Should kids be watching movies during school lunches?

photo credit

It's Friday -- we've made it to the end of a full week back to school and routines and the painful act of having to get out of bed too early in the mornings! Despite our reluctance about the holidays being over last Sunday evening, the transition into a more bustling, productive lifestyle once again has been positive for all of us.

As Will was happily recounting to me the events of his school day over a snack one afternoon this week, I was reminded of an issue that has been bothering me for some time. It has become a daily practice over the past several years for at least some of the classrooms at his school to have a movie playing from the BrightLink projector onto the white board during the twenty minutes that the students are given to eat their lunch. The reason for the movie, according to my boys, is to get kids to eat quietly before they go outside to play for the remainder of the period. It seems harmless enough, I suppose, giving kids twenty minutes of screens to ensure a certain level of calm while they eat their lunch, but I'm not comfortable with a daily habit of meals with screens for my children, and here's why. 

According to a Common Sense Media 2015 national survey, tweens today spend just over four and a half hours on screens daily, not including the time they spend using media for school or homework. For teens, that number jumps to over six and a half hours of daily screen time for entertainment. Those numbers seemed shockingly high to me when I first read them, but they made sense when I thought some more about all of the ways our children come into contact with screens as they go through a typical day. It doesn't take long for the hour tally to climb when you add in texting, video games, movies and tv shows, YouTube, social media sites like Instagram, and surfing for cool stuff online. The easy portability of screens today means that media use has crept into many aspects of day-to-day life: kids are texting, watching movies, gaming, and using social media while they're eating, waiting for things, studying, or supposed to be sleeping.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has set out guidelines for families regarding screens, based on studies that show that "excessive media use can lead to attention problems, school difficulties, sleep and eating disorders, and obesity". It recommends no more than one or two hours a day of entertainment media for children and teens, as well as the practice of setting "screen-free zones" at home in places like the bedroom and the dinner table. Because it is so easy for kids to exceed these daily recommendations, it requires a conscious effort on the part of parents (and school staff, when children are in their care), to ensure that kids are nudged away from screens and encouraged to participate in other activities that they enjoy.

We have always had a no-screens rule during meals in our home, because I want mealtimes to be about food and conversations that encourage connection between family members. It seems to me that watching a movie on a regular basis during a meal encourages mindless eating, where kids tune out the cues their body is giving them about what they're eating and when they've eaten enough. It also discourages children from sharing in the pleasures of the social, community aspects of a meal, and from learning how to behave appropriately during mealtimes in a group setting. How can we expect them to learn acceptable social behaviours if we miss out on the teaching opportunity by distracting them with constant passive entertainment?

I believe that electronic media can be a useful educational tool in schools; my boys have learned some fascinating things using computers and well-designed programs in their classrooms. It doesn't make sense to me, though, for them to spend twenty minutes each day mindlessly watching part of a movie that's not even that interesting to them during their lunchtime. If schools are setting in place nutrition policies for students and teaching them about healthy eating practices in their lessons, it follows that they should set a good example for kids during school mealtimes as well, by turning off the screens and allowing kids to focus on their food and reasonable friendly chatter with their classmates. We have to be careful as adults responsible for the well-being of children that we don't rely too much on screens simply to make things easier for ourselves.  Just because we can put on a movie to keep lunchtime quiet doesn't mean we should.

How do you feel about kids watching movies during lunch at school, or about other practices or policies your kids' schools have regarding screens? I'd love to hear your views and concerns.

Worth Keeping In Your Pockets -- June 2014

I always find the month of June has a special feeling to it.   Despite the fact that the four of us are constantly moving from here to there to everywhere as we wrap up the last few weeks of school and organized activities, when we do take a few moments to catch our breath, we find glimpses of the glorious days of sunshine and freedom that are soon to be ours, and it makes me feel lighthearted and child-like again.

Today seemed like a good day to share some of the little things that have made me and my family happy in recent weeks, in an almost-summer edition of Worth Keeping In Your Pockets.

Backyard herb gardening:  I've been planting an herb garden on my back deck for as long as I can remember; it's a simple pleasure that lasts all summer long.  I use three planters that I keep right by the kitchen door, so that I can easily gather bits of whatever fresh, fragrant greens I need when I'm preparing meals.  Growing herbs is super easy and doesn't require much space. I simply fill the planters with a vegetable soil mix and nestle a variety of herb plants from a garden centre in a pleasing arrangement within them.  With regular watering, I have wonderful smelling and tasting herbs to use right through to the cool fall weather.  Some of my favourite plants to grow are basil (lots of basil!!), oregano, parsley, rosemary, lemon thyme, chives, and chocolate mint (perfect for garnishing desserts and cool drinks).

Skin care from Nova Scotia:  Always on the lookout for great natural skin-care products for my family, I discovered the Nova Scotia Fisherman line about a year ago and decided to choose some items for Matt to try.  (I thought this particular line seemed especially fitting for him because he lived in Nova Scotia during part of his childhood.)  The soaps, lotions, lip balms and scrubs all contain East Coast sea kelp, which is full of ingredients that enrich and protect the skin, and they quickly became some of Matt's favourite skin care products. We were happy to discover recently that Nova Scotia Fisherman products are now available in the Natural Health and Beauty section of Zehrs stores.  They'd make a nice Father's Day gift if you're still looking for ideas!

A super snack:  Did I mention how busy we've been around here?  This weekend alone we have Noah doing a triathlon in Elmira and competing at regionals in London for swimming, and Will performing in two year-end dance showcases for his boys' hip hop class.  I'm really looking forward to cheering both of them on over the next couple of days.  All of this running around makes for hungry kids, though, and I feel like I'm always packing snacks to go.  These quick little granola bites have come in handy recently. They're very easy to make (I adapted a recipe I found in the back of the July issue of Chatelaine magazine), kid-pleasing, and full of ingredients that provide lasting energy.  Simply process 1/2 cup of natural nut butter (I used almond), 1/4 cup of pitted Medjool dates, and 2 tbsp of pure maple syrup at high speed in a food processor, (stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed), then stir in 1 cup of certified pure rolled oats, 1/4 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut, 2 tbsp of chia seeds, 2 tbsp of raw cacao powder, and 2 tbsp of cacao nibs.  Roll the mixture into one-inch balls and chill for 15 minutes before serving.

"Toad"ally cute:  I have always loved toads.  (Is that weird?  Yes?  Oh well.)  I found one in our yard near the vegetable gardens a few weeks ago and I caught him in my hands for a few minutes so I could show him to the boys.  They were as taken with him as I was.  When I read somewhere a few days later that a single toad can eat several thousand insects (slugs, too!) in one season, I wanted to do what I could to encourage our little toad friend to come back and stick around for the summer.  I found this toad house at Lee Valley and Will and I had fun finding the perfect shady spot in our flower garden to place it in.  (It even has a back door so a toad can make a quick getaway if a predator tries to enter his house!) We hope the toads like their new home.

Striking silver rings:  As we were preparing to celebrate Noah's Confirmation last weekend, I wanted to find a special gift for him that would be a nice reminder of this time in his life.  I had my heart set on an engraved initial ring, but I wasn't having any luck finding something that wasn't too ornate or traditional-looking, as I knew Noah wouldn't really appreciate something like that.  I was very excited to finally find an Etsy seller who handcrafts striking silver initial rings, and Noah was very pleased with the modern design. The ring is simple but beautiful; I highly recommend this artisan's work.

A new backyard sport:  Have you heard of slacklining before?  It involves walking across a long, narrow piece of flexible webbing that is fastened between two trees at a low height, and it's supposed to be great fun!  I've seen slacklining kits for sale recently at Mastermind Toys and I think it's something the boys would love to have strung up between the trees in our yard -- I'd really like to investigate it further this summer.  I probably shouldn't rave about this activity until we've tested it out (my worst-case scenario mind is picturing some sort of backyard circus disaster!), but it seems like a summer adventure worth sharing. If you've tried slacklining before and would like to tell me about your experience, I'd love to hear it!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.  :)





  

And the winner is... (From the Blue House With Love Giveaway)

Thank you to all of you who stopped by here and who visited Jenn's From The Blue House With Love website over the past few days -- it's been really nice hearing from you! The winner of the $30 gift certificate (chosen by random draw) is Rebecca Shewfelt.  Rebecca, if you send me an email at lisa.pocketfuls@gmail.com, I'll help you get all set up with some of Jenn's lovely soaps.  :)

Remember that Jenn is kindly offering a special 15% off discount code for everyone who visits this page to use on their purchase of any of her products, and it's good through to Friday, March 7th.  Enter "pocketfuls15" on the checkout page when you place your order with From The Blue House With Love to receive the discount.

I hope you all have a cheerful week!

Who wants some lovely soap? (Giveaway: From the Blue House With Love)

I'm pretty sure I heard a collective groan (or was that inconsolable wailing?) from all across the province when Environment Canada announced recently that there is no end in sight to the cold winter temperatures we've been experiencing in this part of the world.  As if January and February haven't been brutal enough, March is expected to be colder than normal, too. Everywhere I go I see sad, disgruntled looking faces and hear people complaining about how they can't possibly endure one more day of shovelling, of coaxing uncooperative kids into snowpants, of indoor recess, of trying to navigate around the ice mountains piled up on streets and in parking lots everywhere when driving around town.  It is honestly beginning to feel as though this winter will never, ever be over.

I can't do anything about the weather, unfortunately, but I might be able to do something to make you smile during these last few days of February.  I've teamed up with Jenn of From the Blue House With Love to offer you a chance to win a sweet prize.

Jenn is a mom to two boys, a fellow blogger, and an entrepreneur who has turned her passion for making handcrafted, all-natural soaps and other body care products into a lively business.  She lovingly creates her good clean soaps, along with luxurious bath soaks, lotions, and body butters, in her "soap cave" at her home (a converted old blue barn just outside of Creemore, Ontario), using only safe and gentle ingredients.  Jenn's soaps are a favourite body care product for my family; we've tried many of her wonderful, naturally scented bars and fun kid soaps over the past couple of years, and they all leave our sensitive skin happily clean and soft.

Jenn is kindly offering one lucky reader a $30 gift certificate to use towards From the Blue House With Love products and shipping. You can enter this giveaway in two ways:

1.  Browse through Jenn's soap and body care products on her website, and then leave me a comment here or on my Facebook page telling me which one(s) you'd most like to try.

2.  Head over to From the Blue House With Love's Facebook page and "Like" it, then leave me a comment here or on my Facebook page letting me know you did.

If you do both 1. and 2., your name will be entered twice in the random draw for the gift certificate.

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada only, and closes at 7:00 pm EST this Sunday, March 2nd. Check back here on Sunday evening to find out the name of the winner!

Jenn is also providing all of my readers with a special discount of 15% off her products, valid from now through to March 7th. To receive this offer, simply enter the code "pocketfuls15" on the From the Blue House With Love checkout page when you place your order.

Winter may not be over yet, but try to keep your chin up!  Jenn's lovely soaps, lotions, and body butters will help your skin be happy until it can feel the warm sunshine on it once again.

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

*You can also find Jenn and her handcrafted soaps at the One Of A Kind Spring Show in Toronto (Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place) from March 26th-30th.  She'll be in the little blue house in the "rising stars" section.   

Sugar overload

I've spent much of the last few days lying around my house sleeping or reading stuff, thanks to some nasty virus that has left me feverish, headachey, coughing violently, and completely wiped out.  Today I started feeling somewhat alive again, and an article I read on the CBC News site titled Kids are becoming candyholics, and adults are to blame has motivated me to share my own thoughts about our society's relationship with sugar.

Grocery store shelves today are lined with a multitude of sugar-laden foods (not just candy) that appeal to kids, both in taste and in packaging, and it seems as parents we have to work harder and harder to limit our children's consumption of these items to a reasonable amount.  Even parents who are very conscious of making healthy food choices for their families find their children bombarded with excessive sugar in the form of cupcakes, cookies, chocolate, pop, and candy given to them at school, during team activities, at parties, at the homes of relatives or friends, at the barber shop, and in any number of other places on a very regular basis.  While the notion of giving children a treat for a special occasion or activity is a nice one (and one I don't have an issue with), it seems to me that somehow EVERY occasion or activity now calls for A WHOLE BUNCH of treats, and it's not so special any more at all.

As an example, I spent this past Saturday at a First Lego League provincial tournament with Noah and Will and their team. It was a long and exciting day (we were there from about 7am until just after 6pm), and the kids needed to eat at regular intervals to keep their energy up.  I had packed a variety of healthy snacks and lots of water for the boys, and a lunch of pizza, cookies, and sweetened fruit flavoured drinks was provided for them by the tournament organizers.  I was fine with the boys having some items in their lunch that I wouldn't normally choose for them because I knew it was a rare occurrence, and I knew they'd be eating well the rest of the day.  But I wasn't fine when the treat total for the day started piling up dramatically. Throughout the tournament, the teacher coach and the parents of some of the other team members provided all of the kids with chocolate muffins, ice cream sandwiches, bags of chips, timbits, and handfuls of gummy worms. The kids also collected various mini chocolate bars and cookies from other teams who were giving these items away as a friendly gesture.  Will couldn't eat most of these things, thankfully (that's a whole other issue, by the way -- the feeling of being left out that kids with food sensitivities often experience when every activity these days seems to revolve around food treats), and I was glad to see that Noah, without any prompting from me, stopped accepting these treats after the first few because he realized he had had enough for one day.  But many of the other kids ate everything offered to them, a fact that wasn't surprising, really, since many of us adults even have difficulty saying "no thanks" when our sweet tooth calls out for more. Given the rise in health issues in children in recent years that have been attributed to excessive sugar consumption (tooth decay, hypertension, and obesity, to name a few), isn't it up to us adults to be more responsible about how much sugar we're collectively offering to kids (and to teach them about moderation by setting a good example ourselves?)

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I noticed a display table near the bakery department that was aimed at making people aware of how much sugar there is in some common foods found on the store's shelves. There were a variety of packaged food items arranged on the table, and beside each one was a clear plastic container that held a pile of sugar cubes that illustrated the amount of sugar found in that particular package.  It was a very effective visual demonstration, I thought, and I'm guessing many people who saw it would have been surprised to realize how much sugar they actually eat on a daily or weekly basis when they saw it presented that way.  I wonder, if we created a similar visual display of the amount of sugar our kids collect and consume in their various activities throughout a week, if we'd still think it was okay to let them have so many treats?

I think most of us, myself included, would agree that well-chosen sweet treats in moderation is good and healthy. Unfortunately, in a society where everything is super-sized and our appetites for consumption keep growing and growing, it seems to me that the definition of "moderation" has been inflated to really unhealthy proportions.

Homemade Natural Body Butter

Winter is out in full force around here this week.  We've been alternating between freezing cold temperatures with severe wind chill and milder days with large snowfall accumulations; today we're under a blizzard warning as the temperatures plummet once again and blustery winds arrive to blow the still-falling snow all around. (The boys were hoping for a snow day to extend their holidays a little bit longer, but alas, it was not to be, so I sent them off to school very well bundled up this morning!)  All of this harsh winter weather can wreak havoc on our skin, and I find both myself and the boys in need of some powerful and soothing moisturizers this time of year.  Over the Christmas holidays, I used some of the free time we had to experiment with something I've wanted to try for a long time:  making my own rich natural body butters.

There are recipes all over the internet for making lovely looking creams and lotions at home without the use of harsh chemicals. I found the guidelines at Rawmazing to be very helpful.  Susan suggests using a ratio of 3/4 solid oils to 1/4 liquid oils to produce the best results, so I gathered up some supplies at a local health food store to add to what we already had at home (Will had fun smelling all of the essential oils with me and choosing some that we should experiment with!) and he and I set happily to work together in our kitchen one afternoon.  The body butters we made were simple to create, have a wonderful texture and natural scent, and leave our skin feeling soft and nourished.  I'll share what we used in the butters we made; feel free to experiment with your own combinations of oils to create ones you'll love!

Homemade Natural Body Butter

1/4 cup cocoa butter
1/4 cup shea butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
100% pure tangerine essential oil (I used this one)

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the solid cocoa butter, shea butter, and coconut oil together, stirring occasionally.  Once all of the oils are melted together, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the almond oil, and add the tangerine essential oil a few drops at a time, stirring in between additions, until you achieve a scent that you like.  (I started with 5 drops, then added 1-2 drops more at a time.)

Place the oil mixture in the freezer (or, if it's as cold outside where you are as it is here, you can simply set the bowl outside!) for about 15 or 20 minutes, or until it is partially set.  (Keep checking on it every so often, so that it doesn't freeze completely.)

Once the mixture looks about like this:

whip it with an electric hand mixer and watch a lovely, creamy body butter appear before your eyes!

Scoop the finished body butter into a glass jar with a lid, and store it some place where it's not exposed to heat that will melt it.  (We filled a 250ml mason jar with this recipe.)

We all love this homemade body butter!  The cocoa butter in it has a wonderful dark chocolatey scent of its own, and adding the tangerine essential oil to the mixture made it smell like a real treat.  Will also had his heart set on a lemon scented version, so we made a second batch of body butter, omitting the cocoa butter, and using 1/2 cup of shea butter instead, along with the coconut and almond oils.  The end result was a lovely mix of fresh lemon and coconut scents.

A little bit of these rich body butters goes a long way, so a small jar should last quite some time.  We're looking forward to experimenting with some other versions once our first ones run out!  It's nice to have a simple little project like this that is fun to do with the boys and that results in something wonderful and safe to use on our dry winter skin.

Looking for some other healthy homemade treats for your skin this winter?  You might also enjoy these simple sugar scrubs (which I also make and use regularly).

Creating Light

Yesterday I spent the morning taking down and packing away all of our indoor Christmas decorations.  It was a task I performed with a bit of a heavy heart, because even though the house always looks surprisingly fresh and uncluttered when returned to its usual state, it also feels somehow empty and dull once the cheerfully twinkling holiday lights are gone for another year. (My four year old niece also understands the wistfulness of this change: my sister-in-law told me today that when her daughter came upstairs to find her mom and dad undecorating their Christmas tree, she started crying in earnest, and telling the ornaments and the tree repeatedly that she would miss them.  So sweet and sad!) This act of undoing is a pressing reminder that the days of the family hanging out together at home are soon coming to an end for awhile, and the now unlit evenings make me feel the weight of everyday worries, things I had forgotten about while we relaxed and celebrated, creeping slowly back in.  It's difficult to hold on to the optimism and lightheartedness of the holiday season when months of cold, dark winter loom endlessly ahead of us. 

This is the time of year when I find I need to create my own inner light and warmth to keep my spirits up, by listening to what makes my heart happy and making plans based on that.  I've been taking some time in these last days of the holidays to come up with ideas and activities that will excite me, make me laugh, help me to relax amidst the busy-ness of everyday life, and challenge me to grow in positive ways in the coming months, and I'm taking concrete steps to ensure that I will follow through with them.

I've got several things lined up now that I'm really looking forward to in the next while.  I mustered up the courage to register for a year-long writing course offered by someone whose work I admire, as a means of encouraging me to take some bigger leaps in my own work this year.  The first lesson will arrive in my inbox this coming Monday, and I'm eager to explore various aspects of writing from a new perspective.  I'm also going to be part of a book club with a great group of friends this year, something I've wanted to do for a long time but somehow never got around to.  It will be good to have a reason to spend more time discovering new favourite works of fiction this year!  I've signed up for another session of yoga classes beginning next week, so that I can continue to feel the physical and mental benefits of a practice I've grown to love these past couple of years.  I bought a new cookbook by one of my favourite chefs last week during the Boxing Week sales and have already bookmarked some delicious looking new recipes to try.  (I also pre-ordered this book written by one of my favourite healthy food bloggers, so I'll have more inspiration arriving in my mailbox in another couple of months.)  And yesterday, Matt and the boys and I made plans to spend a weekend with my sister-in-law and her family at their home in Ottawa during Winterlude in February, so we've got some more great winter fun with family to look forward to.

It may seem that none of these activities are huge things, but having these varied simple pleasures to occupy my thoughts and fill my time happily will help to keep a spark of excitement and the warmth of contentment lit in me throughout the rest of the chilly winter.

What will you do to keep your inner lights glowing brightly this season?  I'd love to hear your plans!

Worth keeping in your pockets -- October 2013

Autumn brings us many forgotten simple pleasures to enjoy once again:  cozy sweaters and socks, warm mugs of something steamy and comforting to drink, vividly coloured landscapes outside our windows, crunchy leaves to walk through in the crisp fall air.   It's a season in which my thoughts turn to books to cozy up with, to comfort foods, to staying healthy, and to finding things that make me smile even on days when the skies are gray and gloomy.  In this October edition of Worth keeping in your pockets, I'd like to share some of my favourite fall discoveries with you.  I hope you'll find something here that will make you feel happy, too!

An amazing little apple gadget:  My sister- and brother-in-law gave me this very useful apple peeler-corer-slicer as a birthday gift quite a few years ago, and it is still one of my favourite fall kitchen tools.  I love how quickly it makes the not-so-fun job of getting apples ready for applesauce, pies, and other baked goods go by, and it's easy and entertaining enough to use that the kids like to work it, too, with supervision.  Once we're finished with the apples we need for whatever we're making, the boys love making "apple slinkies" for themselves to eat!  You can find this handy gadget here. 

A thoughtful parenting book:  I just recently picked up the newest edition of the bestselling book Hold Onto Your Kids:  Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers by Gordon Neufeld, PhD and Gabor Mate, MD, after it was highly recommended by several friends (one of whom works with children and families as a therapist.)  The book discusses the problems created by the phenomenon of young people looking to their peers for direction rather than to their parents, and offers suggestions to help families restore intuitive attachments so that their children can mature in emotionally healthy ways.  The updated version of the book also contains guidelines for managing the effects of social media and video game culture.  As the parent of an almost-teenager, I think this book will offer me great insights and advice.

A frightfully fun Hallowe'en decoration:  Last weekend when my aunt and her family came to visit for Thanksgiving, she brought us this great little mummy lantern that she had crafted out of a mason jar, some gauze, some glue, and a couple of googly eyes.  She added a little battery operated tea light inside to create a perfect illuminated Hallowe'en decoration, one that's just right for my tastes (fun and not too creepy!)  We're all enjoying the glow this mummy lantern gives off in the evenings, and we're looking forward to greeting trick-or-treaters with it on the 31st.  With a few supplies, you can easily make your own mummy lanterns, too!

A perfect pumpkin breakfast idea:  Didn't get enough pumpkin pie last weekend, and find yourself wishing you could have a taste of it again?  Why not try making some pumpkin pie oatmeal for breakfast?  Prepare the oats according to the package directions, then stir in a big spoonful of pumpkin puree, some raisins and chopped nuts, a little maple syrup, a sprinkling of cinnamon and ginger, and a splash of almond milk.  I love the delicious fall flavour of this warm, hearty bowl of goodness in the morning!

A healthy hand sanitizer:  We like to take extra good care of ourselves in the fall and winter seasons to protect our family from catching the colds and flus that are going around.  In addition to eating well, getting enough sleep and exercise, and taking probiotics, vitamin D, and fish oils, we all carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer with us for those times when it's difficult to practise good hand washing habits.  I discovered an all-natural hand sanitizer made by Clean Well a couple of years ago that I really love.  Made from thyme oil, it's free of alcohol and harsh chemicals, is non-stinging, and is safe for children.  It comes in an easy-to-use spray dispenser, and the natural orange vanilla scented version is especially nice!  You can find this product here, or in health food stores.

An amusing music video:  The boys had been trying for a week to get me to watch some wacky You Tube video about a fox that they couldn't stop talking about.  I finally caved after witnessing Will belting out the song at the top of his lungs and waving his arms around in a wild fashion, wearing only his pyjama bottoms, while he was supposed to be brushing his teeth.  While I've often just rolled my eyes at the silly stuff the boys show me on You Tube, I have to say that this one really made me laugh.  Chances are that if you have school-aged children at home, you've already seen this yourself, but if you haven't, it's worth a look and a chuckle.

 

 



That's it for this edition of Worth keeping in your pockets!  I'd love to hear about the fall finds you're enjoying these days -- please share them in the comments section below.  :)

LunchBots Containers + Ideas for Healthy School Lunches

March 2016 Update: LunchBots has decided to discontinue its affiliate program, so it is no longer possible to order these products through me. I still highly recommend them, though!

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Noah and Will are refusing to acknowledge that the start of school is just around the corner.  They groan and get horrified looks on their faces whenever that "s" word is mentioned near them.  If I'm honest, I'll tell you that my own reaction is much the same!  The boys are dreading the end of their long days of summer freedom; I'm dreading the task of packing school lunches every night once again!  I'm sure many other parents share my feelings about that particular task.

Every year as the boys grow older, I have them become more and more involved in the packing of their own lunches for school.  Having a good set of sturdy containers to pack lunches and snacks in, each with its own lid colour and purpose, makes it easy for Noah and Will to remember to include a balanced variety of good-for-them foods in their lunches each day. 

I first discovered LunchBots stainless steel food containers three years ago, when I went searching for an environmentally-friendly and durable alternative to plastic containers for all of our lunches.  We have been using the same set of LunchBots daily since then, and we love how well they work for our family.  The containers are strong, easy to pack and clean, have lids that are easy for kids to open and yet still stay on snugly, and they stack nicely in our lunch bags.  The boys have three containers each -- a single compartment one for a sandwich or other main lunch dish, a divided one for fruits and veggies, and another divided one for snacks -- and these hold the perfect amount of food for them for a school day.  I love that they don't contain any worrisome chemicals, and that the boys are able to use the same containers year after year without me needing to replace them (even though as busy boys, they're quite hard on their belongings!)

LunchBots has continued to add to their product line over the years, and they now make leak-proof lunch containers, small condiment containers that are perfect for dips and such, insulated containers for transporting hot foods, and even lunch bags.  We have added some of these products to our family's collection and have found all of them to be very useful and of excellent quality.

I am so pleased with these products that I have decided to become a LunchBots affiliate and promote them here.  You will notice a new badge in my sidebar; if you're interested in purchasing some of these containers for yourself, you can easily check out the full line of LunchBots products and place an order by clicking on the badge.  (I will receive a commission for each sale I refer.)  Shipping is free in the U.S. (there is a flat shipping rate of $9.99 to Canada), and any time I've ordered from LunchBots I've received my order very quickly.  I think you'll find these containers to be as wonderful as we have!

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The question of what to pack in kids' school lunch containers is one that seems to come up in discussion among parents every fall -- everyone is always looking for new ideas!  At our house we like to avoid heavily processed foods, and so we most often use leftovers from dinner as the basis for the next day's lunch.  Grilling, baking, or roasting extra chicken breasts or thighs or drumsticks, turkey, steak, homemade lean beef burgers, etc. one night makes it easy to put together a healthy noon meal for tomorrow.  The boys like thinly sliced steak or chicken or turkey sandwiches, chicken drumsticks with a small whole grain roll, quesadillas made with a whole grain tortilla, salsa, finely chopped cooked chicken breast, and a sprinkling of cheese (or Daiya for Will) and then baked in the oven, cooled, and cut into triangles, or cold burgers on a bun (all packed with an assortment of raw veggies and some fruit, and a bottle of water).  They also eat tuna or salmon sandwiches, and Noah eats hard boiled eggs, while Will likes natural Sunbutter and fruit juice sweetened jam sandwiches.  If my boys were more adventurous with food, I could also send them soups like this one or this one, or stew, or chili, packed in a thermal container, or a serving of lentil, quinoa, or bean salad.  Some day, I hope they'll learn to love these foods, too!

For the boys' snacks, I like them to pack various homemade healthy baked goods like granola bars, muffins, or nutritious cookies, along with fresh fruit and veggies.  If you're looking for some ideas for wholesome snacks for your family, you may find something you like in this school snack round-up, which I've recently updated with more recipe links. 

The boys and I are going to enjoy these last school-free, lunch-packing-free days of summer while we can.  But when the time soon comes for us all to return to routine, at least we're well-prepared with the containers and recipes we need to eat well all year long.  I hope some of the information here will be useful to your family as you get ready for a new school year, too.  :)

Worth keeping in your pockets: May 2013

I often discover things that I enjoy or find really useful and want to share them with others, but not all of these things really need an entire blog post devoted to them.  I've decided to start up a new feature here on Pocketfuls where I can highlight a collection of random stuff that people may be interested in.  (I promise you that you'll find more in this section than the rocks and sticks I used to always find in Will's pockets!)  So without further ado, here is a spring edition of "Worth keeping in your pockets".

Pea shoots:  I first tasted these delicious and nutrient rich microgreens last spring when we found some in our weekly veggie box.  The young leaves and tendrils of pea plants are crisp and sweet and offer a welcome first taste of the fresh produce to come later in the season.  I was so happy to find these again at a local food shop recently;  we've been enjoying them whenever we can, tossed in salads and rolled with other veggies in wraps.  Try them -- you'll love them! 

Rocky Mountain Soap Company: Always on the lookout for new natural and safe body care products to try, I discovered this Canadian company's products online and have been in love with their body lotions and butters ever since. The moisturizing lotions go on smoothly and absorb well into the skin, and the body butters are rich and perfect for really dry spots. They smell delicious (my favourites so far are apricot, cherry, and lemon-lime), and I feel good using these products knowing that they don't contain any harmful ingredients.

frank deresti and the lake effect:  It was wonderful to have my brother in town earlier this week; he and his friends/bandmates stopped in Waterloo to perform one evening as part of their most recent tour.  My friends and I all really enjoyed listening to some favourite tunes from the this time album presented live, as well as some beautifully written and performed new songs, which will be part of an album the group plans to record this summer.  If you haven't heard frank deresti and the lake effect yet, you can listen here.  If you live the in the Ottawa or Sarnia areas, you can still catch this talented group this weekend on the last few shows of their tour.

Lilacs: I love the lilacs that are in bloom this time of year. When I step out onto our deck and catch their wonderful floral scent wafting by on the breeze for the first time each spring, I am instantly transported back to my childhood. There was a pretty lilac bush in the back corner of our yard when I was growing up, and I still remember burying my young face in the dainty blooms to inhale their sweetness, and walking to school clutching bouquets of them to bring to my teachers over the years. Lilacs are one of the simple pleasures of the season that make me forget whatever else might be happening for a moment and just feel so grateful to be. If you don't have a lilac bush of your own, I encourage you to walk around your neighbourhood to find one and breathe near it -- I'm pretty sure it will make you feel happy, too!

Green Beaver Spray Sunscreen:  A couple of years ago, I wrote a post about mineral sunscreens as a safe alternative to chemical sun protection products.  Since then, it seems that sunscreens made from natural ingredients that offer broad spectrum protection from the sun's harmful rays have become more widely available, so there are now several good options to choose from.  We still like the Badger brand, especially for swimming because it's water resistant, but for everyday use, we often use Green Beaver's spray sunscreen now.  It's non-whitening, non-greasy, fragrance-free, free of nanoparticles, organic, and Canadian made, plus it is light and very easy to apply compared to the thicker zinc sunscreens that come in tubes.  You can find Green Beaver sunscreen products at health food stores or at well.ca .

Walking:  Since the arrival of nicer weather, I've had a standing date for a weekly walk with friends.  We meet at the start of a lovely trail near our homes just after we drop the kids off at school, and we spend an hour or so moving at a brisk pace, soaking up the sunlight and the birds' sweet morning songs while we talk about what's important or interesting to us.  It's such an easy and enjoyable way to get some exercise, and afterwards I feel energized for the rest of the day.  Walking is good for the heart in both senses, and this time of year the warm sunshine and pretty landscapes make it very appealing to get moving.  If you're feeling that you'd like to be a little more active, maybe the longer, cheerful days of spring can inspire you to head out walking, too!

Homemade Granola Bars:  I was determined this week to find a recipe for a homemade granola bar that was healthy, not too sweet, and free of ingredients that anyone in our family is sensitive to or is not allowed to bring to school due to allergy concerns.  This recipe from Goop.com was a perfect starting point.  I made several modifications to it, a bit skeptical at first that I would be able to stuff so many nutritious ingredients into a granola bar and have the boys still be willing to eat it, but they loved the end result!  (So did frank deresti and the lake effect -- they ate the rest of the bars the morning after their show here in Waterloo.  :)  )  I will make these often, experimenting with different add-ins once school is out and we can use nuts again.  They were very easy to make and are a great portable healthy snack!

1 1/3 cups certified pure oats, divided
a pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 cup of any combination of add-ins (I use about 1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut, about 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, and about 2 tbsp each of hemp hearts and cocoa nibs)
2 tbsp whole chia seeds
2 tbsp ground chia seeds
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, letting a bit of excess paper hang over the sides.

Grind 1/3 cup of the oats in a food processor until powdery.  Add them to a large mixing bowl with the remaining oats, the salt, cinnamon, and ginger, the add-ins, and the whole and ground chia seeds. Stir to combine.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil and maple syrup.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spoon the granola mixture into the prepared pan, and press firmly down on it with the back of a spoon to smooth it out and create a flat top.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely.

Once cool, lift up the edges of the parchment paper lining to easily remove the granola from the pan. Place it on a cutting board and slice it into squares or bars using a large, sharp knife. Store the granola bars in an airtight container.


That's all I've got in my pockets for now... come by and see what other interesting things I'll collect and share in the coming months!  Have a wonderful long weekend, everyone!

Homemade sugar scrubs (for naturally beautiful skin)

If your hands are anything like mine, they take a bit of a beating once the chilly winter weather sets in.  Between cold outdoor winds, dry indoor air, and the frequent handwashing that comes along with cold and flu season, I often find the skin on my hands becoming dry, tight, and irritated.  I recently discovered a very simple and lovely solution to this problem:  homemade sugar scrubs.  Made with just a few basic ingredients I usually already have in my kitchen, sugar scrubs gently exfoliate dead skin cells and nourish hands with moisturizing oils (without any harmful chemicals), leaving hands feeling incredibly soft and soothed.

Orange Cinnamon Brown Sugar Scrub
(inspired by this recipe at Oh She Glows)

 

1 cup brown sugar (I used organic whole brown sugar)
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
the freshly squeezed juice of half an orange
1 tsp orange zest
several pinches of freshly grated cinnamon stick

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until they are well combined.  Spoon mixture into an airtight glass jar for storage, and keep it in the fridge between uses for maximum freshness.

Coconut Peppermint Sugar Scrub
(inspired by this recipe at Food For My Family)

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
1 cup sugar (I used organic golden cane sugar)
2 to 4 drops of 100% pure peppermint essential oil

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the coconut oil.  Remove from heat and stir in the almond oil; let oils cool to room temperature.  Stir in the sugar and add the peppermint essential oil one drop at a time, stirring after each drop, until you're pleased with the scent of the mixture.  Spoon mixture into an airtight glass jar for storage.

To use either of these homemade sugar scrubs, simply wet your hands with warm water and add a small amount of the sugar scrub to them.  Gently rub the scrub all over your hands in a circular motion, and then rinse with warm water.  Use the scrub anytime your hands need a little extra love and care.  These scrubs smell wonderful and are also great to use on your whole body.

For my first attempts at making my own sugar scrubs, I chose orange cinnamon and coconut peppermint because they seemed fitting for the upcoming holiday season.  (Sugar scrubs packaged in cute little jars and tied with pretty ribbons also make lovely seasonal gifts!)  You can experiment with many different kinds of oils, sugars, and essential oils to make your own favourites -- please let me know in the comments section if you do!  I hope these sugar scrubs will help keep your hands happy throughout the winter season.

Natural beauty

Cold winter winds are harsh on delicate skin, and throughout this season we often find our bodies in need of some extra TLC.  Unfortunately, many of the products available to soothe our skin can also do us harm.  Lovely as they may feel and smell, those soaps and creams and lip balms that line the drug store shelves are often loaded with chemical ingredients like BHT, sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates, and parfum, which can trigger allergies, interfere with how our hormones function, and have the potential to cause cancer.  It seems in using these kinds of products, we're simply replacing one set of problems for another.

I undertook a major overhaul of my skin care products after reading Gillian Deacon's book There's Lead in Your Lipstick. 

Deacon, a breast cancer survivor, gives a compelling argument for being aware of what is in the beauty products we use, and offers an overview of many safer and gentler care options for all of your many parts.  She also provides some instructions for making your own skin care products at home using simple, natural ingredients.  This lovely face scrub, containing soothing oats and chamomile and calming lavender, is one of the little treats I discovered within the pages of Deacon's book.

Oatmeal Face Scrub

1/4 cup raw almonds
4 tbsp oatmeal
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chamomile flowers
1 tsp lavender oil

Chop almonds in a food processor until they are a fine meal.
Add remaining ingredients and blend well until mixture is a soft, granular powder.

To use each morning, put a half tablespoon of this mixture in your palm and add just a couple of drops of water.  Rub hands together to make a paste.  Gently rub and massage it onto damp skin in circular motions to exfoliate.  Wash off with warm water and a warm, damp washcloth, and end with a splash of cold.  Pat skin dry with a clean towel.

Store the scrub in a well-sealed glass jar.

The ingredients for making your own skin care products can be found easily in health food stores or online.  But even if you're not keen on mixing lotions and potions at home, there are many companies making products that are free from harmful substances and wonderful to use.  These are some of my personal favourites:

Lip balm:  Burt's Bees  Beeswax, coconut oil, and a hint of peppermint keep lips smooth without the use of petrolatum.

Soaps and Body Lotion:  Olivier  Olivier's moisturizing body lotion contains olive and sweet almond oils to gently nourish skin, and their luxurious handmade soaps, in natural scents like orange, chocolate, cranberry, and pear, smell good enough to eat!

Facial Cleanser and Cream:  Green Beaver  Green Beaver makes a wide range of wholesome natural personal care products.  Their facial care line is gentle and soothing and keeps skin glowing.

Body Balm:  Badger   This rich balm, available in several different natural scents, is perfect for healing very dry skin anywhere on the body.  It's excellent for chapped hands in winter!

Hand Soap:  Nature Clean   Nature Clean's gentle coconut- and glycerin-based liquid soaps clean hands effectively without the use of triclosan. 

I highly recommend reading There's Lead in Your Lipstick for anyone who is interested in learning more about safer personal care products.  You can also find some great information online:  the David Suzuki Foundation's website explains the "dirty dozen" ingredients it's best to avoid in your cosmetics, and the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database allows you to search thousands of body care products to see how safe (or unsafe) they are.  Take good care of yourself; in choosing cosmetics carefully, you'll help keep your body and your planet healthy and beautiful.

The old house

They're tearing down the old house on the property behind us this week. It's been a long, cumbersome process, involving heavy duty vehicles and equipment, lots of crunching, smashing and banging, and today, all that remains of the quaint brick house is a sad pile of rubble.

I sympathize with that old house. In the past year, it lost its quiet, long-dwelling family who once treated it with care, and briefly suffered the insanity of noisy, rude tenants who damaged it and treated it disrespectfully. When the tenants moved out, the house was left to stand empty and alone in the cool fall weather, with no heat to warm its bones, no light to brighten its dark interior, and no people to fill its days with laughter and love. The breaking down of its walls and foundation this week was symbolic of the house's recent state of weakness after years of standing strong and proud on its little hill.

In recent months, my life has felt very much like that of the poor old house. Where I once was full of positive energy, strength, and happiness, I've lately felt tired and anxious and sad. I've been spending too much time inside my own head, which has been dark and cold like the abandoned building behind us, and I've been having a hard time letting warmth, light, and laughter back in, despite the kindness and loving care of those dear to me. The physical and emotional after-effects of an illness I had at the beginning of the summer have taken their toll on me, a person who worries far more than is healthy, and I feel like I've temporarily been reduced to a shadow of my former self.

Some of you may remember that I had dental surgery back in May. The surgery was fine, but I was prescribed a course of the antibiotic clindamycin to prevent possible infection afterwards, and as a result of that drug, I developed a c. difficile infection. Aside from suffering with the very unpleasant symptoms of that illness, I was extremely anxious about it, a fact that was only exacerbated by the frequent and sensationalist news stories circulating at the same time regarding c. difficile outbreaks and deaths in various hospitals around the province. I was terrified to treat the infection with more antibiotics as was recommended by my family doctor (because I've personally had too many awful experiences with them wreaking havoc in my body), but I was terrified not to because of what might happen if I didn't. Thankfully, with the reassurance and care of my naturopathic doctor, I was able to get rid of the infection using high doses of probiotics and some other supplements instead (a fact which I think speaks volumes about how effective naturopathic medicine can be).

My worrying, however, did not end when I got the all-clear test results. My digestive system was still not functioning at its best, and I couldn't stop myself from worrying obsessively about what if the infection came back, a possibility that was unlikely due to the fact that I had built up a good supply of probiotics in my system to replace the depleted ones that had allowed for the infection in the first place. I developed a stomach ulcer, and then worried while I waited for the results of h. pylori testing, which ended up coming back negative. In the meantime, I started to feel exhausted all the time and developed muscle aches in my lower back and neck and shoulders, and then worried more that there was something else wrong with me. Several doctor's appointments and tests later, I have begun to realize that it has likely been my constant anxiety that has made me such a wreck. The body can only handle so much stress at once, and constant worry over a period of a few months has completely worn mine out.

I have come to understand that I need to stop the vicious cycle of worry that is contributing to my physical illness, and that I have the power within me to do something about it. I am continuing to work with my wonderful naturopathic doctor on my digestive system and my anxiety, both of which are slowly improving, and I've recently started seeing an osteopath to help with the physical aches and pains. I'm looking into yoga classes, and attended my first group meditation session at a studio last night, a new experience for me which I found very interesting and relaxing. I am slowly digging myself out of my dark pile of rubble and heading towards warmth and light again. I am choosing to believe that I will get there.

They've been tearing down the old house behind us this week to make room for a new one. It will take time, but eventually the scars left behind by the old house will be smoothed over, and a new house will stand strong and proud, ready with an open heart to welcome a family within its walls. The old house will eventually become a distant memory for those who were part of its history. Healing takes time, too, but I feel now that I'm on the road to smoothing over my own scars. One day soon, I hope, I will stand strong and happy again on my own little hill of wellness, the events of the past few months a distant memory that contributed to building a better me.

In the sun, safely

Because there has been SO much rain in our area this spring, whenever the sun decides to show its shiny face, everyone flocks to the great outdoors to soak up its glorious rays. Of course, a day out playing and working in the sunshine means slathering on sunscreen first to protect delicate skin from the damage sun exposure can cause. Due to the chemical makeup of many popular sunscreens, these days many people are questioning whether these products are actually safe to use, or whether they may be harming us rather than protecting us.

All over yesteday's news were stories of the potential dangers to fetuses of a common sunscreen ingredient, retinyl palmitate, as was mentioned in the July issue of Consumer Reports. Medical professionals reassured the public that there is no conclusive evidence of any connection between the quantities of retinyl palmitate used in sunscreens and harm to humans, and that the proven benefits of sunscreens outweigh any potential risks, thus pregnant women should continue to use them. Despite this reassurance, the seeds of doubt have once again been planted in the minds of many cautious consumers, and in my opinion, there is just cause for this concern.

According to the Environmental Working Group, an organization of professionals committed to exposing and finding solutions to threats to our health and the environment, retinyl palmitate is only one of the ingredients we should be wary of in many of today's sunscreen products. Research has linked oxybenzone, another common sunscreen chemical, to allergies, hormone disruption and skin damage, and has shown it to actually enhance the ability of other chemicals to penetrate the skin. Another ingredient of concern is parabens, chemical preservatives that have the potential to harm our reproductive systems. With skin being the body's largest organ, it makes sense to be concerned about what chemicals it comes into contact with; any of those chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin may have unhealthy effects on our body's other organs and systems.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to chemical sunscreens (a fact which, interestingly enough, I did not hear mentioned in any of the news reports yesterday). Mineral sunscreens are made from either zinc or titanium; they do not penetrate the skin and are stable in sunlight, a claim that many chemical sunscreens cannot make. They also offer good broad spectrum protection, blocking both UVB and UVA rays. While you typically will not find mineral suncreens in your usual department and grocery stores, they are readily available in health food stores and from online companies like well.ca.


We have been using the Badger brand of mineral sunscreen since last spring and are very happy with it. It's unscented, made from natural ingredients like olive oil and beeswax, and does not irritate the boys' sensitive skin. While zinc-based sunscreens like Badger are very "white", we find that if we rub the sunscreen between our hands to soften it up before applying it, and then smooth it well on our skin, the white sheen is much less visible.

To find out how your usual brand of sunscreen (and other skin care products) rate safety-wise, check out the Environmental Working Group's informative Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. You might be surprised (and alarmed) at what you discover.

Enjoying the hot sunshine after so many months of cool, gray weather is a welcome delight for many this time of year. It's important to remember, though, that when we take the necessary precaution of protecting our skin, we should protect the rest of our bodies from harm as well.