Tag: kidspot

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Family

Unvaccinated Kids Not Smart Just Risky

Geez, I thought people already understood that vaccinations help everyone. Vaccinations save lives and help us fight horrible diseases.

As you might have already guessed, I am pro vaccination and hubby and I , and all our children are fully vaccinated. When I was little there were no vaccinations for chicken pox, mumps, measles and some other scary illnesses.

If you were like me and grew up in the 70’s and 80’s you were most likely exposed to chicken pox, mumps and measles. I think I got chicken pox and not sure if I got mumps as my mum doesn’t remember. Now there are vaccines for Chicken Pox, Measles and Mumps…yes these infections shouldn’t be around any more but they are.

Currently there is a massive outbreak of measles in New Zealand.

Pete Evans a chef in Australia has recently come out in support of anti-vaxxer Dr Sherri Tenpenny via his Instagram account.

Evans says that,”unvaccinated kids are smarter”

Well I am not sure that unvaccinated kids are smarter, if their parents don’t vaccinate to protect them from disease they might die and get very ill. I don’t think this is smart do you? Mind you it is not the child choosing this, it is the parents that are deciding for their children.

Dr Tenpenny states that “vaccinating children is part of a conspiracy to have “every single human being on the planet on a minimum of two pharmaceutical drugs for life, beginning in childhood.”

I say, that without being vaccinated it means you are at risk of very serious illness and possibly dying so getting a needle to help you not get sick is a small price to pay.

Oh also if you get vaccinated you are protecting everyone, not just your family. It is

Personally I would not listen or follow Pete Evan’s ideas on health.

Some of his recent thoughts have been:

  • Said Sunscreen was poisonous
  • Said that vegan women would struggle to reproduce
  • According to Evans a Paleo Diet could prevent Autism
  • Knows more than the WHO (World Health Organsiation) when he said that eating too much processed meat and red meat won’t give you cancer
  • Creating a Paleo Cookbook for babies and toddlers – It had “a recipe for infant formula containing bone broth and liver – which doctors feared would be potentially life-threatening if given to young babies.” (https://www.peta.org.au/news/pete-evans-total-dumbass/)

“The original DIY bone broth formula recipe was independently analysed and found to be unsafe. It could “cause permanent damage and possibly result in death,” experts concluded. Among problems were that it contained 749% as much vitamin A as breastmilk, 2326% as much vitamin B12, 1067% as much iron, 879% as much salt and 220% as much protein. Young babies’ immune and digestive systems cannot process very high levels of these nutrients.” (https://www.nowtolove.com.au/health/diet-nutrition/why-pete-evans-is-wrong-about-paleo-baby-formula-12805)

 

However in the world we live in science allows us to not suffer these horrible infections anymore. Simple, get immunised and you are better protected.

 

 

Vaccinations are safe and protect everyone. The more people get immunised the better everyone in the world will be. It’s called herd immunity,  the more people get immunised less of the infection and disease will be about, and therefore will hopefully go away.

However, if a percentage of the population don’t get immunised and get sick,  it spreads to others that have a lowered immunity or haven’t been able to get their immunistations due to age or that they might be unwell at the time.

The more people get immunised the healthier our communities will be.  Learn more at immunistionfacts.gov.au 

Vaccines and Autism

“The 1998 study which raised concerns about a possible link between measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism was later found to be seriously flawed and fraudulent. The paper was subsequently retracted by the journal that published it. Unfortunately, its publication set off a panic that led to dropping immunization rates, and subsequent outbreaks of these diseases. There is no evidence of a link between MMR vaccine and autism or autistic disorders.”  The World Health Organisation  – https://www.who.int/features/qa/84/en/

Penn and Teller about Vaccinations

 

Personally why would you want to risk the health of your family, we can protect and treat so much now.   Also if your’re vaccinated you can travel to countries with no fear of getting something horrible and possibly dying.

It’s a no brainer to me. Vaccinate to not potentially die or get very ill, easy really!

#vaccineswork #getimmunised

 

“Dr Tenpenny compared vaccination to a game of Russian roulette, saying “it could kill you.”

(https://www.kidspot.com.au/news/mkrs-pete-evans-endorses-doctor-who-says-unvaccinated-kids-are-smarter/news-story/206a6e403cf2585fa1f042797c5af11b)

Maybe the lack of immunisation could do the same if you get measles?

The story of Polio – The Vaccine that Changed the World

(Polio is still exists, according to a quick search online Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the 3 countries listed as still having this disease.
This does not mean that a person infected with polio can travel elsewhere and infect others with polio)

 

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Categories
News

Katy Perry Makes It All Better

My girls are obsessed with Katy Perry. They just adore her. I would have loved to have gone to her concert but my girls are six next month, tickets are expensive, not sure they would be able to handle crowds and think that might be a bit young for concert going. When they are older, of course. However for now, we have concerts in our living room.

Today on Kidspot I saw the below video. It shows a little girl crying and upset but as soon as Katy Perry’s Dark Horse comes on the joy and happiness in her face is a delight to see.

Do your kids have a song that they just adore? Is it something from Katy Perry? Or another artist? When you put the song on do they just stop and enjoy the music?

 

Categories
News

Less Intelligent: I don’t think so!

Working Mum,Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Working Mum,Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why is it that there is a study stating that mothers are less intelligent than other women who don’t have children? I for one consider myself intelligent. I am not in Mensa but have successfully finished a post graduate degree while looking after twins and kept a distinction average. This is not an easy feat.

Before kids I was a person who was doing well at her job and was climbing the corporate ladder. I do want to have a career but also wanted to have kids. I understand women who don’t want to have kids and concentrate on their careers. This is great and fine. Why does the sudden introduction of motherhood make me less intelligent than the career woman who does not have children? Stupid study if you ask me.  It is a choice and if you want kids, have them, if not don’t. Analysis of intelligence is not going to prove anything, other than some people are focused on their career and others accept time out to have a family. I could have told you that without a study!

Mothers who work, juggle all things very well, kids, work, home, meals, and kids activities. I hardly think that this looks like you are less intelligent. I am not sure why intelligence comes into it at all really. Do fathers get this questioned about them? I don’t think so? Why is it that women are seen as the lesser here?

Satoshi Kanazawa is the person behind the study that women who are mothers are less intelligent, he has also “used research to make the case that black women are inherently less attractive than non-black women” (Washington Post, Sourced: 21st August 2013). I for one think that is terrible research and a horrible thing to say. I think his theories are rubbish personally. What about you?

“According to reports, his latest findings allege a direct correlation between a woman’s intelligence and whether or not she chooses to become a mother. More specifically, his findings indicate that women with higher IQs are statistically less likely to become mothers.” (Washington Post, Sourced: 21st August 2013)Maybe this is right, but many high performing women and men who do have high IQ’s have kids. Again it might just go back to focusing on your career and not really wanting children. Some people want kids and others don’t. This is not news!

What are your thoughts? Do you think this is rubbish or has some truth in it? I for one just think if you are focused on other things and have never wanted kids that is your choice. People and couples that never have children focus on their careers and have more disposable income due to not having kids to spend it on. They also put more time into work and that leads to promotions and more money. This can happen for a working woman but as the article from the Washington Post said:

“…the workplace has not changed enough accordingly. Even in workplaces with so-called family-friendly policies, “the CEOs are not leaving the office, by and large, early afternoon to see their daughter or son act in a 2nd grade play.” (Pamela Smock is a Research Professor affiliated with the University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center, quoted from the Washington Post article)

I for one agree with the statement that the workplace has not changed. Even though organisations claim they are flexible and family friendly they still require you to commute to a job that can be done all online. I do understand that from time to time a meeting at the office is needed. This is fine and can be arranged with notice. As a woman who would love to get back into the workforce, use her skills and also earn money for the family a role working from home is ideal currently. However these roles are hard to come by and mostly these jobs are given to existing employees that have proven themselves to the company already. From previous experience businesses like to make sure you are doing the work and pulling your weight. I think that this would be obvious to the employer and if the person does not meet the targets or KPI’s then they have every right to warm them or even fire them if the job that they were hired to do is not being done.

With all the technology that is at our fingertips now I don’t understand why we are not harnessing the workforce of talented mums and dads that are looking after kids at home. A job share or even part time employment to test the waters might be ideal. If organisations are flexible and allow tasks to be done at night time and some during the day why not hire people that can work remotely. You don’t have to pay for a desk, the organisation has less overheads and you can still hire quality staff. As a person that is looking after her twin girls this would be lovely in the ideal world. What do you think?

Send in your comments and thoughts. Do you agree or disagree? You know where I stand.

Categories
News Uncategorised

Less Intelligent: I don't think so!

Working Mum,Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Working Mum,Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why is it that there is a study stating that mothers are less intelligent than other women who don’t have children? I for one consider myself intelligent. I am not in Mensa but have successfully finished a post graduate degree while looking after twins and kept a distinction average. This is not an easy feat.

Before kids I was a person who was doing well at her job and was climbing the corporate ladder. I do want to have a career but also wanted to have kids. I understand women who don’t want to have kids and concentrate on their careers. This is great and fine. Why does the sudden introduction of motherhood make me less intelligent than the career woman who does not have children? Stupid study if you ask me.  It is a choice and if you want kids, have them, if not don’t. Analysis of intelligence is not going to prove anything, other than some people are focused on their career and others accept time out to have a family. I could have told you that without a study!

Mothers who work, juggle all things very well, kids, work, home, meals, and kids activities. I hardly think that this looks like you are less intelligent. I am not sure why intelligence comes into it at all really. Do fathers get this questioned about them? I don’t think so? Why is it that women are seen as the lesser here?

Satoshi Kanazawa is the person behind the study that women who are mothers are less intelligent, he has also “used research to make the case that black women are inherently less attractive than non-black women” (Washington Post, Sourced: 21st August 2013). I for one think that is terrible research and a horrible thing to say. I think his theories are rubbish personally. What about you?

“According to reports, his latest findings allege a direct correlation between a woman’s intelligence and whether or not she chooses to become a mother. More specifically, his findings indicate that women with higher IQs are statistically less likely to become mothers.” (Washington Post, Sourced: 21st August 2013)Maybe this is right, but many high performing women and men who do have high IQ’s have kids. Again it might just go back to focusing on your career and not really wanting children. Some people want kids and others don’t. This is not news!

What are your thoughts? Do you think this is rubbish or has some truth in it? I for one just think if you are focused on other things and have never wanted kids that is your choice. People and couples that never have children focus on their careers and have more disposable income due to not having kids to spend it on. They also put more time into work and that leads to promotions and more money. This can happen for a working woman but as the article from the Washington Post said:

“…the workplace has not changed enough accordingly. Even in workplaces with so-called family-friendly policies, “the CEOs are not leaving the office, by and large, early afternoon to see their daughter or son act in a 2nd grade play.” (Pamela Smock is a Research Professor affiliated with the University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center, quoted from the Washington Post article)

I for one agree with the statement that the workplace has not changed. Even though organisations claim they are flexible and family friendly they still require you to commute to a job that can be done all online. I do understand that from time to time a meeting at the office is needed. This is fine and can be arranged with notice. As a woman who would love to get back into the workforce, use her skills and also earn money for the family a role working from home is ideal currently. However these roles are hard to come by and mostly these jobs are given to existing employees that have proven themselves to the company already. From previous experience businesses like to make sure you are doing the work and pulling your weight. I think that this would be obvious to the employer and if the person does not meet the targets or KPI’s then they have every right to warm them or even fire them if the job that they were hired to do is not being done.

With all the technology that is at our fingertips now I don’t understand why we are not harnessing the workforce of talented mums and dads that are looking after kids at home. A job share or even part time employment to test the waters might be ideal. If organisations are flexible and allow tasks to be done at night time and some during the day why not hire people that can work remotely. You don’t have to pay for a desk, the organisation has less overheads and you can still hire quality staff. As a person that is looking after her twin girls this would be lovely in the ideal world. What do you think?

Send in your comments and thoughts. Do you agree or disagree? You know where I stand.

Categories
4 years and beyond

More Time For Self Care

Yes pre-school is back for term 4, although the last one of the year but I am happy that school is back. Having the kids at pre-school allows me to do my things or just have a rest from the constant wants of little kids. It is hard to be on and going non stop and it is very nice to have the house quiet and some down time. Although this down time does consist of tidying and cleaning but I will try not to do too much as I need to maximise my two days this week. The girls only have two days this week due to a pupil free day on Monday, so next week back to the standard three days and an even happier mummy.

Do you like your quiet time? I know I do. I love it when I am alone and able to concentrate and get things done. Sometimes I do feel terrible for wanting to be left alone but I suppose that is what mothers do, they feel guilty about looking after themselves. I am trying not to feel bad as it is good to do self care and focus on you. A better mother makes a better family.

Some great links about mums/moms and self care:

It was hard to get everyone out of the house this morning and even harder when I had to wake very tired kids. Why is it that when it is school holidays they wake at 6am or earlier and when it is a school day mummy has to wake them and get them out of bed. Not fair I must say.

This term I am going to aim to be more organised and have my things ready to go, by this I mean my sewing, study and so on. I aim to create more, do more and just get more done that I would like to achieve. My fear is that if I don’t then I will be in school holidays again and hanging for next year for school to start again. I know, never happy.  So watch this space, I am going to be a force to be reckoned with, a creative dynamite (well I can live in hope, can’t I?)

I am looking forward to the Christmas school holidays as we are going to visit Grandma and Grandad and go to the beach. As I am originally from Queensland, I miss the beach and the hot weather. So going to the beach is something that I really miss and cannot wait to do. Bring it on!  The kids will love it and it will be a good day out, however need to wait until December for this unless we go up the coast on the weekend or to the city.

Are you happy school has gone back? Is it just me that hangs for school to return? I love the kids and enjoy being with them, but school is my only time out. I am sure there are others that feel the same way. It is a bit sad that it is the last term of the year, soon it will mark the end of my girls first year at pre-school. Some of their friends are off to big school next year but they have another year. They need to be 5 in the middle of the year but they are 5 in September (the end of the year), so they have to go the next year. This is good as they will have another year learning and growing and be bigger and better for big school in 2014.  Send in your comments.

Categories
News

Pushing the Breast

Breast feeding, Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Breast feeding, Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Michael Bloomberg the mayor of New York is demanding that hospitals in the area stop giving away free baby formula. Bloomberg and the hospitals want to promote breastfeeding with new mothers.  I do believe that breast is best but some people due to medical reasons and non-medical reasons have issues with breast feeding.

In the article, “Call to hide formula to force more mums to breastfeed!” on Kidspot.com.au, states that mothers who want formula need to have a medical reason and will get a lecture from staff on the benefits of breastfeeding.

I do agree with the Kidspot article as not everyone can or does breastfeed, this pressure to do so, can cause more PND (Post Natal Depression) and the mother feeling like a failure. I for one had issues as my babies were so small they could not latch on correctly. I had to get a nipple thingy that goes over my nipple so the babies could suck correctly.

As I had twins, I never managed to do the dual breastfeed correctly and at home I expressed my breast milk till both girls were five months, and during that time I added formula for the night feeds. This break that formula gave me was great as it allowed me to make more milk. I expressed after each formula feed in the evening to show my body that I still needed to make more milk and also drank a pint of water after each feed. This helped me a great deal.

I don’t believe that you can dictate what a mother does, breast milk or formula. It should be up to the mother and her family. The initiative according to the article will start on the 3rd of September and 27 out of 40 hospitals will partake. It will be interesting to see what the outcome of this is.

Many comments from readers on the Kidspot article say that it is not much different to Australian hospitals and I tend to agree, I was told that I was not allowed to leave until my twins were gaining weight and were all on breast milk feeds, via actual breastfeeding. As I said before, I did not dual breastfeed and that left doing it one at a time. As a new mum you are already not getting any sleep, why make it less by feeding kids one at a time, feeding the babies together maximised the time I had to do things and for them and me sleeping. It also fostered a great routine for us, pity that routine has flown out the window, but as the twins are nearly four that is probably to be expected.

I would say that the hospitals here have a negative opinion of formula but when the twins were first born they went straight into intensive care, the nurses were ringing me to ask for breast milk, but I had no idea how to get breast milk, and I only just had them. I felt harassed and just upset about the whole situation. I eventually got colostrum but that was less than 5mls, it did get better each day but I was not making much in the early days.

The NICU (Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit) fed them formula as they needed to be fed, but they did not like it, I had no other option, although one of my twins decided she hated formula and was nil by mouth. All breast milk went to her and if extra was over it went to the other baby. You work with what you are faced with, as a new mother you have no idea if you can or can’t breast feed. This is something you think you can do until you find out you have issues. Why make things worse for new mums, give them options not hurdles.

In a post called “Breast v’s Bottle” I discuss how I felt in the early days about breast feeding with twins. It is very similar to this story but more about a father using bottle feeding to help out. This week is breast feeding week a time to increase awareness and celebrate, maybe this is why we are hearing more of these pro breast feeding stories. I do think breast is best, but it is up to the individual what ends up happening. You can plan to breast feed and not be able to. What are your thoughts? Were you able to breast feed? Did you supplement with formula at some stage or was it all breast milk? Send in your comments.

 

Categories
3 years and beyond Birth

Placenta for energy anyone?

In the news recently was a report stating that actress January Jones has eaten her own placenta, well actually via capsules not actually eaten.  Jones was saying how she did not know if it would work but was willing to give it a try. I have heard of this, most animals do this although not a lot of humans do.

The actress says that she has had so much energy and the reason behind the energy is eating well, vitamins and placenta capsulation. I personally think it all makes sense. The placenta was the life force for the baby or babies in my case.  I just don’t know if I can do the eating part, maybe if someone did the placenta capsulation I might have been oaky with it, and I did not see it or the preparation and just got the capsules.  I know I am a wuss.

After the birth as you all know you have to wait for the placenta to deliver, once mine arrived my husband was very curious about it. He told me it was massive and I really would not want to look at it, as it was weird looking. According to James it looked like a Doctor Who prop. After this I had to look, he was right, it looked like it had tentacles everywhere.

I honestly was never that type of mother or person who was going to eat her own placenta and for that matter take it to someone to make it into capsules. Maybe I should of, it does hold all the nutrients that the baby needed and your body could use after the whole experience of childbirth.  Maybe if I had done that, I would have had more energy in the first year or so. However, dealing with two babies at once would drain anyone I would have thought.

I think if it works for you, why not.  On the placenta benefits info site they list all the health benefits, maybe we need to get over the yucky idea of it and give it a go.  If there was a service at the hospital to turn the placenta into capsules and you just paid a small fee for this privilege, then I think more women might give it a go.  Personally it is the yuck factor and the issue that the placenta appears like a big disgusting blob (I do know that it is wonderful and miraculous, but not that good looking), having no contact with the yucky thing, would make sure that I would be more interested to try.

Did you eat your placenta or have it in capsules? Did it help with energy levels, and other things?  Did you decide to not eat it and bury it under a tree in honour of the birth? My friends mum did that after her baby brother was born. What are your thoughts about the hospital providing the service for the capsules? Send in your comments.

Categories
Recipes

Helping did not make them eat

To help the girls get more involved, and maybe eat more, I included them in making dinner tonight. We were making pizza. The girls got very involved as you will see with the images that I took. I asked them what they wanted on their pizza. Both girls agreed to the following topping: bacon bits, cheese, tomato, cabanossi and carrot. I thought this would be a winner.

I read and heard about two ingredient pizza dough. It consists of yoghurt and self-raising flour, and I was keen to give it a try. They picked the ingredients, they both helped and they tasted some of the ingredients, so it was a winner in preparation, however this enthusiasm did not translate over to eating the pizza. Both girls did not eat any of it and was not interested at all.  I was very upset and disappointed, especially after all the effort that I went to. Oh well, I suppose I just have to find other ways to interest the girls.

Again, I explained that this was their dinner and I would just feed them a small amount of milk and off to bed they went.

The pizza that I made for the girls was nice, however the one for us ended up better. I gave ours more time in the oven and it seemed to work out well for the dough. I was very impressed in how easy this is to make and how tasty it is to eat.

If you want something that is easy to make, good for you and is a simple meal, I would give it a go. Do you have any quick dinners that might tempt toddlers? If so send them in.