We are having a wonderful 4th of July weekend, hope you are enjoying some fun n' the sun with your family and friends! We all need a bit of vitamin D from the sun but as much as my kids are in their "outside living room" I need to make sure that they have a good amount of protection for the majority of the day. I have been looking into sunscreens and what would be best for my family to use. It's tempting to just grab whatever is the least expensive with the highest coverage but this isn't the best idea. With SO many different types of sunscreen out there, it got me to thinking what is the difference with all these brands? Well the biggest problem is most sunscreens have harmful chemicals not necessary for the product and most do not protect both  UVB/UVA sun rays. I will have a detailed post and product review of my favorite sunscreen this coming week but for now I will just post my favorite choice.

I'm using Peter Island SPF 60. Great for the whole family and protects both UVA - UVB rays with no harmful, chemical ingredients.

Buy it here just type Peter Island into the search bar for an easy find on the site.

Tips to prevent heat exhaustion:

• Symptoms of heat exhaustion include paleness, muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and fainting. The skin may be cool and moist; sweating may or may not occur. The pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If untreated, heat exhaustion may progress to heat stroke.
• Symptoms of heat stroke include a body temperature above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating), rapid, strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness. Heat stroke is a serious condition; even if treated, many people with heat stroke will die.

To prevent heat related illnesses, you should make sure that your child:

• stays cool and well hydrated
• becomes slowly acclimated, over 10-14 days, to hot temperatures when practicing or playing sports
• drinks plenty of fluids, especially water, when exercising and playing sports, even if he isn't thirsty. A common recommendation is that children drink water before the activity, about 8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes while playing or practicing (less for smaller kids and more for bigger kids), plus more after the activity is over. However, children playing sports should have unrestricted access to water. Although water is usually recommended, the AAP states that a 'flavored beverage may be preferable because the child may drink more of it,' including sports drinks. Fluids to avoid include those with caffeine, carbonation, or with a lot of sugar (Total Carb more than 6-8%), such as soda, fruit juices and some sports drinks. If you are unsure if your child is drinking enough fluids when exercising, it can be a good idea to weigh him before and after the activity. A loss of more than 3% of his body weight is considered extreme and may put your child at risk of heat related illnesses.
• takes frequent breaks to cool down and rest
• if possible, wears lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing
• is supervised with personnel that have training in the prevention, recognition and treatment of heat exhaustion and heat stroke

Now I'm heading out for more fun n' the sun!

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day is April 22nd. I'm thinking a little differently this year...My oldest daughter is 5 so last Earth Day we did a few art projects and talked about recycling. Throughout this past year I've been making some changes around the house and trying to walk my talk when it comes to going green at home! I want to take this day to dig a bit deeper into the reason we need to conserve and take care of the land we've been given! I think I'll do a small project each day up until the 22nd instead of fitting the depth of the message into one day. I'm on a journey in my personal life to get a bit more green this year!

Visit our "Go Green" button on the side bar to get more ideas of how to encourage your children towards being green all year long. All life long!

WE KNOW WHY WE CELEBRATE EARTH DAY BUT WHO STARTED THIS TREND TWORDS A GREENER WORLD?

THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT:

"It was the largest demonstration in human history. In the slang of the 1970s, April 22, 1970, was a "happening." More than 20 million people took part. It was the birth of the modern environmental movement. The event was Earth Day.

On that special day, 10,000 schools, 2,000 colleges and universities and almost every community in the United States participated in events to celebrate and clean-up the environment. The United States Congress adjourned for Earth Day so that members could attend teach-ins in their districts. All three major TV networks covered the events around the country.

When Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin proclaimed April 22, 1970 to be "Earth Day," he helped give birth to a historic movement. Since then, each year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day. It’s a day for enjoying nature and getting involved in special environmental events. But, our protection of the Earth shouldn’t last just one day. We need to find ways to make every day, Earth Day."

above info from Earth Zones For Kids

I have always realized the significance of touch but do we really understand and grasp how important it is? Read the list below. It is fascinating how such a natural show of affection can be so healing. Have you ever thought about what a loving touch does for your child? Or your spouse? Or a close friend? By contrast, have you ever considered the effect that the absence of regular touch can have on one's emotions? Did you know that touch, and the social contact with a loved one which accompanies it, are an important part of every person's physical and emotional health? Consider this: Gentle touch has been shown to facilitate physical and psychological functioning, particularly in terms of reducing stress, relieving pain, increasing the ability to cope, and general health ratings. Skin-to-skin contact between mother and infant has been shown to benefit the baby's physical development and contributes to a positive attachment relationship between the two. The practice of placing a diaper-clad infant skin-to-skin on the mother is so beneficial that it is now an intervention strategy for premature babies in neonatal intensive care units worldwide. A group of Korean infants under the care of an orphanage were provided with an extra 15 minutes of stimulation twice a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks. The additional stimulation consisted of auditory (female voice), tactile (massage), and visual (eye-to-eye contact). Compared to the infants who only received regular care, the stimulated orphans gained significantly more weight and had larger increases in body length and head circumference after the 4 week intervention period, as well as at 6 months of age. In addition, the stimulated infants had fewer illnesses and clinic visits. Participants in a study examining the effectiveness of therapeutic touch as a treatment for managing pain due to fibromyalgia experienced a significant decrease in pain and reported a significant improvement in quality of life. The majority of nursing home residents suffering from dementia like Alzheimer's disease develop behavioural symptoms of dementia, such as restlessness, searching and wandering, tapping and banging, pacing and walking, and vocalization. Current treatment involves drugs, but a recent study showed that intervention consisting of therapeutic touch significantly reduces these behavioural symptoms. Impressive is that the therapeutic touch employed in the study was only provided twice per day, for three days. Each therapeutic intervention lasted only 5-7 minutes. Don't take for granted those morning hugs from your two year old or the beautiful moments while breastfeeding. You are nourishing and nurturing your baby at the same time!