Confession...my kids watch television. There it is, folks. Feel free to judge me. When I had my first child, I was determined to keep him from TV. I think I read an article once about the possible link between early television watching and ADHD. If I remember correctly, the article said that it has something to do with flashing images on the screen. Anyway, it was "proof" enough for me. Tobias didn't really start watching television until he was two. With our second child, however, there was no hope.
By the time Adelaide was born, Tobias was a 3 1/2-year-old TV junkie. Plus, I started working full-time again when she was six-weeks-old. Like most newborns, Adelaide didn't pay any attention to what her brother was watching. Sometime after her first birthday, though, that started to change. Dora has always been her favorite, but she's branched out a little. Ni Hao, Kai Lan, Wonder Pets, Backyardigans...she will watch them all. If Adelaide walks into the living room and the TV isn't on, she immediately turns it on. I turn it off, she turns it on. I turn it off, she turns it on. It's a game we play ALL day long.
My only consolation has been that, at least, most of the shows are educational. Adelaide was speaking in 4-5 word sentences by 19 months. At her 2-year-old check up, I told her doctor that she could count to 10. Apparently, that was pretty unusual and not something they would normally ask. She knows her shapes, she can identify numbers 1-10, and she has learned many letters too. All-in-all, I think she's a genius, and since I didn't teach her any of this, I guess I owe TV a big thanks!
There is a "but." Back to my original point...TV has a downside. Many of these wonderfully educational shows are bilingual. I didn't mention before that Adelaide knew how to count to ten in English and in Spanish, did I? After five years of French, I am still unable to carry on a conversation with someone. I would love for my kids to learn a second language. Unfortunately, being able to speak Chinese and Spanish might not always be helpful.
In January, my family went out to dinner at Red Robin. After finishing her dinner, Adelaide was starting to climb around the booth. She was turned around, facing the group in the booth behind us, when I heard her say, "Ni hao." I turned to Adelaide to see what she was doing. She smiled at me, waved to the family in the booth, and said, "Ni hao." I turned completely around, then, and noticed that the nice family behind us was Asian. Oh, embarrassing. Impressive, but embarrassing.
Just the other day, I was busy on the computer when I heard Adelaide yelling from the other room. "Mommy, ayudame." I decided that she was speaking gibberish, so I continued with my homework. The call came again. "Mommy, ayudame. Ayudame!" Unable to ignore her anymore, I got up to see what she was doing. Turns out, Adelaide was stuck in a chair and had slipped through the arm rest. "Ayudame," she said to me one more time. Much to her relief, I helped her out. Later that day, as Adelaide watched Dora, I heard one of Dora's friends cry out, "Ayudame." Of course, ayudame means help. Doesn't she know that I took French, not Spanish? How about calling out, "Aidez-moi?"
So, thanks to Dora, my daughter and I can't communicate with one another. Thanks to Kai Lan, my daughter thinks that every Asian-American speaks Chinese. Oh well, I guess there are worse things in the world. I still think she is a genius. Gracias, Dora. Xie Xie, Kai Lan.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Favorite Home Remedies
I woke up this morning with an extremely sore throat. Since cough drops are not something we normally keep in the house, I immediately thought about gargling salt water. Growing up, this was always my dad's first response when we were getting sick. I rarely did it because I find it incredibly disgusting. My throat hurt so badly, though, that I was willing to try anything. I forced myself to gargle sips of warm salt water for about a minute. Just as I remembered, it was disgusting and I stifled a few gags. Miracle of all miracles happened--my throat felt MUCH better. I could swallow again without horrible pain. My dad was right! Why did I ever doubt him?
My successful home cure this morning got me thinking...what other home remedies have I found to be tried and true? I started with the salt water gargle. Of course, there is actual evidence behind this cure. According to an article last year in the NY Times, "A saline solution can draw excess fluid from inflamed tissues in the throat, making them hurt less." (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28real.html)
It cannot cure a cold, but it certainly helps with some of the symptoms.
I've also become a big fan of using honey to soothe a sore throat a cough. This past year, my five-year-old son has had trouble sleeping because of a severe cough. Cough medicines are no longer recommended for children under four, and I'd rather avoid them altogether. My mom, who is a pediatric nurse, recommended that we try giving him a spoonful of honey. My son--who hates medicine--loves honey, so this was an easy sell. This remedy was affirmed recently by a study at the Mayo Clinic. According to Dr. James Steckelberg, "Honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep. In fact, in the study, honey appeared to be as effective as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan in typical over-the-counter doses." (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/honey/AN01799) One reminder...honey should not be given to children under the age of one because it can cause infant botulism.
My son also has nose bleeds in the winter. We've had him checked out and there is nothing wrong with him aside from his inability to keep his finger out of his nose. It is the dry air (and the picking) that causes his nose bleeds. While vacationing in Breckenridge last winter, Tobias had multiple nose bleeds every day. Lucky for us, we were on vacation with a friend that happens to be an ENT doctor. She gave me a list of things to pick up at the store. First, we needed a humidifier for his room. Second, she suggested buying Afrin nose spray. Although this should not be used excessively or for an extended period of time, a squirt into the nose when a bleed starts will help constrict blood vessels and stop the bleed. Finally, she told me to get some a bottle of saline nasal spray (Ocean makes one version). This can be used multiple times a day to keep the inside of the nose moist. According to a nurse at Boys Town, there is also a saline gel that can be put into the nose a couple times a day. This combination seemed to do the trick and Tobias' nosebleeds slowed down.
Finally, I have to digress from the cold/flu solutions for this last remedy. A few months ago, I washed a load of laundry with a purple crayon. (This one belonged to Tobias, not Harold.) I did some research online and WD40 seemed to be way to go. It worked on many of the items, but left an oily stain on others. Instead, I found that the all-purpose cleaner, Simple Green, did a good job on the crayon and the oil. Just last week, I found a small grease stain on our couch. My husband was taking apart his skateboard and set a greasy bearing down on the couch. I had just listed the couch on Craigslist, so I was anxious to get it cleaned. I pulled out the Simple Green and was amazed at how easily it removed the stain. I rinsed the area with a wet washcloth and the couch looked perfect.
I'm not all organic and I definitely support modern medicine (and vaccinations, if you are curious), but I'm all about using things I have at home if they work. I'll let you know if I find more to add to my list, or please feel free to share your favorite home remedy!
My successful home cure this morning got me thinking...what other home remedies have I found to be tried and true? I started with the salt water gargle. Of course, there is actual evidence behind this cure. According to an article last year in the NY Times, "A saline solution can draw excess fluid from inflamed tissues in the throat, making them hurt less." (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28real.html)
It cannot cure a cold, but it certainly helps with some of the symptoms.
I've also become a big fan of using honey to soothe a sore throat a cough. This past year, my five-year-old son has had trouble sleeping because of a severe cough. Cough medicines are no longer recommended for children under four, and I'd rather avoid them altogether. My mom, who is a pediatric nurse, recommended that we try giving him a spoonful of honey. My son--who hates medicine--loves honey, so this was an easy sell. This remedy was affirmed recently by a study at the Mayo Clinic. According to Dr. James Steckelberg, "Honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep. In fact, in the study, honey appeared to be as effective as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan in typical over-the-counter doses." (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/honey/AN01799) One reminder...honey should not be given to children under the age of one because it can cause infant botulism.
My son also has nose bleeds in the winter. We've had him checked out and there is nothing wrong with him aside from his inability to keep his finger out of his nose. It is the dry air (and the picking) that causes his nose bleeds. While vacationing in Breckenridge last winter, Tobias had multiple nose bleeds every day. Lucky for us, we were on vacation with a friend that happens to be an ENT doctor. She gave me a list of things to pick up at the store. First, we needed a humidifier for his room. Second, she suggested buying Afrin nose spray. Although this should not be used excessively or for an extended period of time, a squirt into the nose when a bleed starts will help constrict blood vessels and stop the bleed. Finally, she told me to get some a bottle of saline nasal spray (Ocean makes one version). This can be used multiple times a day to keep the inside of the nose moist. According to a nurse at Boys Town, there is also a saline gel that can be put into the nose a couple times a day. This combination seemed to do the trick and Tobias' nosebleeds slowed down.
Finally, I have to digress from the cold/flu solutions for this last remedy. A few months ago, I washed a load of laundry with a purple crayon. (This one belonged to Tobias, not Harold.) I did some research online and WD40 seemed to be way to go. It worked on many of the items, but left an oily stain on others. Instead, I found that the all-purpose cleaner, Simple Green, did a good job on the crayon and the oil. Just last week, I found a small grease stain on our couch. My husband was taking apart his skateboard and set a greasy bearing down on the couch. I had just listed the couch on Craigslist, so I was anxious to get it cleaned. I pulled out the Simple Green and was amazed at how easily it removed the stain. I rinsed the area with a wet washcloth and the couch looked perfect.
I'm not all organic and I definitely support modern medicine (and vaccinations, if you are curious), but I'm all about using things I have at home if they work. I'll let you know if I find more to add to my list, or please feel free to share your favorite home remedy!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Will Work for Chocolate
I'm not ashamed to admit that I bribe my kids. Well, maybe I'm a little bit ashamed, but that is what this blog is all about--being imperfect. Anyway, I bribe my kids. I'll use chocolate, television, or whatever it takes. I was on vacation this past week, and I gave my son brownies for helping me pick up, offered my daughter M&Ms to eat her green beans and bought doughnuts just in case I needed something for bartering. My five-year-old is easy. The promise of a brownie worked two nights in a row. My daughter, on-the-other-hand, is a little more challenging. At two-years-old, she loves chocolate and has a special soft spot for M&Ms. She also has a serious aversion to green beans. So, despite her love for the rainbow colored chocolates, she refused to make a deal. She's a pretty stubborn girl when she wants to be. In case you are wondering how she gets any nutrients, rest assured. She drinks V-8 Fusion all day long--it has a serving of fruit and a serving of vegetables in each cup!
I love chocolate (a little too much) and it has not always been a good friend to me. Sometimes I feel guilty for indulging my kids and sharing my chocolate obsession with them. I spent the past week with my sister, who is an awesome mom. She feeds her daughter organic food, adds vegetables to everything, and limits her intake of anything sweet. She's my older sister, so I guess it's normal to look up to her (even if I was a mom first). I wish I were more like her, or that my kids were more like my niece and ate all that good food. Just when I really start to feel bad, though, I remember that my daughter was so small she was off the growth chart for much of her first year. She is healthy and growing now, but she is a far cry from being overweight. I also remember that eventually I will be able to make her eat vegetables. My son still doesn't like them, but he knows that he can't leave the table until he is done with his vegetables. It's a work in progress and I'm pretty sure everyone will be okay in the end. So, I'm not going to feel guilty about it. In fact, I think it is time for some brownies!
I love chocolate (a little too much) and it has not always been a good friend to me. Sometimes I feel guilty for indulging my kids and sharing my chocolate obsession with them. I spent the past week with my sister, who is an awesome mom. She feeds her daughter organic food, adds vegetables to everything, and limits her intake of anything sweet. She's my older sister, so I guess it's normal to look up to her (even if I was a mom first). I wish I were more like her, or that my kids were more like my niece and ate all that good food. Just when I really start to feel bad, though, I remember that my daughter was so small she was off the growth chart for much of her first year. She is healthy and growing now, but she is a far cry from being overweight. I also remember that eventually I will be able to make her eat vegetables. My son still doesn't like them, but he knows that he can't leave the table until he is done with his vegetables. It's a work in progress and I'm pretty sure everyone will be okay in the end. So, I'm not going to feel guilty about it. In fact, I think it is time for some brownies!
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