One of the things I love about weekends is restoring a sense of order to our home after a busy (typically rather untidy) week. And purging is one of my favorite mechanisms to achieve said order. Appropriately then, for the first installment of my new monthly column as Minimalist Mama at Shoestring Magazine - where I’ll share tips and tricks for less is more living (undoubtedly with a stylish and/or green spin) - I offer strategies for purging family clutter. Enjoy!One of the things I love about weekends is restoring a sense of order to our home after a busy (typically rather untidy) week. And purging is one of my favorite mechanisms to achieve said order. Appropriately then, for the first installment of my new monthly column as Minimalist Mama at Shoestring Magazine - where I’ll share tips and tricks for less is more living (undoubtedly with a stylish and/or green spin) - I offer strategies for purging family clutter. Enjoy!
Today, Kate shares her lice-related struggles and solution:
“When I was in second grade, a friend and I were sent home from school with matching cases of headlice. I still remember the head mistress using a pencil to separate the strands of my hair as she checked me over, the dismayed look on my mother's face when she picked me up, and the feeling of liberation at being out of school in the middle of the day without actually being ill or in trouble. In my memory - recently confirmed by my father - my mother treated my hair with a medicated shampoo, washed all of the linens and stuffed animals in the house, and life went on as normal. Not so for my own recent parental experience of headlice, a saga that has now gone on for more than two months and pushed me to limits of frustration and despair generally reserved for much more important things but recently triggered by tiny, pernicious, and seemingly indestructible insects.
Though we still read piles and piles of picture books, over the last few months, Laurel has grown very attached to “chapter books” notable both for their increasingly complex story arcs and reduction in illustrations. We received three such books – Ruth Stiles Gannett’s My Father's Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon, and The Dragons of Blueland – as gifts from friends and the books now are firmly entrenched in our bedtime (and sometimes morning) routine.
Today, Kristin shares her favorite sippy cup solution:
“In an ideal world, sippy cups should: a) hold liquids; b) not leak; and c) keep beverages cold and bacteria-free. Unfortunately, during my first son’s early years, I struggled to find a cup that performed all of these functions well. I thus was thrilled to (re)discover Thermos (yes, the makers of my metal Peanuts lunchbox with Thermos bottle!) and their awesome sippy, straw, and grown up cups.
Today, Heather recommends childproofing products that have kept her triplet tots out of trouble:
“Will, Adie, and Theo turned two in January and while I wouldn’t say that we are in the throes of the terrible twos, I will say that they have given the word busy a whole new meaning. We have found the need to take extra precautions in safeguarding our home. Working together as a team, my three tots often can outdo the efforts of a single child, scaling greater heights, exploring more remote cabinets, and outdoing restraints with greater efficiency! My husband and I joke that we are living in lockdown mode. There are many products available to childproof your home; here are some tried and true recommendations that have worked for us:
Nine years ago today, my hair was in a seemingly impossible up-do of loops and pearl pins, the sun was shining brightly and the ground had miraculously dried out after a huge rainstorm the previous night, and I was about an hour shy of getting married. Not surprisingly, I’m feeling a bit reflective today, so I thought I’d share some lessons (nine of them, actually) I have learned over the last nine years. I hope some of these are helpful to you; if you have other family or partner lessons to share, please feel free to comment in below.
Every so often Jon one-ups me in the kitchen, which leaves me both a tad surprised (read: vaguely jealous) and utterly grateful that he knows how to cook and bake. And this past weekend, he decided to make banana bread with Laurel and it was way better than my standard recipe. The loaf was gobbled up within a day and Laurel and I repeated the recipe yesterday, instead opting to make muffins - the advantages being plenty of awesome crustiness, faster baking time (handy for summertime baking), and improved portion control.
When playing board games with Laurel, coping with the whole winner and loser thing has, at times, been challenging. So one thing I love about eeBoo’s prettily illustrated Fairytale Spinner Game is that the game can be more about storytelling. While there are formal rules (object = obtaining one scene, character, and object per category), we simply spin until all the pieces are collected then (often with two scene boards apiece) make up fabulous stories. Not only is it fun to stretch the imagination, but it allows me to work in some life lessons (e.g., appearances aren’t everything; ogres can be friendly and have feelings too…) along the way.
Today, Tracy reports on HomeFree Treats, a great source for allergen-free, organic goodies and ingredients. Read on for Tracy's review of some HomeFree goodies and their allergen-free cookbook, as well as to learn how to win a HomeFree organic cookie sampler pack!
Today, Jules shares a great recipe for weekend grilling:
“For me, there's nothing better than a hearty salad for dinner, especially in the summertime. Recently, my husband and I went a little crazy at the market, purchasing enough herbs and vegetables to last two weeks. And since herbs and vegetables taste best when freshly harvested, I set out to create a dinner salad where I could use much of what I purchased that day. For me, it was a meal, but my hungry husband paired his salad with grilled steak, which he nestled on the grill right next to these versatile veggies.
On chilly, raw days like today, I gravitate towards Asian comfort foods, and this weather reminded me that I’ve been meaning to post about my favorite way to prepare tofu. Don’t scowl; it really tastes fantastic! The original inspiration came from Susanna Foo’s Pan-Seared Tofu with Scallions & Ginger in Chinese Cuisine, though I have simplified the recipe to reduce the ingredient list (I’m currently obsessed with creating dishes out of 6 or less ingredients), and also added an extra step (flour dredging) that adds awesomeness to the taste and texture.
Today, Kate recommends a visit to the new and fabulous Mattapan Branch Library:
“We're in a period where everything seems to be going in the wrong direction. Crime is up, the economy is down, and government seems unable to understand let alone meet the needs of the people it is supposed to guide and serve. In the midst of all of this, something new and good has appeared in Boston: the Boston Public Library has recently opened the latest addition to its system of neighborhood branches, a new multiservice library in the neighborhood of Mattapan.
Last night I visited WGBH for a preview of FRONTLINE’s Digital Nation – an upcoming documentary that will explore how the Web and digital media are changing the way we think, work, learn, and interact - and a discussion with the documentary’s producer, Rachel Dretzin. The preview and discussion were truly thought provoking and I found that some of Dretzin’s opening comments really touched a nerve. She referred to her dominant emotion around the current digital age as anxiety, with a feeling that people are “drowning in a sea of emails and text messages.” She also expressed her disdain over realizing that her kids “reach for technology to fill an empty space.”
One thing readers periodically have asked me for is discussion forum and social networking capability on this site. But as much as I’ve always loved the idea, it’s something that simply has been out of my time and technological reach given that I run Boston Mamas on my own and wear several other professional hats. So, I’m thrilled to announce that I have partnered with the cool folks over at Momlogic to create a Boston Mamas community page where you can connect with other moms, query for advice, and talk amongst yourselves, as it were. So come over and join us (and feel free to friend me). I look forward to chatting with you there!
Today, Michelle Stern of What’s Cooking shares tips for hosting a cooking party for kids:
“If your family is like ours, you’ve been to more play gym birthday parties than you can count. It’s understandably easy to gravitate towards the familiar, but what about considering a different and perhaps less expensive type of party, where kids can learn, be creative, and have fun all at the same time? Cooking parties are gaining popularity, and for good reason. Almost anyone who has cooked with kids can attest that kids who help in the kitchen are better eaters and are more enthusiastic about trying new foods. And if dinnertime is a challenge in your house, you will be up for anything that will improve the mood at your table!
Here are some tips to help you host a cooking party for kids:
Today, Kate offers a recommendation for safer (non-stinky!) nail polish:
“I've never been a big makeup person - and certainly never wore the stuff as a tween or adolescent - but I've always enjoyed painting my nails. And though I rarely have the time or extra money for a mani-pedi any more, I was reminded of the fun of colorful fingers by my toddler daughter's recent request for me to paint her nails.
Today, Sheri offers great tips for encouraging math moments in everyday experiences:
“Mathematical experiences are all around us in everyday situations that we don’t even realize, and it’s important to tap into these hidden experiences with our kids. Research shows that developing and encouraging math skills and problem solving at home provides children an advantage in school, as they now are asked at a very early age to understand number sense. Here are some easy and tangible ways to encourage “math talk” in everyday experiences. The truth is that the math opportunities are already there - you just have to notice them and grab the moment to share them with your child.