Going Simpler for a Smaller Footprint By Kassandra Brown

Going Simpler for a Smaller Footprint

By Kassandra Brown of parentcoaching.org

On April 2, 2012 my family and I radically simplified our lives and moved from Boulder, Colorado to an ecovillage in Rutledge, Missouri. My husband and I are very disturbed by the consumer culture ideology we see as marketing manufactured desire being gratified by more shopping, using, buying, and throwing away. We simplified our life in Boulder and then decided to make an even bigger change. Not everyone is ready to shift their entire household.

Here are a few suggestions for how you can simplify your life and how to see your choices within a wider cultural context.

1.      Use reusable bags: Bring your own reusable bags not just to the grocery store but also to the big box stores and little shops. We belong to a culture that shops a lot. Bring your own bag. It may help to store them in your car so you don’t forget them.

2.      Bike: Instead of taking your car, ride your bike. This cuts down on your carbon dioxide emissions, allows you to get exercise, and has the possibility of being a family outing. There are loads of neat bike seats, tag-a-longs, and bike trailers to allow your small children to bike with you. If you don’t live in a place with bike lanes or bike paths, consider organizing to get city/county funding for such projects. Boulder, CO is a great city to model bike friendly planning.

3.      Grow a garden: Even if you’ve never planted anything before. Even if you don’t know how. Grow some of your own food. You’ll be amazed by how good it tastes and how it feels to be more connected to the earth and your food. When all of your food comes from the store, neatly packaged in plastic it’s hard to understand the link between food and the earth. Grow some of your own and watch your relationship to the earth change. Bonus – get a couple of chickens. Many municipalities allow chickens within city limits and there is precedent to convince your city.  Chickens offer fresh eggs, pest control, fertilizer, and an easy place for most of your kitchen scraps.

4.      Compost: It can be as easy as starting a pile in your backyard or a wormbin on your counter. While composting can be a science, it can also just be piling food scraps, adding dry leaves or straw, and leaving it alone to decompose. You’ll be diverting a large volume of trash from the landfill and turning it into an asset for your garden. Bonus – help organize a city-wide composting program.

5.      Examine your choices: How do your individual choices affect the environment and the earth? How are your choices influenced by the news, advertising, and other media? What needs are you trying to get met by buying more stuff? Just getting curious can be a big start!

Kassandra Brown offers support for life changes at http://parentcoaching.org. While settling in to her ecovillage she is also building a “no commute, low consumption” coaching practice and can work with you over the phone or internet from anywhere you are. Visit http://parentcoaching.org/parentingguestblog for a special offer.

Top Five Injuries You Should Protect Your Children From

Top Five Injuries You Should Protect Your Children From

Unintentional injuries or accidents are the leading causes of death for children, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. They say that over 90% of children from 0-14 years of age are hospitalized due to unintentional injuries.

Parents play the biggest role in keeping their children safe. Despite busy schedules, they should always take the time to check their children’s safety. After all, their children are their treasures and responsibilities.

Here are the top five child accidents and how to prevent them from taking place:

1. Car Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that for children ages 3 to 14,

motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death. To ensure child safety within an automobile, several tools have been created.

How to prevent:

a. When sitting inside a car, children should use seat belts, restraints and booster seats that are well-fitted.

b. Infants (children 12 months and below) who weigh less than 20 pounds should be positioned facing the rear of the car, secured with a car restraint system.

c. Toddlers from 20-40 pounds heavy should ride facing forward, also secured with a restraint.

d. Children should be positioned at the back seat of the car until they reach the age of 13.

2. Choking

Once children have the ability to feed themselves, they often put objects into their mouths. In fact, research reveals that everyday, approximately 10 toddlers are rushed to the emergency room because they have swallowed something that may cause choking.

How to prevent:

a. Cut your child’s food into small pieces. Chunks of food with the size of a grape may cause choking.

b. Teach children how to eat safely. Make them chew their food properly before swallowing.

c. Keep small objects away from their reach. Marbles, erasers, coins and toys with removable parts should be kept away.

d. Learn child CPR. It’s better to be ready for emergency cases.

3. Drowning

Another accident for children below 6 years old is drowning. Although swimming pools may turn down the heat, it can also pose a big threat to your children’s lives. Recent studies show that three children die daily due to drowning.

How to prevent:

a. Never leave your child alone by the pool and supervise them while inside the pool.

b. Stay with your child while they are in the bath.

c. Put up fences around your outdoor pools, lock them and check on it regularly.

d. In the beach or inside the pool, make children wear proper floating devices.

4. Scalds and Burns

Children have very sensitive skin. Five seconds of hot tap water can already burn a toddler’s skin so badly.

How to prevent:

a. Keep hair dryers and hair straighteners out of the floor and out of children’s reach.

b. Before bathing, test the water temperature with your elbow to reduce the risk of burning the child.

c. Don’t pass hot drinks over children’s heads. Drink your coffee far from children.

d. Refrain from letting your children roam around the kitchen while you are cooking.

5. Falls

Once a child starts to crawl and move about, the risk of falling is high. Falling can lead to serious head and spine injuries. Ensure your children’s safety by childproofing your home.

How to prevent:

a. Install guards on windows and gates on stairs, balconies and steps.

b. Do not leave children alone and guide them when using baby furniture. They might climb onto tables and chairs and fall.

c. Put soft mats in their play area and under play equipment for cushioning.

Remember, if your child has incurred any injury as a result of negligence of others or a defective product, do not hesitate to seek help from personal injury attorneys. They will give you the justice you deserve.

About the author: Melissa Page is a passionate writer and marketer who works for Pulaski & Middleman L.L.C., a leading group of personal injury and product liability lawyers. When she is not writing, she plays bowling with her friends.

3 Professions You Can Train for Online - Amelia Wood

Wondering how to make the households books balance? Have a read of Amelia's post for some ideas

Career Profile for Busy Moms: 3 Professions You Can Train for Online

With our country's recent economic struggles, more and more people are being forced to find new sources of income and new means for living. With student debt rates soaring, burdening college tuitions, and ever looming household expenses, busy stay at home moms are more and more often turning to the working world. But, with busy schedules as it is and extremely impressive resumes that don't necessarily translate to the narrow-minded professional world, at home moms turned workforce moms have a lot to gain from modern technology and modern educational trends. As web and mobile technologies continue to play an even more essential role in our society, things like online learning and online training have gained in popularity and prestige. The online classroom proves to be an ideal platform for busy stay at home moms and dads looking to enter a new line of work or profession. These three lucrative professions can be trained for through online classes and can provide busy parents with a more flexible way to enter the workforce.

Medical Billing and Coding

Nearly every career within the medical field is in high demand on the job market today. Job candidates are flocking to the medical field for its availability, growth potential, and trainability. Likewise, positions in many areas of the medical field were hit less significantly by recent economic issues than other professions were. Medical billing and coding actually make up two separate areas of the healthcare profession. This career is rapidly growing and typically provides a more flexible schedule and work environment. These perks and the less rigorous educational requirements that this healthcare profession demand make it a wonderful choice for at-home parents looking to go back to work.

Those interested in entering the world of medical billing and coding can obtain continuing education units and other certifications online. Medical billers and coders play a very important role in the backend aspect of the healthcare world. As a professional in this area of work, individuals ensure that all medical bills are recorded properly and make sure that all aspects of a patient's diagnosis and treatment are properly recorded for billing purposes.

Teaching

Teaching is another popular profession that individuals can train and prepare for online. Many stay at home moms and dads consider entering the world of education after being at home with their own kids for a period of time. For many parents and guardians, education and teaching can feel like a very natural transition into the working world from the at-home parenting world. Online teaching certificates are offered at numerous different accredited online institutions. These online programs prepare you for the world of education in today's society and provide students with a well-rounded educational background for the world of teaching and primary education. There are many different online options for individuals seeking a career in teaching from an online outlet. If you already have your bachelor's degree, you can earn your state teaching certification through several online venues. There are also several graduate programs in teaching offered online as well as bachelor's degrees focused on teaching and teaching elements.

Business Professionals

Today, stay at home parents looking to enter the business world can obtain graduate level business degrees to give them a greater edge in the workforce. There are few professional areas more coveted than the world of business. Online Master's in Business Administration (MBA) degrees are becoming more and more common in the academic and professional world today. While online education at one time held a pretty heavy stigma, more and more employers are seeking candidates with online expertise as well as an advanced degree. In a time when the worth of the college degree at every level (but especially at the graduate level) is being questioned, the MBA degree has proven its worth continuously. Individuals holding MBA degrees (online or otherwise) are more highly sought after in the job market than any other degree holders.

Today's guest post comes courtesy of Amelia Wood, who often writes about medical billing and coding certification and welcomes your responses at amelia1612@gmail.com.

5 Benefits of Hiring a Nanny

Thinking of hiring a nanny? Check out these top five tips from Kelsey Clark

5 Benefits of Hiring a Nanny

The debate of which is the best route to takewhen it comes to securing childcare for your little ones is not one to be taken lightly. Parents can spend months agonizing over whether to enroll their tikes in day care or to employ a full-time nanny. And while the choice is definitely an individual one dependent on the needs of the family and the children, hiring a nanny can give your kids an array of benefits that day care cannot.

1.      More individualized attention – Day cares typically have several kids designated to each employee available, meaning that your child is one of many all vying for attention. Having a nanny means that your child will get personalized care and undivided attention.

2.      Allows your children to stay in a familiar setting – For kids that don’t do well with new situations and being away from home, hiring a nanny can be the perfect solution. Since the nanny will come to the kids they are able to stay at home in a comfortable setting with their own toys and all of the other comforts that come with being at home.

3.      Less exposure to viruses – Day cares are notorious for being breeding grounds for sicknesses and traveling viruses. Germs spread quickly from child to child, and your child runs the risk of ending up sick multiple times throughout the year because of this. With a nanny you avoid all of this unnecessary exposure to viruses, helping to preserve your child’s health.

4.      Easier for difficult schedules – Sometimes it can be hard to fit your own schedule into that of the day care, which can cause problems on days that you have to go into work early or stay late. Since the nanny comes to your home there is more flexibility with varying schedules or random work engagements that may not allow you to come home at the same time every day.

5.      Can help around the house – Many nannies are more than happy to help around the house where it’s needed if the parents will ask or work it into their contract. This can be a lifesaver for parents who are on tight schedules and need a reliable helping hand.

Nannies often become integral parts of a family, and their commitment to their wards and their families is unrivaled. While each family needs to assess their own individual needs, hiring a nanny can be the perfect solution to what you are looking for when it comes to caring for your child.

Author Byline:

Kelsey  is the editor in chief for findananny. She loves to write article and ideas that parents & nannies would be interested in hearing. She helps society on giving information about nannies through  nanny agency. She is a professional writer & loves writing on any thing.

When To First Give Your Teenager Access To Your Car Keys by Grace Pamer

When it comes to handing over the keys to your teen driver, there are certain criteria your child should meet before doing so. Of course, your teenager will base his or her readiness to drive on age and passing the driving exam, but as a parent you will need to look deeper than merely "qualifying" to drive according to your local state law regulations.

As anyone can see just by looking at the scores of bad drivers on the roads today, including adults, it takes little time to recognize that age should not be a factor in your decision. There are good and bad drivers of every age on highways and city streets, so don't feel pressured into a decision on age alone.

In addition, just as with age, receiving a driver's license does not guarantee safe driving behind the wheel once the test is passed. Once again, simply think about the drivers you encounter each day that speed, distract easily, cause accidents - and all are proud owners of that little plastic card in their wallets!

So the above were reasons to not consider when assessing the time to hand your teen the car keys. Now let's look at the important considerations to keep in mind when your teenager feels ready to drive your vehicle:

IS YOUR CHILD A SAFE DRIVER?
A safe driver is one who drives defensively, not offensively. Of course, new drivers have a learning curve parents must allow for. However, parents can assess by driving with their children if they are operating the vehicle safely. If you aren't certain your teen is ready, spend some extra quality time with your child, teaching defensive driving techniques.

TRUST
If you do not have trust in your teenager at this time due to a history of not telling the truth (this is not about your possible trust issues, mind you - this refers only to your child having a history of actual lying), these matters need to be resolved at home or through a counselor before giving your child the car keys.

PEERS
How your child drives with you vs. when friends are in the vehicle may surprise you. If your child struggles with giving into peer pressure, you will need to discuss this further with your teen and/or possibly restrict initial driving. You could allow your teen to drive alone but without passengers, then slowly graduate by allowing more as you become more comfortable with your child's driving abilities.

PERSONALITY
If your child has personality traits that could interfere with safe driving, these should be addressed and resolved before handing over the keys. A child with a bad temper and little driving experience could be a dangerous mix. Also, a teen who is overconfident can also be unsafe. There are many personality traits that may warrant intervention and/or stalling independent driving until more practice takes place.

As a parent, it can be frightening letting your teenager drive alone - no matter how adamant your teen is that he or she is ready. If you feel your child isn't quite ready to get behind the wheel just yet, lovingly give your teen the skills necessary so that he or she can BE ready. Don't use this as a time to take things away, scold or criticize. Your child will need the ability to safely drive in the very near future when no longer under your roof, so take this time to help your teenager be the best driver he can be!


About the author Grace Pamer is a work from home mom and the author of www.RomanticFrugalMom.com, one woman's on going quest to keep romance alive despite modern day time pressures. Check out her love letters for her section if you need help writing a love letter to your nearest and dearest because of a hectic schedule.

If you would like to appear on parenting guest blog, please email parentguest@whynotrandom.com

Summer learning and kids reading with Studydog

Summer is around the corner. The kids will be out and family vacations will be underway soon. However, it's also important to view this as a time to get your child ready for the new school year ahead. Parents often find it hard to figure out what to do to ensure that their children are productive throughout the summer. There is more than one way to keep your child learning and growing while they still have fun. The truth is you don't want to stop the learning process even though it is summer.

[Source: Online Reading For Kids With Studydog]

My Grandmother is Dying by Danielle Herzog

When Danielle got in touch she sent me a beautifully heartfelt and honest email.   This post is equally as touching and it's a pleasure to have her on board with parenting guest blog.

Danielle has very kindly offered to make this a two part series, with a follow up on how this situation is affecting her daughter.

I want to again extend my thanks to Danielle, and my best wishes to her and her family through this sad time. It's humbling to be given such a blog to share with you all, please take the time to look at her blog.

My Grandmother is Dying.  Not Her Body, Just Her Mind.

Written by: Danielle Herzog from Martinis and Minivans (www.martinisandminivans.com)

My 93 year old grandmother is dying.  I could sugar coat it and tell you that she is just starting to fade a bit and that she might recover, but that isn’t the truth.  The truth is that she is dying.  The problem is that her body doesn’t know it – just her mind does.  My grandmother has lived with me before I was even born.  When my grandfather passed, my parents (who were only recently married) invited her to live with them and she has lived with them ever since.  The math on that is that my mother has lived with her mother for over 40 years.  She has an apartment in the upstairs of my parents’ home on Long Island, NY but in the past year has moved down to the main floor where they all reside.  So in high school, when other kids were throwing parties when their parents went out of town, I was playing Scrabble with my grandmother who was always there to “babysit” us.  We write letters to each other every week – one week she writes, the next week I write.  That is until recently.  Physically, she is amazing.  She walks on her own and has no illnesses or any major physical problems.  But she is losing her mind.  She woke up at 2:30 am last night and got fully dressed, ate her breakfast, and proceeded to put on her jacket and purse as she tried to open the front door.  Luckily, it set off the security system and my parents quickly stopped her and asked where she was going.  “I’m going to work at the factory,” she replied.  The factory where she worked at fifty years ago.

She wakes up in the morning with no recollection of these events happening.  She thinks my mother is crazy for even suggesting she did something like that.  So my mother has stopped telling her.  She tells me and we laugh that uncomfortable laugh together.  It’s one of those laughs when something is just so sad that you have to find the humor in it so it makes it more bearable.

When I think about how she is getting worse each day, I remember a favorite memory of mine.  My mom, grandmother and I were shopping together and my grandmother and I were waiting for my mom to try something on.  My grandmother turns to me and says, “Do you know how to do the Peabody?”  and I answered, “No, is that a dance?”  and she said, “Yes, let me show you, your grandfather and I loved to do this dance.”  And then, right there in the middle of Macy’s, I danced with my grandmother.

Author bio:

Danielle Herzog is a native New Yorker who is now living the Midwest life as a somewhat sarcastic woman on the never-ending quest to be hip. She’s a writer, mother, wife, and a member of one ridiculously large Italian family. It’s full of meatballs on Sunday, and eavesdropping on each other’s conversations. The stuff all good families are made of.

Danielle has been freelance writing for over ten years, including writing restaurant reviews, style reports, and now parenting. She’s had the pleasure of writing for Omaha World Herald’s Momaha site, as well as The Reader and Omaha City Weekly.  Additionally, she has written for Demand Studios, The Northern Virginia Journal and Dish Omaha. If it is part of my life, she’ll share it.  And if it isn’t, she’ll just change the names to protect the not-so-innocent. Read her blog Martinis and Minivans at www.martinisandminivans.com