Those of you with toddlers know that it's not always easy to keep them entertained. Certainly there's nothing worse than a bored, over-energetic toddler, oh no. These little creatures are constantly exploring and learning and need to be stimulated for both development and parents' sanity.
A girlfriend of mine had her daughter's first birthday party at the Corner Cubbyhouse in Five Dock. Unfortunately we were overseas and couldn't attend, but were keen to check it out. We headed there with a friend and her little girl yesterday for a play and a catch up.
Corner Cubbyhouse is the PERFECT place for a busy toddler. It costs around $7.00 for kids and $5.00 for adults, but that price includes a coffee that you can enjoy in relative peace while your little ones play.
There's a special area for 0-3's and another for 3-12 year olds that includes climbing equipment and a MASSIVE slide that I may have tested out (Peter Pan syndrome). The 0-3 area is basically a large fenced in space chock full of soft play equipment, so you can let your child roam free without fearing that they'll get hurt, even if they decide to take a tumble head first down the slide, as mine is inclined to do. We also put the girls on the jumping castle as it was fairly quiet and there were no bigger kids dominating it, and it was pretty cute!
There are plenty of high chairs which makes feeding time easier, and a baby kitchen with a microwave for heating bottles and meals. There's also a baby change room and a cafe with your basic meals like hot chips for bigger kids (and parents!).
Personally I wouldn't take a pre-crawler there, or a baby lacking confidence in general movement, as the kids do go a bit crazy and I've heard it can get pretty packed at times. In general I would say it is better for 1-3 year olds but I've met some younger babies who can really hold their own, so I think it would be at the parents' discretion.
For more information on Corner Cubbyhouse, click here.
Z xx
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
The Veggie Garden
I've never been much of a gardener, in fact I've always been more from the "Bring a living plant into my home and I shall surely kill it" sect. When we moved into our house almost a year ago it came with a ready made garden, which was perfect for me and my equally brown-thumbed husband.
After a few months of living here we realised that even ready made gardens require maintenance, if you don't want them to die. We decided we DIDN'T want to kill our garden, because it looks awesome. In the process of watering, weeding and tending our plants, we discovered that we didn't really hate gardening after all. In fact, we kinda' dug it (OH SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! SNAP).
Our adventures in gardening have so far produced some fledgling herbs (it didn't exactly come naturally), some browning daisies, a thriving succulent garden (the one project not overseen by moi) and a hydrangea that so far refuses to flower. But we haven't given up! We are determined to become the Don and Donna Burke of our generation.
So began "Project Veggie Garden" this past weekend. We copied our friends (who are chefs and by no means brown thumbed, with AMAZING veggie gardens in both their back and front courtyards) and decided to build a largish planter box as we don't have tons of space. My talented husband built this with his BARE HANDS, what a legend.
We aren't quite at the point where we trust ourselves to grow from seeds, and are lucky to live close to a fantastic organic market where they sell tons of seedlings each weekend. Someone (not me) went a little overboard on the seedling purchase, resulting in a fairly crowded veggie garden, but I think it looks quite fab.
I am actually really excited to see the fruits of our labour (PUN #2!) as these plants mature over the next couple of months. Not only will I feel really self sufficient, I will (hopefully) save money and not have to buy seedy Woolworths vegetables.
For me, the greatest thing about this veggie garden is it will limit the neccessity/temptation to buy vegetables based on convenience rather than health/ethical purposes. Undoubtedly pesticides, fertilisers and additives effect the quality and safety of vegetables bought at supermarkets and grocers, and it's not always easy (or cheap) to stock up at organic markets. I never thought much about this before becoming a mother, but lately it's been on my mind.
ANYWAY let's hope these suckers grow! NOMNOM.
Z xx
After a few months of living here we realised that even ready made gardens require maintenance, if you don't want them to die. We decided we DIDN'T want to kill our garden, because it looks awesome. In the process of watering, weeding and tending our plants, we discovered that we didn't really hate gardening after all. In fact, we kinda' dug it (OH SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! SNAP).
Our adventures in gardening have so far produced some fledgling herbs (it didn't exactly come naturally), some browning daisies, a thriving succulent garden (the one project not overseen by moi) and a hydrangea that so far refuses to flower. But we haven't given up! We are determined to become the Don and Donna Burke of our generation.
So began "Project Veggie Garden" this past weekend. We copied our friends (who are chefs and by no means brown thumbed, with AMAZING veggie gardens in both their back and front courtyards) and decided to build a largish planter box as we don't have tons of space. My talented husband built this with his BARE HANDS, what a legend.
 |
| The planter and its maker - materials from Bunnings |
We aren't quite at the point where we trust ourselves to grow from seeds, and are lucky to live close to a fantastic organic market where they sell tons of seedlings each weekend. Someone (not me) went a little overboard on the seedling purchase, resulting in a fairly crowded veggie garden, but I think it looks quite fab.
 |
| The finished product |
I am actually really excited to see the fruits of our labour (PUN #2!) as these plants mature over the next couple of months. Not only will I feel really self sufficient, I will (hopefully) save money and not have to buy seedy Woolworths vegetables.
For me, the greatest thing about this veggie garden is it will limit the neccessity/temptation to buy vegetables based on convenience rather than health/ethical purposes. Undoubtedly pesticides, fertilisers and additives effect the quality and safety of vegetables bought at supermarkets and grocers, and it's not always easy (or cheap) to stock up at organic markets. I never thought much about this before becoming a mother, but lately it's been on my mind.
ANYWAY let's hope these suckers grow! NOMNOM.
Z xx
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Until Death Do Us Part...
It is an indication of how sad and pathetic I am that I am absolutely SHOCKED and DEVASTATED at the news that Danielle Spencer and Russell Crowe have called it quits after 9 years of marriage. For some reason I always thought they were one of those couples who would "go the distance," and even sadder is that they've two little boys who will of course be caught up in this whole thing.
To quote my mother, I didn't come down in the last shower. I know that divorce rates are steadily on the increase. In fact, the ABS tells me that around 40% of marriages entered into can be expected to end in divorce. Interestingly as well, the median length of marriages ending in divorce is around 9 or 10 years, which tells us that Rusty and Danielle's situation is fairly standard. Still, though. Sometimes it feels like the institution is crumbling around us.
When I married my husband I did so with the intention that it would last forever, although realistically I knew in the back of my mind that statistics weren't necessarily in our favour. Sure, we have more chance of staying together than divorcing, but only just. And when public couples split, especially those who seemed to be a great fit, it's more than a little confronting.
What's clear is that marriage takes work - and I can tell you that from experience! Having a child added about, um, 250% more stress to our marriage, and you can imagine that this only increases as more kiddies are added to the mix. But it's extremely important to continue to make time for one another and focus on your relationship - as my Mum has always advised me, it's only the two of you left once the kids have packed up and moved on.
I know I'm guilty of not always being quite as good a wife as I am a mother, and headlines like these remind me to refocus on the important things. Like, sometimes it's more important to sit down and have a beer with your husband than to sit and fold washing in front of X-Factor (I know, sad but true).
When thinking about this I had a look around for secrets to a successful marriage, and found some interesting insights discovered by a professor from the U.S., Dr Terri Orbuch, who had interviewed divorced couples and thus deduced these five simple secrets to a happy union:
1) Money - Apparently the biggest strain on a relationship is money issues - if there's plenty of it, it makes life easier. Clearly.
2) Affection - Men need it more than us women folk, who get it from family, friends, kids and even the local newsagent if we look sad. Ladies, give your man a cuddle.
3) Blame - Lack of it is best, i.e. better not to sit and stew for weeks over how it was your husband's fault your daughter found a razor blade in the shower.
4) Communication - Communicate!
5) Move on - Similar to blame, I guess - all about letting go of things. Easy for me these days as my memory's shot.
You can read the full article on Dr Orbuch's research, and watch a video on Dr Oz's tips for an harmonious marriage, here.
Meanwhile, I'm sure there are women out there who are more elated than devastated at the news Russell is single again. Personally, he's not my type.
Z xx
 |
| The once-happy couple |
When I married my husband I did so with the intention that it would last forever, although realistically I knew in the back of my mind that statistics weren't necessarily in our favour. Sure, we have more chance of staying together than divorcing, but only just. And when public couples split, especially those who seemed to be a great fit, it's more than a little confronting.
What's clear is that marriage takes work - and I can tell you that from experience! Having a child added about, um, 250% more stress to our marriage, and you can imagine that this only increases as more kiddies are added to the mix. But it's extremely important to continue to make time for one another and focus on your relationship - as my Mum has always advised me, it's only the two of you left once the kids have packed up and moved on.
I know I'm guilty of not always being quite as good a wife as I am a mother, and headlines like these remind me to refocus on the important things. Like, sometimes it's more important to sit down and have a beer with your husband than to sit and fold washing in front of X-Factor (I know, sad but true).
When thinking about this I had a look around for secrets to a successful marriage, and found some interesting insights discovered by a professor from the U.S., Dr Terri Orbuch, who had interviewed divorced couples and thus deduced these five simple secrets to a happy union:
1) Money - Apparently the biggest strain on a relationship is money issues - if there's plenty of it, it makes life easier. Clearly.
2) Affection - Men need it more than us women folk, who get it from family, friends, kids and even the local newsagent if we look sad. Ladies, give your man a cuddle.
3) Blame - Lack of it is best, i.e. better not to sit and stew for weeks over how it was your husband's fault your daughter found a razor blade in the shower.
4) Communication - Communicate!
5) Move on - Similar to blame, I guess - all about letting go of things. Easy for me these days as my memory's shot.
You can read the full article on Dr Orbuch's research, and watch a video on Dr Oz's tips for an harmonious marriage, here.
Meanwhile, I'm sure there are women out there who are more elated than devastated at the news Russell is single again. Personally, he's not my type.
Z xx
Monday, October 15, 2012
Life's Happy Accidents
As a child, I was more than a little accident prone. My Mum still loves to tell stories of weekly grazed knees and how in my first ever sporting race, I fell over - sadly, this trait has not left me as I've stumbled into adulthood. Just this morning I smashed one of my two bad ankles ("bad" from multiple sprains) into the glass coffee table, leading to an explosion of bad language inappropriate for a mother of a young child.
It seems that I have passed these fabulous genes down (fist pump!), although I did choose an equally uncoordinated partner who, no exaggeration, bumps his head DAILY. Heike's first year has been FULL of accidents and I haven't always been involved, which leads me to believe it's her doing as much as mine.
Apart from the frequent bumps and scratches, there has been a roll off the bed (TRAUMATIC!!) and a fall out of the pram (EQUALLY TRAUMATIC!!). Then there was the time she fell out of the pram again (less traumatic second time round) after climbing into it at the park before I could say "STOP YOU'LL FALL!!"
This morning was the worst yet, as it involved poor parental supervision and a razor blade. Sounds bad, right? Yeah it was pretty bad but I THANK GOD that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Justus and I were in our usual manic 7.20am mode (showering, dressing, making beds, gathering washing ETC...) while Heike enjoyed her usual 7.20am free reign of the bedroom. Next thing conversation goes something like: "Babe, Heike's in the shower" "Is she wet?" "Yeah she's wet" "What's she doing?" "Playing" "Is she happy?" "Yeah" "Oh she'll be right for a minute" "OH F#@! SHE"S PLAYING WITH A RAZOR BLADE!"
It's that easy, folks, for your 13 month old child to slice off the top of a finger with a friiiiicking razor blade. I reacted in standard fashion by screaming, crying and dry reaching while Justus remained trademark calm and took control of the situation. In all fairness Heike was actually fine and only became upset when her mother was wailing and pinning her down while her father applied giant band-aids to her finger. She had probably already cut herself by the time we'd discovered her and she seemed perfectly content. Still, anything involving your child and lots of blood is scary, am I right?
The one good thing about these kinds of accidents is that; a) You learn something (e.g. don't leave razor blades in the bottom of shower, don't let baby play in shower, don't leave baby unattended. CLEARLY!) and; b) Everyone's reaction is "Oh, these things happen all the time with kids!"
Yes, when it comes to accidents no one's judging, because they've all been there before. It comes with the territory. Babies are fast and fearless and completely unpredictable. Parents are tired and stressed and often new at the job. Thus, accidents happen. Generally they don't involve razor blades, but every family's different, right?
Here's Baby Center's list of top accidents among babies, so you know where to be extra careful:
It seems that I have passed these fabulous genes down (fist pump!), although I did choose an equally uncoordinated partner who, no exaggeration, bumps his head DAILY. Heike's first year has been FULL of accidents and I haven't always been involved, which leads me to believe it's her doing as much as mine.
Apart from the frequent bumps and scratches, there has been a roll off the bed (TRAUMATIC!!) and a fall out of the pram (EQUALLY TRAUMATIC!!). Then there was the time she fell out of the pram again (less traumatic second time round) after climbing into it at the park before I could say "STOP YOU'LL FALL!!"
This morning was the worst yet, as it involved poor parental supervision and a razor blade. Sounds bad, right? Yeah it was pretty bad but I THANK GOD that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Justus and I were in our usual manic 7.20am mode (showering, dressing, making beds, gathering washing ETC...) while Heike enjoyed her usual 7.20am free reign of the bedroom. Next thing conversation goes something like: "Babe, Heike's in the shower" "Is she wet?" "Yeah she's wet" "What's she doing?" "Playing" "Is she happy?" "Yeah" "Oh she'll be right for a minute" "OH F#@! SHE"S PLAYING WITH A RAZOR BLADE!"
It's that easy, folks, for your 13 month old child to slice off the top of a finger with a friiiiicking razor blade. I reacted in standard fashion by screaming, crying and dry reaching while Justus remained trademark calm and took control of the situation. In all fairness Heike was actually fine and only became upset when her mother was wailing and pinning her down while her father applied giant band-aids to her finger. She had probably already cut herself by the time we'd discovered her and she seemed perfectly content. Still, anything involving your child and lots of blood is scary, am I right?
The one good thing about these kinds of accidents is that; a) You learn something (e.g. don't leave razor blades in the bottom of shower, don't let baby play in shower, don't leave baby unattended. CLEARLY!) and; b) Everyone's reaction is "Oh, these things happen all the time with kids!"
Yes, when it comes to accidents no one's judging, because they've all been there before. It comes with the territory. Babies are fast and fearless and completely unpredictable. Parents are tired and stressed and often new at the job. Thus, accidents happen. Generally they don't involve razor blades, but every family's different, right?
Here's Baby Center's list of top accidents among babies, so you know where to be extra careful:
- Burns, one of the most common childhood accidental injuries. These include sunburns and burns caused by stoves, lamps, matches, lighted cigarettes, fireplaces, wood stoves, and hot liquid from a pan, cup, bath, or hot water heater.
- Head injuries caused primarily by falls from high chairs, beds, furniture, stairs, and play equipment.
- Choking on food or foreign objects.
- Strangulation caused by strings, ties, ribbons, and cords on toys, clothing, and household appliances and fixtures.
- Nose injuries caused by running into stationary objects, falling on a hard surface, or deflecting a flying toy (or the fist or foot of another child).
- Items stuck in a nostril, like small stones, chewable vitamins, pebbles, and peas.
- Cuts and scratches caused by sharp fingernails (either your baby's own or some other child's), pets, sharp objects, and encounters with sticks and other pointed objects that live in your yard.
- Fractures and sprains caused by hard falls and, as your child enters the toddler years, by playing energetically. Children tend to break bones more easily than adults because they have soft areas near the end of each bone called growth plates.
- Contusions — bruises under the skin — caused by bumps and falls.
From my experience, accidents are most likely to occur when you as a parent are stressed, anxious or busy, so these are the times to be extra careful with your bub, even though it's not always that easy. I also remember getting advice from the Children's Hospital that the MAIN thing they see EVERY DAY are falls from the change table, especially around the age when babies have just started rolling (which is what happened when Madame rolled off the bed).
Wishing you all accident free days...
Z xx
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Anti Amber
I'm fairly open minded and I'm all for trying alternative therapies and medicines - being married to the son and brother of two very alternative doctors, I've been exposed to a whole range of theories on the treatment of pain, viruses and diseases. Not all of it is for me but I'm generally an "each to their own" kind of gal.
Still, I do enjoy the odd rant (!!) and I'm never one not to voice an opinion. And frankly, I just hate those stupid amber necklaces that parents put on their babies to help "teething". There, I've said it. I hate them. They are ugly and they are dangerous and I don't believe they work.
So, you can imagine my sense of smug validation when I read on Essential Baby last week that the risks of amber necklaces can outweigh the benefits (of which there are none). Experts have told the CHOICE Baby and Kids Forum that the necklaces present a serious choking hazard, warning that "teething won't kill a baby but an amber teething necklace could". Damn straight! A Dr James Best went further to say that the efficacy of such necklaces is "biologically implausible," and thus there's no real reason for children to be wearing them anyway.
Okay, this is my gripe with amber necklaces. WHYYY do intelligent, logical women think that "oils" released from an amber necklace will in any way stop your baby from feeling any discomfort associated with teething? And WHYYYYYY is every problem with a baby from about four months of age blamed on teething?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who don't believe in teething. When my child is slobbering litres of drool and her gums are swollen and she is acting a little less cute and cuddly than I would like, I can see that it is probably her teeth that are bothering her. I will give her something cool to chew and take her outside and pick her up and maybe in extreme cases a dose of Panadol could be needed. But I find it difficult to believe that some teeth breaking through the gum would have her screaming all night and refusing to sleep, or being a total brat, when otherwise her behaviour is fairly consistent with a normal day.
It also really annoys me when people go on and on about how much amber necklaces have helped with their child's teething: "Oh little Johnny wore an amber necklace and we had hardly any problems with teething." Well, guess what? My child doesn't wear an amber necklace and we've had hardly any problems with teething either. In fact, this has been the case for plenty of people I know. Some babies, like some people, are better at dealing with pain than others. Some babies will scream for an hour if you look at them the wrong way - they're also likely to be a little difficult when their teeth are causing them pain.
At the end of the day I'm not going to judge you on something as trivial as an amber necklace, but I am going to try to talk you out of giving even more money to these companies that are exploiting gullible women by jumping on the natural therapies bandwagon. There is absolutely NO scientific evidence to support the use of amber and, so sue me, I'm a child of science. I will buy my expensive sunscreen without nano particles and my expensive food without preservatives but I'm not so far gone that I'll buy a hazardous stone necklace to prevent what can only be minimal pain associated with teething.
If you do choose to buy an amber necklace, which of course you're free to do, you may want to heed these safety warnings from the ACCC:
• always supervise the infant when wearing the necklace or bracelet
• remove the necklace or bracelet when the infant is unattended, even if it is only for a short period of time
• remove the necklace or bracelet while the infant sleeps at day or night
• not allow the infant to mouth or chew the necklace or bracelet
• consider using alternate forms of pain relief
• seek medical advice if you have concerns about your child’s health and wellbeing.
Z xx
Still, I do enjoy the odd rant (!!) and I'm never one not to voice an opinion. And frankly, I just hate those stupid amber necklaces that parents put on their babies to help "teething". There, I've said it. I hate them. They are ugly and they are dangerous and I don't believe they work.
So, you can imagine my sense of smug validation when I read on Essential Baby last week that the risks of amber necklaces can outweigh the benefits (of which there are none). Experts have told the CHOICE Baby and Kids Forum that the necklaces present a serious choking hazard, warning that "teething won't kill a baby but an amber teething necklace could". Damn straight! A Dr James Best went further to say that the efficacy of such necklaces is "biologically implausible," and thus there's no real reason for children to be wearing them anyway.
Okay, this is my gripe with amber necklaces. WHYYY do intelligent, logical women think that "oils" released from an amber necklace will in any way stop your baby from feeling any discomfort associated with teething? And WHYYYYYY is every problem with a baby from about four months of age blamed on teething?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who don't believe in teething. When my child is slobbering litres of drool and her gums are swollen and she is acting a little less cute and cuddly than I would like, I can see that it is probably her teeth that are bothering her. I will give her something cool to chew and take her outside and pick her up and maybe in extreme cases a dose of Panadol could be needed. But I find it difficult to believe that some teeth breaking through the gum would have her screaming all night and refusing to sleep, or being a total brat, when otherwise her behaviour is fairly consistent with a normal day.
It also really annoys me when people go on and on about how much amber necklaces have helped with their child's teething: "Oh little Johnny wore an amber necklace and we had hardly any problems with teething." Well, guess what? My child doesn't wear an amber necklace and we've had hardly any problems with teething either. In fact, this has been the case for plenty of people I know. Some babies, like some people, are better at dealing with pain than others. Some babies will scream for an hour if you look at them the wrong way - they're also likely to be a little difficult when their teeth are causing them pain.
 |
| Miranda, a fan of all things au naturale |
At the end of the day I'm not going to judge you on something as trivial as an amber necklace, but I am going to try to talk you out of giving even more money to these companies that are exploiting gullible women by jumping on the natural therapies bandwagon. There is absolutely NO scientific evidence to support the use of amber and, so sue me, I'm a child of science. I will buy my expensive sunscreen without nano particles and my expensive food without preservatives but I'm not so far gone that I'll buy a hazardous stone necklace to prevent what can only be minimal pain associated with teething.
If you do choose to buy an amber necklace, which of course you're free to do, you may want to heed these safety warnings from the ACCC:
• always supervise the infant when wearing the necklace or bracelet
• remove the necklace or bracelet when the infant is unattended, even if it is only for a short period of time
• remove the necklace or bracelet while the infant sleeps at day or night
• not allow the infant to mouth or chew the necklace or bracelet
• consider using alternate forms of pain relief
• seek medical advice if you have concerns about your child’s health and wellbeing.
Z xx
Play Time
I don't know about you but as much as I love love love my daughter and love spending time with her, sometimes there is nothing more banal than play time. I mean, I find stacking and knocking down blocks pretty fun for the first five minutes. But soon enough I'm yawning and looking around for my smart phone, or getting annoyed that my toddler keeps knocking down my awesome buildings!
Still, play is a pretty important part of a toddler's life - in fact, playing is pretty much all they do, on top of eating and sleeping. While experts recommend that you play with your child for at least an hour a day, I think its equally important that children learn to play by themselves in order to foster independence and imagination. Not to mention if I played with my child all day, my house would be even more of a disorganised mess than it is currently.
The difficulty I'm finding with a 13 month old is that it's a bit of an in between age - they're too old for lots of the shake/rattle/button toys but not old enough for the more interactive/imaginvative toys like kitchens, dolls, lego etc. Take a look around your local toy stores - there are huge amounts of 6-9mth+ and 18mth+, which are either too simple or too advanced for your average one year old.
That said, you don't have to have a house full of toys to keep your toddler entertained - here are my top ideas for play (both parent and child driven):
Z xx
Still, play is a pretty important part of a toddler's life - in fact, playing is pretty much all they do, on top of eating and sleeping. While experts recommend that you play with your child for at least an hour a day, I think its equally important that children learn to play by themselves in order to foster independence and imagination. Not to mention if I played with my child all day, my house would be even more of a disorganised mess than it is currently.
The difficulty I'm finding with a 13 month old is that it's a bit of an in between age - they're too old for lots of the shake/rattle/button toys but not old enough for the more interactive/imaginvative toys like kitchens, dolls, lego etc. Take a look around your local toy stores - there are huge amounts of 6-9mth+ and 18mth+, which are either too simple or too advanced for your average one year old.
That said, you don't have to have a house full of toys to keep your toddler entertained - here are my top ideas for play (both parent and child driven):
- Books - Books are just the best invention, for adults and kids alike. While reading is generally a parent driven activity, it can take up 30 minutes or more of your one on one time each day. Babies love books and reading aids their development and literacy skills. We read three books before each sleep and have "reading time" whenever a bit of quiet time is needed.
- Obstacle courses - One year olds are generally either just walking or just about to walk, and love to try out this skill by circling household furniture. Set up creatively, furniture can form an obstacle course for your child to explore.
- Push along toys - As above, perfect for working out those newly upright legs. We got this great trike from Mothercare (for my fussy "wooden toys only" husband) and I got this cheap musical walker from Big W.
- Parks - I'm SO lucky to live in a suburb with a park around every corner. And not just a park, a busy park, full of other toddlers with whom my child can play. I go to the park every day without fail, usually before or after a brisk stroll. It's great for both of us to be out in the fresh air.
- Singing - For some reason Heike is always happy while I am singing, and will usually dance along to my out of tune nursery rhymes. The problem is remembering enough songs - this site can help you out with a few.
- Rough play - I have a pretty full on toddler who just LOVES to wrestle. I imagine quite a few of you would be in the same boat. My only warning with rough play is that it can result in a very energetic toddler becoming even more energised and, let's face it, a little crazy. Equally it can wear them out, so it can be worth the risk.
- Turning household chores into a game - This has to be my top idea, because it results in me actually getting chores done. Hanging out the washing is far easier if you give your little one some pegs to play with. Unpacking the dishwasher can be helped along with a few kitchen utensils to bang together, as can cleaning out kitchen drawers. The pantry is a super fun place for a toddler to explore while you cook dinner. Sadly I still haven't worked out how to fold washing with a toddler in tow - it's usually pulled back out of the basket quicker than it's put in.
Z xx
Thursday, October 4, 2012
No Added Sugar - Take Two
Okay, I've harped on before about giving up sugar and its various benefits. Like most things with me, I decided to give up sugar and it didn't stick for long. Slowly, insidiously, sugar crept back into my life. Until last weekend I ate four cupcakes and two pieces of cake in one day. IN ONE DAY.
I am completely hopeless when it comes to sugar. Many experts on the subject refer to sugar as a "drug" and for me that description couldn't be more accurate. Once I get that first hit, I need more more more. A block of chocolate in one sitting? Piece of cake (ha, see what I dun' there?)!
Still, even less aggressive consumers of sugar can benefit from taking a look at their eating habits. According to Sarah Wilson (my new guru on this subject who blogs here), even the average Aussie consumes up to 30 teaspoons of sugar per day. Which makes me shudder to think what sweet toothed ladies like myself are looking at. 30 TABLESPOONS? Gah!
I've also had a few hormonal issues lately (relevant to other new mums, will cover soon) and have thus been feeling like CRAAAAP - fuzzy headed, lethargic, moody, bloated and slightly psychotic at times. Funny enough, these same symptoms can be attributed to bad eating habits. Which made me think that if I control what I'm doing externally, my internals can only benefit, right?
I can honestly say that my eating habits are generally pretty healthy - no fast food, lots of whole grains, protein, veggies, probably not enough fruit and wayyyy too much sugar. A little too much alcohol perhaps. I say this so when you ask "Why cut out sugar?" you can see that sugar is the real problem area in my life.
So I set out on my no-sugar journey by getting myself a copy of Sarah Wilson's book, "I Quit Sugar". You can buy it online here along with her I Quit Sugar cookbook, which I haven't bought but am very keen to. I love the way she writes, for starters - she's so honest and easy to read. But I also love her 8 week program for quitting sugar. She encourages you to "be gentle on yourself" and has HEAPS of tips for beating the inevitable cravings and massive sugar come down in the first few weeks.
I only started this week and so far the only noticeable effect is a voice in my head constantly telling me I want sugar. I'm yet to feel cleaner, lighter and clear headed as promised but I'm sure that will come if I can manage to keep this up. I have a high tea on Sunday that I am dreading as I don't know how strong I can be, but hopefully there are sandwiches and I may allow myself an extra wine or two to compensate for lack of cake.
My coping strategy so far? Almond and chia spread. This has to be the yummiest thing around, and whenever I feel weak I shove a spoonful of this goodness into my gob. YUM.
I'll keep you posted.
Z xx
I am completely hopeless when it comes to sugar. Many experts on the subject refer to sugar as a "drug" and for me that description couldn't be more accurate. Once I get that first hit, I need more more more. A block of chocolate in one sitting? Piece of cake (ha, see what I dun' there?)!
Still, even less aggressive consumers of sugar can benefit from taking a look at their eating habits. According to Sarah Wilson (my new guru on this subject who blogs here), even the average Aussie consumes up to 30 teaspoons of sugar per day. Which makes me shudder to think what sweet toothed ladies like myself are looking at. 30 TABLESPOONS? Gah!
I've also had a few hormonal issues lately (relevant to other new mums, will cover soon) and have thus been feeling like CRAAAAP - fuzzy headed, lethargic, moody, bloated and slightly psychotic at times. Funny enough, these same symptoms can be attributed to bad eating habits. Which made me think that if I control what I'm doing externally, my internals can only benefit, right?
I can honestly say that my eating habits are generally pretty healthy - no fast food, lots of whole grains, protein, veggies, probably not enough fruit and wayyyy too much sugar. A little too much alcohol perhaps. I say this so when you ask "Why cut out sugar?" you can see that sugar is the real problem area in my life.
So I set out on my no-sugar journey by getting myself a copy of Sarah Wilson's book, "I Quit Sugar". You can buy it online here along with her I Quit Sugar cookbook, which I haven't bought but am very keen to. I love the way she writes, for starters - she's so honest and easy to read. But I also love her 8 week program for quitting sugar. She encourages you to "be gentle on yourself" and has HEAPS of tips for beating the inevitable cravings and massive sugar come down in the first few weeks.
I only started this week and so far the only noticeable effect is a voice in my head constantly telling me I want sugar. I'm yet to feel cleaner, lighter and clear headed as promised but I'm sure that will come if I can manage to keep this up. I have a high tea on Sunday that I am dreading as I don't know how strong I can be, but hopefully there are sandwiches and I may allow myself an extra wine or two to compensate for lack of cake.
My coping strategy so far? Almond and chia spread. This has to be the yummiest thing around, and whenever I feel weak I shove a spoonful of this goodness into my gob. YUM.
 |
| NOMNOMNOM |
I'll keep you posted.
Z xx
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