The Experts Aren't Always Right

**There is an update below the original post...

They say you shouldn't write a blog post when you're angry but I figure what the hay, I do angry well.

I work with a group that works with kids. Because our kids eat, we also provide toothbrushes for them.

Last year (and years previous), the toothbrushes were stored in a box that was fitted with a few (brand new) heating grate covers. The heating grate covers worked well, they stored the toothbrushes upright and had separators in them that made sure the brushes stayed about 2" apart from each other. Each toothbrush also had a travel cover on it and was marked with the child's name.

When we asked Public Health to provide us with toothbrushes this year, they told us they didn't like our storage system and they came in to give the kids toothbrushes and show us how to store them "properly".

When the day finally came, the Public Health officer provided each child with their own toothbrush, travel cover and tube of toothpaste and put them in a plastic ziploc bag. I questioned the bag and asked the official why, knowing that the toothbrushes would not dry out if sealed in a baggie. Our team was told, "They may not dry out completely but at least this way, the kids will only be getting their own germs and not someone else's."

After the Public Health officer left, our team still questioned the practise but decided that we needed to follow the rules laid out for us.

Now we fast forward to today, as I help a child find his toothbrush bag in the bin. As I'm rummaging through, I start seeing some really gross bags. Upon closer inspection, a serious case of mould growing in many of the toothbrush bags. *gag*

My germophobic self springs into action, showing the bags to my team and gathering up the supplies to get our kids new toothbrushes. I'm shaking with anger and disgust. Normally, I would have been at this job earlier in the week and would have caught the problem sooner but my a different member of my family has been sick each day for the last week. I'm wondering how many of these kids were brushing their teeth with a mouldy toothbrush yesterday and the day before. I'm wondering why I was brushed off so lightly as I brought up these concerns when Public Health visited us in October.

It's a good reminder that sometimes, you have to go with your gut and against the recommendations of so-called experts.

As a parent, I know my kids are sharing germs every moment they're alive, especially at school. Frankly, I'd rather take the chance of them sharing a few germs because their toothbrushes are under a cover and stored 2" away from another child's toothbrush than brushing their teeth with a mouldy toothbrush that's been festering with bacteria because it's in a sealed baggie with no chance to dry out.

Would you want your kid brushing their teeth with this on it?
Photo: Courtesy

I've asked my team leader to immediately go out and purchase the products we need to make a new storage box. Long term, it may not be the perfect toothbrush storage solution but for now, I'd rather say screw it to the rules than chance any of our kids brushing their teeth with a putrefying bacterial time bomb.



**UPDATE (12/8/2013): Public Health has been looking into this issue. So far, they have let us know that they won't be suggesting this storage method anymore. They are still concerned about infection control and they have asked us to suspend our toothbrushing program until they have decided on a better storage method for toothbrushes. It is not ideal from our point of view but hopefully a new solution will be presented to us soon.

Please tell me

that not all the parents have already prepared perfect little bento boxes of smiley foods

or labelled all the water bottles, containers, shoes and jackets.

Please tell me that somewhere out there some other Mom is searching frantically for the leftover labels from last year

and wondering why there is one shoe missing when she could have sworn it was still attached to the other brand new shoe.

Please tell me that somewhere there's a Dad who still hasn't got his kids back on the school year bedtime routine

and hasn't even started school shopping.

Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Are They Made From Real Girl Scouts?

My kids are outside right now telling the neighbour kids that the watermelon has real sugar babies in it.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHEEZBURGER

Boys and their Toys

Once, a friend broke away from our conversation to holler, "Caleb! Stop touching your penis, that's private!"

I laughed that nervous I don't have children laugh and sighed, "Boys. Once they find their penis they never stop touching it."

Fast forward 12 years and 2 boys later I finally have a revelation....

I. WAS. RIGHT.

Ohmygoodness some days I'd swear that every other word in my house is penis. Penis jokes, penis playtime, it's a 'let's be naked and grope ourselves all the time' funhouse around here.

I realized it the other night, lamenting with my sister who is also lucky enough to be the Mom of a boy, that ALL the stories we share about our kids involve penis stories. It's not because we want to talk about our kids penises all day but because WE HAVE NO OTHER STORIES TO SHARE.

"Mom, why are they called beans and wieners?"
"Because sometimes people call them wieners instead of hot dogs."
Boy stands. "Wiener! Just like my wiener!" Gyrates his hips at the lunch table. *classy, my boy, so classy*

"MOM! Look how big my penis grew overnight!" *how do I explain morning wood?*

"Mom if I pull this back it's a surprise!" *SURPRISE!*

Boy, running away from my desk with a ruler. "I'll be right back Mom, we just have to check something!" *Comparing... already?*

"Hey N, let's use our penises like swords and be knights!" *Is THAT what they used on the battlefield?*

"Knock Knock"
"Who's there?"
"The letter P"
"P who?"
"P-E-N-I-S and you don't have one!" Hysterical laughter.

So, you know, just in case you wondered what I do all day, this is it. I listen to penis talk and penis jokes and since my kids want to be nudists forever, I get to look at them flopping around while they do the most graceful things like somersaults and wrestling.

Ain't life grand?

Love is Love

While we lie in bed, discussing our day and plans with friends, N turns to me and says, "E has 2 dads. Why can't I have 2 dads? Or Mom, can I have 2 dads AND 2 moms? Because that would be super cool!"

And as I see blind acceptance and love for a friend whose family is different than our own, I have to wonder... If we are born with a magnificent love that accepts everyone, how do some eventually decide that what they felt before is no longer right? Why can my children see that love is love, regardless of who the love is between, and yet the adult sitting beside me on the bus cannot?

No Kids Allowed

I've been a mom for 6 1/2 years. And in 6 1/2 years I have had exactly 3 nights not on kid duty. My husband and I have been on exactly 1 date in 6 1/2 years... or make that 4 if you want to count the trip to the hospital to have baby #2 and the funerals we've attended. I still count 1.

But tomorrow night the boys are going to my sister's house for the night. The WHOLE night.

And I have no idea what the man and I will do. Do we even remember how to be alone with each other? Will I awake in the middle of the night hearing phantom snoring and night talking from the next room? Will I hear the baby fall out of bed from across town? Will I even be able to fall asleep if they're not here?

I'm a little anxious. I want them to go. I NEED them to go. But I miss them already, and they don't even leave for another 24 hours.

Snake Intestines

An after school conversation:

Boy: "Mom! There's a new boy in my class!"

Me: "Very cool!"

Boy: "His face is brown!"

Me: "Hmmm... there are many people with different skin colours and hair colours, aren't there?"

Boy: "Yes! But we're all the same inside."

Me: "Absolutely, we are."

Boy: "Yep. We're all filled with blood, guts and snake intestines!"

*runs off to play*






Whoa.

Sex Ed

Would you show this to your kids to teach them about sex and pregnancy?

**Warning: it's explicit... in a creepy way**

Next, he'll be writing novels.

Today, my eldest son wrote his first sentence.

This made my mommy heart swell to unimaginable heights. Today was a good day.

Oh, For The Love of Biscuits!

I had to share these filled biscuits with you. We make them with a huge variety of fillings, from scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese to these pizza ones and chilli filled minis for Superbowl parties. 

This is a pretty kick-butt biscuit dough, add 1 Tb raw brown sugar for sweeter uses and replace with fresh herbs, garlic or jalepenõs to make it even better for savoury dishes.

Basic Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour, white or wheat

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup butter

3/4-1 cup milk

Blend dry ingredients. Cut in butter in the same manner as pie dough. Pour in 3/4 cup milk and mix quickly without overworking. If it's a damp day you won't need more than 3/4 cup milk. Hot and dry you're likely to use an entire cup or even a touch more.

Fold dough quickly 3 times. Let stand for 15 mins (or even up to overnight in the fridge).

Roll dough to 1/2" thick for plain biscuits or 1/4" for filled ones. Cut into circles or squares big enough to fit a large muffin pan.

 

Pizza Buns: Shredded basil, 1 Tb pizza sauce, 2 slices turkey pepperoni,1 Tb of shredded cheese.

Breakfast: 1/2 slice crumbled bacon, 3 Tb scrambled eggs, 1 tsp shredded cheese.
Breakfast: 1 Tb finely sliced apple, 1 Tb almond butter or preserves.

Or any other combination you can think of. I don't need to list them, you're smart people.

Pull sides of dough up and over and press together. Brush top of bun with milk.

Bake @ 400℉ for 15 mins. Makes 10 filled buns.

My boys like the pizza buns at room temp for lunch and they freeze well. Definitely worth making 3 batches of dough at a time. 

Enjoy.