Because natural isn't always possible — or easy.
Posted in Environment, Health, Safety, Toxins on Nov 11th, 2010
A few years ago I wrote a story about lead poisoning for Parents Magazine. After my month of interviews I can tell you that almost half of the homes in the U.S. contain lead. Also, that most instances of lead poisoning go undetected. And that the most common age to become affected is between ages [...]
Posted in Safety on Oct 27th, 2010
Lenore Skenazy, the author of Free Range Kids, wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal today. In the story — ‘Stranger Danger’ and the Decline of Halloween — she laments parental fear. How we all worry too much. In fact, she says that Halloween has become a testing ground for new parental fears. [...]
Posted in Health, Illness, Safety, Vaccines on Oct 21st, 2010
I was at a mommy and me class today when a woman cornered me. “I know you’re so into this stuff. I have to ask you. Did you know that this year’s flu shot contains the H1N1 virus? I asked if there was a version without it and there isn’t!” This girl, who gave her [...]
Posted in Friendship, Safety, School and education on Oct 20th, 2010
The notebook lay open on the counter. I didn’t recognize Big Girl’s scrawl so I picked it up for a closer look. There, on the page, was the following: “Bring it tomorrow and you said if you don’t I could punch you thank you good night.” WTF?!? I called Big Girl into the kitchen. What [...]
Posted in Education, Food, Safety, School and education on Oct 6th, 2010
I wasn’t surprised when I heard that birthdays are food-free celebrations at Big Girl’s new school. I had run into the mom who I suspect is behind the policy, and figured something like that was in the works. We were at the park and recognized each other. The kids had been in nursery school together. [...]
We went to the park today. It is absolutely gorgeous here in New York. Sunny, crisp, not too hot. The perfect park weather. We got there at 5. We almost had the place to ourselves except for a dad and his 3-year-old, a mom and dad with what looked like an 18-month-old, and a toddler [...]
Posted in Consumer Packaged Goods, Environment, Going Green, Health, Safety, Toxins on Jul 27th, 2010
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) isn’t going to take it anymore. The environmental action group today filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for, “failing to issue a final rule regulating the chemicals triclosan and triclocarban, which are commonly found in antibacterial soaps.” I’ve written about the topic many times before, [...]
Posted in Consumer Packaged Goods, Health, Illness, Safety, Shopping, Toxins on Jul 13th, 2010
You have, no doubt, heard about the 28 million box Kellogg’s cereal recall. The company recalled select boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Pops, Honey Smacks, Froot Loops and Apple Jacks cereals. Consumers said there was an “off” taste and smell. Oh, and that they were giving some people nausea and diarrhea. Kellogg’s said the packages were [...]
Posted in Environment, Health, parenting, Preventative medicine, Safety on Jun 7th, 2010
Sunday was overcast and windy. Still, we made plans to celebrate a good friend’s birthday so we were all sitting on the beach. I was covered head to toe. Spinster hat (a phrase coined by my friend because he says it makes me look like a spinster) on head. Towel over legs. Umbrella attached to [...]
Posted in parenting, Play, Safety, School and education on May 24th, 2010
First, some disclosures. I do not like the water all that much. I don’t like getting my hair wet. I don’t like bathing suits. I hate the sun. (Pasty skin will do that to you.) Second, my big girl inherited my “love” of the water. I did not do this to her. My husband, a [...]