Treating Eczema

I don't think I've ever blogged about eczema, which is kind of weird. But neither of my kids suffered from it, so I guess I had no reason to think about it. An older child I know does suffer from it, however and I'm writing this because I think I have figured something out. I'm certain that doctors give parents way too much credit. The doctor of this child told her mom that the child should only take short, warm (not hot) showers. That advice is accurate. But the mom makes the child shower daily...which I think is CrAzY. And if the doctor had known this, he may have told her not to. Then I saw the lotion that the child was being slathered in and really grew concerned. It was some Vaseline lotion with a really strong scent. While it smelled good, thankfully I knew that it wasn't good for her eczema. I promptly got a bottle of unscented all natural baby lotion from my stock and handed it over. While lotion doesn't necessarily treat eczema, it does treat the dry skin that is more prone to eczema breakouts. And fragrances and other miscellaneous ingredients are too harsh for children's skin, especially those with eczema.
While what a child uses on her skin is an important factor in controlling eczema flare ups, equally as important is treating the condition internally. Omega-3 oils have worked wonderfully for this, in children as well as adults. You have many options, from flaxseed oil (or whole or ground flaxseed) to fish oil and krill oil. There are others, and each has it's pro and con, but that is something each parent needs to investigate because there are allergy concerns, texture/taste concerns, etc. and every kid is different. I personally use ground flax seeds and can say that they don't have a bad flavor. I would describe them as "nutty." The key is to figure out which one will be taken or consumed the most consistently, because if the kid won't take it, it's not worth it.
Take a trip to your local health food store and check out your various options, or check out the natural foods aisle at your grocer. Flax seeds should be widely available there if you are interested in trying them. Hopefully these suggestions will benefit you and your child in some way. Too bad doctors don't know these things! ;)

Herman Cain Misquotes the Constitution

     My son is currently learning about the founding of our country in history class. I can say this because I homeschool him and know exactly what he is reading everyday in his history book, Build Our Nation. I point this out because if your child is in public school, there is a chance that s/he is not learning history on a daily basis, if at all. I've heard numerous complaints (and have seen some evidence myself) of the lack of teaching of this very important subject to our youth. Much of the focus in public school is put on reading and math, even to the neglect of teaching writing skills! This is no accident, as the schools ARE run by the government, and I'm sorry to say, the government has NO incentive to educate our children on history. The dumber we are, the better.
     Yesterday we read about the Declaration of Independence, and how it lead to the Revolutionary War. We learned about treason, and I thought about how that word is thrown around so much these days in regards to our political "leaders."We learned what a Patriot was, and we discussed what a Patriot would do in today's times. We also learned about Liberty, and how even in the days of fighting for our Liberty, our founding fathers neglected to see the Liberty for ALL, including women and people of color. After our lesson, we discussed the lack of history teaching in schools. I pointed out to my son that many of his friends are not learning what he is learning, and our country will suffer for it. I was able to tie in how lack of education can make you look ignorant in the future, similar to how many of the GOP candidates look ignorant when they "quote" the Constitution, but have no idea what they are talking about.
     Case in point, Herman Cain in a speech about how everyone should re-read the Constitution, actually quoted the Declaration of Independence, giving credit to the Constitution. It's not as though these speeches are given on the fly...these things are planned. So Cain and anyone else involved in this speech did not catch the gaffe. Yikes. I have to mention also, that Cain did not realize that China had nuclear weapons...since 1964...and this happened during his lifetime!
     When we do not know history, we cannot look back. It is not that history won't repeat itself, but it's that we will better know how to handle it when it does. Or we will know better how to navigate our decisions in life or politics, should any of our children grow up to become leaders of our country. (And by the way, SOME of them will, because they have no choice!)
     So do your kids a favor, and put some maps up in your house. Get a globe and place it in a visible area. I can't tell you how many times we have had to pull our globe down for discussions outside of school time. Talk about the leaders of countries, where countries are located, economics, and even about human infallibility and its role in mistakes our leaders have made. Your kids should know definitions of capitalism, fascism, socialism, communism, and how to recognize them. They should know the history of different religions. They should know the history of our military. They should even know about the history of our existence, still debated today.
     When our children grow up, they will either understand the world, or they will not. Hopefully they won't grow up and make a fool of themselves in a televised speech, but would you prefer they make a fool of themselves in a public conversation amongst peers or co-workers? Remember, too, that when you get older, it is YOUR child's peers that will make decisions for you. And if nothing I've said matters, THAT should matter to you most!

Do you have cellulite?

A few years ago, I lost about 20 lbs. during one month. That might sound good, except that I am 5'6" and had dropped to 100 lbs. It took me a couple of years to put the weight back on. I added back muscle first, because I was literally exercising all day. I did my own workout, then played soccer or basketball or baseball, or whatever, with my kids. But then things changed and I wasn't able to work out regularly for a while. And I noticed that I was getting "fluffy" and I wasn't so healthy anymore. But that wasn't the worst of it!
I also noticed that dreaded dimpling in fatty areas, where I wasn't used to even having fat! Uggghh, I thought, must be from turning 40. So I've gotten more active, and I've been more aware of what I've been eating and making sure I'm not overeating for my metabolism. Thankfully, I came across an article that explained WHY the dimpling (also known as cellulite) occurs and what I can do about it. Thank the Lord! Instead of feeling like there is nothing I can do but blame my age, I now know that the habits I once took part in are exactly what I need to do...rebounding, detoxing, drinking lots of water, and massage. You can read the article yourself, to learn as much as possible about getting rid of cellulite and being healthier overall. You will notice that cellulite isn't just not pretty, it is a sign that you are not healthy, and that is more important than worrying about looks! I want to be around for my kids until I can make them take care of me, so I'd better start taking care of me, too!

Capitalism for Kids

I bought this book a while back, when my kids were too young to appreciate it. They are now almost 9 and 10.5, so I am giving them an allowance bonus if they choose it for one of their weekly books. Because I work at home, my kids already have a different perspective from the kids who attend school all day. They are already asking about starting their own businesses and setting up their own websites. So having them read Capitalism for Kids by Karl Hess is step one in moving in that direction. In my opinion, ALL kids should read this book. It should be required reading in the classroom, whether at home or at school. The problem we are having in the United States is that too many children are growing up thinking they must get a job. So now we have a lot of people without jobs because of our poor economy, and people who don't know how to go out and start their own businesses. While some people believe that people are either born entrepreneurs or not, I do not believe this is true. We either learn it or we don't, and if we aren't exposed to entrepreneurship while growing up, we are less likely to view it as a viable option. This book helps both kids and adults see the value in keeping it as an option, and simplifies capitalism for kids. Get your copy today and watch your view on starting a business change as your mind expands.

How to Teach Your Kids About the Middle East Wars When You Have NO Clue

If everything you know about the Middle East is what you have seen on the nightly news, let me be the first to break the news to you...you have no clue what is really going on. You may have children old enough to question you, or older children who really need to know because they are old enough to get it, but if you don't get it yourself, THEY NEVER WILL. Unfortunately, not even teachers really know what's going on, except in rare cases, and then they may not have time to discuss current events, which is sad but very true. But don't worry, because there is a way to get the information you need so that you can bring it down to your kids' level and you can share it with your older child to learn and dissect on his own. All you need is The Thousand Year War in the Mideast: How It Affects You Today (An Uncle Eric Book). This book explains how events on the other side of the world a thousand years ago can affect us more than events in our own hometowns today. The events of the Thousand Year War have been the cause of great shocks to our economy and investment markets, including: the oil embargoes, the Iranian hostage crisis, the Iraq-Kuwait war, and the Caucasus Wars over the Caspian Sea oil basin. This is a great book and can be used for courses in world history, European/Mideast history, international affairs, government, economics, business, finance, and current events. In my opinion, it should be required reading for every student!

Women's Right to Vote

Whether you are teaching your kids at home or not, this is something about which you need to educate your daughters (and sons for that matter). According to this chart, only a little over half of the citizens of voting age in the United States actually votes in presidential elections. Other sites may show statistical differences, but the fact remains that the United States has one of the worst voter turn outs when compared to the rest of the world. This is disgraceful! I admit that it has been difficult for me to vote for the common "lesser of two evils" that we all talk about every four years, but I have voted nonetheless. In 2012, however, I have a reason for really caring about what will happen, because this time we have a real chance at getting a man into office who will not just go along with the status quo. Please visit his site to learn more about him! Your children's future depends on this vote, and he is the real candidate to provide them a future of promise!
If your children aren't aware of the privilege it is to vote in our country, I suggest you share this page with them. This is something kids are not really taught at school unless they have a teacher who sees the need. And I personally don't think we should just hope that they are learning these things...we should make sure of it!

Teaching Monetary Responsibility at Home

Have you heard of FamZoo.com ? It is a great program set up to help kids "earn" money from you, and spend it, save it, or give it. It is an online account that you can set up in a way that meets your family's needs. Each child has his or her own account, sort of like online banking. They can see how much they have, have saved, or jobs they can do to earn more money. I have had this idea in my head for a long time, and even set up an Excel spreadsheet years ago that was such a pain I didn't keep up with it. But this program is awesome. Now that my kids are older, they can log in and keep ME accountable as I teach them about earning, spending, and saving...all in the safety of our home before they venture out into the real world with real money and real debt. If only FamZoo could create a program for the government...

Amazing Product for Soap Scum

I can't even believe I'm blogging about this at 7:25 am. But I have to. I have three different cleaning products under my bathroom counter for soap and hard water scum and they are all useless. But when shopping for a new product that might actually work without killing me, I found the "Scotch-Brite Easy Eraser." I had used the Magic Eraser before, but had no clue that these could be used for soap scum. Duh.
It's a miracle! My tub was HORRIBLE. We have hard water, and the build up was bad. I'd put off cleaning it for way too long. I would have taken before and after pictures, but I was too embarressed. Nobody should see a tub like that! The scum came off like magic. I barely had to scrub at all. If you haven't tried these products before, they get just about everything off of any surface imaginable. And now you know they work on soap scum, too! Happy cleaning!

Is it Puberty?!

I remember puberty...it came early for me, so I might be a little hyper-vigilant looking for the signs in my kids. I was 8 years old when the changes started, and barely 11 when my first period came. So now that my kids are almost 9 (girl) and 10 (boy), while I'm hoping I've got a year or two, I'm getting suspicious that not only is puberty arriving, it's arriving for both kids at the same time!
I started worrying about my son because he was checking his temperature every night, sometimes during the day, and sure enough, his body temperature was elevated. Normally, his body temperature is around 97 degrees. But his were in the 99's and at first I thought he was sick. Then it just went on and on and I'm going to settle on puberty as the reason, because I'm thinking my only alternative is something serious like cancer! He has also been more tired, having nightmares, and more recently, has not been able to concentrate. He is having trouble focusing on his schoolwork and literally can't bring himself to sit down and get it done. This is very abnormal for him, and for the life of me I can't find a reason for the sudden change.
I can't find much information online about body temperature changing during hormonal activity in puberty, but I've noticed mine change during pregnancy, and now perimenopause. As I type this, it's 70 degrees in my house and I'm sitting here in a short sleeve shirt. Just last year I would be shivering at 70 degrees. I have a hard time doing a lot because I tend to get much hotter than I remember. So I'm thinking, maybe it happens during puberty, as well. I just can't find much documentation on it!
At this point, I'm hoping it's hormones, because that's natural. Illness is not, and if it is an illness I'm hoping it's nothing serious. If you have any experience with this, or if you have noticed the increase in temperature for your child, please comment!

My, How Time Flies!

I don't know when it happened, but at some point I realized how quickly time was zooming by. It started with realizing how quickly a new month came up and bills were due...AGAIN. Then, it was as if June came the day after New Year's eve...and quickly it was October. Before I know it, it will be 2012 and taxes will be due, and I will find myself trying to remember Christmas. Is this what getting old is like?

As if that isn't bad enough, I only have to look at my children to realize how quickly time is flying. I can't believe they are 10 and 8 (almost 9)! I look at my old posts on here and see how they have changed over the years. I remember all the fun we have had; the good times of laughing and just spending time together doing school or having fun at the park. I remember the camping trips and road trips, and going skating every weekend. I remember getting out the Easter decorations, coloring eggs, and hiding eggs in the yard. Or decorating the Christmas tree, and opening presents Christmas morning.

The more I remember, the more I realize as my children have gotten older, the less I have done with them. I spend a lot of time with them...in the same room...but how much time I actually spend making these wonderful memories has diminished. It isn't that I don't feel it's important as they get older. It's more that time has gotten away from me and I always think we have "later" to take part in activities together. Well, later is now. Before I know it, they will be married and having their own kids. And when they do, I want them to remember all these things, and make memories with their own kids because they have such fond memories of their childhood. Right now they think a minute takes forever, but I'm sure when they have their own kids, they will see how time flies, too!

Imagine for a moment...

Imagine for a moment, a world where your innocent little eight year old girl is awakened from sleep by a violent pounding at the door. She runs to find you opening the door to armed soldiers, pushing you aside while they enter to search for weapons. Your little girl is shaking as she clings to you, and tears begin to fall down her face. She hears the men talking as they rummage through the house, in deep, mean voices, but does not understand what they say. Two days ago, she saw her friend killed on the street while they played. She is not sure if these are the same men. Imagine her fear, her heart pounding out of her chest; sweat pouring down her face, with the tears that you cannot wipe away. By her feet, there is a puddle on the floor...




Can you see her?




Now imagine the girl is an Iraqi.

Your brother is the armed soldier.

And you have supported this for the past ten years.

Now what do you do?

Jon Stewart Destroys Media for Ignoring Ron Paul

For days since the Iowa Straw Poll and Ron Paul's close second place finish to Michelle Bachmann, the media has written off Ron Paul as a contender for the GOP nomination. Jon Stewart, and Ron Paul fans across the country, want to know why? This video is hilarious. Thanks to Jon Stewart for shining the light for your viewers, and helping those of us frustrated about this to at least get a good laugh. Our corporate media is a joke! People, start doing the research now before the media selects your "two evils" left in the end!

 The video we had posted here was changed somehow, and I can't find the video on Youtube. But if you search for Jon Stewart and Ron Paul videos, you will find some good ones still.

Ron Paul is Shut Out by the Media

What is going on right now with the Republican presidential candidates for the 2012 election is beyond ridiculous. In all my life I have not experienced such absurd media bias! Here is a great video on how Ron Paul has been shut out by the media (unless of course they want to speak to an expert on the economy or other matters, because they know he is the most intelligent person in congress and the only one who has predicted exactly what has taken place for decades with 100% accuracy.) If you have children old enough to understand (maybe age 12 and up) I would let them watch this video. What a great lesson!

The video is here.

Single Parent Homeschooling

I came across an excellent article about single parent homeschooling. Please read it here and then come back and comment!

As I read the article, I felt the author was speaking right at me. I realized there were others out there in the same boat and it made me feel like I wasn't alone in this. I also identified with feeling all alone, and feeling like I was "out" because my ex-husband and I divorced. I was even told by a fellow homeschooler to prepare to be turned away from some homeschooling co-ops because of my single or "divorced" status. I know she was only trying to be helpful, but it may have closed doors that I never tried to open.

I work from home, and currently receive no child support. That is a long story all in itself, and I can tell you that it makes for LONG days when you are working, teaching, doing household chores, driving kids to activities, all the while concerned that you might not be able to pay your bills that month. As a Christian I have learned over and over again that He WILL take care of our needs, but in the flesh, I worry, as well as have to deal with anger over a father who neglects to help me take care of OUR children.

I also fight jealousy over friends on facebook sharing about their vacations and all the fun things they get to do. I have tried to get my kids to the beach every summer, but have only made it once so far and that was because we were receiving child support. If I am not working, I am thinking about new ways to make money, or better ways to advertise my products or websites. I am constantly "on" and this does not result in anything positive (just ask my kids!) This is 100% because of my kids' father. I currently do not have health insurance. My kids are on the state insurance program, but I make too much to qualify for myself. I cannot put away for retirement because every penny I make goes into our bills. Sometimes I wonder how long this can go on, but all I can do right now is keep on.

Over everything, I know that homeschooling my kids is 100% the right choice for our family. If I do this right, they will turn out to be wonderful people who will take care of me in my old age and that retirement I can't save for will not be missed at all!

My 10 Year-Old Got Braces

This child and his teeth...SIGH. It has been a topic of discussion since the day he was born. He constantly cried, and I wondered if two months was too early to teethe. There was lots of drool, but that was normal, right? The first teeth arrived at three months of age. By the time he was ten months old, he had ten teeth. By the time he was four years, he had his first root canal. His teeth were not healthy, and at age five, more (expensive) dental work was done. You can read about our journey here.

Last year, I noticed that his twelve-year molars were already erupting. He was nine! Once they came in fully, his bottom teeth began crowding. He already had an overbite and a tooth that did not come down fully, which the kids were beginning to pick on. He began asking me regularly for braces. I could not afford them. But even more, I was afraid that he would have to endure the same trauma I did: extractions, including permanent teeth. As an adult, I REALLY wish I still had those teeth, because they do come in handy! All together I had ten teeth pulled, obviously most of them baby teeth. I was not looking forward to dealing with that and making permanent decisions for my son's mouth!

Luckily, I did not have to make that decision. Though some orthodontists still pull teeth, it is usually only in extreme cases. A new system of braces, the Damon System, made it possible for us to rely only on the braces to move the teeth and make more room in his mouth. Here is a video that shows this system:


It didn't even occur to me to ask, until I was speaking with my neighbor, if my son had any baby teeth left. My son says he lost them all, but I can't remember! So I will have to ask the orthodontist at our next visit if any of the teeth remaining are baby teeth. It is odd that a ten year old would have all of his permanent teeth already, but this child's teeth have been odd since day one! The orthodontist did say that he saw tiny buds developing...wisdom teeth! Ugggghhhhhh!

Anyway, he is on day three with braces. Not going too well so far. He was not estimating the pain factor very well and was asking to take the wire off on the first day. I am running out of ibuprofen and he is likely losing weight he can't afford to lose because it hurts to eat anything. I'm pumping him with raw milk and Ovaltine, and anything else he can squish with his tongue on the roof of his mouth. We are already seeing a difference in his teeth. He's hoping it won't take the full 24 months, but I told him that's NOT what he wanted as that probably will mean more pain to move them faster. He has an overbite, and four of his brackets have hooks for future rubberbands. THAT should be fun.

If you live in Wichita, KS, I suggest Trimmell Orthodontics. They have an office on the east and west side. They are great to work with, and were $500 cheaper than the first orthodontist we visited.