I've been in a parenting slump for the past couple of weeks. Don't misunderstand me. My children are loved. They have food to eat, clean clothes and bodies, a roof over their heads, and toys to play with. They get tickled and listen to stories and songs before nap and bedtime. We've been on family outings recently and we have two new kittens that are a joy to have around.
And yet I just haven't been myself. I've been tired and cranky. I'm depending on television a little more than I'd like and I'm more disengaged than usual. I'm letting perfectly normal child behavior irritate me disproportionately. I am building fewer "special activities" (art project, silly dances, special games that are usually put away) into our days at home.
I am aware of the shift and I know that I want to make a change, but I haven't quite figured out how to yet. I'm not sure what the underlying problem is. It could simply be fatigue. I adore the kittens, but they do cause interrupted sleep on a nightly basis. I can start by trying to get more sleep, eat better and perhaps add in a little exercise. Those things certainly can't hurt. Maybe we just need a change in routine. Shift our daily activities around and try to plan some fun things during the day. The busier we are with some fun activities we all enjoy, the less time that is left over for irritating each other.
If anyone has some suggestions for some fun indoor activities (it is just too hot outside for much outside time), please share some ideas.
Thanks!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
NutriiVeda - Four Month (and final) Update
I haven't done a NutriiVeda update in quite some time. Before I give my final thoughts on the supplement, here's some basic information about how we used it. We never used a full two scoops a day, as recommended. The most we ever managed was about 1 1/2 scoops a day. For the first two months or so I was pretty consistent about getting that amount into Ava on a daily basis. After that we used the product fairly sporadically.
When we first started using the product I thought I saw an improvement in Ava's speech. I thought she was talking more often in longer utterances. Looking back, I'd say that the improvement was likely due to a developmental spurt or due to the speech therapy services she was receiving.
When we went on a family visit for about a week and Ava did not take the supplement I noticed no change in her speech and language. When we came home and began taking the supplement again I still noticed no change. After that, our use of NutriiVeda became more sporadic and I didn't put the same effort into getting it into her daily.
Now, Ava also has some suspected sensory issues. We haven't had our OT eval yet. One of the ways this effects her is to make her an extremely picky eater. I like the nutritional profile of the NutriiVeda as a meal replacement. It is high in protein and low in sugar. Several times a week I mix it into some yogurt and I feel good about giving it to her for purely nutritional reasons.
We are still buying the product. The company will let you call and delay the autoship for a month. We do that every other month. So, we're buying the product every other month instead of every month and we're doing that for nutritional reasons rather than because we feel it has had a significant impact on Ava's speech.
After having tried it, with high hopes, this is my final opinion:
If you can afford it, and want to try it, go ahead and try it. Many parents have reported that it works for their child and you can't know if it will help you unless you try it. However, unless the results are dramatic and you are positive that the product helped improve your child's speech, your money would be better spent on additional speech therapy or perhaps some speech therapy products to help you with home practice.
When we first started using the product I thought I saw an improvement in Ava's speech. I thought she was talking more often in longer utterances. Looking back, I'd say that the improvement was likely due to a developmental spurt or due to the speech therapy services she was receiving.
When we went on a family visit for about a week and Ava did not take the supplement I noticed no change in her speech and language. When we came home and began taking the supplement again I still noticed no change. After that, our use of NutriiVeda became more sporadic and I didn't put the same effort into getting it into her daily.
Now, Ava also has some suspected sensory issues. We haven't had our OT eval yet. One of the ways this effects her is to make her an extremely picky eater. I like the nutritional profile of the NutriiVeda as a meal replacement. It is high in protein and low in sugar. Several times a week I mix it into some yogurt and I feel good about giving it to her for purely nutritional reasons.
We are still buying the product. The company will let you call and delay the autoship for a month. We do that every other month. So, we're buying the product every other month instead of every month and we're doing that for nutritional reasons rather than because we feel it has had a significant impact on Ava's speech.
After having tried it, with high hopes, this is my final opinion:
If you can afford it, and want to try it, go ahead and try it. Many parents have reported that it works for their child and you can't know if it will help you unless you try it. However, unless the results are dramatic and you are positive that the product helped improve your child's speech, your money would be better spent on additional speech therapy or perhaps some speech therapy products to help you with home practice.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Children's Picture Book Review - Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
I wanted to share this picture book with you. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld is a wonderful read. The gentle rhymes tell a delightful bedtime story. The story takes you through the last job of the day for Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator and then puts each truck to sleep. The illustrations are beautiful and the details in the pictures provide discussion material independent from the story. Both my three year old son and my two year old daughter love this book and join me in whispering, "Goodnight" to each truck in turn. This book is a treasure.
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