Parenting Under the Stars

If I hear someone say that “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” one more time I will snap. I think a couple of us had mild cases of heat stroke. I know I did anyway and the heat definitely gets to your head if you’re not used to it.

We did purchase a new hose since it appears someone ran off with ours. There were a couple kids creeping around our back patio a couple days ago looking at our bikes as well. My son spotted them and the next day I heard another kid had his bike stolen.

We filled a couple kiddie pools up with the hose and jumped in once in awhile and that seemed to help. The water doesn’t last long in there though because half the neighborhood showed up to fill up their water guns.

It’s important to remind kids to drink a lot on hot days. Sometimes I forget to drink enough myself and end up with a headache, although that could also be caffeine withdrawal. We keep stocked up on freezies because that’s a good way to make doubly sure they’re getting enough fluids.

Does anyone make their own freezies? We do sometimes because it’s healthier and of course cheaper. Those plastic handled things are a pain in the butt in my opinion but I like putting real juice in them.

Freezie Recipes

• Good Thymes has a great summertime smoothy fruit freezie recipe with bananas, strawberries, orange juice and pineapple juice. Yum. I don’t have half this stuff in the house but sure I can improvise. It appears that they simply used a cup with a popsicle stick in it. Good thinking.

• This mango smoothie/freezie also sounds yummy from Barbara Northwood. I like the simple ingredients such as mangos, orange juice, milk and ice cubes.

If you’re a visual learner or just want to see a video on how to make a smoothie, see this Mom’s Mango Smoothie by dietition Janice Newell from MealMakeOverMoms.com

Today I made Sheppard’s pie and my family made me feel like a movie star because of it. It was quite plain really because I didn’t have that many ingredients. Those seem to be the ones they go nuts over.

I mixed the cooked ground beef with some onion soup mix, about a cup and a half of water, a spoon of cornstarch and a can of tomato paste.

The next layer was cream of corn, which nobody likes on its own. The final layer, mashed potatoes of course. I put a lot of milk in them because otherwise they’re too stiff to spread over the top.

A few days ago I blended some onion soup mix with orzo pasta and mixed vegetables and they acted like it was some great gourmet meal. Maybe I’m just catching them when they’re really hungry or they’re just relieved that I’m making something different.

We don’t really mind the rain as long as it’s not cold so my son and I went hiking and hit a couple stores. It’s a nice way to spend time together and talk without all the background noise or distractions in the house.

We get a kick out of watching people run in the rain as if they will melt or something. I guess if you just got your hair done and didn’t have an umbrella or something it would be upsetting.

Our last stop was the grocery store and I must have been getting tired because the intent was to grab a snack but instead I remembered we needed more cereal and coffee and left without the main thing I was there for.

I usually follow certain rules once I need more than a couple things and one of them is to make a list. The other of course is not to go hungry. Third, stick to the list. If you don’t have a list and you’re hungry and tired it won’t be a good scene.

Printable Grocery Lists

• If you want a printable list, I like the list and menu planner on Jennifer Wolf’s Single Parents Blog. It lists the headings but not the food which I like because it still helps trigger ideas and half the food on those other lists I never get.

• If you’re really into lists, My Parent Time’s Printable Checklists have tons of them. Some seem sort of useless but many look quite handy so you might find something you could use.

• If you’re using Firefox, they have an add on called Grocery List Generator. I haven’t tried it yet because I have to restart the computer to complete the installation.

I found a bizarre site that has tons of other people’s old grocery lists posted. (GroceryLists.com) Some of them gave me the giggles and a whole book has been written about them. I don’t know why but it was fun looking at people’s multi-colored and crumpled up lists. One simply said to tape Oprah and pick up a cutting board. One guy’s list included a reminder to say goodbye to his wife. So far I haven’t found one that includes the cost so I guess most people just wing it.

An Angus Reid Survey by the Peanut Bureau of Canada has shown that many people are confused about food allergies and their causes.

Allergies are not as common as what people think because according to the survey only 2% of the adult population in Canada has actually been diagnosed with one.

• At WebMD it says that 2 to 4% adults and 6 to 8% of children have food allergies.

Health Canada recognizes nine primary food allergens but most people only mentioned peanuts and milk.

Food Bans in Schools

I didn’t know this but there is no legislation in Canada to ban foods in schools. The reason I didn’t know this is that certain foods like peanuts are usually banned anyway. I do understand banning certain foods in a classroom if someone is severely allergic to them. Apparently, most experts don’t support bans but encourage education on allergies and having emergency plans in place.

The nine primary food allergens are:

1. Peanuts
2. Milk
3. Wheat
4. Sesames seeds
5. Soy
6. Tree nuts
7. Fish and Shellfish
8. Eggs
9. Sulfites (preservatives)

Food allergies can cause your immune system to have a severe reaction so it’s important to be vigilant, pay attention to food labels and teach your children to do the same. Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction that may include swelling and/or trouble breathing so can be life threatening.

An intolerance is not the same thing as an allergy although it can still cause severe problems. An example of a common food intolerance is lactose intolerance. About 10% of people are thought to be lactose intolerant.

Read “Is it an Allergy or Intolerance” for more. It’s still best to seek an allergist’s expert advice rather than try to self diagnose an allergy.

We all know nutrition improves children’s physical health but there is more evidence that poor nutrition is linked with mental health and can lead to behavior problems.

It has been an ongoing debate because some disorders are genetic but diet influences brain development and behavior as well. I know because I have seen my kids become basket cases when it’s close to suppertime. It was more apparent when they were younger but what we feed them is also important.

Good Fats/Bad Fats

Fast fried food has become so common that many just continue out of habit not thinking about the long-term harm such a diet can cause. The fats found in processed foods such as trans fats are bad for you. Many children have a lot of junk in their diets that can lead to a deficiency of the essential good fats they need for brain development.

• Over 100 children participated in a study led by Dr.Richardson at Oxford University. Half were given omega 3 supplements while the other half were given placebos. The children receiving the omega 3 advanced much further in reading and spelling compared to the other group who progressed normally. (See Junk Food Diet Makes Children Badly Behaved & Junk Food Diet’s Damaged Brains of 200,000 Kids for more)

Omega 3 is an essential oil that is needed for brain development but it’s also good for your heart and helps improve memories and moods. It is important for pregnant women to obtain enough omega 3 in their diets in order for their babies to develop properly as well.

Brain Foods Rich in Omega 3

You can find omega 3 in fatty fish such as tuna and mackerel but it can also be obtained through green leafy vegetables (broccoli, lettuce, cabbage), seeds and nuts (cashews, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds).