Blisstree » Family and Home

Emergent Helps Keeps Kids Safe

Marcie — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:48:45 +0000

I distinctly remember being at a waterpark when I was about 10 years old and witnessing a man next to us start to go into diabetic shock. My mother, always prepared for diabetic situations because of my grandfather, handed him a Snickers Bar and two peppermint candies. He immediately took them and his children unwrapped them quickly and put them into his mouth.

My mother may have saved his life that day because she had the necessary “medication” he needed. However, I also remember that his wife and an ambulance came because he had been in the sun too long and did need medical assistance.

One thing he could have used was Emergentag, a new device that can be used in emergencies to give emergency workers all of your critical health information.

Do you have allergies? Seizures? Diabetes? Are you allergic to PENICILLIN?

EMERGENTag will plug into any standard computer running on Windows and emergency workers can download medical information about you when needed.

Post from: Blisstree

Emergent Helps Keeps Kids Safe

Raise a Green Kid

Marcie — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:51:54 +0000

What does it mean to raise a green kid? Apparently, Green is more than just a color these days. Green is the way we live, the way we must live in order to protect our environment AND be healthy.

AND, we MUST raise our children to be this way too.

1. Reduce consumption. Don’t buy what you don’t need, evaluate what you really want, and use everything you have.

2. Reuse when you can. Pass down clothing, donate, use papers again, etc.

3. Recycle cans, bottles, paper, books, toys, clothing, etc. Use Freecycle, eBay, and Craigslist instead of buying new.

4. Enjoy nature instead of enjoying the indoors. AND, respect nature.

Post from: Blisstree

Raise a Green Kid

What School Lunches SHOULD Have

Marcie — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:02:30 +0000

My son, AJ, takes his lunch to all day kindergarten everyday. He also takes two snacks and a drink. So, my job as a parent is to make sure that my home-made lunch is just what he needs to get him through the entire day, provide him with energy, help him concentration, and give him enough protein and natural sugars to prevent a hypoglycemic attack, which can easily happen with him.

So, what do I provide him?

1. One fresh fruit, either a peeled pear or apple (he has a salicylate intolerance and can not tolerate the peels although they provide the most fiber).

2. One Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. Because AJ has a very special diet the peanut butter is all natural, the jelly is organic, and the bread is Namaste No Sugar Waffle Mix (no wheat, corn, yeast, milk, lactose, sugar).

3. A small bag of peanuts.

4. Small bag of chips (Veggie Booty, Tings, Mary’s Gone Crackers, or Rice Crackers).

5. Silk Soy Yogurt (Vanilla) or Life Way’s ProBugs Kefir.

6. Nature’s Path Crispy Bar or Fruitabu Fruit Snack

7. Water

8. Organic applesauce or ZenSoy Pudding

Note that his lunch has protein, fruit, milk, water, grains, probiotics, etc. And, most of his lunch is healthy and organic. I do provide him with something sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, and soft because of his sensory difficulties. So, if he is having a hard sensory day he does have an option.

I also offer him variety with carrots, cucumbers, a gluten/casein free chocolate chip cookie, leftovers, etc. He has many food allergies and intolerances so packing lunches can be difficult for him. We do the very best we can.

What do you pack?

Post from: Blisstree

What School Lunches SHOULD Have

Longest Living Octuplets, in Trouble?

Marcie — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:33:20 +0000

The eight infants born to a Southern California woman officially turned one week old today, becoming the country’s longest living octuplets.

The babies are officially doing well. However, there is some speculation regarding the birth mother, as she is s single, 33-year-old named Nadya Suleman who already has six children…all of whom have been conceived via in vitro fertilization.

But, is this a marketing, money making strategy for her or is this simply because she is addicted to having children? And, is she seriously going to be able to care for eight babies as well as the six she already has?

I have heard rumors, and albeit they are rumors, that she is planning on nursing all eight of her babies. If that is so, how is it possible to care for the other six, change diapers, do laundry, feed herself, and sleep?

She has a plan to pay for the octuplets, however…book deals, TV shows, and other business proposals. But, that may not all work, as the media and public reaction are mixed.

She is apparently unemployed, living in a two bedroom bungalow that her parents purchased for her. Additionally, it is said that she has an autistic child, that her parents also live with her, and that sperm was donated by a friend who worked with her at a fertility clinic years ago.

Post from: Blisstree

Longest Living Octuplets, in Trouble?

Cheap Household Cleaning Products

Marcie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:42:16 +0000

I admit that I love cleaning my house to a shine and I love doing it with products that I know clean, including products that I know can be toxic. On the flip-side, I know there are plenty of products that are much better for my household than my Clorox Bleach. Here are six that are non-toxic and two that you will need to be careful with.

1. Baking soda: gritty for scrubbing and reacts with water, vinegar or lemon by fizzing. Speed up cleaning.

2. Borax: disinfects, bleaches, deodorizes. Toxic.

3. White Vinegar: disinfects and breaks up dirt. Choose white vinegar.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide: Disinfects and bleaches. Can also be used in Toothpastes but do not swallow.

5. Lemons: cuts grease and grime. Can be combined with salt and water to clean burnt coffee pots.

6. Olive oil: Polishes wood much like lemon oil.

7. Vegetable based soap like Dr. Bronners castille soap:

8. Washing soda: stain remover, helps unblock pipes…Toxic.

Post from: Blisstree

Cheap Household Cleaning Products

Raising Kids who Care

Marcie — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:54:03 +0000

Raising children today who are conscious of others can be difficult. I know this first hand because my son can be quite self-centered. I don’t know if it is part of his disability or part of his personality. Or, it simply could be that we have not been focusing on teaching him to look past himself and recognize others. I don’t think it is the later because we have always placed an emphasis on sharing, giving, and helping.

There was an article in the December edition of Reader’s Digest that focused on this topic…raising children who care. In the article, five families show how they got started, how they stay committed, and how they make a real difference in their lives and in others’ lives.

Read the entire Reader’s Digest article here.

Post from: Blisstree

Raising Kids who Care

Holiday Candle Safety

Marcie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:43:54 +0000

Candles are a wonderful addition to the holiday festivities. They smell wonderful, they look luminous, and they actually can add warmth to a home.

We have all heard of the horror stories though of children touching candles, pulling them down or even playing with the matches. Last year, AJ was at just the right height to touch one of mine and it scared me to death!

The Home Safety Council has fabulous advice on how to keep and light candles with children in the home.

Make sure an adult is in the room and paying attention whenever you light a candle.
Blow out all candles before going to sleep or leaving the room.
Do not permit children to keep or use candles or incense in their rooms.
Candles should only be used when a sober adult is present and awake.
Never use lighted candles on or near a Christmas tree or other evergreens.
Keep candles at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including other decorations and wrapping paper.
Always use stable, nonflammable candle holders with a hurricane glass to protect the open flame.
Place candles where they will not be knocked down or blown over and out of reach of pets and young children.
If you have children in your home, store candles, matches and lighters out of their sight and reach in a locked cabinet.
To eliminate the risk of an open candle flame, use battery-powered candles whenever possible.

Post from: Blisstree

Holiday Candle Safety

Get Fit Friday: Tag Football

Marcie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:01:52 +0000

Fall is just perfect for a neighborhood game of tag football but sometimes the kiddos need a little supervision from the adults.

So, make it a Saturday afternoon (or Thanksgiving Day) tradition on your block and host a Tag Football Game in your backyard (or on your street…it’s okay not to tackle in tag). It’s a lot more fun than watching other people tackle each other and everyone gets some exercise (even the cheerleaders on the sidelines!)

Get everyone into the spirit by making team shirts, cheerleading outfits (for the boys and girls who are not playing) and have a blast!

Post from: Blisstree

Get Fit Friday: Tag Football

Kids Health give-away #2: Crest Spinbrush

Grace Ibay — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:36:55 +0000

Getting kids to brush their teeth will be double the fun with the CREST® SPINBRUSH® toothbrush. Crest Spinbrush promotes healthy brushing as it reduces plaque and massages gums. It’s been found that kids brush longer with the Spinbrush than with a manual brush.

So Kids’ Crest sponsored 10 CREST® SPINBRUSH® toothbrushes with the Marvel Heroes design. It’s great for boys ages 5-13, but some girls won’t mind it too. Here’s how to join –

One entry per person per day. Just comment below.
It’s open to residents of the US only.
Contest ends 11:59 midnight EST on October 30, 2008 (Thursday). 10 winners will be randomly chosen and announced via blog and email the week after.
If a winner does not reply within 3 days, he/she forfeits her winnings and an alternate entry will be chosen.
REMINDER #1 : In previous contests, I have had several winners forfeited for failure to reply to my emails. Please make sure your settings don’t put my email into the junk folder, otherwise you’ll have no idea you won. Better yet, please check this blog for the winners’ list after the contest ends. Best bet, come back often and stay a reader!

More giveaways at the Kids Health Give-away Cornucopia!

More giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!

image: Crest

Post from: Blisstree

Kids Health give-away #2: Crest Spinbrush

Kids Health Notes give-away: Manuella Elephant Doll

Grace Ibay — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:11:12 +0000

This has to be the cutest elephant ever!

Coolil.com has a great toy for children called the Manuella Elephant from the Manuella line of children’s toys. The Manuella Elephant is a plush, handcrafted companion for young children that’s a great way for kids to get away from digital toys and cultivate their imagination. The 21-inch Elephant is soft and plush doll that provides comfort during sleep and something to cuddle when waking up. And the fleece-filled polyester fabric also machine washable!

Coolil.com sponsored one (1) Manuella Elephant to give-away, so I’ll make it easy.

One entry per person per day. Just comment below.
It’s open to residents of the US only.
Contest ends 11:59 midnight EST on October 30, 2008 (Thursday). Five winners will be randomly chosen and announced via blog and email the week after.
If a winner does not reply within 3 days, he/she forfeits her winnings and an alternate entry will be chosen.
REMINDER #1 : In previous contests, I have had several winners forfeited for failure to reply to my emails. Please make sure your settings don’t put my email into the junk folder, otherwise you’ll have no idea you won. Better yet, please check this blog for the winners’ list after the contest ends. Best bet, come back often and stay a reader!

More giveaways at the Kids Health Give-away Cornucopia!

More giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!

Post from: Blisstree

Kids Health Notes give-away: Manuella Elephant Doll