Homeopathic Help For Cough & Cold Season

December 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The best part of doing product reviews, is being introduced to companies that I wasn’t familiar with before and that will be added to the list of products that the Crunchy family now uses.   Boiron was a name I knew as I had used Camilia to help with teething when the kids were small, but I wasn’t familiar with the rest of the products they produced.  Boiron makes homeopathic medicines, developed for specific therapeutic applications, as a safe and effective complement to conventional medical treatment.  When it comes to health and wellness I strongly believe in seeking and learning about all avenues of care and homeopathy is one of them.

Children’s Cough Treatment

Boiron sent me two samples that they thought  I would find useful in our cough and cold season, and we have been using the Stodal to help my daughter with her nagging cough right now.

Being that there are almost monthly warning about ingredients in over the counter medicines, especially those marketed for children, having a homeopathic alternative is a tad reassuring.  Stodal does not contain alcohol or dextromethorphan which has been restricted for use in children under the age of six by Health Canada.  Stodal is flavored with honey, which the kids were not that keen on but is better than the fake cherry stuff they usually take.  They also have a sugar free  version.  The cough syrup can be taken 3 to 5 times a day.

Coryzalia is their cold treatment for ages 1 month to 6 years old.  It is formulated to help with the relief of nasal congestion, runny noses and sneezing.  Coryzalia comes in little pre-measured tabs that are easy to ingest for little mouths.  It contains no dye’s or artificial ingredients.

My kids hate taking medicine and groan about the taste of any of them, but I at least feel a bit better when the product is safe from dyes and other useless chemicals.

Both products are available across Canada in most drug stores such as London Drugs, Price Smart and Save-On.

 

 

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Does Technology Shrink or Widen the Generation Gap?

October 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Even the most tech-savvy parents can feel the rug pulling from under us as our kids talk 10 to the dozen about a new YouTube cartoon they’re all into or how to find cheats in their favourite game by doing something gross to zombies. It. Just. Sounds. Like. Noise. Simultaneously, we’ve never been able to remain more connected to our kids, wherever they are.

It’s very easy to feel out of the loop, to feel that ‘technology’ – some dark, creeping homogeneous cloud obscuring the path between you and your kid – is to blame. Until you actually sit down and think about it. We all use technology. You’re reading this on some pretty beefy technology right now. It’s just that sometimes we consume it differently. So I have my technology and my uses for it (my iPhone, my Kindle, my desktop computer at work, my laptop at home, my sat nav…). Ditto my husband.

The family as a whole have technology that we use separately and together – largely focussing on the big TV set that dominates our lounge.

Then the kids have their technology and their uses for it (videos of dogs farting on YouTube, roaming the world from Google Maps and, sometimes, homework). They don’t feel threatened because they don’t understand the email conversations I’m having with my boss, but when we overhear them talking at length about Minecraft and it sounds like another language, we can freak out, question ourselves, and feel like we’re moving in different worlds.

My eldest daughter started secondary school in September, this involved her riding a bus with her friends for the first time, and scared the bejesus out of me. But unlike my first days at Big School, I was able to remain in constant contact with her, receiving texts as she took her seat and then arrived at school. She and I felt connected during the experience.

During Sunday dinner, we use a Spotify app streamed to a Zeppelin speaker to play music that we – as the adults – love and want to introduce to our kids. It’s a nostalgic trip that starts around the Beatles and ends around the Beastie Boys and we all enjoy it. Technology lets us share a world of music, easily.

When I’m on my way home from work at Quib.ly HQ, and I’m missing the kids so much my tummy hurts, I can feel like I have one step through the door by playing social games with them on my phone. It’s not quite as good but boy is it better than my working mum had.

Technology is just a set of tools, it’s how you and your family use those tools that can shrink or widen the gap.

 

Holly Seddon is the Editor-in-chief of Quib.ly, a members-only community that helps parents give their kids a head start in this connected world. It’s going to be very cool, so request your invite now  to be among the first allowed a peek. 

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Hairy Situation

September 24, 2011 by 4 Comments

Hair is a bit of an issue in this family.

There is a lot of it.   Some of us have almost TOO much hair.   Those of you who have met the family in real life have SEEN the hair.    Really, we do try to manage it.  It just doesn’t look that way.

Both Caity and Adam have a LOT of hair.  Caity’s hair is thick and curly and we can’t figure out if long or short will make it any easier to deal with.    Even after much brushing, she pretty much looks like she just woke up and walked out the door without ever glancing at a brush.

Then there is Adam.

Not only does Adam have thick coarse hair.  It is now long.  He has been keeping it shaggy for about two years now.   This seems to annoy many people around us.   And I am fascinated by the need for people to comment on his hair.

Now, from their Grandmother, I understand the comments.  She is from the era where children should be quiet and well groomed.  Two things my kids are not.   But from neighbours and strangers?

The other day while picking up the kids from school, the neighbours dad started to comment about hair styles.   HE and his two boys (Adam’s school mates) had obviously just had haircuts.  All were the traditional Super/Magic/Cheap cuts that most people do for their kids, especially school age boys.  He was going on about Adam being able to see properly or look what a real hair cut  looks like …ha ha ha ha.

I smiled and carried on and just ignored him…but the more I have thought about this the more boggled I am.

From Jezebel.com

Now we are not talking Rene Charles hair here.   We have trimmed and cut Adam’s hair since he was wee.    Frankly I was relieved when he told me he liked it long.   I was tired of the lack of choice when it comes to boys hair and the cookie cutter look of boys in elementary school.  I liked that he wanted to be different.  I do realize that a lot of it comes from his sensory issues and dislike of people touching his head….but I like that he was comfortable in stating what HE felt was right for him and not comparing himself to his peers.

Other people obviously feel differently.

People apparently ASK my mom if he has had a hair cut yet.   It prays on their minds.  The only thing that bothers me is his laziness when it comes to WASHING his hair.  That is just gross.

But I am his parent and it is MY responsibility to make sure he gets the hygiene thing.

So what is the deal with boys and their hair.  In a world that seems to struggle to get rid of gender stereotyping….why do we still want our little boys to have short hair?

 

Filed Under: Crunchy Children, Crunchy Parenting, My Blog Tagged With: , ,

Safe Bathing with Coco & Tini

April 1, 2011 by 1 Comment

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Tara: New spokesperson for Coco & Tini!

We were thrilled to receive a sampling of the Coco & Tini products.  All Coco & Tini products contain only 100% natural-source ingredients.   Considering the amount of bathwater Tara drinks…this is  a good and reassuring thing.

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Needless to say, the bubble bath is Tara’s favorite.  What I noticed is how gentle it is. Caitlyn has issues with soaps and bubble baths causing contact eczema and rashes and Coco & Tini’s products have had the opposite…they have soothed their skin.

All the products are:

  • Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate-Free
  • Newborn and Baby Friendly
  • No Artificial Fragrance
  • No Artificial Preservatives
  • Tear-free Formula
  • No Parabens
  • Gentle Cleansing Properties
  • Nut-Free Ingredients
  • No Animal Testing

I love the shampoo and conditioner/detangler. Caitlyn’s hair is insane.  It is thick and curly and she hates washing it.  Because the Coco & Tini was ‘for her,’ she was happy to use it.   I have noticed a difference in her hairs texture and she says it feels ‘straighter’ which makes her happy.

This is a lovely product line and we will be making sure it is always available for my fussy and thick haired kids.

Send me an @ over on twitter or email me here at kerry(at) crunchycarpets.com and I will share discount code with you!

 

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A Plea to all Elementary Schools

February 7, 2011 by 13 Comments

Dear teachers…..lets just stop it now.  Let’s just stop the hype.  Let’s just stop buying into a Hallmark Holiday and NOT DO VALENTINES!!!

I have two children in elementary school.

I received TWO class lists for ‘Card Exchanges’ for both.

That is FORTY FOUR cards.

FORTY FOUR either handmade, printed from the ‘net, or bought at the loonie store cards.   Either way..it is a WASTE OF TIME AND PAPER.

My children will return from school with a bag of these crappy cards, which I will promptly throw away.

This is MORE annoying when not only is my kids school closed on Valentines Day, BUT the Friday before.  THEY ARE NOT THERE FOR THE STUPID DAY.

Today I am faced with two kids whining about food they have to bring to their class parties.  Told by my kids because my school is cutting back due to budget restraints and we don’t get WRITTEN notices about things from the teacher….instead we have to decipher their writing in their agendas or what they are telling me.

Let’s look at this again….while my school is trying to SAVE money…they want me to SPEND money on food and paper.

This is stupid and annoying.

I THOUGHT I could kill two birds with one stone and bake cupcakes for their classes instead of the cards and party food…but NOOOO because they are not having their parties on the last day of school this week…..one party is tomorrow!!

By all that is holy teachers…..can you THINK about the parents just for once….can we STOP even acknowledging this fake holiday???

I am sure many many many other parents would agree with this sentiment.

Filed Under: Crunchy Parenting Tagged With: , ,

Halo School For Boys

January 21, 2011 by 3 Comments

Go ahead and judge all you like….all parents do their ‘thing’ differently.  We all parent based on what is important to us and what we are comfortable with.

This comfort usually comes from either following in our parents footsteps or striving to be the exact opposite.

I think we parent from the middle of the two.  We also parent based on lifestyle.

Our lifestyle is based on the  things WE like.  Movies, Books and Video games are biggies in the House Crunch. Needless to say, the TV is on a lot as are video games.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone using the television as a babysitter….though with Adam, those Baby Einstein DVD’s  sure worked great when I was trying to wolf down a sandwich inbetween diapers and feedings.

As I said before, balance is the key.  Balance and making sure your children are exposed to as much variety when it comes to entertainment and education is what makes for lively kids….in my view.

There are loads of articles out there filled with warnings about how bad video games or television is for children and their emotional development, let alone issues with obesity etc.

And sure you could blame the television or video games for Adam’s hyperactivity and for Caity’s obsession with fashion and Katy Perry…..but could they be blamed for their love of the outdoors, bike riding, free play, art and reading too?

My kids may push the definition of ‘precocious’ to the max….smart asses is usually how I describe them.   But they are not overly violent, they are not overly aggressive..actually far less so than many of their peers.

Our neighbours have no television.  The kids watch the odd DVD on  their computer and that is about it…until they come over to our house and their eyes are RIVETED to the big colourful box in the corner.

Are they better behaved…more balanced than my kids?  Not that I have noticed.

Again…..I firmly believe you parent the way that works for you and who you are…..for us to poo poo tv would make us SCREAMING hypocrites and make me mental, since I LIKE watching television.     I just have to make sure it is APPROPRIATE television for them and it wounds us to our core that neither of them have thought Battlestar Galactica  or Stargate: Universe is appropriate television.

My son however can watch all things MYSTERY.  And not PBS Mystery, but things like Ghost Hunters, or Destination Truth, or UFO Hunters….those shows…he loves.

Many fun evenings are spent here listening to Adam and his Dad have wildly passionate discussions about the merits of these shows and the existence of Big Foot.

We now want him to see the X-Files, we think he would love it.   He also loves travel and nature shows.

Caity pretty much is happy with anything on the Family Channel.    We hope to fix that as she matures.

I am not a video game player.  But I married one.

I do like SOME video games….mainly because I am a geek.  I love movies and I love sci fi, so a well crafted video game with great graphics and a fun story will hook me in as a passive viewer and helpful sideline supporter.

My kids have grown up watching their dad play video games.   And yes, sometimes games that they shouldn’t have seen.   We are not talking about things like Grand Theft Auto…..but there are zombies and Nazis and aliens marching across our TV screen on a regular basis.

The kids also got Nintendo DS’s when they were quite young.   Adam has focused on the Pokemon games mostly and Caitlyn has enjoyed art games and of course all the Disney movie related games out there.

For Adam this has been helpful on many levels.  Socially having things like Pokemon to discuss and play with other kids at school has been a  huge boost for his confidence.

Adam has a hard time figuring out the concept of friendship, acquaintance and the fact that some people just won’t like you no matter what. Peer relationships were a bit confusing for him.  He was struggling to find his place in the blackboard jungle called Elementary School.   The common ground that the DS games built was a huge help to him and we have seen the changes in him from this.

I also boggle at how a game that was previously to much, too grown up, too complicated suddenly clicks.

Halo is MASSIVE in this house.

Previously, he liked to just get his character to ride all the stuff around the world and that was it.  He had no interest in the story or even in any sort of shootemups.   Suddenly though…the story clicked with him.  Suddenly he was playing the WHOLE game (Halo 3 and Halo Reach).  He finished both of them.

Then his buddies across the court got interested.  He loves these two brothers.  There family spent the summer bringing Adam along with them on trips to the various pools around town and they have also spent a huge amount of time building Lego stuff.

Now, on the rainy days after school my house is filled with boys playing Halo together.

TOGETHER.

That is the key here.  Adam has had to learn to share, to cooperate, to take turns and to not get into a snit if he ‘dies.’

Again, this has been a huge help in his social development and maturity and we and his school have really noticed a change in him.

Sure, he is a knowitall and hyper and drives us batshit crazy on a regular basis…but that is our Adam.  He is also smart, caring, sensitive and funny as hell.

And I love listening to them and their interpretations of the Halo story.  I am sure it would amuse the makers of the game too.   I love listening to the wild hoots of laughter and yells over good shots or catching someone by surprise…the camaraderie is a delight to behold.

I love seeing my son in the middle of that.

So while others may fear video games and their ill affects, I have to admit that I am happy with what is has done for my son.  I am happy with the confidence they give him and the ability to share his confidence and knowledge with his peers.

I am also glad that it is with a game like Halo….I have always been satisfied with games or movies that for my kids were easily seen as TOTALLY different from real life.

Halo is fantasy…it is an escape with amazing landscapes and frightening alien forces……it isn’t blood and guts.  It isn’t gangs and dangerous driving.

I think the message is again…know your kids, know the games, know your comfort level with them.

Filed Under: Crunchy Life Tagged With: , , ,

Tender Hearts

July 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The other day Patrick and I hurt my moms feelings.

Not the first time..I will admit AND I will admit that I have probably hurt her feelings AND apologized more this year than past….my foot must live in my mouth or something.

It was during the BBQ we were having to celebrate Tara turning one.  So of course we were talking about her arrival.

For Patrick and I her arrival had been a relatively calm experience since we sort of knew how it would all pan out from our conversations with the midwives and doctors about our little breech baby.

We were prepared mentally for all that would happen….we knew Tara was fine ‘in’ there.  We had had every test to tell us so.  It was just how to get her out of there that was the issue.

My dream delivery was to have her at home.   Not for all the crunchy granola natural reasons…but for the family. [Read more...]

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Party Mama Boogie

June 27, 2010 by 4 Comments

So have bankrupted myself after financing just TWO birthday parties for the Children Crunch.   It is going to suck when I really have to work at Tara’s…hers is in 17 days…very bad planning on my part right there!

Husband was horrified at the costs of the birthday PLACES and so home was the place..but really….it cost me the same for each one had I had them at a place like Crash Crawleys, or even the community centre.  When you factor in all the ‘supplies’ to make it birthdayish, and then all the CLEANING and haranguing kids to clean their rooms….blood equity alone put me over the cost of just renting a bloody theme place.

Mind you..just as well when no one showed up for Adams party.
the few attendees playing xbox

I totally bollixed that one one up.

Because Adam’s birthday fell on a Friday…a half day at school….I thought that since he was always sad about wanting after school playdates and none of his friends except the girls every asking him or saying yes….that THIS would be the perfect way to have a BIRTHDAY PLAYDATE.

And that is what the invites said. Come enjoy a Friday afternoon with Adam to have fun on his birthday.

He picked 3 boys and 3 girls from his class and a couple of boys that live in our complex. The neighbour boys said yes immediately.

He then told me that the girls had said yes but the boys were a dud. I TRIED calling parents…that didn’t work. I tried to talk to the kids themselves..blank looks.

I keep trucking along with the plans though..what can you do.
House was decorated, crafts were bought, cake ordered.

When I go to pick him up…the boys for sure are not going. And the girls are all balking for no reason except it looked like the parents suddenly didn’t know what I was talking about. Only one mom had the decency to be embarrassed by it all.

I won’t go into the why’s here..but I ranted plenty over at Canada Moms Blog about it all.

Needless to say…I feel simply horrid. Like I totally let down my son.
He was so sad.

New Blades

Does that look like the face of a boy who just got fancy new roller blades? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crunchy Life, Crunchy Parenting Tagged With: , , , , ,

Emotion

May 17, 2010 by 7 Comments

It is getting a bit stupid around the House of Crunch.

Emotions change quickly…..it is hard to keep up….from this change

To this…in seconds flat…

Emotion

Her growing beauty is as bewildering as her emotions. Her strength is terrifying. Her fury. Her rage is overwhelming. Her remorse. Her need for love and reassurance….heartbreaking.

Then we have this…..

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He didn’t want his school mates to see this photo. He likes it. He likes it being with his little sister…but it also has his ‘dee dee’ blanket in it and he now hides that from his peers. He has cred to maintain.

I think being 8 (as he will be in a couple of weeks) is hard. I think harder for a boy. I don’t remember much of 8 myself. I remember liking 9 for some reason…8 maybe isn’t all that great for girls either.

While I watch Caity facing the psychological mind field that girl friendships can grow into, the rocketing rage and frustrations that face Adam on a daily basis leave me feeling completely at a loss.

I don’t even think Mentoring Boys covers this stuff.

I don’t know if books cover how an emotional, empathic, intelligent, borderline ADHD/OCD/YOUNAMETHEISSUE boy deals with the bloody sands that are the playground of life.  The proving grounds where they all must show their strengths and hide weaknesses, where honest feelings must be masked, where popularity is counted in power of personality rather than likability.

It is like Sparta sans loin clothes.

On Sunday, knowing we had a lot we wanted to get done, we asked Adam to NOT go out.  He did anyway….15 minutes later he was back..panting, sweaty, teary.

In that short time, he had managed to get into a knock down fight with a considerably larger boy.   Another one had joined in.  Thankfully there were some borderline honest witnesses.

Sore heads were examined, and parents were talked to.

Raging emotions were soothed.  He was angry.   He had been very angry.  But he had stood up for what he felt was right and didn’t back down.   He didn’t run for home…which I probably would have preferred, but instead he tried to deal with something he felt strongly about by himself…and emotions flared.

Lines were drawn in the sand.

I think his cred still stands…..

But his day was shot…as was ours.

We did take the family to the local pool.  That was fun.  Tara was terrified, but got into it all eventually….and the kids leaped around their dad like happy dolphins.

Dolphins that can’t swim..but never mind.

However…he emotions and lack of good sustenance gave way to what was really a migraine.  His type of migraine causes him to throw up.

His migraines are caused by not eating right.   I FIGHT every day to make him eat well.  I try every type of food that is healthy that I THINK he might like…but the boy is strong and will hold out for the sweets…the junk….even when there really is NONE in the house.

He was also a bit bamboozled by the fact that he napped.  He didn’t believe it….swore it was the next day.  I was in a state about him then being concussed from his fight earlier.

While I do see through his many rouses, he is a consummate actor…..so I had to really think about it how much fakery was involved….was he trying to avoid school?

Who knows.

He seemed  no worse for wear today.

Just back to the yammering, the harping, the non stopness that drives us to distraction.  That can spoil a simple trip to the store.

And being that I had already dealt with the lady shrieking “YOUR NOT THE BOSS OF ME” at me today…without irony…..I was feeling a little ‘frayed’ to put it mildly already.

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And you can see this one is well on the way to being just as scary, if not even more so than the other two.

Needless to say, trying to have sushi with this lot after picking up their dad, was NOT a good idea.
Which is why I am assuming he went to bed before 10 and I am the only one currently up….except for the cats at the moment.

I really really wish I had more ‘mad skillz’ at this parenting thing.
I wish I was more patient.
I wish I understood more what was making them tick.
I wish I could protect their little hearts more.
I hate the world in which they have to find their way.
I hate the way it affects them.
I hate bearing the brunt of their ‘bad days’….even though I know that is my job.
I hate having to hurt for them.
I hate being mad at them.

I hope they aren’t too mad at me.

Filed Under: Crunchy Children, My Blog Tagged With: , , , , ,

Literal Minds and Advertising

May 2, 2010 by 13 Comments

I will freely admit that we all tend to watch a bit too much TV around the House of Crunch.

I grew up with our 3  little Brit channels and watched kids shows as well as whatever mom was watching before 9 pm.

We also went to the movies a lot too.

My kids will watch TV with me and their own shows too.  So this means they get a mix of Food, Home and Garden and Science tossed in with the odd prime time drama and do not talk during Lost or Stargate Universe thank you very much.    Then they watch Teletoon and the dreck that Disney churns out on the Family Channel.

I enjoy watching the edumacational stuff with them.  We have fun talking about all that we see.  From space, nature to the crazy Mythbuster guys….we all enjoy it.

Caity also has very firm opinions on fashion, and home decor. [Read more...]

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