Eye Preloader

Month: September 2008

A little dirt for a clean bill of health

My children were always playing outside in the dirt, climbing trees, or out in the backyard. It was good for them in so many ways- but one of the reasons was that John and I felt that exposure to a little dirt (bacteria) would be good for strengthening and building their immune system.

I’ve been rather amused yet also alarmed at all the anti bacterial washes, wipes and related products that are for home use! I mean, all those silly ads- always with mothers and their babies who go near a clean looking bin and the mother freaks out…but it’s okay, she’s got her handy dandy anti bacterial wipes. Doh!

My concern is that children don’t have the opportunity to build up their natural immune system by coming into contact with these regular bugs. I think the more we use these anti bacterial products, the more we assist those nasty super bugs to grow and evolve.

But it’s all okay- now it is *news*.

KEEPING the house sparkling clean may be making your children sick, research shows.

The “hygiene hypothesis” suggests exposing children to certain bacteria can help develop their immune systems, while a sterile environment can increase the risk of disease.

Research to be published in the journal Nature today gives a boost to this theory.

American scientists found specially modified mice raised in a germ-free environment developed “robust” type 1 diabetes.

When the mice were given the friendly bacteria found in the human gut, the incidence of diabetes fell.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, while the more common type 2 diabetes is more likely to be lifestyle-related.

The authors concluded that intestinal microbes, which travel from food and the surrounding environment into an infant’s gastrointestinal tract, have a critical effect on the immune system.

Melbourne autoimmune expert Professor Leonard Harrison said the study was “compelling evidence” that living conditions were linked to diabetes. “Clean conditions increase and dirty conditions decrease diabetes incidence,” he said.

Flinders Medical Centre Director of Endocrinology Professor Nikolai Petrovsky said the “exciting and seminal paper” showed the importance of breastfeeding for infants followed by a healthy diet that includes yoghurts and cheeses with “good” bacteria.

Cumberland Park father Dave Bastin said the important thing was to be sensible about hygiene. “My son (Daniel, 3) at the moment is up to his elbows in sand outside . . . he’s pretty healthy apart from the normal sorts of things,” he said.

So it’s safe to let your children outside to play outside again… wink Whew, thank goodness for modern day research. sigh

Delight Directed Education wins 3rd place!

latte art

Oops! I had intended to pop back earlier with our exciting news but the days just seemed to skip ahead of me. Last week, we attended the local (State) Barista Championships where our 17yodd was competing in the Latte Art section.

She was up against two former Australian Champions and others who were veteran barista’s and competitors. She was the only female competing in that category and by far the youngest barista.

She placed 3rd! How absolutely exciting! 3rd in this state! We were so ridiculously excited and happy for her. Actually she finished equal 2nd but they went decided to count back and go into percentages (which is odd as they don’t do that for the general barista comp but who’s complaining?) and she ended up placing 3rd- one point behind the 2nd place-getter.

Well, hasn’t she just had a full-on week since?  She has had various photo shoots (including a hair and make-up session)  for the paper, and then centre where she works. She feels a little odd as they want to put her photo around various places in the mall- congratulations and a form of advertisement. She received a RB tamper worth over $100 so she is totally chuffed. She also won some prize money, a trophy and was presented with a sash. A tamp is a tool used in the making of espresso. She’s being interviewed for another paper and has also been contacted by Master Roasters (official name for those who roast beans) and CoffeeHouses. Whew, what a whirlwind week.

However, as parents, none of that has been as impressive as seeing our child work hard and apply themselves, focus on the process and not the outcome and then try something new that takes them out of their comfort zone. Miss17 was as nervous as anything for the week before the competition. She purchased all her own table setting and practiced on us for some time. However, she has never even been to a Barista Championship before let alone competed in one so didn’t have a clue what to do or expect. She has told me that she just kept her eyes and ears open to learn from those more experienced and that she kept learning right up and during her performance! She said she learnt from the barista’s who went before her and incorporated some new things into her routine. This is a sign of a lifestyle of learning- her [delight-directed education] homeschooling years have prepared her well. It wouldn’t have bothered us one bit had she not have placed, even if she had come last! What mattered to us was the whole process- the working, the attitude, the attempts, the learning, the failing, the trying again, the attitude, etc. Oh, did I mention attitude? 😉

 

Barista Championships

So the HUGE expensive espresso machine is now gone from our kitchen and I’m back to our small but trusty Sunbeam. But it’s so much easier to keep clean. The other $5000 (yes, five thousand dollars worth of coffee machine has been in our kitchen for the last month!) was so large it overtook the whole kitchen! It was also messier. But really, who’s complaining?

I wonder what’s next?

 

 


Time Management Using Rocks and Sand

I once heard a [homeschool mother] speaker demonstrate this story. It stuck with me and has helped me plan my days, terms and years. I also recalled reading in a book by Stephen Covey. The was called First Things First. I post it here in the hope that it will help others.

shelf divbar


One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high powered over-achievers, he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.”

Then he pulled out a one gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set on the table in front of him. He then produced about a dozen fist sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is the jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”

Then he said, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in, and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.

“Good!” he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar, and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is the jar full?” “No!” the class shouted.

Once again he said, “Good!”

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager student raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things in!” “No,” the speaker replied, “That’s not the point.”

The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.

shelf divbar

What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life? Your children….Your loved ones…Your education… Your dreams…A worthy cause…..Teaching or mentoring others…. Doing things that you love…Time for yourself…. Your health….Your significant other.”

“Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first, or you’ll never get them in at all. If you sweat the little stuff (the gravel, the sand) then you’ll fill your life with little things to worry about that don’t really matter, and you’ll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff (the big rocks).

So, tonight or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.

Physical activity and boys

100_5976

Awhile ago I mentioned that ‘Master J’ had joined Air Force cadets. what I hadn’t mentioned is how it all came about.  I find it quite an interesting story…I’d love to hear of your *boy* stories if you’d like to share.

About one year ago, DH and I spoke together about trying to encourage ‘Master J’ to find an interest to pursue – something other than the computer! He was in no hurry to find any interests. Hmmm, we could see he needed a little incentive.

So we truthfully told him that if he could not find an activity to try we would find one for him. This didn’t really bother him, at first, until he realised what we were getting at. we didn’t put too many rules on the activity except I wanted something that was:

1) Physical. I believe it is important for boys (boys entering puberty and growing to be young men) to exercise, build strong muscles and bones, learn to adjust to their growing strength and become comfortable in their developing bodies. It also helps to burn off all that extra energy that comes with being a hormone laden boy.

2) I wanted something that required a little bit of daily practice- whether or not it be physical or mental but he needed to have something to do each day.

boy1

All the other wonderful things that I wanted him to learn can happen through  many activities so I don’t even bother to list them but I would have been very happy if his chosen activity was not a sport. I think, particularly for boys, a sport can be a very good thing but it can also have some negatives, especially if not dealt with vigilantly. Sport can create an appetite that isn’t conducive to a happy family life later on…it can be very time consuming, a bottomless money pit and can even see a man being away from his wife for extended periods of time so while I thoroughly believe that sport, especially team sport, can be a good thing, it also has many points that need to be carefully weighed and measured.

We gave him 3 months in which to find an activity, and find out all the information needed to join or else we would sign him up to an activity of our choosing- one which he may not like but would be most convenient for us. There was a ballet studio just down the road and ballet would also fulfil my two requirements. (Convenience is not a factor for us usually. If a child desires to do something and pursues it diligently then we will do whatever is necessary to facilitate and support them but if they’re just being slackers then we give them likewise support yet try to be a living example in our own lives).

Well, we have never seen a child run so fast to the Internet and research, research, research! He spent a few hours looking for things to do!!! Anything…to avoid ballet.

However, as is quite typical with our family, we weren’t able to follow through with our plans as within 2 days we had been told that we were moving interstate again! Okay, so that whole plan went down the drain. ‘Master J’ smirked in delight, thinking he had escaped and could quietly sneak back to his favourite position on the computer.

After moving and staying in apartments for a few months, we finally learned what area we’d be staying in and guess what…yup, there was a ballet school not too far away!  So, the deal was back on. Postponed a little but back on, nevertheless! Suffice to say that ‘Master J’ quickly found an activity.

boy2

He has joined the Air Force Cadets. I think he takes after his father as he seems to have the attitude and makings of an excellent soldier. He is very diligent in all matters relating to cadets. It has even motivated him to be more diligent with his lessons!! Hey, that’s gotta be a good thing eh?

Through cadets I have been able to teach him how to iron his uniforms, which he completely does all by himself now- from washing, drying and ironing, even mending, which his father had to do teach him. He polishes his boots weekly and he practises his drill daily. He even drills ‘Master C’ , who just soaks it all up.

Oh, did I mention table manners and general manners? He’s always been fairly good with manners but he has been a stickler for excellent manners lately- he’s even corrected me at the meal table! Apparently I was passing the salt around the table the wrong way. 😉 (One should pass always to the right, y’know?)

He has done his recruit course and had his first bivouac ( weekend out bush) and loved it! However more than him having fun, I have seen him grow and develop as a male. It’s great! He’s growing in responsibility, manners, work ethic, and all those other character traits that we want to see in our children. He is learning the value of team work – that the world is bigger than him and that the way to achieve is to give of oneself, etc. He’s learning the all important lesson of consequences…and of reaping and sowing.

Ah, I am one happy mama. How about you? Have you found it beneficial or necessary to get boys involved in something phyiscal? What did you do? I’d love to hear of your positive and/or negative stories of life with your boys.

Addendum to car-less

ADDENDUM

Ack, what started as a good day turned sour. We left home and walked to the bus stop at 3pm. Just missed the bus! Waited for the next one but meanwhile ‘Miss R’ called me, panicking as to the whereabouts of her work uniform. I was dropping it at the mall for her to pick up after school, but I was late. She knew the bus wasn’t going to get us there on time so a friend started driving her down the roads to try and meet us. But the bus did come and we were on our way.

We reached the agreed meeting place and ‘Miss R’ was NOT there!!!! She was looking for me and getting herself into a right panic. Man, she should have trusted me more. I was going to call a taxi. My next call was to tuck the uniform under ‘Miss A’ ‘s arm and send her sprinting the 4km’s to work! Hey, I figure she’s an athlete who trains 2 hours a day so she should be up for it eh?

Anyway, ‘Miss R’ got to work okay. ‘Master J’ had a haircut. We did some shopping but realised that I had better not buy laundry detergent and toilet paper unless I wanted to carry it all home on the bus!

We went to ‘Miss R’ ‘s work to wait for her to finish. I didn’t know if she was coming home or if she had made plans to go to a friend’s place, so we waited. (I didn’t want her catching a bus home at 6pm- too late and dark), As it turns out, she did have plans but in all the kafuffle we hadn’t communicated. We all walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus. Bus trip. Departed bus and walked home where ‘Miss R’ ‘s friend was madly ringing the phone, calling to see if she was okay.  ‘Miss R’ goes out to friend’s house. Oh, DH is at work tonight and won’t be home until morning. These overnighter’s are a downer- especially with a teenage family.

'Miss A' 's Latte ArtThankfully, ‘Miss A’ is a bit of a health and fitness nut so she had prepared dough for healthy pizza and she fed us! Ah, thank you Lord! She spent the next hour madly practising her latte art for the Barista competition tomorrow. She’s pretty nervous. John and I are overdosed on coffee. My kitchen was overtaken by coffee beans, machines, grinders, cups, milk and everything else. One day I’ll blog about it as it has been a good experience, but I’ll be glad when this competition is over. if she is going to compete regularly we have planned to section an area off in the shed and she can practice out there. Sounds means? Wait till I post post photo’s of my kitchen!

That’s about it- day in the life of us…us with no car.

Car-less

John & 'Master C' '07

Argh, how frustrating it is to be without a car! I have ‘Miss A’ who is now taking public transport everywhere…and getting lost, ending up on the wrong side of town. ‘Miss R’ is okay as she usually takes the bus to school, friends, work and home again.

But it’s hurting me! I haven’t got a car to go and get groceries or get a haircut or pop to the library. Arghhh!

We are down to one car. DH’s work car blew a coil a few weeks ago but it wasn’t a problem then as he was away in Victoria with work so I had the van. But now he’s back (Yay) but takes the car to work everyday.

I’m used to going to the sore in the late morning or early afternoon so that I can get back home and have tea prepared by the time everyone comes home from work…but this hasn’t been happening. I’m all outta whack!

We went looking at private car sales yesterday but with no luck. ‘Miss A’ wants to buy a car with her savings. We’re looking at approximately $2000. but we want something that will be fairly reliable and safe. So in the meantime, it’s back to being car-less for yet another week.

Have I ever mentioned that I love progress and technology?

Spring is here – time for a change

potpourriOh can’t you feel it? The colder months are behind us and the sun is starting to peek out from behind the clouds. Ah, this is more like it.

I loved the Queensland weather. I was never cold. Then we came back down to South Australia and I can’t remember the last time I was warm. let alone hot. Now in all honesty, it isn’t that bad. Especially compared to Canberra or Victoria but I didn’t like the weather there either. But it’s spring and I can just feel the change! I’m so excited.

To herald in the warmer months, I thought it was time to redecorate. If I lived in my own home I would probably have planted spring bulbs or have stencilled some floral art work on the walls but this is our 7th home in 7 years so redecorating is not on my agenda. But I can redecorate my online home. So here’s my new theme. Yes, back to the lavender, muted purple colours. I can’t help but go back to florals. It was either that or coffee colours but I don’t need any encouragement in that area- I already drink too much coffee! I  hope this theme works for you. I’ve tested it on a few different browsers and it works for me.

So is anyone spring cleaning? Planting seedlings? Re-modelling? What personal or family projects do you have to work on over the spring months?

Related posts