BlogHer - Comments

Set Small, Accomplishable Goals

lhammond — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:56:32 -0500

When I know I need to get work done, but I really feel more like I need "me" time, I set small goals for myself, like "I will work on organizing those photos for 30 minutes, and then I can read my book." It makes the evening free time balance out in a way that is productive and relaxing.

excellent post

emily_raphael — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:14:35 -0500

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm passionate on this subject as a former DAN! parent who tried chelation and who has to live with the regret. When I put up a website for a local parenting group I got flak from a parent who wanted me to post links to "biomedical" sites. I refused and we got into a little showdown re the site's policy. I ended up essentially abandoning the site rather than give equal time.

I think a big problem is still that post-diagnosis, parents are often sent into the hinterlands with no real advice on how to proceed. We're often still thinking in terms of a medical model of treatment, b/c we've been to a medical professional, most likely, for diagnosis. First-line providers and pediatricians need to be better and more proactive about giving parents guidance. If we're left with only a diagnosis and no support, a lot of us go into research mode, and it can feel good: the "Lorenzo's Oil" fantasies, the Ph.D. in Google, etc. We are parent warriors and we will rescue our children. It's a satisfying narrative, but it wastes time and resources.

I couldn't live without....

Hyperactive Lu — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:04:58 -0500

I have quite a few- my sleepy wrap, a mechanical pump and my papisan chair- all made my life a little easier in the first few weeks of my 2nd child's birth!

It must be hard to remember to take care of you...

DebbieB — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:42:03 -0500

when you have four little ones to take care of. I don't know how you do it but maybe you need your own sippy cup!

Glad I wasn't misunderstood

Vered — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:40:38 -0500

It is such a sensitive topic.

----

Need to hire a blogger? I’m a mommy blogger and a blogger for hire.

Ha! I haven't done that

sassymonkey — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:35:16 -0500

But now for some reason I really kind of want to. ;-)

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

It was!

laurelleaf — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:32:30 -0500

We were a little sleep deprived yesterday, but it was definitely worth it :)

blue lizard

sun surfer — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:56:46 -0500

Danielle, you are not lying - I LOVE this stuff!

I have extremely fair skin (I'm a guy, but growing up people would say I have "alabaster" or "porcelain" skin, or on the flip side that I look like a vampire, LOL) that got a lot of sun when I was a child because my parents weren't vigilant about sunscreen. But when I did put on sunscreen, it always, always burned (not sunburn, but an actual burning sensation in my skin) for the entire day I put it on. It was torture.

But in my teens I got really skin-conscious because of my fair skin and started using sunscreen every time I went outside, and no matter what I tried my skin still always had a burning sensation the entire day whenever I put sunscreen on. I tried every sensitive skin sunscreen (and every other kind too) that I could get my hands on and they ALL made my skin feel a burning sensation, every time. I just resigned myself to it because I thought no matter what sunscreen I used, it would do that.

In my early 20s, I discovered Bullfrog, which was the first sunscreen ever that didn't make my skin feel a burning sensation. It was the Sport version of it I think, the one that was a clear looking gel type of liquid. I was in love because now I could actually go outside without feeling like my skin was on fire the entire day!

But Bullfrog had some drawbacks. First, it made my skin look oily. And second, it made my skin just feel really dirty and icky - I couldn't wait to shower it off whenever I wore it. Of course, those two are nothing compared to a burning sensation the entire day so I was fine with it. But after a year or two I figured there must be something even better and started my sunscreen search again, and I found out this time (once internet was common and I could research online) that Bullfrog isn't so great at blocking "aging" sun damage; in fact, as I recall, it was pretty bad at it from the info I found online! Then I knew I had to change sunscreens for sure.

And finally, I came across Blue Lizard about two years ago I think it was. That's when I REALLY fell in love! It was so perfectly what I'd been searching for it almost brought tears to my eyes! Made for sensitive skin, extremely UV-resistant, no irritating fragrance (it smells like basically nothing at all), blocks anti-aging sun damage very well, it practically disappears on my skin once I rub it in and doesn't make my skin look oily, and, best of all, it doesn't make my skin feel like it's on fire at all! In fact, I can put it all the way up to my eyelashes and it feels perfectly fine!

It is a little bit more expensive than bad sunscreens, but it's so worth it, especially for anyone like me who has extremely sensitive and fair skin and most sunscreens terribly irritate you.

This is how good it is - with no sunscreen on, I can literally burn in the sun within 15 minutes. I usually reapply it throughout the day when I'm outside a lot, but recently I applied it in the morning and went to an amusement park with friends. I left it in the car so I wouldn't have to carry it, thinking we'd come back to the car for lunch and I could reapply. It was 95 degrees, no clouds in the sky, and I was for the most part straight in the sun from about 10:30 am to dark. We ended up staying in the park for the whole day (we ended up eating inside the park and not going back to the car) and we rode water rides mid-day (around 2 pm) and I got all wet, and I was sweating slightly from the heat most of the day. Normally I'm very vigilant about reapplying, but to be honest, I sort of wanted to test just how good this Blue Lizard was (I know that's stupid and like I said I'm usually very vigilant about reapplying, but regardless this is what I did that day). Suffice it to say, no sunburn, not even any redness and I really couldn't believe it. I definitely wouldn't recommend just putting it on once for a whole day outside (I'm sure plenty of those aging UV rays got through to my skin - way more than would have if I'd reapplied a few times), but that just speaks to how good this stuff is.

My Work-at-home/Life Balance Tricks

KHedman — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:53:52 -0500

I work at home and even though this allows me flexibility in my schedule, the job still needs to get done in between shuffling children to and from school, dance, gymnastics, etc! The one trick I rely on ever week is cooking ahead for planned leftovers. If I'm making sloppy joes, I buy 3 lbs of ground beef and brown/drain it all at once. I put the extra lbs in freezer bags and have it ready for the next time I want to prepare spaghetti or a casserole with ground beef. I do the same with chicken breasts, I place several lbs in my crockpot with a couple of jars of salsa and cook all day as I'm working. I then have bags of pre-cooked chicken to use in soft tacos, enchilada, wraps, etc. Having these items in my freezer has been a lifesaver at times!

Share with us!

jes — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:38:01 -0500

That box of walking tour cards sounds pretty cool. Before BlogHer '07 I spent a week in Chicago, playing and exploring - I loved the city!

If you have any great tips or places you've found from those tour cards (or just from living there!), share with us. :)

Jes Ferris
BlogHer Conference Programming Manager
Find me at BlogHer.com and Chirky.com

Sounds good!

DebbieB — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:37:54 -0500

My book club read Shadow of the Wind last year and we all really enjoyed it ( not like Jude the Obscure!) I may have to check this one out.

So many nursery essential must haves!

Blessings Abound — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:36:16 -0500

I don't know if I could choose just one! I have four kids and am expecting my fifth child and to me, is my Medela breast pump (lifesaver for a mom prone to clogged milk ducts), glider rocker (to comfort the baby and yourself during long feedings), and a cd player with lots of soothing tunes! Those would be my top 3!

~Jacqueline

www.akblessingsabound.com

Thank you.. and STOP IT!

debra roby — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:22:27 -0500

Lisa,

It is truly an honor that you consider me a lifestyle idol. Really. I have just chosen to do what I can to insure that I am healthy and kicking as long as I possibly can.

But would you all please stop it -just weeks before BlogHer? I have this fear that people will be watching what I eat and drink. And conference food is rarely all that healthy. Plus I plan on drinking at the parties.

Denise, I hear your challenge. And my heart aches for what you and TW have to deal with.

The real challenge comes with the young. Are there enough grass-roots opportunities to teach children to move more? To teach young mothers how to prepare healthy foods? To teach everyone how to make foods-and bring them to work or save them at home - so that most of a person's meals are healthy?

If not, is there some way that we can begin this? I remember hearing Mabel Yee, the founder of Engage Her, talk last fall. She believes that you teach the mother how to change -you engage her and empower her- and her entire family is destined to change, too. Mothers changing families, families changing neighborhoods.. and spreading across the country.

It took decades for us to come to a place where fast food meals are consider every day instead of the occasional treat. It will take a generation at least to change this perception.

But we've got to start. Somehow. Someday. Somewhere...

deb
(those last 3 words would make a great line for a song, wouldn't they?)

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Work/Life Balance Tip

jenbow — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:21:52 -0500

Learn how to say NO! (Politely, of course.) I find that if I overcommit myself, I cannot do my best anywhere. By choosing a few things to participate in, I find that I am more apt to go above and beyond, without as much stress. I feel much more fulfilled by focusing on a few goals; and my happiness impacts all those I am in contact with. Also, set priorities. My family comes first, always. Everything else falls behind that number one priority.

They look great!

Kalyn Denny — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:20:51 -0500

Who knew so many people were into fourth of July food?

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen