Why Creativity and Self-Expression are Important to Little KidsWritten by Sherry Frewerd
Can you draw a straight line? Most adults don’t consider themselves artistic. Parents do, however, worry about their toddler’s art abilities. As a child care provider for past 10 years, I’ve had many discussions with parents about ‘how their toddler is doing’ as far as getting ready for preschool or kindergarten. They worry a lot about final product of their toddler’s art projects. I try to explain to them that art is not just knowing how to draw a flower or a puppy, or whether or not little Jason colors in lines. Little kids need to experience self-expression and ‘doing of art’ more than having a page from a coloring book to hang on refrigerator. When a two-year old puts his chubby little hand in a tub of finger paint and happily smears all of colors together on paper or when he makes yet another ‘snowman’ out of play-doh, he’s creating. Granted, he will certainly tell you that his painting is his dad’s truck even though you ‘just can’t see it.’ The important thing to remember is that by allowing our little kids to experience art in their own way, we let them show us how they see world around them, how they feel and think. I always enjoy art time with my toddler and preschool age groups. Yeah, they can make a mess, but they just wiggle with excitement when I take out ‘arts & crafts’ tub of supplies! Having been a military wife and lived in a few different places, I’ve always returned to providing home day care. As a result, I’ve had to make do with whatever space I can find in various homes we’ve lived in. There’s not always a lot of room, but art can take place just about anywhere. I’ve found that activity is most effective when it’s pre-planned and when I’ve set goals for activity.
| | Natural Healthy Cleaning With Tea Tree Essential OilWritten by Sharon Delia
Tea Tree oil is one of most popular of essential oils. It is one of strongest natural antiseptics, commonly referred to as "Universal Antiseptic." This quality makes it one of most worthwhile ingredients in homemade cleaning recipes. Tea Tree oil is also well tolerated having no known allergic reactions. The time has come for us to reject chemical-laden, air-polluting, health destroying, hazardous, commercial household cleaning products. There is something wrong when big corporations are using, "Trade Secrets," which means they are free to put harmful chemicals in products that we use everyday in our homes. Manufacturers are not required to list them on label. There are some companies that provide us with many excellent eco-friendly, nontoxic-cleaning products, but it is more economical and satisfying to make our own. You may notice that once you start using natural, safe cleaning products, you will not want to go back to using chemicals. The change is so pleasant to our bodies physiologically, and so soothing emotionally that we can't go back to harsh chemicals.Clinical studies have documented value of Tea Tree oil, which date back to original work conducted in 1923 by Dr. A. R. Penfold, an Australian government chemist. He found that Tea Tree leaves contained an essential oil, which showed antiseptic and bacterial properties 13 times stronger than carbolic acid, accepted standard of time. In 1930, Mr. E. M. Humphrey published an article entitled "A New Australian Germicide." He identified that Tea Tree oil's disinfectant action on typhoid bacilli was sixty times greater than that of ordinary hand soap. So important was Tea Tree in 1940's that it was standard issue in first aid kits for army and navy personnel.
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