Soapbox Saturday - Many Babies Begin Eating Solids Too Soon

Well it has been an interesting week. I definitely didn't get as much accomplished as I had hoped to. My boys got sick over the weekend and my husband had a sick day on Tuesday. Luckily I was able to avoid it, but I've been exhausted all week.

So I'm back with another Soapbox Saturday. This week I wanted to share an article my friend shared on her  facebook page, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.

The CDC conducted a national survey in which 40% of mother's said they gave their baby solid food as early as 4 months and 9% said they started at 4 weeks!  The mothers gave several reasons for starting among them; their baby is old enough, their baby seemed hungry, and they wanted their baby to sleep longer at night.

Doctors now recommend waiting until at least 6 months. If food is started too young, the baby could lack the proper gut bacteria to digest the food safely. This could lead to gastroenteritis and diarrhea and some studies have even linked the early introduction of solid foods with increased risk of obesity, diabetes, eczema and celiac disease.


Andrew's first rice cereal

I thought this was an interesting article and it kinda scared me to read that so many parents are starting their children on solids so young. For our first, we waited until 6 months. I don't remember with Ben, but probably around then too. I do remember there was a lot of pressure from family and friends to start. None of it was direct 'you should start feeding him solid food,' but more that it was expected that he was over 4 months, so people assumed he had started or would offer food/crackers to him. I also felt like it was harder with the second one. Ben would start reaching for food that he saw us and his older brother eating. So I can definitely understand how some moms start early, but it scared me to read the risk factors that can follow.

I guess I also never knew it was an option to wait longer. I have several friends who have exclusively breastfed for 7,8,9 months before introducing solids. I think it has become such a norm to start them asap that I was never aware that they'd be fine until then without solids. I think this is the method I want to try with any future children. I think for me personally, it would help with milk production and supply.

Ben's first rice cereal

What are your thoughts? When did you start your child on solid foods?

Soapbox Saturday–Homeschooling

I don’t remember who shared this on Facebook, but I read this article, 18 Reasons Why Doctors and Lawyers Homeschool Their Children. It’s really great, be sure to read the whole thing yourself. It’s written by a doctor who after many years of public and private school, finally turned to homeschooling to meet her family’s educational needs.

Here are a few of the highlights:

1) “We spend less time homeschooling each day than we used to spend driving.”

Oh boy, I can only imagine. I have several friends who have their kids in different magnet schools here in Las Vegas. I can definitely see how this could add up and I personally wouldn’t choose this, but even then sometimes it just happens with kids of different ages. Then all the time spent waiting in a pickup line, running the car in summer, and getting home to have to do homework and other activities. Phew, makes me tired just thinking about it.

3) “Our kids are excelling academically as homeschoolers.”

The author says that by homeschooling they are able to “enrich our children’s strengths and supplement their weaknesses.” That’s so important to teach to your kid’s understanding and not to go too fast or too slow for them. I imagine a lot of behavior issues in the classroom stem from this, a child frustrated with the fast pace or bored with the material being covered.

7) “Our family spends our best hours of each day together.”

I thought this was interesting because I hadn’t considered this when thinking of homeschooling, but you get to spend the best hours of the day with your kids, not just the tired cranky hours.

10) “We are able to work on the kids’ behavior and work ethic throughout the day.”

With the size of classes ever growing, teachers don’t always have time to focus on one student and help them work to their full potential. Through homeschooling, you’re able to bring the best out of your child and show them how to work to their best everyday.

13)   “Younger children learn from older siblings.”

That’s a great bonus and I think a very valuable one. Often children listen better to siblings than parents and at the same time the older sibling has the opportunity to learn to be patient and to learn to be a teacher. A very practical skill that will benefit them throughout their lives.

18)   “Teach kids your own values.”

The author states that 36% of homeschoolers choose this route to teach their own morals and values.  I think that’s great in this ever changing world, kids are taught untrue and unkind things from peers. Especially girls and the things that media, society, and peers teach about body image and ‘beauty’. The author also points out that you get to control how holidays are celebrated and the minor holidays can stay minor. (Like I talked about last week) She’s able to do a small Halloween celebration and then focus on Easter for a week to suit her family’s beliefs.

Overall I really liked this article and it got me thinking. Since becoming a mom I had always written homeschooling off as something other moms with an educational background can do. I’ve always thought how my kid needs structure and a patient teacher. I never thought I could be those things. Now – I don’t know. Maybe I could. I guess it comes down to what is best for our family and our kids.

Only time will tell.

What are your thoughts? Do you/are you going to homeschool? What benefits do you see in homeschooling/public school?

Have a great weekend!!

     

Soapbox Saturday - Yoga Balls in Classrooms

Well, I guess I should apologize for my absence this week, but really my husband is to blame....

He got me hooked...

I couldn't put them down! And that is really saying something for me. I am just not a big reader and I devoured these books! If you haven't read them, you've got to before the next movies. There is just soooo much more in the books than they could ever squeeze into a movie! If you've read them feel free to comment on your favorite part and why. My husband is still finishing Mockingjay so I haven't been able to discuss it all with him yet.

Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about today, although a virtual book club discussion would be fun...hmm...

I read an article I thought was really cool. "Classrooms Ditch Student Chairs for Yoga Balls"

How awesome is that?!? 

It started out as a way to help kids with attention problems and autism and is now being rolled out in many mainstream classrooms. Teachers are saying it's increasing students' attention and productivity. Students are also reporting the same. They're able to fidget a little and still concentrate. 

I love this idea, I think I would have loved it while I was in college. I don't know how many times I fell asleep in class!! haha I also think this would be great for my husband at work. He's at a desk all day and since sitting on a yoga ball engages muscles and increases blood flow it would not only help him stay alert, but it would ward off the dangers of sedentary work routines. He said no to the idea, but I think it would be awesome for anyone who has to sit all day.

What do you think? Would you have liked this when you were in school or for your kids? 

What other kind of alternative methods have you seen used in classrooms to increase learning?

Well, have a great weekend! I'm off to find the next awesome series I want to read *gasp*

:)