Why your not getting an iPad - A letter to my son on his birthday

Dear Brayden,

I realize you requested a $500 iPad for your 8th birthday.  I am writing you this letter so that someday you will understand why your parents chose not to get you an iPad today.

1. Instead of an iPad, we chose to buy you a $30 digital drum for your birthday.  You are such a talented artist and we can't help but wonder if you have musicality within in.  For years you have always hummed a tune or had a rhythm coming from your lips and now it is time for you to see if that same rhythm comes from your hands.

2. Instead of an iPad, we chose to buy you a Nerf semi automatic gun. Now I know the grandmas in our family aren't going to appreciate this one but you come from parents who believe in teaching their children how to respect a weapon.  There may come a time in your life where you won't be allowed to have a gun but there will always be Nerf. I think this Nerf is the perfect tool to teach you that you never point a weapon at anything you don't intend to harm.  I also want you to learn that you should never put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to pull it.  You will notice that no one else in your house has a Nerf gun as your mother does not believe you are of an age where combat play with other armed people is appropriate. You must first learn to respect a weapon for what it is.  So for now, feel free to take this "toy" outside and pretend those trees are Ninjas.

3. Instead of an iPad, we chose to buy you Legos.  Now I know an iPad can teach you hand/eye coordination but there is something about three dimensional objects that really reinforces this skill.  You have the mind of an engineer so your teachers tell me. I feel as your mother I need to provide you with the tools to   reinforce this ability. Frankly my sweet boy, your hand writing needs some work too. I thought Legos would be much more fun than writing your name 50 times on a piece of paper.  Given the creatures you've produced today, I'd say it was the right call.

4. Instead of an iPad, we chose to buy you a table top foosball game.  We realize you don't like team sports.  We have no intention of forcing those upon you. We do however feel that you need to learn the benefits of playing on a team.  This game will teach you the rules of this sport while affording you with more hand/eye coordination learning opportunities.  So feel free to play golf all summer but know that you must still learn team sports.

5.  Instead of an iPad, we chose to buy you and your best friends foam swords to practice your Ninja moves in the backyard. Any toy that can get you to move that much is worth every penny!

And most of all,

6. Instead of an iPad, I chose to spend time with you.  This one will be hard for you to understand at the young age of eight but some day you will get it.  You see, if I buy you an iPad for your birthday, then I have to buy your sisters an iPad for their birthdays.  Before I know it you will turn nine and expect the next newest and greatest thing.

Three years ago when your sister was born, I made the choice to spend time with you rather than buy you things which I was so guilty of doing when I worked full time. You see, I could have continued to work and let others aid in raising you, and spoil you with the latest and greatest. But dear Brayden, mommy missed you and your sister. So I hope you don't mind that the selfish mommy in me has decided to stay home and raise you rather than buy you an iPad.

So on your eighth birthday Brayden, you did not get an iPad. Instead you got rhythm, games, and ways to build your hand/eye coordination. You got exercise with your friends and family.

What you may not realize is that you also got a mother who could join you at lunch during long school days, volunteer for field trips and help at class parties. You got a mom who could pick you up from school every day and have hot muffins waiting on the table when you came home hungry.  You got a mom who could nurture you back to health when you stayed home sick from school. You got a mom who could spend every day of the summer exploring, teaching and playing with you.  And finally, my sweet Brayden, you got a mom who will give every  moment of her free time researching, learning, and advocating for what you need to be the most successful young man you can be.  So no, you did not get an iPad, but from the looks of things you don't really need one.

I love you little buddy,
Mommy

Is the Whole 30 for you?

Some of you may recall last summer when I completed the Whole 30.  What is the Whole 30 some of you may wonder?  The Whole 30 is a way to reset your body from all the junk you've been feeding it so that you can discover what makes you tick.  It is also in line with the Paleo/caveman style diet.  The book we follow, It Starts With Food, does an excellent job of describing how food leads to autoimmune disorders.  So who should do the Whole 30?

First of all, kids with SPD, Autism, severe allergies, asthma, arthritis or any immune related disorder can greatly benefit from this eating plan.  Personally, I do not force this on my older two, but I do strongly encourage and reward them for eating the same as me.  My toddler is pretty much stuck eating what I eat.

The Whole 30 is also for any adult who wants to lose weight, gain energy, and rid their body of autoimmune related disorders.  It is not a cure for anything but you would be amazed at the effect food has on diabetes, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, thyroidism and the list goes on.

So how does this diet work.  Well, to keep it simple, you eliminate all dairy, grains, legumes and processed foods.  Sounds impossible to some but once you get the hang of it, it really feels right and becomes much easier. After the first week of misery, you'll find that three meals a day is all you need to feel wonderful.

So me and my husband are starting the Whole 30 tomorrow!  Yikes. I am eating my last taste of cheese tonight for 30 days. But that's it folks.  After 30 days, you get to reintroduce your favorites for two day, then take a break for two and introduce another.  If you find those foods make you miserable, then you know not to eat them.

I thought I would include our meals for the next several days just to give you an idea of how it goes.  I am not including fruit in the meals because I only eat it if I need something sweet.  But for my kids, who don't need to loose weight, I give them a bunch of high carb fruits and veggies.  I also feed them potatoes which is not Whole 30 approved but they love them as french fries and it gives them the carbs they need.

So here is our first few days:

Tuesday:
Breakfast - 4 eggs, 4-5 pieces of bacon over spinach  (Gary will do 6 eggs); coffee with coconut cream
Lunch - Very large salad with grilled chicken and avocado; iced tea
Dinner - California style chicken with asparagus, sweet potato and cucumber slices

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Frittata with ground pork, asparagus and red pepper
Lunch - Large salad with left over chicken and avocado
Dinner - Sweet potato hash (ground meat, spices and potatoes), broccoli, zucchini sticks

Thursday:
Breakfast - Left over frittata
Lunch - Tuna over salad
Dinner - Burgers wrapped in lettuce, sweet potato fries, kale chips

Friday:
Breakfast - Eggs, bacon over spinach
Lunch - Left over burgers over lettuce
Dinner - Thai wraps, cauliflower "fried rice"

So how does it sound?  Add a little fruit and your on your way to feeling great!

Another take on why your child doesn't sleep well

Check out my little buddy here.

What you might not know by looking at this picture is that there are about 20 stuffed animals piled on top of him under his blanket.  This is how he sleeps every night.  Anyone else's child do this?    Let's look at why.

In children with sensory processing disorder (SPD), proprioceptive dysfunction is very common.  The proprioceptive system is the components of muscles, joints, and tendons that provide a person with an awareness of their body position.  This is really one of the heart breaking areas of SPD for me.  In my Teagan, she runs into thing, trips and falls, and generally looks clumsy.  In Brayden, he is so cautious that you see him move really slowly around people and objects along with looking clumsy most of the time.  He also likes tight clothes, hugs, and anything that can make him feel his body more.

So back to the stuffed animals.  When your proprioceptive is not working properly, it can really make sleeping difficult.  Once the lights are out and these kids are tucked in their beds, it can be very hard for them to feel their legs in relation to the space around them.  Imagine how scary it is for a child to be laying in the dark thinking they lost their legs!  So these kids often want piles of blankets and animals on them so they can feel their bodies.

If this is your child, I have the solution for you! You can fork out $50 to $100 and buy a weighted blanket or if you want to save those dollars, you can use this tutorial for making your own weighted blanket.
http://jesttupositive.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/diy-weighted-blanket/

I made one last night for my Brayden and he loves it!  In fact he hasn't taken it off his lap and slept really well with it last night.  I plan to make two more for my other kids today. So if your child is having trouble sleeping, give it a try.  It will be the best $12 you ever spent!