As a busy work at home mom, it’s hard to get enough exercise in each week. I know I’m not alone, but it doesn’t stop me from trying to figure out ways to sneak more exercise in.

I’m far from perfect with my exercise habits, but I’m trying. That’s all us busy moms can do, right? Here are 5 ways that I use to get more bursts of exercise in with my kids.
 

Go For a Walk Around the Park

We live just about a block from the park, so it’s really easy to take a daily stroll down there when it’s warm enough. The entire park is gated and only has one entrance/exit, so it’s very easy for me to keep an eye on the girls. I like to wear my running shoes when I take them to the park so I can walk the perimeter of the park while they play. Sometimes they join me and want to race, and other times they continue playing and wave to me while I walk.

Kid Friendly Yoga Videos

I noticed that my kids naturally put themselves into yoga positions like child’s pose and downward facing dog. So I like to encourage them with fun yoga videos. I am starting to see more yoga videos targeted towards children. It’s a fun way to get some exercise and have fun together at the same time!

Have a Dance Party

Since my husband is a musician, music is an integral part of our home. When Daddy’s home, he plays the guitar and sings so the girls can dance their little hearts out. Since I’m not exactly musical myself, we like to turn on some music and dance around and be silly together. It’s another great way to couple exercise and fun.

Game of Tag

I don’t know what it is, but all kids love to play tag. Whenever we’re outside, it’s one game the girls always ask me to play with them. Playing tag always leads to lots of giggles and smiles. The side benefit is short bursts of exercise.

Take a Hike

We’re fortunate to live in the mountains where we can walk out of our door and not be too far from hiking trails. But you can make your own hiking adventure just about anywhere. Whether you’re going for a walk around the block or up a mountain, hiking is a great way to get fresh air and exercise with your kids.

What’s your favorite way to exercise with your kids?

Properly fermented foods are an excellent source of probiotics, something most of us need more of in our diet. Fermented foods have been used for ages, and it’s time to reintr

oduce this age-old practiceinto every kitchen.

Everyone can get started with fermented foods. Many ferments like sauerkraut and pickles can be made with nothing more than vegetables, filtered water and pure sea salt. Or you can get fancy and add a starter. Other ferments, like Kombucha and Kefir, take more supplies – but it’s worth it.

outline 5 fermented foods that most kids love. I hope you’ll try at least one of them!

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea beverage that is full of healthful nutrients and beneficial bacteria. I first started buying a brand at our local grocery store, and after I realized that the girls and I really enjoyed it, I started brewing kombucha at home. It saves us so much money and is convenient because we always have some on hand. I typically flavor it with strawberries or other berries and the girls drink it down. My younger daughter even has her own kombucha dance because she loves it so much!

Milk or Water Kefir

If your family drinks a lot of soda, then water kefir may be a good option for you. Water kefir is made by fermenting sugar water with water kefir grains (letting it sit on your counter), and you can flavor it any way you like. My girls like it flavored with lemon juice – it makes a nice, healthy lemonade. You can also make milk kefir. We haven’t made milk kefir before, but it’s great way to add natural probiotics to smoothies.

Pickles

The pickles you find at the grocery store are most often pickled in vinegar, and not made through the traditional lacto-fermented method. Unfortunately, most store-bought pickles also have artificial colors and other questionable ingredients added to them. If made correctly, fermented pickles are both delicious and healthful! If your family already enjoys eating pickles, try making your own. It’s a fun project to do with your kids!

Ketchup

Making my own lacto-fermented ketchup is next on my list (since we just bought a case of organic ketchup). It seems very simple to make fermented ketchup, and I like that it’s not full of a ton of sugar. Most of the ketchup you get at the store has high fructose corn syrup or sugar made from GMO sugar beets in it. Making my own seems like a great alternative, and I know my younger daughter will love it!

Carrots with Ginger

My kids love ginger. My older daughter loves fermented ginger all on its own, but not all kids will go straight for pickled ginger. Since carrots are naturally sweet, they are a gentler entry into fermented foods for kids. Fermenting carrots with ginger is a nice combination, and a fun activity to do with your kids. I have found my girls are always more willing to try new things if they helped to prepare them!

While these 5 fermented foods and beverages are a good starting point for kids (and adults), you really can ferment just about anything. Nourishing Traditions and Wild Fermentation are two books I always recommend when you are first getting started with fermented foods.

Have you tried fermented foods with your kids? What are their favorites?

Our children are the future, which is why we need to make teaching them to be keepers of the Earth a priority. We talk with our girls every day about why we make lifestyle choices so they can understand the why and not just the how.

I feel so much joy when my older daughter gets mad that she’s given a paper towel rather than a cloth napkin. And I swell with pride when she asks me, “Why does that family have junk in their grocery cart? Don’t they know it has GMOs in it?”

Children are little sponges, and even small conversations can have a big impact on them. These are 5 simple, everyday activities that you can use to teach your kids about sustainable living.

Plant a Tree or Herb Garden

A lot of families don’t have a lot of space for a full garden, or are overwhelmed by the thought of starting one without much experience. Something most families can do is plant a fruit tree in their yard. While it may not produce fruit the first year, it will eventually. It’s a great lesson for kids to see how food is truly grown, and to be able to walk out your door and pick an apple is a fun experience for kids! You can also plant a small herb garden with very little effort. It can even be grown in a pot and kept on a front porch or windowsill. Then when it’s time to cook, have your child pick the herbs you need and they can see them go right into their meal!

Join a CSA or Visit a Local Farm

Most children think their food comes from the grocery store, and don’t have any comprehension of the farm it was grown on. Most homes have a farm within driving distances that welcome visitors on certain days. Often, CSA’s open their farms to their members a few times a year. It’s really neat to see kids’ eyes light up when they see first-hand how their food is grown. If you can find a local organic farm, that’s ideal.

Go on a Hike or Nature Walk

Teaching your children about the sanctity of the earth can be simple as walking out your front door and exploring your community. Start by sitting down together and making a list of native plants and animals. On your walk, you can look for them and have a fun way to document them. Depending upon your child’s age, you can have them check them off a list, take a picture for a digital scrapbook or even draw a picture of the plant or animal when they locate it. When they understand their environment, they are more likely to appreciate and respect it.

Collect Toys and Clothes to Donate

While one of the “3 Rs” is reuse, we live in a throw away society. Teaching your kids that not everything has to be purchased new and thrown away at the slightest sign of wear and tear is a great lesson in sustainability. We like to have our girls choose toys to donate (because we have far too many of them at all times) and hand their clothes down to other little girls in need. We also like to have them pick out second hand items for themselves so that they can appreciate that purchasing something second-hand is more sustainable that purchasing something new.

Upcycle Something Old Into Something New

Upcycle is one of my older daughter’s favorite words. She always wants to know what she can upcycle things into. A simple project is making a milk carton into a birdhouse. You can decorate empty glass jars to make simple vases or storage for craft supplies. You can use egg cartons to start seeds for your spring garden or to organize your child’s tiny treasures. Once your child understands the concept of upcycling, the sky is the limit!

These are just a few of the many ways you can teach your children small lessons in sustainability.

How do you teach your kids about sustainability?

Coconut oil is a wonder food that has so many amazing uses. I’m constantly discovering a new way to use it. We use it for cooking, skincare, first aid and more. The reason we incorporate coconut oil into so many aspects of our lives is because it has an abundance of health properties.

It is nature’s most plentiful source of the medium chain fatty acid lauric acid, next to breast milk. lLauric acid is considered a “miracle” nutrient, and it’s what gives coconut oil its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It promotes heart health, thyroid function, weight loss and a strong immune system.

We have recently started using coconut oil more frequently with our kids. Here are 5 ways we use coconut oil with them.

Lotion or Diaper Rash Cream Replacement

In my last article, I talked about the toxic chemicals found in common kids’ bath and body products. Rather than learning how to read a label to choose a safe lotion or diaper rash cream, you can lather your kids up with coconut oil after their bath or during each diaper change. A little goes a long way and it works very well.

A Natural Medicine

Since coconut oil has antibacterial and antiviral properties, I give my daughters about a teaspoon of coconut oil to eat a few times a day when they’re sick. In addition to helping their bodies fight off microbes, it also coats the backs of their throats, which is quite soothing.

Add it to Your Kids’ Snacks

We use coconut oil in place of butter for most recipes since it doesn’t break down when it’s heated. You can also let it come to a liquid (you may need to place the jar in warm water) and add it to smoothies during summer. We also like to replace the butter on our homemade popcorn with coconut oil.

Sunburn Prevention and Treatment

Summer will be here before we know it, and with summer will come the inevitable sun exposure, which can lead to sunburns. During short sun exposures, coconut oil can help prevent sunburn. If you’re out in the sun for too long and happen to get burned, coconut oil can help accelerate healing and take some of that annoying sting away. Just make sure to wait until your skin has cooled down (it should take around 24+ hours) before applying so you don’t trap the heat in your skin.

Make a Salve

I have been making salves for more and more ailments. You can use coconut oil to make a homemade vapor rub, poison ivy salve or general first aid salve. You’ll need to store your coconut oil based salves in the fridge unless you add beeswax to them. Coconut oil can also be used as a carrier oil for essential oils, which take up a fair amount of space in our medicine cabinet.

There are literally hundreds of ways to use coconut oil. What are your favorite uses?

Most parents are keenly aware that we need to encourage our children to eat a healthful diet. We want our children to be nourished, healthy and happy.

Did you know that 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed directly into your bloodstream? So, what you put on your child’s skin is just as important as what they put in their mouth.

Most bath and body products marketed for children contain harsh, and even toxic, chemicals. Fortunately, there are more and more truly natural products coming onto the market, so parents do have more options.

Being able to read labels and correctly identify harmful ingredients is an important learning step for parents who want to ensure their kids are healthy and happy.

These are the top 5 ingredients I recommend parents avoid in kids’ bath and body products.

Fragrance (Parfum)

Fragrance is a blanket term for a mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants, including diethyl phthalate (a hormone disruptor). I put fragrance, also listed as parfum, at the top of my avoid list simply because it’s found in so many kids’ bath and body products (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, Aveeno, Burt’s Bees, etc.).

Manufacturers are not required to disclose what’s in their fragrance mixture as it’s considered a trade secret. These undisclosed fragrance mixtures have been connected to dermatitis, allergies, respiratory distress and possible effects on the reproductive system. If a brand isn’t disclosing what’s in their fragrance mixture, you should not use it on your child.

Sodium Lauryl and Laureth Sulfate

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) are ingredients that are commonly found in children’s products that we expect to be foamy (e.g., toothpastes, shampoos, body washes, hand soaps, etc.).

Both SLS and SLES are known to be strong skin irritants. If I accidentally wash my hands with a soap containing SLS, I typically experience an eczema outbreak. Many brands are becoming wise and replacing SLS with sodium coco sulfate, which appears to be a safer option.

Parabens

Parabens aren’t found in as many products as they used to be, so I am always surprised when I pick up a bottle and I see one or more listed. You’ll find parabens listed as benzylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben.

The reason you need to avoid parabens is because they have hormone-disrupting qualities (growing children do not need their hormones disrupted). The Environmental Protection Agency and the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products have linked parabens to metabolic, developmental, reproductive and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers. A 2004 study found parabens in 19 of 20 breast cancer tumors.

Triclosan

“Wash your hands!” Moms across America chant this to their children day in and day out. Unfortunately, most common antibacterial hand soaps contain triclosan, another toxic ingredient that should be avoided. It’s toxic to both humans and our water supply.

Triclosan disrupts reproductive hormones and thyroid function. Studies also suggest that overuse of antibacterial soaps may promote the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The American Medical Association and American Academy of Microbiology recommend using plain soap and water for hand washing.

Methylisothiazolinone

Methylisothiazolinone is a preservative commonly used in personal care products. It is listed among the most common sensitizers, irritants and causes of contact allergy. Lab studies on mammalian brain cells suggest that methylisothiazolinone may be neurotoxic.

I am horrified by how many products I am seeing methylisothiazolinone in. It’s found in not only personal care products, but also cleaning products. The most concerning product I have found methylisothiazolinone (listed as Neolone 950) in so far is Piggy Paint, a nail polish marketed to young girls.

Continue Researching Ingredients

While I consider these the 5 more critical ingredients to avoid, I wish I could say these are the only ingredients you need to watch out for in your child’s bath and body products. I often tell new parents, or parents who are just moving towards a more natural lifestyle, that if they can’t pronounce the ingredient, they should avoid it until they have time to research it.

If you need to find more information on a particular ingredient (or product), the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database is an excellent resource to start with. Many products are rated for their toxicity level, but since many products are not listed, you can look up individual ingredients to determine their safety.

Have you researched the ingredients in your kids’ bath and body products?