Back to School: Here’s Hoping for a More Organized, Less Anxious Year

School starts next week.  Next week!  I am a ball of mixed emotions, much of which I am still processing (and will over-share here).

Right now, I’m going to direct my nervous energy on getting organized because I am going to be on Live in the D talking about my back to school tips.  (Here's the clip from the show - what do you think?)

With Thomas starting full day Kindergarten (please see mixed emotions above), I need to bring my A-game.  The mornings where Thomas would wear his PJ top under his coat and real pants to the bus stop and lounge around in this getup before his 12:30 start preschool are over.

Organization

Calling on my classroom teacher experience (I love when I can apply my degree to my mothering skills, right?!), procedures always increased the chance that the day would run smoothly (please note the word “chance” and not “certainty.”)

Here’s a morning chart for Thomas I found at I Heart Organizing.  I like the photos since he’s still learning to read.

I couldn’t find the one with all the elements that I wanted for Marie, so I created my own in a word document inspired by Kiwi Crate.

They are laminated so they can check off each item.  And guess what?  No screen time until every single item is completed. Last year, I sounded like Fay Dunaway yelling about wire hangers in Mommy Dearest when I screamed, “No more iPad time EVER!”  I decided to take a more proactive approach this year.

I also made similar after school charts that were inspired by both Design Dazzle and Kiwi Crate.

Last year, I was always forgetting what day Marie had library or gym.  I found this chart at Living Locurto.  Amy uses a new one for each week, but I decided to laminate it so if the weekly schedule changes, I can just update it with the markers.

All of these elements are here with the wall mounted file holders and cup tot hold markers inspired again by Living Locurto.

I wanted to put all of this by their desk, but we didn’t have enough space.  So I used the bulletin board we already had to post fun, inspirational notes for the kids.

I also use baskets to divide up supplies, but if I had limited drawer space, I would use a desktop organizer.

Weekday Dinners/School Lunches

Packing lunches and making dinners are a huge component of going back to school and can be a huge source of anxiety for me.  I use this recipe for dinner when I am in a rush and can use change it up for lunch next day.

I take a box of black beans that are rinsed and drained.

I take a container of salsa and drain if it is too wet.  Sweet Onion by Garden Fresh is our favorite.

I mix them together.

Put then in a tortilla and microwave.

Add cheese and roll up.  Dinner is served!

For lunch, I take the black bean salsa and put it in a Gladware container and add chips and cheese (in a silicon baking up inspired by my favorite food blogger 100 Days of Real Food.  Sidebar – so excited to have her new cookbook and find more healthy ideas for lunches).

Then I add some fruit and veggies (cucumbers are the kids’ favorite).  I also add some walnuts and chocolate chips and then a treat.

See this pink bento box?  I bought it 3 years ago at Pottery Barn.
I use it almost every day.  It was totally worth the investment.

Easing Anxiety

Back to school anxiety was a huge issue for us last year.  I used essential oils in a roller balls and it really helped.  My favorite is Peace and Calming from YoungLiving. 

I put about 20 drops in an 8mL rollerball and fill it half way with a carrier oil.  (I used olive oil to avoid any nut oils).

Wrap it up in paper towel and put in a snack bag.  Marie would use it whenever she felt nervous.

When she started preschool and kindergarten, I added a family photo to her backpack and that was really helpful.

I think that Christmas photo would make anyone smile, right?!

And if I am going to be honest, I have a little anxiety with school starting.  I miss having time to do fun things with them without the pressures of school! swim! T-ball!

This year, since both of the kids will officially be spending more time at school than with me (again, please see mixed emotions), I am going to commit one weekday night for family fun.  Nothing fancy or complicated, just a half an hour or so with some Uno cards or a puzzle and popcorn.

 I am thinking that this may ease everyone's anxiety feeling connected to each other. I don't want to stop making fun memories together just because school has started!

Do you have any back to school tips?  Do you worry about feeling disconnected from your kids in the wake of commitments?

*I have not been compensated for the use of any of these products.

The Food Dilemma

 As I have stated in previous posts, I am continuously trying to make good food choices for my family.  I try to go organic as often as I can.  I try to make sure we the kids don’t guzzle juice all day.  I try to make sure that they have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to eat.

But seriously, I feel like American society is against me.  I mean, just look at the second rising of The Twinkie.  It was everywhere!  When Thomas wants watches TV on certain stations, he starts begging for Lucky Charms.  Lucky Charms?!  I wasn’t even allowed to have those as a kid!

I am fortunate in the fact that Thomas and Marie will eat broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.  However, anything green and leafy is considered poison to them.  Perhaps at this point, you would suggest making a smoothie and sneaking kale and spinach in there.  Listen, I have tried.  I have made so many horrible smoothies, that they won’t even drink the good ones.

Frustrated, I reached out to my friend Angie.  We met at a conference that our husbands attend each year, and I remember her talking about a whole food supplement called Juice Plus.

We talked for a while, and I became intrigued by her information.  Her journey of finding Juice Plus is compelling, and she agreed to write a guest post.

So without further ado, I welcome Angie McCoy as she tells her story about Juice Plus.

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First Add; Then Subtract

   Teachers and school-aged children know it is easier to add than subtract in math.  Kids learn that in first grade, if not before.  This principle holds true in our lives as well, especially as it relates to our diets.

            Everyone knows that we need to remove the processed foods like soda, chips and fast food from our diets, but it can be difficult to do especially when you enjoy those things.  But seriously, if you are what you eat, who wants to be a Twinkie?  How about a Ding Dong?  You just might be one if you continue to serve processed foods to your children knowing that these foods tear down health instead of building it up.

So, let’s get back to nutritional math and consider first, learning to add to our diet before we subtract from it.  The nutritional foundation that we were created to build upon should be a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.  The current recommendation is 7-13 servings per day, which comes out to at least half your plate at every meal.  This amount gives your body the fuel that it needs to build a firm foundation of stone. 

Unfortunately, most people today are building their nutritional future on sinking sand, and it shows in the health of parents as well as children.  Dr. David Katz, MD, founder of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, profoundly states, “Today’s kids may be the first generation in history whose life expectancy is projected to be less than that of their parents.”  That is not what we imagined for our children… “When my daughter grows up I want her to be a veterinarian, a mom and have a shorter life than I will live.”  NO WAY!  We want the best of everything for our kids.  In order to achieve that we must fuel their bodies so that they may live up to their full potential, which is easier said than done.

I wish I could say that as a nurse and loving mother, I came to this realization about the importance of nutrition naturally, but that is not the case.  Most doctors and nurses are not well versed in the role nutrition plays in prevention and furthermore, the role that poor diet plays in contributing to illness and disease.  It’s not their fault.  That information is not something that is stressed in most medical and nursing schools. 

My epiphany came a few years ago when my daughter was faced with an unknown health challenge.  We exhausted every medical option possible and were left with a “wait and see” diagnosis.  As a mother warrior, I realized that waiting for her condition to worsen was not good enough for me, so I began devouring every book and journal on prevention that I could get my hands on.  All sources included one common method of prevention as well as treatment: a diet rich in fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.  The problem was my picky daughter was eating almost none!

Then, like an angel of hope, my friend told me about a whole food supplement called Juice Plus.  I said, “You mean I can get the nutrition of 26 vine-ripened, raw fruits, vegetables and grains into my daughter every day without her crying!”  It sounded too good to be true!  I felt like I had struck nutritional gold!  In fact, I had struck the nutritional rainbow with Juice Plus as the pot of gold at the end of it!

As a nurse, I love that Juice Plus is backed by gold-standard, independent clinical research conducted at prestigious medical institutions and universities across the United States and abroad that shows that Juice Plus:

·      First and foremost, is absorbed by your body, aka bioavailable

·      Reduces systemic inflammation

·      Supports your immune system

·      Protects DNA

·      Protects the cardiovascular system, among many other things

As a mom, I love that Juice Plus gives me the extra energy needed to keep up with two very involved kids as well as my own personal schedule.  My husband has come off of 4 medications and is proud to say that he has not been to his doctor since we started taking Juice Plus.  In fact, neither have my kids.  They have received the attendance awards at school for years, and when they do feel something coming on, their bodies have the nutritional ammunition to heal themselves.  To me Juice Plus is my nutritional insurance policy, and I thoroughly believe in investing in our wellness instead of subsidizing our illness.

As a nurse and more importantly, as a mother warrior, I feel a moral obligation to share the importance of nutrition in the role of health maintenance and more importantly prevention.  I urge you to first add more fruits and vegetables every day wherever possible.  One practical tip that works for my family is to always have a veggie tray chopped, clean and ready.  Leave it on the counter for the walk-by snacker.  Set the tray out on the table as an appetizer while you prepare the dinner plates.  Every family member must have two of each (but I do allow them to veto one vegetable of their choice).  Finally, pre-pack snack bags full of diced fruits and veggies for a quick on the go treat.

Ok that was the easy part: Addition!  Now here comes the tough one: Subtraction!  It’s time to rid your pantry and fridge of all the processed garbage that we pretend is food!  You know you should pitch it if:

1.    The front of the package sounds too good to be true.  Never trust the front of the package.  Find the nutrition facts for the real deal.  Remember, the first ingredient is in the greatest quantity and decreases from there.

2.    The ingredients list rivals the last novel you read in length.  Ok, I am talking to Moms here, it rivals the length of the last magazine article you read while going to the bathroom.

3.    It contains words you cannot pronounce.  Ok all you geniuses, just because you can say butylated hydroxyanisole, you still should not ingest it.

4. Anything artificial is listed like flavors, dyes, and artificial sweeteners.

5. It was not found in the grocery back when your mother was born and your great-grandmother would not recognize it as food like blue yogurt in a tube or Cheetos. 

You cannot eat anything that does not find a way home from the store with you, so just don’t buy the junk.  Go to the grocery armed with knowledge of the power of good nutrition and a full stomach to help resist temporary insanity in the chip aisle.

Just remember, it is best to start with addition of fruits and vegetable with your family.  For the best possible protection, bridge the gap between what you really eat and what you should eat with Juice Plus.  Next, subtract the junk food from your pantry.  That’s no place for the trash!  When it comes to nutritional math, begin with the addition of healthy foods before the subtraction of the garbage and you will multiply the health benefits for you and your family.

Sincerely,

Angie, RN

Wife, mother, nurse, nutrition advocate and guest blogger

For more information on Juice Plus

And how to get it free for your kids check out my website:

www.amccoyjuiceplus.com

What Do You Think Thursdays with Skinny Scoop: Taking It To Go

** Thanks again to everyone who voted for me inSkinny Scoop’s Top 25 Top Mom Bloggers of 2012. I came in at number 4!  Iappreciate all of your support! **

 Our departure for our Family Road Trip is approaching fast!  And in case you’re wondering, that exclamation point is a mixture of equal parts of fear and excitement.  I find solace in my preparation.

A list of fun things for The Babes to do in New York City: check!

Researched great tips for travelling with little ones: check!

Now it’s down to the packing.  Even though I’m sure anyone of you would be more than happy to come over and help me pack our suitcases, I just don’t think that’s feasible. 

But what you can do is give me great suggestions for healthy road trip food.  My plan is to pack our new gigantic cooler full of yummy, exciting, and healthy food.  Besides the obvious of just wanting to be healthy, there are a couple of other reasons we aren’t going to be stuffing our faces with M & M’s and Doritos:

I don’t want Thomas’s sugar addiction to flare up in a confined area only to turn him loose in our family’s house that has been so generous to open up to us to stay with them.  I don’t want to feel that awkward feeling of wearing out our welcome within the first hour of arriving.

I hate getting fit before a vacation only to feel like a beached whale upon arrival.  I usually reserve that feeling for *after* vacation.

I need ideas that are FUN and *SPARKLY*!  (And neat.  I get a little twitchy when I think about a car covered in graham cracker crumbs). Let’s be honest, this journey will take approximately two days of driving for 6-7 hours at a time.  I want them to be happy little people in hopes of a peaceful Family Road Trip.

Here’s what is on my list already.  I could really use some suggestions! 

View this list »

Healthy Kid-Friendly Road Trip Food

Guest Post by Amy from Planting a Seed: The One Surprising Thing That My Dad’s Cancer Did For Me

 I am so excited about this guest post.  Amy is part of Planting a Seed blog that shares different ways to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based protein into your diet.  In today’s post, she shares her story that inspired her to transition to a plan-based diet.  I think it’s incredible! 

Please be sure to show Amy some comment love!! 

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Greetings, Mommy on the Spot readers!  I'm visiting from PlantingHYPERLINK "http://plantstrongliving.com/" a Seed and I'm honored to be guest blogger today.  Here’s some (plant) food for thought toward achieving a disease-proof lifestyle with my own personal story.

Have you ever felt helpless to cancer?  My guess is that you have.  Too many of us are affected by cancer.  In August of 2009, my dad was diagnosed with cancer.  I thought there was nothing I could do for him.  Then his nutritionist told him to start eating an 80% plant-based diet.  That means 80% of what he eats should be vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.  I started researching cancer diets and found data from the Cancer Project that states diet accounts for a minimum of 30% of all cancers.  In fact, some researchers estimate that only 3% of all cancers are genetically driven and the balance lifestyle driven. The idea that I could impact my chances of getting cancer, and could actually reverse cancer by changing my diet was new information for me to digest.  I decided to support my dad, and maybe even do something for myself at the same time, by adopting a plant-based diet.

It wasn’t easy and it didn’t come without some trial-and-error.  It was hard to give up cheese pizza!  In fact, I held on to that cheese pizza, and a few other splurge-worthy foods, for a few months while I was transitioning to a plant-based diet.  Then I read The China Study and discovered that the long-term cancer study described in the book was conducted with dairy products, not meat.  That was the push I needed to give up the cheese.  After all, my reason for adopting this lifestyle was because of my dad’s cancer diagnosis.  I could no longer pick and choose which animal products I would keep and which I would abandon.  I would still love to eat a cheesy slice, but I don’t.  There are plenty of animal foods that my body is wired to crave from years of dietary abuse.  I know in my mind that these foods are not what will make me strong and healthy.  By educating myself on plant-based nutrition, I can easily pass on the temptations now.

In addition to reading books like The China Study, I also joined VegMichigan, and watched documentaries like Forks Over Knives to help me learn more about plant-based nutrition.  If these sources were not convincing enough, then the results of my 2010 physical certainly were.  My cholesterol dropped from 205 to 140!  I didn’t even think I needed to lower my cholesterol because I had always been told that the ratio of HDL-to-LDL was good.  Now that I look back on that, I cannot believe that I was not alarmed at my cholesterol level.  I rested on the fact that my cholesterol level was “genetic” and thought I couldn’t do anything about it.  I’ve recently been reading Rip Esselstyn’s Engine 2 Diet and have learned the importance of a cholesterol level below 150 for the best protection against heart disease.  My cholesterol-lowering experience is not unique.  Many people are reducing their cholesterol, reversing Type 2 diabetes and halting cancer by adopting a plant-based diet.

It’s been two years and seven months since my dad’s diagnosis.  For now, chemotherapy and radiation seem to have controlled his cancer.  I am sad that my dad and family had to go through the experience of cancer.  Certainly he feels lucky that his was treatable.  I feel lucky to have improved my health and discovered a new way of living through his experience.  My goal is to lead others toward a plant-based lifestyle for improved health and disease prevention.