August 2010
Issue 2
c a B
S o k-t
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Contents
Departments 6
Editor’s Note
16
Community Service
18
Parent-of-the-Month
24
Spanish Bits
Articles 12
Mini-Interview
20
Back-to-School Tips
Resources & Columns 10 Wellness Corner 19 Green Living 22 Lean & Green 30 Community News
ABOUT THE COVER: Photo by Miguel Varela Students are all smiles at a school assembly.
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Editor’s Note Dear Friends and Readers,
I
t’s that time again. Summer is almost over and school is on its way. Time goes by so fast doesn’t it? Seems like we were just making plans for vacations and family get-togethers and now we’re trying to figure out schedules and classes.
In this, our second and improved issue, we bring you extra happenings around Laredo with UISD and LISD. We bring you tips for starting the school year off right and we welcome two outstanding columnists that will be bringing you suggestions for a healthier lifestyle. We also bring you news in and around town.
Some of the other topics we will be covering include the following: What are some anxieties that kids face before the first day of school? In what ways can we become more involved in our children’s activities? How does recycling help us improve our community? How can we, as a family, contribute more to society through community service?
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the last few days of summer before the hustle and bustle of a new school year. And when things start to get a little stressful and a little hectic, remember this old Swedish Proverb:
Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours.
All the best,
Claudia Perez Rivas Editor-in-Chief & Publisher editor@laredofamilytimemagazine.com
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Publisher
Rimar Publishing Group
Editor-in-Chief
Claudia Perez Rivas
Marketing & Public Relations
Juan J. Martinez Jr. Douglas Robinson
Photographer
Miguel A. Varela
Calendar Editor
calendar@laredofamilytimemagazine.com
Sales
sales@laredofamilytimemagazine.com
Columnists
Gretchen Otto Pimentel Dr. Cristina Cantu, ND
Submissions & Letters
Laredo Family Time Magazine considers all submissions for publication. Please send us an e-mail with your ideas first. Articles may be edited for length and clarity. Include your contact information. For writer’s guidelines or to submit your ideas e-mail to: editor@laredofamilytimemagazine.com To Advertise Call 956.285.8274 for advertising rates, information and closing dates. Email us at sales@laredofamilytimemagazine.com laredofamilytimemagazine.com Find even more community and sports news as well as links and resources online. Copyright Š2010 by Rimar Publishing Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Laredo Family Time Magazine is not responsible for advertising claims. The opinions and views expressed in the articles contained herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Laredo Family Time Magazine. Feedback Your feedback is important to us. Email editor@laredofamilytimemagazine.com
Laredo Family Time Magazine is published monthly by Rimar Publishing Group. 4205 Loop 20, Suite 2, Laredo, Texas 78043 www.laredofamilytimemagazine.com
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Healthy Living
Written by Dr. Cristina Cantu, ND Naturopathic Doctor
Ah, back to school time again. All parents want their children to have the best chance at making this year a great one. Good grades, good behavior, good health…all top priorities on parents’ list. But did you know that, as parents, you have the most influential role in making these things possible for your children? What you pack in your child’s lunchbox and put on their dinner plate is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Americans spend a significant amount of their income (60% or more) on processed food items, whether that be dining in or out. This is scary seeing as our nation is the world’s leader for epidemic levels of obesity and diabetes in children. Scarier still are the mental/behavioral problems that seem pervasive in our society such as ADD, ADHD and learning disorders. As if that isn’t bad enough, the drugs used to treat these problems have a laundry list of side effects that leave many a parent wondering if the medicine is worse than the disease. There is no question that the decisions we make about what we eat on a daily basis have a profound impact on our families’ well being, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Feeding your children antioxidant rich foods full of important vitamins and minerals is the best defense you can give them to protect them from whatever may be floating around at school now that they are more exposed to bugs and germs. Plus, eating these types of foods has the added benefit of being brain food, helping children to have a sharper focus, a longer attention span, and an increased ability to learn and retain information. So what sorts of foods are we talking about? Fruits and vegetables, of course. Nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and C, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid found in coldwater fish like salmon and tuna), and zinc are particularly beneficial to boosting immunity. You are safe with pretty much any vegetable choice, and fruits make great snack alternatives to any sugary, processed choice. It’s a good idea to buy fresh foods and eat them in as close to their natural state as possible. Need ideas? Here is a short list of some great options: Veggies Dark, leafy greens (romaine lettuce, chard, kale, arugula) Carrots Artichokes Broccoli Mushrooms (shiitake, portabella)
Sweet potato Squash Pumpkin Peas Onions
Fruits (Afterschool snack alternatives) Oranges Apples Avocadoes Kiwi Watermelon/melon Grapes Pineapples
Mangoes Cherries Pomegranates Plums Peaches Pears Berries (straw, black, blue, logan, goji)
**Some good delivery methods are smoothies and fruit cups. You can also blend a few together, pour the mix into ice cube trays, freeze them and voila, you have mini popsicles. Other Great Foods Nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds) Seeds (pumpkin, flax) Beans (chickpeas, lentils, black, pinto) Whole Grains (quinoa, brown rice, stone ground oats) 10
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“Well that’s all nice and fine,” you say, “But its way too late for my kids, they’re already used to the bad stuff!” If this sounds like your particular dilemma, you need to get creative. KidApprovedMeals.com and DineWithoutWhine.com are two great resources for menu ideas and delivery methods for families with kids. When you join these places, you even get to talk to other families about what works for them. Another great resource is www.DeceptivelyDelicious.com. Author Jessica Seinfeld relates her obstacles to getting her kids to eat healthy and shares her recipes for sneaking veggies into foods without her kids even knowing. This book is a must have if you know your kids are going to give you some resistance. Can’t rip yourself away from packaged snacks? Fortunately, there is an acceptable option. Dr. William Sears (renowned California based pediatrician), markets his own line of healthy kids snacks called Lunchbox Essentials (www.DrSearsHealthyKids.com). They are convenient, sized just right and are organic. While food may lay the foundation for a solid immunity, there are many other things you can do to keep your kids immune systems in tip top shape:
Avoid sugar. Sugar decreases the immune system’s ability to respond properly and decreases white blood cell production (cells responsible for eating bacteria and fighting off dangerous bugs) by 50%. Give them probiotics. Probiotics replenish the good bacteria in the gut, which are responsible for fighting off bugs they may come into contact with. Exercise! 30-45 minutes a day. How do kids exercise? Let them play! Run around the yard or swim in the pool just for fun! This is a great immune booster. Wash hands! Very simple way to stop the spread of germs. Hand sanitizer and wipes are also helpful when you don't have the opportunity to wash hands. Give them Vitamin C. 2000-3000 mg/day during flu season to fight off bad bugs. Vitamin D. Give them 4000-5000 IU/day to strengthen immunity or just have them go out in the sun for a half hour. Drink water! Shoot for half your body weight in ounces. For example, a 100 pound person would drink 50 ounces. Research shows that if you are dehydrated, your immunity decreases making it harder for your body to fight off viruses. Give them Oscillococcinum. This is a homeopathic remedy available at HEB that will help them recover from any flu quicker should they get sick.
Living this kind if lifestyle will do wonders for your family’s health and well being. And you will teach your children how to make good decisions on their own about what’s best for them. Now what can be better than that?
Dr. Cristina Cantu, ND Naturopathic Doctor Natural Health & Sports Massage Center www.naturalhealthsportsmassage.com drcristinacantu@naturalhealthsportsmassage.com 956.337.7911 Dr. Cristina Cantu is a board certified naturopathic doctor with a focus in classical homeopathy and clinical nutrition. She works with people of all ages addressing their acute and chronic concerns. Beyond naturopathic medicine, Dr. Cantu has many interests. She has a deep love for good food and is an ambitious cook. She loves animals and can be found walking the streets of Laredo with her miniature dachshund Cody. She enjoys the outdoors, is an avid reader and cherishes spending time with her family.
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Q&A Q.
Mini-interview Laredo Family Time Magazine recently spoke to Ms. Sylvia Moreno, former Parent Involvement Coordinator for LISD and currently serving as vice principal at Cigarroa Middle School. She spoke to us regarding parent involvement in the Laredo Independent School District.
What programs are available for parents that want to volunteer in school activities?
A. Programs that are available for the parents at selected sites throughout Laredo ISD include ESL classes and com puter classes. The Guidance Department and the Parental Department work collaboratively to bring an array of topics to parents as part of the monthly topic discussion for parents. Parents can also partake in activities at the campuses which range from assisting as chaperones for field trips, using their creative talents in assisting to decorate bulletin boards or areas throughout the campus, monitoring students while in transition between classes or cafeteria, assisting teachers with small group activities, assist in setting up displays at the library or other activities throughout the campuses.
Q.
Do many parents take part in school activities? A. The number of parents will vary from activity to activity. Some activities may call for 10 parents to assist and others may call for 50 to assist. The district is fortunate to have many parents who are involved in their child’s education. Some campuses have extremely dedicated parents. Some of these parents volunteer their time from before the first bell rings for the day to hours after the last bell rings for the day. Several parents volunteered more than 500 hours and more than a handful volunteered more than 1,000 hours.
Q. What does the district want to see more in regards to parents and children participation in school activities and functions? A.
Ideally, Laredo ISD hopes that all of its parents participate as
volunteers. The parents are an important influence in assisting their child in achieving high academic standards. When parents become involved in their child’s education, the child does better in school and the school improves.
Q.
Is there anything else that would be of interest to parents that the district would like to share at this time?
A. Laredo ISD greatly appreciates all the time and effort that the parents dedicate to the district. Laredo ISD also likes to listen to the needs of the parents and is appreciative of the valuable input parents provide to the district by method of surveys. The data from the surveys allows the district to provide to the parents topics of interest and guides the district to improvement.
Parents can get involved by attending their school’s Parental Involvement gatherings, PTA/PTO events, booster clubs meetings, Meet The Teacher and Report Card Nights. Every LISD campus is fortunate to have a Parental Involvement liaison. Ask your principal for the name of your school’s liaison, introduce yourself and lend a helping hand. For More information contact your local school principal.
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Laredo ISD students are sure to notice stricter enforcement of the Standardized Dress Code this year. District administrators, faculty, and staff will enforce the dress code beginning the first day of school and throughout the rest of the year. The district created a policy that calls for "zero tolerance" for students who fail to comply with the dress code from the time they enter the campus. “In Instances where a student’s clothing violates the dress code, parents are called and asked to bring in something else for the student to wear. If not, the student is assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day or until the violation is corrected, said Carlos Rios, LISD Executive Director for Academic Accountability and Compliance. “Repeated offenses will result in more serious disciplinary action. Appropriate discipline procedures shall be followed in all cases. The standardized dress code enables administrators to look out for the safety and welfare of the all students.” The district adopted the standardized dress code during the 2008-2009 school year which states that students shall be dressed and groomed in a manner that is clean and neat and that will not cause disruptions and/or safety hazards. The intent of this dress code is to instill discipline amongst the students. “We have given the students two years to adjust to the dress code and now we are ready to start enforcing the code,” Rios said. “If we do not enforce the rules, students will never follow the code of conduct and face the consequences of their actions.” Campuses will have daily required dress code checks during first and fourth periods. Violators will be immediately removed to In School Suspension or suspended after multiple violations. Also, campus principals will have the discretion to adopt additional dress code guidelines, which must be consistent with the district’s guidelines. Each campus principal will announce these additional guidelines over the PA, in letters, and shall post them prominently throughout the school. No baggy or sagging pants, no oversize clothing, no tank tops, no muscle shirts, and no mini-skirts, no noticeable underwear, no bare midriffs, no cleavage, no sweat pants, warm-ups, or windbreakers, among others are items that are strictly prohibited in school as part of the districts standardized dress code. “The district will continue to tighten up the policy, instill the consequences, and track the number of incidents,” added Rios. A complete and updated copy of the acceptable and prohibited items from the standardized dress code can be found on the LISD website www.laredo.isd.org.
Photos Courtesy of LISD
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United Independent School District Find New Way to Connect With Parents United ISD to partner with SchoolMessenger to keep parents informed of school and student news—Notification service will send messages to parents via recorded telephone and text messages.
UISD has partnered with SchoolMessenger, a recorded telephone and text message notification service designed to contact parents about school event information taking place at their child’s respective campus. To be used during the new school year, on an as needed basis, messages will range from upcoming school activities, to important test dates, parent meetings, and more. Additionally, school and central office administrators will use the program to notify parents regarding their child’s absence from school or truancy-related issue.
UISD believes SchoolMessenger will mation to parents in a timely and effithe capability of sending voice mesdifferent languages and text mes-
be an asset as it will send inforcient manner. The program has sages that can be translated in 14 sages in over 30 languages.
UISD Superintendent Roberto J. Sanprogram as another method of inlaboration between schools, parents,
tos sees the SchoolMessenger creasing communication and colteachers, and students.
“The SchoolMessenger program is intended to reinforce UISD’s commitment to remain personally connected to parents,” said Superintendent Santos. “When there is good communication between our schools and parents, our students benefit because parents are more informed and thus, become more involved in their child’s education. We see parents who are more involved in their child’s education and school activities do better in classroom because of the information that is being exchanged,” Santos continued.
In order to obtain the maximum benefits of SchoolMessenger, parents are asked to provide the District with accurate contact numbers.
It is important to note that SchoolMessenger will not replace current modes of communication at UISD. As always, principals, teachers, and administrators remain accessible and parents will continue to receive student and District news through current means of communication which include the District’s website, newsletters, television, and radio.
Parents who have children currently enrolled in UISD schools should expect to receive notifications from the system soon.
For more information call the UISD Public Relations Department at (956) 473-6286
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Community Service
It’s easy to feel disconnected, as many parents juggle work, school, kids, and activity after activity. But some simple things can bring a family closer — playing a game, going for a hike, or cooking a meal together. One of the most satisfying, fun, and productive ways to unite is volunteering for community service projects. Volunteerism also sets a good example for your kids and helps the community. Reasons to Get Involved Why should your family lend a helping hand?
It feels good. The satisfaction and pride that come from helping others are important reasons to volunteer. When you commit your time and effort to an organization or a cause you feel strongly about, the feeling of fulfillment can be endless.
It strengthens your community. Organizations and agencies that use volunteers are providing important services at low or no cost to those who need them. When a community is doing well as a whole, its individuals are better off, too.
It can strengthen your family. Volunteerism is a great way for families to have fun and feel closer. But many people say they don’t have the time to volunteer after fulfilling work and family commitments. If that’s the case, try rethinking some of your free time as a family. You could select just one or two projects a year and make them a family tradition (for example, making and donating gift baskets to care facilities for the elderly around the holidays).
What Kids Can Learn From Volunteering If volunteering begins at an early age, it can become part of kids’ lives — something they might just expect and want to do. It can teach them:
A sense of responsibility. By volunteering, kids and teens learn what it means to make and keep a commitment. They learn how to be on time for a job, do their best, and be proud of the results. But they also learn that, ultimately, we’re all responsible for the well-being of our communities.
That one person can make a difference. A wonderful, empowering message for kids is that they're important enough to have an impact on someone or something else.
The benefit of sacrifice. By giving up a toy to a less fortunate child, a child learns that sometimes it’s good to sacrifice. Cutting back on recreation time to help clean up a beach tells kids that there are important things besides ourselves and our immediate needs.
Tolerance. Working in community service can bring kids and teens in touch with people of different backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, ages, and education and income levels. They’ll learn that even the most diverse individuals can be united by common values.
Job skills. Community service can help young people decide on their future careers. Are they interested in the medical field? Hospitals and clinics often have teenage volunteer programs. Do they love politics? Kids can work on the real campaigns of local political candidates. Learning to work as a team member, taking on leadership roles, setting project goals — these are all skills that can be gained by volunteering and will serve kids well in any future career.
How to fill idle time wisely. If kids aren’t involved in traditional after-school activities, community service can be a wonderful alternative.
Volunteering on Your Own If you’ve never been involved in community service before, volunteering as an individual may be a good place to start. Want 16
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to improve your computer knowledge? You may get free on-the-job training. Have you been out of the workforce raising children? Volunteering may be a painless way for you to get back into the routine of working before taking the plunge into a paid position. And if you’re looking for a career change, community service is a networker’s dream. You can meet people who may offer opportunities you’ve never thought of. You can sample different workplaces and see how you like various fields. Your volunteering will definitely help others and may help you, too. Getting Your Family Involved The Internet offers lots of sites with information about volunteer opportunities. You can also call a favorite charity, hospital, or church directly to see if they have any needs, or look up "Volunteerism" in the phone book in the Human Services section (often in the blue pages). Or contact a local volunteer clearinghouse, which matches up volunteers and community organizations and can help you find openings at nonprofit organizations in your area. Be prepared to answer questions such as:
What are your interests?
What are your skills?
Do you have any special needs?
Do you have a method of transportation?
How many hours a week do you have to volunteer?
Why do you want to volunteer?
You’ll probably be interviewed again once the clearinghouse matches you with an appropriate job. Some situations require more information. If you want to work with kids, for instance, you may have to undergo fingerprinting and a criminal background check. Be sure to be just as thorough when you question the organizations. Find out exactly what’s expected of you before you accept the volunteer position. Be realistic and ask specific questions. When looking for a volunteer position, remember that it may be difficult to find the perfect volunteer slot. Be flexible, and keep looking if the agency you were referred to doesn’t meet your needs. It may take a while to find a perfect fit, but once you do, it will be worth it. Once you do become involved, be responsible to those who depend on you. Be on time, dress appropriately, and let the volunteer coordinator know if you can’t make it. Good Volunteer Jobs for Families and Kids Families can do many volunteer jobs. Even the smallest child (with adult supervision) can pick up garbage at the park, playground, or beach. You don’t even have to be part of a big effort to do this. Get your family together, find some garbage bags, and head out. Or become involved in repair and renovation efforts for low-income residents. Younger kids might not be able to do the big jobs, but helping out by fetching a paintbrush or holding the nails involves them just the same. Work at a community food bank or soup kitchen as a family. Find an organization that serves the elderly. Take food to people who are homebound and visit with them. Your kids can brighten a lonely senior’s day instantly. Offer your family’s help at the local animal shelter. Help plant flowers or trees. The possibilities are endless. Whatever you choose to do, volunteering and community service can benefit both the community and your family. Get involved today! © 1995- 2010 . The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.
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Parent Basics: Name: Nora Becerra Villarreal Occupation: Self-Employed; NV BASKETS, Gifts & More
Parenting Glimpse: 1. How many family members do you have? (Immediate family only) 5 2. How would you describe your family? We are an average family that enjoys everything life has to offer, from good to bad! We enjoy our extended families and definitely our friends. We are surrounded by many good people. 3. What makes you a great parent? Definitely the kids are the ones that teach us the most important lessons in life! I try to be a good listener and treat my kids with respect. 4. What do you enjoy most about being a parent? I enjoy seeing the smiles and happiness in their faces when they have accomplished what they thought was the impossible!..Great Feeling! 5. What do you love best about your children? I love their compassion for others, and their thrive for making each day count! 6. What do you find irritating in other parents? I guess I would have to say when parents don't set limits and realistic goals for their children. 7. What is the biggest parenting mistake you’ve ever made? As parents, I feel we make mistakes all the time, but not acknowledging those mistakes and correcting immediately has to be mine. 8. What is your wish for your children? I wish for my children to have happiness, love, joy and success. Remember the good times along with the bad, it makes you who you are today. 9. How would you like your children to remember you? Remember me as your Mom that only wants the best for you. And that Mom will always stand by your side during good and bad times. 10. What is your advice to other parents? Listen to what your kids have to say, it's important to them. Be good to them, we only have one chance to get it right, and they'll love you for that.
Note: If you would like to be featured as our Parent-of-the-Month, please log on to our website for more information. 18
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Green Living As a parent, you’d like your home, community, and children’s schools to be greener. Unfortunately, daily life can get in the way of that. You have limited time and budget in which to make the world around you a more sustainable place. But fortunately, going green doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming or expensive. In fact, a smart and savvy parent can go green and save green at the same time. Here are a few easy ways you can change the world for the better, and even have fun while you're at it:
Click it - Most children (and a lot of adults) have no idea where the power comes from. So leaving lots of lights on in the house is no big deal. Teaching kids the value (monetary and environmental) of turning out the lights they’re not using is a direct way to connect being greener with something your kids do every day. You could even have competitions with your kids to see who can turn out the lights the fastest.
Slay vampires - Just because something’s off doesn’t mean it’s not still using electricity. While some newer appliances and gadgets are getting much better at using minimal electricity while on standby (or “off”), many continue to be “energy vampires.” Cell phone chargers are infamous for using nearly the same, if not equal to, the electricity that’s used when charging a phone. Here again you can make a game out of “slaying the vampires” with your kids. They have fun and you save money.
Strip - Does the thought of unplugging and re-plugging cords for so many things make you think you’ll never stick to it? Easy -- get a power strip for each cluster of things you have in the house (i.e., family room, kitchen, kids’ play room) and plug everything into those, rather than each in its own plug. Then, you can easily turn several things off (and back on) at once. Even the most affordable power strips have the ability to have some dedicated plugs for those “need to be plugged in” things like the refrigerator.
Get trashy - As a parent you probably go through lots of food for your kids that comes in difficult- or impossible-to-recycle packaging, as far as you know. There’s a company called TerraCycle that makes products like umbrellas to backpacks, gardening products to recycling bins from recycled trash. TerraCycle works directly with the public, enlisting their help in the form of “brigades,” - self-organized groups of people, typically schools - that collect packaging. The newest collected product is Malt-O-Meal, the cereal company that long ago decided to “Bag the Box,” skipping the paper box that is typical of cereals; that alone already reducing the packaging by 75%.
Kristen Burke, a third grade teacher at Signal Hill Elementary School in Manassas, Va., leads one of these brigades. “The more my class and I began collecting, we truly began to look at trash in a different light,” she says. “It was no longer trash to us, instead, it was things that could be turned into new products, as well as money to help our school. While raising money for our school was a wonderful incentive, it has become even more so during the times of budget cuts within our school. We have found a way to help our school and save the environment.” (cont’d on pg 21) 19
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According to a
Back-to-School Tips
consumer survey by Deloitte, only 17%of respondents planned to cut back on back to school shopping. This will be good news to retailers whose profits have been flat this quarter. The ongoing recession has led a number of states to offer back to school sales tax holidays to provide an economic respite and encourage spending. But a sales tax holiday isn’t the only option for cashstrapped parents looking to take advantage of back to school deals - there are plenty of ways to save money on school supplies, clothing and dorm room essentials. Everyone knows the three "Rs": reading, wRiting and aRithmetic, but back to school shoppers should concentrate on these "Rs" as well:
Tips to buy school supplies, without spending extra cash Review: Most schools provide a list of suggested school supplies, but if not, you should definitely make up one of your own. Lists prevent impulse buys and spending on unnecessary items. Keep an eye out for sales on the items on your list in the weeks leading up to the start of the school year. Tracking bargains as they occur rather than buying supplies in one session is sure to save money in the long run. Recycle: Chances are you’ve got plenty of pencils, pens, notebooks etc., on hand. Collect and sort suitable items and revise your list based on what you already have. While kids love to equate the new school year with new stuff, see what items are still useable. If that Spongebob lunchbox is no longer in vogue, consider having your grade-schooler cover it up with stickers to make it more appealing. Also, keep in mind longevity and reuse when making new purchases: A wellconstructed, slightly generic backpack is going to get a lot more use out of it than its flimsier, trendy counterpart. Reach out: Band together with other parents to see about swapping excess stockpile items or form a cooperative to purchase necessary supplies in bulk, thus saving money over individual purchases. College students can utilize this strategy by coordinating with roommates as well. After all, only one microwave and one TV are really necessary per room. Rent: Check into textbook rentals. Services like Chegg and Bookrenter.com can save hundreds of dollars over buying books that will only be used for a semester. Also look for e-textbooks - which not only cost less than the bound-paper version, but save the environment and reduce backpack weight. Reduce: When shopping for dorm and school supplies, make sure to look for discounts wherever possible. Websites such as Savings.com offer a variety of deals like Kohls coupons, which can reduce the price on backpacks and kids clothing for your elementary or high school student plus comforters, microwaves and other dorm essentials for your college student. Although summer is still here, back to school is not far off - which means preparing for back to school shopping starts now. By employing some saving strategies, equipping your kid for the new school year doesn't have to be a costly venture. Courtesy of ARAcontent 20
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...Green Zone (continued) But in the end, the smartest resource you may have for going greener may be right under your nose - your kids. Children are increasingly green savvy, and they probably have a lot of great, creative ideas that you’d never think of. They get to be helpful, you learn some new things to do, and everybody - including the planet - wins. If you want to get started immediately in greening your home, try upcycling some of your own trash to make a wallet. Food Wrapper Wallet Materials: 1 clean, empty food package (at least 7 inches by 5 1/2 inches in size) 1 ruler 1 pen 1 pair of scissors tape 1 self-adhesive Velcro fastener Directions: 1. Cut a rectangle that is 7 inches by 5 1/2 inches in the package. Centered inside the rectangle, draw a smaller rectangle that is 4 inches by 2 1/2 inches. This smaller rectangle will be 1 1/2 inches from each edge. 2. From the top edge of the smaller rectangle, draw a semicircle that intersects with the top of the large rectangle and the corners of the small rectangle. Repeat for the other three sides. Cut around these lines. 3. Fold in all four semicircles so your cut piece folds up to the size of the small rectangle. Tape the bottom flap and two side flaps in place. 4. Attach one side of the Velcro fastener on the inside of the top flap. Fold down the flap so the other side of the Velcro attaches to the outside of the bottom flap. If you’d like to join or start your own TerraCycle Brigade, go to www.terracycle.net. Courtesy of ARAcontent
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By Gretchen Otto Pimentel
The environment
This month’s topic: green cleaning
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and national poison control centers list many ingredients found in common cleaning supplies as potential health hazards. Use of these products and rinsing them away results in adding them to our water supply. This website offers some information on ingredients to be aware of: http://www.healthylife -healthyplanet.com/toxins.html
My journey into green living began with a life changing speech at my Toastmasters™ Club in 1992. The presenter gave a simple speech on household cleaning tips. He made a compelling case for the use of natural alternatives over store bought chemical cleaners. This was big news to me. It had never occurred to me that the tried and true cleaning techniques that my grandmother used could save me time and money and be better for both the health of my family and the planet. Timesavers I now keep a staple of natural green cleaning resources in the home. Before, when I used to use commercially prepared cleaners, I would often run out of them and have to go to the store at inopportune times to stock up. It can be hard to find items on sale when they are needed immediately. Now I find that very large jugs of vinegar last me many months without extra trips to the store. Large boxes of baking soda, some castile soap, hydrogen peroxide and other items in my cleaning repertoire are much cheaper than more complicated compound products and can be purchased in bulk. This makes trips to the store for cleaning supplies very rare indeed. In addition to saving time, less shopping trips also save gas money and aggravation. Money minders
Your family’s health When you use a commercially prepared cleaner, you are inhaling the toxins as you clean. Further, if you have children and/or pets in the home they will likely be in the vicinity while you clean and are at high risk of inhaling the fumes as well. Small children and pets are also more likely to come into contact with your toxic cleaners than adults or older kids may be, as they may be in more contact with surfaces like floors. Babies, particularly, put many objects in their mouth and put their mouths on all household surfaces. I was reminded of this recently when I saw my seven month old licking the coffee table and my kitchen cabinets! Commercial cleaning supplies have warnings to keep their products out of reach of pets and small children. Ingesting such chemicals can have serious consequences. More natural alternatives can have less hazardous consequences in the case of accidental ingestion. Particularly those substances, like vinegar, that are actually approved for human consumption.
Ounce per ounce, I spend only a fraction of the amount on cleaning products since I made the switch to green cleaning. Vinegar, for example, is a very useful all purpose household cleaner that is very inexpensive. I mix half vinegar and water in a spray bottle for a solution that costs just pennies. It replaces the all purpose spray cleaners, glass cleaners, floor cleaners, shower spray and many other products that I used to use. I also make use of inexpensive baking soda when the job requires extra grit for cleaning, like tubs, tile and other surfaces. A little baking soda added to my regular laundry detergent stretches my laundry dollar even further by allowing me to reduce the amount of actual detergent I use, while the baking soda naturally keeps odors at bay. I also sprinkle baking soda on area rugs, carpet and upholstery. I simply let it sit and then vacuum up the baking soda, after it has absorbed odors. Thus, I can avoid using expensive and toxic products such as commercially made air fresheners and fabric odor eliminators.
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Gretchen Otto Pimentel, “Mrs. Green,” is a Laredo resident and freelance author. She is currently on hiatus from her legal career while at home with her young children. She enjoys researching and writing on family budgeting with a focus on choices that benefit the planet. www.laredofamilytimemagazine.com
Also, if you have assistance in cleaning your home, the people you employ will benefit from a less hazardous workplace if they use natural cleaners. They will enjoy a reduced chance of illness, injury or a bad reaction to commercially manufactured chemical products. This could reduce absenteeism. There are also suggestions that natural products are less likely to wipe out actual “good bacteria” necessary for a healthy environment to flourish in the home. To this end, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control have issued warnings about anti bacterial cleaners that may be too powerful for your home. These cleaners can lead to resistant bacteria and or even allergies for your family. More information on that subject can be found at these sources: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/expertsconcerned-about-dangers-of-antibacterial-products/ article1259471/
Further reading Your local library has books that deal with the subject of green cleaning. The Internet also has many tips for cleaning with simple ingredients. Many of these ingredients can already be found in your home so there is no added cost involved to try them out! Some green cleaning resources: http://www.heloise.com/ http://www.vinegartips.com/scripts/pageViewSec.asp?id=7 http://www.grist.org/article/possessions-cleaning/ Facebook page: Safer Chemicals, healthy families: http:// www.facebook.com/#!/saferchemicals Book: Logan, Karen. Clean House Clean Planet. New York : Pocket, 1997.
But are they effective? There are numerous online citations and other sources to suggest that vinegar, for example, has actual disinfectant properties. For best results, leave on the surface for several minutes before wiping off. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/12/26/48hours/ main259812.shtml Baking soda is excellent at removing many types of odors and when mixed with vinegar can help unclog stubborn drains. As mentioned, it is effective at eliminating odors in laundry, upholstery, carpeting, and many more things. http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/bakingsoda Rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, washing soda and lemon juice are other substances that can be useful in house cleaning, laundry and other household tasks. Lemon juice, for example, can be effective at removing stains on clothing, especially when the item is also left to sit in the sun. This can eliminate or even reduce your dependence on the need for harsh chemical stain fighters or bleach in the laundry. Some people do not care for the scent of some natural cleaning products. Some products, such as vinegar, will only emit a strong smell while wet and when it dries the scent will dissipate. If the smell is still bothersome to you while you are cleaning, try adding a few drops of all natural essential oil to your mixture. These oils come in many different varieties. I enjoy vanilla and lavender. Some people don’t need to use any added scent as they come to prefer the smell of natural cleaning ingredients over the harsher smells of the strong chemicals in commercial products.
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One of my favorite tips is putting baking soda into an empty container that used to contain parmesan cheese. I also add just a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant smell since baking soda, by itself, is odorless. The plastic top has holes that make it a great tool to sprinkle the baking soda where I need it. For best results, I recommend you label all products so that everyone who comes into contact with them is aware of what it is. I use inexpensive plastic tape (easily removable) and write the name and date of the substance on the side of the container with a Sharpie™ marker. Websites and magazines feature articles from experts, like Heloise, which reference the effectiveness of many more types of natural cleaners. Be aware that not all natural solutions are good for all surfaces however. For example, it is generally not recommended to use vinegar on some natural stone tile or other surfaces, such as granite and marble, as these may possibly be damaged by vinegar. It is always prudent to check with the manufacturer of the particular surface if you have any questions. I find that a vinegar and water solution does work well on the particular tile in my home. A plan for change You might find you are more successful with green cleaning techniques by starting small and incorporating a few natural solutions into your routine at any one time. Even substituting just a few natural options in your routine can have cost savings, health benefits and pay dividends for the environment. Happy green cleaning!
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Spanish Bits Muchos padres e hijos ven con temor el inicio del nuevo curso escolar. Los niños deploran abandonar la libertad del verano y volver a la dura tarea del aprendizaje. Por su parte, los padres temen el reto de hacer que los niños tengan que reenfocarse de la diversión plena a la rutina escolar, especialmente cuando pudieran estar recuperándose del "agotamiento cerebral del verano". Pero el regreso a la escuela es inevitable, y los padres pueden ayudar a sus hijos facilitándoles la transición mediante la creación de un ambiente cómodo y propicio para el aprendizaje al mismo tiempo. Si su hijo confronta dificultades para adaptarse al regreso a la escuela, algunos cambios sencillos en su dormitorio pueden contribuir a que el proceso sea más llevadero. "Numerosos estudios han demostrado la correlación entre el rendimiento académico y un ambiente bien diseñado para facilitar las actividades de aprendizaje", explica Todd Imholte, presidente de Environmental Graphics. "Es necesario que dormitorios de los niños sean sitios donde puedan relajarse y ser como son, pero además estudiar sin distracciones". El primer paso es hablar con su hijo para conocer su visión del dormitorio. Seleccionen juntos una paleta de colores y una
Cómo ayudar a los niños a prepararse para el nuevo curso ambientando el dormitorio temática. ¿Qué cosas le gustan y cuáles no? ¿Quiere incorporar un pasatiempo o actividad favorita en la decoración? La incorporación de las ideas de diseño de su hijo a la habitación le hará sentir que ese espacio le pertenece. Luego, determinen áreas del dormitorio que sean complementos de la forma en que el niño lo usa cada día. Probablemente la habitación desempeñe múltiples funciones como centro para dormir, salón de juegos y sitio donde hacer las tareas. Los mejores dormitorios de niños son aquellos que incorporan la diversión y la funcionalidad, el juego y el sentido práctico. Elementos básicos para seleccionar la cama ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que su hijo no dio una opinión acerca de su cama? Probablemente cuando era un recién nacido. En cuanto los niños aprenden a hablar y a interactuar con su entorno, comienzan a formarse opiniones acerca de la apariencia que deberían tener sus dormitorios, y especialmente sus camas. Como padre, seguramente desea garantizar que la cama sea cómoda y práctica, factores esenciales para que pueda dormir bien. Y un descanso adecuado es vital para los niños. Como los padres son los que más saben en cuanto a la selección de una cama, opten por algo que sea práctico, que complemente la decoración del dormitorio, y le dé al niño la comodidad, el apoyo y la seguridad que necesita para descansar bien. Una vez que encuentren una cama con esos requisitos, se puede considerar algo de diversión, como optar por una forma o color especial, o considerar literas o una cama-nido para divertirse y facilitar que algunos amiguitos se queden a dormir. (continua en la pg 28) 24
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...ambientando el dormitorio
Spanish Bits
Seventh Avenue, comerciante minorista de Internet, ofrece una versión sólida de pino que parece un sofá-cama cuando se cierra la parte inferior, pero que se convierte fácilmente en una cama-nido doble para que duerman los invitados. El área de estudio Con el buen descanso asegurado, el niño necesitará algún sitio del dormitorio para hacer sus tareas. Algunos pueden optar por sentarse sobre la cama con un escritorio portátil, pero es mucho mejor considerar un espacio dedicado donde pueda mantenerse el orden y la seriedad con respecto a las asignaciones escolares. Para ello, su estudiante necesitará un escritorio, una silla cómoda y un lugar para colocar la computadora. Los niños de más edad pueden ayudarle en la selección de un escritorio con silla que se correspondan con sus gustos, necesidades y decoración. Considere algo funcional y que ahorre espacio, como un escritorio esquinero. Seventh Avenue ofrece un juego para niños con colores brillantes como morado, rosa y azul. Crear comodidad El dormitorio propio es el sitio de la casa donde los niños pueden imprimirles su propio sello a las cosas. Dejar que personalicen su propio espacio les ayudará a sentirse más cómodos y relajados en la habitación. Los padres pueden ayudar a los niños a personalizar su dormitorio de muchas maneras, desde la selección de una paleta de color que les guste o un tema con el que se sientan afines, hasta la incorporación de muebles que lleven sus nombres. Si su presupuesto le impide considerar pintura y alfombra nuevas, algunos accesorios personalizados pueden cambiar completamente la apariencia de un dormitorio, y aumentar el sentido de pertenencia de los niños en su propio espacio. Los artículos personalizados pueden ser tan simples como una placa para la puerta o un letrero en la pared con el nombre del niño; o tan especiales como un sillón personalizado. Crear un dormitorio divertido, funcional y cómodo para su hijo, puede facilitar su tránsito al nuevo curso escolar, y hacerlos más felices y productivos en sus propios espacios personales. Para más ideas de decoración, visite el sitio Web www.seventhavenue.com. Cortesía de ARAcontent
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Community News EA
T nized g o c e aR comes e B D ct UIS Distri
LCC
Book
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unvei ls Bo ok Re Prog ntal ram
LCC B o progra okstore wil lb m to d ience. eliver e offering a maxim um sa new textbo o vings and c k rental This in onven novat iv progra m will e textbook rent th rental allow s e 50% o ir textbook tudents to s f textbo the cost of for less tha ok. n a new printe d For M ore in for LCC B ooksto mation call the re at 9 56-72 1-525 0
First Day of School is August 23! UISD H osts Spec ial Collectio n Drive UIS
D calls for school su pplies and used unifo new and g rm items to ently help those homes we students w re effecte hose d by the re cent flood UISD will . be hosting this specia l collection drive from now until August 20 . Check ou r website for more info rmation.
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