in 2 years!
Love it
Monday, December 29, 2008
Recipe for Success
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Have a chat with yourself about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My
purpose today is: ________________________
I am thankful for: ________________________
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that
is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument.
Agree to disagree.
13 . Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. The Universe heals everything – but you have to ask it.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
I am thankful for __________.
Today I accomplished _________.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.
You’ll be smiling before you know it.
It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Have a chat with yourself about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My
purpose today is: ________________________
I am thankful for: ________________________
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that
is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument.
Agree to disagree.
13 . Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. The Universe heals everything – but you have to ask it.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
I am thankful for __________.
Today I accomplished _________.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.
You’ll be smiling before you know it.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Who's in Control?
Who's in Control
The Unhappy Consequences of Being Child-Centered
by Jean Leidloff
It took some time before the significance of what I was looking at sank into my "civilized" mind. I had spent more than two years living in the jungles of South America with Stone Age Indians. Little boys traveled with us when we enlisted their fathers as guides and crew, and we often stayed for days or weeks in the villages of the Yequana Indians where the children played all day unsupervised by adults or adolescents. It only struck me after the fourth of my five expeditions that I had never seen a conflict either between two children or between a child and an adult. Not only did the children not hit one another, they did not even argue. They obeyed their elders instantly and cheerfully, and often carried babies around with them while playing or helping with the work.
Where were the "terrible twos"? Where were the tantrums, the struggle to "get their own way," the selfishness, the destructiveness and carelessness of their own safety that we call normal? Where was the nagging, the discipline, the "boundaries" needed to curb their contrariness? Where, indeed, was the adversarial relationship we take for granted between parent and child? Where was the blaming, the punishing, or for that matter, where was any sign of permissiveness?
Rest of the article
The Unhappy Consequences of Being Child-Centered
by Jean Leidloff
It took some time before the significance of what I was looking at sank into my "civilized" mind. I had spent more than two years living in the jungles of South America with Stone Age Indians. Little boys traveled with us when we enlisted their fathers as guides and crew, and we often stayed for days or weeks in the villages of the Yequana Indians where the children played all day unsupervised by adults or adolescents. It only struck me after the fourth of my five expeditions that I had never seen a conflict either between two children or between a child and an adult. Not only did the children not hit one another, they did not even argue. They obeyed their elders instantly and cheerfully, and often carried babies around with them while playing or helping with the work.
Where were the "terrible twos"? Where were the tantrums, the struggle to "get their own way," the selfishness, the destructiveness and carelessness of their own safety that we call normal? Where was the nagging, the discipline, the "boundaries" needed to curb their contrariness? Where, indeed, was the adversarial relationship we take for granted between parent and child? Where was the blaming, the punishing, or for that matter, where was any sign of permissiveness?
Rest of the article
Friday, December 19, 2008
Photo Update
Well our computer has officially died - but we've got a backup in the meantime while we figure out what to do. So, here's what's been on my camera since the fatality. =) Grab a snack, cause there's a lot!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Meaningful Toys
6 Fun Toys You Can Make at Home
One night after the kids are in bed before Christmas, Rhett and I are going to go through all of our toys. Everything that takes a battery (or otherwise limits creativity) is going to be donated to Rhett's taxi drivers. We want to drastically reduce our toy load - and come away with a few simple, meaningful, and imaginative toys.
Here is a list of what the kids are getting for Christmas:
Seth - Waldorf-inspired doll. Handmade truck. Book (All The Places to Love). Handmade I-spy bag. Handmade crayon roll. Handmade ribbon sticks. Handmade instrument.
Ella - Doll bed for her babies. Book (On The Night You Were Born). Handmade ribbon sticks. Handmade wooden egg rattle. Handmade wooden ball and scoop. Handmade rainbow nesting blocks.
One night after the kids are in bed before Christmas, Rhett and I are going to go through all of our toys. Everything that takes a battery (or otherwise limits creativity) is going to be donated to Rhett's taxi drivers. We want to drastically reduce our toy load - and come away with a few simple, meaningful, and imaginative toys.
Here is a list of what the kids are getting for Christmas:
Seth - Waldorf-inspired doll. Handmade truck. Book (All The Places to Love). Handmade I-spy bag. Handmade crayon roll. Handmade ribbon sticks. Handmade instrument.
Ella - Doll bed for her babies. Book (On The Night You Were Born). Handmade ribbon sticks. Handmade wooden egg rattle. Handmade wooden ball and scoop. Handmade rainbow nesting blocks.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Autism is Curable!
Isn't that amazing? It's true though, autism is curable! I've seen it happen before my eyes. At Church on Sunday, Seth's nursery leaders told Rhett that they couldn't believe the progress he's made. One of his leaders, who has worked with special needs children before, mentioned "recovered" to me. He's a completely different child than he was just 6 months ago. He's Seth. Finally.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop posted more great info about Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Campbell-McBride.. Find the post here. Definitely worth the click.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride said, "Fifteen or twenty years ago, the majority of doctors never saw an autistic child. It was a rare disorder that most people had never heard of, afflicting about one child in 10,000. Today, on average in this country, one child in 150 is diagnosed with autism. With a 40-fold increase in newly diagnosed cases of autism, we have an absolute epidemic.
Autism is a serious disorder, yet it is perfectly curable. The younger the child when treatment begins, the better results I see. If you can catch the autistic child under the age of three, there is about a 60-70 percent chance of full recovery."
It's possible, you've just got to find the right information!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop posted more great info about Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Campbell-McBride.. Find the post here. Definitely worth the click.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride said, "Fifteen or twenty years ago, the majority of doctors never saw an autistic child. It was a rare disorder that most people had never heard of, afflicting about one child in 10,000. Today, on average in this country, one child in 150 is diagnosed with autism. With a 40-fold increase in newly diagnosed cases of autism, we have an absolute epidemic.
Autism is a serious disorder, yet it is perfectly curable. The younger the child when treatment begins, the better results I see. If you can catch the autistic child under the age of three, there is about a 60-70 percent chance of full recovery."
It's possible, you've just got to find the right information!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Farm Dreamin'
While I've been reading Healing our Children, Rhett has been reading You Can Farm by our local meat provider, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms. He's loving it. We've decided to turn our backyard into a huge garden. Rhett and Seth have started working on our compost and setting up plots for veggies. I've been researching online tonight about getting chickens - looks like it's illegal in our area. Ugh. We figure it's probably better to start small with the farming dream - see how self-sufficient we can be in our own backyard before we go any bigger.
The chores have been so good for Seth. He loves helping dad outside.
The chores have been so good for Seth. He loves helping dad outside.
Healing Our Children
I've been immersed in the book, Healing our Children by Ramiel Nagel. It's chock full of wonderful information - nutrition, parenting, childbirth, all of the good stuff. You can download an excerpt from the book and gets lots of other great info here.
Dr. Weston A. Price started feeding a group of orphans one meal a day, to help prevent tooth decay. This is also the diet he suggested for pregnant women. There is a copy of the diet in the book...here it is.
About four ounces of tomato juice and a teaspoonful of a mixture of equal parts of a very high vitamin natural cod liver oil and an especially high vitamin butter was given at the beginning of the meal. Then they received a bowl containing approximately a pint of a very rich vegetable and meat stew, made largely from bone marrow and fine cuts of tender meat: the meat was usually broiled separately to retain its juice and then chopped very fine and added to the bone marrow meat soup which always contained finely chopped vegetables and plenty of very yellow carrots; for the next course they had cooked fruit, with very little sweetening, and rolls made from freshly ground whole wheat, which were spread with the high-vitamin butter. The wheat for the rolls was ground fresh everyday in a motor driven coffee mill. Each child was also given two glasses of fresh whole milk. The menu was varied from day to day by substituting for the meat stew, fish chowder or organs of animals.
Dr. Weston A. Price started feeding a group of orphans one meal a day, to help prevent tooth decay. This is also the diet he suggested for pregnant women. There is a copy of the diet in the book...here it is.
About four ounces of tomato juice and a teaspoonful of a mixture of equal parts of a very high vitamin natural cod liver oil and an especially high vitamin butter was given at the beginning of the meal. Then they received a bowl containing approximately a pint of a very rich vegetable and meat stew, made largely from bone marrow and fine cuts of tender meat: the meat was usually broiled separately to retain its juice and then chopped very fine and added to the bone marrow meat soup which always contained finely chopped vegetables and plenty of very yellow carrots; for the next course they had cooked fruit, with very little sweetening, and rolls made from freshly ground whole wheat, which were spread with the high-vitamin butter. The wheat for the rolls was ground fresh everyday in a motor driven coffee mill. Each child was also given two glasses of fresh whole milk. The menu was varied from day to day by substituting for the meat stew, fish chowder or organs of animals.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Oh sad day
Our hard drive crashed. Sigh. Everything is gone. All the pictures, all the videos, all my research, everything. I had tons of wonderful Thanksgiving pictures and pictures from Ella's 1st birthday party to download. No dice. So, the blog is going to be pretty slow for a while. Sigh.
On a happy note, it's Ella's first birthday! One year since the most life-changing, amazing day! I'm so thankful for my sweet little Ella-belle. Happy birthday sweet girl.
On a happy note, it's Ella's first birthday! One year since the most life-changing, amazing day! I'm so thankful for my sweet little Ella-belle. Happy birthday sweet girl.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Oh happy day
Dr. Irwin came over to the house today for a visit. I really respect his opinion and I wanted to ask him a few questions about Seth. We've had so many opinions on him - and lots of different answers. We've heard autism, dyspraxia, adhd, oppositional defiant disorder, sensory integration disorder, etc etc etc. So, he came in and immediately sat down and started playing with Seth. He was amazed at the progress he's made since August. His opinion - lots of emotional and social issues, but NO autism. NO AUTISM! He said that he DID have autism, but he's recovered enough in certain areas for it to be UN-DIAGNOSABLE. To hear a professional say 'it's not autism anymore' made my day. We've worked so hard and I feel like it's paying off.
He also made me feel much better about Seth's diet. He reminded me that some of the villages Dr. Weston A. Price studied had very limited diets and exceptional health. As long as it's not processed junk, then I shouldn't worry about his limited list of foods.
He said that now that our TV is gone, we will probably see a lot of Seth's other "problems" disappear.
Dare I say that I'm now a Happy Hippie Recovered Autism Mom?
He also made me feel much better about Seth's diet. He reminded me that some of the villages Dr. Weston A. Price studied had very limited diets and exceptional health. As long as it's not processed junk, then I shouldn't worry about his limited list of foods.
He said that now that our TV is gone, we will probably see a lot of Seth's other "problems" disappear.
Dare I say that I'm now a Happy Hippie Recovered Autism Mom?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Goodbye TV
We said goodbye to our television yesterday. I feel so liberated. We took down the entire entertainment unit, all the movies, everything. It's all in storage. Goodbye mind-numbing entertainment, hello meaningful family time.
This morning, instead of Seth watching his usual post-breakfast movie, we've been dancing to Christmas music and had so much fun. We made a memory this morning. I don't miss the TV.
This morning, instead of Seth watching his usual post-breakfast movie, we've been dancing to Christmas music and had so much fun. We made a memory this morning. I don't miss the TV.
Kids Homemade Christmas
Here is a list of things that your kids can make for handmade Christmas presents this year. Courtesy of Crafty Crow.
freezer paper stenciled object such as a t-shirt, sweatshirt, apron, tea towel, tote bag, etc.
homemade deoderant, soap, face scrub, etc.
drink coasters made from fabric, felted wool, popsicle sticks, oil cloth, cork, weaving, etc.
write and illustrate a story then bind it into a book
blank book or journal
candles: rolled up beeswax sheets, recycled old candles, soy candles, dipped candles, etc.
several different exotic varieties of homemade ice cream
pillowcases: make from scratch or buy them and add decoration with stenciling, fabric markers, fabric paint, embroidery or simple applique
crochet washcloths or dishcloths; especially nice from organic cotton yarn
a decorated walking stick
set of magnets: marble magnets, artwork glued onto magnet sheets, button magnets or woodsie magnets
homemade candy such as peanut brittle, rock candy, lollipops, etc.
make or buy some simple tote bags and using stenciling, fabric paint or fabric markers label them for tech accessories, beauty supplies, craft supplies, etc.
bean bags
a game
a compilation recipe book: collect recipes from family members and compile into a book/notebook
terrarium
wee garden
crayon cookies
homemade cookies or pie
a weaving
music mix cd
recipe in a jar
spice mix for grilling
scarf: no sew fleece scarf, knit/crochet scarf, fabric scarf, etc.
a decorated wood box
felt play food
wet felted wool balls
felted soap
stationery set
stickers
jewelry: earrings, necklace, bracelet
clock: get a kit and get creative with the clock face
a diorama
a calendar: have artwork printed for each month
anniversary calendar with special occasions already written in
flowers: tissue paper flowers, button flowers, felt flowers, etc.
doll or troll house made from a gourd, cardboard boxes, wood shelves, etc.
garland
simple pillow
painted rocks to be used as paper weights, door stops, plant markers, etc.
no-sew fleece blanket
mobile
hot sock: sock filled with rice to heat for cold winter nights
desk accessories: pencil cup, drawer organizers, etc.
bookmarks
dress-up kit
make a puzzle from wood blocks
embroidered drawing framed in an embroidery hoop
puppets
puppet theater
key chain
sachets
set of napkins
handmade rubber stamps
decorated picture frame
ornaments
bulletin board
peg dolls
doll house accessories
stuffies
freezer paper stenciled object such as a t-shirt, sweatshirt, apron, tea towel, tote bag, etc.
homemade deoderant, soap, face scrub, etc.
drink coasters made from fabric, felted wool, popsicle sticks, oil cloth, cork, weaving, etc.
write and illustrate a story then bind it into a book
blank book or journal
candles: rolled up beeswax sheets, recycled old candles, soy candles, dipped candles, etc.
several different exotic varieties of homemade ice cream
pillowcases: make from scratch or buy them and add decoration with stenciling, fabric markers, fabric paint, embroidery or simple applique
crochet washcloths or dishcloths; especially nice from organic cotton yarn
a decorated walking stick
set of magnets: marble magnets, artwork glued onto magnet sheets, button magnets or woodsie magnets
homemade candy such as peanut brittle, rock candy, lollipops, etc.
make or buy some simple tote bags and using stenciling, fabric paint or fabric markers label them for tech accessories, beauty supplies, craft supplies, etc.
bean bags
a game
a compilation recipe book: collect recipes from family members and compile into a book/notebook
terrarium
wee garden
crayon cookies
homemade cookies or pie
a weaving
music mix cd
recipe in a jar
spice mix for grilling
scarf: no sew fleece scarf, knit/crochet scarf, fabric scarf, etc.
a decorated wood box
felt play food
wet felted wool balls
felted soap
stationery set
stickers
jewelry: earrings, necklace, bracelet
clock: get a kit and get creative with the clock face
a diorama
a calendar: have artwork printed for each month
anniversary calendar with special occasions already written in
flowers: tissue paper flowers, button flowers, felt flowers, etc.
doll or troll house made from a gourd, cardboard boxes, wood shelves, etc.
garland
simple pillow
painted rocks to be used as paper weights, door stops, plant markers, etc.
no-sew fleece blanket
mobile
hot sock: sock filled with rice to heat for cold winter nights
desk accessories: pencil cup, drawer organizers, etc.
bookmarks
dress-up kit
make a puzzle from wood blocks
embroidered drawing framed in an embroidery hoop
puppets
puppet theater
key chain
sachets
set of napkins
handmade rubber stamps
decorated picture frame
ornaments
bulletin board
peg dolls
doll house accessories
stuffies
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Best. Book. Ever.
I've been reading this book, Instead of Medicating and Punishing: Healing the Causes of Our Children's Acting-Out Behavior by Parenting and Educating the Way Nature Intended by Laurie A. Couture, and it's absolutely wonderful! I don't even know where to start. It has such great information. Here's an excerpt.
Chapter 10: Does Your Child Have a Brain Disorder or Is Our Culture Disordered?
The mental health, psychiatirc and pharmaceutical industries have capitalized on human suffering for years, marketing everything from macabre experiemnts in gothic "asylums" in centuries past, to the simplistic self-help books, charismatic "inner child" workshops, trendy therapies and mood-numbing chemicals of modern times. It should be of no surprise that the mental health and pharmaceutical institutions eventually turned from a focus on adult "pathology" to the financial goldmine of the suffering of society's most vulnerable and most captive subjects...children.
Are our children really as brain disordered as the experts wish for us to believe or are their behaviors and extreme emotions natural reactions to a toxic cultural environment? Do our children really require powerful mind-altering chemicals every day just to function or are our children screaming out for something deeper than a pill? Does it really make us feel better as parents when the "experts" and authors assure us that "it's not our fault", the child has a "chemical imbalance" or "the child's brain doesn't have any brakes"? Do we believe that deep down? The multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry hopes that we do!
What did we learn from the last nine chapters about what children need in order to function optimally physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, sexually, morally and spiritually? To sum up briefly, we learned that for our children to develop optimally in all areas:
- Children require secure parent-child attachment
- Children's basic physical and emotional needs must be consistently met as soon as possible, especially in infancy, but also all throughout childhood
- Children require that mothers hold or "wear" them continuously on the skin for the first 12 months of life
- Children require that their mothers breastfeed them as often as needed, for no less than 2.5 years and optimally more
- Children need a physically and emotionally safe, stable, loving and nurturing home environment
- Children need to be loved, treasured, cherished and respected for who they are as individuals
- Children need continuous physical affection at all ages
- Young children naturally feel safest, most attached and most comforted by cosleeping with their parents
- Children need guidance and discipline that is physically and emotionally nonviolent and based on strong family and community modeling
- Children need to be with their parents, friends and communities during the day
- Children do best in mixed-age groups of peers
- Children need freedom, exploration and play in order to learn and keep the desire to learn
- Children ideally need to be able to imitate and join parents and adults in their community doing work that children find interesting
- Children need constant, regular, high-energy physical activity all through out the day
- Children need to direct their play, learning and exploration
- Children need their developmental pace and abilities respected
- Children need to learn according to their learning styles
- Children need to learn primarily through unique intelligences that they posses and need to have their intelligences treated as valid
- Children need to have their parent's time, affection and playfulness - Substitutes won't do!
- Children need entertainment and cultural modeling that is developmentally appropriate, fun, enriching, fulfilling and active
We can expect natural alarm signals from children whose needs are not being met. We can expect natural emotional and behavioral instability to result when children's needs aren't met. That being the case, when children give us alarm signals and emotionally and behaviorally show us their distress, are they telling us that there is something wrong with their brains? Or are they telling us that they are suffering distress from disrupted attachment, unmet physical and emotional needs, trauma or unnatural learning conditions?
--
"You have the power to give up yelling, hitting, rough handling and punishing your children. You have the power to give up our culture's cold beliefs that babies belong in cribs, fed by bottles. You have the power to challenge harmful trends, including the belief that the sarcastic cartoons on TV are "fine" for your children to watch.
You have the "mother-bear" power to challenge our culture's apathetic notions that children belong in school and that your children "learn more" at school than at home. You have the parental power to tell your children's teachers that you will not be allowing homework in your home. You have the power to connect with the unschooling or homeschooling groups in your area to find out how easy and freeing it can be to allow your children to learn at home and out in the community. You have the power to search for a school for your children that you would have loved as a child; a school that will allow your children to keep their natural love for learning; a school that your children would find true joy in.
You have the instinctual, loving power to cuddle and nurture your children daily and re-parent their earlier unmet needs. You have the courageous power to deeply listen to your children and find out what they need, instead of what you believe. You have the healing power to not blame yourself, to not blame others, to not blame brain disorders and to not blame your children for the way things are now. You have the power to get the help you need in order to help your children."
"You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." - Gandhi
I will be posting more on this book later. She has a whole chapter dedicated to re-attaching to your children. It's fabulous.
Chapter 10: Does Your Child Have a Brain Disorder or Is Our Culture Disordered?
The mental health, psychiatirc and pharmaceutical industries have capitalized on human suffering for years, marketing everything from macabre experiemnts in gothic "asylums" in centuries past, to the simplistic self-help books, charismatic "inner child" workshops, trendy therapies and mood-numbing chemicals of modern times. It should be of no surprise that the mental health and pharmaceutical institutions eventually turned from a focus on adult "pathology" to the financial goldmine of the suffering of society's most vulnerable and most captive subjects...children.
Are our children really as brain disordered as the experts wish for us to believe or are their behaviors and extreme emotions natural reactions to a toxic cultural environment? Do our children really require powerful mind-altering chemicals every day just to function or are our children screaming out for something deeper than a pill? Does it really make us feel better as parents when the "experts" and authors assure us that "it's not our fault", the child has a "chemical imbalance" or "the child's brain doesn't have any brakes"? Do we believe that deep down? The multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry hopes that we do!
What did we learn from the last nine chapters about what children need in order to function optimally physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, sexually, morally and spiritually? To sum up briefly, we learned that for our children to develop optimally in all areas:
- Children require secure parent-child attachment
- Children's basic physical and emotional needs must be consistently met as soon as possible, especially in infancy, but also all throughout childhood
- Children require that mothers hold or "wear" them continuously on the skin for the first 12 months of life
- Children require that their mothers breastfeed them as often as needed, for no less than 2.5 years and optimally more
- Children need a physically and emotionally safe, stable, loving and nurturing home environment
- Children need to be loved, treasured, cherished and respected for who they are as individuals
- Children need continuous physical affection at all ages
- Young children naturally feel safest, most attached and most comforted by cosleeping with their parents
- Children need guidance and discipline that is physically and emotionally nonviolent and based on strong family and community modeling
- Children need to be with their parents, friends and communities during the day
- Children do best in mixed-age groups of peers
- Children need freedom, exploration and play in order to learn and keep the desire to learn
- Children ideally need to be able to imitate and join parents and adults in their community doing work that children find interesting
- Children need constant, regular, high-energy physical activity all through out the day
- Children need to direct their play, learning and exploration
- Children need their developmental pace and abilities respected
- Children need to learn according to their learning styles
- Children need to learn primarily through unique intelligences that they posses and need to have their intelligences treated as valid
- Children need to have their parent's time, affection and playfulness - Substitutes won't do!
- Children need entertainment and cultural modeling that is developmentally appropriate, fun, enriching, fulfilling and active
We can expect natural alarm signals from children whose needs are not being met. We can expect natural emotional and behavioral instability to result when children's needs aren't met. That being the case, when children give us alarm signals and emotionally and behaviorally show us their distress, are they telling us that there is something wrong with their brains? Or are they telling us that they are suffering distress from disrupted attachment, unmet physical and emotional needs, trauma or unnatural learning conditions?
--
"You have the power to give up yelling, hitting, rough handling and punishing your children. You have the power to give up our culture's cold beliefs that babies belong in cribs, fed by bottles. You have the power to challenge harmful trends, including the belief that the sarcastic cartoons on TV are "fine" for your children to watch.
You have the "mother-bear" power to challenge our culture's apathetic notions that children belong in school and that your children "learn more" at school than at home. You have the parental power to tell your children's teachers that you will not be allowing homework in your home. You have the power to connect with the unschooling or homeschooling groups in your area to find out how easy and freeing it can be to allow your children to learn at home and out in the community. You have the power to search for a school for your children that you would have loved as a child; a school that will allow your children to keep their natural love for learning; a school that your children would find true joy in.
You have the instinctual, loving power to cuddle and nurture your children daily and re-parent their earlier unmet needs. You have the courageous power to deeply listen to your children and find out what they need, instead of what you believe. You have the healing power to not blame yourself, to not blame others, to not blame brain disorders and to not blame your children for the way things are now. You have the power to get the help you need in order to help your children."
"You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." - Gandhi
I will be posting more on this book later. She has a whole chapter dedicated to re-attaching to your children. It's fabulous.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What's Cookin' in My Kitchen Today
We picked up an order from the farm today. Loads of raw goat milk, raw goat milk yogurt, fermented ketchup, raw goat milk cheese, maple syrup, and 1lb. apples.
I think that I'll make Seth a modified version of tuna casserole loaded with that goat milk cheese (and hope that he eats it).
We're going to bake some apple slices with the maple syrup and sprinkles of cinnamon. Yum!
Also, Seth has now added refried beans to his list of foods! So, I've been soaking and making beans today. Here they are before they get pureed with bacon fat and ghee.
I think that I'll make Seth a modified version of tuna casserole loaded with that goat milk cheese (and hope that he eats it).
We're going to bake some apple slices with the maple syrup and sprinkles of cinnamon. Yum!
Also, Seth has now added refried beans to his list of foods! So, I've been soaking and making beans today. Here they are before they get pureed with bacon fat and ghee.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Updates
Yeah, I know. It's been a while. I wish I could tell you some exciting story about what I've been up to. But, alas, just the regular ol' day to day taking care of kids scene. Little rugrats are keeping me busy. Here's an update.
Ella - In addition to signing "more" she's started pointing and waving bye-bye. Yep, the cutest thing you've ever seen. She's so cute I just want to eat her up. She's also started sleeping much better at night. What more could I ask for?
Seth - He had his DAN! appointment today and it was great. Dr. Gennaro is seeing so much improvement in him. She took out a picture of him that she took at his first appointment and he looks so pale and angry. She mentioned how much more color he has in his face. His body is continuing to heal, just like it should. He also didn't have any meltdowns while we were there (a first)! I mentioned his food issues to her again and she did some applied kinesiology to find out why he's having issues. Fears and phobias is what she kept coming up with. I think she nailed it on the head. I've actually compared Seth to a abused shelter dog - timid and scared of the world. So, she put him on a homeopathic spray for fears and phobias. She said that she's seen peoples lives change from these sprays. She also put him on a parasite spray. He's been on Pleo Oku for a while now, but I guess it wasn't working the way it should be. Dr. Gennaro said that Seth's gut is healed enough to start cleaning out those heavy metals. So, we're starting with Natural Cellular Defense. It's negatively charged volcanic ash that is suppose to pull out the metals from his body. Anyways, so here is his supplement list right now.
Adrenal Support drops - 5 drops/2x day
Stress Relief drops - 5 drops/2x day
Fears and Phobias spray - 2 sprays/2x day
Parasite spray - 2 sprays/2x day
Probiotics - 1 tsp day
Cod Liver Oil
Pleo Fort - 2 drops/1x day
MMR homeopathic capsules - 1 capsule/1x week
Corpus Colosum homeopathic capsules - 5 capsules/1x week
Enzymes - at every meal/snack
Basic Nutrients Plus - 1 capful a day
Natural Cellular Defense
I think that's it for right now.
Also, the best thing happened while we were at Dr. G's office. There was another autism mom coming out of the office as we were coming in. We gave each other the knowing smile and I thought that was the end of it. But, she ended up coming back in the office and asked if she had seen me at the Green our Vaccines Rally. I was so surprised that she recognized me - that was months ago and there were thousands of people there! We started talking and it turns out that she's got a 3 year old boy on the spectrum, a 1 year old girl, they live in Alexandria near us, and they are LDS! I'm so excited that we met! She's got my email address and we will try and get together soon. YAY!
Christmas update - I've made the homemade pledge and I'm almost done with my shopping. I've been using Etsy to find most of my gifts. I couldn't be happier with the things I've found. I'm never having another store bought Christmas again!
Ella - In addition to signing "more" she's started pointing and waving bye-bye. Yep, the cutest thing you've ever seen. She's so cute I just want to eat her up. She's also started sleeping much better at night. What more could I ask for?
Seth - He had his DAN! appointment today and it was great. Dr. Gennaro is seeing so much improvement in him. She took out a picture of him that she took at his first appointment and he looks so pale and angry. She mentioned how much more color he has in his face. His body is continuing to heal, just like it should. He also didn't have any meltdowns while we were there (a first)! I mentioned his food issues to her again and she did some applied kinesiology to find out why he's having issues. Fears and phobias is what she kept coming up with. I think she nailed it on the head. I've actually compared Seth to a abused shelter dog - timid and scared of the world. So, she put him on a homeopathic spray for fears and phobias. She said that she's seen peoples lives change from these sprays. She also put him on a parasite spray. He's been on Pleo Oku for a while now, but I guess it wasn't working the way it should be. Dr. Gennaro said that Seth's gut is healed enough to start cleaning out those heavy metals. So, we're starting with Natural Cellular Defense. It's negatively charged volcanic ash that is suppose to pull out the metals from his body. Anyways, so here is his supplement list right now.
Adrenal Support drops - 5 drops/2x day
Stress Relief drops - 5 drops/2x day
Fears and Phobias spray - 2 sprays/2x day
Parasite spray - 2 sprays/2x day
Probiotics - 1 tsp day
Cod Liver Oil
Pleo Fort - 2 drops/1x day
MMR homeopathic capsules - 1 capsule/1x week
Corpus Colosum homeopathic capsules - 5 capsules/1x week
Enzymes - at every meal/snack
Basic Nutrients Plus - 1 capful a day
Natural Cellular Defense
I think that's it for right now.
Also, the best thing happened while we were at Dr. G's office. There was another autism mom coming out of the office as we were coming in. We gave each other the knowing smile and I thought that was the end of it. But, she ended up coming back in the office and asked if she had seen me at the Green our Vaccines Rally. I was so surprised that she recognized me - that was months ago and there were thousands of people there! We started talking and it turns out that she's got a 3 year old boy on the spectrum, a 1 year old girl, they live in Alexandria near us, and they are LDS! I'm so excited that we met! She's got my email address and we will try and get together soon. YAY!
Christmas update - I've made the homemade pledge and I'm almost done with my shopping. I've been using Etsy to find most of my gifts. I couldn't be happier with the things I've found. I'm never having another store bought Christmas again!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Thanks Michael Pollan
Someone from one of my yahoo groups led me to this article from the NY Times.
Farmer in Chief
Here is an excerpt
"Which brings me to the deeper reason you will need not simply to address food prices but to make the reform of the entire food system one of the highest priorities of your administration: unless you do, you will not be able to make significant progress on the health care crisis, energy independence or climate change. Unlike food, these are issues you did campaign on — but as you try to address them you will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems and will have to change if we hope to solve them. Let me explain.
After cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy — 19 percent. And while the experts disagree about the exact amount, the way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than anything else we do — as much as 37 percent, according to one study. Whenever farmers clear land for crops and till the soil, large quantities of carbon are released into the air. But the 20th-century industrialization of agriculture has increased the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the food system by an order of magnitude; chemical fertilizers (made from natural gas), pesticides (made from petroleum), farm machinery, modern food processing and packaging and transportation have together transformed a system that in 1940 produced 2.3 calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil-fuel energy it used into one that now takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to produce a single calorie of modern supermarket food. Put another way, when we eat from the industrial-food system, we are eating oil and spewing greenhouse gases. This state of affairs appears all the more absurd when you recall that every calorie we eat is ultimately the product of photosynthesis — a process based on making food energy from sunshine. There is hope and possibility in that simple fact.
In addition to the problems of climate change and America’s oil addiction, you have spoken at length on the campaign trail of the health care crisis. Spending on health care has risen from 5 percent of national income in 1960 to 16 percent today, putting a significant drag on the economy. The goal of ensuring the health of all Americans depends on getting those costs under control. There are several reasons health care has gotten so expensive, but one of the biggest, and perhaps most tractable, is the cost to the system of preventable chronic diseases. Four of the top 10 killers in America today are chronic diseases linked to diet: heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. It is no coincidence that in the years national spending on health care went from 5 percent to 16 percent of national income, spending on food has fallen by a comparable amount — from 18 percent of household income to less than 10 percent. While the surfeit of cheap calories that the U.S. food system has produced since the late 1970s may have taken food prices off the political agenda, this has come at a steep cost to public health. You cannot expect to reform the health care system, much less expand coverage, without confronting the public-health catastrophe that is the modern American diet."
Farmer in Chief
Here is an excerpt
"Which brings me to the deeper reason you will need not simply to address food prices but to make the reform of the entire food system one of the highest priorities of your administration: unless you do, you will not be able to make significant progress on the health care crisis, energy independence or climate change. Unlike food, these are issues you did campaign on — but as you try to address them you will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems and will have to change if we hope to solve them. Let me explain.
After cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy — 19 percent. And while the experts disagree about the exact amount, the way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than anything else we do — as much as 37 percent, according to one study. Whenever farmers clear land for crops and till the soil, large quantities of carbon are released into the air. But the 20th-century industrialization of agriculture has increased the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the food system by an order of magnitude; chemical fertilizers (made from natural gas), pesticides (made from petroleum), farm machinery, modern food processing and packaging and transportation have together transformed a system that in 1940 produced 2.3 calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil-fuel energy it used into one that now takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to produce a single calorie of modern supermarket food. Put another way, when we eat from the industrial-food system, we are eating oil and spewing greenhouse gases. This state of affairs appears all the more absurd when you recall that every calorie we eat is ultimately the product of photosynthesis — a process based on making food energy from sunshine. There is hope and possibility in that simple fact.
In addition to the problems of climate change and America’s oil addiction, you have spoken at length on the campaign trail of the health care crisis. Spending on health care has risen from 5 percent of national income in 1960 to 16 percent today, putting a significant drag on the economy. The goal of ensuring the health of all Americans depends on getting those costs under control. There are several reasons health care has gotten so expensive, but one of the biggest, and perhaps most tractable, is the cost to the system of preventable chronic diseases. Four of the top 10 killers in America today are chronic diseases linked to diet: heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. It is no coincidence that in the years national spending on health care went from 5 percent to 16 percent of national income, spending on food has fallen by a comparable amount — from 18 percent of household income to less than 10 percent. While the surfeit of cheap calories that the U.S. food system has produced since the late 1970s may have taken food prices off the political agenda, this has come at a steep cost to public health. You cannot expect to reform the health care system, much less expand coverage, without confronting the public-health catastrophe that is the modern American diet."
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Latte Factor.
"For all the little things we spend our money on like fast food and starbucks, this alone over a long period of time could end up to be a considerable amount. Say you spend on average roughly $10 for lunch and starbucks. Over a year it’s $3,650 and over thirty years it comes to 109,500! Now imagine you put this money away in the stock market in some kind of an index fund, which historically averages about a 10% return. You would end up with 660,443.50! Isn’t this amazing? So yes, your daily fast food and starbucks is costing you over half a million dollars. This is also known as the Latte factor."
Source
I'm going to start saving $10 a day. How about you?
Source
I'm going to start saving $10 a day. How about you?
The website I can't get enough of today
Overcoming Consumerism
which led me to this thought provoking site that compares two families....a consumer-centered family and a family working towards self-sufficiency. Really has me thinking about some changes to make around here.
I was planning on a homemade Christmas this year. But, once we started getting all those fun holiday catalogs I started to think that maybe I would buy just a *few* things. Nevermind. Recycling the catalogs and staying away from stores.
which led me to this thought provoking site that compares two families....a consumer-centered family and a family working towards self-sufficiency. Really has me thinking about some changes to make around here.
I was planning on a homemade Christmas this year. But, once we started getting all those fun holiday catalogs I started to think that maybe I would buy just a *few* things. Nevermind. Recycling the catalogs and staying away from stores.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Vaccines
A friend of mine from college asked me some questions about vaccines. I dug around in my old vaccine information and found a few great websites. I thought I'd share.
There is so much information out there - you just have to go digging for it yourself. Here are a few websites to get you started on researching...
http://www.909shot.com/Default.htm - You can click around here and find lots of information.
http://www.generationrescue.org/vaccines.html - This page talks about a delayed vaccine schedule.
http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/ - Lots of great info, plus a delayed vaccine schedule.
Yes, you CAN delay any and all vaccines. Your doctor can't make you do anything - it's completely your decision (they just don't tell you that!). You can also request thimerosal-free vaccines. Thimerosal is the mercury preservative that some are speculating causes autism. Honestly, if you're feeling worried just wait. Wait until you find more out and can make an educated decision. I've come to the conclusion that it is a spiritual decision as well. Pray about it. What we've decided to do with Ella is wait until she is 2 years old and then pray about it. I don't believe that our children's bodies are ready to combat toxins like that until then.
I remember I was so scared to go back to Seth's pediatrician and tell him we didn't want any more vaccines. I made Rhett take time off work so he could go with me for support. It was no big deal though. He prodded a little bit, but was fine with our decision. You are the parent, not him. So, don't let him bully you around if you decide to wait. Also, you can request to see the vaccine ingredients - that usually shuts them right up!
http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html - List of vaccine ingredients......it's disgusting! Don't look at this if you've just eaten and have a weak stomach.
I couldn't help Seth before it was too late, but maybe I can help another child.
There is so much information out there - you just have to go digging for it yourself. Here are a few websites to get you started on researching...
http://www.909shot.com/Default.htm - You can click around here and find lots of information.
http://www.generationrescue.org/vaccines.html - This page talks about a delayed vaccine schedule.
http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/ - Lots of great info, plus a delayed vaccine schedule.
Yes, you CAN delay any and all vaccines. Your doctor can't make you do anything - it's completely your decision (they just don't tell you that!). You can also request thimerosal-free vaccines. Thimerosal is the mercury preservative that some are speculating causes autism. Honestly, if you're feeling worried just wait. Wait until you find more out and can make an educated decision. I've come to the conclusion that it is a spiritual decision as well. Pray about it. What we've decided to do with Ella is wait until she is 2 years old and then pray about it. I don't believe that our children's bodies are ready to combat toxins like that until then.
I remember I was so scared to go back to Seth's pediatrician and tell him we didn't want any more vaccines. I made Rhett take time off work so he could go with me for support. It was no big deal though. He prodded a little bit, but was fine with our decision. You are the parent, not him. So, don't let him bully you around if you decide to wait. Also, you can request to see the vaccine ingredients - that usually shuts them right up!
http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html - List of vaccine ingredients......it's disgusting! Don't look at this if you've just eaten and have a weak stomach.
I couldn't help Seth before it was too late, but maybe I can help another child.
Halloween
This is the first year we've tried taking Seth trick-or-treating and it was a success! We were anticipating the worst, but he really did great. I didn't think we would even get out the door - because of his major sensory issues he's very weird about clothes, so I didn't think he would let me put on the costume. It was so fun to have a "normal" kid for a night! Seth dressed up as Peter Pan and his best bud, Emma, was Tinkerbell. Ella was a flower.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
GFCF playdough
1/2 to 1 cup of goat milk powder (depending on how liquid your peanut butter is)
2 tablespoons of honey
1 cup of organic peanut butter
mix and play!
2 tablespoons of honey
1 cup of organic peanut butter
mix and play!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Favorite post of the week
A Child's World
“Is it possible that our modern way of teaching, all gentleness, persuasiveness and human contact tends to make children get themselves and their work all mixed up?…….Maybe it was easier for children to grow up in a world in which, when they impinged on the world of adults, they were treated firmly, impersonally and ceremoniously but were otherwise left alone.”
John Holt, ‘How Children Fail’
I have been mulling over this quotation for a while now. It seems harsh coming from a man who cared so much about the welfare of children and actually seems like it goes against everything he stands for. But I am convinced that there is some element of truth to what he says here. Children should mix with other children, making their own rules and boundaries as is befitting the world of a child and the complicated world of an adult should remain for the most part a million miles away.
In primitive societies this is what children are left to do. They run around in large packs with no supervision whatsoever. When they do interact with the adults, at meal times for example, children are usually quiet, obedient and conform to their parents rules of proper conduct. Adults are firm and unceremonious. All this I learned from The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff.
We rarely see this nowadays. Children are hounded by teachers and hounded by parents. What Holt is saying is that children are not here to please us or be our entertainment, nor are they here to be entertained by us - children are here to learn about life through the eyes of a child, free from critical observation.
Holt goes on to talk about overbearing parents who never let their children experiment, take risks or stretch themselves; parents who hover at the end of slides and climbing frames, who constantly tell their offspring to, “Be careful!” or, “Don’t do that, you will hurt yourself,” or the like. He talks of a playground in London, where the parents are prevented from entering and have to sit where they cannot see the children, who can enjoy themselves in peace and hardly ever hurt themselves.
When kids are left to test themselves to the fullest in a natural way, with the guidance of other children, they develop a strong sense of body awareness, of safety, of their own limits and they seldom, if ever then need to take unnecessary risks. When the parent always steps in to try to set the limit for the child, they never get a sense of their own strengths and weaknesses and subsequently when they are left their own devises can be reckless and unsafe.
This can be true with children’s interactions with others too. With an adult continually butting in and trying to resolve children’s conflicts for them, they never are allowed to weigh the other one up, suss out the situation, act accordingly and learn to get along with others.
It is all about letting children get on with it, sort out their differences themselves. DoH often tells me about the fisticuffs that would go on after school with rivals, even with friends. He knew then how to handle himself, as he does now. ‘Street-wise’ he calls it. Does this mean that children who are bullied (or bully) have never been allowed to settle their own disputes themselves in their own way and are therefore left defenseless (or tyrannical) in a dog eat dog world???
I believe we all need to learn how to be idle parents. In short, we shouldn’t try to make our kids interpret their world through our eyes. The same is true for schooling; the ‘persuasiveness of modern teaching’ is far more damaging than leaving a child to learn in their own way. And so much for the ‘persuasiveness of modern parenting’ - i.e. the modern trend of feeling that children should be ‘entertained’ 24/7; doing things together as a family, spending time at theme parks, at the zoo, at the cinema etc. In the ‘olden days’, parents had too much to do - washing, cooking, cleaning, working - to care about entertaining the kids. Children ran through the woods by themselves, unobserved, unimpeded and FREE.
And they knew how to behave in front of the grown ups.
“Is it possible that our modern way of teaching, all gentleness, persuasiveness and human contact tends to make children get themselves and their work all mixed up?…….Maybe it was easier for children to grow up in a world in which, when they impinged on the world of adults, they were treated firmly, impersonally and ceremoniously but were otherwise left alone.”
John Holt, ‘How Children Fail’
I have been mulling over this quotation for a while now. It seems harsh coming from a man who cared so much about the welfare of children and actually seems like it goes against everything he stands for. But I am convinced that there is some element of truth to what he says here. Children should mix with other children, making their own rules and boundaries as is befitting the world of a child and the complicated world of an adult should remain for the most part a million miles away.
In primitive societies this is what children are left to do. They run around in large packs with no supervision whatsoever. When they do interact with the adults, at meal times for example, children are usually quiet, obedient and conform to their parents rules of proper conduct. Adults are firm and unceremonious. All this I learned from The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff.
We rarely see this nowadays. Children are hounded by teachers and hounded by parents. What Holt is saying is that children are not here to please us or be our entertainment, nor are they here to be entertained by us - children are here to learn about life through the eyes of a child, free from critical observation.
Holt goes on to talk about overbearing parents who never let their children experiment, take risks or stretch themselves; parents who hover at the end of slides and climbing frames, who constantly tell their offspring to, “Be careful!” or, “Don’t do that, you will hurt yourself,” or the like. He talks of a playground in London, where the parents are prevented from entering and have to sit where they cannot see the children, who can enjoy themselves in peace and hardly ever hurt themselves.
When kids are left to test themselves to the fullest in a natural way, with the guidance of other children, they develop a strong sense of body awareness, of safety, of their own limits and they seldom, if ever then need to take unnecessary risks. When the parent always steps in to try to set the limit for the child, they never get a sense of their own strengths and weaknesses and subsequently when they are left their own devises can be reckless and unsafe.
This can be true with children’s interactions with others too. With an adult continually butting in and trying to resolve children’s conflicts for them, they never are allowed to weigh the other one up, suss out the situation, act accordingly and learn to get along with others.
It is all about letting children get on with it, sort out their differences themselves. DoH often tells me about the fisticuffs that would go on after school with rivals, even with friends. He knew then how to handle himself, as he does now. ‘Street-wise’ he calls it. Does this mean that children who are bullied (or bully) have never been allowed to settle their own disputes themselves in their own way and are therefore left defenseless (or tyrannical) in a dog eat dog world???
I believe we all need to learn how to be idle parents. In short, we shouldn’t try to make our kids interpret their world through our eyes. The same is true for schooling; the ‘persuasiveness of modern teaching’ is far more damaging than leaving a child to learn in their own way. And so much for the ‘persuasiveness of modern parenting’ - i.e. the modern trend of feeling that children should be ‘entertained’ 24/7; doing things together as a family, spending time at theme parks, at the zoo, at the cinema etc. In the ‘olden days’, parents had too much to do - washing, cooking, cleaning, working - to care about entertaining the kids. Children ran through the woods by themselves, unobserved, unimpeded and FREE.
And they knew how to behave in front of the grown ups.
Baby Food Making 101
I made Ella a huge batch of butternut squash today, and I thought I'd share how easy it is to make your own baby food.
First, I cut the squash in half and got rid of the seeds.
Second, I set the squash halves flesh side up in a dish.
Third, I covered the squashes with olive oil.
Threw the dish in the oven for about an hour at 350 degrees.
Scooped out the squash, added coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and homemade chicken broth.
Pureed it and put it in some leftover baby food containers and into the freezer.
So easy, so healthy, so cheap....doesn't get much better than that!
First, I cut the squash in half and got rid of the seeds.
Second, I set the squash halves flesh side up in a dish.
Third, I covered the squashes with olive oil.
Threw the dish in the oven for about an hour at 350 degrees.
Scooped out the squash, added coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and homemade chicken broth.
Pureed it and put it in some leftover baby food containers and into the freezer.
So easy, so healthy, so cheap....doesn't get much better than that!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Chicken Casserole
This was so good...kind of like Thanksgiving in a bowl. Real, yummy, grandma-ish cooking. Let me know if you try it!
Chicken Casserole (from Wholesome Home Cooking cookbook)
6 cups bread cubes (I used sprouted bread)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups organic, free range cooked chicken (could easily substitute turkey)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/2 cup raw milk
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth
2 cups peas
Mix bread cubes, onions, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 cup melted butter and bake in 2 quart casserole dish at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Put chicken on top. In seperate pan, melt butter and then stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk and broth to pan. Cook until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken. Put peas on top. Throw it all back in the oven and cook until its heated through.
I served this with these Cheddar and Chives Biscuits
2 1/2 cups sprouted grain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup. buttermilk or raw milk
1/2 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp chopped chives, fresh or dried
2 Tbsp melted butter to brush biscuits
Combine dry ingredients. Mix butter to make crumbs. Stir in milk, cheese and chives, until blended. Drop by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Brush biscuits with melted butter. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Your husband will love you forever. =)
Chicken Casserole (from Wholesome Home Cooking cookbook)
6 cups bread cubes (I used sprouted bread)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups organic, free range cooked chicken (could easily substitute turkey)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/2 cup raw milk
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth
2 cups peas
Mix bread cubes, onions, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 cup melted butter and bake in 2 quart casserole dish at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Put chicken on top. In seperate pan, melt butter and then stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk and broth to pan. Cook until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken. Put peas on top. Throw it all back in the oven and cook until its heated through.
I served this with these Cheddar and Chives Biscuits
2 1/2 cups sprouted grain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup. buttermilk or raw milk
1/2 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp chopped chives, fresh or dried
2 Tbsp melted butter to brush biscuits
Combine dry ingredients. Mix butter to make crumbs. Stir in milk, cheese and chives, until blended. Drop by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Brush biscuits with melted butter. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Your husband will love you forever. =)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Labor Induction Epidemic and Autism Epidemic: Link?
The first clues came from a study of midday blood samples from 29 autistic and 30 age-matched normal children, all prepubertal.(26) It appeared that the autistic group had significantly lower blood oxytocin levels than the normal group. Oxytocin increased with age in the normal but not the autistic children. These results inspired an in-depth inquiry of the oxytocin system of autistic children. In recent years it has become clear that oxytocin can appear in the brain in several forms. There is the nonapeptide oxytocin (OT) and the 'C-terminal extended peptides', which are described together as OT-X. The OT-X represent intermediates of oxytocin synthesis that accumulate due to an incomplete processing machinery. Twenty eight male children, diagnosed with autistic disorder were compared with 31 age-matched non psychiatric control children: there was a decrease in blood OT, an increase in OT-X and an increase in the ratio of OT-X/OT in the autistic sample, compared with control subjects.(27) In other words autistic children show alterations in the oxytocin system: there are deficits in the processing machinery of oxytocin.
Such findings are of paramount importance at a time when an accumulation of data from animal studies confirm the potent effects of oxytocin (and the parent hormone vasopressin) on social behaviour, communication and rituals. Furthermore we are currently learning that oxytocin brain receptors undergo major changes during development. Among humans, the period surrounding birth is considered a period of dramatic reorganization of central oxytocin binding. We must add that, when reaching a certain degree of maturation, the oxytocin system of the fetus probably participates in the physiological initiation of labour. Artificial induction of labour in general, particularly the use of drips of synthetic oxytocin, create situations that undoubtedly interfere with the development and the reorganization of the oxytocin system in such a critical period. This fact alone is a reason for further epidemiological studies focusing on labour induction as a possible risk factor. It would be useful to know also how autistic children release oxytocin. Oxytocin is more effective when released rhythmically, in a succession of fast pulsations. Today it is not impossible to measure the rhythmicity or pulsatility of oxytocin release.
Full Article
Such findings are of paramount importance at a time when an accumulation of data from animal studies confirm the potent effects of oxytocin (and the parent hormone vasopressin) on social behaviour, communication and rituals. Furthermore we are currently learning that oxytocin brain receptors undergo major changes during development. Among humans, the period surrounding birth is considered a period of dramatic reorganization of central oxytocin binding. We must add that, when reaching a certain degree of maturation, the oxytocin system of the fetus probably participates in the physiological initiation of labour. Artificial induction of labour in general, particularly the use of drips of synthetic oxytocin, create situations that undoubtedly interfere with the development and the reorganization of the oxytocin system in such a critical period. This fact alone is a reason for further epidemiological studies focusing on labour induction as a possible risk factor. It would be useful to know also how autistic children release oxytocin. Oxytocin is more effective when released rhythmically, in a succession of fast pulsations. Today it is not impossible to measure the rhythmicity or pulsatility of oxytocin release.
Full Article
Fear or Wholeness?
This is, by far, the best article I've read in a while. It's worth every minute it takes to read. Here are some excerpts.
Lifelong Patterns: Fear or Wholeness?
Michael Mendizza Interviews Barbara Findeisen
"Michael: What should parents understand about the subtle and not so subtle influence they have on their unborn and growing children?
Barbara: My children were all taken away from me in the hospital and I saw them three times a day. I didn't know there was such a thing as bonding. Today, I tell people how important it is to stay with the child. Mothers should not be separated from the child, unless there is some compelling medical reason. When we ignore or violate nature, we suffer the consequences.
We do know the right thing to do, our-instincts tell us, but we don't trust them anymore. We've been brainwashed into ignoring our deeper wisdom. We read books by "experts." We don't listen to our own intuitive sense, especially as women. We have had maternal instincts since the beginning-of time, but it seems, the more educated we become the less we believe our instincts.
It's also important to work through our own birth traumas before we give birth. Giving birth can re-stimulate birth memories. If one had a birth trauma, it is possible to slip back into that regressed emotional infant state, which does not help a woman during birth. Nor does it serve the baby.
I suggest that people start talking to the baby from the very beginning of conception, to create a relationship, to begin to bond before birth. It also helps to define the kind of birth you want ahead of time, who they want to be with them, whether they want a home birth, or a hospital birth. I encourage them to review all the medical knowledge but not to give up their own deeper instincts. Set the birth up as a sacred event. Coming into this world should be a ceremony, a celebration. It's a holy time and it should be treated as such. The mother and baby's birth should be respected. Bright lights, loud sounds, and too much high tech machinery do little to create, a sacred space.
The most important thing is the way a woman feels about herself, the birth, and the child. She needs to feel loved, loving and supported.; Fear causes a woman's body to tighten up. This leads to more medical intervention, and with intervention comes a greater risk of trauma.
Michael: Let's talk about fear.
Barbara: Western culture has been sold a bill of goods. We have been taught by churches, schools, by parents, our grandmothers, that birth is traumatic, that we give birth in pain and suffering.
If you look at native cultures around the world, you don't find the same attitude. No one told me thirty years ago what to expect when I was about to give birth. Women are getting more information now but much of it is wrapped in a blanket of fear. When you're born into a fearful situation, that fearful shadow follows you until you stop, turn around, and confront it. I don't believe women, as biological organisms, are created to do something which is the most natural act in the world in pain and suffering. Fear prevents women from moving with the natural rhythm of the experience. Our minds are very powerful. What we believe we tend to create--and we believe that birth is going to hurt."
--
"The nuclear family never really worked very well. A single mother without support cannot do everything. No father can be uncle, grandfather, provider, helper, dishwasher without support. We used to live in communities, with people you trusted to hold your baby. Now we hire somebody that we don't know to take care of and teach our children. We leave our babies and children--our most precious resource--in the hands of strangers. We can start social healing by doing all we can possibly do to ensure that all children are wanted. Children need to be born into a matrix where their parents feel supported in communities."
--
"Michael: The value we place on women, motherhood, and babies is obviously the ground for this support. Do we value and support women as mothers?
Barbara: No, I don't think we really value intimate relationships. We give lip service. The whole society needs to take a look at its values and we had better put our money into programs that help mothers who want to stay home and care for their children. Remember the saying "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Whose hand is it? Or is there a hand to rock the cradle? Our values and our priorities have gotten very distorted.
In the 70's and the 80's we began to believe a myth that "real women" were out there earning as much as men. With this modeled in the press and TV, many women began to feel guilty because they wanted to have children and stay at home. My working daughter says to me, "You know mom, I feel a little out of synch. I want to get married and have children and be a homemaker!"
She is well educated and knows what she wants and her friends tell her, "You're too smart to do that." What does this say about our society? What does this say about our values that only dumb people should be mothers? This is insane, absolutely crazy. What are we doing? And are we willing to pay the price? We are paying the price.
I am hopeful, because now I see some women who really want to devote attention to raising healthy children. If we, as a culture, really valued raising healthy children, mothers wouldn't have to work outside of the home. It would be more cost effective to support mothers at home than to pay for the crime, the juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, the violence, self abuse, suicides, the police, and prisons--not to mention the broken lives of millions of human beings. We do not behave or legislate as if our children, their care and their education are our most valuable resource. It seems to me we've got it backwards. My faith and hope is that it is not too late to turn it around. At least that is what I choose to spend my life and energy doing."
Lifelong Patterns: Fear or Wholeness?
Michael Mendizza Interviews Barbara Findeisen
"Michael: What should parents understand about the subtle and not so subtle influence they have on their unborn and growing children?
Barbara: My children were all taken away from me in the hospital and I saw them three times a day. I didn't know there was such a thing as bonding. Today, I tell people how important it is to stay with the child. Mothers should not be separated from the child, unless there is some compelling medical reason. When we ignore or violate nature, we suffer the consequences.
We do know the right thing to do, our-instincts tell us, but we don't trust them anymore. We've been brainwashed into ignoring our deeper wisdom. We read books by "experts." We don't listen to our own intuitive sense, especially as women. We have had maternal instincts since the beginning-of time, but it seems, the more educated we become the less we believe our instincts.
It's also important to work through our own birth traumas before we give birth. Giving birth can re-stimulate birth memories. If one had a birth trauma, it is possible to slip back into that regressed emotional infant state, which does not help a woman during birth. Nor does it serve the baby.
I suggest that people start talking to the baby from the very beginning of conception, to create a relationship, to begin to bond before birth. It also helps to define the kind of birth you want ahead of time, who they want to be with them, whether they want a home birth, or a hospital birth. I encourage them to review all the medical knowledge but not to give up their own deeper instincts. Set the birth up as a sacred event. Coming into this world should be a ceremony, a celebration. It's a holy time and it should be treated as such. The mother and baby's birth should be respected. Bright lights, loud sounds, and too much high tech machinery do little to create, a sacred space.
The most important thing is the way a woman feels about herself, the birth, and the child. She needs to feel loved, loving and supported.; Fear causes a woman's body to tighten up. This leads to more medical intervention, and with intervention comes a greater risk of trauma.
Michael: Let's talk about fear.
Barbara: Western culture has been sold a bill of goods. We have been taught by churches, schools, by parents, our grandmothers, that birth is traumatic, that we give birth in pain and suffering.
If you look at native cultures around the world, you don't find the same attitude. No one told me thirty years ago what to expect when I was about to give birth. Women are getting more information now but much of it is wrapped in a blanket of fear. When you're born into a fearful situation, that fearful shadow follows you until you stop, turn around, and confront it. I don't believe women, as biological organisms, are created to do something which is the most natural act in the world in pain and suffering. Fear prevents women from moving with the natural rhythm of the experience. Our minds are very powerful. What we believe we tend to create--and we believe that birth is going to hurt."
--
"The nuclear family never really worked very well. A single mother without support cannot do everything. No father can be uncle, grandfather, provider, helper, dishwasher without support. We used to live in communities, with people you trusted to hold your baby. Now we hire somebody that we don't know to take care of and teach our children. We leave our babies and children--our most precious resource--in the hands of strangers. We can start social healing by doing all we can possibly do to ensure that all children are wanted. Children need to be born into a matrix where their parents feel supported in communities."
--
"Michael: The value we place on women, motherhood, and babies is obviously the ground for this support. Do we value and support women as mothers?
Barbara: No, I don't think we really value intimate relationships. We give lip service. The whole society needs to take a look at its values and we had better put our money into programs that help mothers who want to stay home and care for their children. Remember the saying "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Whose hand is it? Or is there a hand to rock the cradle? Our values and our priorities have gotten very distorted.
In the 70's and the 80's we began to believe a myth that "real women" were out there earning as much as men. With this modeled in the press and TV, many women began to feel guilty because they wanted to have children and stay at home. My working daughter says to me, "You know mom, I feel a little out of synch. I want to get married and have children and be a homemaker!"
She is well educated and knows what she wants and her friends tell her, "You're too smart to do that." What does this say about our society? What does this say about our values that only dumb people should be mothers? This is insane, absolutely crazy. What are we doing? And are we willing to pay the price? We are paying the price.
I am hopeful, because now I see some women who really want to devote attention to raising healthy children. If we, as a culture, really valued raising healthy children, mothers wouldn't have to work outside of the home. It would be more cost effective to support mothers at home than to pay for the crime, the juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, the violence, self abuse, suicides, the police, and prisons--not to mention the broken lives of millions of human beings. We do not behave or legislate as if our children, their care and their education are our most valuable resource. It seems to me we've got it backwards. My faith and hope is that it is not too late to turn it around. At least that is what I choose to spend my life and energy doing."
A Child's Song
Very Early Parenting: An African Model
A Child's Song
There is a tribe in Africa where the birth date of a child is counted not from when they've been born, nor from when they are conceived but from the day that the child was a thought in its mother's mind.
And when a woman decides that she will have a child, she goes off and sits under a tree, by herself, and she listens until she can hear the song of the child that wants to come. And after she's heard the song of this child, she comes back to the man who will be the child's father, and teaches it to him. And then, when they make love to physically conceive the child, some of that time they sing the song of the child, as a way to invite it.
And then, when the mother is pregnant, the mother teaches that child's song to the midwives and the old women of the village, so that when the child is born, the old women and the people around her sing the child's song to welcome it. And then, as the child grows up, the other villagers are taught the child's song. If the child falls, or hurts its knee, someone picks it up and sings its song to it. Or perhaps the child does something wonderful, or goes through the rites of puberty, then as a way of honoring this person, the people of the village sing his or her song.
And it goes this way through their life. In marriage, the songs are sung, together. And finally, when this child is lying in bed, ready to die, all the villagers know his or her song, and they sing--for the last time--the song to that person.
Source
A Child's Song
There is a tribe in Africa where the birth date of a child is counted not from when they've been born, nor from when they are conceived but from the day that the child was a thought in its mother's mind.
And when a woman decides that she will have a child, she goes off and sits under a tree, by herself, and she listens until she can hear the song of the child that wants to come. And after she's heard the song of this child, she comes back to the man who will be the child's father, and teaches it to him. And then, when they make love to physically conceive the child, some of that time they sing the song of the child, as a way to invite it.
And then, when the mother is pregnant, the mother teaches that child's song to the midwives and the old women of the village, so that when the child is born, the old women and the people around her sing the child's song to welcome it. And then, as the child grows up, the other villagers are taught the child's song. If the child falls, or hurts its knee, someone picks it up and sings its song to it. Or perhaps the child does something wonderful, or goes through the rites of puberty, then as a way of honoring this person, the people of the village sing his or her song.
And it goes this way through their life. In marriage, the songs are sung, together. And finally, when this child is lying in bed, ready to die, all the villagers know his or her song, and they sing--for the last time--the song to that person.
Source
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Plug for Homebirth
"It is sometimes argued that modern women have lost the 'art' of giving birth and that culture and beliefs have so over-ridden women's natural responses that they require direction and assistance to birth normally. This overlooks basic innate drives to reproduce, and reproduce successfully, common to all species, and the ability of endogenous endorphins to create the necessary introverted and uninhibited states that form the basis for instinctive behaviours. Successful birth is far too important in nature for its achievement to be left to chance or luck: inbuilt mechanisms guide the process towards a successful conclusion, and these can be accessed provided a woman is willing to explore her hidden capabilities, and if she is provided with an environment conducive to this exploration." (Andrea Robertson, Empowering Women: Teaching Active Birth in the 90s, 101)
Andrea Robertson writes: "It is true that many women allow cultural values, fashion and personal beliefs to inhibit their innate abilities. It is also true that the current medicalisation of birth encourages women to forsake their own resources and embrace technology and external guidance during labour. The folly of this approach is only now being revealed through rigorous scientific studies. Meanwhile, many women have discovered, to their cost in physical and emotional terms, the inherent risks of tinkering with nature." (Empowering Women: Teaching Active Birth in the 90s, 101)
101 Reasons Why You Should Have Your Baby at Home
The Business of Being Born
Pregnant in America
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