Nonchalant Mom News

It was the Summer of 2004, with a rough idea of what I wanted to do and with some amount of courage, I started Nonchalant Mom. It’s hard for me to believe that I’ve come so far with my original idea to create a shop where the focus would be on just about everything the mainstream wasn’t focused on - a place where children’s and women’s fashion would be about the handmade and ethically sourced. Working with other young moms who were creating something good while knowing you had to pay fair, living wages to those who worked for you. I had all of these friends making great things and I knew that everyone would want them if they just knew about them. I knew if I combined a thoughtful shopping experience with information on parenting in a more natural and healthy way that other parents, like me, would want to be a part of it. I know that there is a new and young audience out there who is still craving that information - they want it from a trusted friend, and that’s what I became. When I meet other parent’s now with kids my age I am so humbled by the praise of how they used my information and shopped in my store for themselves and their kids. This “new family” community is so strong and thriving today and it’s so exciting to be a part of it. It’s with great pride that I look back over these last 15 years and say that my idea for something modest, something conscientious, something caring, something creative, and something unique has continued to grow and didn’t buckle under the weight of challenges big and small.

But, now the time has come for me to move on. With my family, I’m going to be moving this Summer. I’ll be moving away from Rhode Island after 15 wonderful years here! With this impending move, I’ve started thinking that it might also be time to move on from my original idea for Nonchalant Mom. My kids are no longer little, both are now teenagers (no more free models) and, with that, my interests have evolved too. I’m finally ready to get back to my own creative endeavors - meaning that I want to return to making my own art and jewelry. It’s not that I think the idea of  Nonchalant Mom is finished, on the contrary, it needs someone NEW to take over the shop, to bring to it a new freshness and spirit. I think it’s time for someone new to put their own fingerprint on it, take it further, and bring it a new life! With that in mind, I’m now seeking someone interested in just that - taking over the business and moving it further forward. There is much
potential for Nonchalant Mom, whether it be in the form of a brick and mortar shop, or online - even BOTH. There is the idea that
Nonchalant Mom can stay here in  Rhode Island in it’s current location, or move on to another location far and wide. The main thing that Nonchalant Mom needs is someone who is looking (just as I was all those years ago) for a challenge. Nonchalant Mom needs someone who has the creative energy and enthusiasm to build something unique. It is perfectly suited for that person who wants something they can call their own, who wants to have their own business, whether it grows BIG or remains modest. Of course, it will help if you have some business acumen. There are many things that can be done with the business, many directions to take it or even rename it, but the base is there. You only have to have a dream and some passion. Nonchalant Mom has grown over the past 14-15 years and now incorporates a following both for the actual shop and in it’s online presence! I’ve met so many wonderful people in this journey and I’ve done much of the hard work
necessary to get it off the ground and gain recognition and loyal following. There’s no definition to the type of person who may want to take this on - you could be young or older, single or married, with or without kids. All it really needs is someone who wants to make something special for the future.  And, maybe most interesting is that it won’t take a lot of money (or at least as much as you might think) to take it over. This business isn’t about money as much as it is about doing something you love and making a difference and creating a
community. I’m really hoping that there might be someone out there with the same kind of principles, and same kind of verve that I have had for the business all these years. And, I’m willing to help you! So, if you think that this might be the thing you have been looking for in your life, then let me know and let’s discuss it. Who knows, it might just be YOUR dream come true...... share this with a friend if you know someone who is looking for something that will be incredibly rewarding in their life!
love, carina

Many Moons - only a few left!

In case you haven't ordered your new Many Moons workbook for July - December 2017 I hope you can get in there and order, I just have a few left - and when they are gone, they are gone! These books have helped my journey to inner peace with myself and also navigating my way through this seemingly crazy time that we are experiencing with lots of negativity surrounding us. It has helped to put me in a peaceful space, set goals for my work and open new paths that I only dreamed about before. I found a way to be more active in my decisions and this all came about with the help of these workbooks! They are written in the most familiar and inviting way (I've grown to love the typos). She asks questions that help you to reflect on your personal path - but I happen to like her suggestions, they are the best!

Many Moons is written by a collaboration of people under the name "Modern Women". Sarah Faith Gottesdiener brings together this great group of collaborators who help to bring a diverse amount of information and a wealth of knowledge.

Find the books on my website here

Inner Garden :: Flower Essence Therapy - LInda Beal

Recently my 11 year old daughter has been very lackluster with regards to school, she loves school don't get me wrong, it's the learning part that she finds uninteresting. Her symptoms arrive as soon as the teacher hands out a sheet of math to work on, she zones out - sound familiar? I don't know about you but that describes myself, my husband but somehow not our son - just can't wait to attack that worksheet - who knew!? We have had teachers who had a serious concern about Franny, until they met her parents... somehow just meeting us secured the fact that it might just run in the family - DAYDREAMERS. I'm not proud of it, it certainly didn't make things easy, but I feel that if she can learn to take an interest in any aspect of school, she will be fine.

Then Linda Beal walked into my store - she changed our lives. We have used Bach's Flower Remedies over the years, I used rescue remedy during pregnancy and after for breastfeeding support (see more information on that in a previous post here) and I gave my husband (unknowingly) sweet chestnut to lift his depression and it worked. So when she told me that she works with healing with flower remedies, I lit up like a light! I knew this was the answer for Franny - to help with her focus and boredom at school.

Flower essences can help us gently release unwanted emotions and behaviors, while helping to foster our innate strengths.  Used widely in Europe for many decades, flower essences are remedies made from the blossoms of plants and trees and are taken orally in liquid dropper form or applied topically.  Within the context of Flower Essence Therapy, flower essences work subtly to affect profound change. This just speaks to the way that Franny operates, anything related to nature or a flower.

I was lucky, I also had the chance to sit down with Linda and she created a remedy for me as well. I told her that I wasn't really sure what to work on because I feel I have way too many emotional issues to focus on one. She sat me down and we went through what came up for me and it was just spot ON. Linda is a trained and experienced flower essence practitioner, she has been helping people for most of her lifetime. It is not easy to put into words but I feel less complicated, more in tune - I don't want to bore you with my problems but I feel lifted and supported, but from within.

As for Franny, she loves Linda, I think children just know when people are good for them. They sat down and had a conversation that was very comfortable for Franny, Linda uses kinesiology to find the remedy that supports each person. Franny had an immediate response when she started taking her remedy. She said she felt very 'awake' while in school and her teacher told me that Franny is participating more rigorously. We haven't had our normal stressful conversations about school and studying that we had before - which always ended in tears no matter how 'softly' you approached the subject. Her attitude now comes from a place of strength and she's not making excuses for everything.

Each person has their own remedy which Linda puts together with you while you are in your session. You look through the meanings of the flowers that pertain to your 'spirit' or constitution and you can gain wisdom on your blockages. We will probably see Linda again to adjust but for now it's exciting to see how this helps. Linda suggests that Flower Remedies can help with:

   * separation anxiety
   * shyness and social sensitivity
   * focus and concentration
   * self confidence
   * performance anxiety
   * academic overwhelm

I had the chance to sit down with Linda and talk to her about what she does. Here are some questions that I came up with for Linda to help you get familiar with the process. My favorite part about talking with Linda is that I always learn something from her, this is what a good friend is all about, you respect someone to listen deeply to them and learn from what they are saying. When Linda and I talk I find myself hanging on her every word.

CS: How do you feel diet enhances or works with the flower remedies?
LB: Because flower remedies assist us to assist ourselves, anything that brings us into greater strength, clarity, balance and alignment enhances their work. So, indeed, a diet of pure water and ample hydration, along with fresh, nutritious and anti-inflammatory whole foods provide the perfect foundation for flower essence therapy.
As with so many other things I also think of one's "diet" on various levels… In addition to being conscious about what we physically ingest, we may also being to consider what we are "feeding ourselves" and absorbing on a sensory level, an emotional level, and on an intellectual level. What are we exposing ourselves and our children to on all these levels and how "digestible" is it? Just like eating too large a meal, "too much" on various levels can truly be too much to process and lead to a feeling of sensory, emotional or intellectual overwhelm. In this way, we choose healthy and enhancing foods and "feasts for the senses", while forgoing the junk food and toxins.

CS: 2. I feel that Franny's issues were a bit subtle - how profound have you found the remedies to be on larger 'issues'?
LB: Flower remedies help us to release our own imbalances, whether subtle or more complex. Children are usually able to cast off 'issues' quite quickly. In contrast, more complex issues that stymie us have often developed over time and become more enmeshed with our sense of self and involve working with a trained and experienced flower essence therapist in a more sustained manner. Unlike some medications which attempt to alleviate the symptom(s), flower essences help us to resolve the cause and bring us back to our own self-alignment. Everyone is on their own healing journey. I love to say, flower essence therapy may feel like a "snail's pace" at times, but it is truly ones "soul's pace". You can't source it. You can't rush it. But you know when you or your child has resolved the "issue".

CS: 3. What brought you to flower remedies?
LB: My quest to find the most natural and non-intrusive ways to help children heal themselves began at age 17 and led me, two decades later, to my work with flower remedies. Along the way, I became a special education teacher and a Waldorf education teacher and I used Bach Flower Remedies and Perelandra flower essences. However, when I discovered the anthroposophically based Flower Essence Society and their work in California, I found the answer to my quest.

CS: 4. Can you talk a bit about your kids and your use with flower remedies with you and your family.
LB: My daughters were extremely sensitive as children and flower essences were, and still are, a constant in their lives, as well as mine. A specialized flower remedy has accompanied them over each "threshold" they have crossed, whether academic (grade school through graduate school) or emotional/social. Flower essences have helped them, now ages 26 and 22, to strengthen and sheathe themselves, while simultaneously allowing them to retain their glorious innate gifts of empathetic awareness and sensitivity.

CS: 5. Are there some other things that you like to suggest to do in conjunction with the flower remedies? (meditation or reiki or something?)
LB: Flower essences help us to connect to ourselves and Nature, so the best "environment" that we can provide for this healing work, for ourselves and/or our children, is a safe and loving space and quiet, calm time, along with time in Nature, and any other health-giving practices. In addition, I like to ask my clients to engage in some ongoing creative activity, such as journaling, visual journaling, or an art for that they enjoy, which encourages them to express themselves and may also, hopefully, profice a kind of "mirror" for their growth.
CS: It's so interesting that you say that because I innately wanted to write down what I was feeling, my thoughts in a simple way so that I could remember the changes or shifts that were taking place for me.

CS: 6. I like to ask people to share one of their favorite recipes - I have found that when you trust someone you like to eat alike :)
LB: My absolute simplest, but tried and true, favorite healthy, anytime snack, pick me up, and palate cleanser that went into my girls school lunches, on road trips, to potlucks, and is a fun breakfast staple: "Cinnamon Apples"! I cut up tart, organic apples (I prefer granny smith or gala) into slices and festively arrange them on a pretty plate, then sprinkle them with cinnamon. That's it. And if I am over-zealous with my cinnamon apple offering, I use the uneaten slices to make applesauce!
CS: (I think I should share my Apple Tea recipe with Linda! right!?

If you want to contact Linda Beal visit her website: Inner Garden - Flower Essence Therapy all of her contact information is listed on the website and read more about her transforming work. I just can't say enough about how it has helped our family, on a very profound level. All of us have benefited from her work. I am so excited to keep an ongoing openness and awareness as my friendship with Linda continues.

dental hygiene

When it comes to dental hygiene we are not the best, but also not the worst. I feel like when we were kids we had all those crazy tricks, remember that stuff that made anywhere you didn't brush in your mouth totally bright pink! I'm sure it was not the best for us but I used to get totally freaked when I saw what I thought was good brushing only to find my mouth totally PINK! and flossing... forget it! I had a friend named Jenny Morgan (spelled incorrectly in case she doesn't want to be related to this article) she had gorgeous white and beautiful teeth! I was so envious, I even remember when she had braces... still gorgeous. Well guess what, she still has gorgeous teeth and guess what else, she FLOSSES!

So as I get on in my years I am picking up flossing at a bit of a stronger pace - so of course like any mom my kids have to do it too! We are now a floss-friendly family. So when Plackers came to me and said "would you write a blog about flossing and we will send you some flossers", I said "HECK-YA!"

Now even before they contacted me what they don't know is that we USED Plackers! I even use the mouth guards they make because I have also picked up the wonderful habit of grinding my teeth at night, oh man since 2008 if I would have been smart I should have taken STOCK in Plackers, because who the heck doesn't grind their teeth! Well if your kids don't really think they need to floss just hand them these cute colorful flossers! Perfectly sized for kids teeth, because sometimes the adult ones are just too big.

Plus.. I don't know about your kids but when something is just for them, it's better! Just like that!

I have also found a tooth brush that I am a bit obsessed about - so this is probably a good time to tell you about them, they are called MouthWatchers. I recently traveled and forgot my toothbrush and couldn't find Mouth Watchers and I used another one and it made me realized how incredible these toothbrushes are! I used to be one of those people that could grind down and toothbrush pretty quickly but this toothbrush helps with that and you can lightly brush and still feel incredibly clean. We all use them now! The BEST! here is their website.

click here for more of my articles on flossing, kids teeth and more funny teeth related posts including baby and bottles and funny related stories

Happy Dental Hygiene to you and your family!

The Maternity Bag Around the World

         

Ellen gave birth in Simulemba Health Centre, in Malawi, which delivers more than 90 babies a month

There is plenty that we can take for granted when you live in the so-called 'Developed World'. When it comes to giving birth in many countries like the USA, Australia, Japan, or nations in the European Community, for example, the expectant mother can pretty much rely on decent facilities and standard services. So, when it is time to pack a Maternity Bag for that wonderful event, the focus might be on things that can add to the comfort or enhance the experience. One thing that is universal is usually the that special item for swaddling your new bundle of joy! 

But, what if you do not have the good fortune of living in a place where the basics might not be even readily available? What if you are an expectant mother in a 'Developing Nation'? What would you consider packing in your Maternity Bag? What if you had to prepare for your own birth experience by packing your own razor blade (to cut the umbilical cord) or length of string (to tie off that same umbilical cord)? And, what if not only did you have to bring your own plastic sheeting for the delivery table (if there is one) but also bring your own water supply perhaps? And who in the Developed World might think to pack some ready cash just in case, because your husband or mother might not be able to make the trip with you. It certainly has made me think twice. Like I said - it's easy to take things for granted some times. 

Hazel, 27 is from Hamakando Village, in Monze District, in Zambia.

So, it's with great interest that I came across this very stunning portrait of some expectant mothers from around the world. Photographers working with the charity WaterAid have documented the contents of your average Maternity Bag from places such as Japan, Australia, and the USA .... alongside the very interesting contents of expectant mothers in such places as Malawi and Zambia. I'd personally like to see this project expanded to include all sorts of expectant mothers in all sorts of locations on the planet. I'm sure there would be plenty to give pause to after you compare your own preparations with those of others. Don't you think?

To view more photos and read further you can visit WaterAid's website and the BBC website

Deanna lives in New York City, USA

Liz Cook Charts

I have seen these charts in various co-ops here and there, now and again. And every time I see one of them I tell myself to take down the contact info and get one (or some) for my own quick reference in my own kitchen. The appearance is fun and quick, as if you sat down and sketched out your own guide. Apparently, this was the case when Liz Cook first developed her first guide some 15 years ago when her son was a baby and her interest was in creating a quick reference for raising her son on an animal free diet.

Since that time Liz Cook has developed a small series of laminated reference charts. My favorite chart is pretty much the Nutrition Chart, but I also want to get the Natural First Aid Remedies Chart and the Natural Cleaning Solutions Chart. They are the kind of thing that gives a breezy overview to the kinds of things that always nagging at you - the things that you know you want to involve yourself more in, but sometimes put on the sidelines because there isn't enough time to reference each and every piece of information when it comes to healthy living. The charts give you just enough information and act as a check list when looking for recipe items or helpful hints. And, they act as an information catalyst for delving in deeper when you want, or need, to get even more information than can possibly fit on the charts.

If you go to her website: www.lizcookcharts.co.uk you will see that she is located in Brighton, England. However, it appears that there should be no trouble purchasing one for delivery elsewhere in the world. Pin them to the wall, attach them to the refridgerator - put them where you'll benefit from quick info while cooking, or cleaning. She even has one that concentrates on Yoga poses (based on the principles of Hatha)! For those of you with dogs there is a new chart called You and Your Dog - which I might consider as well since my kids are now interested in us getting a dog.

I have found the guides useful when I see them at the store - but I need to get them for my home. You might want to do the same. Perhaps we can speak with Liz about something special for Nonchalant Mom's Tips and Info section! I think they are fun, easy to use, and a great start if you are not familiar with the particulars presented in the various charts.

And, though I haven't seen the book that she has produced called 'So What Do You Eat?" - the idea of a book that takes her concept further sounds delightful. I suggest you visit her website for much of what I can tell you here. Meantime, I suggest getting one.... or two.... or three! The more ammunition in our battle to do good for ourselves and the environment the better.

United Nations Says Eat Less Meat to Curb Global Warming

Our family is not vegetarian. We are aware, though, of how much meat we eat. Usually, it is poultry or fish. And, lately, we have been trying to reduce the amount of meat we all eat. An average week now sees us eating a type of poultry 2 times a week, and fish another 2 times. For a special occasion we might have Red Meat, bu that meat is from a local source. The rest of the time we try to make something without meat - concentrating on vegetables or making something with Seitan or Tofu. We are not perfect, but we feel better for reducing the amount of meat we eat. And, I'm sure many of you might agree, we could even do better. We did this with a conscious effort to reduce meat in our diet, especially red. Now, after reading an article today in the Guardian Newspaper from the UK, we also just might be helping the earth's environment too!

"People should have one meat-free day a week if they want to make a personal and effective sacrifice that would help tackle climate change, the world's leading authority on global warming has told The Observer Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which last year earned a joint share of the Nobel Peace Prize, said that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further. His comments are the most controversial advice yet provided by the panel on how individuals can help tackle global warning.

Pachauri, who was re-elected the panel's chairman for a second six-year term last week, said diet change was important because of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems - including habitat destruction - associated with rearing cattle and other animals. It was relatively easy to change eating habits compared to changing means of transport, he said.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has estimated that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are generated during the production of animal feeds, for example, while ruminants, particularly cows, emit methane, which is 23 times more effective as a global warming agent than carbon dioxide. The agency has also warned that meat consumption is set to double by the middle of the century. 'In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is the most attractive opportunity,' said Pachauri. 'Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there,' said the Indian economist, who is a vegetarian.

However, he also stressed other changes in lifestyle would help to combat climate change. 'That's what I want to emphasise: we really have to bring about reductions in every sector of the economy. 'Pachauri can expect some vociferous responses from the food industry to his advice, though last night he was given unexpected support by Masterchef presenter and restaurateur John Torode, who is about to publish a new book, John Torode's Beef. 'I have a little bit and enjoy it,' said Torode. 'Too much for any person becomes gluttony. But there's a bigger issue here: where [the meat] comes from. If we all bought British and stopped buying imported food we'd save a huge amount of carbon emissions.'

Tomorrow, Pachauri will speak at an event hosted by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming, which has calculated that if the average UK household halved meat consumption that would cut emissions more than if car use was cut in half. The group has called for governments to lead campaigns to reduce meat consumption by 60 per cent by 2020. Campaigners have also pointed out the health benefits of eating less meat. The average person in the UK eats 50g of protein from meat a day, equivalent to a chicken breast and a lamb chop - a relatively low level for rich nations but 25-50 per cent more than World Heath Organisation guidelines.

Professor Robert Watson, the chief scientific adviser for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, who will also speak at tomorrow's event in London, said government could help educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it should not 'regulate'. 'Eating less meat would help, there's no question about that, but there are other things,' Watson said. However, Chris Lamb, head of marketing for pig industry group BPEX, said the meat industry had been unfairly targeted and was working hard to find out which activities had the biggest environmental impact and reduce those. Some ideas were contradictory, he said - for example, one solution to emissions from livestock was to keep them indoors, but this would damage animal welfare. 'Climate change is a very young science and our view is there are a lot of simplistic solutions being proposed,' he said.

Last year a major report into the environmental impact of meat eating by the Food Climate Research Network at Surrey University claimed livestock generated 8 per cent of UK emissions - but eating some meat was good for the planet because some habitats benefited from grazing. It also said vegetarian diets that included lots of milk, butter and cheese would probably not noticeably reduce emissions because dairy cows are a major source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released through flatulence." (Juliette Jowit, www.guardian.co.uk)