go over the most common reactions (which are “normal” by how often they occur, but are by no means “normal” when your child swells up, seizes, or dies). Vaccine reactions can occur anywhere from immediately following vaccination, such as a swollen arm or leg, fainting or seizing, or for a month or more post vaccination. Research shows us the most critical days are days 5-7 and 14-16 post vaccination, where serious reactions are most likely to occur.
10 Signs of Vaccine Reaction and Damage
#1 High-Pitched Crying or Arching Back
High-pitched crying and discomfort, such as arching the back when laid down, is a clear indication of encephalitis, brain inflammation, which is a common vaccine reaction. Large amounts of bacteria, viruses, and toxins create a hyper- immune response, prompting severe, sometimes deadly, inflammation in the brain.
If your child will not sleep, is uncomfortable, and crying incessantly post vaccination (up to 21 plus days), take them to the emergency room immediately.
#2 Severe Swelling at Site
Severe inflammation at the injection site can be a sign of an allergic reaction or other hyper- immune reaction. Review the vaccine insert (before vaccinating) and try to outline what allergy (peanut, milk, egg) may have been created. If your doctor cannot explain what reaction occurred, then you should consider not vaccinating to prevent any further damage.
Read the vaccine insert before vaccinating, and be sure the doctor is using the correct method of injection. Injecting in the incorrect method can deliver a serious reaction.
Photo submitted by parent of vaccine injured child
#3 High Fever and/or Febrile Seizures
Tell me where in nature you would normally be exposed to upwards of ten bacteria and viruses at once? Nope, never. So when your child receives this many immune threats (accompanied by toxins) at once, your immune system goes into overdrive.
This can produce a very high fever, and if the fever moves up or down in temperature fast enough, a febrile seizure. Head to the emergency room, and demand a review of your child’s health if a febrile seizure or fever lasting over 3 days is seen post vaccination, as other vaccine reactions are likely occurring.
#4 Rash
A rash is simply a toxin leaving your body through your skin. A rash post-vaccination can be caused by the virus vaccinated against (measles, for example), or an allergic reaction producing eczema. If your child develops a rash, monitor the child for the symptoms of the vaccinated virus or bacteria, and consider eliminating any possible allergies created by the vaccine. Your child may also be detoxing the large quantities of adjuvants in the vaccine through the skin.
#5 Eczema, Allergies and Asthma
Vaccines were designed to sensitize your immune system to viruses and bacteria. Although many immunologists and doctors warn that this process does not work the same via muscular and blood injection versus introducing a substance through normal means of the mouth, nose, and eyes (to pass through your immune system process regularly and the vast immune system in your gut), many still trust in the theory of vaccination.
When you vaccinate, you are surely sensitizing your child to not only the bacteria and virus, but also the food and chemical additives in the vaccine, which include milk proteins, other human and animal proteins, egg, peanut and much more. If your vaccinated child develops eczema, allergies or asthma, which are all autoimmune responses to allergies, you need to consider stopping vaccination to not worsen the allergy.
#6 Anaphylaxis and Slowed Breathing Patterns
If your child’s breathing post vaccination (see suggestion below to get a breathing monitor and use overnight for at least one month following every round of vaccines, if you vaccinate) is delayed or slowed, it is cause to make a trip to the emergency room and check for allergic response or brain damage.
Anaphylactic shock is also a common vaccine reaction, where your airways (or other body systems) go into shock from an autoimmune, allergic response. If your child has responded in this way to vaccines, it is time to stop, and review the possible allergies created.
#7 Loss of Facial and Eye Symmetry and Itching/Numbness in Extremities
When your immune system responds to a threat, it produces more white blood cells. Your white blood cells are substantially larger than your red, and this becomes an issue when your immune system is kicked into overdrive and delivers large quantities of white blood cells to your smallest blood vessels, your capillaries. Your capillaries are so small that white blood vessels have to squeeze through one by one.
The smallest of these vessels are located in your hands, feet, nose and brain, particularly by the area which controls speech. When too many white blood cells are released, they cannot squeeze through and the blood and oxygen supply is limited for a period of time, and if severe enough, forever. This causes stroke in the brain, and can be seen by loss of facial asymmetry (one side of the face looks different than the other) and loss of tone around the eyes, cheeks, and mouth.
You would also feel this, if happening in your extremities rather your brain, as tingling, burning or numbing. Your child may not be able to articulate this to you, but if you see them generally uncomfortable, struggling with using those parts, or pulling at the parts, I would consider a possible reaction and a trip to the emergency room.
As noted above, vaccines are designed to sensitize your system to a bacteria or virus. Theoretically, every time you vaccinate, you get that bacterial or viral illness. If your child falls ill post vaccination, bring them back to your pediatrician and demand that the child be examined for the illness against which they were vaccinated. It’s likely that your doctor will ignore your requests and be adamant that the vaccine cannot cause the disease.
Vaccine-strain illnesses, such as asymptomatic measles, are often more serious than the wild version of the disease, so you need to be extra vigilant and require the doctor to treat your child. (If your doctor refuses, take your child to another doctor or to an emergency room. Pride is not a valid reason to not treat a child).
#9 Vomiting and Diarrhea
Since your child will be receiving the bacteria or viral illness vaccinated against, as well as a load of other toxins and allergenic substances, their bodies will try to detox these substances post vaccination. This is a vaccine reaction. If your child exhibits vomiting or diarrhea for a day or more post vaccination, have your doctor or an emergency room evaluate the child for the diseases against which they were vaccinated (and treat them for dehydration and the disease).
#10 Behavioral Changes, Attention and Aggression Issues
A normally functioning child does not regress (lose speech, lose eye contact and social interaction) for no reason. Heavy metal toxicity, loss of oxygen to critical areas of the brain and a body in constant hyper-immune response lead to a child who cannot function and develop.
If you notice your child losing abilities once mastered, exhibiting attention or aggression issues, or withdrawing from social interaction, you are likely viewing a vaccine reaction. The good news is that there are many natural ways to detox and heal vaccine damage. Check out The Thinking Mom’s Revolution if this has happened to your child, and explore how you can truly heal against heavy metal, vaccine damage.
If your child has had a vaccine reaction, it’s never too late to research vaccines and choose to build natural immunity and a healthy lifestyle instead. You should also look into detoxing from the vaccine toxins. If you still choose to vaccinate, consider a delayed schedule and using a breathing monitor.
If you suspect damage, do not take “this could not be from the vaccine you had 3 days ago” from your doctor. Your child deserves better than a denial of clear symptoms because of pride. Find a doctor who is willing to help you, even if it’s a chiropractor, naturopath, or biomedical doctor.
Have you or your child had a vaccine reaction? How did you heal from it?
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor (yet), but you should find one you trust that understands, listens and treats you how you’d like. Do not tolerate medical bullying. This is not intended to be medical advice nor to treat, cure, diagnose nor prevent any disease. Please make your medical decisions with research, a trusted physician, and common sense.
Original article and pictures take www.modernalternativehealth.com site
10 Reasons Why I’m Not Sending My 5 Year Old to Kindergarten How to Handle Opposition to Breastfeeding How To Help a New Mama After Her Baby Arrives Why I Chose Natural Birth In the Hospital
I wish I had read this article a year ago… My daughter was born in early December. The cutoff age to start preschool in our community is “age 4 by December 31”. She was seeming bored at home, even with her 19-months younger brother to play with, play dates, and numerous outings. So I started her in a two-day-per-week preschool in the fall of 2014 at the age of 3. She excelled. Her preschool teacher told me she was more than ready for kindergarten, as did various other early childhood educator friends of mine, two of whom had sent their children to school at age late 3/early 4.
I wasn’t 100% certain, but with about a 90% confidence rate, and after much prayer, my husband and I started her in kindergarten this year at the age of 4. I’m not sure if I could regret that decision more than I do! She’s always been a slightly anxious child. This year it is far worse. She cries nearly every time I drop her off at school, which she’s been attending two full days per week for two months. She’s not just tired at the end of a full day of kindergarten. She’s EXHAUSTED, as in, she falls asleep within seconds of being buckled into her car seat. Sure, she’s learning to read, making friends, behaving very appropriately socially, and seems to be doing fine once she’s in class and I’m no longer in sight, but outside of class, she’s sad more often than not and just wants to be home with her brother and I drawing, playing at the park, reading, and snuggling. I’m honestly not sure what to do now. If I withdraw her, her friends will move ahead of her which could be difficult socially, although that’s certainly not insurmountable. If I keep her in kindergarten this year, then I wonder if I’m setting her up for failure for the rest of her school years?
I have been contemplating having her do a second year of kindergarten, but have recently been told that our district doesn’t allow kids to be “held back” for any reason, as to do so is “psychologically damaging”. Isn’t that policy in and of itself potentially psychologically damaging?
So now I am faced with figuring out what the next step is. Both my husband and I are very educated (masters degrees), and did very well in school. But I still don’t feel qualified to home school her. Yet, the current system is forcing our kids to be adults long before they’re ready. If I could turn back time, I would make a different decision. I would keep my sweet little girl home until she was 5, at least! I hope and pray that anyone else considering sending their young child to school will prayerfully contemplate their decision and its potential impact on their child. I wish I hadn’t let other “professionals” sway my decision. They’re only little once.
Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site
