Green Parent Chicago

Selfie Boom: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Competing with our children’s digital world can be a challenge, especially when you would like them to experience the environment and the many ways they can sustain it. It’s hard enough to get them to look up from their device but when they are taking selfies, this might be the right time to capture their attention. With the ‘selfie boom’ in full swing (the word was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2013), what more reason to entice your child to take as many as possible while camping, recycling, hiking, composting, fishing and basically enjoying all nature has to offer.

An Opportunity

It’s easy to shun the onslaught of technology that seems to have turned our society into the ‘heads down tribe.’ Gone are the days when children would hop on their bikes early Saturday morning and not be seen until lunch and then again at dinner. Now it’s all about expensive digital devices to entertain, communicate and solve everyday challenges.

However, when you step back from such electronic confusion there may very well be rare opportunities to be had. Embracing technology rather than pushing it away could allow you to show your child how our environment is faring through it all. Using a wide variety of available tools, online and off, you may be able to incorporate tips and advice to teach your kid how important environmentalism really is.

The Selfie and You

Believe it or not selfies have been around for a long time. The first one was taken in 1839 by an amateur chemist and photographer named Robert Cornelius. Then, about 166 years later, MySpace became the first platform popularly used for displaying selfies. Finally, in 2010 Apple rolled out the iPhone 4 with a front facing camera and people have been mugging into the lens ever since.

Maybe you have no interest in photographing yourself, or tried stepping into the selfie craze with little excitement--or maybe you do it all the time--but the cold hard fact is that selfies are here to stay and today’s kids are at the top of the selfie food chain. Therefore, it may be time to explore selfies as a way to connect or reconnect with your digitally savvy child.

An Environmental Connection

If you watch the news you will most likely be bombarded with a slew of negative, depressing stories involving almost everything including the environment. Yet, some things are improving throughout our planet. The ozone layer has a better outlook; electric carmaker Tesla has announced a new factory in Nevada offering jobs and a future of clean energy infrastructure change; and more corporations are bringing green choices to demanding consumers.

So by using your available digital tools to embrace this positive change it can be an excellent way to bring your child on board. Facebook (48% of selfies are reported to be shared here), Twitter, Instagram and a laundry list of other social media and/or photo sharing and storing sites offer a variety of ways to lure your child into your love for the environment.

Tune In and Turn On

If you aren’t on any social media (or the like) platforms chances are you are continually spiraling further away from an extremely important part of your child’s world. Whether they are plugged in to the gills, roll on one device or do not have any home digital connection whatsoever it is nearly impossible for them to ignore what’s out there.

Practically every aspect of electronic communication will inevitably demand their attention, either in the home or outside the home such as school, friends, gaming, extracurricular activities, commerce and eventually their career. By joining social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and getting their permission to friend, follow or be followed by them has the potential for a whole new relationship to emerge. Add in the sharing of selfies and the environment and it could be a real win-win.

Post the Most

Once you get yourself plugged in alongside your kid then the real fun will begin. Rather than hear them grumble that you want to go on another hike or volunteer for a highway cleanup, present it as a selfie opportunity and encourage them to bring their device.

Take a bunch of selfies alone and especially with them for posting. You can navigate how selfies become a major part of your environmental passion which will hopefully spark a similar love in your child.

Get clever and find ways to share selfies with each other and the world, if you’re so inclined. Take NASA for instance: back in April of 2014 the space organization celebrated Earth Day with a ‘Global Selfie Event’. Check out your favorite environmentalist organizations and see if they too accept selfie posts. Before long your kid will hopefully look forward to your excursions as well as all to be seen and commented on afterward.

As long as your child is safe, selfies can be a positive bonding experience. Making the selfie a positive thing will show your child that you are not only with the times but interested in something that makes them happy.

-Amy Williams is a freelance writer and mother of two in Southern California. She hopes to use her experience as a mother to help other parents understand their teens.

Nature as Nurturing: An Educator’s Narrative to Motivate Nature Play

A soft breeze graces against our skin, birds chirp happily in the tree tops and the sweet smell of a magnolia tree perfumes the air around us. Many of us recall distinctive sensory memories from our time outdoors and nature poses a feast for the senses. Visual stimuli abound: greenery of all shapes and sizes, leaves garnished with edges from smooth to jagged, and an array of characters from pale brown squirrels to vermillion insects. Nature invigorates and nurtures all of our senses: visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory.

Nature offers a lot more to us than just sensory memories, however. Children around us often serve as a reminder of how enticing nature can be. Many teachers and parents can speak to how many times “Can we go outside?” has punctuated a topic at hand.

This is for good reason: nature offers a learning environment that is engaging while remaining calming and restorative. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have conducted several studies that indicate time spent outdoors can have a positive effect on reducing the symptoms of ADHD in students ages 5 to 18 across gender and socioeconomic statuses. This evidence was also observed in both a nationwide study and a preliminary study whereby students were monitored for cognitive challenges before and after a walk.

It seems that nature offers something analogous to a holistic reset button, an effortless way to experience calm and effective attention restoration. These therapeutic effects within nature may even have beneficial effects yet to be explored, including components such as reduced levels of domestic violence within the home and positive uplift for cancer patients. Many would argue that these therapeutics effects are important to note in an increasingly stress-inducing, medicating world.

“Well, what about in winter?” The results are even more striking. The therapeutic effects of nature can be at work literally through a window view. Besides gardening, hiking, and walking outdoors, we can still receive nature’s perks by simply looking outside to a natural view. Many natural changes are impressive and breathtaking to witness, and as an added bonus, these benefits are cost-effective and increase support and appreciation for the environment.

How do we cultivate a system for beating the winter blues, homework blues, or “need a moment” blues? Pursuing a course of nature perks can be simple, elegant and personalized in a way meaningful to an adult, family or child. Here are some suggestions:

Begin a nature journal: Use it to press leaves or wildflowers, describe nature observations and practice nature poetry.

Dabble into the world of field guides: birds, trees, wildflowers, edible plants, medicinal plants… name it and there is a field guide that educates on the topic. These are simple, inexpensive and easily available online or in a local bookstore.

Go on a nature walk: Make family time in nature. Have kids collect artifacts from their walk (leaves, pinecones, flowers, etc.) and help them to identify what they found. For kinesthetic learners , have them act out a skit of their favorite nature walk moment.

Create a monthly nature goal: Consider a nature-inspired family trip, new walk route, nature photography collage or intention to make homework breaks “outdoor” breaks. This is a great way to capitalize on diverse family interests and talents.

Cultivating time to look, react to and document what is happening in the natural world is an important role to be reinforced. Without being aware of the subtle peace and beauty within our natural landscape, much understanding of where our food comes from or what is so precious about our natural landscape will be lost to generations raised indoors.

From solar panels to beautiful gardens and biodiesel, people need to pay attention to their natural surroundings in order to fully appreciate all the complexity our environmental world can and should offer. Look to the kids asking to go outside or romping in a nearby park and remember that nature is the best teacher.

-Julie Ann Howlett is an Illinois-based educator and nature enthusiast offering educational services that promote environmental respect, holistic understandings, and compassion for your educational journey. Sign up for her e-newsletter with [email protected] or visit JulieAnnHowlettConsulting.com.

This article appears in the August 2014 issue of Natural Awakenings Chicago

Chicago Parks To Continue Free Swimming Classes for Kids and Teens This Summer

The Chicago Park District will once again offer a free session of swim lessons to new enrollees age 6-17. The Park District initially offered the popular program this past January.

The first session (10 weeks) of Learn to Swim classes for kids and teens ages 6-17 will be free, when using coupon code FIRSTFREE. 

Fees will apply for Learn to Swim classes in subsequent sessions, or for an additional class in the same session.  The Learn to Swim fee is $22 for each 10 week session. (This fee may be waived for qualifying families.)

The FIRSTFREE coupon code can be used when registering online or in-person at the parks.

Chicago Park District pools and splash parks open Friday June 13. View this list to find a park district pool in your neighborhood.

-Christine

-photo credit: Chicago Park District

Get Outside, Get Physical and Fundraise as a Family for Your Favorite Org

The Muddy Cheer Challenge is coming to the Chicagoland area this summer on June 28 and 29 in Wilmington, IL. It's a fun way to get the whole family involved in charitable giving while having a great time in the great outdoors. All ages are welcome. 

Here's how it works:  Sign up as a "host group". For every runner that signs up under your name (at any location), Muddy Cheer Challenge will give you back a portion of the registration fee.  Muddy Cheer Challenge will donate to your group $15.00 per every adult runner (13 and over) and $10.00 per every child runner (12 and under). In return, the host group will provide volunteers to work at the event (the number of volunteers will be based off of the size of the event and the size of the host group. This number will be determined closer to the event date). The host group will advertise and promote the mud run on their website and social media sites, posters and flyers.

 

Each runner will receive a Muddy Cheer Challenge T-shirt and a finishing medal.   

Green Parent Chicago readers:

Get $10 off each ticket to the event with the code: Single (this code is case sensitive)

 

-photo credit: Muddy Cheer Challenge

 

 

Friday Reading List: Fresh, Sweet and...Chemical Free!

 

This spoof ad above was created by Women's Voices for the Earth in response to this one by S.C. Johnson. Please share it, then take action to ask S.C. Johnson to disclose their ingredients.

Learn 10 steps you can take to reduce your family's exposure to chemicals that are linked to breast cancer, infertility, birth defects, asthma, and other serious illnesses.

If you have a child who loves to pretend with makeup, but you're worried about lead, chemical fragrances and other nasties, 3 Girls Holistic has a nice line of eco-girl and eco-kid friendly products called "3LittleGirls" that you can feel better about.

My 8-year-old recently tried their "Pretty Flower Perfume" and "Orange Pop Lip Gloss". Both are packaged in easy to apply containers (the perfume comes in a roll-on, how convenient!) and the lipgloss is in a tube. Made with natural ingredients like apricot kernal oil, grapefruit essential oil and lavender, the perfume is litely citrusey and sweet and not at all overpowering or too long lasting. My daughter loves to dab it on, and even with her very sensitive skin, she's had so problems with it.

The Orange Pop lip gloss is, of course, orangey flavored naturally, and made with moisturizing coconut oil among other natural ingredients like beeswax and honey. My daughter, who is known to dislike lip gloss, even lip balm in winter, said about the gloss, "you know how some lip glosses smell funny? I like it because it doesn't, and it doesn't taste bad if you swallow some of it."

Have a fantastic weekend and thank you for reading!

-Christine

 

The Top Ten Hands Down Best Birth and Breastfeeding Book Classics

There have been a number of excellent parenting books written and published over the past 13 years since I first became a mom. There's no doubt many future classics are being written and published today.

But this is my personal list of top ten favorite mindful parenting books. What makes these classics to me? Despite having been originally published some 10, 20 or even 30+ years ago, they are still widely read by new generations of moms and dads and their no-nonsense, logical wisdom and focus on instinctive parenting makes them timeless.

1. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

2. The Baby Book

3. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

4. Natural Family Living

5. Becoming the Parent You Want to Be

6. Nightime Parenting

7. The Birth Partner

8. The Birth Book

9. Mothering Your Nursing Toddler

10.Birthing From Within

I'd love to hear from you? What would be on your top ten list? Are there books that you've recommended to friends or family that you couldn't live without as a new parent? Tell us in the comments below:

-Christine

-photo credit:DioBurto, flickr

EarthTalk: Rise in Early Puberty May Have Environmental Roots

Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that American kids are going through puberty earlier today than in previous generations, and are there any environmental causes for this? -- Paul Chase, Troy, NY

Research indicates that indeed Americans girls and boys are going through puberty earlier than ever, though the reasons are unclear. Many believe our widespread exposure to synthetic chemicals is at least partly to blame, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why our bodies react in certain ways to various environmental stimuli.

Researchers first noticed the earlier onset of puberty in the late 1990s, and recent studies confirm the mysterious public health trend. A 2012 analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that American girls exposed to high levels of common household chemicals had their first periods seven months earlier than those with lower exposures. “This study adds to the growing body of scientific research that exposure to environmental chemicals may be associated with early puberty,” says Danielle Buttke, a researcher at CDC and lead author on the study. Buttke found that the age when a girl has her first period (menarche) has fallen over the past century from an average of age 16-17 to age 12-13.

Earlier puberty isn’t just for girls. In 2012 researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) surveyed data on 4,100 boys from 144 pediatric practices in 41 states and found a similar trend: American boys are reaching puberty six months to two years earlier than just a few decades ago. African-American boys are starting the earliest, at around age nine, while Caucasian and Hispanics start on average at age 10.

One culprit could be rising obesity rates. Researchers believe that puberty (at least for girls) may be triggered in part by the body building up sufficient reserves of fat tissue, signaling fitness for reproductive capabilities. Clinical pediatrician Robert Lustig of Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco reports that obese girls have higher levels of the hormone leptin which in and of itself can lead to early puberty while setting off a domino effect of more weight gain and faster overall physical maturation.

Some evidence suggests that “hormone disrupting” chemicals may also trigger changes prematurely. Public health advocates have been concerned, for example, about the omnipresence of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical in some plastics, because it is thought to “mimic” estrogen in the body and in some cases contribute to or cause health problems. BPA is being phased out of many consumer items, but hundreds of other potentially hormone disrupting chemicals are still in widespread use.

Dichlorobenzene, used in some mothballs and in solid blocks of toilet bowl and air deodorizers, is also a key suspect in triggering early puberty. It is already classified as a possible human carcinogen, and studies have linked prenatal exposure to it with low birth weight in boys. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently made screening Dichlorobenzene for hormonal effects a priority.

Parents can take steps to reduce our kids’ so-called “toxic burden”: Buy organic produce, hormone- and antibiotic-free meat and dairy and all-natural household cleaners. And keep the dialogue going about healthy food and lifestyle habits so kids learn how to make responsible, healthy choices for themselves.

CONTACTS: CDC, www.cdc.gov; AAP, www.aap.org.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected]. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

-photo credit: Christiana Care, Flickr

 

Victory! Proctor & Gamble to eliminate triclosan and DEP from its products

Procter & Gamble has announced plans to eliminate the toxic chemicals triclosan and diethyl phthalate (DEP) from all its products by 2014.

P&G is one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer products. Its line includes well-known household and personal care brands such as Cover Girl, Tide, Crest and Ivory.

According to the activist group Women's Voices for the Environment, P&G joins Johnson and Johnson who has pledged to eliminate triclosan and diethyl phthalate (DEP) in its products by 2015.

The Food and Drug Administration states that triclosan is not proven to actually kill bacteria, a claim suggested by many manufacturers of anti-bacterial products containing the ingredient. 

"At this time, FDA does not have evidence that triclosan added to antibacterial soaps and body washes provides extra health benefits over soap and water. Consumers concerned about using hand and body soaps with triclosan should wash with regular soap and water."

Triclosan has been implicated as having a hormone altering effect in animal studies. Even more worrisome, some studies suggest that triclosan may actually contribute to making bacteria more antibiotic resistant.

DEP (diethyl phthalate) has been shown in animal studies as having reproductive toxicity resulting in skeletal deformities in offspring of animals exposed to the substance. A 2002 report by environmental health advocacy group Health Care Without Harm, revealed the dangers to humans from repeated phthalate exposure:

Phthalates are in the blood of pregnant women at levels of concern, particularly when the contaminants are considered in the aggregate. Phthalates cross the placenta and also contaminate breast milk. Relevant animal tests show that phthalates interfere with normal fetal and infant development."

EarthTalk: Avoiding Environmental Cancer Triggers

Dear EarthTalk: I know that some of us are genetically predisposed to get cancer, but what are some ways we can avoid known environmental triggers for it? -- B. Northrup, Westport, MA

Cancer remains the scourge of the American health care system, given that four out of every 10 of us will be diagnosed with one form or another during out lifetime. Some of us are genetically predisposed toward certain types of cancers, but there is much we can do to avoid exposure to carcinogens in our environment.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit working to protect public health and the environment, a key first step in warding off cancer is lifestyle change—“stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right.” The American Cancer Society reports that smoking and poor nutrition each account for about one-third of the 575,000 U.S. cancer deaths each year.

But smoking and obesity are obvious and other cancer triggers aren’t so easily pinpointed. In 2010 the President’s Cancer Panel reported that environmental toxins play a significant and under-recognized role in many cancers, causing “grievous harm” to untold numbers of Americans. And EWG reports that U.S. children are born “pre-polluted” with up to 200 carcinogenic substances already in their bloodstreams.

Given this shocking fact, it may seem futile to try to reduce our bodies’ chemical burden, but it could be a matter of life and death. EWG lists several ways anyone can cut their cancer risk. First up is to filter our tap water, which can include arsenic, chromium and harmful chemicals. Simple carbon filters or pitchers can reduce contaminants, while more costly reverse osmosis filters can filter out arsenic or chromium.

The foods we choose also play a role in whether or not we get cancer. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is healthy, but not if they are laden with pesticides. Going organic when possible is the best way to reduce pesticide exposure. And when organic foods aren’t available, stick with produce least likely to contain pesticides (check out EWG’s “Clean 15” list of conventional crops containing little if any pesticide residue). EWG also suggests cutting down on high-fat meats and dairy products: “Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.”

Eliminating stain- and grease-proofing chemicals (Teflon, Scotchgard, etc.) is another way to cut cancer risks. “To avoid them,” says EWG, “skip greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home.” And steer clear of BPA, a synthetic estrogen found in some plastic water bottles, canned infant formula and canned foods. “To avoid it, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA,” reports EWG. Personal care products and cosmetics can also contain carcinogens. EWG’s “Skin Deep” cosmetics database flags particularly worrisome products and green-lights others that are healthy.

Another cancer prevention tip is to seal wooden outdoor decks and playsets—those made before 2005 likely contain lumber “pressure-treated” with carcinogenic arsenic in order to stave off insect infestations. Of course, avoiding too much sun exposure—and wearing high-SPF sunscreen—when using those decks and playsets is another important way to hedge one’s bets against cancer.

CONTACTS: EWG, www.ewg.org; President’s Cancer Panel, http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected]. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Book Review: "What Makes a Baby?" A Book For Every Kind of Family and Every Kind of Kid

Cory Silverberg, a sexuality educator, author, and public speaker based in Toronto, has written a new book just for kids "What Makes A Baby" (Seven Stories Press: Triangle Square) that introduces children to the many ways babies can arrive into a family biologically.

Billed as "a book for every kind of family and every kind of kid" and colorfully illustrated by Fiona Smyth, "What Makes A Baby" helps families discuss modern relationships, love, parenting, and our shared humanity with children on their own terms.

With questions like: "Who helped bring together the sperm and the egg that made you?" and "Who was happy that it was YOU who grew?", this book is a great starting point for families who may choose to later discuss other details with their child, such as sex, donor insemination, fertility treatments, surrogacy or adoption. 

Silverberg has included a free reader's guide for parents to download to assist with family discussion:

http://www.what-makes-a-baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WMAB-Readers-Guide-opt.pdf

Smyth's bright, rainbow colored art is reminiscent of Todd Parr, but with images that can appeal to an older audience of children as well. When I asked my 8 year old what she thought of the book she explained, "I liked it. I especially liked when the egg and sperm were smiling and holding hands."

"What Makes A Baby" presents factual information on conception on a kid's level. With text that is open to personal embellishment, this book is sure to cater to many families and birth experiences.

-Christine