The Ultimate Guide to Green Parenting - Zion Lights. A review!

When I was offered the chance to read The Ultimate Guide to Green Parenting, I jumped at the chance. Green parenting is what I aim for, it keeps me grounded and sane, and makes me feel like I'm really making a difference, to both my son and the environment. This book lived up to my expectations and then some. It was lovely for me to finally read a parenting book that focuses on the bigger picture, not just sleeping patterns and eating, but on impact both emotionally and environmentally. To have a parenting book that considers the World, not just your house to me feels pretty rare. I felt accepted and inspired, and I'm sure it will have this affect on others.

The book has several chapters each with a different focus on various aspects of parenting. There are sections on the science behind green parenting, diet and nutrition, vaccines, and nappies, to name just a few. Each chapter is split up into easy to manage sections, all scientifically backed up, and links and references are at the end of each one. The end of each chapter also features a really handy summary of what was just written about, which is brilliant for refreshing your memory or if you're short on time.

The book is written simply, with a friendly reassuring tone. You're not made to feel uncomfortable if you're not doing everything suggested, unlike other parenting books that can make you feel like 'you're doing it wrong'. For me this is a real winner, nobody likes to be patronised or spoken down to especially during what can be considered as the most vulnerable time of your life.

I'd definitely recommend buying this book, for yourself and for any expectant friends. A clearly written, scientifically backed up, eco-friendly way of parenting condensed down into a wonderful book.

The Ultimate Guide to Green Parenting is available to buy on Amazon

Rainbow Rice is Ever So Nice!

We made some rainbow rice! Doesn't it look pretty? This is a really easy, straight-forward activity that engages sight, touch, and sound, plus it only costs a few pennies. I'm going to give a step-by-step with pictures to show you how to make your own edible rainbow rice.

This is all I used, some vinegar from the cupboard, some gel food colouring also from the cupboard, and a pack of value rice. Some people use liquid food colouring, some people use gel, there isn't a massive difference although liquid will make a slightly stronger colour. Vinegar acts as a thinner for the gel, and also helps the colour stick to the uncooked rice. Brown rice also works, but the colour will be a little duller (but it's super handy to use up the brown rice that has been lurking at the back of the cupboard for ever.)

I poured a good quantity of rice into a sandwich bag, I didn't measure, just estimated roughly on how much rice I'd like. Then I added the entire tube of food colouring as I wanted a nice vibrant colour. Then a few drops of vinegar were added, and then the mixing began. I rolled the bag between my hands, jiggled it, bounced it, you name it, I got that baby mixed. I lined a tray with cling film and poured each bag out onto it in a thin layer, then I left them to dry for 24 hours, being sure to mix them about every now and then.

picture from http://www.faspaints.com/face-paint.html

Pretty! These colours weren't exactly what I had in mind, but I liked them just the same. I mixed a couple of the gels to get the lovely darker blue colour, something to bear in mind if you want to save some money on buying lots of different colours. Don't forget your colour mixing!

For ease of clean-up, I used the PVC mat that we got from Dunelm, and a cutlery tray from Ikea to keep the colours separate (for now!). I placed the tray inside our paddling pool, and let Indy have at it!

I placed a selection of child-sized utensils inside the pool (utensils from Ikea) and gave Indy minimal direction. I gave him a few ideas, such as scooping the rice with a pot, but let him explore the texture and the sounds himself. After he finished, I poured all the rice into a jar ready for next time. As the rice is still uncooked it lasts indefinitely, but I will replace it when it's past its best and has been played with several times. Instead of throwing the coloured rice away, I'll make a treasure bottle with it (a future blog post to come). If you try rainbow rice, be sure to show me a picture!

You would never guess it but...

I have a high needs toddler. Everyone who meets Indy comments on how happy, chatty, and smiley he is. When Indy is around other people he is happy to wander around, talk to people, play by himself, you name it. However, you be a fly on the wall when it's just me and the boy, and it's a completely different story.

Indy is my shadow. Indy clings onto me, onto my leg, onto my chest, onto my head. "Mama, mama, mama, please, mama, mama" is repeated, constantly. He still breastfeeds like a newborn, asking every  half hour, pulling on my top and smacking on my chest. I've started saying no, and we successfully night-weaned him using the Dr Jay Gordon method. I play with him, I reassure him, he gets lots of cuddles and kisses and 'I love yous' and is a very content little boy, he just seems to turn into a completely different child when it's just him and myself.

This is partly the reason why I started this blog. I wanted to show myself and others that I was interacting with him lots, and that we were playing together and his needs were being filled. In a way I feel guilty that he acts like this, Daddy has walked downstairs from work and seen how different Indy acts towards me and he has been shocked. I suffer from anxiety that leaves me fairly housebound, so going to baby and toddler groups has been difficult. I'm persuading myself to try a couple in the next few weeks, to partly relieve some of the pressure off me, and to let Indy be around other people. I know nobody there will believe me when I say I have a high needs toddler, watching my confident little boy strut around independently, making friends and playing, but I'm sure someone else there will know exactly what it's like.