Kelly Bonanno

Your soulful coach for eco friendly living, organic beauty & wellness Savvy | Sexy | Beautiful | Healthy | You

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Would You Know How To Tell If Someone Was Drowning? It’s Not As Easy As You Might Think

Playing in the pool, hitting the surf, water skiing at the lake… summer fun is here and I plan to enjoy every minute! Not to put a damper (pun intended) on the water play, but did you know that drowning does not look the way you think it might? This is such important information which is why I post it every summer.

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Drowning is quiet. It is not often obvious that the person is in distress. There isn’t all the splashing we see in movies. When someone is drowning, they make very little noise or no noise at all because they are trying to breath.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning, by marine safety specialist, Mario Vittone is a very helpful article. In it, he talks about what drowning really does look like, signs to watch out for and what to do.

“It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) — of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening…”

You really can’t take your eyes off of your kids for even a minute. Drowning victims are typically unable to speak or wave their arms for help so you must be aware of what’s going on in the water at all times.

Water safety is crucial, it takes only a few short minutes for someone to drown. Even the strongest swimmer is at risk when someone pushes him in or jumps on top of him.

Check out his article, it’s valuable information we can all need to know, particularly this time of year. Please share this post on Facebook & Twitter, Pin it & forward it to everyone you know who has kids, keep them safe this summer!

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Happy Mother’s Day! ?

“Children are the anchors of a mother’s life” ~Sophocles

My why. My Boys ?

My why. My Boys ?

How lucky am I to be their mommy?! I am in awe of how much God must love me to bring these two boys into my life. I am blessed beyond measure ? Jackson and Joey enrich my life everyday… the lessons motherhood has taught me are more valuable than any other.

The loves of my life ♡

The loves of my life ♡

 

I read somewhere that being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do… so very true for me. 

 

May all of you loving, hardworking moms have a day filled with love, laughter & what we all REALLY want for Mother’s Day ~ rest, relaxation & harmony! NO cooking, cleaning, running around or fulfilling requests!!! 

“No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother’s love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star” ~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

♥ ♥ ♥ 

Missing my Beautiful Mother ?

Missing my Beautiful Mother ?

She had an abundance of style, class & grace… & a whole lot of spunk too!

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Unwrapping Smartphones: Is Your Child Ready?

Guest Post by Cassie Brewer

‘Tis the season for blinking lights, soulful tunes, family traditions, and of course: a child’s wish list of toys and gadgets they long to see under the tree come December 25th. As our children plot and plan their detailed lists of wants and desires, many parents are noticing that at the top of our son’s and daughter’s beloved Christmas list is a Smartphone.1

Before we place a wrapped Smartphone under the tree this year, we first need to consider a child’s ability to handle responsibility.

It is estimated that three quarters of eight year olds and younger children have access to “smart” devices. And it’s not just our youngest family members dreaming of cell phones and tablets. Roughly 78 percent of all teens own mobile phones- with a majority upgrading to Smartphone technology.

Even though our kids are using handheld technology, they might not possess the necessary skills to safely handle the responsibility of digital citizenship. Before surprising a child with a phone of their own this holiday, answer the following questions:

  • Can my son or daughter take care of their belongings?
  • Does he or she demonstrate good reasoning or judgment skills?
  • Is my child able to grasp the concept of social media permanence?
  • Has the family discussed social media etiquette?

Tips For Dialing A Merry Christmas

If you answered “yes” to the majority of the questions posed, your child might be ready for a Smartphone. As parents, we need to be prepared before introducing a world of disappearing messages, sexting, online predators, and cyberbullies into our child’s life.

Unlike the man in the big red suit, many of us haven’t mastered the ability to magically know what our son or daughter is doing at all times. Listed below are six tips to keep a child safely snapping selfies and sending emojis to their friends long after the ornaments are put away:

  • Know common dangers trolling the Internet and social media. Sexting is now viewed as normal development and rates of cyberbullying still continue to rise.
  • Develop a family technology contract that lists all consequences and expectations for proper Smartphone ownership.
  • Help children and teens set their privacy settings to make sure they are protected.
  • Have a conversation about social media etiquette, social permanence, online predators, sexting, and cyberbullying.
  • Utilize monitoring software to access a child’s cell phone and Internet activity to ensure they are safely using technology.
  • Keep devices in common living areas and limit access to bedrooms. Children are less likely to get into trouble if they know mom or dad can walk in any minute. Also, you will be helping a child get a good night’s sleep without the glow of a screen or messages interrupting their shut eye.

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Spread Joy & Love This Holiday Season With Operation Christmas Child

It’s common knowledge that helping others makes us feel good. Research suggests that it also offers health benefits

In the book, The Healing Power of Doing Good, Alan Luks and Peggy Payne set out to show how one’s physical health improves along with emotional well-being when we volunteer. They theorize about what they call the “helpers high,” similar to what runners feel when endorphins are released. One of my favorite ways to give back is through Operation Christmas Child [OCC].1530FJ-F-1355hscreenOCC-320x273

Samaritan’s Purse International Relief is a non-profit organization that provides emergency relief all over the world to victims of disease, war, natural disaster and famine. Operation Christmas Child has been distributing gift filled shoe boxes to underprivileged children in over 130 countries for nearly 2 decades.

Samaritan’s Purse was named one of CNBC’s top 10 charities changing the world in 2015!

It’s really fun to put the shoe boxes together, takes very little money, and truly means a lot to the children.

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Your shoe box will bring more joy than you could imagine

Get crackin’ on your boxes, national shoe box collection week is coming up: November 16 – 23. Visit their website, choose a gender and age group and fill a shoe box. They have instructions on their site with a list of suggestions on what to put in the boxes, things like small toys, markers, note pads, candy, even a toothbrush; or you can order materials.

They make it easy, all you do is pack the shoe box and take it to a local drop off station and they send them off. You can also make a direct donation or build a box on their site.

Get your kids involved. I love putting the shoe boxes together and my kids have fun helping me choose the goodies to fill them with. It’s important for my kids to see that not everyone is as fortunate as they are.
6714_eblast_what_comes_out_of_box_headerDoing charitable work helps kids become caring well-rounded individuals, particularly in the world we live in. They must be absorbing the message, one afternoon a few summers ago, my boys set up a stand to collect donations for The Children’s Hospital, then they went through their toys picking out things to donate to homeless kids – all on their own accord! It was a proud parental momemt. And it certainly was a nice change of pace form the usual, “can we have this… can we do that!?”
♥
Although the items in these boxes are simple little things, for some of these kids, it might be the first gift they ever receive. It means so much to them and helps make their Christmas morning a little brighter
♥

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5 Healthy Alternatives to Kids’ Favorite Foods

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My loves ?

When was the last time your child asked you for a plate of steamed vegetables? In this junk food obsessed culture, the likelihood is never. Providing our kids with a healthy diet is a constant battle for parents in this country where the food supply is horrendous and we spend more than 110 billion dollars on fast food every year.

Over 30 percent of children in America under age 17 are overweight. Kids are the target market for all the junk food out there. If we completely deprive them of the foods they love they’ll obsess about them even more, but it’s our job to make sure they’re getting proper nutrition.

Many of their favorite foods are unhealthy, but fortunately there are some delicious alternatives. These are some that I don’t feel so guilty about serving to my boys, I bet your kids will like them too.

Smoothies, healthy treats 038Hot Dogs We are busy moms. There are nights when we just want to throw down a quick and easy meal that we don’t have to put much thought into. Hot dogs are super easy, and what kid doesn’t love them? They are notorious, however, for containing meat by-products, fillers, and nitrates.

If you want to avoid these unhealthy additives, a few good options are Applegate Farms, Organic Prairie, and Coleman Natural. My kids love hot dog night, and honestly, cooking these up with a side of veggies and a piece of fruit doesn’t take much more time than waiting in line at the drive-thru. Actually, takes less time 😉

Mac n’ Cheese When you’re pressed for time or just do NOT feel like doing any real cooking (which for me is always!), mac n’ cheese is a great go to. Forget Kraft. Most kids I know like Annie’s Organic. My recipe for mac n’ cheese is honestly almost as easy, find it here. 

Pancakes Love to make pancakes every Sunday morning? Look for a mix that’s made with organic stone ground whole grain flour, pure raw evaporated cane juice or pure raw sugar, and aluminum-free leavening. I make them even healthier by adding ground flax seeds and wheat germ. (My kids don’t even notice.) The recipe calls for oil, so opt for a healthy option like grape seed oil, then top with a little 100 percent pure maple syrup. My kids love them! Try Bob’s Red Mill

PB & J Without a doubt, only give your kids organic peanut butter. Organic peanut butter is not permitted to be grown with pesticides or the fungicides commonly used in growing peanuts. An even healthier option? Organic almond butter or organic cashew butter and use sliced bananas instead of jelly (Elvis loved PB & banana sandwiches! Thank you very much.)

Environkids 010Cereal Cereal makes hectic mornings easier. Who has time for much more when you’re making lunches and trying to get your kids out the door on time? But most brands are full of sugar. Fortunately, there are many great alternatives on store shelves that do not have partially hydrated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. My kids love Envirokids, Barbara’s and 3 Sisters Cereal. They all have several varieties. Three Sisters uses renewable wind energy in their production and the cereals come in a freshness saver bag instead of a box, so a few trees are spared as well. My kid’s favorites are Cinnamon Sweets, which is their alternative to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Marshmallow Oaties, their version of Lucky Charms. My kids say these are even better than the unhealthy sugar-laden brands! That’s not to say they don’t beg me for Froot Loops once in while.

Which healthy alternatives do your kids love?

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Review: Oh My DeVita Baby Shampoo & Body Wash

I’m a big fan of Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30 by DeVita so I was happy to check out their baby products. I’m always interested in products that are truly pure.

Full Group with Solar 0229There’s a lot to like about Oh My Devita Baby Shampoo & Baby Wash: It’s vegan, tear free, gentle on sensitive skin, packaging is recyclable and most importantly, it is certified organic, paraben free and it does not contain artificial fragrance, sodium lauryl sulphate or nanoparticles. What are nanoparticles? Nanoparticles are very hazardous because they cross the cell barrier and drive into organs, including the brain. I’ll be talking about it in a future post. Suffice it to say, you want to stay away from any products made with  nanotechnology.

The true test? Does my son like Oh My Devita Baby Shampoo & Baby Wash? Drum roll please… He loves it! He just turned 8 so this stuff isn’t just for babies, mamas! Jackson told me he loves the smell. And I love the way the he smells after bathing with the Calming Calendula. I even tried it and liked it! It’s not a typical ‘baby wash’ smell, just a nice fresh scent. It also comes fragrance free. There is nothing cuter than a little boy fresh out of the bath, cozy in his jammies! Good snuggle time.

The nice thing is, you can feel safe bathing your child with this because it doesn’t have toxic chemicals that are found in most baby products. Our children’s systems are quite delicate so, over time, harmful chemicals really affect them adversely. I am writing a series of posts that will include the ingredients you want to steer clear of so stay tuned.

The Oh My Devita Baby line includes, Hey Sunshine Solar Protection, Flutterby Baby Brulee Lotion, Bubbly Babies Shampoo & Body Wash, Powder Puff Baby Powder and Butter Cheeks Baby Balm. Be sure to follow Oh my DeVita Baby on Twitter  and Facebook.

*Savvy Suburban received product to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

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The Scary 7: 7 Ingredients To Keep Out Of Your Kid’s Lunches

Healthy Child Healthy World & Naturally Savvy are on a mission to get parents to send their kids to school with healthier lunches! I’m joining that mission & you should too. Keep the ‘Scary 7’ ingredients out of your child’s lunches and you’ll be on the right track. Frankly, NO meal for children or adults should contain any of these unhealthy ingredients.

Check out their free eBook,  “Label Lessons: UNJUNK Your Kids Lunch Box!” Learn more about healthy eating and help raise $$$ while raising awareness with one click ~ just share this! Post it on your Facebook & Google + wall, Tweet it and all that good stuff. Leave a message in the comments letting us know what your kids favorite healthy lunch meal is.

 

Post by Healthy Child Healthy World.

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2 Natural Ways To Combat Lice

Guest Post by Tammy Mahan

Natural ways to combat lice are just as successful as the toxic chemicals sold in stores without being harmful! Here are two of the best all-natural treatments for combating those pesky bugs that feed off your scalp and lay their eggs in your hair shafts

If you are not fond of the idea of putting poisonous chemicals on your head let alone your child’s head, then you will like these natural non-toxic methods of getting rid of those nasty suckers! Almost everything you will need to kill the lice and eggs with can be found in your local grocery store or even your kitchen cupboards. You will need a lice comb or a long very fine tooth comb, plastic wrapm gloves and two old towels.

lice 3

OLIVE OIL & MAYO 

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Mayonnaise
  • Essential oils (a few drops of tea tree oil, peppermint, or eucalyptus)
  • One to two ounces of regular shampoo
  • White vinegar

Directions

  • Combine ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, put gloves on
  • Cover head with the mixture
  • Wrap hair up in a bun on top of the head
  • Wrap tightly with plastic wrap twisting a rubber band around the top of the plastic wrap to hold it in place
  • Let the mixture set on the head for one to one and a half hours
  • Rinse with hot water three or four times (not so hot that it burns the scalp)
  • Pour half the bottle of vinegar over the clean hair and rinse with hot water and repeat until the vinegar is gone.
  • Place a towel around the child’s neck area so it covers the front and back of them
  • Place another towel on the floor under them
  • Use the fine tooth comb to comb the hair, be sure to start at the scalp and comb small sections of hair at a time
  • As you comb the hair the dead lice, nits and eggs should fall out (editors note: gross!)
  • Throw the towels away
  • Check your child’s head the next day and make sure all the lice and eggs are gone – they should be
  • In the unlikely event that a few survived, repeat the process above

CONDITIONER & OLIVE OIL  

Ingredients

  • One to two ounces of a heavy duty non-toxic conditioner
  • 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • High-grade essential lavender oil (optional)
  • Shampoo

Directions

  • Mix the conditioner and olive oil together add a few drops of lavender, put on the gloves
  • Wet hair with hot water (do not burn the scalp)
  • Apply the mixture and let it set on the head for 15 to 20 minutes
  • Separate the hair into small sections and comb through. The lice, nits, and eggs should all slide right out
  • Rinse the hair with hot water until the mixture is all out
  • Check the hair to make sure all the lice, nits, and eggs are gone
  • If there are still some lice, nits or eggs left repeat – once all the lice, nits and eggs are gone, wash the hair with shampoo and conditioner

Re-check hair for the next 10 days – nits can lay eggs up to 10 days and then you have to start all over again.

Tammy Mahan is a certified natural health consultant and contributor for Healthline.com on natural health and medical related topics.

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How To Find Safer Sunscreen Protection

I love the smell of Coppertone… brings back fond memories of my childhood. Oooh and baby oil… I’d slather that stuff all over my body in hopes of achieving that deep dark tan. If we only knew! Not only were we damaging our skin but that pleasant smell of Coppertone is a highly toxic synthetic fragrance.

file9151265810349In my post, You Know The Sunscreen You’re Using Is Toxic, Isn’t Time To Make A Healthier Choice? I detailed the harmful chemicals that most sunscreen brands contain. Because the FDA does not conduct any safety testing on sunscreen, we consumers have to be savvy about what we use. It’s infuriating, we’re trying to protect ourselves from skin cancer but the damn sunscreen itself contains carcinogens. So what the hell are we supposed to do?!

Don’t worry, there are alternatives. There are brands that offer quality sunscreen without the harmful chemicals that get a good rating on the Environmental Working Group sunscreen report. Look for products that have zinc oxide made without nanotechnology. Zinc is a physical barrier against the sun’s rays that does not get absorbed by the skin. The sun’s rays break down chemical sunscreens and you have to reapply them frequently. The physical sunscreens do not break down so they protect your skin from the sun longer.

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SPF 15 & 30, sunscreen stick and lip balm with SPF 15

California Baby and Badger are good but they do leave a white film on the skin (which my 11 year old won’t tolerate!) , UV Natural is good but a bit greasy.

I like Solar Protective MoisturizerSPF 30 by Devita Skin Care. It’s good for us gals because it contains hyaluronic acid which gives a little anti-aging boost.

I know sunscreen sprays are convenient and easy to use but they are especially harmful because we inhale the ingredients as well as absorb them.

Protect Your Health, Protect The Environment

Lake Arrowhead 009Avoiding sunscreen with toxic ingredients is not only important for our health, it’s important for the environment. After we slather ourselves with it, it washes off into the ocean harming sea life. According to a study conducted by Environmental Health Perspectives in 2008, these chemicals are killing the coral reef.

Research shows that octinoxate, oxybenzone, parabens and camphor derivatives kill hard corals which could have a negative impact on biodiversity and reef ecosystems. Help inform your friends – tweet this, share it on Facebook & send it to friends, especially those with kids. No one should use sunscreen with harmful chemicals and with all the safe alternatives, they don’t have to.