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.

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Emergent Helps Keeps Kids Safe

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

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?

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What School Lunches SHOULD Have

To properly store formula:

• Feed your baby prepared formula immediately.
• Immediately refrigerate prepared formula up to 24 hours.
• Discard any extra formula after one hour because bacteria can grow VERY quickly.

If you are traveling, use the formula dispenser.

Post from: Blisstree

Formula Storage

At Hidden Valley, Jodie Shield, a registered dietitian, helps kids all around the country eat their veggies. Jodie has been a a consultant and a spokesperson for more than two decades. She is a former national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and has worked with the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago.

She is currently a complemental faculty member of the College of Health Sciences in the Department of Clinical Nutritian at Rush Univesity in Chicago.

As parents, you know how tough that can be, right? Here are twelve tips from Jodie to help you out you with a finicky eater and a veggie avoider.

1. Make Veggies Convenient. Grab and go snacks are the rage with kids. So if you want your child to eat veggies, make them so easy they won’t be able to resist them. Keep your refrigerator stocked with baby carrots, prewashed salad kits, celery slices, and colorful red, green, and yellow bell pepper strips. My family loves when I buy a ready-to-eat veggie tray and serve it with some low-fat ranch dressing/dip. When I’m preparing supper, I leave it out on the counter for everyone to munch on. The little extra cost is worth the convenience and it cuts down on waste from uneaten produce.
2. Making Recipes Kid-Friendly. When developing recipes for kids, include specific textures, flavor profiles and food shapes kids will gravitate towards. When doing this, always consider the child’s age. Based on research (scientific and anecdotal) younger kids tend to like ingredients that are not all mixed together and that are somewhat familiar to them, as opposed to older kids that like “concoctions” and tend to be more willing to try new foods. For example, a five year old might enjoy making a turkey taco recipe, which includes ingredients of their choice, while a 12-year-old would be more willing to make a taco casserole or taco salad.Try Rock N’ Rollups, and see how excited your kids get about vegetables and cooking.
3. Kids as the Cooks. I like to develop age-appropriate recipes that kids can make themselves. This helps vest them in the eating process and they learn so many things about food, nutrition, and cooking. Today’s kids, more than ever, enjoy cooking. Cooking shows are widely watched by tweens and teens and many view cooking as fun (even if their parents don’t!). I always look for ways to make my recipes fun and colorful. Vegetables and dips are great because it is a colorful combination and kids get to play with their food. In fact, a 2006 study showed this to be true as children involved in that study consumed 23 percent more vegetables when paired with a moderate amount of ranch dressing.
4. Bowl ‘em over. Soups are a hit with kids and a great way to get one of their five or more daily veggie servings. Homemade soups are great because you can always toss in extra veggies, but if you’re short on time, canned soups are also healthy and convenient options. Offer kids soups such as minestrone or vegetable beef. Feeling daring? Have them try split pea, lentil, black bean, or cream of broccoli soups. Keep in mind; you can always enhance canned soups by tossing in extra veggies or beans.
5. Beyond the Recipe. If your kids are not fans of vegetables, sometimes they need encouragement that goes beyond a kid-friendly recipe. One great source is the Hidden Valley® Salad Dressing Love Your Veggies™ campaign that offers parents tools to help kids develop a life-long love of vegetables through activities at home, at school and in the community. The campaign includes an interactive Web site,LoveYourVeggies.com, filled with activities, such as starting a garden and cooking with kids, lesson plans and a variety of kid-friendly vegetable recipes.
6. Overcoming a Picky Eater: I Easy Tips. Picky eaters can be difficult. I wish I had a magic wand (or recipe) to solve this dilemma, but here is the first of few tips parents can try: Let them “help” themselves. Kids learn a lot about portions when they get to take their own portions.  Parents often serve too much, which can be overwhelming for tiny tummies.  Pass food around family-style or set up a buffet on the counter.
7. Overcoming a Picky Eater: II Provide added interest. This will help peak even a picky eaters interest in trying foods they normally would take a pass on. For a fun way to get your kids interested in cooking see if they like the “Around the World” activity that teaches them about countries and vegetable dishes, have them dip their veggies in ranch as a creative way to try new foods, or try the Bagel Smile recipe for some added entertainment. The activity and the recipe can be found at LoveYourVeggies.com.
8. Overcoming a Picky Eater: III Keep trying; they will like it – eventually! Kids are instinctively fearful of trying new foods – it’s called food phobia.  Studies have found that it takes anywhere from eight to 10 offerings before some kids will even take a bite. And don’t force them to eat it. Ask them to taste it, and if they don’t like it, they can remove it politely from their mouth with their napkin.
9. Go Incognito. A great way to open kid’s minds to veggies is to prepare a vegetable they have not eaten before in a tasty and familiar way. For example, instead of a baked potato, try baking a sweet potato. My favorite veggie in disguise is mock-mashed potatoes. Simply steam a head of cauliflower for about 15 – 20 minutes (or microwave) until soft. Drain and transfer the cauliflower to a food processor or blender, along with a tablespoon of butter or margarine, and a tablespoon or two of low-fat milk. Puree until smooth. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and I swear, your kids will think they’re eating mashed potatoes!
10. Kid’s Cooking Lesson: I Stir-Fry Veggies. Kids often say they don’t like vegetables because they’re “boring.” So stir things up and try stir-frying veggies. Simply heat a teaspoon or two of oil in a large skillet or wok until sizzling. Then toss in bite-size pieces of snow peas, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, and add a dash of soy sauce. Serve them with chop sticks for even more fun. Really, most veggies can be stir-fried — even frozen veggies. The trick is to first partially thaw them in the microwave before stir-frying them.
11. Kid’s Cooking Lesson: II Baked Veggies. What’s the most commonly eaten and popular kids’ vegetable? If you said French fries, you’re correct. However, fries are very high in fat and calories. A much healthier alternative is to bake the fries and use different types of potatoes – white, new, and my son’s favorite, sweet potato. Baked fries are so easy and your kids will love them. Just preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss potato wedges (or cut them into strips) with 2 teaspoons of oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Spread the fries out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until browned and tender (about 20 minutes), turning once. Leave the potato skins on for extra fiber.
12. Kid’s Cooking Lesson: III Grilled Veggies. Burgers and chicken aren’t the only foods that taste fabulous cooked on the grill. Veggies are also awesome. Here’s one of my family’s favorites: Grilled Mixed Veggie Bundles. I love this recipe because the foil makes clean up a snap and my kids love it because it tastes terrific! Here’s what to do: break two cobs of corn in half and add them to a large bowl along with a handful of green beans, and a handful of baby carrots. Toss them with some olive oil, garlic powder and fresh oregano or basil. Divide the veggie mixture up into four servings. Place each pile of veggies on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap securely. Cook the bundles on a heated grill for about 20-30 minutes, turning them occasionally. Feel free to substitute other veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, onion, or cherry tomatoes. For another grilled veggie recipe, such as Pepper Plus Panini, visit www.LoveYourVeggies.com.

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Hidden Valley Helps Kids Eat Veggies

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.

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Raising Kids who Care

1. Bring the comforts of home with you. You obviously can’t bring the pillow and comforter with you everywhere you go in case your child needs to nap but bring a lovie, a blankie, and special books. If you are sleeping in a hotel try to also bring your child’s favorite pillow or blanket if they need it.

2. Stick to routines. This can be difficult if dinners run late or if celebrations interrupt naptime.  Make sure you stick to bath and book time, make sure you cuddle if you always do, etc.

4.  Try to limit noise distractions, light, stimulation, and sugary snacks right before bed.

5. If you are traveling to a different time zone make sure you adjust them just like you adjust yourself…don’t let them nap in the late afternoon. They will be up even later. When we used to travel to a time zone one hour earlier this was difficult (and it was only one hour). We tried to adjust him only if we were going to be there for more than a few days.

Travel can be very stressful, especially on young families and on families with young children. Adults often say that children are resilient but children are only as resilient as their parents are prepared and resourceful.

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Five Children’s Sleep Travel Tips

Instead of feeding him the 15 cans of formula he needed she tried to stretch him to 8-10 cans by adding water. However, this had a disastrous effect on him. He had water intoxication and was severely malnourished.

La’Damian is currently in now in good condition.

“Sadly, this is not a new story,” says momlogic pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson. “When budgets are tight, parents trying to do the best for their children may think about diluting formula. The problem is that baby kidneys don’t know how to handle free water — or the extra water that’s being added. The baby’s body doesn’t get rid of the extra water. Rather, the water stays in the bloodstream and dilutes out some of its most important components. This can ultimately be life-threatening.”

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Drs Warn: Don’t Dilute Baby Formula

Step 11 – Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

I believe in the power of words. I believe our words can either bring life or death, curse or blessing. I believe that when we speak, or pray, specific words then something tangible takes place: Hope.

What is God’s will for our children? For them to be healthy, strong and productive members of this society. For them to live their lives with regard to other human beings (”to love their neighbors”, “bless their enemies”, “love their parents”), and the rest of creation. It is not God’s will that our children be cursed, sick, or abused.

When our children grow up in homes where there is love and acceptance, forgiveness and patience, they become the same way to others around them. But when our children grow up where words are spoken carelessly and abuse happens, they go out into society with broken spirits, and they act the same way to others.

So our spoken words, be it in prayer to God or said to our family, can bring blessing, healing and life, or curse, sickness and death.

I say we choose to speak life. I would think that, too, is God’s will. 

For a complete link to all posts on The Twelve Steps to Recovery, check out Healthbolt.

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Speak Life

Step 6 – Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character

At first look, “defect of character” seems little to do with nurturing healthy children. But if I may, our weaknesses have a lot to do with keeping our children healthy and productive. And I certainly have plenty of these defects.

Belatedly into the training, I realized that I have no patience for teaching my daughter the proper way to potty. I just got easily frustrated with her. Because of what I perceived her weakness to be – her refusal vs. inability – made me angry with her many times. I thought I had done everything the books said, and she wouldn’t just cooperate. In one of those angry moments, I said and did something that I totally regret, and she regressed even more. She was so pressured that she couldn’t do it. It wasn’t until I admitted that the weaknesses, the defects in character, were mine – my impatience, my over-expectation, my anger, that I began to ease the pressure off from my daughter. I had to admit that I can’t do it by myself. I need God to make things right for us.

It was very humbling on my part, because even after I made peace with her – I asked forgiveness from a 3 year-old – the consequences of what I had done were already formed. I had to retrain her over a much longer period. Eventually she did learn, on her own accord when she was mentally ready. 

Of course defects in character don’t go away overnight, even after surrendering them all to God. It’s a work in progress. I’m a work in progress. When I refused to admit my weaknesses, and held on to my reasoning, when I tried doing it my way, the road to freedom was taking much longer and harder. But it’s half the battle, to be willing for God to remove these weaknesses from me.

Are there things in your life, as a parent or caregiver, that hinder your children’s development? You’re not a bad parent for having them. We’re just human, and we have so many weaknesses that can affect our family and their health. Maybe it’s our bad unhealthy habits and lifestyle. Maybe it’s our impatience. Maybe it’s the temptations or guilty pleasures that we give in so easily. When we are ready to have God remove our defects in character, then our family becomes healthier, more at peace and safer.

For the 11 other Steps to Recovery, Healthbolt links to all of them.

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Sometimes we’re the ones at fault