To All The New Mothers

Dear new mothers,

From the moment you know you’re pregnant, it begins.  You’re part of the new mother’s club.

You begin to compare, she’s carrying higher and she’s carrying lower, she’s growing fast and she’s growing slower 

You’ll be jealous of people who are farther along then you and feel better than the women behind.  It’s this constant comparison you feel all the time. 

When the baby comes out you share your stories with mother’s.  Comparing hours, pain and tears against all the others.

Then they start to grow and get fat.  They grow at different paces and you compare all of that!

Sally began teething before your baby did.  But your baby is growing faster than that little girl did.

Playdates begin and with them comes more chatting, about who’s kid is better at clapping and batting.  Who’s rolled over and who has crawled, who has eaten solids and who’s development has stalled.

It’s crazy to make a precious life part of this battle, the constant competition can make your brain rattle.

Soon you become knocked up once again, you did it before Lucy hurrah and amen!!

But as you grow bigger you begin to see, things aren’t as important as they used to be.

You realize it was quite silly to compare all of that, when you see that the second is a very different brat!

He grew faster or slower he cries higher or lower.

So new mother’s you see it all doesn’t matter, who’s child is bigger who’s is much fatter.  Just be glad it is healthy and cute has ten fingers and toes and a cute bum to boot!

 

 

I just was reading Isaac a kids book by Jeff Foxworthy and I just couldn’t help rhyming my blog today.

I was at the pool this morning for Ikey’s swimming lessons and this father was frustratingly comparing his barely 3 year old against all the other kids in the class.  I explained to him that Isaac was almost four and that it was amazing that his kid was even staying with the group and listening.  It was his first class of any sort!  He couldn’t stop it, though, and it was bothering me.

I just wanted to yell out “JUST BE HAPPY HE’S HEALTHY AND TYPICAL!!  YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR KID IS BEHIND?  TRY HAVING ONE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND YOU’LL KNOW WHAT THAT REALLY IS LIKE!”

But I didn’t.

I just encouraged him in a way that would make him hopefully shut up.

It was really hard for me when Silas was a baby.  Other than crawling, most everything else came late, or different or backwards.  Nothing was “typical” at all.  The constant comparing that new mother’s put themselves through can get to be so awful.  Seriously, just be happy your baby is healthy.  They’ll all grow up to know how to read and smile and wipe their own bums.  He won’t have no teeth when he’s 20 and he won’t still be crawling.

 

Spring Is Near

Nothing says spring like a family trip to a nearby park.  A chance to run and frolic and climb and slide and swing.  The days are getting warming, the trees are bursting with flowers one by one, the spring flowers are emerging from their winter slumber….my eyes are starting to itch.  We must be nearing spring.

And with spring comes absolute joy from the kids when they get to play on a dry, warmer playground.

And Cleo can join us for the day because she won’t get covered in mud.

And coffee is still needed because the air still have a bit of a chill to it.  As a parent, a coffee is an important accessory to a time out with the children.  Sip and watch, sip and watch.

Dust those sunglasses off, we see something bright and round.  I forget the name of it…is it the sun?  There’s no spring accessory more important than a hot hot husband wearing aviators.

Can someone tell me how to keep those sweet cheeks forever?  Ikey can you stay this way?  When your chubby chubby cheeks jiggle when you run and there’s still something magical about this playground.

Look who grew over the winter.  He ate and ate and grew and grew and look how big he got!  Big and beautiful and perfect.  The true image of a boy with a hole in his jeans, messy blonde hair and a sweet smile on his face…

…but we all know he’s up to no good.

And lastly, there’s nothing like a good spring roll-about in something that smells good.  First you lower yourself to the ground (for her, lowering isn’t hard, she’s already rather low)

Second you get your back right on the sweet spot.

Make sure to apply as much pressure as possible to ensure the maximum scent.  This can be tough when your body is shaped like a sausage.

Finally, relax knowing you did a good job.  There’s even coverage, you were able to get to that itch and now you’ve worn yourself out enough for a good nap.

Ahhhh spring.  We welcome you.

 

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The One That Got Away

For the last year and a bit I’ve had a trusty IUD hanging out in my uteris, stopping any “invaders” from getting at my eggs.  It worked beautifully, as beautifully as I could have hoped.  Birth control, the oral kind, turns me in to a crazy person and all the other options sounded not so much fun.

I believe IUD’s have a 99.9% success rate…

Now don’t get excited.  I’m not having a baby.  There was a baby but it got away.

I looked on my iphone to see when my period was due.  Tomorrow.  Fantastic.  I’m never impressed when it’s about to arrive but arrive it does, always there on the dot to the day, almost to the minute.

Tomorrow arrived but trusty period did not.  I was concerned all day but told myself, IUD IUD IUD IUD…I have the IUD and no babies can be made in this uterus of mine.

Unfortunately when I have a nagging feeling that I’m pregnant, I usually am.  And I was.  That night I peed on a stick and VERY faintly it showed me that little plus sign.  For the first time ever, I saw that plus sign and fell completely in love within seconds.  It was to be born in October, it was going to be scary but beautiful.

You see, me having another baby isn’t responsible.  We can’t afford a bigger car, we have no extra time to spare, what if it has autism too?  Why bring another child in to the world that my eldest son could torment.  Responsible? no.  Desirable? yes.  My mommy heart had not been finished loving people.  As much as it is full of love, it has room to grow, it had a desire to grow.

I took that stick to many people and had them observe it.  Everyone saw that faint faint line.

The next morning I woke up and began to spot.  The tinnnnnieeessst amount of blood but it was there.  I thought it had to be normal seeing there’s a foreign object in a body that’s trying to grow a baby now.  I went to a walk in, waited hours, talked to a very mean doctor.  He told me to go home and wait for a miscarriage and move on with my life.

I cried all the way home.  I knew he could be wrong.  I wanted him to be wrong.

I called a few trusted people and told them to pray.  Pray pray pray hard hard hard hard.  Make this baby stay.  Make it grow.  Make it live so I could love it.

The next day the blood continued, got worse, got harder, but just a little bit.  I was at work and one of the girls asked me if I was ok, I told her the news.  Luckily, she works for my doctor.  He’d been away on vacation for a few weeks but she STILL got me in to see him the next morning.  Bless her bless her bless her.

So off to the doctor’s I went.  I told him the news and that I wanted the baby to stay.  He called the on-call gyno and we made an appointment to meet at the ER that evening.

He was so late.  By that time I was bleeding very hard.  He came in the room and my stomach turned.  Aren’t male gyno’s supposed to be old?  It should be against the law for them to be THAT attractive.  Ugh.  So as I was exposing myself to him and hearing the dreaded “please bring your bum to the very edge of the bed” line, I was mortified.  He took out the IUD and told me I’ve most likely lost the baby.

After numerous blood tests, an incredibly pleasant internal ultrasound and a lot of waiting…I learned the baby was gone.  It was gone, really, before it was even here.  A .1% chance pregnancy was gone.

By that time I really had detached myself from the person who could be in there.  I set myself up for coping with the loss and I feel I coped rather well.  The first week was absolute hell.  I hated waiting.  But as I waited more, it got easier to accept that this baby was probably already in Heaven and I’d never hold it in my arms.

There’s always the relief aspect, let’s be honest.  I was relieved that I wasn’t going to be gigantic at my sister’s wedding in August and that I didn’t have to be pregnant through the summer.  But I wasn’t relieved for the loss, not at all.  The value of whoever was inside of me isn’t greater than the people who are outside of me.  That was a person, just a very very very tiny person.  I mourned who they were and who they may have become.  I absolved myself of any guilt for even having that tiny piece of copper inside of me because I did what I thought was best and…there’s no sense feeling guilty about it.

Now, I’m just kind of numb.  I have a jaded view of having another child.  I don’t know why but now I’m not sure if I want to make any more of them.  Perhaps I feel as though I am broken.  I’m not sure.

Again, it’s not “responsible” for me to get pregnant.  So I won’t.

Mmmmmm Home

Ahhhhh spring break.

The idea of my dear Silas having a break from school is enough to have me shaking in my boots.  This kid needs structure, this kid needs routine, this kid needs SCHOOL!

So, last-minute I decided that if there had to be no school, then we gotta go somewhere.  So off to the wonderful land of sun and evergreen forests.  Lakes and rivers.  Wildlife and snow.  The Cariboo District of British Columbia.  Mmmmmm home.

When you live at the coast, you never experience TRUE quiet.  A kind of quiet that the only noise you hear is your own.  Where you can walk outside and not hear a car or a person or a siren.

The houses here aren’t smooshed together like a can of sardines.  There’s land in-between, yards, trees, grass.  All the houses are nestled in amongst the forest and everyone has their space.

Can you tell I love it out here?

My parents aren’t even here.  My sister Juliet and I met here and my parents left for a vacation of their own.  It’s nice though.  It’s a resort-like house with a hot tub and massive kitchen stocked full of food!  Perfect!

The kids are having so much fun.  Silas just finished his morning run on their treadmill.  He mostly pushed the buttons this time.  His first run, he went for 40 minutes.  Isaac is having fun helping Juliet.  She has a way of getting my kids to do things I can never get them to do.  I guess it’s just cuz I am mom.  I still don’t like my mom telling me what to do ha ha.

We’ve had a few melt downs.  That’s expected when Silas is out of his element but we keep telling him what’s happening next and he seems to do better with that.

I have an endless supply of delicious coffee which I am taking full advantage of.  They have an amazing espresso machine and I’ve been drinking americanos like a crazy person.

Did you know they’re called americanos because the American soldiers couldn’t handle straight espresso so they asked for it to be watered down…and the americano was born.  Thank you wimpy american soldiers.

Yesterday my bestie from highschool came over with her two daughters.  There’s something amazing about growing up together and then having our children together.  Having her almost two-year old call me auntie yeeyah melts me in to a big puddle of goop.  Even more so when she follows it up with a kiss.  Oh Avery.

Her eldest, Emily is a well spoken little stinker butt who also melts my heart when she calls me auntie Leah.  Because their momma, Courtenay, has been accepted into my family as an ACTUAL family member, I love her children like I love my own nieces and nephews.  They could be actual blood and I’d feel no different for them.  They. Are. Family.

Courtenay’s husband has recently acquired his bus license and a school bus to tote his  youth group around in.  He brought it over for my kids to ride in.  He heard Silas had a thing for transportation.

Silas did his wide-eyed, quiet, I’m-taking-everything-in thing for the entire ride.  He took them to the church parking lot where they were able to sit on his lap and “drive” the bus.  Oh the delight.  Isaac felt like such a man.  It was so cute.  I’m glad I got it on video….

 

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You Can

Don’t you hate being told what to do?  Don’t you hate being told you can’t do something you REALLY want to do?

Imagine being at work and doing something wrong in the copy room and having your boss come up to you and say “NO”!  Wouldn’t that kinda suck?

Something I’ve learned a bit from my sister, a bit from reading, a bit from the professionals in my life is that telling a child what they can’t do, is actually opposite of what we should be doing.

Did you know that saying “no” to your child can be harmful to them?

Let me explain the best I can.

Most of us were brought up in an era of “no”.  Lording over your child and stifling their spirit was the norm of the age.  You never heard things like using positive language with your child or not saying no to them.  People often say that parents just need to learn how to say no.

Imagine you had grown up in a stable environment, stable parents, well-balanced with discipline and morals.  When you did something wrong you were told “no”.  When you asked to have a cookie you heard “no”.  Sleepover? “no”.  Boyfriend? “no!!!”

So imagine yourself growing up in a bit of a different way.  The same boundaries, morals, limitations and freedom but instead of hearing “no”, you heard “you can”.

When you did something wrong you heard “not okay”.  When you were asked to have a cookie you heard “you can have a cookie after supper”.  When you wanted a sleepover you heard “you can have a sleepover on the weekend, school nights you stay home”.  Boyfriend? ” we feel you are still a bit young, you can ask again when you are 13 (or 30)”.

What do you think the difference might be?

Do you think maybe your self-esteem might be higher?  Do you think you would have not thrown the temper tantrum over the cookie if you knew you were getting it after supper instead of just hearing “no”?  Do you think hearing “you can” over and over and over again might positively affect your self-worth and feelings of empowerment?  I do.

Actually lots of studies have proven that it DOES effect these parts of you.  Any professional that is dealing with children who has been taught in the last 10 or so years will have been taught to use positive language with the children.  It’s rare to find a good teacher that says no to the kids on a regular basis.

Perhaps we need to stop letting the experts be the only ones who speak expertly to our own children.

When I began using positive language it was REALLY hard.  It’s hard to think up a positive way to say no.  You eventually get the hang over it and, although you’ll never be perfect, you’ll find yourself using it with everyone in your life.  It works really well on husbands

Is there a place for the word no?

certainly.

“no you cannot jump off the roof on to the trampoline”

“no you may not do drugs”

“no you cannot run in traffic”

“no you are not allowed to have sex until you are 30″

The really truly naughty stuff that you’d never ever allow them to do because it isn’t moral or safe?  By all means, say no!! Then it really means something.

“no you cannot have a cookie”  “no you may not do drugs”.  Kinda loses it’s effectiveness after a while.

When it’s something that is morally ok and safe then try your hardest to say yes, if you cannot, just tell them when they can.

I am so happy I talk this way (most of the time) with my children.  It avoids so much whining and tantrums.  They know what to expect, they feel empowered and they understand what’s coming to them.

If they still whine about it I say “a cookie after supper or no cookie at all”.  100% of the time they shut their little whine holes and wait till after supper.

end rant.

Next time: why I think saying “good girl” or “bad boy!!” is dangerous.

 

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Vegetarian-ish

My lips are stained orange from my carrot, beet, lemon juice that I drank while I was shopping in the organic market today.  I didn’t notice until I left, they were very obviously orange.  Next time…straw.  While at the market I found myself searching for protein options, vegetarian burgers, etc.

Just under a year ago I drastically reduced the amount of meat I ate.  You rarely find it served in my home.

The reason?  I watched a crazy documentary called Food Inc. and it changed, even more, the way I view the food industry.  I know these documentaries are biased and they show us the worst.  I know there’s amazing people out there who treat their animals like gold and they’re the only people I purchase meat from.  But I also let myself watch this, it’s called 30 Reasons To Become a Vegetarian put on by Pita.  I encourage you to watch it.  I don’t agree with everything they say…

The part that hit me SO hard what when they said “because animal don’t want to die”.  It’s true.  Animals will fight for their families and their own lives.

It struck a note in me, a big note.  By not eating meat, I’m also craving it less.  I don’t think I will every be vegetarian, seafood is just….there’s no justification for eating seafood but it’s just my very favourite and it makes my body feel good.  I guess it’s easy not to feel sorry for a clam or a shrimp.

Animals don’t want to die.

 

photo from ecofriendlydaily.com

Then I got to thinking, why do human’s think they have any right to take the life of an animal anyway?  Why do we get to be boss?  Why do we get to practically factory manufacture animals for one purpose only and don’t even give them the dignity to even ever see the light of day?  That chicken from the grocery store, it’s never seen the light of day.

But….I’m still “ish” about the whole idea.  I was always a hearty meat-eater.  I always have loved a good chunk of meat.  I love a good steak, really rare.  Hamburgers and pizza, all so delicious.

As Americans we don’t feel quite right if we don’t have some meat at every meal.  It feels wrong.  Dinner must be hot and fleshy.  What if we all ate one vegetarian meal a week?  A day?  A month?  How would that impact the planet?  Water consumption?  heart disease? Air quality?  There’s more to being a vegetarian than feeling sorry for the animals.  It’s cheaper, it’s greener and if you are still getting the protein you need, it’s healthier too.

I can’t stand the smell of cooking hamburger anymore.  It’s just been so long since I’ve had it.  I won’t buy it from the grocery store because the reason you have to cook it ALL the way is because of ecoli.  Where does ecoli come from??  Poop.

There’s poo in your hamburger.  No joking.  Unless, of course, you’re purchasing it direct from the nice farmer down the street but not everyone has access to that.  Isn’t it sad that not everyone has access to poo free hamburger?

I could go on and on and on and on.  But, if you’re interested, just go find out for yourself.

I think, as time goes on, I will become less and less attracted to meat.  I’ll eat it if it’s served to me and I’ll probably enjoy it.  I’ll bring my own options if I don’t want to eat their meat.  I don’t want to be a pest about it but my family and I feel right about how we are doing things.  We are happy without meat.  We love farm fresh eggs and beans and humus and quinoa and hemp hearts and all the other wonderful sources of protein.

What do you think about meat and killing animals because you just can’t get enough hamburgers?

 

 

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Becky Takes a Stand

I don’t know how many of you have been bullied.  I sure have.  Grade 7 was the worst.  Kids would walk behind me whispering “ducky” because I walked with my feet pointed outwards.  I had to stay up all night at grade 7 camp because I found out someone was planning on putting gum in my hair that night.  People twisted my words and made everyone think I was a liar.  I was MISERABLE.  Toothpaste in my hair at sleep-overs, whispers behind my back, rumours and lies.

I actually took my own chances to be a bully to other people that year.  It actually only happened once and who it happened to later became my best friend.  I still feel guilty to this day.  She loves me anyway.  I wish we had found each other that year because we were equally bullied.

School was never easy for me.  Being the “popular” girl came with just as much abuse.  Kids can be so mean, but I wasn’t innocent either.

I can STILL feel the pain from those times.  I was indeed socially awkward and I still inside but I put up a good front.  People think I’m a snob for not making eye contact but….it’s just hard for me.  Eye contact is SO intense, especially when the conversation gets beyond small talk.  I’m working on it.

Moving on, adorable Becky (Lauren Potter) from my favourite show, Glee has joined a campaign to end bullying.  Having Down Syndrome, she has had her share of hard times with bullies.  Her beautiful words on the subject, as well as links to the campaign can be found here.

I worry about my own child.  He’s showing his true colours at school more now.  Yesterday he ran down the hall, screaming his face off because he was at the end of the line.  The more those behaviors come out, the more the kids are going to realize he is different.  The more times they have to listen to him repeating himself about his topics of interest, the more bored they will get of him.

Luckily the parents are understanding.  I’ve started to tell them about him and how special he really is.  All of them have been warm and wonderful about it.  One mom was excited about it because she teachers her daughter about how differences are all ok.  I hope the parents will stay on board with me, educating their children and working with me to help them all respect each other.

I’m so proud of Lauren for standing up for herself.  Her article is definitely worth a read.  You don’t have to start a big campaign but you can start one inside yourself.  Open up yourself to see the beauty in everyone, to realize that differences are ok.  Be an example to the people around you, to your children, to your family.  Don’t point out the differences in people, just point out the good.  Lets end this terrible cycle and keep our children’s bodies and minds safe!!

 

This video is hard to watch, it shows the brutality of what happens to kids but it also shows the bully getting totally owned.  It’s graphic and I feel very bad for everyone.  Behavior is communication, the bully is obviously going through something really hard inside of himself.

 

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Trouble at School

Silas is having a bit of trouble with a boy at school.  I’m worried.

This boy has been through a lot.  I can’t really disclose anything else other than the past year has been a rough road for him.  Him and Silas seem to get on each other’s nerves quite a bit.

Maybe Silas sees him as an easy target, maybe they’re both just agitated and easily bother each other but this is getting to a point where I feel a need to step in.  When Silas pushes this boy, he is DEEPLY effected.  One push can ruin his entire day.  This bothers me to no degree.  I don’t want him having a bad night because my son pushed him.

His mom and I are both on board to do whatever it takes.  I’m going to look into how to help them bond more and try to get some play-dates going.

I’m lucky with the school I picked for my boys.  There’s no bus service.  I stand there with most of the moms and some caregivers every single day while we drop off and pick up our kids.  I’ve never been in a school situation where my mom really got to KNOW the other parents.  We hang out and we chat.  I have a feeling we’re all going to get rather close.  This is so good for Silas because they understand me and him and can help their children keep an open mind about him.

I’m going to write a letter to his teacher stating that Silas needs closer supervision when he is around this boy.  He’s got an aid for goodness sakes, he shouldn’t be able to get his hands on ANYONE.  Where is his aid when this happens?  I mean I fully hold my son responsible for his actions.  As much as he cannot help it, he also needs to have the same expectations as a typical child in that area.

Ooooo a lady bug just landed near me…I love it when that happens…..

I’m just hurt for this boy.  He’s on wait-lists for help but wait lists do nothing for him right now.  I’m going to bring him up at our next team meeting and see if we can’t get some supported play-dates going on between him and Silas.  Perhaps some social stories to go a long with it all.  OOOOO I want to write the boy a social story right now!!!  Too bad I’m in Starbucks with no paper.  I’ll make him one tonight.  I also think I might lend his mommy a few books to enjoy.  I have a feeling we might have an introverted spirited child in there waiting to blossom.

Speaking of such….which isn’t really speaking of such but more going off on a new rant.  I’m thinking of going back to school to eventually be able to work in child psychology.  I want to work with families in all areas.  I want to help them with difficult behaviors, I want to help children through trauma.  I want to work with children of all abilities and help the whole family as a unit by giving them the tools to cope, deal, handle whatever problem they are having.

I also wanna make some good, solid cashola.  Ha ha.

Anyway, I wish I could take this boy in to my home and observe him and see if I can’t help him with the root of his issues.  Him and I have a lot in common.  I’ve been through some of what he has been through.  I feel that I might be able to help him and his mom cope with the situation.  I also think Silas’ trusty therapist, Kim, can get those two boys bonding and liking each other.  She just doesn’t know that yet.

Well…12 more minutes before I leave the cozy confines of this Starbucks.  My luke-warm Sumatra blend in hand.

Have you had trouble like this with your kids at school?  Have any comments?  Please leave them because it makes me feel warm and loved and happy.  Even if it’s a quick hi.  ALSO, please please please “like”  The Informal Matriarch on Facebook.  You can find a link in the right hand side of this page.  Over yonder ——–>

 

Got Wood?

I am trying to write through the fog of the crazy cough syrup I took last night.  A few years back I went to a walk in because I had my third bad cough in a row and I was so fed up.  The wacky doctor gave me this gigantic bottle-o-syrup that’s lasted me this far.  He told me just to keep it in my fridge and it’ll never go bad.  This stuff packs a powerful punch and knocks me right out after giving me happy feelings like rainbows and butterflies do.  This morning I’m zonked, though.  I could sleep more now I think.  But I had a fantastic sleep last night…wow.  I’m sad that I only have half a dose left.  I wonder if I could talk my GP into giving me another bottle of that delicious fairy juice….I’ll use the angle that when I cough too much I get these CRAZY painful muscle spasms that feel like death and dying.

Last time I had one of those puppies I was pacing the floor taking DEEEEEP breaths, longing for some painkiller to make it all go away.  I almost sent my husband down to a neighbour who always had a good, solid amount of Percocet on hand.  My mommy talked me out of that one.  She talked me about of the pain too.  I can conquer those spasms with mass amounts of deep breathing.  But women, lemme tell you this: they hurt just as bad as being 9 cms dilated.  Yup.  I once went to the hospital with them and the nurse told me to stop screaming.  She was being dramatic but still…it was a heavy whimper.  They suck.  Wow what a rabbit trail that was.  Back on course.

Sooooooooooo.  I don’t think I really had a course.

Ummmmm.  Last night we went to our friend’s house, Brad and Kristy.  They just moved MUCH closer to us and we were incredibly stoked about this.  Yesterday evening we made our way over there for supper, let our kids play together and then attempted to put our kids to bed at their house so we could enjoy a rousing game of Cities and Knights of Catan.  Annnnndddd……IT WORKED!  * happy dance *.  The children played so nicely together and went down easily.  We may or may not have drugged them with melatonin but we needed an advantage with this one.  We proceeded to geek out with our game, Kristy kicked all our butts and I came in last.  We all laughed every time someone asked us if we have wood as if we were children.  How is it always funny?

If any of you haven’t heard of or played Settlers of Catan or any Catan game….you must.  It’s a teeny bit nerdy but oh so fun.  It’s kinda like Risk but more complicated.  I bought it for my nephew for his 13th birthday and I think I got everyone addicted to it.    I used to play that game with Brad back in the day when we went to College.  Asking for wood was just as funny then.

Anyway, I guess I’m done rambling.  Tootles.

 

 

Silas’ Autism Supplements

That’s an old photo, but it gives you an idea.  This is what Silas gobbles down every single day to put his body and his brain in the optimal place for him to be successful.  I don’t think they’ll get rid of his autism but they help heal his brain and his body so he can learn as much as he can.

Here’s our supplement list:

Inno-Vite  Inno-Cal-Mag complex liquid softgels

Progressive Multivitamins for Kids

Genuine Health 0mega extra strength

Udo’s Choice Children’s Blend Probiotic

Sisu Co Q10

Jamieson Melatonin (God send)

Sisu Vinpocetine

Annnnnd sometimes when we’re brave enough we shoot him in the bum with b12 shots but man he hates it and it’s super hard for us to do.  He’s got one tender bum bum.

Vinpocetine is a relatively new supplement out there.  Dr. Oz talked about it on his show a few weeks ago and I was like THAT IS PERFECT!  It’s one of the only supplements that crosses the blood-brain barrier.  It brings more blood and oxygen to the brain.  It’s starting to be used as a super effective prevention for Alzheimer’s and has proven effective in many double-blind studies.  It’s supposed to help with brain fog as well.  But what CAN’T it help with?  It’s bringing more blood and oxygen to the brain which means it’s bringing more HEALING to the brain.

Once I heard about it on the show I googled it paired with autism and, yes, it is recommended for people with autism.  It takes about 7 days to take effect and it’s only $14 for 90 of them which I give him one a day.  An adult is supposed to take 3 a day.  So it would only be like $14 a month for an adult to take them.  A pretty cheap thing for what it does.  I’m very excited about this.  Especially when the amount of supplements I have for him in my house are worth about $200.  BUT, I have them all staggered so I hardly ever run out of more than one at the same time so it’s easy to keep them up on our budget.  And it’s not $200 a month…a lot of these last us longer than a month cuz I buy the big big ones.

I can’t tell you exactly what all of these supplements do.  The probiotics obviously keep his digestive system healthy, they cured his ear infections and his eczema.  The omegas are a big deal, every kid needs them.  Your brain is composed mainly of omega fatty acids.  Dr Amen did many studies on the effects of omegas and, with his brain scan work, proved that people’s brains can heal AND get larger with regular supplementation.

The Melatonin is to help him get to sleep, it’s been REALLY great for us.  The Cal-mag is the best form of calcium, it also has zinc which is important for immune function and it also gets rid of copper in the body.  It’s also full of vitamin D and we all know what that’s for.  He doesn’t eat milk products so this is how he gets his calcium.  There are so many benefits of taking a liquid form of calcium that I just cannot even say.  It’s super important, I should be taking them too.  They can also help kids with autism get better sleeps.  We give them to him at night.

The multivitamins aren’t just like the ones you get that are shaped like Flintstones.  Progressive is a super high quality vitamin.  It does have some DHA and stuff in it but not a ton, it also has herbal extracts, green foods and fruit concentrates.

I’m so lucky Silas just swallows this stuff.  What 5-year-old can down those massive horse pills without water and gagging?  I can’t down them like he does, I totally gag.  We’re so blessed by that because we will NOT take the liquid form of these things.  I’ve tried.  Plus using fish oils and hiding them in things….just makes for stinky living.  I don’t care if it says no fishy smell, if a little bit gets on the counter and then you wipe it up and wash the cloth you used…the ENTIRE load smells like fish.

So that’s what we are doing so far.  More will be added, next I am adding something that helps the body with chelation.  It’s called Zinc Carno-E and they advertise especially for autism.  I need to go check out their website and see if it’s really for us but it sounds really fantastic.

So that’s our list thus far.  I’m sure it will grow and change over the course of time.

What supplements are you using with your kids?  Am I missing something really important with what I’m doing?

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