Author: Rebecca Grace || Earnest Mom

Earnest Mom follows our journey from a school based system into home learning with my wild and free three - and regular momming life. S (15), E (10) and J (7) are my three who make me want to be a better person every single day. We love God, reading aloud, sharing stories, building blocks, nature hikes, family suppers, and trying to be kind caring humans to those around us. Home learning is a whole new world to us and we are so thankful that you have stopped in to join the ride. Follow us on Instagram @earnestmomblog Bless, Rebecca
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Day 1 of Child Passenger Safety Week. 

by Rebecca Grace || Earnest Mom ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Information and post courtesy of Ad Coucil.

It is Child Passenger Safety Week – Please join us in spreading this important message!


Did you know that every 33 seconds a child under 13 is involved in a car crash in the United States? That probably isn’t the first thing you think about when you are hauling your kids to school, the grocery store, or anywhere else around town. And really, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not your child is safely snuggled into the right car seat every time you get in the car. Instead, make sure your child is in the right seat from the get-go.
One of the goals of Child Passenger Safety Week is to encourage parents and caregivers to visit SaferCar.gov/TheRightSeat (or SaferCar.gov/Protegidos for Spanish-language information) to determine if their child is in the right seat for his or her age and size and to locate a car seat check station in their area. However – it doesn’t stop there. Parents and caregivers should be sure to register their child’s car seat with the manufacturer so as to be informed in the event of a recall.

Is Your Child In The Right Seat?:
• Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.
• Children ages 1-3 should be kept rear-facing as long as possible.
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.
• Be certain you’ve installed your car seat correctly by having it checked at an inspection station or by a certified child passenger safety technician. Bring the Car Seat Instructions AND the Vehicle Owner’s Manual with you to a seat check appointment!

Is Your Seat Installed Properly?:
Installation Resources: If a car seat is not installed correctly, your child’s safety could be in danger. Every car seat has different installation instructions. You can find resources and tips here to help you get “the right fit” on your car seats: http://www.safercar.gov/parents/RightFit.htm
Free Car Seat Checks: During Child Passenger Safety Week, there will be more than 600 events in 45 states across the country, where certified child passenger safety technicians will inspect car seats and show parents and caregivers how to correctly install and use them. In most cases, this service is free of charge. Locate a car seat check event here:http://www.safercar.gov/cpsApp/cps/index.htm

Car Seat Safety Tips:
• Find a car seat that fits your child. As children grow, how they sit in your car will change. Make sure the car seat you purchase is designed to fit your child’s current size and age.
• Not all car seats fit in all vehicles so test the car seat you plan to buy to make sure it fits well in your vehicle.
• Before putting your child in a car seat, read the manufacturer’s instructions so you know how your car seat works.
• All-in-One car seats offer you the advantage of using the same seat for the following positions: rear-facing, forward-facing with harness, then booster. These seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

Remember, the best car seat is the one that fits your child properly, is easy to use, and fits in your vehicle correctly.
Get this message out to your friends and family!
• Twitter – Many parents do not realize their child is in the wrong car seat. Visit Safercar.gov/TheRightSeat and make sure your child is riding safely. #therightseat.
• Facebook – Storks know how to keep kids safe. Do you? Visit safercar.gov/therightseat to know for sure that your child is in the right seat for their age and size. #STORKS #TheRightSeat

** Follow along all week as I post tips and information about Car Seat Safety. x. em. **

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‘Tis the Season! Earnest Tips on How to Keep Back to School Germs Away.

by Rebecca Grace || Earnest Mom ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

As we get back to school shopping finished (or in some cases just started) our kiddos are all set to return to school, regular bedtimes and the school time schedules.  Typically, when our little ones return to school they end up bringing home more than homework with them.  We see runny noses, coughs and sometimes the flu likes to sneak in.  Here are some back to school hygiene tips to help keep those germs at bay.

The number one way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases (viruses spread from person to person) is to practice proper hand washing.  Little ones need guidance with this activity, I know when I send earnest boy to wash his hands on his own, he returns with dripping wet hands that still have dirt on them.  To start, be sure that they can reach the sink using a stepping stool or kids step, then use soaps that are easy for children to use such as pumps (my littles love the foaming dispensers), lastly come up with a way to ensure they are washing their hands for at least 30 seconds (many like to sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while they wash).  Hands should be washed often and always after using the restroom, before and after handling food, when coming in from outside and after blows/picks nose, after coughing or sneezing, and anytime a child has handled trash.  If there are no sinks around, baby wipes and hand sanitizers can act as great substitutes although I would recommend avoiding hand sanitizers that use antibacterial additives or alcohol (some natural hand sanitizers can be purchased from brands like Babyganics, The Honest Company and CleanWell).

Teaching children to cough and sneeze into their elbows can dramatically reduce the spread of germs, especially when children are playing on their own they usually do not stop playing to wash their hands.  This technique can be helpful when hand washing is forgotten.

As parents, we can reduce the spread of germs by disinfecting common surfaces at home such as door knobs, key boards, sink and toilet handles, fridge and cupboard handles and tablet/phone screens.  I like to keep helpful cleaning tools like Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes around for quick wipe ups behind kids as they run through.

Lastly, leave shoes at the door.  We walk our shoes all around town, on surfaces we would not put our bare feet such as public bathrooms and gas stations, so why would we want to walk what our shoes pick up out there all through our homes?  Plus, kids step on the worse things would out ever knowing.  Stop kids and company at the door and have them remove their shoes, have a mat outside door to help knock off most dirt before entering your home.  I try to offer socks to those who are bare foot in their shoes just in case they are uncomfortable having their bare feet out or on my floors.

I earnestly hope these tips can help us all keep the back to school germs away, and keep our families healthy this school year.  Also, remember to keep sick kids home.  If your child is showing signs of infection such as fever, green mucus or vomiting and diarrhea, keep them home to avoid spreading it to others at school!

Stay healthy earnest readers, and please feel free to share your germ prevention tips below.

x.  earnest mom

 

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Earnest Mom Comes Clean with Seventh Generation. #comeclean

by Rebecca Grace || Earnest Mom ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

What does #comeclean mean?

#comeclean is a mission created by Seventh Generation, to demand transparency from companies about which ingredients are being put into our products.  Ingredient disclosure is not mandatory in United States and we are exposing ourselves to thousands of chemicals (toxic ones) daily, even if the package says “natural.”  That is why Seventh Generation is demanding Ingredient Disclosure be mandatory for all companies.  As consumers, we have the right to know what we are bringing into our homes, putting on our skin and exposing our children to.

WHY IS INGREDIENT DISCLOSURE IMPORTANT?
If companies don’t tell you what’s inside right on the package, how do you know what you’re bringing around your family and into your home?

You have a right to know what goes into the products you use. Food and personal care products are required to have content labels, but there are no regulations in place for the ingredient labeling of household cleaning products – especially for the fragrances that scent those products.

Chemicals of concern can hide behind the term “fragrance” in ingredient lists on your cleaning products – chemicals that have been linked to serious health effects including allergies, asthma, cancer, and reproductive harm. – seventhgeneration.com/comeclean

Did you know? 

  • Under the FD&C Act, companies are required to list ingredients on consumer cosmetic, personal care and food products in descending order of amount, with the stipulation that flavor and fragrances can be listed under the summary description “flavor” or “fragrance”, and incidental ingredients at insignificant levels do not need to be declared. Cleaning products are not governed by the FD&C Act, and those ingredient declaration requirements don’t apply to them.
  • The term “fragrance” refers to a mixture that may be composed of any of over 3,000 chemicals, including allergens and reproductive toxins.  The Institute of Medicine equated fragrance to second-hand smoke in its potential to trigger asthma. Also, “unscented” does not mean a product is made without fragrance chemicals. This term can be misleading to consumers, particularly to those with allergies related to fragrance, natural fragrances can also cause sensitivities.

As a member of Seventh Generation’s Generation Good, I

#comeclean
#comeclean
have had access to free samples and coupons to use Seventh Generation products.  I love that Seventh Generation is committed to not only using only natural and safe ingredients, they also take pride in listing every single ingredient on their labels.  Their website also gives an entire glossary and description to every ingredient they have listed so there is zero confusion for consumers, and we can see what we are using in our homes and on our bodies.  Want to know more about Seventh Generation products and Generation Good?  Visit them here.

Hope to see you join in the #comeclean campaign along with Seventh Generation to make a cleaner home for all of us!

x.  earnest mom