childproofing
bhmjones
As you all probably know, I'm new to the concept of unschooling and I
was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
Jodi Bezzola
We've only been unschooling for about 6 months, but I have a suggestion. For a long time I have been interested in cleaning our home with products that wouldn't kill my children if they drank them. Perhaps consider ridding your home of the toxic stuff and moving to natural/biodegradable cleaning products? There are lots out there to choose from. My sister in the US gets her favourite ones at Trader Joe's. I also want to my kids to see that dh and I care tons about our planet and are doing everything we can to preserve it for them.
Since our girls are only 3, we keep sharp/dangerous things up very high or out in the garage. They have started using paring knives in the kitchen and are quite fascinated with the whole process of cutting, but I don't leave the knives out for them to use when I'm not in the room with them.
IMO, there's trust *and* there's common sense safety.
Jodi
bhmjones <bhmjones@...> wrote:
As you all probably know, I'm new to the concept of unschooling and I
was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Since our girls are only 3, we keep sharp/dangerous things up very high or out in the garage. They have started using paring knives in the kitchen and are quite fascinated with the whole process of cutting, but I don't leave the knives out for them to use when I'm not in the room with them.
IMO, there's trust *and* there's common sense safety.
Jodi
bhmjones <bhmjones@...> wrote:
As you all probably know, I'm new to the concept of unschooling and I
was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joyce Fetteroll
On Mar 17, 2008, at 10:49 AM, bhmjones wrote:
feel pretty betrayed if you left poisons where they could drink them!
Kids can learn to handle knives (This has been discussed several
times and if you put knives into the search of the archives, that
should pull them up.)
Put breakables up or away so they don't even ask. If they do you can
show them how to hold them gently. But it's a lot more peaceful to
get them out of sight.
Ultimately it depends on the kids, depends what they're asking for.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> howKids want to feel the world is relatively safe to explore in. They'd
> childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
> etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
feel pretty betrayed if you left poisons where they could drink them!
Kids can learn to handle knives (This has been discussed several
times and if you put knives into the search of the archives, that
should pull them up.)
Put breakables up or away so they don't even ask. If they do you can
show them how to hold them gently. But it's a lot more peaceful to
get them out of sight.
Ultimately it depends on the kids, depends what they're asking for.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Karen Swanay
RE: cleaning products....my cleaning products are white vinegar,
kosher salt, baking soda, and lemons. I can clean EVERYTHING to
shining with just these items AND if the boys want to help me, I can
let them with no hesitation or worry about toxic stuff. The worst
they've suffered is stinging eyes from a lemon squirt.
Karen
kosher salt, baking soda, and lemons. I can clean EVERYTHING to
shining with just these items AND if the boys want to help me, I can
let them with no hesitation or worry about toxic stuff. The worst
they've suffered is stinging eyes from a lemon squirt.
Karen
:: anne | arun ::
> howi like the idea of creating an empowering environment for a toddler/
> childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
> etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
baby rather than thinking of it as childproofing.
It might sound like im quibbling over terms, well i guess i am � but
for me it has been a shift in what im doing and the way im thinking.
for me childproofing was more about protection and fear. While
creating an empowering environment is about really trying to view
things through a child's eyes and imagine what could assist their
exploration and feeling of power. Something like that was inherent in
the reply that Joyce gave to this thread but for me its still a very
conscious/ slow process.
So it has meant that we have removed some breakables that are
particularly important to us as but it has also led to other things
like:
- having an easily accessible cupboard with some crackers and fruit
that our now 23 month old ds can access
- having his water bottle in the same spot in the kitchen also where
he can access it without having to rely on us
- having a step ladder for him to be part of juicing, doing dishes,
crumbing fish etc when he wants to
actually part of me dreads "the sound" when im in a hurry cooking
dinner. It sounds like twenty ducks are being squashed by a steam
roller... slowly! Its actually the sound of the step ladder being
dragged to where i am by ds so he can help out.... its good because
he can do it without asking me for help and in the time it takes for
him to get to me i have usually gotten rid of any attachment for a
quick or clean dinner preparation ;)
our ds was pulling his step ladder to the gas stove for a while and
trying to play with matches. We allowed him to do it with us and feel
the heat from the stove and the matches and he has since learning to
have a healthy respect for fire, while maintaining his interest in
it. It felt like a better solution than trying to work out how to
childproof the oven.
all the best,
arun
_____________________________________________
http://www.theparentingpit.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
bhmjones
Awesome insight so far people, thanks! :-)
Also, I feel so dumb, I meant to say, "share some insight" instead
of "shed some insight", because even tho I live in the Talibama, I do
know how to speak LOL....
--- In [email protected], "bhmjones" <bhmjones@...>
wrote:
Also, I feel so dumb, I meant to say, "share some insight" instead
of "shed some insight", because even tho I live in the Talibama, I do
know how to speak LOL....
--- In [email protected], "bhmjones" <bhmjones@...>
wrote:
>
> As you all probably know, I'm new to the concept of unschooling and I
> was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
> childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
> etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
>
[email protected]
Hi
Karen you sound just like me when it comes to cleaning.
but I have a question for you, I know its off topic but what do you
use for dishes and dishwasher, and laundry?
Conventional stuff or?
Rut
Karen you sound just like me when it comes to cleaning.
but I have a question for you, I know its off topic but what do you
use for dishes and dishwasher, and laundry?
Conventional stuff or?
Rut
On Mar 17, 2008, at 1:36 PM, Karen Swanay wrote:
> RE: cleaning products....my cleaning products are white vinegar,
> kosher salt, baking soda, and lemons. I can clean EVERYTHING to
> shining with just these items AND if the boys want to help me, I can
> let them with no hesitation or worry about toxic stuff. The worst
> they've suffered is stinging eyes from a lemon squirt.
>
> Karen
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: bhmjones <bhmjones@...>
As you all probably know, I'm new to the concept of unschooling and I
was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
-=-=-=-=-
I think it only makes sense to protect your children. But there are
plenty of *safe* cleaners out there. We don't have any really yucky
cleaners.
Both my boys have used knives since they were tiny. Both have cut
themselves too. I figure that's why they make band-aids. <g>
I gave myself a gorgeous set of new knives a year or two ago. Cut
myself every single day for a month until I got used to handling such
sharp playthings! <G> You'd think it would take so long to learn to be
careful. Maybe someone should have kept them out of *my* reach! <BWG>
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
From: bhmjones <bhmjones@...>
As you all probably know, I'm new to the concept of unschooling and I
was hoping some of you old pros could shed some insight on how
childproofing(locking up poisonous cleaning solutions, sharp objects
etc) your home fits into the unschooling philosophy.
-=-=-=-=-
I think it only makes sense to protect your children. But there are
plenty of *safe* cleaners out there. We don't have any really yucky
cleaners.
Both my boys have used knives since they were tiny. Both have cut
themselves too. I figure that's why they make band-aids. <g>
I gave myself a gorgeous set of new knives a year or two ago. Cut
myself every single day for a month until I got used to handling such
sharp playthings! <G> You'd think it would take so long to learn to be
careful. Maybe someone should have kept them out of *my* reach! <BWG>
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
Jen Durren
Thank you all for this particular discussion. I was lying in bed
getting ready for sleep the other night and thinking about spring
coming and the windows being open, and that led me to wonder how to
handle things like childproofing windows in the context of unschooling
and trusting your kids. I like the idea of providing a safe
environment for them to explore rather than thinking of it as
"childproofing" (doesn't that make it sound like it's the child who's
dangerous?); not forbidding things outright but gently and carefully
providing somewhere they can explore. I am reading this avidly right
now because I know I tend to be a worrywart and I'd like to think
about ways to handle that when we have kids before they're actually
here!
Someone asked about cleaning products. I do most of my cleaning with
soap (castile) and water, vinegar, baking soda, and lemons sometimes.
I use honey as a face wash and baking soda and vinegar as shampoo.
Using these things was initially motivated by trying to leave a
smaller footprint on the earth; then I realized it was also cheaper,
safer for my family, and better for my allergies. I have "all-purpose
cleaner" mixed up in a spray bottle; it's just diluted white vinegar
with a little bit of liquid castile soap and a few drops of lavender
essential oil. This is just as convenient as the storebought type, at
least so far for me.
Anyway, I'll be watching this thread!
-jennie
getting ready for sleep the other night and thinking about spring
coming and the windows being open, and that led me to wonder how to
handle things like childproofing windows in the context of unschooling
and trusting your kids. I like the idea of providing a safe
environment for them to explore rather than thinking of it as
"childproofing" (doesn't that make it sound like it's the child who's
dangerous?); not forbidding things outright but gently and carefully
providing somewhere they can explore. I am reading this avidly right
now because I know I tend to be a worrywart and I'd like to think
about ways to handle that when we have kids before they're actually
here!
Someone asked about cleaning products. I do most of my cleaning with
soap (castile) and water, vinegar, baking soda, and lemons sometimes.
I use honey as a face wash and baking soda and vinegar as shampoo.
Using these things was initially motivated by trying to leave a
smaller footprint on the earth; then I realized it was also cheaper,
safer for my family, and better for my allergies. I have "all-purpose
cleaner" mixed up in a spray bottle; it's just diluted white vinegar
with a little bit of liquid castile soap and a few drops of lavender
essential oil. This is just as convenient as the storebought type, at
least so far for me.
Anyway, I'll be watching this thread!
-jennie
Jodi Bezzola
~~I use honey as a face wash~~
Really?? Straight honey or mixed with something? I've never heard of this!
Jodi
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Really?? Straight honey or mixed with something? I've never heard of this!
Jodi
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jlyons42
Really! Just straight honey, preferably raw but I have been using some
I already had. Just make sure to "scrub" well with your fingertips.
You can mix it with a little baking soda once a week for exfoliation,
too. I moisturize with straight jojoba oil after. My skin is prone to
breakouts and this has actually reduced them, weird as it sounds! I
read about it on mothering.com's forums.
-jennie
--- In [email protected], Jodi Bezzola
<jodibezzola@...> wrote:
I already had. Just make sure to "scrub" well with your fingertips.
You can mix it with a little baking soda once a week for exfoliation,
too. I moisturize with straight jojoba oil after. My skin is prone to
breakouts and this has actually reduced them, weird as it sounds! I
read about it on mothering.com's forums.
-jennie
--- In [email protected], Jodi Bezzola
<jodibezzola@...> wrote:
>heard of this!
> ~~I use honey as a face wash~~
>
> Really?? Straight honey or mixed with something? I've never
>