Okay first let’s get this out of the way. I was watching TV last night… yes I often do in the late hours of the night after the kids go to bed. On Wednesday I like to watch Lie to Me and Criminal Minds… awesome shows both of them. I state this because the last time I mentioned a specific TV show episode on my blog…which I am about to do… I got bashed in the comments for watching the evils of TV. So there it is… I watch TV… avert your eyes now if that bothers you. ;)

As I was watching last night, I was flipping around between channels to avoid watching any commercials. I watched a few minutes of Law and Order Special Victims Unit and saw that it was a seemingly uninteresting episode where they suspected a mom (Hillary Duff) had killed her 11 month old daughter. Not something that really interested me so I turned back to my regular show.

About 20 minutes later I checked back in and I see the show has done a 180 degree turn. The little girl has apparently died from measles. She was exposed to them in a park by an unvaccinated boy who got the illness from an Amish teenager. The mother of the unvaccinated child is then charged and goes on trial for negligent homicide and on the show they continually scream at her saying that she murdered a child.

Yes, that got my attention and I stayed tuned in for the rest of the show. I was so freaking angry by what I saw. And yes it is just a TV show but have you noticed just how many TV shows now have done this exact same thing? They make up bogus stories about how terrifying these diseases are and how non-vaccinating parents are no better than murderers. It is alarming to me as a non-vaccinating parent that this propaganda is getting spread around and stirring up hate towards a group of parents who are only attempting to do what is right by their children.

In the shows defense they did give the defense attorney some good lines where he made the expert witness, a doctor, admit that the MMR vaccine can have side effects that include seizures and death and that the side effects are not so rare. But mostly they allowed this doctor to really bash non-vaccinating parents and make them sound stupid.

In the end the jury did not convict the non-vaccinating parent of wrong doing but according to the prosecutor this was only because the mother of the dead child was a party girl parent who had neglected her child. Supposedly the jury did not want to punish the woman who had at least tried to be a good parent. A bunch of nonsense it what it is. The grandfather of the baby ends up killing himself in front of the non-vaccinating mom, telling her she murdered not one, but two people.

They also spread an outright lie by saying that children who attend public school are required to be vaccinated or their parents are breaking the law. ALL states have exemptions so this is a flat out lie. The state in question, New York, has two… a medical and a religious exemption.

One thing they failed to really highlight in this fictional story was that the unvaccinated child who got measles was absolutely fine. This only supports the widely held belief that most vaccinations are not meant to protect our own kids from these diseases but to protect other portions of the population… infants, immune suppressed, and the elderly come to mind. So when you take a risk vaccinating your child, and you are taking a risk, you are doing so not for them… but for other people. I for one did not make the conscious decision to bring 3 children into this world only to put other people’s interests before theirs.

On the show they basically said non-vaccinating parents are uneducated and foolish. But I have met hundreds of non-vaccinating parents and they are some of the smartest most compassionate people you could ever come across. They have poured over books (written by doctors) that highlight the dangers of vaccines, they read the studies that have been done about vaccine safety, and they make the best decision they can. In my experience it is USUALLY (not aways) the parents who DO vaccinate that are uneducated about the issue. Now of course some research and decide that they think the risks do not outweigh the protective benefits and they vaccinate but in general most parents just do what their doctor tells them and what they are pressured by society to do.

That is what I did with my first child and he almost died as a result. I now buck the system and call my own shots for the health of my kids. I won’t sacrifice them on the alter of public good. We choose not to vaccinate and we choose to only live in a state that allows for philosophical exemptions.

But the point is that through mediums like TV the public is being influenced to “hate” parents who buck the system and choose not to vaccinate. It doesn’t matter that many thousands of kids are injured by vaccines every year and it doesn’t matter that I witnessed my son go into respiratory arrest due to vaccines … the public is being informed that I/we are negligent parents.

I heard that an episode of Private Practice a couple weeks back also had a “bad mom” who didn’t vaccinate and her child dies of measles.

It makes me weary of what the future has in store. But then I remember that this is the same public that tells me pharmaceuticals, genetically modified foods, and irradiated foods are safe and that herbs and natural foods are suspect. I consider the source and then I can exhale and know that this propaganda is only out there because they are running scared. More parents are waking up to their lies and they are running scared and trying to gain ground with scare tactics. I for one will stand my ground and get even louder in my defense of parental CHOICE.

What about you? Did you see the show?

See also this important book review: He’s Not Autistic, but…

Although eczema and cradle cap are not life-threatening, moms want their baby’s skin and scalp smooth and free from itch and rashes that can be uncomfortable.  Since baby’s skin is sensitive some medical formulations or conventional treatment products may have adverse effect on the baby’s skin; it is best to learn how to treat baby eczema and cradle cap naturally. 

Natural Baby Baths for Eczema
 
Because baby’s skin is tender and sensitive, moms should treat cradle cap and eczema naturally to prevent secondary side effects and allergies.  Some emollients when applied cause the eczema to flare up.

Natural remedies are safer and kinder on the skin and they are cheaper too.  When treating your baby of eczema, relieve the itch first to prevent baby from scratching and making the condition worse.  The skin condition is so itchy and your baby will relentlessly scratch the affected area until the skin breaks and the eczema weeps and bleeds.

Prepare baby’s organic porridge oat milk bath by soaking a cup of oats powder in lukewarm water.  The milk of the oats moisturizes the skin and prevents more eczema.  You can process the oat in a food processor or coffee grinder or simply make an oats ball.  For the ball, wrap a cup of oats in cotton cloth and tie the cloth at the ends.  Let the oat ball or powder sit on the bath for 30 minutes before bathing baby.   

The treatment should not be given to babies with contact dermatitis as this will only worsen the rashes and increase the itching.  Still avoid using soaps even if it advertises as baby-mild or baby safe.

Also, protect baby’s skin by treating baby’s new clothes to a baking soda wash.  This will eliminate chemical residue that can cause irritation to baby’s very fine and sensitive skin.   

If you want the ease of pre-formulated products check out Earth Mama Angel Baby natural lotion and baby wash. They are gentle and natural.

Baby Oil for Cradle Cap

There is no known cause for cradle cap that pops up on baby’s scalps during the first two months.  It starts as a red scaly rash on the scalp that quickly piles up to develop plaques or layers appearing like scabs on the scalp.  This spreads to areas with oil glands along the eyelids, eyebrows, nose creases, behind the ear, groin and under the arms.  Thankfully, this is not itchy and will disappear but will cause hair loss.  It is also known that children who develop cradle cap can develop eczema later.

It is never advised to forcefully remove the plaques as this will cause the scalp to bleed and develop secondary infection.  Mothers agree that the best and safest way to remove cradle cap is to massage baby’s scalp with warmed almond oil, natural baby oil, or with extra virgin olive oil.  This is best done before baby’s bath.  After patting baby’s scalp dry, gently comb baby’s hair with a soft brush to remove the loosened plaques or scales.  

Related article with more ideas: Natural Remedies for Baby Eczema

Spent some time this morning out in the garden pulling weeds and thinning the plants a little. It was so muddy after two days of rain that I had to put some cardboard down to avoid sinking. We are going to fill the rows with straw tomorrow.

While I did that my two oldest kids played hide and go seek with the neighbor kids and my youngest decided to play in the mud. Aren’t toddlers just deliciously wild and carefree? He was having so much fun I had to join him… until we were both covered from head to toe in mud.

Anything but good CLEAN fun!

Only a few days till mother’s day and I am a bit sad because my mom is out of the country and has been for a few weeks. But I speak with her every day and I have been sharing all my great second hand finds with her. I sure am missing my best yard sale buddy though.

After I scored so much good summer stuff at my local thrift store I decided to go back and get a bunch of the long pants I saw for my two oldest since they would be perfect for school in the fall. I ended up getting about 6 pairs of jeans and khackis for my son and 2 pairs of pants and 3 gorgeous skirts and some blouses for my daughter. My youngest got some summer polo shirts. Each piece was between one and two dollars and it is good stuff! I think that is why I am getting so hooked on second hands clothes. Not only can I get an entire seasonal wardrobe for less than $50… the clothes are high quality. They have withstood heavy use and washing by another family and they still look good when I get them off the rack.

At a yard sale last weekend I picked up a children’s art book, a pair of pants for the toddler, and a Care Bear (my daughter loves them). But the real gem was a metal desk made of lockers with a wood surface on top. It came with a matching metal book case too.  It is the perfect set for my two boys, who will be sharing a room in the new house.

Yesterday was my fave day, even though the deals were small. I got a mission style, wooden TV bench for $8. I also got a lovely full size quilt for .25 cents!! I am already imagining how lovely it will be to cozy up with it on a rainy day. My daughter got a wooden baby doll crib.

Now my husband apparently has much different priorities…ahem. I sent him to an auction to look at a washer and dryer set. He came home with a workout bench and two TVs… a large flat screen and a gigantic big screen TV. Now admittedly we could use a replacement TV since ours is super old and the picture will go out if you bump into it but I really do not like the the idea of a big screen TV…especially after I got that beautiful, mission style TV bench that we would know have no use for…grrr. If I end up having a huge TV in my family room I am going to be honked off…majorly. I am hoping he will let me turn around and sell it.

Anyway, I am hoping to spend next weekend (not this one, hubby works) at yard sales galore, without the kids, so I can start getting Christmas and birthday gifts. Won’t it be nice if I have all my shopping done before Fall?

The picture above and below was taken this morning as my daughter played outside before school. She is wearing a blouse and skort that we got at a thrift store. You will never convince her that she isn’t completely stylish in her used threads.

For a couple weeks now I have been wearing some new summery sandals. I have been breaking them in for summer hiking and camping when my usual foot gear… the flip-flop won’t work so well. For whatever reason I have come to hate any type of closed toe shoe. I wear open toed shoes most of winter even.

While this shoe is closed toe, it is also breezy and open since it is a sandal. These are the  fisherman inspired J-41 Dune Vegan sandals. And so far I am really liking them!

As soon as I opened the box I was impressed with how they look like leather but they are actually made from 100% non-animal nubuck. I also squealed with happiness when I saw what was on the bottom. Part of the rubber sole is clear and there is a recycled map underneath it. The small bit of map I saw is from the Appalachian Trail!! Is that not a sign or what! I have been dying to hike the Appalachian trail for years.

Anyway… the contrast stitching accents (pink) and woven straps add a pretty, feminine flavor. There is a Velcro closure allows for a secure fit, a memory foam footbed (also imprinted with a map), mesh for breathability, and a toe bumper that provides protective coverage. And of course the the rubber traction Jeep sole is imprinted with J-41′s signature translucent map detail as a reminder that it’s all about the journey, not the destination. The shoes I have are a teeny bit different, they have less pink and no mesh, but overall the shoes you see at Planet Shoes are the same as mine.

As far as eco footwear goes I was a bit hesitant but they are really pretty, fun and sporty, and of course eco friendly and cruelty free. I think they will last a good long while too and that is a great thing since I usually stick to the $40 eco flip-flops and this pair of sandals goes for $89.

Check out Planet Shoes for other awesome eco footwear options too.