Once Amaris, my infant daughter, stopped sleeping for most of the day, I found myself staring into her beautiful eyes and wondering what exactly I should do with her. I would hold her, talk to her, and sing to her, but given that children learn through play, I wondered if I should be doing more. I looked into developmentally appropriate … [Read more...] about What To Do With Baby: A Guide to Developmentally Appropriate Play
health and safety
Healthy Convenience Foods
I typically avoid purchasing convenience foods because they are pricy both in terms of their monetary cost and in terms of the toll they take on health. We all experience busy seasons (such as after the birth of a baby) where convenience foods can help us preserve our sanity. Are there any convenience foods that can be considered … [Read more...] about Healthy Convenience Foods
Dare to Prepare: Disaster Preparedness for Families with Special Needs
As we’ve discussed in previous installments of Dare to Prepare, every family needs to assemble a basic disaster preparedness kit and create a family emergency plan. If your family is like mine and has a member with special needs, then it is important that you consider some additional topics. “Special needs” is an umbrella term that … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: Disaster Preparedness for Families with Special Needs
Dare to Prepare: Creating a Family Emergency Plan
Sometimes families have to rush out of their homes due to disasters. Though there is often warning that an incident such as a hurricane is about to occur, warning is rare for disasters such as wildfires and industrial accidents. If work, school, or other activities have your family separated when a disaster that requires evacuation occurs, how … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: Creating a Family Emergency Plan
Dare to Prepare: Remaining Vigilant
September is National Preparedness Month. As we did last year, we’re going to take advantage of the national emphasis on disaster preparedness to look at a couple of important topics. Public health experts recommend that all households create an emergency plan and assemble a basic disaster supply kit. Though these sound like good ideas … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: Remaining Vigilant
Surviving Pregnancy in the Summer
Heat and humidity are uncomfortable for most people, but they can be especially burdensome for women who are pregnant. Fortunately, I’ve found that the unpleasant effects of the heat and humidity can be mitigated by several simple strategies. Whether you’re pregnant or not, these strategies can help you beat the heat this summer. How … [Read more...] about Surviving Pregnancy in the Summer
Safe and Effective Spider Control
I can tolerate spiders outdoors because I know they are part of a balanced ecosystem, but it’s another story when they come indoors. We’ve been seeing quite a few—many of which are large—in our home this spring. Commercially available pesticides are a quick and effective way to kill spiders, but they’re not exactly a safe and healthy … [Read more...] about Safe and Effective Spider Control
All About Beans
Because of their propensity for causing gas, beans often get a bad rap. This is unfortunate because beans are an amazing food. An obvious benefit of beans is their cost. A serving of dry beans (1/4 cup) costs about $0.15. Canned beans cost a bit more, but they are still affordable. Despite their affordability, beans are nutrient dense and … [Read more...] about All About Beans
