Have you made any plans for the weekend? I have a few ideas for you and your kids!

Create a Family Phrase Book.

Rather than downloading and printing pics for the photo album, why not start a compendium of all the cute, zany, hilariously unintelligible and downright heart-melting things your kids say? (This idea comes from my inability to assemble a scrapbook, overridden by my desire to remember all the precious moments. My husband keeps our photos organized on the computer, not to worry!) Here are a few gems from my three-year-old, Joseph:

• “Hey, do you want to go to Christmas? Get your raincoat!”  Now that Joseph is three, his imagination has run wild. His “raincoat” was a scarf he’d pulled from the front hall closet. Hey, I’d love to go to Christmas.
• “I can feel my poops in my nose.”  Joseph rather poetically said this when he caught the aroma of, well, his toots. It took us a moment to decipher it, and then we all cracked up.
• “I can’t want it!”  This was his rendition of “no thank you” for a while. Can a person not be able to want something? We finally convinced him to decline in a more dignified manner, but to this day, my husband and I replace “no” with this puzzling phrase.
• “I make you beautiful, mommy.”  This was Joseph’s reassurance to me one day when I was disappointed about something. I don’t remember what the let-down was, but I am certain that whatever beauty I have, my family is responsible for it.

I present you with the best chicken recipe your family has ever had! 

Crusty Herbed Chicken
While this gluten-free recipe calls for baking skinless chicken thighs, the result is similar to a breaded and spiced, fried chicken dish–without the fat and flour! The idea for this flavorful recipe came when I was first exploring food-pairing and the low-glycemic diet. This easy, summer dish makes an impressive large-batch dish for family reunions and picnics.

Future Environmentalists Club

Helen Coronato, author of Eco-Friendly Families, reports, “by raising our children with a strong sense of respect and reverence for Earth, we help ensure that there will be adults to step into ecological leadership positions.” The following are excerpts from her wonderful new book:
Opt for natural sunscreens that contain ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, zincs and green tea. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that increasing your vitamin A an additional 25 mg and vitamin E an additional 335 mg can help diminish your body’s sensitivity to UV light.

Have your kids outgrown their shoes? Before you shop for back-to-school, think globally: recycle your children’s shoes through these great resources:

• www.Soles4Souls.com accepts gently worn shoes and delivers them to people in need, like Hurricane Katrina victims.
• Ashes to ashes and Crocs to dust. When your kid’s Crocs get too tight, mail them to 1510 Nelson Road, Longmont, CO 80501, and they’ll be shredded to make children’s playground. Clearly mark the outside of your package, “Recycle.”
• Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe Program accepts all brands of athletic shoes and grinds them up for new sports surfaces, like basketball courts. Check out www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe for a drop-off location near you.

Submit your family’s fun weekend activities—The best ones will be featured here!
Looking for more weekend ideas? Fun Things To Do archived entries:
Fun Things to Do With Your Family This Weekend #2
Fun Things To Do With Your Family This Weekend #1

I am very pleased to announce that I’ve just agreed to appear on an upcoming episode of THE DOCTORS, a new show from CBS!

I will be discussing early potty training and demonstrating communication through sign language with my 14-month-old son, Noah. I will also share my experiences of potty-training my three-year-old, Joseph, using the conventional “pull-ups” method. 

You can read about our journey using the  Baby Signs Potty Training Kit in these blog entries: 
1. Potty-Training at 13 Months
2. Potty-Training = Green Baby
3. Early Potty-Training Success
4. June is Potty-Training Awareness Month!
5. Infant Potty-Training–Er, Mommy-Training
6. Potty-Baby: Almost Trained at 14 Months

Want to know more about this new television show? They say it best:

From the creative team behind the long-running hit series “Dr. Phil” comes THE DOCTORS, a new, one-hour syndicated daytime talk show. For the first time on daytime television, viewers will have a source of reliable and fascinating medical and health advice, dispensed daily by a distinguished panel of five “on-call” professionals. THE DOCTORS will premiere nationwide in September 2008 (Check local listings for station and time). 

Story-driven, dynamic and interactive, THE DOCTORS does for health care what DR. PHIL has done for down-to-earth discussions of emotional and psychological issues. The series’ experts will focus on the compelling, real-life experiences of the show’s guests and then weigh in, disseminating valuable information about health, medical care and drugs in a compelling, informal, easy-to-understand and entertaining format. 

The team of doctors are five top practicing professionals, each with a different specialty — ER physician (and former ABC “Bachelor” in Paris) Dr. Travis Stork; psychologist Dr. Tara Fields, Ph.D., M.F.P.; obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Lisa Masterson; plastic surgeon and reconstructive surgery expert Dr. Andrew Ordon; and pediatrician Dr. James Sears. 

Viewers are also encouraged to “Ask the Doctors” by submitting their questions and experiences to the show’s website about the health care issues that matter the most to them. Answers may be delivered on-air, or become the basis for a larger, produced segment. With its fluid format, THE DOCTORS covers a broad range of subjects, especially news-breaking, topical issues. The show features on-set medical procedures, either directly in front of the studio audience or in its backstage examining room, and off-site “house calls.”  This medical dream team will be the “must-go-to” source for information on the latest medical breakthroughs and cutting-edge practices and procedures, providing a valuable resource for viewers who might not have access to the most updated medical advances.

Five medical practitioners, with five different specialties, five days a week, discuss what people need to know to live their best lives. If it matters to you, it matters to THE DOCTORS.

THE DOCTORS, taped in front of a live audience in Hollywood, is produced by Stage 29 Productions and distributed by CBS Television Distribution. Jay McGraw, Carla Pennington and Dr. Phil McGraw are executive producers.  CBS Television Distribution is a unit of CBS Corp.

If you are willing to teach your little one to become diaper-free (and help the environment by decreasing the impact of disposable diapers on landfills!) please purchase your Baby Signs Potty Training Kit through my Amazon store. The wee kickback I get pays for the environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies I use for cleaning up Noah’s “accidents” along the way. Thank you!
If you have attempted (or succeeded!) at early potty-training, I would love to hear from you!

Have you made any plans for the weekend? I have a few ideas for you and your preschoolers!

A long-time childhood favorite, play Scavenger Hunt with your children. Even the little ones can join in by spying and retrieving age-appropriate treasures.
For kids aged 2-4, help them collect:
1.) Three leaves, in sizes small, medium, and large. This encourages counting and categorizing by size.
2.) One red shovel, one green truck (or any other easily recognizable toy the child owns.) This helps your child remember where to find specific toys and to notice specific colors.
3.) Find rocks or pebbles, one oval, one round. This helps your child differentiate between two similar shapes.
4.) Four pieces of grass. Do you remember laying on the grass during the summer, picking blades? For little ones, the world beneath their feet is quite exciting when examined closely: the scent of the grass and earth, the discovery of lady bugs and earth worms…
5.) Spot a cloud that looks like something other than a cloud! Once you’ve picked your grass, roll over and gaze up the sky. What do you see?

Create a delicious brunch dish that is sure to become a family favorite.
Fresh Peaches and Whole Wheat Pancakes with Roasted Walnuts
Night after night I read a poem, Rise The Moon (by Eileen Spinelli), to my drowsy three-year-old Joseph. The following stanza is accompanied by a lovely illustration (by Raul Colon) of an artist painting a gorgeous bowl of gold, white, and orange peaches–orbs resembling a twilight sun:
“…In a rooftop attic in the quiet hush of night, a moonlit artist takes his brush to paint a bowl of light.” We borrowed Spinelli’s book during a recent trip to the San Clemente library, along with Round is a Pancake, by Joan Sullivan Baranski. When it comes to art and eating, inspiration may spring from anywhere. The nightly ritual of reading these books inspired this recipe.

Future Environmentalists Club
Helen Coronato, author of Eco-Friendly Families, reports, “by raising our children with a strong sense of respect and reverence for Earth, we help ensure that there will be adults to step into ecological leadership positions.” The following are excerpts from her wonderful new book:
With the kids out of school and summer in full swing, July is the perfect time to patronize your area’s farmer’s market. Buying local produce is a surefire way to support your local economy, enjoy vitamin-dense fruits and vegetables, and avoid overpackaging… Sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” on the way there.

…Host a kid-friendly taste test by blindfolding family members and setting out in-season, local fruit and imported, store-bought fruit. Compare the difference and talk about the results. Assign children the role of “Market Master” and encourage them to pick a new treat from the farm stand each time you go. Give the new fruit or vegetable special attention at the table.

If you live in Orange County, try South Coast Farms (949) 661-9381 (talk to Julie, Emily or Sarah). You can order baskets of organic fruits and vegetables, including some recipes! I love this concept–not only am I feeding my family nutritious, locally grown produce, but since I usually buy the same tried-and-true items week after week at the supermarket, the surprise contents of the basket inspires creativity in the kitchen.

Submit your family’s fun weekend activities—The best ones will be featured here!

Sixty percent of the time, my baby uses the potty every time.
(–with a nod to Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy, for all you now questioning my logic.)

Frankly, it’s as true as it can be. Everywhere I go, women smile admirably at me, gasping in wonder at my infant in big-boy undies (He has ones with the Superman “S” emblazoned on his booty), and while Noah does use the potty about 60% of the time, these admiring gaspers already consider him ”potty-trained.” Why? He is not entirely out of dipes, but he is able to go out of the house in honest-to-goodness underwear—and that’s a whole lot more than most mothers training 2- and 3-year-old preschoolers can say. Trust me, I’ve been there. Earlier this year, in fact.

We just completed our 2-week bare-bottom adventure. Noah absolutely loves the freedom; putting him in a diaper for bedtime is now met with much protest. (When he is able to stay dry through the night, I will gladly give our diapers away.) Because I must always be on the lookout for Noah’s signals, and women are always approaching me about my baby’s lack of diaper-age, the topic of early training is always on the tip of my tongue. This formerly quiet writer who generally keeps to herself has become quite the passionate advocate: My mommy’s group has asked me to speak on the topic; I was recently toasted for my efforts at a baby shower; and I can’t count how many times in the last 14 days I’ve commented, ”it’s a HUNDRED times easier to do it with a baby,” combined with, “do you realize the average baby uses 5000 diapers? Consider the impact on the environment!” (My husband Joseph, burdened with the unpleasant task of changing the diaper pail, would also like me to add how relieved he is.) I’m fanatical, and if you’re a SAHM with little one still in diapers and zero time to chat with adults, early training may be all the conversation-starter you’ll need at the checkout.

The Baby Signs Potty Training kit is only 40 bucks–less than the price of a case of diapers. Actually, I think Amazon has it on sale right now… yes! $26.37! Consider how much you spend on diapers and wipes, then calculate that by 5,000 (that’s if your baby uses 5 diapers a day and is trained by 2.75 years.) Let’s see, Amazon has cases of 140 Pampers Cruisers Size 4 for 39.99. You would spend $1,400.00 by the time your baby was trained. Wouldn’t you rather take 2 weeks and $26.37, and open the lines of communication through sign language with your little cherub, put the extra cash in savings, help the environment, and facilitate your child’s confidence and independence by using the toilet? And I won’t even ask what could be cuter than seeing your own child’s bare butt wriggling about every day for 2 weeks?

Here is our Progress Report: The first few days were not unlike the first 3 months of new motherhood–getting out of the house was a logistical feat involving the potty, multiple outfits, a cover for the car seat, diapers in case I chickened out, wipes, and toys to keep him interested during potty breaks. We soon figured out what we needed and what we didn’t. I got into the practice of putting Noah on the potty in the back of my SUV when we arrived and departed from our destination, and he got the message quickly to wait or do the potty sign on the road.

This is a really important point because, as my husband points out, the “potty-training relationship” we’ve built with our son is not the traditional concept of self-control (at this point) so much as taking turns telling each other when potty time has arrived. For instance, Noah knows he will use his potty when he gets up in the morning and grunts his word for it and does the sign until I place him on it. After breakfast, he will point at it from his highchair, or I will simply place him on it, knowing what will come next. Our day goes along as such, with Noah holding for potty visits he knows are imminent from experience, or with me putting him on and entertaining him until he goes. We are so very pleased with his success, and of course as parents we make note of our son’s uncommonly superior intellect.

This experience has created a bond of trust, love and communication I never thought possible. Teaching only a few sign language words has also opened the door to my son’s vocabulary; he is an enthusiastic repeater of words and phrases, and we are just as enthusiastically encouraging him. Can I draw a connection between my son’s toilet habits and his ability to say letters and make their sounds at 14 months? I am willing to say that when you become as engaged to your child as early training requires, your baby will certainly surprise you.

If you are willing to teach your little one to become diaper-free (and help the environment by decreasing the impact of disposable diapers on landfills!) please purchase your Baby Signs Potty Training Kit through my Amazon store. The wee kickback I get pays for the environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies I use for cleaning up Noah’s “accidents” along the way. Thank you!
If you have attempted (or succeeded!) at early potty-training, I would love to hear from you!

Unless you are surrounded by surly, brooding teenagers, or are in the throes of an unfortunate bout with postpartum depression (both temporary events), it would seem that the resounding answer would be, “yes!”

NewsWeek posted this story today by Lorraine Ali about whether or not parents are happier than childless couples. Ali reports that, according to Daniel Gilbert’s 2006 book “Stumbling on Happiness,” the Harvard professor of psychology concludes that marital satisfaction decreases dramatically after the birth of the first child—and increases only when the last child has left home. How many families do you know with more than one child? If Dr. Gilbert’s study was sufficiently broad and without bias, how do his findings explain the overwhelmingly popular desire to add additional members to the family?

By contrast, in NewsWeeks’s own recent poll, 50 percent of Americans said that adding new children to the family tends to increase happiness levels. Only one in six (16 percent) said that adding new children had a negative effect on the parents’ happiness.

Later in the article, Ali quotes Florida State University’s Robin Simon, a sociology professor: ”Parents experience lower levels of emotional well-being, less frequent positive emotions and more frequent negative emotions than their childless peers.” Again, I have to wonder exactly how this deduction was made. Certainly, unlike my carefree single years, today my concerns are more for my family’s well-being than my own. And, I do react more strongly to injustices, particularly news items involving children harmed or mistreated in any fashion. I do worry more for the future of this world, and the safety of my children. I don’t categorize this as negativity or a lower level of emotional well-being, but more of a by-product of true love. Who aches more than he or she who loves?

I’m pleased to note that Ali included a key study by University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Sara McLanahan and Julia Adams. While the study was conducted some 20 years ago, the researchers reported that parenthood was perceived as significantly more stressful in the 1970s than in the 1950s, attributing part of that change to major shifts in employment patterns. The majority of American parents now work outside the home, have less support from extended family and face a deteriorating education and health-care system.

Never was this pattern more abundantly clear to me than when I was pregnant and then delivered my first son. I hadn’t lived in my hometown for 15 years, and suddenly I wanted, nay, needed my own mommy to help me. Dear girlfriends I’d kept in touch with over the years, regardless of where our jobs or passions had moved us, suddenly seemed a universe away. It occurred to me that this was really the first time in the history of the world that, when a woman gives birth, her mother, grandmother, sisters, aunts, and female cousins may not be geographically available to help with the new baby and facilitate mommy during her recovery from birth. I considered the possibility of parishioners–ladies from the women’s Bible study at church–but at the time I was relatively new in town and had not yet formed ties. I pondered the luxury of a Biblical-times hut of female relatives busily fussing about, making food and keeping house after I’d delivered my son, Joseph the Fourth, as it happens. (Don’t cry for me; my husband’s sisters drove and flew in from far and wide and were gracious, giving, helpful and compassionate. My mother and father arrived from Canada 3 weeks after the birth–I was in good hands.)

What I did find surprising is when Ali suggests that a rosy-hued vision of our single lives might be causing parents’ blues. “Twenty-five years ago, women married around the age of 20, and men at 23. Today both sexes are marrying four to five years later. This means the experience of raising kids is now competing with highs in a parent’s past, like career wins (’I got a raise!’) or a carefree social life (’God, this is a great martini!’),” she reports. I’ll admit that my life before marriage and babies was, ahem, audacious, and I enjoyed my share of martinis, but never once (NEVER ONCE!) would it occur to me to prefer one over my beautiful boys, regardless of how many times I’ve had–and will have to–wipe their butts, clean up their vomit, or lose a night’s sleep.

As Ali notes, there are other rewarding aspects of parenting that are impossible to quantify. If anything, since little Joseph’s birth I’ve struggled with clinging to the here and now, knowing all too well how fast a baby grows. Each stage of babyhood has its remarkable miracles and blessings; each cuddle is heart-breakingly sweet. Before I know it, my little ones will be in school, and one day they’ll be too old to hold hands with me in the dark, tucked into bed and waiting for sleep. I actually cherish the songs we sing (Old McDonald, The Wheels on the Bus, Eensy Weensy Spider, et al.), and already regret the day when a.) they’re too cool to sing them anymore, and b.) I’m not cool enough to sing the music they do like.

I believe I am in love with parenting because I lived more life before having kids than was necessary or even appropriate. I was ready when I met my husband, when we conceived; I had traveled, I had dated, I’d even been miserably married and divorced–I had lived a Godless life only to return open-armed to Him. For me, my husband and children are my life’s great joy, and my gratitude is enormous.

Does having kids make you happy? Why or why not? I’d like to hear from you!

Today was the toughest day yet in our effort to become a diaper-free household. It has been exactly 20 days since we started, and if you’ve been reading along, you know how thrilled I’ve been with our success with the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit. Noah has taken quite easily to the potty and while I was nervous about embarking on a two-week “bare-bottom” period last Thursday, we said a prayer and leaped. And boy, have we learned, oh how we’ve learned.

It is important that I reiterate that this adventure is coinciding with weaning. I cannot imagine a more powerful and dramatic substitute for the inherent bonding breastfeeding allows. And for all you mommies who weren’t able or chose not to breastfeed for whatever reason, I absolutely must impress upon you that if you’d like a taste of the fairytale bonding of which nursing mothers always sing the praises, by all means try early potty training. It is bonding to the nth degree, my lovelies. And the end result may be comparable in the long run, especially at school; I argue that babies who are extremely well-tended-to are more confident and comfortable with themselves and their immediate world, and therefore more willing and eager to be open to new challenges, socializing and learning experiences.

Perhaps that’s why I’m so exhausted today (the “extremely well-tended-to” part), or it could be the hormonal roller-coaster I’ve been on since I stopped breastfeeding. I’m also wrestling with some recent comments from my neighbor and the pediatrician I mentioned in June is Potty-Training Awareness Month.  My neighbor is a good and trusted friend who has two kids roughly the same ages as Noah and Joseph. She is eager and excited to hear all the details about how to potty train her 9-month-old infant, but she wants to wait to see if “it’s really worth all the trouble.” An environmentalist, she does use cloth diapers, and is happy to do so until her little guy gets old enough to pull down his own pants to use the potty. So I keep asking myself: is it worth it? (and my answer remains the same. Yes! It took 15 months to complete potty-training with my toddler Joseph and never once was it easy. Training Noah, for the most part, is as simple as putting him on the potty when it’s time to go.) The pediatrician, on the other hand, insists on calling early training an “alternative to diapering.” What she means, in general, is that an infant is too young to understand the concept of potty training and so it is actually the caretaker who is trained, watching the baby’s cues and offering the potty at the appropriate time. However, there is a hole in her theory; Noah is holding his number two’s until he can get to the potty! Maybe it’s time for a Potty-Training Report Card:

• The obvious worry about going bare-bottom is cleaning up accidents. What I was amazed to find is that Noah is already aware when his diaper is off and will stay dry for an hour or longer. I make sure to place him on the potty about 2 or 3 times an hour, and he will sit there as long as we are engaged in something fun: a song with hand gestures, reading a book, practicing our American sign language, playing with stacking cups, etc., usually 3-5 minutes is all that’s necessary.
• As I mentioned, Noah is holding his poops until he gets to the potty. This is the heart-breaking part for me—there have been two times (and two is plenty, I can assure you) when I misread his cries for something else (e.g.: he was tired or hungry) when really he was desperate to get to the potty. When I finally figured it out and placed him on it, he did his business successfully, but I felt horrible for not understanding. Looking back, he had been frantically gesturing a crude interpretation of the ASL sign for potty and I didn’t recognize it. The child is working so hard to communicate with me, he is trying to put his two’s in the right place, and I’m this blind dolt. The worst-case scenario is that he becomes afraid of not having his potty needs met and becomes a chronic “holder.” Bad mommy!
• To repeat myself, yes, he is now doing more signs. He really likes “more”, especially as it applies to milk. He also does the “milk” sign, and–ta da!–the “potty” sign! He is saying the word potty, too. Oh, and “choo choo!” like in the kit’s DVD. However, he also has a special cry for having to use the potty, thanks to those two occasions listed above. But I know it now and I promise to do better!
• I must never leave the house without the potty. He is not interested in using a big toilet. If I have the potty with me, he will stay dry through the car/stroller ride; I take him to the bathroom as soon as we arrive at our destination.
• He has not yet stayed dry during naps or overnight, and the resulting laundry is nothing short of depressing. It doesn’t help that he likes to have a bottle just before bed, either. At this point, we are keeping him in a diaper for sleep. I don’t want to confuse him, but I also want him/us to get some sleep!

I have to say again that the closeness between my son and I as a result of this program is awe-inspiring. To be successful, I really must be at his side at all times. I watch his cues, listening to his sounds, interpreting his hand gestures, keeping tabs on what and when he eats and drinks—we are connected at every level. He depends on me in a way he never has; as a newborn, he nursed for all his sustenance and we were inseparable. This is so much more intense bonding because our trust is already established and now he communicates with me, he seeks my help to accomplish a shared goal. We are partners, yet I am his guide. During our many, many potty visits throughout the day (he uses the potty about 4-10x daily), those visits are periods of complete and uninterrupted interaction. He has more quality time with me than I even thought humanly possible.

So, as I began, today was our hardest day yet. For whatever reason, little Noah wet himself (and the floor) all day long. Typically, we might (might!) have one accident a day. What happened? It could have been the pesky hormones, but in the middle of the afternoon, I actually cried because I just wanted to put him in a diaper for the rest of the day and start again tomorrow. He was miserable being wet, I was miserable cleaning it up. He still did all his number two’s in the potty, however. We’d been making such wonderful progress, getting better and better every day, I really hadn’t seen this coming. I wonder if it was just a random blip? Tomorrow, we will start fresh.

If you are willing to teach your little one to become diaper-free (and help the environment by decreasing the impact of disposable diapers on landfills!) please purchase your Baby Signs Potty Training Kit through my Amazon store. The wee kickback I get pays for the environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies I use for cleaning up Noah’s “accidents” along the way. Thank you!
If you have attempted (or succeeded!) at early potty-training, I would love to hear from you!

Curious about how we’re doing? Read about it in the next installment: Potty Baby–Almost Trained at 14 Months

My sister-in-law and her new husband are building a new addition to their Kansas City home. Along the dusty path to home renovation, they have encountered a possible mold issue. I wrote this piece a few years ago for San Diego Family magazine; This one’s for you, sista!

When Linda Coffman developed hay fever-like symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis), she treated her symptoms like any allergy. During a renovation of the Coffman family’s out-dated bathroom, the contractor discovered hidden water damage on the back side of the bathroom’s wallpaper, dry wall and paneling, and advised the family to seek medical attention for any cases of irritated eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs which are commonly a result of exposure to mold.

Household mold, a type of fungi similar to mushrooms and yeasts, is no laughing matter. After floods or major leaks, mold spores may land on a damp spot indoors and begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are at least 1,000 species of mold in the United States which grow on wood, paper, carpet, tile grout, and foods. Molds have the potential to cause health problems by producing allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances.

“There’s one reason why someone should be concerned about mold,” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) engineer Bob Thompson says, “and you can sum it up in one word: damage.”

Thompson sees firsthand what mold can do to both your home and your health; “Mold can grow on most of the materials that are used in building a home the top side of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, or areas inside walls around pipes (with leaking or condensing pipes), the surface of walls behind furniture (where condensation forms), inside ductwork, and in roof materials above ceiling tiles (due to roof leaks or insufficient insulation). It can use it as a food source,” he reports. “Mold will actually cause a physical change and sometimes chemical changes in these materials, rendering them worthless.”

The EPA advises that investigating hidden mold problems may be difficult and will require caution when the investigation involves disturbing potential sites of mold growth. The removal of wallpaper can lead to a massive release of spores if there is mold growing on the underside. If you believe you may have a hidden mold problem, an experienced professional can help.

Where Are Most of the Common Moisture Spots in a Home? Blame it on Moisture!
Molds can be found on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. This list is courtesy www.HGTV.com:

• Bathrooms—This room is a major source for moisture in any home, which is why ventilation is vital. Without a vent and fan, the moisture can’t be pulled up and out of the room.
• Windows—Most windows sweat, so it’s important to wipe the moisture from the windows with a mixture of detergent and water.
• Attics—Dark patches of mold can spread under the insulation in an attic when humidity is high outside the home.
• Kitchens—Steam from cooking can produce excessive moisture.
• Soffit Vents—These vents attract moisture from outside the home.
• Small Holes in Walls—Outside moisture can reach the inside of your home through small holes in the walls.
• Light Fixtures—If your ceiling light fixtures aren’t sealed well, moisture and humidity can penetrate your home.
• Vinyl Wallpaper—This type of wallpaper will not let moisture come through the wall as it should normally. It traps the moisture in the coldest part of the wall, which is the surface. This is where the moist air condenses, fueling the growth of mold.
• Leaking Air-Conditioner Systems—A typical air-conditioning system is only designed to do 30 percent of the work in moisture removal. Air conditioners can harbor dirt and moisture, which can lead to mold problems. Tip: Be sure to have your air-conditioning system serviced twice a year—in fall and spring.
• Roofs—If the structure of your roofing system doesn’t eliminate moisture and rain properly, you cannot only see major damage to your roof, but the excessive moisture can lead to mold problems.
• Crawl Spaces—If you have missing downspouts nearby, a crawl space can develop a major moisture and mold problem. Faulty duct work can be the culprit here. This can become a breeding ground for problems right under your house.
• Basements—Usually the most damp room in the house.

How do I get rid of mold?
The EPA recommends that homeowners don’t attempt to clean a mold problem larger than a three-foot by three-foot patch (just less than 10 square feet). Anything larger requires professional assistance.

The key to mold control is moisture control. Mold can grow on wet or damp surfaces within 24-48 hours—dry water-damaged areas immediately to prevent mold growth. If mold is a problem in your home, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles and carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Clean and dry all damp or wet building materials and furnishings within two days to prevent mold growth.

The use of a chemical or biocide (such as chlorine bleach) to kill mold organisms is not recommended because bleach can be dangerous when mixed with some other chemicals, and potentially harmful to the environment. The EPA now recommends a mixture of mild detergent and water. The EPA also notes that dead mold may still cause allergic reactions in some people. If you or a family members suffers from an allergy, it is not enough to simply kill the mold, it must be removed.

Tools–And Important Safety Information!

• Rubber gloves that extend to the middle of the forearm (select gloves made from natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile, polyurethane or PVC)—It’s important to have sturdy gloves that have no rips because even the smallest amount of exposure to mold can cause skin irritations or rashes. And be sure to throw the gloves away once you’re through. Don’t reuse!
• Goggles without air holes—The EPA suggests wearing sealed goggles without holes to guard against mold spores coming in contact with your eyes.
• Filter mask (rated N-95 or higher)—To keep from inhaling the spores, it’s vital that you wear a filter mask. The rating of N-95 stands for the percentage of particles that will be captured and stopped from coming through the mask. For example, with the N-95 filter mask, it will capture 95 percent of the particles released when removing the mold. Make sure the mask is comfortable but tight enough to eliminate any air leakage.
• Scraper or sponge—To clean mold from a hard surface such as metal, the EPA recommends a scraper or sponge and a mixture of water and detergent.
• Small drywall saw for removing material that can’t be cleaned—For a porous surface such as drywall or wood, there’s no easy cleanup method. Cut away and replace the material.

If you suspect a larger mold problem lurking behind your cleanup, call a professional. Avoid household mold by reducing indoor humidity (to 30-60%) to decrease mold growth. Use air conditioners and de-humidifiers, increase ventilation in the bathroom, and use exhaust fans when cooking, dishwashing, or cleaning. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting. Simply put, anything you can do to help prevent moisture in and around you home, the better chance you’ll have to eliminate mold problem.

Who should do the cleanup?
According to the EPA, if there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet:

1. Consult the Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings guide. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document is applicable to other building types.
2. If you choose to hire a contractor (or other professional service provider) to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Check references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations in EPA’s Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists (ACGIH), or other guidelines from professional or government organizations.
3. If you suspect that the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system may be contaminated with mold (it is part of an identified moisture problem, for instance, or there is mold near the intake to the system), consult EPA’s guide Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? before taking further action. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold.
4. If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.
5. If you have health concerns, consult a health professional before starting cleanup.

Additional Resources:
Get Mold Tips from the National Association of Home Builders

For more information on mold related issues including mold cleanup and moisture control/condensation/humidity issues, write to:
U.S. EPA, Office of Air and Radiation
Indoor Environments Division (6609J)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC  20460

Ask for EPA Publication #402-K-02-003. This Guide provides information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth. 

The potty party keeps on rolling! My 13-Month-Old Noah is now on Day 10 of his potty-training adventure with  Baby Signs Potty Training Kit. He has happily made a “deposit” in his potty between 1-5 times each day from the first day. (If you would like to read about our auspicious start, please refer to 1. Potty-Training at 13 Months; 2. Potty-Training = Green Baby; and 3. Early Potty-Training Success.) I believe he would do it more frequently if we were more diligent during outings.

Co-creator of the Baby Signs program, Dr. Linda Acredolo, Professor Emeritus, UC Davis, has kindly lent her expertise to our efforts.

Rebecca: Currently, I’m offering the potty at times when I know or can guess when Noah will need it (after meals, etc.) Should I transition to offering it at regular intervals, gently teaching him when he can expect it? My goal is that he will hold it until the time he knows he can relieve himself. He is entering an age where he is learning to anticipate routines; it seems like that would be the appropriate thing to do. 

Linda Acredolo, PhD:You make an excellent point about the increasing salience of routines at this age. What I might suggest is a compromise between the two approaches; That is, by maintaining the most obvious times (upon waking, after meals)—but perhaps gradually lengthening the time span a bit before you take him, and adding visits at other times that make sense in another way (e.g.: for your convenience, such as before leaving the house and before bed.)

Rebecca: I’ve still got him in disposable diapers, and my landfill guilt is mounting. Would it speed the process if I put him in cloth diapers, so he can feel when he is wet and be impelled to use the potty to ease his discomfort? 

Linda Acredolo, PhD:  Yes, that’s an excellent idea. Now that the weather’s warm, you might try even letting him spend some time naked. That’s one reason children train more easily in the summertime.

For Noah, the process of potty-training has produced a disdain for diapers. He will gladly cruise about in his birthday-suit and puts up quite a fuss when I try to diaper him after a potty visit. So far, however, this has meant that mommy has to remain on standby with the environmentally-friendly disinfectant. I’ve begun to wonder if and when Noah will begin to “hold it” between visits. He hasn’t yet performed the American Sign Language gesture for potty, so I don’t get a lot of fore-warning. It’s really amazing; the child can say a handful of words and phrases including “good morning”, “backpack”, and “garden”—but he won’t say or sign ”potty” even once?! I guess I’ll just have to wait.

*We were recently playing at a local learning center for children aged 0-5 years when I questioned the teaching staff about early training. They were startled to hear that little Noah is potty-training (which I chalk up to a limited “Western” view), suggesting it may be a hopeless venture—a point I politely ignored. The proof is in the potty, after all. Interestingly, they also assured me that it is “physiologically impossible” for a child Noah’s age to hold or control his ones and twos.* I brought it up with Linda, and this is what she offered:

Linda Acredolo, PhD: The fact that before the invention of the disposable diaper in the 1960s, children in the United States were routinely potty trained by 18 months is clear evidence that these abilities are available at least by early in the second year. Moreover, even today, parents in over 50 other countries seem to have no trouble figuring out how to potty-train their children by 18 months. American children simply can’t be that biologically immature in comparison to children from other countries. Of course, there’s great variability in when children develop the ability to hold their pee for a reasonable length of time, but, like any physical skill, acquiring a sense of what muscles are involved helps—and that’s what gradually happens as children use the potty. They begin to assume that pee belongs in the potty and the stronger that assumption, the more automatic it becomes to work on holding in the pee until they are in the right place. It’s clear that there’s still a very strong prejudice out there against early training. It will probably take word of mouth between successful parents (via blogs these days!) to gradually shake those old assumptions. You’re certainly doing your part!

*At our next visit to the learning center, the head teacher had discussed the topic with the learning program’s pediatrician. The pediatrician made it clear that we should call this an “alternative to diapering”, not potty-training, because kids under two “can’t” potty train. (Sheesh! Come to my house already!) What I find ironic is that the pediatrician also noted that her friend recently adopted a baby from China who is already potty-trained (or shall we say, chooses a “diaper-alternative lifestyle”), noting that the window for potty-training in China is between 0-6 months. Even more puzzling, the adopting mother has opted to put the infant in diapers rather than continue with using the potty. (Even as I write this, I feel saddened; a) the baby now has to sit in her own pee and poo for the first time in her life, and b) she’ll have to potty-train all over again with someone who isn’t willing to learn how to manage a child’s toilet habits.) Is this progress?

Read the next installment, Early Potty Ttaining—Er, Mommy Training, click here.

If you are willing to teach your little one to become diaper-free (and help the environment by decreasing the impact of disposable diapers on landfills!) please purchase your Baby Signs Potty Training Kit through my Amazon store. The wee kickback I get pays for the environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies I use for cleaning up Noah’s “accidents” along the way. Thank you!
If you have attempted (or succeeded!) at early potty-training, I would love to hear from you!

My other blog, Unassuming Foodie, is really coming together! My husband has been kind enough to photograph some of the dishes I’ve been coming up with, and I hope the photos help encourage people to give these recipes a try. Honestly, I am only posting the most wonderful dishes I come across or create from scratch–but if I were to whittle it down to just a few spectacular ones, it might be these:

Three Pepper Salad: This fresh, inspiring salad is an unusual fusion of flavors. Rice vinegar and sesame oil is unexpectedly paired with Mediterranean staples of fresh basil and goat cheese. I found a beautiful organic goat cheese with roasted portobello mushrooms at my local Mother’s Market, but I’ve located a few nice ones for you, which are available through my Amazon store.

Crusty Herbed Chicken: While this gluten-free recipe calls for baking skinless chicken thighs, the result is similar to a breaded and spiced, fried chicken dish—without the fat and flour! The idea for this flavorful recipe came when I was first exploring food-pairing and the low-glycemic diet. Newly married, my husband was so enraptured by this dish, he pronounced it our “House Special” and I felt very encouraged in our burgeoning roles as food-experimenter and appreciative-tester.

Roast Chicken with Smoked Paprika and Fresh Thyme: This recipe is fast becoming a favorite at our house. It is the one dish that my one-year-old Noah and preschooler Joseph actually eat in silence, their pleasure whisking words of whining far, far away. But make no mistake–this is no kiddie recipe. I’ve served this deceptively easy and elegant dish at dinner parties with great success. The flavor is exceptional.

We are on Day 6 of using the Baby Signs Potty Training Kit, and my 13-month-old son has used his potty faithfully at least once every single day from the day we received it. Today, in fact, he used it four times! Over the weekend, he even did his twosies on the full-size toilet, supported by my husband. I am not just typing this post, I am gushing it. Honestly, I can’t stop talking about it. (You can read my first impressions in these posts: Potty-Training at 13 Months, Early Potty-Training = Green Baby.)

The reason I’m so thrilled is because we just finished training my older son, and this new experience is roughly, oh, 100x easier. Beginning a few months shy of his second birthday, Joseph was trained in the “generally-accepted” method (pull-ups until the child shows signs of being “ready”, then stickers and rewards). He only used his potty sporadically for nine whole months, and wasn’t out of pull-ups until a few months past his THIRD birthday. Consider the expense and landfill impact of that potty-training experience–let alone the frustration for all parties involved. We consistently smiled and cheered him on, however, and I believe I am a better mommy for this extended lesson in patience. 

There are several reasons why the Baby Signs program is working so well for us:

• While we have always showered Noah with love and attention, our baby is glowing from all the additional interaction and praise
• Learning when to offer the potty was similar to learning when my baby is hungry, or how  he likes to be put to sleep
• I’m weaning him right now, and potty-training seems to be replacing nursing as a bonding activity between us. We are very interconnected: watching each other’s signals and making plenty of eye-contact and cuddling. Potty-training is most assuredly a trust-building activity.
• He isn’t frustrated by unmanageable emotions, like a two-year-old who typically reacts with tantrums 
• He loves to mimic whatever we say and do
• When I say, “where is the pee-pee?” and look into the potty, Noah smiles at me and climbs on the potty, finishes, and then looks back in and then at me, as if to say, “there it is!”
• There is no need for stickers or other rewards. Hugs, cheers and dancing about together are prize enough for him.
• While he hasn’t yet made the recommended sign language gestures, he does try to speak the related words (”potty” (Noah says “paw-ee”), “all done”, etc.)

The consistent success of this adventure has motivated me to try to complete the process as quickly—yet painlessly—as possible. I cannot wait to have my little guy in big-kid undies–he’ll be the toast of the playground! (Sippycup toast, that is.) In order to do this, I have a few questions:

• Currently, I’m offering the potty at times when I know or can guess when he’ll need it (after meals, etc.) Should I transition to offering it at regular intervals, gently teaching him when he can expect it? My goal is that he will hold it until the time he knows he can relieve himself. He is entering an age where he is learning to anticipate routines; it seems like that would be the appropriate thing to do.
• I’ve still got him in disposable diapers, and my landfill guilt is mounting. Would it speed the process if I put him in cloth diapers, so he can feel when he is wet and be impelled to use the potty to ease his discomfort?Want to see answers to these questions and read more about our early-training adventure? Read the next installment at June is Potty-Training Awareness Month!

If you are willing to teach your little one to become diaper-free (and help the environment by decreasing the impact of disposable diapers on landfills!) please purchase your Baby Signs Potty Training Kit through my Amazon store. The wee kickback I get pays for the environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies I use for cleaning up Noah’s “accidents” along the way. Thank you!
If you have attempted (or succeeded!) at early potty-training, I would love to hear from you!