Ethical Products for Kids

More and more people are becoming concerned about the environment and how what we buy affects it. This includes kid's toys.

If you are looking to buy building blocks that are made out of recycled packaging then look at the option of buying You Play Box. These are components that are made out of used yogurt containers. The single serving plastic containers have been designed so that they can be locked and snapped together to create different things such as cars.

Another green item is the Eco Friendly Cardboard furniture that is made by Metrocs. This furniture is also interlockable and folds up into blocks that can be stowed away. This environmental furniture is not new. It was originally designed in 1965 by Riki Watanabe and it has recently been revived for sale by the Metropolitan Gallery in Tokyo. This is furniture was inspired by origami and is made completely out of folded paper. It is safe because it does not have adhesives or nails. Once assembled the chairs are so strong they can also support the weight of an adult.

You can also now buy Pre-Fab playhouses that are made out of recycle wood, plastic and canvas. Kiddo Cabana is an example of a designer making this type of play shelter. Some of the styles of these eco-playhouses include windows, shelves for serving lemonade to outsiders and built-in tables on the inside. You can custom order one of these Owls to be made from of your old blankets or sweaters from the green artisans at Night Owl Paper Goods.

The Eco-friendly Orbit Baby System is an earth smart stroller made out of recycled fabric and PVC –free rain shields. However it also has a neat aspect to it because the actual crib on it can be twisted and lifted so that it rolls 360 degrees. It also lifts out of the stroller and turns into a car seat.

Another interesting toy I have run across lately is the NightOwl Paper Godos Owl Plushie. This is a little soft statue of an Owl that is made entirely from recycled paper and repurposed sweaters from thrift stores. They eyes are made from old book pages and wooden pegs.

Another nifty eco product is the Transformer Bunny Bags. These are big nylon totes by the company Picnica that can be manipulated so that it turns into a giant stuffed bunny.

As a mom I can't help but marvel at what a wonderful time we live in that we can be offered so many great products to help us take care of our kids while at the same time taking care of the earth!

Parenting Tips
, , , , ,

Is Your Kid a Bully?

Just who is a bully?? A bully is YOUR KID. A bully is someone who tries to control others through intimidation or violence. They pick on kids that are alone and that do not have a strong network of friends. They steal from other kids or destroy their property. Is this your kid?

Bullies do not know how to get attention in positive ways. To get attention they do what they have to. Many bullies think that bullying is just a fun game. They feel justified in picking on others because it makes them feel they are winning.

A bully does not always feel great about him or herself. They tend to have very low self-esteem no matter how much they swagger around or push others around. They pick on kids who are not hr fringe and rarely use their bullying powers for good.

The bully is often lonely and needs to find true friends. Weirdly, many are quite charismatic and can be excellent leaders despite their violent ways.

One distressing thing to realize is that bully is a learned trait. If you are dealing with a kid that is related to you that is bullying others you need to sit down and be honest with yourself and realize that the kid learned it from someone k- most likely you! Bullies who don't change their ways in when they are young to prevent adulthood filled with violence and aggression. These antisocial behaviors often result in employment problems, difficulty maintaining healthy relationships and even criminal behavior. That's why it is your duty as a parent to make sure that a kid that is bullying experiences strong negative consequences for doing it.

A bully is anti-social and the behavior can be hard to change. Parents also should make school officials aware of any bullying that is occurring, whether the victim is their child or someone else's child. School officials need to know, and so do the bully's parents. The bullyingneeds to be called out and named, but without shaming the bully who after all is motivated by fear and low-esteem.

If necessary you need to take an aggressive kid to a psychologist for behavior modification training. The good news is that the cycle of bullying can be ended if you train the child to think differently about himself (or herself) and others early on. It also helps to check your own behavior to see how you are somehow teaching your child to pick on others.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , ,