A SMART Farewell

Well, Tuesday was the last SMART of the year, and as promised, there was a party at ye old Sabin Elementary, Room 234 (the Reading Room). As promised, there were drinks (apple juice in Dixie cups) and as promised, there was popcorn (the alluring scent of fake butter permeating the hallway, to the envy of all the fourth-graders lurking in the shadows, hoping to get in on the action). Instead of reading, we made each other cards. Here is the picture my kindergartener drew of me:

I kind of like the blonde, although it is somewhat confusing.

You see? I am definitely not blonde. Regardless, I’m really going to miss those guys. I’ll miss their exuberance and honesty and unconscious, unrefined sweetness. I hope they learned a bit from me, because I definitely learned from them; or rather, was reminded. Be insatiably curious. Take the steps on the stairs two at a time, even though the sign on the wall expressly forbids it. Appreciate the small things, which are actually big exciting things if you view them with the perspective of each day as brand spanking new and swelling with possibility.

Dinosaurs and lost teeth, apple juice and popcorn. Thank you, boys.

Mean Dictator

Oh kids, if only it could be that easy…

Naked Down the Driveway

The moment has finally come, ladies and gents. You remember how I am always complaining that my little reader boys only want to hear about sharks and firefighters and dinos?  Not that I dislike sharks and firefighters and dinos, but at this point I am full to the gills with Level 1 information about those riveting topics (“The Fireman rings a bell to alert the other Firefighters. DING DING DING!” Etc.) But today, by some miraculous twist of fate, my punky little first grader wanted to read a PINK COVERED, SPARKLE-DRENCHED, super girly book:

“Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy.” Highly recommend it, by the way. That Nancy is quite the character. Apparently he thought so too, because next he chose “Fancy Nancy and the Pirate Party,” a gripping saga about sibling rivalry, pirate-themed festivities, and rhinestone necklaces. We ran out of reading time at a real cliff-hanger, too- will Nancy be a good, kind, mature older sister and give her lil’ sis the prized fake jewels for her birthday? The suspense is killing me.

My kindergartener (who is currently missing his two front teeth, which makes him so adorable he’s hard to look at sometimes) chose a very special book to read this time, called “No, David.” He prefaced the reading by informing me that there was a very funny picture in it that I just had to see.  The book goes into great detail about all the misadventures of the mischievous David, who plays with his food (“No David!”), pulls his cat’s tail (“No, David, No!”) and apparently runs down the driveway naked after a bath:

My little guy cackled demonically when we finally arrived at the above scandalous illustration and wanted to show it off to all the other readers. I bet he’s one of those “Disruptive in class” labeled kids. When I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up, he thought about it long and hard furrowing his tiny brow. Considering the amount of time he took with his response, I was expecting something hardcore: doctor, scientist, CEO of a multinational corporation… He’s smart as a whip, and seems ambitious and confident, but…

Nope. Racecar driver. Sigh.

Very, Very, Very, Very Nice.

It’s Spirit Week at Sabin Elementary School, and Tuesday was Super Hero day, so I had the pleasure of reading about moo-cows and fire trucks with Batman and… a ninja.  Batman informed me I could be his Robin if I wanted to (obviously the answer was yes) and the ninja tried some slick king-fu kicks on me.  Needless to say, it was more an adventure than I am used to.  I also spotted this gem of a thank-you note to Miss Gina, the main organizer for SMART:

❤

Snoopy Vs. Snoop Dog

On Tuesday, my little environmental health clinic had the joy of participating in the International Center for Traditional Childbearing‘s Holiday Spa. Free hair ironing, brow waxing, massages, and henna tattoos were provided, as well as our own humble contribution of nontoxic cleaning education, lead awareness training and blood lead screening, plus twenty buckets full of green cleaning supplies.

Participants listened intently as my Program Coordinator Amanda explained the potential hazards of store-bought cleaning products, including bleach and Lysol.  One woman shared her story about actually being hospitalized due to bleach exposure, which studies show can result in bladder cancer and respiratory issues. Another woman declared that she uses vinegar all the time for cleaning, and that now she equates the smell of vinegar with cleanliness, although as Amanda cautioned, “Don’t use vinegar to clean the upholstery in your car: It will smell like you have pickles in your back seat for weeks.”

Upon hearing that cleaning product manufacturers are not required to list any of their toxic ingredients or side effects, participants were indignant.  There was enthusiastic agreement with Amanda’s advice: “Don’t trust the labels, don’t trust the commercials. Stick with this basic stuff and with what your Grandma taught you.” It was really encouraging to have this kind of engagement, and to hear one woman declare, “We are learning a lot.  Women are really starting to pay attention.”

After the workshop finished, we invited mothers to have their children screened for elevated blood lead levels.  One of the hardest parts of testing for lead poisoning is explaining to the youngsters why we have to prick them with a needle.  One mother put it really sweetly to her daughter, two-year-old Ny-Ny: “Mama just wants to keep you safe, ok?”  Ny-Ny looked up with big brown eyes and said bravely. “Ok, Mama.”

Of course, they do get a Snoopy bandaid and a “You’re a Star!” sticker as a reward, which kind of makes up for the tiny, quick finger prick.  When Amanda asked this little pouty face if she knew who Snoopy was, she replied straight-faced, “You mean Snoop Dog?” Sigh. Kids these days. For the full slew of fun pics from the Holiday Spa, check out the JHC Facebook Album!

Ten Reasons You Should Volunteer

Check out my guest blog, as well as a ton of other really helpful top ten reasons to do stuff, on genpink.com!  It’s been tweeted 26 times.  Yay.

See You Next Year! (And Other Things Said to Confuse a First Grader)

Today was the last day of SMART before the kids get off for holiday vacation.  Try explaining that you won’t see a first grader until next year, and be careful, because when that lower lip starts to quiver, you just might melt into a puddle on the floor and then try to change the way that the universe measures time. I mean, I guess two weeks can seem like a scary long time to a six year old, let alone throwing the concept of a year around. Sigh.

Here is a sign in the hallway I found particularly instructive: Remember folks: No Hurting, No “Runing”, No Screaming!  See you next year.

Babies and Baking Soda

In an entertaining and encouraging turn of events, every single parent who attended my organization’s last Green Cleaning Workshop was accompanied by a bright eyed little child, the perfect inspiration to create a healthier, safer home.  It was encouraging to witness these parents really making the effort to ensure the well-being of their children.  It  also reinforced why we hold the workshops in the first place- to improve the lives of these adorable little smoodgens, and to ensure that they have the chance to experience full and fruitful lives.

Another exciting aspect of the workshop was: I truly helped someone with my Spanish skills! One lovely Mexican woman, Rosa, had come to the  workshop with the expectation that there would be a translator present, which was not the case. I found her a copy of our Green Cleaning booklet in Spanish, then sat next to her and translated the entire workshop, to the best of my ability.  I think I got all the vital information across, despite forgetting certain riveting vocabulary such as “ceiling fan.”  I don’t know that I have ever had to discuss the characteristics of a ceiling fan before, let alone in Spanish.

I am so glad that the capabilities I have been developing are finally paying off. It is amazing to me that I can directly utilize my learning to create a direct impact, and to see the smile on Rosa’s face when I explained that yes, everything in our green cleaning kit was absolutely free for her, and that she could call me any time if she had any questions.

For more pics of sweet little healthy home babies from the workshop, visit the Josiah Hill III Clinic photo album.