Semi-Crunchy Mama®

5 Thanksgiving Books by Indigenous Authors

I remember going to the library with my oldest child when he was about two years old. I asked the children's librarian if there were any age-appropriate Thanksgiving books that were somewhere between "blatant lies" and "smallpox blankets." She winced.

So how do we navigate a holiday that originated as a celebration of a massacre without either lying to or traumatizing our kids?

Many families choose to focus on gratitude and family, and introduce Thanksgiving as a historical myth. Here is a helpful history about the biggest lies most of us learned about the holiday (I definitely learned the "Pilgrims and Indians" narrative at school).

Instead of perpetuating harmful stereotypes, here are five books that focus on happiness and gratitude - and are written by native and First Nations authors - that are great any time of year.

If you purchase these books through my Amazon links, I do receive a very small percentage of the price. This money goes to feed my kids and I appreciate it!

My Heart Fills With Happiness / Ni Sâkaskineh Mîyawâten Niteh Ohcih by Monique Gray Smith

This dual language picture book celebrates the joyfulness in small moments and serves as a
reminder to parents and kids alike to focus on moments that bring happiness.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Tracy Sorrell

From the viewpoint of a member of the Cherokee Nation, this book brings a modern perspective to gratitude for both the big and the little things in life. It includes a glossary of Cherokee words for additional depth.

Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes by Wab Kinew

From start to finish, this book is a celebration of the stories of Indigenous people throughout time, in both Canada and the US. Your little hero is bound to be inspired by the stories of figures such as Crazy Horse, Net-no-kwa, former NASA astronaut John Herrington and Canadian NHL goalie Carey Price, and more.

Wild Berries by Julie Flett

Celebrating the connection that we all share with the natural world, this book is also a dual language title, written in both English and Cree. Spend the day picking wild blueberries with Clarence and his grandmother. Meet ant, spider, and fox in a beautiful woodland landscape, the ancestral home of author and illustrator Julie Flett.

Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk

This title by Inuit author Celina Kalluk celebrates the ancestral connection to the natural world, and emphasizes on respect and love for the earth and all its inhabitants in a lovely bedtime poem.

Looking for more books like these or a selection for older kids? Here are links to more resources available. Be sure to check your local librarian for even more great options to share with your littles.

Native American Children’s Literature Recommended Reading List (PDF download) for preschool through high school
American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) "Best Books" lists has tons of options for all ages
Kids and Teen Books by Indigenous Authors and Illustrators from the Seattle Public Library (some repeats from this list)

And if your child is school-age and their school still does a whitewashed history, this is a great resource with sample letters to send the administration to effect change. Please say something, especially if you're a white parent.

Have you read any of these?

If you live near me, all except Go Show the World are available through the San Diego Public Library (and I requested it be added). They'd also be great additions to holiday wishlists to support those authors!

Great Podcasts for Young Kids

It's summer! Are you planning to travel? Road trip? Fly?

Even just driving around for summer activities can mean more time in the car when the kids need entertainment. My oldest can't do screens and we don't even own a tablet, so what can you do to prevent whining, fighting, and screaming?

Enter the podcast.

We also love audiobooks on CD, or downloading digital ones to our phones from the library system, too. But for shorter trips, the 20-30 minute length of podcasts can be just enough to get you through that sticky traffic.

I subscribe to these so the last 2-4 episodes are downloaded onto my phone when I'm connected to WiFi at home, then I don't have to stream anything using data while we're in the car. I also have an auxiliary cable to plug my phone into my car speakers, or your car may have bluetooth capability if it's newer than mine.

My kids are currently 2 and 5, so while some of the content may go slightly over the toddler's head, he still tolerates or enjoys all of these. Most of them should appeal to slightly older kids, too, but your kids may have different tastes!

Great Podcasts for Young Kids

>> Circle Round from WBUR <<

Circle Round takes folk tales from around the world, adapts them for a narrator and several voice actors (usually one being from a TV show that adults will recognize, or from NPR News), and creates original music for each story. A few recent episodes feature stories from Kazakstan, Portugal, and Ghana, and generally have some sort of moral or lesson.

If you visit their website you can listen directly from the site, read a transcript of the episode, download coloring pages, and see featured instruments from the episode's music. New episodes come out each week.

>> Brains On! from American Public Media <<

Brains On! describes itself as "an award-winning science podcast for kids and curious adults." Each week, a child is the guest co-host as they explore various topics in science. Episodes range widely from animals to electrons to space to weather. They dig in to how and why things happen.

It may be a little complex for the toddler set, but my little one will sit through most of an episode.

>>Wow in the World from National Public Radio and Tinkercast <<

Wow in the World is one of MY favorites. Co-hosts Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas are silly and entertaining enough to keep the kids engaged, but throw in smart humor for everyone. This science-y show reminds me a bit of the Magic School Bus - they use their shrink ray to make themselves miniature so they can learn about plankton, for example.

My oldest will ask to sit in the car until the episode is over.

>> Story Pirates from Gimlet Media <<

Story Pirates also has live performances and tours across the country, but we've only heard them in the car. (Ok, and sometimes I'll put on an episode so I can take a shower without the boys fighting.) The premise is simple: listeners submit their stories, and the Story Pirates flesh it out and adapt it into a fancier version.

There's a running framework of them being pirates on a ship, and there is some cheeky humor to keep the grownups amused, but it's engaging and fun. My oldest really wants to write a story to send in!

>> But Why? from NPR/Vermont Public Radio <<

But Why? is another science-y show, but this one takes listener questions and brings in an expert to answer them. The topics are more general than some of the previous podcasts - Why Is Money Important? Are There Underground Cities? - and may appeal to a little younger set as well.

>> Peace Out from Bedtime.fm <<

My kids don't love Peace Out as much as I do, but sometimes I put it on whether they like it or not. It's a combo yoga/meditation podcast for kids with a story theme to help guide them through. They cover a variety of emotions and situations where mindfulness can be a useful tool.

If my little ones are still running wild at bedtime, I'll lay on the bed with the lights out and play an episode just to help them calm down. There are suggested movements in many episodes, but we haven't managed that because my kids are feral. If nothing else, it relaxes me!

>> Sparkle Stories <<

Sparkle Stories is available as a podcast, or as a paid subscription with access to over 1000 original stories. We've only listened to a few, but the stories follow a group of animals who live at a junkyard and come across various questions and problems to solve.

Which will you listen to first?

Any favorites that your kids love?

And of course, for grownups, I'd love to suggest my podcast, too. Search "Semi Crunchy Mama" on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play, or listen right here on my site.

Protected: Your Online Instant Pot Course

Parenting
Comments Off on Protected: Your Online Instant Pot Course

How to Use Your Instant Pot

Uncategorized
Comments Off on How to Use Your Instant Pot

Wouldn’t it be great if dinner cooked itself?

Instant Pot love
It practically can. The catch? You actually have to use that Instant Pot that you bought on Prime Day and never actually opened. But I’ll make it easy for you.

Your friends talked you into it (“Frozen meat in an hour! Perfect hard-boiled eggs!”) and you went for it, but if the learning curve felt too steep, I understand.

The recipes are full of acronyms, the cooking times feel misleading, and what if the recipe doesn’t turn out? It feels safer to cook dinner the way you normally do, even if it takes longer, to guarantee you’ll have a meal instead of hangry kids and an emergency situation on your hands.

On the other hand, it’s MAGIC. I am not A Person Who Burns Dinner — or I wasn’t, until I had a second baby. Then it was charred quinoa 3 times in a MONTH. I was seriously having an identity crisis.

Once I started using the Instant Pot, it freed me up to be present with my kids while dinner almost cooked itself. No burning, no stirring, just making an obstacle course out of the couch cushions until it was time to set the table.

This could be you! (Ridiculous kid activity is optional -- grab a glass of wine and put on Moana for the 937th time if that’s how you roll. I won’t judge!) But the Instant Pot in your closet, still in the box, isn’t cooking you anything.

In less than half an hour, you could be up and running with that not-so-scary new appliance. Depending on what time it is, you could even make dinner in it tonight.

Why should you believe me?

I was skeptical of the cult-like devotion of my friends at first, too, but I finally bought an Instant Pot. I’m a control freak who never used my crock pot, and now I use my Instant Pot multiple times per week — sometimes even twice per day.

I’m the first to admit that I’m a giant nerd, so I researched the crap out of this thing. I read the manual. I read how-to guides on all the big blogs, and a few small ones. I wanted brown rice, and I wanted it now. As I kept explaining the basics to more and more friends, I suggested holding a hands-on class in San Diego. Logistics were complicated and non-local friends asked for an online option, so here we are.

What will you get out of this class?

It’s meant to be straightforward to get you cooking ASAP! The 3 time-saving videos will cover:

My Instant Pot love story
What the Instant Pot can (and can’t) do
The buttons, bells, and whistles and what they do
How to read Instant Pot recipes
A walk-through of the cooking process
And 6 basic recipes that are so simple, you can start cooking that same day

You also get a handout with some helpful charts, recipes, and highlights from the class.

And that’s it! In half an hour, you could say bye bye to that hectic mealtime rush and be ready to cook your first Instant Pot dish with confidence.

"I got my Instant Pot last year and I love it -- I use it all the time!

I just wish I had a time machine so I could have taken this class before I opened it. It would have saved a ton of time, and my life would have been so much easier."

- Becca Ribbing, mom of 2

The class is available instantly! Watch at your convenience.

CLICK HERE to buy. Your investment is just $47.

Happy cooking!

Introducing Solids with Baby Led Weaning – An Online Course

Parenting
Comments Off on Introducing Solids with Baby Led Weaning – An Online Course

You swear you just gave birth eight seconds ago, but suddenly your baby is rolling over and eyeballing that burrito in your hands. Your pediatrician/sister/mother-in-law is telling you to start feeding your baby solids last week, but you're not so sure he or she is ready. You spent about 3 minutes on Google, saw so much conflicting advice you decided you'd rather do laundry, put down your phone, and haven't looked back.

That's how I felt when my oldest turned 3 months old and I realized I had limited time to figure out a plan. Would I make my own organic purees, or buy them at the store? Are those pouch things OK or filled with mold or what? Fruits first or veggies? What’s this “baby-led weaning” thing I keep hearing about? After I grew and nourished this small human from my own body up until now, would our nursing relationship change once food was introduced? *cue nervous hand-wringing*

Maybe you've heard of baby-led weaning but aren't sure what it is, how it works, or how to start.
Maybe you're worried about offering table foods so early - won't your baby choke?
Maybe you started your other kid(s) with purees, but they're picky and you want to try something else.
Maybe you're breastfeeding and are concerned about maintaining your milk supply once your baby starts eating.
And maybe you know you have to give food eventually but just want someone to tell you what to do without researching it all yourself.

You're tired enough already. Keeping another human alive is hard work. All you want is to know The Right Way to do this because you’re trying to be the best mom you can possibly be.

If so, this class is for you.

Instead of asking your mom group, talking to your pediatrician, buying 3 books and a baby food making machine (plus all those little trays for the freezer - are they BPA-free?), joining 6 more Facebook groups, and trying to figure out if peanut butter is truly evil or not, you can just take this course.

Save time, precious sleep-deprived brain cells, and yourself from judgmental Facebook comments.

Afterward, you'll have all the information you need to start feeding your baby with confidence. You'll understand the research and statistics behind the concepts, and have step-by-step instructions and lists of foods to offer by age and stage. It's all read and summarized for you because mom brain is real.

Why listen to me instead of my mom/friend/pediatrician?

Before I was a mom, I was a health coach. When my first son was born, I applied my love of nutrition nerdery to figuring out how to set my son for success with healthy food. I really wanted there to be *one best way* so I knew I was doing it right.

The amount of conflicting information and opinions was overwhelming.

I came across the concept of Baby Led Weaning, read as much as I could find, and decided to try it -- along with purees. My son threw up purees, so that was the end of that experiment. BLW it was.

Friends started to ask me about our experience, so I told them (I have lots of opinions). Week after week at my mom group, I'd explain the idea, and if they asked questions I didn't know the answer to, I tried to find out.

After reading several books, what felt like a million websites, and every related study I could find, the information I compiled grew into a class I've taught locally here in San Diego since 2015. I’ve boiled all that information down into an easily digestible approach so you can make informed choices that are best for your family.

Your mom/friend/pediatrician means well, but they’re telling you what they did. To be fair, I tell you what I did, too, but as one example (and with two kids who had unique journeys).

Over 100 local families have attended my classes. And no matter where you live, now you can, too!

"I didn't know baby led weaning was a thing when I had my first daughter, but I wanted to try it out with my second. I was too sleep-deprived to read long books or dig around for tips online -- I needed to learn from a mom who had already figured everything out.

Stacy is that mom! Her class helped me learn what I needed to know quickly, Through BLW I've seen my baby explore her curiosity about food and learn to confidently and safely feed herself."

- Jules Taggart, mom of 2

When parents leave my classes, the most common theme I hear is that they actually feel prepared. It's scary to be entirely responsible for the survival and well-being of a tiny person! Simply becoming a parent does not mean any of us know what we're doing. At least this way you have a roadmap for success in this area.

And I made it as easy as possible for you. After holding several "live" online classes, I realized that time zones and scheduling were for the birds (or people without kids).

Watch from the comfort of your own home/job (I won't tell). No need to drive to class!
Content is broken into short segments for nap time viewing convenience (the longest video is 16 minutes).
Share the information with your partner or baby's caregiver.
Rewatch as needed. Less pressure to remember the info.
Transcripts are included so you can read ahead, or stay quiet during nap time.
PDF handout has the most important points so you don't have to remember them. Print it out if you'd like!
Free content updates when new recommendations come out.

In the course you’ll learn:

The difference between BLW and spoon-feeding purees
The signs that your baby is ready to start solid foods (or not)
Myths about feeding solids
The best foods to start with and how to prepare them
Foods to avoid for health and safety
How to approach allergenic foods based on current research
Tips and tricks to make food as fun and as little work as possible

"We planned to wait until our son was 6 months old to introduce solid foods, so I signed up for Stacy's class because I wanted to go into his 4 month pediatric appointment armed with up-to-date, accurate information about starting solids. I get bogged down reading ALL THE THINGS, and trusted Stacy to do the research for me and present me with the perfect guide to baby-led weaning: nothing more and nothing less than I needed to read. She did!

At 13 months my son continues to be an adventurous eater, devouring any and everything we give him. I recommend BLW to all of my friends who are parents, if for no other reason than it's just so easy. When we noticed our son had an egg sensitivity, Stacy helped us navigate that, too.

I hope we never have a picky eater (haha!), but if we do, I look forward to taking her toddler classes in the future!"

- Anni Metz, mom of one

You're just trying to be the best parent you can be, but there's a lot of conflicting advice out there. It's much easier to start solids once you have a foundation of knowledge so you actually feel like you know what you're doing.

It's about as close to a manual as you get with parenting.

Imagine yourself eating your own (warm!) food while your baby sits in his or her highchair eating the same thing. No slaving away batch-cooking vats of organic mush (do you even know where those freezer cube tray things ended up?), just serve dinner and enjoy mealtime together.

It's really that easy! (I go into more detail, I promise.)

The investment for the course is $75 which includes all course updates for free (I update my handouts as new research emerges).

That's actually a little less than seats in my live class for 2, plus gas, parking, and lunch. Plus you can pause and rewind!

All you have to do is CLICK HERE to register. You'll check out, then enter your name and email to get access to the course.

BAM. Done.

If you still have individual concerns that I don't address in the class, I also offer private feeding consultations over the phone or video conference. I would love to support you and your baby's health.

Protected: Baby Led Weaning Online

Parenting
Comments Off on Protected: Baby Led Weaning Online

A Crash Course in Feminist Parenting (the Cliffs Notes version)

Feminism often gets a bad rap as something for lesbian femi-nazis, so suggesting you consider feminist parenting could sound extreme.

That is, until you realize that this craaaaazy idea simply mean that women should have the same social, educational, and economic opportunities as men.

Whoa, right?

It might be easy to see why people would want to raise feminist daughters - girls have a pretty vested interest in their own futures - but what may not be as obvious is how imperative it is that we raise feminist sons, as well.

As the mother of two boys, 2016 has been a rough ride. When my youngest was a baby I was relieved that I didn't have to deal with all the "baggage" that comes with a daughter and all the media pressure about weight and body image and clothes and all that. Then I learned that rape culture was so prevalent that raising a son who wasn't a rapist was more challenging that I must think.

At first I didn't realize that some of the things I did were feminist, they just made sense. Instilling a sense of body autonomy and teaching consent were practical things to do, but the more I understood about them, the more importance they had. When you have young kids it sounds like a slippery slope to compare haircuts and hugging grandma to rape culture, but it's not.

I'm no expert in this area. Intersectionality still makes my head spin a bit. I'm white and straight raising white sons, so this technically impacts them least of all.

And that's why it's so important to me.

You practically need a new college minor to sift through the literature around this, so here's a Cliffs Notes version of a crash course - a compilation of list articles with enough info to get you started. We're all making it up as we go anyway, but at least you'll have a foundation.

“DEAR IJEAWELE, OR A FEMINIST MANIFESTO IN FIFTEEN SUGGESTIONS” by Chimamanda Adichie

10 Ways Feminist Parents Raise Strong-Willed Boys To Be Amazing Men by Sabrina Joy Stevents

10 Things Feminist Moms Do Differently Than Any Other Parents by Jamie Kenney

11 Way to Raise a Feminist Son Because Feminism Is Good for Everyone by Britni de la Cretaz

5 Ways I Practice Intersectional Feminist Parenting by Akilah S. Richards

Why I Am Raising My Child to Be a Feminist and Why I Think You Should Too by Dan Arel

21 Ways to Raise a Feminist Child by Lyndsay

Want to Be a Feminist Parent? 4 Goals to Consider by Paige Lucas-Stannard

9 Way to Teach Consent to Your Toddler Before They're Old Enough to Explain It by Sarah Bunton

This is not exhaustive, but if we make an effort to listen and learn, and model that for our kids, we're on the right track.

My Birth Story – Fast Natural Water Birth at Home

Birth, Newborns, Pregnancy
2 Comments

My first birth almost three and a half years ago was an unmedicated vaginal birth in a hospital. We had a doula and everything went well. He was born just under 12 hours from my first contraction which got steadily faster and stronger until he was born.

I'll post more about the process of deciding on a homebirth another time, but this baby was born in our bedroom. I loved birthing at home. I'm also glad I hired Ariel Dolfo Photography to capture our birth since it went by so fast I barely remember it!

My first son was born at 40 weeks and 6 days, so I wasn't in a rush. I didn't feel "ready" yet when my due date rolled around.

Sunday I was 40+4, and the first time I felt like the baby was coming very soon was at 4am when I woke up to a few mild contractions. I didn't bother waking my husband up as they subsided and I went back to sleep.

We got up fairly early and I let him know that I thought "today is the day."
(more…)

Playful Parenting Techniques That Work

If you've ever found yourself sweating and on the brink of tears in the back of your car trying to shove your child as gently as possible into their car seat after 30 minutes of struggle and hysteria in 90 degree weather, you're not alone.

I've been there more times than I care to admit.

Then I read the book Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen. I tried a few of his suggestions. Within a few days, it got easier. He didn't struggle as much. It didn't take as long. I wasn't crying. It was like magic.

Sold.

Cohen is both a play therapist and a dad. I appreciated his perspective as a professional mixed with his personal experiences at home with his own daughter.
(more…)

Why We Chose Baby Led Weaning

How is your relationship with food? Do you get enough veggies? Do you stress eat? Are you a sugar addict?

This isn't to judge you - most of us struggle with food in some way or another. I'm not immune, either, I just have more tools than the average person.

After working with health coaching clients who still struggle after twenty or thirty years, when it came time to feed my son solids, I wanted to do it "right." Time for some research.

When most of us picture introducing solids, I'd imagine this is the image that comes to mind:

Most parents start their babies on solids waaaaaaaaaaay too early

Most pediatricians recommend introducing solids around 4 to 6 months. The American Association of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusively formula or breastmilk until 6 months.

A 2013 study from the AAP showed that in a sample of over 1300 people, "40.4% of mothers introduced solid foods before age 4 months. The most commonly cited reasons for early introduction of solid food were as follows: “My baby was old enough,” “My baby seemed hungry,” “I wanted to feed my baby something in addition to breast milk or formula,” “My baby wanted the food I ate,” “A doctor or other health care professional said my baby should begin eating solid food,” and “It would help my baby sleep longer at night.”"

I started my son a little after 6 months (he had a cold so we waited until he wasn't congested). In retrospect I would have waited even longer. He was sitting up decently but didn't have a developed pincer grasp (ability to hold something between two fingertips). I was planning to offer a mix of purees and finger foods, but he threw up applesauce and I got tired of cleaning it up.

So we went with straight Baby Led Weaning (BLW). And I'm so glad we did.

Why Baby Led Weaning Was Best For Us

The "weaning" here is the British term. Americans tend to think of weaning for babies as "stopping breastmilk consumption" as opposed to "gradually reducing breastmilk consumption by introducing solids." So if you prefer the term "baby led solids," go for it.

Our decision came down to a few things:

- I'm lazy. I was skeptical of commercial baby food but didn't really want to make my own. BLW meant we could offer the same (or very similar) foods to what we ate.
- I have strong feelings about bodily autonomy for kids (and everyone), so giving my son control over how and what he ate held a lot of appeal.
- In my coaching practice I've spent a lot of time helping clients re-learn how to listen to their own bodies, so it made sense to me to let my son tune into his own hunger signals instead of me trying to guess.
- A major reason to start with purees is because babies push food out due to their tongue thrust reflex - their natural protection against choking. If you wait until their tongue thrust reflex is gone (a sign that they're developmentally ready to eat solid food), they can simply eat table food.
- When you start with purees, babies learn to swallow first, then chew. With BLW they chew first, then learn to swallow. They'll eventually get chunky or finger foods, so why not just start there?

Now at 3 years old, my son eats a wide variety of foods. He loves fish, mushrooms, and seaweed just as much as macaroni and cheese. He eats chlorella tablets like they're candy. He also eats candy, but asks for a few pieces and then moves on.

Is it because of his personality, or because of how we introduced and offered food from the start? I don't know for sure, but there isn't much I'll change this fall when it comes time to start our second baby on solid food.

Want to know more?

If you're near San Diego with a baby around 3-9 months, I would love to see you at one of my monthly in-person classes in Hillcrest.

Doesn't work with your schedule or live too far away? Now you can now take the class anytime from anywhere!

The online version of Introducing Solids with Baby Led Weaning is ready to go. Just CLICK HERE for more information.

I would love to support you.