A Big Boy Blanket Hug

In true Vancouver fashion, the summer switched off two days ago. One day it's 32C, I'm lazy and sucking on popsicles and the next I'm regretting not wearing a sweater.  So it's fitting that I finally completed my kid's first big boy bed quilt. Not that I plan on letting him out of his crib until his feet stick out of the bars on the end.

I already mentioned in a previous post that quilting feels a bit like insanity, but the end result is extremely satisfying. Throughout the entire process, I was thinking about my boy, chose fabrics that would interest him and thought about him wrapped in his quilt on cold winter nights. When someone talks about a labor of love, quilting is a good example.

This reminds me of a visit I once took to the Mennonite Central Committee's relief warehouse in Abbotsford. The committee collects different supplies from organizations and individuals which are then assembled by volunteers to make relief kits for people affected by natural disasters. I was really impressed by the warehouse and the mountains of heavy-duty buckets filled with school, hygiene, AIDS, and infant care kits. But what impressed me most of all was the "quilting room". In this large, church basement-like room were elderly ladies sitting around together, chatting, and quilting the most beautiful blankets from scraps donated by the community. Once completed the quilts got shipped to hospitals, orphanages, and refugee camps in countries all over the world. I asked the organizer why they bothered to quilt blankets when they could simply ask people to buy and donate already made blankets from a store. He replied with a big smile, although I'm sure he was asked this question a thousand times, that when a family in a refugee camp or a child in an orphanage receives a handmade blanket, they can feel the quilter's love inside the blanket.

So that's the secret of a quilt. It's a giant hug, a pair of arms; warm love. Sweet dreams kiddo!

A Permanent Farmer's Market?

I stumbled upon Gillian Glover's blog, This City Life, the other day and really enjoyed it. As a former Vancouver City Planning Commissioner, she writes about urban planning, and how urbanites interact with their city. In one of her posts I found this photograph. Can you believe this beautiful building used to be Vancouver's first Farmer's Market? Yup. This very cool building was situated in False Creek at the bottom of Main Street and opened it's doors for the very first time on August 15th, 1908. This spectacular building had 2 bell towers, a wooden promenade and a restaurant serviced by the Fraser Valley farmers who brought their goods by train. (Train! Where, oh, where have all the trains gone?) Clearly, permanent farmer's markets are not a new thing, many Canadian cities have them and now it might just be our turn again!  The Vancouver Farmer's Market Society is currently working on a business plan for establishing a permanent farmer's market.


What great news! It's not that I don't like the outdoor markets which have become a huge success since the first market opened at Trout Lake Park in 1995, but it's exactly that, they are very popular and now it's practically impossible to accommodate the vendors, the public, the dogs, the wagons, the strollers and the musicians. Did the original group of 7 market enthusiasts ever think that their $9000 start-up fund and their relentless lobbying with the city would come to this? A permanent market?

Gillian asks, of course, exactly was I was thinking: What's the difference between a permanent farmer's market and the market on Granville Island? She states:

"According to the Business Plan Lead, Darren Stott, “The intention is to only have or mostly have direct sales at the New City Market, very unlike Granville Island. This means only people who grew it, baked it or made it can sell it at our market. Also, the model we are proposing for the market is to have additional profitable generating functions that offset the extra costs of operating out of a building, such as office leasing, event space leasing, restaurant space leasing and meeting room rentals. We believe with the right location, these can not only generate revenue to keep stall rental fees down for example, but also compliment the food hub.”

No location has been determined, although there is hope it will be close to the original 1908 farmer's market. Construction is planned for 2013!


 

I Wanna Do It!

Got my feet up on the patio with a cold beer I normally wouldn't be enjoying, but with this heat, it's refreshing. My man is upstairs conked out in bed with the fan on after a long flight back from Montreal, and the boy is parked in front of Caillou. Yup, I'm not proud of it, but I used Caillou to bargain with him. One extra episode in return for coming to the store with me without throwing a tantrum. It's just so hot and the air so thick, I feel like any little whine will send me over the edge. It's probably also because I need a break from the kid. Wanna play? Mommy? Wanna play?

Playing is um.... interesting these days. It's definitely a 2 and half year old thing and it's tricky to play with a toddler who constantly says: "No, Mommy! It's my turn! No, Mommy, I wanna do it! No, wait! Mommy, you do it! No, Mommy my turn! I wanna do it!"

What about Mommy? What does Mommy want? Mommy wants to take a cold shower. Mommy wants to find shade under a tree with a good book and a cooler full of ice cold water. Mommy wants to close her eyes and sleep. It's MY turn!

Okay, that's it for my little rant. I went down to the underground storage and pulled out another fan and now I'm just waiting for my man to finish bath time with the boy to scoop out some coconut ice cream. I've regained some sanity.

Happy Flower

Captain's Log, March 19th, 1996- 1st Entry

Don't ask me what got into me, but I started to make a quilt for my Kid. What was I thinking? I've decided that quilters are insane; you have to be to cut up big pieces of fabric into little itty-bitty pieces, sew all the itty-bitty pieces back together again to make a big piece, and then sew all over top of it to keep all the layers together. WHAT? Crazy, I say! I'm already feeling slightly dizzy and I'm not even making those super complicated ones. Holy smokes. I don't know, it's nice to be doing this for my son, but I feel about it, the way I feel about scrapbooking. It's a pre-made recipe.  All you have to do is glue.

too many squares.....

Anyways, this got me thinking about a quilt exhibition I saw in Port Townsend on March 11, 1996. Why do I remember this date when I can hardly remember how old I am? It's because it was on the first day of a long road trip I was taking with my then-boyfriend. We had both graduated university and decided to buy a 1973 mustard-yellow Dodge camper van which we nicknamed Good Ship Miss Debbie. We also decided to keep a travel log, this being the pre-digital age, and being on a tight budget, we didn't take too many pictures and instead we decided I would draw and he would write.


Port Townsend, Washington was our first stop and I made a special note about the "Quilting through History" museum in our log. I remember some of the quilts were over 100 years old and very well preserved. They didn't look at all like what we think of and see today. They were all hand-made, embroidered and depicted scenes of everyday life at that time. Some clearly told specific stories about the people who were making it or sleeping in it. It was fascinating that quilting was recording history just like story-telling.

Here are the first 2 entries in the log, my then-boyfriend, wrote pretty well, I think, but obviously wasn't so taken by the quilts as I was.

March 11, 9pm-1st entry
 
Left the Port of Townsend today, bound for Southern waters on the Good Ship Miss Debbie. New First Mate and Navigator on this voyage by the name of Solare Cayer, commendable sense of direction and excellent map-reading skills. Surprising given that this is her maiden voyage in such a capacity. Presently we are moored on the blacktop of the ferry terminal a few miles out of Coupeville on our way to Port Townsend. Early indications were bad, given the dead pigeon and mortally wounded young doe we have seen thus far. We must try to keep our mojo working for us and continue with the roadkill count. Minor customs delay due to rent-a-cop type with nothing better to do, but at least we weren't searched bodily as were the four young black gentlemen next to us in the office. Those people take their jobs way to seriously. Ferry ready for boarding, thus ends the first entry.

March 12

Navigator went to sleep after Aberdeen-a logging town of unrequited uglyness and menace. This goes a long way toward explaining the tragedy of Kurt Cobain. Port Townsend on the other hand was a picture postcard-more akin to America's Hollywood version of itself than to the grim readily revealed by the past few logging towns. Not that they are without their quirky charm, but Port Townsend's veneer of old world charm was nearly completely blinding. However the America within was revealed in the washroom of the restaurant where we had morning coffee. I found a label for 30 lbs or X-heavy mayonnaise. The true beauty beneath the false front. A classic theme in art and lit brought to life in Washington's Victorian Seaport.

Succcessful Sewing, Hilarious Advice from Singer 1949

Since I started my sewing frenzy, I've had friends give me compliments while adding that they just never got into sewing and found it too difficult or frustrating. It seems to be a common feeling. While buying fleece at Ikea one day, one lady was telling her friend: "Oh, I wish I was good at sewing. My mom used to sew all our clothes. But I hate it, the machine always jams and I just get all frustrated!", "Me too! replied her friend. They looked at me, and I said enthusiastically, "I'm sewing for my son! It's a new revolution!"

My mom dropped off a Singer Sewing Book at my house this afternoon. It was published in 1949 and right there, in the first chapter, it's all explained. How to prepare, avoid frustration, late night swearing and tears.

Here are some excerpts which explain how to sew successfully. Read on carefully, my dear friends, you might give it another chance!

To Sew Successfully....

" Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to do. Approach the job with enthusiasm. You must want to make something lovely, to have the fun of putting pieces of fabric together, to make a garment, to handle the fabric with appreciation, to watch the beauty of the article grow as a result of your planning and effort. Never approach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically. Good results are difficult when indifference predominate. Never try to sew with the sink full of dishes or bed unmade. When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so that your mind is free to enjoy your sewing."

" Prepare physically. When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth-a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Have your hair in order, powder, and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of the mirror, and you can hope for better results when you look your best.

Again sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as your should. Therefore, "spruce up" at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy every part of any sewing you do."

Feminine as powder puff, ruffles are the essence of daintiness.

Simplicity Parenting- Filtering Out the Adult World

Okay, last section of Simplicity Parenting. It begins with a mother who is asked to use one word to describe motherhood to which she replies: worry. Wow, I was surprised to read that. I would have chosen love or joy, but I get it, worry and parenting seem interlocked, but it shouldn't define the entire experience! It continues to talk about filters parents can create to prevent kids from being exposed to adult information, fears, worries, stresses, concerns and also drives and ambitions.

First filter: Saying "No thanks" to television and screens. To mention all the findings that support turning off screens would take an entire other blog, so I won't go on about it, but one quote stands out: " By the time the average person reaches age seventy, he or she, will have spent the equivalent of seven to ten years watching television." Imagine, if you could take those 10 years and travel, or learn to play a musical instrument, or write a book, or spend with time with loved ones instead of watching tv?

I can see already, with my kids' natural inclination toward rhythm and repetition, that what started as watching "Caillou" every once in a while, has turned into a daily thing. I also have to remind him every day, that "Caillou" only comes after nap, and no, you may not watch it in the mornings. (He remembers the one morning I let him watch it while cutting his hair.) I hear friends with toddlers complain about it, about how annoying Dora's voice is or how the tantrums can be measured on the Richter scale when it's time to turn it off. One friend tried to tell her 4 year old that he could only watch t.v. on the weekends. Every morning, he pestered her: "Is it the weekend today? I just don't know many parents who rave about the benefits of television, or at least they are keeping quiet about how relieved they are to have it on when they need to shower, cook dinner, etc... I've also noticed some parents that say: "Oh, my kid doesn't watch television", while handing them their cell phone to play games.  I've been known to put on Sesame Street on the computer, although Elmo has been banned for a while now. It didn't take long to realize that it's only just a smaller screen. So, no matter what are views are on allowing screen time for our kids, we can probably agree that less is better.

A new mother recently visited me with her toddler for a play date. She proceeded to tell me about how sad she was when she heard about a mother and child that had been shot during the Colorado shootings. She couldn't help but tear up. I got the goosebumps. Our kids were playing around us. I hadn't heard about the shooting because I don't watch the news anymore and immediately remembered about filtering out the adult world. This clearly illustrated how television and the media can affect us, and how our kids, while seemingly unable to understand, do absorb on some level the stress it causes us. This example doesn't help to illustrate the next reminder in the book, that the world is safe, that there are not more kidnapping than when we were kids, and that children need to know that they are living in a good world with a future full of promises, but it's true. We, as parents, need to find ways to enjoy the times with live in so that we can breath and land the helicopter.

Second Filter: Have adult conversation when children are away. This is harder that I thought and something that I think will take time to get used to. It doesn't take years of scientific studies to know that conversations about let's say... your sister's divorce, a car accident on Knight Street, the flooding highway, not having enough money, or stress about losing a job create strong emotions, and that children feed off their parents' emotions. Stressful relationships too can have a strong influence on your kids too and honestly I've struggled at times with friendships that "drained me" and have had let them go. I also try my best to have "venting sessions" with my girlfriends over brunch while the kid is playing with his dad.

Third Filter: Talking less. Not every moment is a teachable moment. It's not necessary to explain photosynthesis every time your kid picks up a leaf. Keep quiet. Listen. You might hear: "Look mom, it's a boat!" This applies to any care giver I think. I recently met with parents who were raving about their daycare saying how wonderful it was when their 3 1/2 year old came home and explained about tectonic plates and earthquakes. What the ****? It is also suggested to talk less with children under nine about their emotions, which is something new to me. Emotional intelligence is vital for life, but cannot be rushed. When we push our kids towards awareness they don't have yet, we actually transpose our own emotions which overwhelms them. It benefits a child much more to simply listen as they become aware of their emotions and share them than to take their "emotional temperature" constantly by asking questions such as, are you okay, honey? Do you feel jealous of your sister? Is that why are angry? Sounds like a bit of hovering to me.... Finally, a good rule of thumb that reduces talking is to remind yourself: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Fourth Filter: Stop hovering and back off! This includes letting the under-involved parent step up without hovering over by the over-involved parent. You know who you are. Step back and observe, let your child come to you.

Finally, the main goal is to provide a safe base camp for your kid like a little bird's nest, a cozy tent, a warm blanket, or a parent's hug so that when "things happen" these things feel less threatening.

So that's it! I hope you've enjoyed the information I've extracted so far from this book and my comments. You can visit the Simplicity Parenting website for other resources or put your name on the list at the library. Speaking of which, it's probably due! There will probably be more parenting books to come as the kid grows up and I find myself looking for solutions, but I think that this one is a good one to start with. A simple and doable plan. One toy at a time, one less word at a time, one less "Caillou" at a time...

Simplicity Parenting-Schedules

You might guess what this section of Simplicity Parenting is all about when you read the title. "Over-scheduled kids" is not really news and it's been discussed since the '80's when David Elkind suggested in his book, The Hurried Child, that busy parents might be pushing their kids toward adulthood too quickly.

So what's the difference between 30 years ago and now? Apparently, in the 80's, kids had 40% of their day for free time after school, eating, sleeping and homework. By the late 90's that free time had dropped to 25%. Parents have felt unfairly blamed by these findings, and I can see why when other findings show that on average elementary kids spend 1hour and 20 minutes a night on homework. Um....Being a kid of the '80s, I do remember spending a ton of time playing with my friends and my brother. We were only allowed 1/2 day of tv a day and 1 hour on Saturdays for cartoons. There were no computers, cell phones, or video games. There was a ton of crafts, fort building, snow tunnels, cardboard boxes, dolls, Lego, biking, and swimming. I do remember doing scheduled activities, but I don't remember doing more than one activity a time.

Even though my son is only two, I have noticed a gentle "push" from other moms to join in on scheduled classes: music, art, yoga, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, etc...but just as it is advocated in this chapter, balance is key. Plus, I refuse to spend $20 a pop for a kid's yoga class. We do our own bending for free. Another thing I've noticed is the proliferation of private "tutoring" businesses around the city, especially on the west side. Is it an Asian value that has been transferred here by the Tiger Moms? Are other parents catching the feline flu and wanting their kids to be concert pianists by the age of 4 while reciting the names of the capital cities in alphabetical order while playing chess? Is that what kids need to survive the future? Man, better run out and get Baby Einstein cue cards today, just in case! (sarcasm inserted here)

I have read a lot about "Tiger Moms",  and "Snow Plow Parents" (parents who clear every obstacle in their kids' way).  The Globe and Mail ran recently posted a parenting article titled: Are our pampered kids under too much pressure? which supports that over-scheduling children in an effort to give them an "edge" for the future simply backfires as relentlessly pushed and overloaded kids today are depressed, anxious, and experiencing psychosomatic disorders.

One example quoted in the article is from a book, Teaching Your Children Well,  which I thought was really interesting. When parents were asked what they thought success for their kids was, they answered; for them to be happy, well-adjusted, responsible etc... When their kids were asked what their success is, they stated: making a lot of money. Very telling, no?

According to Simplicity Parenting, interesting results from having more unscheduled/down time are that...

• It gives kids the ability to direct themselves, "enjoy" the feeling of boredom, and to find ways to fill their own time. 
• It allows kids to grow "roots" so that they feel strong when they are engaged in scheduled activity.
• It allows kids to be bored, which is a precursor to creativity.

Also interesting is that:

• Ordinary days allow the sensational days to shine, renews his your kid's a sense of anticipation and in turn, builds character.
• The messiness of free play with many changes, active problem solving and empathy for others gives kids inner flexibility.
• General, free physical play strengthens skills for organized sports.

So overall, I am reminded by this chapter, that it's okay to have ordinary days, that the kid needs to feel bored at times, and the "edge" I can pass on to my kid is the gift of lifelong balance and the importance of downtime. I am excited to see the world all over again through my kid's eyes, just like the other day when he realized that he could eat the ice cream and the cone too, but I am reminded, all in good time, all in good time....

Future soccer player?

Simplicity Parenting-Rhythm

I've been reading and writing about Simplicity Parenting and some of the interesting information I've found. Here are tidbits about chapter two: Rhythm. The author stresses that the busier we are, the more important predictability and rhythm is to our kids. It becomes the most powerful way to simplify their life. What does rhythm and predictability mean? It should feel like this: "This is what we do on a school day morning....", " Before we leave the house we...", "When I get home, I...", "When mom and dad start dinner, I...", "Before bed, we....", "The thing I love about Saturday mornings is..."," On Sundays we...", "When one of us is sick, we always...", "A special thing we do for someone's birthday is...."

Other suggestions for creating rhythm and predictability:

2. Previewing the next day with your child allows them to look for predictable markers in their day and to know what to expect. (Especially if the day is different than the usual routine.) I'm not sure I agree on this point; I recently made the mistake of telling my son at 8 in the morning, as we were heading out on a vacation, that we would be going on a boat. For the next 6 hours all we heard is the kid demanding from his seat in the car: " I wanna go on the boat!" over and over and over and over... Imagine if I had told him the day before....

3. One of the simplest form of predictability in daily life is politeness. This was surprising to me; that politeness can serve as mini-predictability posts throughout the day. Kids come to expect thank you's and you're welcomes and often point it out if you forget!  Oops!

4. Using simple songs with toddlers when doing daily activities such as teeth brushing or hand-washing help ritualize the activity, thus increasing predictability. "Cleam-up (sic) Cleam-up, it's time to Cleam-up," sings my kid happily likes it's just as much fun to cleam up that do mess up. There's a reminder mom, when you want to throw all the toys on the floor out the window!)

5. Food should be simplified just like toys and books; it is meant to nourish, not entertain or excite. (It's hard not to get excited about ice cream, though... )

6. Three or four quiet moments scheduled moments in your day allows kids to release stress and to sleep better at night. Naps, reading, a moment of silence at dinner,  deep play, lighting a candle, and cuddling are all good ways to chill-out and release pressure. (Boy, do I need to remind myself that this is vital to the parents too...I'm super guilty of using nap time to "catch up" on chores.

Once I heard this on a TED talk which I think illustrates this chapter really well.

Imagine you are exploring Paris for the first time. You're seeing a ton of new things, you're eating new foods, hearing new languages, walking a lot, getting lost and finding your way. Everything is exciting and you can't seem to soak it all in as much as you would like. As you arrive at your hotel room, you fall into bed in total exhaustion only to find that you can't fall asleep, re-living all the wonderful things you did that day. Now, do it again the next day, but first drink 3 cups of expresso. THAT's what toddlers live everyday.


Even when we travel, we create routines, some predictability and moments to be calm. We might make a point to always get back to the hotel for lunch, or carry a map, to bring snacks from home or have coffee at the same coffee shop every morning. So it only makes sense that we should create this rhythm for our kids too, so that they can enjoy all the excitement of the day, knowing some of the things that comes next and that there will be times to rest.

I think we've done well in establishing rhythm and predictability in our daily family life, especially when after dinner the kid says: "It's almost dodo (sleep) time, but first, a little bit play time! Ah, ah, ah!

mandatory goofy time

Value Village Score!

Sometimes Value Village rocks! It's stinky work to go through all the junk, but when you find what you need, it's like finding a treasure.

For a grand total of $20, I bought:

A bowl of buttons
2 patterns
3 yrds of fabric
43 zippers

I figure I saved myself about $80, and that's on the low side. One of the pattern was vintage and had a price on it, $1.85, while the newer one cost $11.50. Crazy difference! Gotta think of some cool stuff to make with my rainbow of zippers! I also scored with a nice knit with boats which is crying out to be pajamas bottoms.

Value Village Sewing Loot

Organic canvas snack packs

Yesterday I made some snack packs out of organic cotton canvas. I bought one at a fair once and paid $7. Making my own, not accounting for my time, I figure mine cost about $1 each. Once I figured out how to hide all the seams, I made a mini production line and finished about 8 in a few hours. I love to use them myself for nuts and dried fruits, but you can use them for fruits too (although maybe not berries). You just need to turn them inside out when you wash them.

Simplicity Parenting-Environment

For fear of this post turning into a book report, I would like to share some of the key information in Simplicity Parenting that stood out for me without going on about it at length, right? Keeping it simple. Why? In case some of you are still operating on a few hours of sleep a night or already captivated by good bedside reading.

In the introduction, the author, Kim John Payne, praises simplicity and simplifying life for kids. No one can deny that our world often feels packed with too much stuff, too many choices and not enough time; I've certainly raced in my car to get coffee, disappointed that they didn't have my usual brand and overwhelmed by the choice of beans: organic or not, 12oz for $13.99 or 14oz for $14.99, fairtrade, ethical or not, locally or faraway brewed, super yummy, yummy or drinkable.....argh! So what about kids? What's the kid version of my coffee dilemma? How can we, as parents, offer a safe place to just be kids, away from the hyperspeed of daily life, a way for kids to be free and to discover their individuality?

Environment is the first section of the book which offers tips on reducing toys, clutter and books, as well as sounds, smells and light. Here are some points collected from this section which I thought were interesting:

1.  The average child has 150 toys.
2.  Pester-power usually wins. That's why marketers have increased advertising dollars from $100 million in 1983 to $16 billion in 2009.
3.  A smaller quantity of toys invites deeper play and engagement. An avalanche of toys creates emotional disconnect and a sense of overwhelm.

So, TOYS, to chuck or not to chuck? (Or give to goodwill) Start with this list and chuck:

1. Broken toys.
2. Developmentally inappropriate toys.
3. Conceptually "fixed" toys; toys based on characters from movies, comic books or tv which leads to wanting "more of that series".
4. Toys that "do too much" and break too easily; "do too much" meaning that don't lead to imagination. (Usually toys with lots of buttons)
5. Very high simulation toys: toys with flashing lights, mechanical voices, speed, sound effects intended to "excite" and "stimulate" kids.
6. Annoying or offensive toys: I admit we have a few of these I still haven't been able to tune out.
7. Toys that claim to give a developmental edge. Play is not a race. It is not an advancement opportunity.
8. Pester-Power toys you succumbed to.
9. Toys that inspire and glorify violence.
10. Toy multiples. (oh, boy, this one is tough. The kid loves his cars and trucks.)

What's left? You'd be surprised that a manageable amount of well-made, attractive, "quieter" toys invites imaginary play and encourages kids to create new worlds and new ways to play without having to replenish the pile so frequently.

And BOOKS, how many is too many? Books can follow the same rules as toys. The suggested amount is to offer 1-2 accessible books for children under 8-9 years old. REALLY? This one was hard to accept given my love of the library, but considering that the kid usually only wants to read 1-2 books over and over, I think the author might onto something....

CLOTHES too must be simplified. This is something I think I've finally managed to tame and I can't tell you how easy it is now to get the kid dressed; I've whittled it down to 4 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of shorts, 2 long sleeve tops, 5 t-shirts, 1 swimsuit, 3 pyjamas, a coat, 2 sweaters, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of rubber boots and a handful of socks. Goodbye to pulling out a pair of pants and triggering an avalanche of other pants. As the author states, clothes only need to say one thing: "I'm comfortable and ready to play!"

Reducing artificial SMELLS (a.k.a chemicals), in the home such as air fresheners, scented candles, perfumes, and cleaning products allow mom and dad's natural smell to linger and to create a sense of safety. This part was easy for me since I'm not big on " Ocean Breeze" and "Hawaiian Dew".

LIGHT also plays a big part of a child's environment. Reducing bright or fluorescent light as well as the glow of tv and computer screens quiets the mind and slows the body. My kid loves sunshine. Sunshine! he yells enthusiastically as he looks out the window. (Some months of the year, I yell the same thing in disbelief) He also loves darkness, he calls it "NOIR", not to mention his obsession with "fooas", his word for flames. We light a candle to entice him to take a bath on most nights.

I've been on this "simplicity" kick for a few months now, and I had started to purge our home of unnecessary clutter, and already cleared most of the kid's toys and clothes, so I was happy to read that my plan had a significant impact on the well being of my kid. I probably could get my hands on a few more toy cars..

The next sections in the book talk about rhythm and schedules which I will review in a later post. For now, I am completely thrilled to watch my kid prepare "shakes" with a coffee container, toy cups and block kiwis.