It seems like the recent year has been plagued with disappointment by way of people we once deemed at the top of the moral heap. It's been a rough year for us in terms of shock and horror at the truth we have found in those we once thought above reproach. Because of this brutal fall from social grace, I have come to realize that idolizing normal people who have been artificially pedestalled due to their fame, can be traumatic. Even as an adult, these realities we've been hit with are so far from what we believed that it seemed almost impossible. My brain has literally glitched over some of these recent revelations. "Does not compute. Error. Error." So here are just a few of the monumental disappointments we've had to suffer recently:
1. Cliff Huxtable the OBGYN is actually a serial rapist.
2. Brian Williams, a journalist paid to distribute unbiased truth, is actually a compulsive liar.
3. Tom Brady, one of the world's best role models for good sportsmanship is actually a cheater and a liar.
4. Lance Armstrong, revered for his survival and perseverance is actually a cheater and a liar.
5. America's most morally high and religiously sound family, the Duggars, actually harbor and protect a child molester at the expense of some of their other children and lie about it for the sake of fame and fortune.
These are just the ones off the top of my head. So what is the take away lesson here for our kids?
Well, in my opinion, teaching them to put their trust and admiration in the hands of fallible humans they really don't know anything about is dangerous. As we have seen proven over and over again recently, these people will disappoint our children and then we will have a lot of explaining to do.
So who should our children be admiring? Well, their parents for one. You are the closest people to your children. They know you better than anyone. It is least vulnerable for them to put their trust and faith in you. But, this means you now have a very close reason to keep yourself in check. We all fall down from where we'd like to be as parents from time to time. I for one have a horrific potty mouth that probably tells my children it's okay to be classless from time to time....completely the wrong message but still there it is.....
But, I think we take ourselves for granted as parents and we forget how awesome we are and how much our children do and should admire and respect us. They should know what we do, how we live our lives, what our struggles and successes are. They should learn from our mistakes and witness how we come back from a failure or a misstep. We are their best teachers. We are their best role models. We don't need to be an actor in a groundbreaking TV series, or an award winning international journalist, or a Super Bowl quarterback or the most famous cyclist in the world or the most fertile and prolific people on the planet. We just have to be honest and present.
So my challenge for everyone reading, and this includes myself, is to see yourself as that role model for your kids, to hold yourself to that expectation and to teach your kids to see you that way as well. We can't be accountable for other people's behavior so why put our children's admiration in those we have no control over? We CAN control our own behavior. We are the safest bet for our kids. We are real.
What our children learn from these inevitable disappointments society sets them up for by creating these facades in front of morally blank people is that they can't trust people. When all the while we should be doing everything we can to teach them WHO they can trust. My daughter is so vulnerable. She believes everything she hears on television. She tells me all the time, "Mommy we should buy that. The commercial says it's the best." I worry about her innocence and her genuine faith in humanity. I don't want to see it pummeled. I know I can't and shouldn't protect her from the harsh realities of the world. I want her to be resilient. But I believe that resilience is bolstered not just by scars from negative experiences but more so by a firm foundation in faith in the things that are real and steadfast and true. The most real, steadfast and true thing in the world for her is the love and security she gets from this family.
So just to gain some perspective on all of this, celebrities, characters and personas are going to continue to disappoint. I predict they will continue to drop like flies and society will get more and more cynical and desensitized to it. In the mean time, I want to work hard to provide something real that my kids can believe in. Something steadfast they can count on. Something true they can know. I want my kids to embody what will someday be the example. Maybe if we all do that, we can turn this sinking ship around.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
A Dose of Uno: Why We Love Games and Why We Start Them Early
Mariella has been playing the game of Uno with us since she was 4 years old, even though the game is rated ages 7 and up. This is because of two reasons. First, I have fond memories of playing the game when I was a kid and still rate it as one of my all time favorite games to play. Second, as a parent, it dawned on me what a powerful game it is in terms of brain development. So, we started her early and figured if she could play it and understand the object of the game at the age of four, then why wait till she's 7 to help her brain develop critical thinking skills.
If you remember Uno, it has numbers and colors and involves matching, patterns, addition, and quick thinking. It is a game of strategy. Every family differs slightly on the rules of play I think, but overall the game plays out until one person plays their last card. It is a lot of fun. So we figured, what a great way to teach her numbers, colors and math! Now, at the age of 5 1/2 she is almost always the undisputed family champion of the game. I love watching her play, knowing that as she looks at the cards in her hand she is actually working through strategy in her mind. She is able to think on her feet, maximize the use of the cards in her hand and she knows just when to play what cards. It is amazing to watch. She gets it.
The reason I decided to mention this is because I noticed how much it has helped our child develop thinking skills and because I think too often we assume that maybe our kids aren't ready for certain things. But I say from experience, try it, go for it. If your kids aren't ready, you'll know. But if they are then you've just opened a new door for them and how exciting is that??
Here are just a few of the benefits of Uno:
1. Logic and Reasoning skills
2. Processing Speed
3. Problem Solving
4. Sustained Attention
5. Short Term Memory
6. Working Memory
7. Visual Processing
There are many other games that are also fun and develop thinking skills too. For instance, we are about to introduce her to Yahtzee, even though the game is rated for ages 8 and up. Scrabble, Skip Bo, and any old card game are also great for learning.
I grew up around old people and we played a ton of games; board games and card games. I was playing things like Kings in the Corner, Rummy, Hearts, Black Jack, Crazy Eights, Solitaire, Pinochle, Skin, Slapjack, War, and various forms of Poker starting at the age of five. Mostly because my great grandparents took care of me during the day and they were Hungarian and Italian and also because I think they didn't know what else to do with me. But, they inadvertently made me a quick thinker and a good player and I have fond memories of gambling at the kitchen table with my great grandma and her best friend. They'd bring little old purses of loose change and clonk them down on the table and when the game started, friendship went out the door. They were serious players. I loved that. But I also loved learning how to play. It felt powerful to know how to play a game and become good at it. And if you can beat an 80 year old Hungarian woman at pinochle, then God bless you that's an accomplishment.
So I say, play games with your kids even if you think they're too young to learn. They might surprise you and hell they might even become better than you. And in the process you get to build fun family bonding time and great memories for your kids. Memories they will get to enjoy for a long time because they will have remarkable brains.
If you remember Uno, it has numbers and colors and involves matching, patterns, addition, and quick thinking. It is a game of strategy. Every family differs slightly on the rules of play I think, but overall the game plays out until one person plays their last card. It is a lot of fun. So we figured, what a great way to teach her numbers, colors and math! Now, at the age of 5 1/2 she is almost always the undisputed family champion of the game. I love watching her play, knowing that as she looks at the cards in her hand she is actually working through strategy in her mind. She is able to think on her feet, maximize the use of the cards in her hand and she knows just when to play what cards. It is amazing to watch. She gets it.
The reason I decided to mention this is because I noticed how much it has helped our child develop thinking skills and because I think too often we assume that maybe our kids aren't ready for certain things. But I say from experience, try it, go for it. If your kids aren't ready, you'll know. But if they are then you've just opened a new door for them and how exciting is that??
Here are just a few of the benefits of Uno:
1. Logic and Reasoning skills
2. Processing Speed
3. Problem Solving
4. Sustained Attention
5. Short Term Memory
6. Working Memory
7. Visual Processing
There are many other games that are also fun and develop thinking skills too. For instance, we are about to introduce her to Yahtzee, even though the game is rated for ages 8 and up. Scrabble, Skip Bo, and any old card game are also great for learning.
I grew up around old people and we played a ton of games; board games and card games. I was playing things like Kings in the Corner, Rummy, Hearts, Black Jack, Crazy Eights, Solitaire, Pinochle, Skin, Slapjack, War, and various forms of Poker starting at the age of five. Mostly because my great grandparents took care of me during the day and they were Hungarian and Italian and also because I think they didn't know what else to do with me. But, they inadvertently made me a quick thinker and a good player and I have fond memories of gambling at the kitchen table with my great grandma and her best friend. They'd bring little old purses of loose change and clonk them down on the table and when the game started, friendship went out the door. They were serious players. I loved that. But I also loved learning how to play. It felt powerful to know how to play a game and become good at it. And if you can beat an 80 year old Hungarian woman at pinochle, then God bless you that's an accomplishment.
So I say, play games with your kids even if you think they're too young to learn. They might surprise you and hell they might even become better than you. And in the process you get to build fun family bonding time and great memories for your kids. Memories they will get to enjoy for a long time because they will have remarkable brains.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
The Oxygen Mask: A Weekly Dedication to Taking Care of the Caretaker: Over-Momming It
I recently read an article titled, "7 Things That Good Mothers Do That I'm Not Going to Do Anymore," http://www.themid.com/family/7-things-that-good-mothers-do-that-im-not-going-to-do-anymore?u=JIOdvDkxzs and I have to say it was so refreshing and inspiring. So, on that topic, I would like to add to her liberating and empowering list with a few things that I additionally will no longer do.*
1. Share the bathroom with voyeurs and visitors. For the last 5 years, I have almost never had the pleasure of being in the bathroom alone. My son insists on sliding into the small space between the toilet and the wall as I'm relieving myself, and will scream and force himself into the wedge if I try to push back. I'm like a bouncer at a boy band concert trying to hold back a hysterically obsessed maniac. My daughter insists on throwing open the shower curtain with dramatic flair to announce that she found the shoes for her princess doll and will act completely put off if I have the audacity to take offense to her invasion. From now on, they can kick and scream at the door all they want. My time in the bathroom is mine. My husband gets a whole glorious half and hour all to himself every day while he takes a dump. He demands it as a requirement for his physical health. It is mandatory and non-negotiable. So, if he can have his half an hour, I'm taking my 5 to 10 minutes. And my kids should learn now that everyone deserves privacy and alone time, that no one is ever obligated to be at their beckon call especially to the detriment of their own physical needs.
2. Share my food with people who will otherwise go on a hunger strike than eat their own meal. This is probably the time when my children are the biggest hypocrites. My son would be the perfect war prisoner because he absolutely refuses to eat and will fight to the death. He would rather starve than eat one spoonful of whatever it is I'm serving that day. But the minute I sit down with my own meal, he is all over me trying to get at it and will scream and grab the bowl until I give him a bite. It is insanity. So, from now on, my meal is mine and yours is yours. Eat it, don't eat it, whatever but you're not getting mine. I need all the calories I can get if I'm going to continue the daily slave labor that is motherhood. And my belief has always been that a hungry child will eat what you put in front of them eventually. They won't hold out forever. But sending the message that you can have whatever you want whenever you want it at the expense of other people's comfort and needs is the wrong message in my opinion.
3. Referee every confrontation. I increasingly, as my son gets older, spend more time dealing with their confrontations. There are days when I feel like all I get done is separating, mediating, negotiating and solving problems between them. So from now on, with the exception of inflicted actual physical harm, I am letting them sort it out themselves. Kids need to learn how to advocate for themselves and work out conflict on their own. It is unrealistic to think there will always be someone there to fight your battles for you. The world doesn't work that way unless you can afford to keep a lawyer on retainer. So, I am moving from referee to coach. I will teach them the tools they need to communicate and problem solve effectively but I'm not going to do it for them anymore. Kids have an innate sense of justice that dissolves over time when they learn that they can just run to mommy for a quick solution to their problem. I would rather build on the sensibilities they were born with and develop them into strong effective individuals than cripple them into helpless cry babies because my trigger is to have peace as quickly as possible. The house might be louder but in the end, I know they will be better off.
4. Feel guilty for not "playing" with my kids everyday. I do a lot for my kids everyday. I take them to all of their extra-curricular activities, I lead my daughter's Girl Scout troop, I plan birthday parties from scratch, I home school, I go to great lengths to make sure my kids have access to as many developmental toys and books as possible....it's a lot. But I do it because I am wholly invested in their development. So why do I feel guilty if I don't "play" with them every day? My kids are great at independent play, one on one play with their peers and group play. They are well developed in all areas of play. And yet, I feel guilty if I'm not on the floor playing with them. My husband and I "play" differently. He is wonderful at silliness and imaginative, creative play. He will design an elaborate obstacle course for the Hot Wheels cars out of objects found around the house and he will happily wear a tutu on his head as a wig. He will go along with whatever silly pretend play the kids want to do and they LOVE him for it. But I'm a more serious, intentional type of "player." I play games, do puzzles, read books, color and do art projects or take the kids some place to engage in an activity. My "play" has to have purpose. It is almost painful for me to have to "play house" or "babies" or "doll house" or "princess." My husband and I have different personalities. We're individuals and I feel like it should be not only okay, but wonderful that my kids are exposed to a balanced type of play, getting different things from the both of us. And yet, I feel guilty that I'm not a "pretend player." I can't change who I am. I can't be all things to all people. And I think trying to be something you're not instead of embracing who you are sends the wrong message to kids. I'm a human being with preferences, interests, needs, strengths and weaknesses and I want my kids to see me that way instead of some blobulous mom mass that they can mold into whatever person they need at that moment. I don't want to feel guilty anymore that I'm not the all-mom. I'm a good mom, I'm a very good mom. But I'm not a perfect mom and it's better that they find that out now and learn how to accept it. It will help them in their relationships down the road to accept people for who they are and not put unreasonable expectations on people. Honesty about who we are in relationships makes for more healthy relationships.
5. Bend over backwards to please. The lifestyle of my children has an ever-growing rider that becomes more ridiculous by the day. I am not a personal assistant or concierge. In fact the sum of my legal obligation to these children is to keep them clean, fed, healthy and safe. Beyond that, I don't really have to do anything. But, what I find is that, I am doing more and more every day to fulfill their comfort needs and requests. When we go anywhere in the car, and I mean anywhere, for even five minutes we have to take drinks. Max has to have a 1 to 4 ratio of water to apple juice. He refuses to drink it otherwise. We also have to bring snacks. But, they have to be either graham crackers but only the chocolate kind, or fig newtons. They will not accept Goldfish or animal crackers or any other type of cracker or cookie. At lunch, Mariella must have her sandwich cut into four squares. Even though she is capable of eating the sandwich as a whole, she will refuse. At bed time, Max must have his 1 to 4 juice water, his dolly and his particular blanket. He will not go to bed without these things. Mariella must wear a certain type of pajamas, she must have her doggy and she must have only certain blankets and sheets. The music must be on and the light at a certain level. At breakfast, Max will only eat a certain type of cereal. He will not accept any substitutions or alternatives. At all meals Mariella must have a fresh glass of cold filtered water from the fridge. She absolutely will not drink water any other way. Even if it sat there for five minutes, it must be refreshed. Also in the car Mariella must have her Leap Pad or her father's Kindle. She claims she cannot survive without one or both of these items. At bath time, the water has to be at the perfect temperature or else it is considered unsuitable. And only a specific light can be turned on, the shower curtain has to be closed half way, and she must have a specific list of toys. In addition, she must have a certain type and color of scrubby, but also a wash cloth but it must be a soft one. If it's scratchy she won't use it. At breakfast, Mariella must have a glass of orange juice filled to the same point every day. If it's too little or too much, I am notified of her disapproval. When Max goes down for a nap, Mariella demands her quiet time which I personally approve of. However, it must be in the spare bedroom, with her princess dolls, a drink and two Oreo cookies. This must be the same every day. If we run out of Oreo cookies, I risk getting fired. Max must have Greek yogurt at every meal and at snack time. But it must only be certain flavors. I love that my children are strong people who know what they want and can articulate that. But as you can see, their expectations have become unreasonable and unless they become Kardashians I'm not sure how they are going to continue this lifestyle after I'm dead. So, I think it is important to teach them about reasonable expectations but also the independence to fulfill some of their needs on their own. In many other ways my children are incredibly grateful and easy to please. They don't care that their toys and clothes are used or that we go to Chuck E Cheese instead of Disney World. They are happy children. But, their list of required creature comforts have gotten a little out of control.
I love my children with my whole being. They are a part of me. But I fear some times that I am losing a sense of myself as I become more submerged in the world of my kids and their demands and expectations. Who will I have become when they leave home? How will they ever know the real me? My kids are loving, polite, caring and sweet people. But I also want them to be considerate, compassionate, empathetic and thoughtful. It is my job as a mother to make sure they become well-balanced, effective members of society. It is not my job to cater to their every whim and they will never become well-balanced and effective if I continue to do so. And I will be a shell of my former self by the time their grown. We as mothers can give ourselves to our children without giving everything we have. And it should be no one's expectation that I sacrifice my whole self and all of my energy to my kids lest I be a "bad mom." Maybe the old adage, "less is more" really is the way forward for motherhood.
*(I agree with Anderson on all points with one exception. I will continue to buy the best quality food for my kids even if it costs a little more. I agree that overspending on the fashion trend of "organic" can get ridiculous and we need to be scrutinous on this issue because as mom's we are not only beholden to our children's health but also the family budget. But, I think it is important to buy local, buy in season, buy all natural and buy as much whole food as possible. If you can get it organic, great, if not, there are other ways to improve your family's diet without breaking the bank. But effort needs to be made. We can't give up on this movement towards better food).
1. Share the bathroom with voyeurs and visitors. For the last 5 years, I have almost never had the pleasure of being in the bathroom alone. My son insists on sliding into the small space between the toilet and the wall as I'm relieving myself, and will scream and force himself into the wedge if I try to push back. I'm like a bouncer at a boy band concert trying to hold back a hysterically obsessed maniac. My daughter insists on throwing open the shower curtain with dramatic flair to announce that she found the shoes for her princess doll and will act completely put off if I have the audacity to take offense to her invasion. From now on, they can kick and scream at the door all they want. My time in the bathroom is mine. My husband gets a whole glorious half and hour all to himself every day while he takes a dump. He demands it as a requirement for his physical health. It is mandatory and non-negotiable. So, if he can have his half an hour, I'm taking my 5 to 10 minutes. And my kids should learn now that everyone deserves privacy and alone time, that no one is ever obligated to be at their beckon call especially to the detriment of their own physical needs.
2. Share my food with people who will otherwise go on a hunger strike than eat their own meal. This is probably the time when my children are the biggest hypocrites. My son would be the perfect war prisoner because he absolutely refuses to eat and will fight to the death. He would rather starve than eat one spoonful of whatever it is I'm serving that day. But the minute I sit down with my own meal, he is all over me trying to get at it and will scream and grab the bowl until I give him a bite. It is insanity. So, from now on, my meal is mine and yours is yours. Eat it, don't eat it, whatever but you're not getting mine. I need all the calories I can get if I'm going to continue the daily slave labor that is motherhood. And my belief has always been that a hungry child will eat what you put in front of them eventually. They won't hold out forever. But sending the message that you can have whatever you want whenever you want it at the expense of other people's comfort and needs is the wrong message in my opinion.
3. Referee every confrontation. I increasingly, as my son gets older, spend more time dealing with their confrontations. There are days when I feel like all I get done is separating, mediating, negotiating and solving problems between them. So from now on, with the exception of inflicted actual physical harm, I am letting them sort it out themselves. Kids need to learn how to advocate for themselves and work out conflict on their own. It is unrealistic to think there will always be someone there to fight your battles for you. The world doesn't work that way unless you can afford to keep a lawyer on retainer. So, I am moving from referee to coach. I will teach them the tools they need to communicate and problem solve effectively but I'm not going to do it for them anymore. Kids have an innate sense of justice that dissolves over time when they learn that they can just run to mommy for a quick solution to their problem. I would rather build on the sensibilities they were born with and develop them into strong effective individuals than cripple them into helpless cry babies because my trigger is to have peace as quickly as possible. The house might be louder but in the end, I know they will be better off.
4. Feel guilty for not "playing" with my kids everyday. I do a lot for my kids everyday. I take them to all of their extra-curricular activities, I lead my daughter's Girl Scout troop, I plan birthday parties from scratch, I home school, I go to great lengths to make sure my kids have access to as many developmental toys and books as possible....it's a lot. But I do it because I am wholly invested in their development. So why do I feel guilty if I don't "play" with them every day? My kids are great at independent play, one on one play with their peers and group play. They are well developed in all areas of play. And yet, I feel guilty if I'm not on the floor playing with them. My husband and I "play" differently. He is wonderful at silliness and imaginative, creative play. He will design an elaborate obstacle course for the Hot Wheels cars out of objects found around the house and he will happily wear a tutu on his head as a wig. He will go along with whatever silly pretend play the kids want to do and they LOVE him for it. But I'm a more serious, intentional type of "player." I play games, do puzzles, read books, color and do art projects or take the kids some place to engage in an activity. My "play" has to have purpose. It is almost painful for me to have to "play house" or "babies" or "doll house" or "princess." My husband and I have different personalities. We're individuals and I feel like it should be not only okay, but wonderful that my kids are exposed to a balanced type of play, getting different things from the both of us. And yet, I feel guilty that I'm not a "pretend player." I can't change who I am. I can't be all things to all people. And I think trying to be something you're not instead of embracing who you are sends the wrong message to kids. I'm a human being with preferences, interests, needs, strengths and weaknesses and I want my kids to see me that way instead of some blobulous mom mass that they can mold into whatever person they need at that moment. I don't want to feel guilty anymore that I'm not the all-mom. I'm a good mom, I'm a very good mom. But I'm not a perfect mom and it's better that they find that out now and learn how to accept it. It will help them in their relationships down the road to accept people for who they are and not put unreasonable expectations on people. Honesty about who we are in relationships makes for more healthy relationships.
5. Bend over backwards to please. The lifestyle of my children has an ever-growing rider that becomes more ridiculous by the day. I am not a personal assistant or concierge. In fact the sum of my legal obligation to these children is to keep them clean, fed, healthy and safe. Beyond that, I don't really have to do anything. But, what I find is that, I am doing more and more every day to fulfill their comfort needs and requests. When we go anywhere in the car, and I mean anywhere, for even five minutes we have to take drinks. Max has to have a 1 to 4 ratio of water to apple juice. He refuses to drink it otherwise. We also have to bring snacks. But, they have to be either graham crackers but only the chocolate kind, or fig newtons. They will not accept Goldfish or animal crackers or any other type of cracker or cookie. At lunch, Mariella must have her sandwich cut into four squares. Even though she is capable of eating the sandwich as a whole, she will refuse. At bed time, Max must have his 1 to 4 juice water, his dolly and his particular blanket. He will not go to bed without these things. Mariella must wear a certain type of pajamas, she must have her doggy and she must have only certain blankets and sheets. The music must be on and the light at a certain level. At breakfast, Max will only eat a certain type of cereal. He will not accept any substitutions or alternatives. At all meals Mariella must have a fresh glass of cold filtered water from the fridge. She absolutely will not drink water any other way. Even if it sat there for five minutes, it must be refreshed. Also in the car Mariella must have her Leap Pad or her father's Kindle. She claims she cannot survive without one or both of these items. At bath time, the water has to be at the perfect temperature or else it is considered unsuitable. And only a specific light can be turned on, the shower curtain has to be closed half way, and she must have a specific list of toys. In addition, she must have a certain type and color of scrubby, but also a wash cloth but it must be a soft one. If it's scratchy she won't use it. At breakfast, Mariella must have a glass of orange juice filled to the same point every day. If it's too little or too much, I am notified of her disapproval. When Max goes down for a nap, Mariella demands her quiet time which I personally approve of. However, it must be in the spare bedroom, with her princess dolls, a drink and two Oreo cookies. This must be the same every day. If we run out of Oreo cookies, I risk getting fired. Max must have Greek yogurt at every meal and at snack time. But it must only be certain flavors. I love that my children are strong people who know what they want and can articulate that. But as you can see, their expectations have become unreasonable and unless they become Kardashians I'm not sure how they are going to continue this lifestyle after I'm dead. So, I think it is important to teach them about reasonable expectations but also the independence to fulfill some of their needs on their own. In many other ways my children are incredibly grateful and easy to please. They don't care that their toys and clothes are used or that we go to Chuck E Cheese instead of Disney World. They are happy children. But, their list of required creature comforts have gotten a little out of control.
I love my children with my whole being. They are a part of me. But I fear some times that I am losing a sense of myself as I become more submerged in the world of my kids and their demands and expectations. Who will I have become when they leave home? How will they ever know the real me? My kids are loving, polite, caring and sweet people. But I also want them to be considerate, compassionate, empathetic and thoughtful. It is my job as a mother to make sure they become well-balanced, effective members of society. It is not my job to cater to their every whim and they will never become well-balanced and effective if I continue to do so. And I will be a shell of my former self by the time their grown. We as mothers can give ourselves to our children without giving everything we have. And it should be no one's expectation that I sacrifice my whole self and all of my energy to my kids lest I be a "bad mom." Maybe the old adage, "less is more" really is the way forward for motherhood.
*(I agree with Anderson on all points with one exception. I will continue to buy the best quality food for my kids even if it costs a little more. I agree that overspending on the fashion trend of "organic" can get ridiculous and we need to be scrutinous on this issue because as mom's we are not only beholden to our children's health but also the family budget. But, I think it is important to buy local, buy in season, buy all natural and buy as much whole food as possible. If you can get it organic, great, if not, there are other ways to improve your family's diet without breaking the bank. But effort needs to be made. We can't give up on this movement towards better food).
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