by deserea g.

Now that you have some of the cloth diapering jargon essentials down, lets talk about what you will need.

If you do decide to go with prefolds, you will need about two dozen prefolds to start.  This will allow you to get by for a couple of days without having to wash.  Newborns go through a lot of diapers in their first few weeks of life, so you want to be prepared.  You will also need either snappis, or diaper pins.  We recommend having a least one to two packs of snappis and about one to two packs of pins readily available when using prefolds.  You also need a cover.  We have many different types, sizes, colors and prints of diaper covers on our site, so have fun shopping.  If you decide on all-in-ones you only need the diaper itself.  We have great diapers for you to choose from on the site as well.  Fitted diapers are a great choice as well and if you go with fitteds you will possibly need a snappi, or set of diaper pins.  You will also need a diaper cover of your choice, as stated before these do require a cover.  Pocket diapers are a favorite for people that like to add or take away layers of absorbency.  With these diapers you will need a certain amount of doublers/liners to add to the “pocket” for absorbency.

Besides the diapers themselves you will also need some much needed accessories that will make cloth diapering a breeze.  We recommend having a wetbag, as well as pail liners to store those wet and stinky diapers between washes.  A wetbag is a bag that is made up of an inner layer of PUL, like the pocket and all-in-one diapers mentioned above.  These are a must and are highly recommended.  Pail liners you can use in a diaper pail.  When it comes to laundering your cloth you will need to be careful with what you use.  There are many different “cloth diaper friendly” laundry detergents and soaps that should only be used on cloth.  We have several “cloth diaper friendly” laundry products on our site as well.  You will also need to use a “cloth friendly” diaper rash cream as well.  One of our favorite earth friendly products to use while using cloth are cloth wipes.  Cloth wipes are so soft for babies delicate skin and can be used in your favorite wipes warmer with any cloth wipes solution.

Today’s blog entry has 2 wonderful prizes! 1 Thirsties Blackbird Duo Diaper in Size 1 and a Thirsties Duo Cover in Size 1 both mango colored.

We have now added several opportunities for extra entries! For the first and manditory entry, tell us about why you have decided to use cloth diapers on your babies!

For extra entries you can become a Fan on Facebook for 1 entry, Follow us on twitter @FranklinGoose for 1 entry, and  Follow our blog via Networked Blogs for 1 entry!  Please post seperate comments for each extra entry.  The giveaway will close Tuesday at five est.

by Ashley R.

My husband and I finally decided to remove all PVC, Phthalates, BPA’s and many other toxins from our children’s toys. We needed new teethers and toys that we could trust would be safe, effective and fun for our little guy. “Sophie”, the adorable giraffe teether got so many rave reviews that we felt confident H. would love it just as much as so many other children have. We weren’t disappointed! Sophie is the perfect teether as well as the perfect toy!

H. loves gnawing on Sophie’s hooves and ears, which massage his gums as he chews. Sophie has two squeakers inside, so she squeaks when H. squeezes her head or body, providing extra gratification. Her size is great for the car, and H. loves chewing on her and twirling her around from his car seat. Her legs make perfect handles for little hands.

Besides the fact that she makes our son happy, we love her because she is made of natural rubberwood and food paint. We know H. isn’t ingesting any nasty chemicals or toxins when he plays with Sophie. She is a toy that he will love even as a toddler, using her in imaginary play. We are on a first name basis with this sweet toy and enjoy seeing other babies around town loving her too!

At Franklin Goose we are so happy that you have decided to choose organic and natural products for you and your new baby.  We are also very honored that you have chosen Franklin Goose for all of your organic and natural needs.  We have compiled a list of cloth diapering essentials that you will need to get started.

Before looking into cloth and the accessories needed you will need to understand some of the terms of cloth diapering.  It is very easy to become overwhelmed with all of the cloth diapering jargon out there, so here are a few cloth diapering essentials that we have explained for you to help you choose the best option for you and your little one.

Prefolds are very popular because you can fold and shape them for the best fit possible.  A prefold is a flat diaper that is rectangular in shape and has many different layers of fabric in the “wet zone”.  You can find these in different sizes, colors, as well as in different absorbencies.  Some prefold sizes are determined by the actual size, a color, or in some cases by the different colors of the stitching.  There are prefolds made that are bleached (white in color), as well as prefolds made that are unbleached (natural in color).  Prefolds do require many washes before you can use them.  In most cases you will need to wash them 4 , or 5 times to get them to fluff up and be at their peak absorbency.  Using prefolds also requires you to use a snappy, or diaper pin, because they do NOT have a fastener built into the diaper.  Prefolds are NOT waterproof so they do require a cover of some sort.

All-In-One (AIO) diapers are very popular as well, because they are made with a cover and a fastener built into the diaper.  They have an absorbent lining, as well as a waterproof layer on the outside usually consisting of PUL.  These diapers come in many different prints, colors and also come with a velcro (hook and loop/aplix), or a form of snapping closure.

Fitteds – Fitted diapers are similar to a prefold, because they do require a cover and some come without closures built in.  Fitted diapers are a shaped diaper and come in many different prints, colors and closures.  You can find fitted diapers that have snaps, velcro/aplix, without a fastener at all that would require a snappy or diaper pins.  Fitteds like prefolds come in many different fabrics as well.  The softer the better!

Pocket diapers are similar to an all-in-one diaper, because they come made with an outer layer of PUL that is waterproof.  The inner part of this diaper is usually comprised of fleece and it comes with a “pocket” built into the back of the diaper that you can stuff a desired layer of absorbent inserts into.  These diapers also come with a Velcro/aplix, or a snapping closure that would not require a snappy or set of diaper pins.

Doublers/Liners  – Strips of fabric used to increase absorbency of a cloth diaper.  These can be used with any type of cloth diaper for extra wicking such as nap times or nighttime.

The diapers mentioned that do not have a layer of PUL on the outside to prevent leaking will need a cover.  Covers are a waterproof fabric that can come equipped with either snaps or velcro/aplix.  There are also diaper cover wraps as well as pull on covers made from waterproof fabric, such as fleece or wool.

Snappis are a separate accessory that you will need if you decide to choose a diaper that does NOT have a built in fastener.  Snappis are made of a rubber that have teeth on either end that stretches across the front of the diaper and attaches the wings of the diaper together.

Katydid Diapers is working with us to give away a melon colored diaper! Please include a link to your favorite diaper on our site and tell us why you love it to enter! Please remember to do this in order for your entry to count! This giveaway will end on Thursday at 5:00.

by kristin c.

It seems like since I have had a baby I get more compliments than ever before…no I did not magically become a super model, but rather I became a babywearing mama.

Babywearing is one of the greatest gifts that you can give both yourself and your child.  It is not only the most comfortable snuggle time around, it also provides you with free hands to complete household duties while you are still bonding and cuddling with your child.  It is also more personal and comforting than using a stroller and leaves both of your hands free, plus it can be done inside and outside of the house.

Many of the above compliments came from onlookers stating how pretty the carriers are, or how happy and comfy and content my baby looks.  There are also comments complimenting me on my strength…but this is not needed for babywearing and I will explain in a moment.

From the newborn stage you have the nice stretchy wrap, which is super sleek and adds a pop of color to mama and babies wardrobe.  They are soft enough to be used for kangaroo care and great modest skin to skin time for you and your baby.  It also allows baby to be soothed much easier as it becomes a comfort zone for them.  Sleepywraps provide many hours of enjoyable snuggle time and are the perfect material for wearing around the home and out in public without getting too hot.  These also are just the perfect amount of support for those tiny little bundles of joy.  They also make nursing more discrete as you can nurse while wearing your baby or cover them if you choose with the wrap as it doubles as a blanket on the go.  These can be purchased at a great price point but their downfall is that they may not be supportive enough to wear beyond the first year.

After many months of having a love affair with my Sleepywrap I decided to graduate to the next level of babywearing.  The next carriers can comfortably support children up to 40lbs*.  These include soft structures carriers, mei tais, and my true love of woven wraps.

Soft structured carriers, like the; oh Snap!, Ergo, Boba G2 and Beco Butterfly provide amazing colors and patterns. These all provide simple in and out buckle closures.  These in my opinion, are the easiest & quickest carriers to use, and evenly distribute the weight of your child as they are being carried while also designed to provide proper support for their hip and spine, which is a question many moms have. These are simple for mom and dad alike.  The biggest positives are the ease of use and evenly distributed support.  The downfalls of these are lack of carrying positions, adjusting straps between users, not being able to use for another purpose and that they can be bulky to carry while not in use.

Next in line are the mei tais.  At Franklin Goose we provide the Babyhawk and Kozy. These are best described as the in-between carrier.  They have qualities of both the soft structured carrier as well as the woven wrap.  These take just a bit longer to tie on, but if you are having to adjust straps with a soft structured carrier, many moms find a mei tai just as fast if not faster than a soft structured carrier.  These also seem much easier to nurse in than a soft structured carrier, in my personal experience.  They also seem to provide a wider variety of fun front panels to have a more personalized look.  It does not take long to learn how to use these and they provide a few more options for carrying than a soft structured carrier can provide.  These support very well.  The biggest positives for mei teis are the customized fit every time and the support.  The biggest downfall I find is that the back panels many not be high enough for some older babies who like to arch.

Now we are to my favorite.  The woven wrap.  Do not be discouraged that there is a slight learning curve and that there are so many carries.  You Tube has 100’s of videos you can view to learn all the carries step-by-step, and chances are you will have 2 or 3 favorite carriers that you can tie in a short amount of time.  Woven wraps have been around for ages.  The material is stronger and supportive as well as being high quality and then it is woven into a wrap.  These are specially designed for carrying children and are very strong and Didymos even adds the idea of using your wrap as a hammock after you are finished carrying your child, these wraps can SUPPORT!  They are the most versatile wrap, providing several carries on hip, back and front.  They can be used as a blanket, sunshade, nursing cover, pillow and anything else you may think of.  Depending on the weight of your child you can use a more supportive carry.  They come in all sizes and I suggest going with a longer wrap if in doubt.  They also come in short sizes which I would suggest only for experienced babywearers as they are more difficult to work with.  Do not be overwhelmed, it just takes practice and you will get it!  The biggest positives of these are already listed above.  The biggest downfall would have to be the price point-which is necessary because of the elaborate weaving process to create them with organic marterials and the final downfall would have to be the addiction of them, once I fell in love I wanted a huge pile to snuggle my darling daughter in.

Sleepy Wrap is so excited about all of our babywearing mama’s that they have offered 2 prizes for this contest! One winner will win a Sleepy Wrap in Navy and another will win their Nap Inc. Bear.

How to enter:  Please visit www.FranklinGoose.com and find your favorite babywearing item! Post a link in the comments section and a random winner will be chosen on Monday after 12:00 noon EST.  This is also a great chance to offer any suggestions for Franklin Goose to sell other babywearing items!

We are so excited to tell you all about our baby registry at Franklin Goose. Not only do we offer a Safe Baby Promise, so you can rest assured that every item you choose for your registry has been carefully chosen for its safety for you and your new baby,  we also have a “Quick Start Registry” to help all of our parents create their registry! The “Quick Start Registry” features some great product suggestions either for a boy, girl, or for our parents who want to be surprised we have a gender neutral registry. The “Quick Start Registry” is set up to show you all the items you should consider for your registry as you begin. We have filled out the registry as suggestions, you can use them in your own registry or delete them and fill them in with whatever items you are interested in.

We are now offering free gift wrapping for any items purchased for a baby registry! That service paired with our $5 flat rate shipping gives you  two great deals for your friends and family who are shopping for your new addition.

We are also happy to offer 10% off to help you complete your baby registry, if the registry is at least 75% complete after your baby shower date!  You can have the choice to use the 10% discount, or you can earn 5% back in store credit for the value of your registry, if your registry is 100% complete!

Registering for your new baby can be an important decision, especially if you choose to raise your children with natural and organics products.  Your baby registry at Franklin Goose can be a helpful tool to educate your friends and family about the many options for natural living for your family.  A baby registry is not only great for the mama to be, but it helps your friends and family choose a gift that you will enjoy and use for your new baby.

To help kick off our registry program, we are hosting a registry event here on our blog during the month of July.  We will have blog entries featuring baby essentials, and tips for registering.  We are so excited about our “Quick Start Registry” that we are hosting giveaways of our favorite items with each blog entry.  Be sure and invite your friends over, so they can get in on the fun too!  If we get to 4,000 fans on Facebook by the end of the month, we may have another surprise for you!

Our giveaway today is from Boon Inc. It is an amazing gift including the Grass Countertop Drying Rack, Fluid Toddler Cup, Catch Bowl, Benders Utensils, Squirt Baby Food Dispensing Spoon, Boon Odd Duck Bob, Boon Squirt Ball, Modware Toddler Utensils, and the Groovy Interlocking Plate and Bowl Set. We love Boon for their creative solutions for babies needs. They are BPA, Phthalate and PVC free. They donate 10% of their profits to charities benefiting needy children.

If you would like to win this fabulous  prize, please post your favorite item in the “Bath and Potty” section of www.FranklinGoose.com along with a link to that particular item.  Entries will close on 7/9 at 12:00 noon EST.  A winner will be chosen using Random.org and announced on Friday afternoon! Good luck! Honk!

Things you should include in your registry:

Necessities:
Crib
Mattress
Basket/cradle
Bedding
Changing Pad/Table
Monitor
Pump
Breast feeding accessories
Bottles
Food Prep
Baby Bathtub
Stroller
Car Seat
Bouncer
Wrap/Carrier
Clothes
Diapers
Diaper Bag
Blankets
Baby personal care
Bath
Safety
Wardrobe
Bookcase
Shelves

Fun Items:
Toys
Mobiles
Decor
Books
Gift Sets

Clothing check list:
Amount:
3-6 cotton footies
2-4 onesies
2-4 long sleeve onesie
2-4 t-shirts
2-4 long sleeve onesie
1-2 two piece outfits
1 cardigan
4-6 pairs of socks
2 slip on booties
2 bibs
1 hat
shoes

Gosling’s Favorites is now up and running!! You can get to it from the Franklin Goose homepage or by our blog. We are still looking for our next submission! Send us a photo and product review of your favorite FG dropping to be featured on the front page of FG! Please send all submissions to goslingsfavorites@franklingoose.com Please include your child’s first initial, city and state, and why you and your child love the item. Once we have chosen the review to feature, it will be on the front page of the site for two weeks as well as on the blog indefinitely. By submitting you agree to allow us to post the photo and the review- but we will not print the child’s name, only their first initial.

On June 9th, 2010 the Environmental Law Foundation filed Notices of Violation of the California Proposition 65 Toxics Right to Know law, alleging lead was found in children’s and baby foods. You can read more about what is being done and why lead would be in the foods at  http://www.envirolaw.org Below is a list of the brands and products that were tested:

Apple Juice

For the following products, one or more samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Beech Nut 100% Apple Juice
Earth’s Best Organics Apple Juice
First Street 100% Apple Cider from concentrate
First Street Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Full Circle Organic Apple Juice
Gerber 100% Juice Apple Juice
Great Value 100% No Sugar Added Apple Juice
Hansen’s Natural Apple Juice
Kroger 100% Juice Apple Juice
Langers Apple Juice 100% Juice
Minute Maid Juice Apple – 100% Apple Juice
Motts 100% Apple Juice
O Organics Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice Not From Concentrate
Old Orchard 100% Apple Juice
Parade 100% Juice Apple
Raley’s Premium 100% Apple Juice not from Concentrate
Safeway 100% Juice Apple Cider
Safeway 100% Juice Apple Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice Apple Juice
Sunny Select 100% Apple Juice
Trader Joe’s Certified Organic Apple Juice, pasteurized
Tree Top 100% Juice Apple Cider
Walgreens Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Walnut Grove Market 100% Apple Juice

For the following products, NO samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Great Value 100% Apple Juice not from concentrate
Harvest Day 100% Apple Juice from Concentrate
Kirkland Fresh Pressed Apple Juice Pasteurized
Martinelli’s Gold Medal Apple Juice 100% pure from US grown fresh apples
R.W. Knudsen Organic Apple Juice unfiltered
Raley’s Everyday 100% Apple Juice
Sunny Select 100% Unfiltered Apple Juice
Trader Joe’s Fresh Pressed Apple Juice all natural pasteurized, 100% juice
Tree Top 100% Apple Juice
Tree Top Three Apple Blend 100% Fresh Pressed Juice

Grape Juice

For the following products, one or more samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

365 Everyday Value Organic 100% Juice Concord Grapes
First Street Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Gerber 100% Juice – White Grape Juice
Great Value 100% Grape Juice
Kedem Concord Grape Juice 100% pure grape juice
Kroger Grape Juice 100% Juice
Langers Grape Juice (Concord)
Langers Red Grape Juice
O Organics Organic Grape Juice from concentrate
R.W. Knudsen Just Concord Grape Juice
R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Concord
Raley’s 100% Grape Juice
Safeway 100% Juice Grape Juice
Safeway Organic Grape Juice
Santa Cruz Organic Concord Grape Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice Grape Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice White Grape Juice
Sunny Select 100% Grape Juice
Trader Joe’s Concord Grape Juice made from fress pressed organic concord grapes
Tree Top 100% Juice, Grape
Valu Time Grape Drink from Concentrate
Walgreens Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Walnut Acres Organic Concord Grape
Walnut Grove Market Grape Juice
Welch’s 100% Grape Juice (from Welch’s Concord Grapes)
Welch’s 100% Red Grape Juice from Concentrate

For the following products, NO samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Old Orchard Healthy Balance Grape

Packaged Pears

For the following products, one or more samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Best Yet Bartlett Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup
Del Monte Diced Pears in Light Syrup
Del Monte Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup
Del Monte Pear Halves, Bartlett Pears in 100% real fruit juice from concentrate
Dole Pear Halves in Juice
First Street Diced Pears
First Street Sliced Bartlett
Full Circle Organic Bartlett Pear Slices
Gerber 3rd Foods Pears [Baby Food]
Great Value Bartlett Pear Halves in 100% Juice
Great Value Bartlett Sliced Pears in Heavy Syrup
Market Pantry Diced Pears in Light syrup
Maxx Value Pear Pieces in Light Syrup
Polar Pear Halves in light syrup
S&W Natural Style Pear Slices in Juice
S&W Sun Pears Premium
Safeway Lite Bartlett Pear Halves in Pear Juice
Safeway Pear Halves in Light Juice
Sunny Select Pear Halves in Pear Juice
Trader Joe’s Pear Halves in white grape juice
Truitt Brothers Pacific NorthWest Bartlett Pear Halves, in pear juice from concentrate
Valu Time Irregular Bartlett Pear Slices
Walnut Grove Market Natural Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup

For the following products, NO samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Eating Right Kids Diced Pears Fruit Cups
Stater Bros. Diced Pears Snack Bowl

Packaged Peaches

For the following products, one or more samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Best Yet Yellow Cling Peach Halves in Heavy Syrup
Del Monte Freestone Peach Slices in 100 % Juice
Del Monte Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in 100 % Juice
Del Monte Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in heavy syrup
Dole Diced Peaches, Yellow Cling in light syrup
First Street Yellow Cling Peaches in heavy syrup
Gerber 3rd Foods Peaches [Baby Food]
Golden Star Peach Halves in Heavy Syrup
Great Value Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches
Libby’s Yellow Cling Peach Slices No Sugar Added (Sweetened with Splenda)
Market Pantry Diced Peaches in light syrup
Polar Peach Slices
Raley’s Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in Heavy Syrup
S&W Natural Style Yellow Cling Peach Slices in Lightly Sweetened Juice
S&W Premium Peach Halves Yellow Cling Peaches in light syrup
Safeway Diced Peaches in Light Syrup
Safeway Yellow Cling Peach Slices in Pear Juice
Simple Value Yellow Cling Peaches in light syrup
Stater Bros. Yellow Cling Peach Halves
Stater Bros. Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches in heavy syrup
Sunny Select Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches in Pear Juice
Trader Joe’s Yellow Cling Peach Halves in while grape juice
Valu Time Yellow Cling Peach Slices
Walnut Grove Market Natural Peaches Sliced Yellow Cling in Light Syrup

For the following products, NO samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Dole Diced Peaches, Cling in Light Syrup
Dole Diced Peaches, Freestone in Light Syrup
Dole Sliced Peaches
Eating Right Kids Diced Peaches in Extra Light Syrup
Stater Bros. Diced Peaches Snack Bowl

Fruit Cocktail

For the following products, one or more samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Best Yet Chunky Mixed Fruit in Pear Juice
Chef’s Review Fruit Cocktail
Del Monte 100% Juice Fruit Cocktail
Del Monte Chunky Mixed Fruit in 100 % Juice (peach, pear, grape, etc.)
Del Monte Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup (peach, pear, grapes)
Del Monte Fruit Cocktail No Sugar Added
Del Monte Lite Fruit Cocktail in Extra Light Syrup
Dole Mixed Fruit in Light Syrup
Eating Right Fruit Cocktail packed in Sucralose
Eating Right No Sugar Fruit Cocktail
First Street Fruit Cocktail in heavy syrup
Golden Star Mixed Fruit in Light Syrup (peach, pineapple, pears)
Great Value No Sugar Added Fruit Cocktail
Kroger Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
Kroger Lite Fruit Cocktail in Pear Juice
Kroger Value Fruit Mix (Peaches, pears, grapes)
Libby’s Fruit Cocktail No Sugar Added (Sweetened with Splenda)
Market Pantry Mixed Fruit in light syrup
Maxx Value Fruit Mix in Light Syrup (peach, pear, grape)
Mrs. Brown’s Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup (peaches, pears, grapes)
Polar Mixed Fruit
Raley’s Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
S&W Natural Style Fruit Cocktail in Lightly Sweetened Juice
Safeway Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
Safeway Light Sugar Fruit Cocktail
Safeway Lite Fruit Cocktail in Pear Juice
Stater Bros. Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
Sunny Select Fruit Cocktail in Juice

For the following products, NO samples exceeded the Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving:

Del Monte Mixed Fruit

Johnson & Johnson usually rate a 4-7 on the Cosmetic Safety Database, which is moderately to highly hazardous. The ingredients in J&J products are known to cause; cancer, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity, skin irritations, and biochemical or cellular level changes. The other products they gave us were Keri Moisture Oil, and Cardinal Health Shampoo and Lotion. Keri scored a 5 and the Cardinal Heath didn’t even show up. I did look up every ingredient and they were higher than 5’s. So, I’m sure they have a super high hazard score.

This just goes to show you can’t trust what anyone gives you. Well they say knowledge brings power, and in this case it brought safety. Make sure you are aware of what hospitals, doctors, and even schools are giving your children. You won’t believe how many ENT’s told me to give E Tylenol during our visits- when all of children’s Tylenol has been recalled.  Write to establishments asking them to switch to products like Earth Mama Angel Baby or other natural/organic alternatives.  We can make a difference and create toxin free environments for our children!

by Michelle L.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.”
- Albert Einstein

Before I had a child, this quote meant something different to me. Now that I have E., it takes on a whole new meaning. It is just as important to have imaginative play toys around the house as it is to have learning toys. Or if you have a child like E., she will turn her educational toys into imaginative play.

The first eco-friendly toy I bought for E. was the PlanToys Assorted Fruits and Vegetables cutting set. E. still to this day puts toys in her mouth. I didn’t want to buy her food play items that weren’t safe, especially since I knew they would go in her mouth. I had heard rave reviews about PlanToys and I had to find out for myself.

PlanToys only uses replenishable rubberwood, which is preservative free and naturally processed. They were the first company to use recycled rubberwood! The wood is not chemically treated in any way. PlanToys only uses water-based colors and non-toxic glues. So yes, it’s safe for your child to put them in their mouth! PlanToys manufactures all of their own toys in Thailand, so they have complete control of the process. Thailand is rich with rubberwood, which PlanToys has successfully recycled for their toys.

PlanToys creates toys to inspire children’s imagination as well as promoting their physical and intellectual development. They have unique designs that every child will love. E. has loved her Fruit and Vegetable cutting set. I bought it for her for Christmas last year and it took some time for her to master cutting the veggies. It would occupy her for at least 30 minutes until she got it! But now she is a pro. It definitely promotes fine motor skills as well as imaginative play. E. loves to “cook dinner” and make flavored teas with the fruits. She will put them in her tea set and serve “orange tea” to all of her friends. This has been one of her favorite go to toys that she plays with every day. And I mean every day!

by Sheri Doyle.

Something interesting happened to me this morning. I thought it would be a great opportunity for people to share advice so I wanted to share it with you.

I am aware that many people don’t agree with, understand, or care about natural and organic living. However, I never thought it was an offensive topic of conversation, after all I listen all the time to people talking about their non-organic lifestyle and respect their right to do so. So this morning at breakfast when I was talking to a family member about natural birthing options and how interesting I find them I was completely blown away but their interruption in the conversation. The person I was speaking to said to me “Enough of your hippie garbage. Clearly we don’t believe in it and really don’t want to hear about it.” I was shocked, and hurt to be honest. This is not only my lifestyle but also my career and I had thought there was pride from the people in my life for what I was doing. Clearly I was wrong. The thing that shocked me was the emotion behind this persons remark.

I know I am not the only person who this happens to and clearly my experience was not as bad as some things I know people experience.  I wanted to snap back and tell this person that I patiently listen to their interests and lifestyle choices and beliefs. That I respect their option to discuss it so why is it any different for me to express mine. What I  thought about was how other people handle it. Clearly, this person has no interest in what I am saying so why push the point, but on the flip side, why do they feel the right then to talk about their lifestyle choices to me? I don’t mind listening, learning, and sharing. I honestly was so hurt though that I couldn’t say anything.

How do all of you handle it when you are not supported by family or friends?

I wonder why it is that people get so angry with others who have different opinions from the mainstream ones. I would never judge this person for their choices, so I wonder why it is that this person so harshly reacts to me. Do you find the same thing?

I know for those of you who choose to raise your children “alternatively” it is not an easy choice. I am sure you have had people respond to you with equal intolerance as what I experienced and I wonder how you handle it? Do you take it personally?

I realized also what a bubble I live in, surrounded mostly by people who think like me, or who at the very least respect my right to express my opinion. For those of you who are there everyday supporting each other and me in this choice, thank you. We all really do learn from each other and help each other, it is great to have a community surrounding you.