Earth Day … and Little Critter too

My oldest child is three.  Three and a half, I suppose, although he’s not even to the age where he insists on “and a half!” I know we’ll get there soon, but for now, he’s a young preschooler, blissfully ignorant about war and global warming and all the dangers out there that we adults are charged with managing until it’s his turn, and that of his classmates, to take the reins of this great big world.

But because I know that it’s not good for a child to grow up ignorant of danger, I’ve begun introducing the concept to him slowly.  Of course he knows to be wary of strangers, and to hold Mommy’s hand when crossing the street, but I’m now starting to introduce him to the bigger worries in life.

Like climate change.

Somewhere along the way, we began reading the Little Critter books by Mercer Meyer.  We happily read through stories about bedtime, about cleaning one’s room, about growing up.  Then came It’s Earth Day!  I don’t know who consulted and contributed scientific expertise for this book, but it starts on a worrisome note about the ice disappearing and the polar bears having nowhere to live.  Little Critter gets really worried, and leads his friends on an all-out recycling binge.  Then he undertakes a plan to save the Earth.

My kind of little critter!

Only, of course, it doesn’t work, and he gets frustrated, and then the book ends a little preachily about all the things that he and his family DID do to save the earth.  Which is well and good, until he mentions the polar bears again.

As my three-year-old would say, “Oh, brother.”

The polar bears are a symbol that has been bandied about by groups on both sides, and there is plenty of educated discourse about that other places on the internet.  I don’t intend to reproduce that here, but I will say that when I read this book to my child, I edit it a bit.  We talk about “helping the Earth,” not saving it.  We talk about “saving energy,” instead of global warming.  We talk about how important it is to ”reduce, reuse, recycle” in our every day lives.  We are careful not to litter, and to talk about how sad we are when we see someone carelessly toss trash on the interstate.  I am raising him to be aware of environmental issues, and to take action when we can do so safely.

And so, when our playgroup celebrated Earth Day at the local park with a playdate and games, we celebrated.  Far from being outdated, Earth Day is alive and well.

This post originally appeared at DC Metro Moms Blog; Susan also writes at Toddler Planet. 

Neosporin with pain relief

Neosporin, that standby magical ointment that, with a mother’s kiss, heals all wounds, has just gotten better. 

Sometime between my childhood and my children’s, they came out with two incredible improvements: first, it comes in a cream version (sticky no more!), and second, they have added a topical analgesic.  The new Neosporin cream + pain relief is an amazing product.  I have used it for cuts, insect bites, and healing from severe radiation burns that developed during my cancer treatment.  It helped when no other product would, and I am so thankful that my oncologist recommended this for short-term relief.

Other products that I used and would recommend for radiation burns, by the way, include Exclair, a prescription cream; Eucerin and Aquaphor, over the counter, inexpensive creams, although I didn’t have much success with them after the initial burns began; a prescription steroid cream when the pain was too much to stand; and a pharmacist’s mix of Aquaphor and aloe, which made a creamy paste that worked well as a poultice.

But for those days when the radiation burns caused surface pain but I had to leave the house dressed and ready anyway, I totally relied on Neosporin plus pain relief.  It took away the pain, soothed the burns, moisturized the new skin underneath, and, unlike the other products, didn’t stain my clothes.

Awesome.

This review was completely unsolicited; I just really liked the product.

Please note: this product is not for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or children under two.  Talk to a doctor or read the patient labeling before use.

 

Your Child’s Strengths

I’m late with this review.  I know it, you know it, and Parent Bloggers knows it too.  I’m almost embarrassed to post.  But the truth is, I was so captivated by this book that I really wanted to finish it before I posted, to do it justice.

Your Child’s Strengths is a new book by Jenifer Fox that takes on learning styles and learning disabilities and turns them on their head … asking each of us to consider children’s strengths instead of their weaknesses.  Right on! 

One of the things that has been so disappointing to me with the No Child Left Behind Act is the smoothing out of expectations of children … how each must perform to a minimum or average standard, and then the children and teachers are on their own for advanced work.  This book asks us to consider our child’s strengths and then use that information to help them learn and grow to their full potential.

My children are a tad young for this, but one tip has stuck with me: record your very young children’s likes and dislikes, their preferences, and what captivates them.  This information can be useful in identifying their strengths later … or in helping your child discover them for himself.

For instance, today I could write:

Baby:  Loves to put things in and take things out of boxes, bins, and tubs.  Delights in washing hands, playing in the bubbles, and helping Mommy do laundry.  When big brother and I were working on a foam puzzle today, (baby) picked out all the red pieces and put them in a pile.  I’ve never modeled that behavior, so this was something that he picked up on his own.  Some days (the baby) amazes me.

Preschooler:  Is enjoying school more as the days go by.  This week he agreed to sit in the circle for circle time, but he still prefers to initiate activities on his own schedule.  When it’s his idea, he is a brilliant painter, builder, puzzler, and problem-solver.  He also has begun to line up his trucks and “teach” them, asking questions, answering them, and praising their “responses” in a patient tone.  He is beginning to lead his little brother in games, but he is also delighted to follow older kids in their ideas.  He is learning to negotiate, and often says, “Me have an idea.  How about …” as he offers an alternative to naptime, snacktime, etc.  He is very empathetic and loves to snuggle me, baby brother, and dad. 

Both children are very attached, yet secure enough to run/crawl off and play, together or separately.  It’s a good time to be their mom.

This is a great book and one that I will be keeping nearby as my children grow.

Barefoot Books

Barefoot Books is a fascinating publisher and distributing network that focuses on bringing quality books to children.  They produce and publish amazing books that celebrate a diversity of experiences and things to dream about.  Recently, an independent distributor offered me a book to review, and I gladly accepted it.  The book was The Magic Train Ride, written by Sally Crabtree and illustrated by Sonia Esplugas.

The Magic Train Ride is a delightful imaginative romp by a trainful of children, animals, aliens, and sea creatures through all kinds of fantastical situations: undersea, in a magical forest, outer space, the beach, and back home again.  Its repetitive structure provides predictability with just enough change to interest preschoolers of today.  The illustrations are bright and interesting, with something new to be discovered on each re-reading! 

There is a CD that comes with the book; the recorded train whistle adds auditory interest, but I think the book stands alone.  My preschooler loves the book and loves the CD but hasn’t really had much interest in the two together.  The CD is great for car trips, though, and we have totally enjoyed it.

My favorite book from this publisher is the gorgeously lavish and technically accurate (while quite fantastical) Star Seeker.  Check that one out if you’re in the market for a space fantasy book for preschoolers or a unique baby gift!

Blast off with Discovery Kids!

The Discovery Channel Store and the Parent Bloggers Network sent us an awesome toy to review recently — Paz’s blast off rocket from the Ready Set Learn! line.  As a former NASA scientist and lifelong enthusiast, I was absolutely thrilled to be selected to review this product, one that I might not have splurged on but one that I was totally thrilled to get.  As it turns out, if I had seen these in person first, I totally would have splurged on it.

The rocket is a durable, sturdy, armful of rocket sized and shaped just right for an older toddler or preschooler’s hands and arms.  I say arms here because the toy has been so popular with my son and his friends that I frequently find one boy or another with both arms wrapped around it in desparate attempts to “own” it himself.  After we’ve pried off the little visitor and exhorted the boys to take turns, the other mother and I invariably laugh it off.  But the truth is … this is a FUN toy!

The rocket has three levels of fun.  The top level is the cockpit of the rocket, with room for 2 of the 4 action figures included.  (But not the bunny, who has ears sticking out the back of his space suit helmet. This has caused some consternation in my house.)  The bottom level is storage for the lunar rover and possibly one more action figure.  The middle level, though, the middle is a dollhouse in miniature, with tiny shelves, a coffeemaker, and rows of cups in the kitchen.  The murphy bed folds into the wall to reveal a toilet underneath.  The detailing is exquisite, if a bit odd — I wouldn’t actually expect to see books upright on the bedside table in space, for instance, or toilet paper on a roll, but for this age, it’s acceptable.  In fact, it’s charming.

This toy is a true winner.  Yes, it’s plastic, and yes, it’s made in China, but its play value is high and the source appears to be reputable.  It’s not a cheap disposable toy.  This is a quality toy that can be used in three ways — as a rocket, as a dollhouse equivalent, and as a base for “lunar explorations” with the enclosed crater.  It meets my criteria and I totally recommend it for the holiday gift-buying season!  Find them at the Discovery Channel Store online.

This rocket is the hot new toy at our house … and a playgroup favorite!