Back to school : litter-free lunches

by Lara My son is back to school on Monday (the French board starts early) so I'm in full back to school mode.  I put the question out to the Facebook Page asking what kind of back to school posts people would like to see and Litter-Free lunches was suggested.  I'm only learning how to do litter-free lunches so I'm going to post a few of the things that I'm going to be doing and have done and want to know what everyone else does!

Reusable snack bags

I bought one of these last year and then copied the design and made a bunch of my own.  They were pretty easy to replicate and I used diaper liner material that I bought at fabricland for the inside and velcro which I thought would be easy for my son to open and close.

I used them all year long for sandwiches and snacks and they worked really well.

If you aren't much of a sewer I know that Nayla Natural Care and Spoiled Sugar both sell them.

Lunch boxes

I just ordered a Goodbyn from Nayla Natural Care.  We haven't used it yet but I really like that I can put all of my son's lunch and snacks in one container without having to worry about finding different smaller containers every day when I'm making lunch.  My only thought is that I'll have to wash it every day and wonder if in time it would be easier to have two to rotate.

I've still been mostly using juice boxes but hope to ease out of that this year, not only because of the litter but to be able to water down his juice or send milk.

What have you done or are you trying this year to make your kids' lunches litter-free?

Lara Wellman is mom to 4 year old Kiernan and 2 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can read her personal blog at Gliding Through Motherhood, about her weight loss journey at Losing it in Ottawa, and her social media blog at Larawellman.com

Flashback post: Being aware of food allergies: how to host a child with food allergies

by an Ottawa mom I am a mom who has been dealing with multiple severe food allergies now for two years (the anaphylactic-Epipen-ambulance rides to CHEO kind). These two years have been the most stressful period of our lives. It has turned me into a total Mama Grizzly on the topic of food allergies and awareness. I am always protecting my little cub at home and outside – constantly on the lookout for crumbs, suspicious food labels and food wrappers left in the park (and more).

The tricky thing with food allergies is that once you’re outside of your safe zone, you rely on your friends and the people around you to be sympathetic to your needs and demonstrate compassion by taking your child’s medical needs seriously.

Here’s a recent (bad) example. One day last month there was a birthday in my son’s daycare and the children had a surprise treat of ice cream (it was a surprise to me too as we have an agreement about giving notice for birthday treats). Because of my son’s egg, milk and nut allergies, he cannot participate in these special activities. When I collected him at the end of the day shortly after the ice cream had been gobbled up by his classmates, I found my little boy in a high chair eating one of his homemade muffins. He looked miserable. His emotions were on his sleeve and he reached up for a big hug and slung his head on my shoulder. I felt horrible for him. And guilt. Then rage. A birthday party shouldn’t be the worst part of your week.

You might not think it’s a big deal, but it is when it happens repeatedly. This is just an example from last month. Month. Typing this story out is making me cry at my computer screen. Food allergies comes with a lot of emotional baggage.

You can show your respect towards a child with food allergies (and their parents) by creating safe situations for them when you invite them to playdates or birthday parties. Hosting an inclusive get together doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are some tips :

1. Ask your guests if there are any food or environmental allergies in advance.
2. Understand the severity of the allergies. Is it sniffles and red eyes? Or is it “911 epipen hives and can’t breathe ambulance ride to the CHEO” allergies? Does the latter scare you? It should.
3. Before the party:
   • Talk to the allergy parent about your menu plan. This allows the allergy parent to decide if they can allow their child to eat the same food or whether they will pack similar food to bring along. If you are the “allergy parent” offer to send recipes or even bake/cook something to bring for everyone.
   • Ask is there are any food items that should not be offered at all.
   • Let all of your guests know about any special considerations. Some parents may ask that children not have peanut butter or nuts before arriving or ask that they brush their teeth and wash their hands beforehand. You may also want to ask guests not to bring any food to avoid any awkwardness if their offering is not safe.
4. Make the party venue allergy-friendly. Give the place a good clean sweep. Wipe down surfaces such as play tables, kitchen tables and countertops with a clean cloth. Inspect any toys that will be shared for food residue and wash them if necessary.
5. Avoid cross contamination when preparing foods. If you are cooking a separate item for an allergy child, always use clean bowls, utensils and ingredients. Cover any baking sheets with tinfoil if you’ve baked with the allergen on them before.
6. Confirm any ingredients and food with the “allergy parent”. Allergens can be lurking even in products that don’t have the allergen on the ingredient list. Have you ever seen warnings that read, “This product has been manufactured in a facility the processes peanuts? ” To many (including our family), that warning is THE SAME as having the allergen included in the ingredient list. And here’s the tricky thing, that warning is OPTIONAL. Processed foods, even things like cereal, may not be safe.
7. Condiments. If you think there is a chance that a knife may have dipped into peanut butter and then into the jelly jar or onto the stick of butter, open a new package or jar. Play it safe.
8. Hosting a BBQ? Have you ever made a peanut sauce marinade for your meat and cooked it on the grill? Shrimp skewers? Maybe? Then your BBQ may still have that food protein residue on the grill. Cook any food for the allergy sufferer on a piece of tin foil and use separate tongs.

Make it a safe party for everyone. And have fun!

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What is a doula?

by Misty When you make the decision to get pregnant, you know that at some point, you’re going to be pushing a little human being out of your body. The realization of this fact often hits home late in pregnancy:

“At around 8 months pregnant, I started to become anxious about the labour and birth process. What had I gotten myself into? Everywhere I turned there were horror stories about labour – all you needed to do was watch TLC for an afternoon, and you’d soon be thinking that every birth story is an emergency.”

Sound familiar? What if there were women out there who could tell you that birth can be exciting, magical, and really, not that bad!?  Good news! They exist, and they’re called doulas!

What’s a doula? I know, it’s a funny word. It essentially means “womanly servant.” A doula is someone who guides a woman and her partner through the birth of their child. In addition, doulas provide essential prenatal support and education, as well as postpartum wisdom to get you through those first hectic weeks.

Well, I have a midwife, so do I really need a doula? Midwives care for the medical aspect of your pregnancy and birth. Doulas have no medical role, and are entirely devoted to supporting, reassuring and comforting you and your partner. Midwives find doulas to be extremely helpful for their clients, as they are often busy with paperwork and monitoring.

But what can a doula do for me? Picture this: it’s 2am, and you’ve been woken up with mild cramping, which you’re timing at about 10min apart. It’s too early to call your midwife or go to the hospital, but you’re anxious and have a lot of questions. So you call your doula! She’ll chat with you over the phone and make suggestions, or come right over to your house if you need her. As contractions become more intense, a doula will give you a massage, do relaxation exercises with you, suggest position changes, and get you water and food if you so desire. She stays with you for your entire labour (even if it’s 24 hours!) and ensures you are comfortable and resting before she leaves.

I want an epidural, so I don’t need a doula Doulas can be supportive, regardless of whether you are planning to labour naturally or with the use of pharmaceuticals. You generally need to reach 4cm dilation before a hospital will administer an epidural, so there are quite a few hours where you will need to use alternative coping strategies for your pain. As well, doulas can reduce the increased risk of vacuum/forceps delivery or caesarean section by helping you change positions in bed.

My husband is going to be my birth coach A doula never replaces the role of a husband or partner. Even though you get to know and trust your doula, your hubby will help you to relax and feel safe. However, your partner is only human, and he will need to take breaks! A doula is there to provide some relief for Dad, and to help comfort and reassure him that things are progressing normally.

As long as women have been giving birth, doulas have been around to provide support – often they were a relative or good friend who had experienced childbirth themselves. Nowadays, we tend to live far away from our families, and fee-for-service doulas have taken their place. If the cost is prohibitive, consider creating a “doula fund” for your baby shower, find a doula-in-training or one that offers their services on a sliding scale.

If you’re pregnant and feeling anxious, turn off the TV and give a doula a call! Before you know it, you’ll be holding a little babe in your arms and saying “that wasn’t so bad!”

Misty is a local doula who lives in Orleans with her husband and 2yo daughter. She claims that birth is “not that bad.” You can find out more about her at www.chickadeechildbirth.com

Best Apps for Kids –Alexandre Minard

by Kari If you read my earlier post, Best Apps for Kids - Toddlers, there were several great suggestions for toddlers and more from fellow Kids In the Capital readers.  One in particular caught my eye, FW Deluxe.  Within a month of our iPad purchase, I was told at a BBQ that I *had* to get First Words.  No problem.  Um, which one?  I downloaded a smattering of lite or sampler versions, including FirstWords Sampler, First Words Lite, and then I fell in love with Alexandre Minard.

As I love free, I initially downloaded the Alexandre Minard’s My First Words Animals lite – the English, French, Spanish, and Italian versions.  Eventually, I laid down my $1.99 for the entire My First Words collection.  Yes, I did the same for the Mes Premiers Mots and Mis Primeras Palabras.  The graphics are fun, the sound effects cute, and the clincher - there are three difficulty levels.  My toddler can play on the simplest level, my five year-old the second level, and my older nieces and nephews use it on the hardest level.

Once I discovered my love for Alexandre, I had to see more.  My next purchase would be Animal Matching for Kids, a worthwhile purchase at $1.99.  In an effort to curb my spending, I downloaded the lite version of My First Puzzles and My First Puzzles:  Circus.  I lasted a week before I caved and bought the full versions!

At this point, developers began to build In-App Purchase capabilities in their apps.  Alexandre Minard is no exception; you may download almost all their apps for free but you will only get a subset of the functionality.  In the My First Puzzles line, it appears standard to get two of the puzzles unlocked.  As a word of caution, it may be best for all involved to disable In-App purchases under Settings -> General -> Restrictions.  If you want to upgrade, it only requires a few taps, your password, and a minimum of $1.99.  Four months post-download, my children continue to happily play the limited versions of My First Puzzles Numbers, Alphabet, Dinosaurs, and Snakes!

Do you have a favourite Developer or Series? Let us know.

Kari is the mom of two girls, a 5 year old and a 1 year old.  She can be found frequenting free activities throughout the city in hopes it’ll tire them out enough to sleep through the night.

Best Apps for Kids - Toddlers

By Kari If you’ve been overwhelmed Apple Store’s Apps for Moms & Dads offerings, you are most likely not alone.  There are literally thousands of iPhone and iPad applications for children available, why would you want to purchase them?  And which ones are the best…or atleast recommended by one Kids In the Capital Mom?

The iPhone or iPad can save your sanity; it is the ice cream bribe without the mess.  It can make long haul flights or car trips a piece of cake, our daughter was a dream during 30 hours of transit to South Africa and I give credit to the iPad. When your favorite restaurant has dropped the ball, and your dinner out is approaching two hours, the iPhone will save you.  And when waiting at emergency at CHEO, it can be the distraction your child needs.  I’m not advocating the purchase of an iPhone or iPad for your children, merely encouraging you to leverage your iPhone or iPad in your bag of tricks with the download or purchase of a few apps. Best Apps for Toddlers (1 & Up)

• Wheels on the Bus is an interactive representation of the classic song; With the flick, slide, or tap of a finger, you can open the doors, swish the wipers, or cause a bit of mischief on the bus.  Price:  $.99 and worth every penny.
• Old MacDonald is another interactive representation of a classic song by developers Duck Duck Moose.  Cows are abducted, pigs can paint, and the ducks have gone wild.  Price:  $1.99, but sadly not as good as its predecessor.
• Little Bella’s – I Close My Eyes is a whimsical interactive book about Bella & her imagination.  It also comes in a Lite version so you can try a scaled-down version prior to purchasing the full version.  Extremely cute and engaging graphics are used to convey Little Bella’s thoughts; my personal favourite is the very hungry monster.  He empties the fridge, and then swallows it.  Oh yes, my toddler likes it too.  Price:  $.99 and worth every penny.
• Giraffe’s PreSchool Playground falls in the realm of educational games; it encourages toddlers and preschoolers to identify their numbers, letters, and of course, Giraffe’s Safari Animal friends.  Price:  $.99 and worth every penny.
• Talking Tom Cat (and other offerings by its developers Outfit7) is the Angry Birds of the toddler world; Tom is your pet cat, he repeats what you say in a silly voice, he purrs when rubbed, and – much to your toddler’s delight – can be knocked out by your repeated taps.  Price:  Free, I love free.   And who couldn’t love this kitty?

What apps does your toddler love?  Share with us below.

Kari is the mom of two girls, a 5 year old and a 1 year old.  She can be found frequenting free activities throughout the city in hopes it’ll tire them out enough to sleep through the night.