Have you heard? Fruit Loops has more fiber and Red Dye #40

One fall day, after picking up my daughter from school, I began talking with a lovely woman, who I have become friendly with about diet.  Not the "I'm trying to lose 10lbs" kind of diet, but the "what foods do you feed your kid" kind of diet. Now I am not the parent that won't let my kid indulge in a candy treat from time to time, but what she said opened my eyes.  Gia had just began Pre-K, and I had my concerns as my kid is, well, to put it nicely . . . busy.  I wondered if she would be able to tolerate a full day of school, barely 4 and not try to swing from the lighting fixtures.  In my quest for sanity maintenance, I happened to voice my trepidations, and my friend remarked that I should try to avoid food dyes.  Particularly, red dye #40. Huh?  What the hell is that?  Well it turns out that red dyes and a host of other food coloring dyes have been shown to exacerbate hyperactivity, and symptoms in children with existing behavioral disorders, such as ADD, and ADHD.  My daughter by nature is active, and as a result every second of her waking moment is chalk filled with activities in which to channel her liveliness.  Still, I got to thinking that I should at the very least start to pay attention to my friends very wise sage advice, and try to if not eliminate, limit her intake of food dyes which of course is in everything.  The first thing to go was the Trix yogurt that her father would buy for her.  She like many kids loved all the pretty colors, and got into picking out which color palate of said yogurt she will bring for snack.  So I began by calling it radioactive yogurt, and encouraged the more, while not as colorful, healthy organic choice. 

Having taught CCD for several years now, I have encountered a number of children that were diagnosed ADD and/or ADHD.  Even in my comparatively brief encounter with these children, having had a glimpse into that very challenging world, I now wonder, how many of their parents were even aware of this little detail regarding this seemingly innocuous food coloring. And just how much of a difference would it have made in terms of this insidious disorder?  Granted, some children may exhibit more or less of a reaction, if any at all to ingesting these tasty neon colored treats, but the more I thought about it, the more I began to think, that neon colored foods and drinks can't be good.  So in light of that, I figured, why not spread the word?  There is even a Blog devoted to it.

In Pursuit of Completion

I am going to state for public record that I am back from sabbatical, and will forsake all other projects, new and old to finish work on one very, very important undertaking that involves yarn.  The yarn of choice is the Lana Grossa Chiara, in a shiny rose.  I spent a great deal of time giving the "what shall I make" a whole lot of thought, and  finally settled on a cute little bolero sweater. There are a few things I have in mind for this undertaking. Having chosen a finer yarn, then what was suggested in the pattern I am going to have to adjust a few things.  Needle size for one.  Having spent a great deal of time procrastinating, I swatched the yarn using a few different needle sizes, finally settling on the size 8 suggested in the pattern.  The garment will be smaller nonetheless, fitting a baby, as opposed to a toddler.  One of my dearest friends is expecting her first child, this screams for knitting by default.  But the thing is, for my dearest friend, it has to be pretty fucking awesome.   Unlike many knitted sweaters, this sweater in constructed from the neck down.  You begin with the cast on, and then work back and forth in stockinette, increasing as you go, as indicated by the instructions on the pattern.  You will then divide for the sleeves, which will be placed on a piece of scrap yarn while you work the back of the sweater to the desired length.  That is where I am now. You see, I am not one of those people who knit, or crochet things for just anyone.  I am not that person, that will knit for the 3rd cousin of the assistant of a friend of mine who is expecting a baby.  I do however know of many knitters that relish the notion of hand knits for everyone, and even knit Christmas gifts.  I generally don't.  Not because I don't want to, but to put it simply, I have major difficulty with time constraints.  This is obvious with the many unfinished projects that are angrily eyeing me in bags or baskets in several parts of my home. Be that as it may, I will have to set the gears to power knitting, to accomplish the completion of said cute little hand knit sweater, before the baby in question makes her debut.

hOw to eArn bRagginG rights

We have all experienced that parent. The one that must tell you how extraordinary and brilliant their kid is at whatever.  You know the type.  Five minutes after meeting you are held verbal hostage while they go on and on about their kid and that kid's life story, and how smart, or talented they are.  Perhaps you nod politely, or look sideways and roll your eyes.  Maybe  you are compelled to share the genius that is your offspring.  Maybe you are genuinely interested.  First, there is that parent whose kid is very verbal, and you must be made aware of it, in case you didn't notice.  Or that child that is so well coordinated that they have to take their dance classes with the older children.  True story.  This was our first meeting, and this came up within seconds of our introduction.  Not only that, but she mentioned the same thing to me twice, having either forgot she told me, or forgot who I was.  I even overheard her telling someone else.  I think that was my favorite. I think secretly all parents want to hear from their kid's teacher that they the parent of a freakin' prodigy.  I don't mind hearing all about juniors great accomplishment, but to be quite frank, 99.9% of the time, I just see an ordinary kid, just like mine.  And I have determined that there is nothing wrong with being an ordinary kid.  I consider it my responsibility to help my kid find her thing, and I don't feel the urge to share every mundane detail with everyone whom I say "nice to meet you".  We all know of at least one person, if not our self, that was skipped a grade in school, or a kid that maybe has an aptitude for sports, or art, but does it mean you should have a spot on the TODAY SHOW?   So I submit to you, what if there were a rule that in order for you to earn bragging rights, and I mean to complete strangers or very casual acquaintances, the "greatness" has to be mind blowing, say "my six year old has been taking piano for just six months and can play Chopin Minute Waltz, by memory, why yes in fact during some technical difficulties at an elementary school show, he was asked to play a tune while they get it together backstage.  Or "my baby is stil in diapers, but he can do a mean samba".  Wonder which class he takes?