Entries from October 2008
Ride together for Halloween.
It’s the last workday of the month and it’s Halloween, which means that carpooling tonight makes for a really cool evening! Talk with parents nearby and set up meeting spots. Ride together and park in neighborhoods rather than driving from house to house. Choose larger neighborhoods in order to decrease driving. Make sure to bundle the kids under their costumes to keep them warm, since you will be walking more. When driving, be mindful of other drivers and the possibility of children being out and about. This Halloween, be sure to have a happy, safe, and cool carpooling time! - Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Holiday
Donate old costumes and make a kid’s day.
Usually, once Halloween has come and gone, we’re left with piles of candy and some costumes that may never be worn again. And while it is quite easy to donate candy, what’s a cool mom (or dad) to do about Halloween costumes? Donate your old costume to a local organization that works with children and families. One good place to start is the Ronald McDonald House. Or, you can take them to another charitable organization nearby (like a family shelter) so that children can have a costume to wear on Halloween, no matter what’s going on in their lives. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Health & Wellness · Holiday · Poverty
Use Halloween as a chance to make a difference.
Consider how your family can spread your abundance to people in need this Halloween. Check out FamilyCares.org, which offers alternatives for Halloween by making it easy with steps on how to get involved in some great efforts and ways that you and your family can truly make a difference. Take a few minutes to sit down with the kids and check out some of their ideas. Maybe you’ll want to rewrap and donate Halloween candy, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, or even be a part of Sight Night. Also, check out their safety tips and make Halloween this year extra cool! – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Education · Health & Wellness · Healthcare & Medical Issues · Holiday · Poverty
Add some healthy choices to Halloween’s cuisine.
There is no doubt that Halloween is a holiday where dental hygiene and healthy nutritional needs seem to take a back seat to candy, chocolate and sugar. This year, choose to offer some healthy alternatives. For trick-or-treaters, give out boxes of raisins or granola bars instead of just the traditional calorie-coated candy. Instead of buying pasteurized apple cider for a warm treat, make your own. Remember – balance and moderation is the key here, so some candy for the kiddos is okay. Bring some healthy options into this holiday and it will be an even more memorable and enriching time. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Health & Wellness · Healthcare & Medical Issues · Holiday
Get eco-friendly by getting creative with costume options.
Maybe you’ve already purchased that superhero costume, but in case you are holding out for the perfect costume, why not make your child’s costume this year? You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to make a creative costume for your kids. You can use old clothing and get creative with items that would normally go into the recycling bin. It’ll help your family budget, open the door for creativity, and get your kids used to the process of reusing items for their own benefit. Get creative and use what you already have to create something fun and even frightening. - Michelle Andrade
Categories: Holiday
Change up the kind of candy you’re handing out.
This year, add a little something different (and a lot fairer) to your Halloween traditions. Instead of just going from house-to-house collecting candy with your kids, give some away with a message. The term “Reverse Trick-or-Treating” is the focus this Halloween. It’s easy (and fun): Just take your children (and anyone else) and hand out samples of fair trade chocolate to all the candy-givers you visit next Friday. Pair this chocolate with a card that describes the environmental and social injustices in the corporate cocoa industry, and soon everyone will know why buying fair trade chocolate is much cooler.
- Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Education · Holiday · Politics & Justice
Use caring for animals as a great teaching tool.
Animals are amazing learning opportunities for kids. Whether you’re adopting a new family member or just looking to give some love and care to the birds in the backyard, animals give us the opportunity to teach our children responsibility and kindness. Today, talk with your children about the benefit of being gentle and loving towards all animals. As they learn to be aware of their behavior, they’ll become more compassionate people. In the process, you can even talk to them about a new animal they may not have heard of and ways we can help care for them. - Michelle Andrade
Categories: Animals & Wildlife · Education
In less than five minutes, you can make your voice heard.
It’s critical that we speak up about things that are important to us, especially when it comes to our kids. Whether it’s speaking up about plastics or simply asking your child’s school to have healthier lunches, we need to speak up. Today, take five minutes to share about something that’s important to you and your family. Use your voice to share your passions with another parent, an elected official, or with your own family at the dinner table tonight. As we share the important issues in our lives, we teach the world that using one’s voice is very important. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Education · Health & Wellness · Healthcare & Medical Issues · Politics & Justice
Save energy with a flick of the wrist.
As it’s getting cooler, it’s important to remember ways we can save energy and keep our family warm. Keep thermostats at 68 degrees or lower and take advantage of natural heat. During winter months, the sun sits lower in the sky, so collect heat through your south-facing windows. Keep windows that do not receive sunlight covered to help keep in the warmth. Close the door and vents to rooms not used to keep heat in the living areas of the house. Any of these tips takes less than 5 minutes, and will save money and energy in your home. - Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Home Energy Savings
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