Pea Pie, Columbia!

A Word of Encouragement!

Don't you hate that feeling of doubt that washes over you when your child is doing something that is only a tad odd?  He's sitting in his high chair with a finger in each ear after being up for three hours screaming the night before.  Her eyes just don't look quite right.  He's just not as bubbly as he usually is.  Do you call?  It's a tough decision sometimes!  Especially if you have been in often for things that are hard to detect, such as ear infections.  The only way to really know is for the pediatrician to check.  If you've been through this, you know those guilty feelings that rush to you as  you pick up the phone.  "Am I wasting Dr. R's time today?  Am I being a hypochondriac for my child?"

Here's the thing that you already know, but sometimes need to be reminded of: up to a certain age, your child can't tell you what hurts.  You aren't a doctor.  This is the reason why pediatricians have nurse lines, to begin with, don't be afraid to call!  As a mommy, your instincts are there for a reason, so it's definitely worth it to check with the pediatrician, even if it turns out that nothing is wrong a couple of times.  Trust your gut!

On another note, stay if you haven't subscribed to Pea Pie, Columbia yet, be sure to place your email address in that little box to the left.  There will be some great giveaways starting in the next few weeks!

Babysitting 101

One topic that often arises in a group of moms with children of any age is babysitters.  Finding the perfect sitter is difficult, even in a university town that is so family friendly.  You have to worry about things such as cost per hour, whether or not they are CPR certified, the extent of their experience, and of course... if they get along with you kids.  It took my family months to find a great babysitter.  Before we were able to build a solid list, we went through a couple of doozies.  The one who decided to tell me that she had spent the previous weekend getting drunk and shaving her roommate's Pomeranian to the skin really sticks out in my mind!  It was almost enough to make me want to forget about ever going out to dinner again.  But soon we were able to get a couple in rotation who were responsible and had nanny experience!  If you keep looking, there are plenty of great sitters out there.

So, how do you find the one (or three)?  Check out the tips below!

- Church!  If your church has a day care or nursery workers, quiz them on if they babysit after hours.  Also, ask your friends who go to church with you.  You know that you share at  least some of the same values, so you may share the same sense of what  you want in a sitter.  Two of our favorites were found through church!

- Work colleagues: Does someone whom you know well at the office have a teenage or college-age child?  You know the person well and you see them every day.  Also, if you have a coworker who does not have children or is an empty-nester, these make great sitters who are going to want to do well for you because you see them daily.  One of our last-minute go-to's is my husband's former cubicle-mate who is unmarried, but settled.  She knows us well enough to know what we want for our son!

-Get bold! The Starbuck's near my house is my son's favorite stop.  All of the employees drop what they are doing to say hi to him and make him feel famous!  One barista in particular was so good with him, I finally asked her if she babysat.  It turned out that she's a CPR certified babysitter who has taken care of children of friends of mine, therefore she automatically had tons of references I could trust.  Columbia isn't that big a place, so you never know unless you ask!

-Services:  There are some trusted nanny services around town that are run by people who just genuinely love children and understand the plight of finding a quality sitter.  Ask other mothers if they have tried one.  Generally you pay a per-hour fee, a portion of which goes to the service, or you pay the service a monthly fee and then pay the sitter directly.  One service of note is Child Minders (803.787.7009).  For services,  you want to give at least a week's notice the first time you call.

The next question is, how much are you going to pay?  In general in Columbia, the going rate is $7 to $15 an hour for a single child, and you can add $3 to $5 for that for additional.  We pay our high schoolers $7 and our college girls $10, with tips when necessary (special circumstances like running late or coming home to find a sick baby).

It really all comes down to networking.  You ask around and trust the judgment of those you trust for any other personal service you use in your life, the same is true here.  Just make sure to check references and give your child the chance to meet the sitter before you leave them with her.  It takes time, but you will eventually have a great list of people to call on!

The Itchies!

Last summer, my son developed a bad case of the scalies on his upper arms.  After learning that it was eczema, I have become pretty vigilant about what types of products come into contact with his skin.  The cause of eczema isn't really known, but after speaking with our pediatrician and doing a little reading, we deduced that there may be a link to my own allergic conditions, which include dry skin, severe seasonal allergies, and asthma.  We also noticed that certain materials that we would wear would cause his skin flare into a bright red when he came into contact with them.  After chatting further with our pediatrician and with friends, I started using the following tips, and breakouts have slowed down considerably:

- Switch to perfume-free, non drying bath products for your child.  We use Mustela's Stelatopia line which can be found at specialty stores such as Urban Nirvana.  Regular soap can be drying, but many other bath products also contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a substance used to produce lather which also strips oils from the skin.

- Smear Aquaphor over your child after every bath.  It doesn't make putting their jammies on any easier, but it packs in a lot of moisture.  It can also be used for diaper rash and other skin irritations.

- Use perfume-free, dye-fee laundry products.  All, Seventh Generation, Method, and Tide all have free and clear lines, and Bounce even has dye-free, perfume-free dryer sheets.  Sometimes I do miss the slight scent of detergent when I pull a shirt on, but it's definitely worth it.

- Now that we are in (and out, and in again, and out again) the midst of outdoor play season, protect skin with a chemical free sunscreen.  Blue Lizard is my personal favorite (and is carried by Blue Moon Outfitters), but Burt's Bees and California Baby also come highly recommended.  Use small dollops... a little goes a long way!

- Use a natural bug repellent.  In Columbia, where we are outnumbered by mosquitoes during warm months, making ourselves invisible to them is a must.  Products like Burt's Bees Herbal Insect Repellent are great alternatives to others which contain DEET.  The smell is a bit strong at first, as the formulation contains aromatic herbs such as rosemary oil and lemon grass.  However this product is also great on dry skin.  It is an oil spray, so it takes some rubbing in.

- Dump the synthetic fibers.  Materials such as polyester and nylon are known to irritate eczema-prone skin.  Itchy wool should also be avoided.  Instead, opt for natural and/or organic fibers like cotton and silk for clothing and bedding.

Tips such as these have helped keep my son's skin better hydrated in a world of chemicals and irritants.  With green living on the forefront of our pop culture (and it's about darn time!), products free of skin-drying irritants are more easily accessible.  If your child has sensitive or eczema-prone skin, keep your eye out for the products listed above and even more that are sure to come to market in the coming months!