Ah, the holidays…time for families, decadent food, gift giving and getting, and, of course, colds and flu and anything else the kiddies (or you) may bring home to share. Of course, I give my kids medicine for their big, bad ailments, but like many moms and dads, I don’t like flooding their systems with cold medicines that were recently deemed unhealthy for little ones, and try my best to keep them as drug-free as possible. We like our Hello Kitty humidifier, steam baths, lots and lots of water, and favorite blankets to cuddle into. With kids, however, even the smallest sniffles can bring about great stress for them - raw noses! Itchy tissues! Hello Kitty’s smiling face can’t solve that problem…

There are alternatives to Dimetapp fixes, all of which will work for kids of any age (as well as you). Lo and behold, DailyCandy Kids Chicago sent out this great homemade chest cold rub recipe this morning that’s simple to make and a lot easier to apply (and smell!) You can easily find all the ingredients at your local Whole Foods or natural foods store, or this amazing on-line shop, Smallflower. Dubbed “The Original International Apothecary,” Smallflower is truly a one-stop shop for all things natural from head to toe for you and your family. From Hyland’s homeopathic cold remedy for kids, to every essential oil and Bach Flower essence under the sun to mix your own remedies, as well as teething and colic help, be forewarned - you’ll be ready to stock up for the season, hoping it will last well into the new year…

Drug resistant staph infections are as nasty and scary as they sound, and they’ve unfortunately popped up in schools dotting the US. And remember those scary articles over the summer about kids passing out due to alcohol intake from antibacterial hand gel? Studies have shown that using antibacterial products are no more effective at killing germs than regular soap and water. In fact, the ingredient that makes products antibacterial - called ‘triclosan’ - can also prove toxic to humans in certain forms. Greaaaaat. Read about it in this informative article from The Green Guide; and, here are some suggestions for natural products your hands, home, and health will thank you for…

Did I have a “whew” moment when I found these CleanWell Sanitizing Wipes and Sprays. The “Ingenium” formula kills almost 100% of germs naturally, using the antiseptic herb thyme and other pesticide-free essential plant oils. They’re also alcohol free, and come in a great variety of sizes - even a travel pack that’s airplane ready. EPA and FDA approved for natural bacteria-busting power!

Mindful Momma (a new favorite blog of mine) has taken the leap towards homemade cleaning products. Check out her super simple and wonderful smelling sink scrub recipe, with antibacterial power and peace of mind that your home is cleaned by - you!

I stocked up on Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps (in liquid form) at Whole Foods before I came home, and they’ve been put to great use. Organic, fair trade, and made with coconut and olive oils blended with essential oils, these are the most versatile soaps I’ve seen on the market. The Lavender scent is a fav as bath soap for everyone in my home, and I use the Almond Oil soap for homemade hand soap. You can wash clothes with it, make home cleaners, and I’ve read you can brush your teeth with them too. There are a ton of varieties, including a mild “Baby” soap which contains no essential oils.

I know antibacterial soaps can smell great and look fun to use - in this case, I think “less is more” applies more than ever, especially when it comes to keeping ourselves and our kids germ-free!

I love Mrs. Meyers ”Clean Day” products, not only because Mrs. Meyers sort of looks like my Grandma when she was younger, or the bottles are no fuss/easy to open and look like they were designed at “Leave it to Beaver’s” house.  It’s always what’s inside that counts, no?  What really brings me back to Mrs. Meyers are the tried and true cleaning power of her laundry, baby, and cleaning products that are made with natural essential oils, are biodegradable, and phosphate-free. 

And the scents - Geranium, Lavender, and Lemon Verbena - will take you back to Grandma’s house, with sheets drying in the open air, running through their softness…ok, now I’m getting carried away.  Try something simple first, like their Baby Blossom Freshening Spray.  Use for the diaper pail, or just in the room.  Your nose will thank you. 

Mrs. Meyers is offering free shipping on orders over $50, now through Friday only!  Stock up for fall and refresh your house for the new season now!

What kid doesn’t like funky bugs in the bath? Ok, figuratively, but you know what I mean. My girls love bath goodies that bubble, fizz, change the water colors, anything that makes the bath even more enjoyable. Flower Peddler, a wonderful shop full of natural and vegan bath and body products for ages zero-you, makes these adorable “Garden Bugz” Bath Bombs for kids. Choose from a ladybug or bumblebee bomb, in three yummy scents. Made with natural ingredients like almond oil and witch hazel, these little buggers will soften your kid’s skin in total buggy secrecy. And don’t forget to take care of yourself too, with mommy body scrubs and polishes (comes HIGHLY recommended).

This week, win a Garden Bugz Bath Bomb for your little bug…Flower Peddler is giving away one bath bomb of your choice! We’re trying something different this week . . . please take a minute to check out Flower Peddler and answer this question with your entry - What are one of the Garden Bugz bath bomb scents (there are three to choose from!) Leave your answer by Thursday at midnight, PST, and you your kids could soon be soaking in fun fizziness! Good luck!

Congrats to mama4jc, who chose Goofy Green Apple for her Bath Bomb!

Toothbrushes are a big, um, target for us at Target. I so many Elmo, Dora, My Little Pony, you name it, if it comes on a plastic toothbrush it sits in the bathroom cup. But when I found the Preserve Junior toothbrush by Recycline, I realized it was time for a change. The Preserve Junior is ergonomic, with soft bristles, and made from 100% recycled plastic - specifically, Stonyfield Farms yogurt cups. The toothbrushes come in packs of four, but if you order through them, you can have one mailed to you every two, three, or four months, so you can actually remember to change your child’s toothbrush. Plus, mail it back to them in a postage-paid recycled mailer (of course) when you’re finished, and they’ll recycle it again for you! Talk about circle of life…

As a fun bonus, each brush features a fun fact about one of three endangered animals: the Karner Blue Butterfly, the Utah Prairie Dog or the Grizzly Bear. A portion of Preserve Junior toothbrush sales goes to the National Wildlife Federation. Find Preserve toothbrushes for you and your kids at teensygreen’s EcoShop!

You’ve hunted down your favorite organic, essential oil-based, hypoallergenic products for your kids. Yet you still have old standbys you love. Do you know the differences between the two? The hardworking people at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group have an ingenious “Skin Deep” database and survey for you (to take before August 17th) to give you the best recommendations and suggestions for the safest and most ethically tested products on the market. Did you know there are over 700 types of sunblock alone, many of them unfit for use? It’s eye-opening, and addictive. Next thing you know, you’ll be searching for every nail polish, foot cream, make-up remover, mouthwash, lip glosses, anything you can find in your own cabinets!

Natural baby care products were hard to come by when I had my first daughter. And oh boy, did I need tushy cream. Luckily, I found Babecology. Their Diaper Balm worked like it was putting out a fire! I LOVE Babecology, not only because their products are all natural and use essential oils, but because they are consistently amazing. The Diaper Balm uses such ingredients as mango butter, lavender, and jojoba oil to help heal and refresh the skin, and their shampoos and other creams follows suit. I also love the ingredients page on their website, where you can find out where each organic fruit, herb, plant and oil has been harvested and put into which products.

My friends over at Babecology have been gracious to offer 15% off of all Babecology products! Try a Gift Set for a new little one, or stock up on that Diaper Balm! They’re also extending the 15% discount offer to their beautiful organic baby clothing line at Pure Beginnings (I’m a big fan of the kimonos). Use the code teensygreen to make a whole goody bag of green goodness for your kids! And, keep an eye out for six new Babecology products, coming in October!

 I hate thinking about (ew) lice, let alone writing about it.  But between camp, school, day care, and the million other places kid’s heads draw in those nasty nits, I couldn’t pass on writing about this innovative line of products from Fairy Tales Hair Care for kids.  You may have seen Fairy Tale shampoos and conditioners already - they’re sold nationwide, are natural and organic, and are absolutely wonderful.  It wasn’t until I went on their website that I found their Lice Goodbye and Rosemary Repel system of hair care, and had to shout it out… 

The Lice Goodbye is a nontoxic, pesticide free, enzyme-based shampoo that is safe and effective (that means, no burning or itching when it’s time to stand in the tub for an hour combing all the yuckies out of your kid’s hair - I know you’ve been there).  The Rosemary Repel is the preventative part of the system - the natural oils of rosemary, anise and others herbs are a deterrant to the critters.  The Rosemary shampoo, conditioner, and Repel spray (which doubles as a detanglers and TRIPLES as a natural bug repellant too!) actually prevents the use of the Lice Goodbye…so, goodbye bugs and see you-never!