Friday 27 January 2012

Article 4: Advice on Cloth nappies.

This article was first featured on the Stay at Home Mum - the Secret to Living on One Wage website: http://www.stayathomemum.net.au/ and I thank Jody for letting me share it here!

Advice on cloth nappies, why I use them. Well, apart from being a bit of a greenie and neo-hippy, I do feel they’re a better approach to bagging your baby’s bottom as you not only save money in the long run, but the resources used to create some of the modern wonders in cloth called a nappy are less taxing on our earth and environment than some disposables.
Don’t get me wrong, I DO use disposables too, but my preferred option IS cloth. I won’t name specific brands, but modern cloth nappies are more than just your good old terry towelling square. There are pockets, pre-folds, all in ones, swimmer nappies, Velcro or snappy studs, cotton, wool, hemp and even bamboo! With the right liner, one that is toilet flushable, biodegradable and even septic tank friendly, most “used solids” get flushed away like your own, and sometimes the nappies themselves don’t even need a soak. Just keep them in a nappy bucket, when its full, put them through as a load, soak setting if required. If you DO need to soak, think of your garden as my roses simply LOVE a good nappy bucket drink, sadly the rosemary didn’t. Do, however, consider the nappy soaker you may also use and go for a grey water friendly option.
Some people say “cloth nappies would take time away from playing with my children as I’d be washing all day.” Well, you don’t have to hand wash them you know, both top and front loaders CAN get them clean! And, I find I’m soaking and washing kids clothes pretty much every day as my kids get mucky through their indoors, outdoors explore everything to the fullest lifestyle. If I’m not washing and soaking their clothes, I’d have them running around naked a lot more often than they already do!
 “Cloth nappies are expensive!” Well, so are disposables, you just don’t see their cost as its spread out over the years rather than upfront. Some cloth nappies ARE expensive, but you need to look into the quality of materials used, the time taken, etc. AND! Think of the amount of times they can then be used. Then there’s the “they leak!” Well, sorry to disappoint the disposable loving world, but so do they! Sometimes you’re baby is going to achieve something so great that no nappy will keep it in, hence the washing machines mentioned earlier.
There is the belief that cloth nappies cause nappy rash. Well, my middle child had TERRIBLE nappy rash in all disposables, even those highly expensive, everyone raves they’re the best, brands. Put her in a cloth nappy with some lovely micro fibre organic cotton boosters and an unbleached, chemical free liner and no rash! My son now uses her old ones (yes, he does look interesting in pink nappies) but again, no rash. With him, there is also the added bonus of his cute little bum dance when the nappy is too wet for his liking. J

Article 3: Diaries of a Haus Frau - Conversations at The Breakfast Table.

Another article from my Diaries of a Haus Frau. Written in 2011.

As many a fellow Haus Frau with kids could tell you, when our little darlings decide to impart their wisdom on the world, there is never a dull moment. I find this doubly so at the breakfast table, where my girls (and I’m sure boy, once he’s decided to let us hear him talk), tend to hold most of their high end discussions. Occasionally it’s about usual kid’s topics, like the pros and cons of Sam as the Yellow Wiggle Vs Greg as the Yellow Wiggle. More often, though, they use it as a time to impart all wisdom learnt in the day or week just gone. An example of this touched on in a previous article, was their interpretation of my Anatomy and Physiology book. The latest one beats this hands down: the discussion of aquatic creatures and their phylum.

Now, without seeming too vain, I am not a dumb person. I’ve even been lucky enough to be pegged as above average in intelligence. But when my daughters started discussing and cross examining each other’s information as to the correct phylum of said watery beasties, I found myself having to scramble for Google to not only keep up, but check how accurate they were. And, bugger me, they were spot on! My 6 year old (known in scholarly circles as a sponge of knowledge) was explaining the correct classifications of sea creatures and the subcategories (phylum) to my 3 year old (with the “old soul” as I’m often told).

My 6 year old started by stating the most common found species classifications, such as arthropods, molluscs, invertebrates and so on, and then listing what sort of creatures fit into it. She also gave a brief explanation as to what each type of classification meant. Arthropod: jointed leg or foot, invertebrate: contains a backbone.... I knew a lot, but had to confirm it. Can you see why I was Googling away?

Actually, what had me scrambling for the search engine was her mini lecture as to why octopus and squid are classified as molluscs, despite them also being known as cephalopods (head and foot being the same body part, in case you’re going cross eyed). I was then asked to step in and adjudicate at another point when they couldn’t agree on the phylum (a primary subdivision in the natural world, thanks Wiki!) of the common garden variety sea star..... Being Echinoderm, thanks Google!

When things almost came to blows over prawns being not only a crustacean, but actually an invertebrate aquatic insect, (so when you eat any crustacean, you’re eating a bug, ew!) I had to step in. I’m also so glad I don’t eat seafood....

When asked to maybe finish their breakfast and play nicely together, I was actually silently marvelling at their school and the wondrous things they’re teaching my kids. Thinking “they don’t get that from me, surely?”

I, however, brought myself back down to earth from singing Montessori’s praises minutes later when, breaking up their latest heated discussions as to why a snake can’t be a monotreme, I stepped in and explained that only a platypus or echidna could be a monotreme as they’re a mammal-like species that lays eggs while also having mammary glands. Oh how the lecturing tone (similar to the one my eldest had) shocked me. Then my darling and always so attentive husband piped up that they WERE a phylum of mammals, not a similar species. To which we ALL got into the discussion and turned back to the Internet and its fountain of knowledge. Damn hubby for being right.

So, if you ever wonder HOW your kids can talk about the darndest things, listen to your own conversations from time to time. Them apples of your eyes didn’t fall too far from the tree. 

Article 2: Diaries of a Haus Frau - Why Stay Home?


Article from my "Diaries of a Haus Frau" where I take a moment out of my day of raising young kids in today's over protective, really quiet silly, world.



This one is from a couple of years ago when I had the ability to stay home full time....



I know I’m not unique in being a stay at home mum who devotes my time to the care of young children, attempting to keep a clean house, tidy garden and books balanced.

Instead of being insulted by belonging to the employment status of “Home Duties”, I revel in the experience of being there to raise my 3 children aged 5 and under (despite any complaining you may hear, of course). It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else, unless you happen to work collectively as a cleaner, zoo keeper, gardener, accountant, personal assistance, medical receptionist, taxi driver, not so secret shopper, peace keeper, laundry attendant (to name a few) each day. It’s a 24/7 job that doesn’t end just because the “apples of your eye” are asleep at night. There’s still cleaning, mending, sorting and, as I’m obviously a sucker for punishment, studying.

An example of the joy of parenting is that I co-sleep with our 14 month old. How amazing is it that someone so small can take up so much of a king sized bed that he’s meant to be sharing with myself and hubby? I also still breastfeed. So, combining these two, I’m pretty much an open bar all night and tend to get maybe 2 hours solid sleep…. Until my husband’s alarm clock goes off at 5:30am, at which time I seem to fall into a heavy sleep until greatly annoyed by my alarm clock going off at 6:30am.

Okay, so maybe a better example is trying not to interrupt my 5 and 3 year old girls breakfast conversations as they interpret their mummy’s anatomy and physiology studies over toast. Recently it was the correct term for your shoulder blade; one felt it was the scapula, the other the clavicle. Followed by whether fingers were metacarpals and toes were metatarsals, or visa versa. Where the phalanges came into it and, most importantly, could you REALLY lick your own elbow? Or was assistance from a sibling just as good?

There’s always the fine line of what exactly the child is doing. My 5 year old, when about 3, was asked to not jump on the bed. Her sage reply was that she wasn’t jumping on the bed, but on the doona. It just happened to be ON the bed at the time, which was a mere coincidence. Yes, we’re hoping she goes to law school too.

House cleaning with ones so young is another dream come true. That is, of course, if my sarcasm font is working properly. I’m just thankful the 5 year old spends all day at school as, despite the ordeal of getting everyone together for the school runs, it does make a difference in the in-between time at home. For instance, two small children play well together. Three small children tend to result in two ganging up, or totally ignoring, the one. To keep it fair, they tend to take turns which this is. If the older two get too bored, they can use their younger brother as a toy and see exactly what they can do to him before he gives the game away and screams for mummy.

Ways I’ve learnt to adapt my cleaning methods include: strapping the 14 month old into his high chair so I can empty and load the dishwasher. This is because we have a dishwasher that sits in the middle of our kitchen and anytime someone decides to climb in and sit on the open lid, it tends to want to fall on top of him. And any dishes piled on top, wish to join him on the floor. When we can afford the kitchen renovation, this issue will be gone. I’d say he’ll be in high school by then and can do the dishes himself!

Another is doing the ironing from inside our hexagonal playpen. I mean, what is the point of a playpen? To keep the baby away from things you don’t want them to touch, right? Having had three children, I learnt early that it’s best if I set up my ironing inside the pen and let the children free range around me. Though the day they learn how to switch the iron on and off at the power point is the day you tend to wonder whether you applaud them for learning something new, scream from the sheer frustration, or say “fair enough, I needed a cuppa anyhow”.

Being a stay at home mum: Never a dull moment!

Article 1: Diaries of a Haus Frau (Aka The Haus Frau Compendium)

Introduction to my column on the joys, fears, tears and every day living as a Haus Frau... It's really just a composition of little household tips and tricks, dished out with a large helping of sarcasm in places and truthful, helpful knowledge in others.

A modified version of this was won me a prize on the Kleenix Mum's website last year. Lovely over night bag as my prize too. ;-)

 We will start with explaining what exactly a Haus Frau is to see if you qualify for the title. A Haus Frau is a female (though there is the rare breed the Haus Mensch; we will touch on him later) who may appear to stay at home so not having to go to a 9 to 5 job, but whose duties can consist of some to all of the following:
  • Head of the household (not in the sense of earning the most money, but as in the person who runs the joint).
  • Person responsible for majority of cleaning and maintaining of house and garden.
  • The carer of small to not so small children (ie: the bigger ones they married).
  • The account receivable and payable section of the home for all bills.
  • Main provider of meals, cooked or purchased as she was too tired to do so.
  • Purchaser of all items required by household, some psychic ability is required.
  • Washer, ironer, mender and remover of all clothing worn by entire household.
  • Garbage removalist (though she may have a man or child sub contracted into the role).
  • Mender of boo boos, fixer of toys and mediator of arguments.
  • The financial advisor and budgeter.
  • Buyer, wrapper and sometimes giver of all gifts.
  • Event organiser and reminder of the basic to important anniversaries, school excursions, holidays, etc.
  • The entertainment for none school aged children.
  • Animal welfare and protection (mostly from said small children).
  • Medical receptionist who troubleshoots before calling for specialist consultation.
  • Trainer of toddlers from food to walking to “not on the floor, in the potty!”
  • School taxi, school bus, call it what you like just get out and don’t forget your lunch!
There are many variants on these duties and others that are added depending on lifestyle. Being a Haus Frau is a full time job, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... Often squeezed in on top of any actual "paid work" some women have the pleasure of also needing to do. However, I do wish to emphasise that a Haus Frau is not someone who:
  • Drops kids off, leaves a ‘to do’ list for the help and goes shopping.
  • Prioritises hair and beauty appointments over getting that odd stain out of the carpet.
  • Spends 80% of the week out with friends for coffee (possibly attired as if they’ve been to the gym, even though they haven’t).
  • Uses child care as a way to keep the house clean so she can spend her time socialising, rather than dealing with children.
  • Has a child as an accessory they can hand over to the help when it no longer matches her outfit or agenda.
As for the Haus Mensch, they are indeed a rarer breed and even rarer yet if they actually do more than 50% of the duties of the Haus Frau listed above and not expect the wifey to do it when she gets home from work. A true Haus Mensch also knows that just because his partner earns more than him, doesn’t mean he can’t leave her the last chocolate from time to time!

There is no holiday or sick leave given to the Haus Frau. Rarely any thanks either. But, in their own special way (when looked for really, REALLY hard through squinty eyes), she will see how much her family loves her, cherishes her and wouldn't be able to manage without her. This last fact is usually obvious when the Haus Frau has to be away from the house for more than a day. The occasional pat on the bum at the kitchen sink, sticky cuddle or well meant "This is a picture of you with your angry face" drawing can go a long way, if allowed.

Best suggestion to anyone wanting to become a Haus Frau, go for it! The benefits of the little gems husbands and children share with you can make it worth while. Embrace their mess, their need for a referee, judge, cook, cleaner, driver, etc. Knock yourself out! And once you wake back up, remember to keep a tally and remind them when they're older and its surprising what the rewards can be.