Every Thursday, it’s bike-to-school day. Every Thursday, I’m terrified of what might happen. Every Thursday, we triumph upon arrival at our charter school, 2.5 miles from my house.

We started out in bike lanes. They stretch over most of the route, although there’s one block where we go in the left lane to continue straight. Frequently, we get screamed at by motorists at this spot.

“That’s not safe!” they scream out their car windows, even though we are cycling legally and have a bright orange flag for visibility. One time a school bus driver even weighed in.

So, all this verbal pressure pushed us to start riding on the sidewalks.  Now we startle pedestrians with our bells, and wait (impatiently) at crosswalks.

But to be honest, another thing pushed us up on the sidewalks: I stumbled across news of this pregnant mom who died during a bicycle accident. She had an empty kids’ bike attached to hers, because she was on her way to pick up her son from kindergarten.  Jack up the Terror-ometer. My daughter’s bike is attached to mine, too, with a great “Trail Gator” device that lifts and stabilizes her front wheel.

I don’t want to stop bike commuting. So what do we do about it?

• If drivers all cycled now and then, we would be better drivers.
• We all have to brush up on the rules of the road, and cyclists need to follow them, as well (I’m textbook with the kids but often skirt the rules alone)
• Let’s keep pushing for better bike infrastructure—bike lanes & bike racks, for starters. Why are these still seen as “extras” in most parts of the U.S.?

Look forward to hearing your stories and seeing more families biking legally and safely out there.

As I stepped off the platform onto the first mid-air obstacle, 15’ off the ground, I felt what my daughter feels all the time…

“I’m scared!”

Raising kids, you hear that a lot. But you don’t realize how often kids face their fears and dive into something new until you do it yourself…adults just aren’t used to getting out of their comfort zones. But kids do it all the time.

I was mid-air at the Sandy Spring Adventure Park, a fantastic operation of zip-lines and obstacle courses for all levels of humans above the age of 7. It’s safe–you are harnessed and clipped in at all times. But that doesn’t erase the fear factor.

Suddenly my daughter’s trepidation at riding her bike unassisted, and swimming in the deep end, and skiing a little faster—it all became viscerally clear. People can tell you “you’re safe” and “it’ll be okay” all day long, but when you have to rely on your physical skills and you have this fear to overcome…it’s scary.

My boyfriend is a strapping, 6’4” athlete, yet his fear of heights had him sweating like crazy halfway through the first basic obstacle course at Sandy Spring. Maybe his parents didn’t let him get hurt enough as a child. This recent article from the New York Times highlights the research showing “A child who’s hurt in a fall before the age of 9 is less likely as a teenager to have a fear of heights.”

Eureka! A New York Times article that makes me feel smug about something I’d feel super guilty about otherwise!

I work on playgrounds for a living, which means working on how children learn by overcoming various physical and social challenges.  I love seeing my kids gain new skills. Last month, my daughter mastered the monkey bars. And since basketball season started, my son has been dribbling incessantly around the house.

I appreciate it all the more since I worked my way up to the black diamond obstacle course. Next year, the double-black.

“Mama, will you play with me?”

These six words instantly snap me to attention here, now, in the present. They are usually uttered by my 5-year-old, and usually when I’m buzzing around doing something “important” like cooking, packing or cleaning the litter box.

As I’ve learned over time, play is the work of children. Their childhood zips by so quickly, I have to remember to stop doing stuff and instead just play with them, especially when they are good enough to ask.

Being present is a constant practice (and an instantly rewarding one)! Kids are the masters of this. I learn so much from them.

For two years, we lived in an apartment building, where we had to be more creative about play.  We zoomed around the halls on bikes and scooters, we played “basketball” in the basement (using our arms as the hoops), we tagged and chalked and shot marbles and dressed up and built forts and did handstands.

Last spring we moved to a house, and now I have a whole yard of play infrastructure. My cousin Marcus built an amazing treehouse … including a deck, 7 windows and 2 retractable ladders. My insistence on using recycled materials spurred his creativity, resulted in gorgeous elements like a terra cotta tile roof and kept costs low (For materials, check out architectural salvage yards. My fave in the DC region is the non-profit Community Forklift).

Kids need daily exercise, of course (the NY Times Well blog recently covered the link between exercise and academic performance) but in addition, they need unstructured time to play.  Dr. Jenn Berman posted on this blog a summary of the Alliance for Children study outlining the importance of play…check it out.

Now that I’m with KaBOOM! I’ll be advocating for the cause of play, including constructing playgrounds and building communities. Back in 2006 I helped KaBOOM! build the playground at my kids’ Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. Every day LAMB-PCS’s 200 students use the equipment before school, during recess and after school, a critical element of their education and an enduring testament to the powerful gift of play.

I’m typing this from 30,000 feet in the air, with a runny nose. All I want is my Neti Pot.

I’ve had a two-day allergy attack, no doubt caused by my cats plus the cleaning that I was doing in advance of going on this airplane. Let’s just say I’m getting used to sneezing and finally dug out the lovely cotton handkerchiefs handed down from my Grandma Comfort because I was so tired of piles of wadded-up tissues all over my house.

If you’re not already a fan on the Neti Pot, give it a shot. Here are some first- and second-hand personal anecdotes to draw from:

1. I use it (sporadically) and it always gives me a feeling I can only describe as a “nasal high.” I also think of it as “nasal floss.”
2. My kids, after a few false starts, now LOVE the Neti Pot and beg me to let them do it.  Of course, this is usually requested at bedtime, when they are stalling.
3. My mom, who has suffered sinus problems her whole life, now uses the Neti pot and has seen huge improvement.
4. My friend Caroline used to snort mugs of warm salt water up her nose and then shoot it back out—a primitive, violent, messy method, but roughly the same idea. I sent her a Neti pot. I think she used it, but then it broke, and she went back to the mug. But there are cheap, plastic Neti pots, available in most pharmacies—so maybe I’ll spring for another one.

My yoga practice led me to awareness of the ida and pingala, which are the subtle “moon” and “sun” currents of chi that spiral up and down the central energy channel in our bodies, intersecting at the chakras. Just like nadi shodhana pranayama practice, I believe the Neti pot helps balance these subtle energies to promote overall wellness.

Finally, the Neti pot is an exercise in prevention…it doesn’t work when your passages are already closed, though it does get a little salt water up there to start working out the clog. It’s better to use the Neti when you are already feeling fine OR just on the verge of being stuffy OR when you are trying to rinse irritating allergens out of your nose. I might have to start traveling with mine, just in case.

There are a million lotions and moisturizers out there, but I got tired of the fake fragrances and questionable ingredients and gradually switched to natural oils. 

My everyday moisturizing favorite is coconut oil. I was turned on to it via my kitchen (I’d ordered a huge jar of organic coconut oil and frankly didn’t know what to do with it all) and love how it solidifies in the winter and melts to a clear liquid in the summer. My kids love it, too, probably because it smells so delicious and they know they can lick it if they want. Makes post-bathtime a little more Willy Wonka-esque.

My favorite all-purpose skin tonic is shea butter…the wonder moisturizer of the shea nut. My pediatrician recommends shea butter for my son’s sensitive and rash-prone skin, and I love it for moisturizing my cuticles and treating cuts. It’s very firm at room temperature but softens quickly on the heat of your hands, so it’s good to use in small quantities (and to remember to be patient). Another benefit to using shea butter is that you’re likely supporting women-run co-ops in West Africa.

I’ve gotten many a new mom a gift of jojoba oil to rub on her baby.  It absorbs quickly, has a lovely, delicate fragrance and is non-comedogenic. It’s fairly expensive  but a little goes a long way and it can be used for all sorts of things: skin and lip moisture, makeup removal, massage oil, shave prep or hair conditioning.

Nearly 8 years ago, my midwives used a compress of warm olive oil on my perineum when I gave birth to my son, to prevent tearing (it mostly worked — I only needed one stitch).  Olive oil is technically a very effective moisturizer, but I’m not interested in smelling like bruschetta. But from time to time, after I’ve oiled a bunch of vegetables for roasting or grilling, I’m happy to rub the excess on my legs!

I recently used up the last of my tube of fermented papaya ointment that I got in Australia. This is quite common down under but hard to find in the U.S…you can use it for all sorts of skin challenges from simple dryness to cuts to burns.  Speaking of Aussies, why is it that hundreds of natural and homeopathic remedies are available in every traditional Australian pharmacy, right next to the chemical-laden, over-the-counter preparations that dominate store shelves here in the U.S.?

Finally, in researching hemp oil for my post on Omega 3s (link), I discovered that it’s excellent in treating outbreaks of eczema. Since we just treated my son’s latest outbreak with a steroid cream, I can’t wait to try hemp oil next time!

My transition to natural oils was spurred by my seven years with Environmental Working Group and exposure to tens of thousands of hazard-ranked personal care products in Skin Deep. If you aren’t sure why you should be concerned about parabens and other common moisturizer ingredients, take a gander at this amazing research tool the good scientists at EWG keep updating year after year.

What are YOUR favorite moisturizers … or have you, too, had a Skin Deep conversion experience?

Sure, there are plenty of green, child-centered gifts you can get babies, kids and their parents…like an organic onesie with “Mother Sucker” on the front, the fabulous Ergo Baby Carrier, or those adorable socks printed to look like Mary Jane shoes. But, IMHO, the best gifts are the ones that make the parent’s life better (without harming the planet or the family’s health). Here are a few faves that I’ve given or gotten over the years…

Gift #1: Cast Iron Pans & Glass Food Storage containers

Myra Goodman already covered many reasons to go old-school on your cookware, including that nonstick pans are dangerous, but she didn’t mention how cast iron pans impart digestible iron into your food as you cook it—a big plus for new parents. I got my brother a Lodge “Signature” series cast iron skillet after his baby was born and he loves it (which was a relief, as previous attempts with eco-friendly gifts hadn’t gone over so well).

And plastics? Don’t get me started. Just take it from WebMD. My favorite food storage and re-heating solution: Pyrex glass bowls with the BPA-free plastic lids – they’re sold everywhere, in every size, and everyone loves them.

Gift #2: Home Cooked Meal(s)

Put that cast iron skillets and food containers to good use by whipping up your parent friends a home-cooked meal. Bring along some flowers and a 6-pack of dark beer, and you will win their hearts forever. (Maybe Dr. Greene can weigh in about whether dark beer really promotes breast milk production…or if it’s a psychosomatic effect). Extra credit for those who make extra portions so leftovers can be thrown in the freezer—better yet, bring the meal in Pyrex glass containers and say “keep them”—a double gift!

And whatever you do, don’t forget a rich dessert (fat is good for the baby’s developing brain as well as the mom’s mental health)!

Gift #3, Hi-tech: Rechargeable Batteries

Every parent needs these, even those who swear “I’m not going to have a lot of battery-operated toys.” Famous last words, as family and friends will deliver the goods that rarely sync with those eco-friendly plans.

Sure, the upfront cost is a bit higher, but one rechargeable battery can replace 300 disposable ones. And disposal of batteries is a nightmare. All those toxic metals inside the cell leach out in a landfill, so when you have dead batteries of any stripe, recycle them (IKEAs, Best Buys, and other electronic stores collect them, as do municipalities’ hazardous waste programs). Get recyclables for yourself while you’re at it; sites like Green Batteries have many options.

Gift #4, Low-tech: Exercise Ball & Yoga Mat

The exercise ball is a popular multi-tasker: a labor aid, baby bouncer, and toddler toy, as well as platform for post-partum backbends and stomach crunches. You don’t know relief until you’ve stretched out your breastfeeding hunchback on a supportive cushion of air.  It also serves as extra seating at your next party or as a computer chair. I scored a huge one off Freecycle and never looked back.

And you can’t have too many yoga mats…of course yoga is a great practice for parents (for so many reasons), but even if your asana practice isn’t super-disciplined, your yoga mat will serve as play mat (and PLAY-DOH mat) since kids are constantly hanging out on the floor. And while it’s out, the parents can sneak in a few down-dogs, even after the kids insist on climbing all over them…

Gift #5: A Journal

Great for a parent to record precious moments for their child, or for the parent themselves to record their thoughts regarding the joyful times as well as those when you want to kill your partner, your child/ren or both. I’m partial to the marbled drug store composition books, but you can go as fancy as you want with this one. I still think of my college roommate Sarah, who gave me my kids’ first journal, every time I open up my subsequent volumes to jot down a few memories.

What are YOUR favorite gifts for new parents?

I love reading about “superfoods” and nutrition – mostly I get reminders to eat more things I already like (did you know watermelon has sky-high levels of lycopene?). Recently, learning about the importance of the essential fatty acid Omega 3 for joint mobility, heart health and cancer prevention, I was even convinced to take fish oil supplements. These are tough pills to swallow, having been a vegetarian for 20 years, so I started looking beyond flax for other vegetarian sources of Omega 3s. I found three powerhouses:

Hemp oil

There are many great attributes to the hemp plant…including the incredible nutrition found in its seed. I was already thrilled to find delicious chocolate hemp milk (Tempt), but now I’m convinced consuming the oil directly is the way to go. Turns out hemp oil contains Omega 6s and Omega 3s in the ideal proportion that the human body should have them (roughly 3:1).  Most Westerners have much higher levels of Omega 6 in their diet (upwards of a 10:1 ratio), which causes more harm than good, which is why nutrition experts keep urging us to increase our consumption/proportion of Omega 3s. You can get all the essential fatty acids you need in a day by swallowing a tablespoon or so of raw hemp oil, or, make salad dressing with it — for inspiration, try one of the yummy concoctions by Foods Alive.

Chia seeds

Yes, those same chia seeds that you planted on a Chia Pet in the 70s have come back in fashion as a superfood. It’s not new news: they were in fashion in the Aztec empire half a millennium ago, too, where the warriors ate them for stamina and nutrition. It’s compelling enough that chia has more calcium than milk, is an excellent source of iron and slows down glucose uptake (great for diabetics). But best of all, consider that the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio in chia is actually 3:1 which means there is three times more Omega 3…making it the perfect food to balance out excess Omega 6 intake.

I first tasted “Chia Goodness” cereal at a Ruth’s booth at Expo East a few years ago, then found Dr. Weil’s Chia Razz bar, and now I buy chia seeds in bulk to thicken my fruit pies, make coconut milk pudding, and add nutrition and fiber to my smoothies, oatmeal, granola, you name it.  I haven’t tried actually sprouting them but my kids would love it if I did…I guess that’s next.

Purslane

The one certified organic farmer at our local farmers’ market turned me on to this Omega-3 weed. That’s right, weed. You might already be growing purslane in your yard; you might even have been ripping this succulent up without knowing that it’s one of the best green vegetable sources of Omega 3. It also is a “very good source” of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese!  I like it mixed up with other salad greens or added to a stir fry.

For more reasons to hunt down hemp oil, chia and purslane, check out Dr. Greene’s perspective on why it’s important for kids to get enough Omega 3s, and why pregnant moms should get enough, too. Then, take a deep breath to feel that heart of yours beating, thank it, and go figure out how to get more Omega 3s in your diet to protect it.