We just completed a 12 hour drive from California to Arizona, twice, with a two year old. We survived, but we were all ready to scream by the end of each trip. What did we learn?
1. Take breaks
Road trips take longer with little ones. Just accept that. Their bladders are smaller and self control is not as strong as adults. So plan in rest stops. This time, we used rest stops and McDonalds play lands for stretch breaks. When our son gets older, we may plan the stops to coincide with the giant mechanical dinosaur or other exciting roadside attractions.
2. Lots of healthy snacks
We brought a collapsible cooler with fruit, cheese sticks, pb&j sandwiches, crackers and granola bars. We had enough snacks that we could time lunch for when it was convenient, rather than being starving.
Plus snacks are a good distraction.
3. Bring something new
Lots of excitement can be built up by knowing something new will be unwrapped for the trip. In our case, it was a reusable sticker set by Melissa &Doug. A travel game or cd could also do the trick.
4. Pay Attention
This applies to the passenger as well as the driver. The passenger's job is to entertain the kids, so the driver can focus on driving. As the journey drags on, this gets harder for everyone, but it is imperative for safety.
When I was driving, I was tempted to sing and play along, but when driving in LA traffic, that is not always prudent.
5. Stay positive
Kids pickup on your energy and attitude, so try to keep the attention on fun and adventure. If something unexpected happens, take a deep breath and reassure them.
I am sure this is not our last road trip, so there will more time to refine this tips in the future.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Sugar is a Toxin?? Eat like a caveman?? What's a mom to do?
I recently heard about a study published by a UCSF pediatrics professor (Robert Lustig) on the impact of sugar (specifically fructose) on obesity and diabetes. Dr. Lustig studies child diabetes and obesity and postulates that the liver has to break down fructose (present in fruit, as well as refined sugars) in a different way then glucose (carbohydrates), which results in fat and contributes to hypertension and diabetes.
You can check out his lecture "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" on YouTube. (Note, it is an academic lecture, so there is plenty of biochemistry, but if you can stick through it and it does not give you debilitating flashbacks of college, he makes some valid points.). The biggest villain that he mentions is sugared beverages (soda, gatorade and chocolate milk). His primary recommendation to families of obese children is to cut out all beverages except water and milk.
I have also been curious of this new "Paleo Diet" phenomenon. It is an eating philosophy modeled after the Hunters and Gatherers of the Paleolithic age. It focuses on animal, fish and nut proteins, as well as fruits and vegetables and cuts out all grains, legumes (peanuts, soy, lentils), refined sugars and in most cases, dairy. The idea is that our bodies have not evolved to properly metabolize the "new world" foods and they may cause inflammation, as well as other health problems.
I am not going to debate either of these dietary hypotheses, but I will share my philosophy. I believe that processed foods are not as healthy as food fresh from the farm. In our societies' efficiency of making food "fast," cheap and last longer, we have stripped many of the healthy attributes out of the grocery store. As a manufacturing engineer, I understand the dilemma.
As a healthy adult and mother, how do I manage providing "healthy" meals for my family?
I have been trying to limit sugar and processed foods, especially for my toddler. He only drinks water, milk and soy milk, rarely gets cookies and never gets candy. (This is slightly hypocritical, since I have a sweet tooth and keep a secret stash of chocolate for myself). But it is not easy or feasible to prepare quick, fresh, and healthy meals every day.
Here are some suggestions for what has worked in our house:
1. Prioritize. Having healthy meals and snacks is important to me, so I need to make time to shop and prepare. I do not rely on TV dinners or fast food. We shop at the farmers market every week for Organic produce. I plan and prep on the weekend. We also have primarily healthy snacks around the house (yogurt, no sugar added apple sauce, fruit). For "splurges" we have graham crackers.
2. Identify limits. My eating philosophy is moderation. I try to have vegetable heavy meals, knowing that I do not have resources (time and money) to build everything from scratch. We get store bought pasta and sauce, but I add lots of fresh and frozen vegetables. I buy whole wheat, multigrain bread and we look for sauces and dressings without added sugar. Not everything has to be organic or sugar-free, but we look for those options when we can.
3. Keep learning and improving. One of my goals for this year is to learn and add new easy recipes to my cooking rotation. When I get tired, I fall back on pasta and stir fries, but you can only eat those for so long.
What suggestions do you have to manage healthy meals for the family?
You can check out his lecture "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" on YouTube. (Note, it is an academic lecture, so there is plenty of biochemistry, but if you can stick through it and it does not give you debilitating flashbacks of college, he makes some valid points.). The biggest villain that he mentions is sugared beverages (soda, gatorade and chocolate milk). His primary recommendation to families of obese children is to cut out all beverages except water and milk.
I have also been curious of this new "Paleo Diet" phenomenon. It is an eating philosophy modeled after the Hunters and Gatherers of the Paleolithic age. It focuses on animal, fish and nut proteins, as well as fruits and vegetables and cuts out all grains, legumes (peanuts, soy, lentils), refined sugars and in most cases, dairy. The idea is that our bodies have not evolved to properly metabolize the "new world" foods and they may cause inflammation, as well as other health problems.
I am not going to debate either of these dietary hypotheses, but I will share my philosophy. I believe that processed foods are not as healthy as food fresh from the farm. In our societies' efficiency of making food "fast," cheap and last longer, we have stripped many of the healthy attributes out of the grocery store. As a manufacturing engineer, I understand the dilemma.
As a healthy adult and mother, how do I manage providing "healthy" meals for my family?
I have been trying to limit sugar and processed foods, especially for my toddler. He only drinks water, milk and soy milk, rarely gets cookies and never gets candy. (This is slightly hypocritical, since I have a sweet tooth and keep a secret stash of chocolate for myself). But it is not easy or feasible to prepare quick, fresh, and healthy meals every day.
Here are some suggestions for what has worked in our house:
1. Prioritize. Having healthy meals and snacks is important to me, so I need to make time to shop and prepare. I do not rely on TV dinners or fast food. We shop at the farmers market every week for Organic produce. I plan and prep on the weekend. We also have primarily healthy snacks around the house (yogurt, no sugar added apple sauce, fruit). For "splurges" we have graham crackers.
2. Identify limits. My eating philosophy is moderation. I try to have vegetable heavy meals, knowing that I do not have resources (time and money) to build everything from scratch. We get store bought pasta and sauce, but I add lots of fresh and frozen vegetables. I buy whole wheat, multigrain bread and we look for sauces and dressings without added sugar. Not everything has to be organic or sugar-free, but we look for those options when we can.
3. Keep learning and improving. One of my goals for this year is to learn and add new easy recipes to my cooking rotation. When I get tired, I fall back on pasta and stir fries, but you can only eat those for so long.
What suggestions do you have to manage healthy meals for the family?
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Mom shortcuts - morning prep
Morning prep is one of the most stressful parts of my day. There is a finite window in which to get everything done. Sure, I could get up earlier, but that does not always happen...it is so nice and cozy in bed after the alarm goes off.
So I have built some preparation into my night time routine, to add shortcuts to my morning.
1. I pick out the clothes my son will wear and set them out near the changing table. This way, I do not have to fumble in his drawers while he whines about breakfast in the morning and just in case daddy gets up first, he will know what to dress him in. I have also seen kids closet organizers with spots for clothes for each day of the week. As he gets older and capable of dressing himself, I will probably start something like that.
2. I pick out my clothes for the next day. I actually I select all my work outfits for the week on Sunday. When I get dressed, it is usually in the semi-dark and I do not want to worry about decisions before I have breakfast.
3. For Christmas, I got my husband a programmable coffee maker, so we can set it up the night before. Definitely worth it.
4. Before I get ready for bed, I pick up the clutter in the living room and kitchen, so everything will be in its place in the morning. It is a lot nicer to come downstairs and see an uncluttered room. Plus, I like not being afraid I am going to step on a toy car.
5. I prep lunches and the dinner for the next night. I get out the crockpot or grill and any canned ingredients and put them on the counter. It helps me remember what I planned to cook.
Any other ideas for prepping the night before?
So I have built some preparation into my night time routine, to add shortcuts to my morning.
1. I pick out the clothes my son will wear and set them out near the changing table. This way, I do not have to fumble in his drawers while he whines about breakfast in the morning and just in case daddy gets up first, he will know what to dress him in. I have also seen kids closet organizers with spots for clothes for each day of the week. As he gets older and capable of dressing himself, I will probably start something like that.
2. I pick out my clothes for the next day. I actually I select all my work outfits for the week on Sunday. When I get dressed, it is usually in the semi-dark and I do not want to worry about decisions before I have breakfast.
3. For Christmas, I got my husband a programmable coffee maker, so we can set it up the night before. Definitely worth it.
4. Before I get ready for bed, I pick up the clutter in the living room and kitchen, so everything will be in its place in the morning. It is a lot nicer to come downstairs and see an uncluttered room. Plus, I like not being afraid I am going to step on a toy car.
5. I prep lunches and the dinner for the next night. I get out the crockpot or grill and any canned ingredients and put them on the counter. It helps me remember what I planned to cook.
Any other ideas for prepping the night before?
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