faboo mama

My kids kill me. It’s so fun watching them because it makes you so aware of how observant they are. Alton’s personality has come out a lot more lately. Maybe it’s because we see him 24 hours a day now, but he’s a serious crack up. He still saves most of it for Ilia, but sometimes you catch him…

He came to me and said, “Shh…I have work.” and walked out the room. It took me awhile to get what he said, so naturally I had to follow:

Ilia was in the room and he kept shushing her and getting “exasperated” like me and Adrian do when we’re trying to work and the kids keep bothering us. The look on his face was priceless when he turned around and said, “No! Shhhhh!!”. Then he went back to work:

Sometimes, my husband cleans up by himself. That sounds bad. He cleans a lot by himself, it’s just that it’s rare for him to clean anything that not the kitchen or his desk. So when he cleans the kid’s bedroom by himself, it’s a big deal. To make it worth the wait, it’s usually quite amusing what he does with the stuff in there. So with no further ado, here is the latest:

Actually, before, there was Mickey Mouse I need to get rid of up there, and he had a stethoscope in his ears. When Alton saw it, he reached towards Mickey and said, “Mine! Share!”. On the other side of the room, Clancy Bear and Giraffe are sitting the kid’s chairs looking like they’re having a chat.

In the past week, I’ve been hit up by several people for wish lists for my kids. Nothing has changed since they were born, the list is simple: Educational (non-electronic) toys as long as they’re not tied to a trademarked character or gift cards to places I get them clothes (Gap, Gymboree, Target, etc). Every year, those wishes are ignored and I’m faced with returning or tossing toys manufactured in China or Mexico (great sources of lead which has finally been sensationalized publicized this year), toys with Dora or Spiderman and gadgets that make too much noise. This year, I’ve decided to educate and assist friends and family with giving them links to stores and/or products that are educational, low-tech and evironmentally sound.

My first link given is always to Co-op America’s Green Toy idea list. The list has 10 gifts that ideal for small children. They’re pretty basic toys, but with big box toy stores, it’s easy to lose sight, when faced with wall to wall plastic, seeing kids of the same age screeching for certain items. Co-op America also has some tips on shopping green:

1. Buy Green and Fair Trade Toys. Search the National Green Pages™.

2. Find the Best Toys for Your Tots. By being mindful about the toys you choose, you’ll save money, keep toxins out of the playroom, and help workers around the world. Read more.

3. Buy Used Toys and Games. Check out your local consignment shop for gently used toys and games. As with any toy purchase, make sure to look for age appropriate items that do not pose choking hazards or other possible injuries.

4. Encourage Children to Play Outdoors and Use Their Imaginations. Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that children ages 8-18 spend a little over 6 hours per day using electronic media including TV, music, computers, and video games. Work to ensure that your children spend time reading, playing outdoors, drawing, painting, making music, or engaging in some other form of self expression.

5. Educate Yourself and Others About Toys and Violence. The Lion and the Lamb Project works to stop the marketing of violence to children. Check out their web site for a list of toys to avoid.

All of that is a no-brainer for me, which is why I am so particular about what comes into my house. If the purpose of the toy is vanity, enforcing a trademarked character’s brand, or just simply making noise, it goes into the trash. Packaging is also a big thing for me. Some of the toys are so overpackaged nowadays that it’s a workout just to get them out of all that cardboard, plastic and those evil, indestructible twist ties. Most green toys, if they’re packaged at all are in simply recycled cardboard. I know of a few companies that even use recyclable plastic to package the toy, with a simple sticker made of recycled paper printed with vegetable inks. Can you get more green than that?

My second link is to the Lazy Environmentalist interviews. These interviews with Ted McGuire and Serah Chae give you tips on new toys and what to look for when buying. You can also check out Treehugger blog for tips on green toys and shopping.

I understand that time is short for everyone these days. Many of my friends and relatives work two jobs to make ends meet. Most of them refuse to purchase anything online and find it easier just to walk into Target or Toys R Us and buy whatever gender-reinforcing toy they run into. Which is why I also provide a list of links to stores that not only sell green toys, but may also generate a list of where you can buy those toys. And yes, you can find green toys in Target and Toys R Us, but it would be preferable if you bought locally. That means seeking out little storefront toy stores in your neighborhood. Maybe there is one next to a little cafe you’ve been dying to try or one across the street from your favorite shoe store.

Where you can buy green toys:

Green Baby: This company has everything for prenatal to postnatal women, babies and kids.
Northwest Nature Shop: Has cool science type toys that any inquisitive person would love. We like them because we like learning, the little girl thinks that everything in nature (except bugs) is just amazing.
Green Toy Co.: Has products listed by age, gender and by activity. The company also sells a nice variety of Fair Trade toys.
KidBean: A Co-op Approved site, sells vegan items for you and baby. They now offer a list of the items they sell that are USA made.
Under the Green Roof: Lots of too-cute-for-words wooden toys. All the animals shapes are adorable and everything is painted using non-toxic paints.
Miyim: Organic, high-end toys and such. I wouldn’t personally buy their items (being broke and all), but I do like to look at the site. They give you a store locator where you can purchase items locally.
Imaginarium: It’s a shame that Toys R Us closed all these stores. It was the only store in the mall that we could all enjoy. You can still by Imaginarium products at Toys R Us, but it’s not the same.
Ten Thousand Villages: A Fair Trade company that sells probably the coolest items ever, and has a section of toys that are just amazing. Everything here looks like artwork and collectibles. Incredible.
Under The Nile: Certified with the National Organic Program Standards and with Demeter, this store sells clothing and toys made with organic cotton.
Kip’s Toyland: I live in Los Angeles and it wouldn’t be fair for me to not mention this family favorite. Set on the north side of historic Farmers Market, the toy store was always a must visit for me and my husband before we had kids. Needless to say, it’s a family favorite.

There are many other stores, especially in the UK and Australia, so take a look around. When you’re out, check to see if there’s a little toy shop tucked away somewhere. Good luck with your shopping and remember to think ‘green’.

Because I love a parade and I have kids who were driving me nuts, I thought it would be a good idea for us to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. I have never seen it before and can say that I will never watch it again. There were commercials every 3 minutes and the first hour was an ad for Broadway musicals.

Since I don’t watch TV, I don’t get to see commercials which makes me happy. What makes me sad is when I see commercials for dumb products. Which leads me Tooth Tunes.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ViXgz0pGjQ&rel=1]

You’re appalled too. I know. I watched this thing with my mouth open. Stupified that someone figured that toothbrushing was so incredibly boring for kids that having crappy music blasted into your head would solve the problem. You know you fully expect some Hasbro proproganda PR:

We know…getting your kids to brush their teeth can be a daily battle. Not any more! TOOTH TUNES is a revolutionary toothbrush for kids that makes brushing their teeth fun and entertaining.

Your kids will love brushing their teeth to hit songs from some of their favorite artists. As sound vibrations stream from the bristles through their teeth, they hear the music in their heads. But, when they take the bristles off their teeth, the music stops playing in their head. So they’ll actually want to keep brushing for a full two minutes!

A look at the website for this year’s Pet Rock shows kids rockin’ out while brushing their teeth. Quickly scrolling through the artist list makes me happy that the Disney channel is banned in my house and we don’t listen to commercial radio.

Look, I have a toddlers, 2 and 4 and while they both love to brush their teeth, keeping them still is my biggest challenge. The little girl just wants to look at herself in the mirror and the little boy has to close the toilet lid, then get in the tub. If I get music involved, that just means that not only will they want to brush their teeth 40 times a day instead of the usual 10, but they’ll never stay in the bathroom!

Oh my little boy loves him some trains. Yesterday, we stumbled upon this cool kid’s store in South Pasadena called The Dinosaur Farm. I could have done without Ilia oohing and aahing all over the pink girly crap. There were dinosaurs there! What was she thinking???

Totally OT, Adrian is cooking dinner right now and Ilia is “helping” and playing waitress. Here’s the conversation they just had:
Ilia: What would you like to eat, Daddy?
Daddy: Food.
Ilia: Okay! I’ll go get some!

Back to the store. Near the back where they sell books (awesome books, I might add), they had a train display set up for the kids to play with. Alton loved them. Now, what he didn’t know is that we have one down in the basement. Adrian bought it for Ilia at the beginning of the year and they’ve set it up. I should take a photo of that, as it’s, uh…interesting what they’ve done. Adrian, seeing how much Alton loved the trains decided to bring up a bit of track and some trains so he could play with them. Yesterday, when we left the store, both kids were crying because they wanted to stay and play with the trains. Today, it was much, much worse. Tantrums, screeching, hair pulling…all over some trains. Drama.

Seeing all this, I’ve decided that maybe Alton will like Travel Town. Ilia loves the place and I think the last time Alton was there, he was probably 9 or 10 months old.

If Ilia can look that happy, I know Alton would just die when he gets there.