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3 Back to School Tips

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Back to School

Going back to school after summer vacation can be very stressful for both kids and parents. Even if you kids have been in daycare all summer there is still a big transition. In addition to all of your other duties now you have to worry about home work, after school activities, making sure everyone has everything they need when you leave the house in the morning.

Did I sign that folder and the other billion papers the school sent home?

3 Back to School Tips

Back to School Tips

Truthfully, getting started is probably the hardest part. I’ve been handling this back to school dance for over 10 years (remember I have older kids) and have some great back to school tips to make it a little easier for you.

1. Establish New Routines

By the time the first report card comes home you won’t think twice about your daily routine but as school is starting it can get overwhelming. Talk through everything that needs to be done in the morning before you leave for school, after school and at bed time then make lists. Reserve the list for things that are non-negotiable. Then every day you can ask your child, is the morning list done, after school list, bed time list instead of asking about each specific item on the list.

Our morning list would say:

  • Eat Breakfast
  • Get Dressed (with shoes on)
  • Brush Teeth
  • Get Lunch
  • Get Backpack

Your list might be bigger or smaller. We’ve got little boys, they just want to watch cartoons and play. If they get their list done they will have free time. When our older kids lived at home their morning list included morning chores and making their own lunches.

Come up with appropriate list for after school that may include cleaning out lunch boxes or doing homework. You may want them to pick out their clothes for the next day or that may be on their bed time list. It’s a good idea to put things like “find shoes” or “put backpack away” on the bed time list.

Don’t assume that older kids won’t benefit from lists. I don’t know how many calls I’ve gotten from our older kids saying they forgot their lunch, P.E. uniform, homework, etc. When they ask if they can hang out with friends ask them if they have completed their list.

2. Plan Easy Meals

During seasons of change I find it best to stick to simple meals. It’s OK to try new recipes but keep it simple; Lasagna is probably too ambitious but spaghetti is perfect. You may find your kids ravenously hungry or uninterested for a while. They are probably goofing off a lot during lunch and wanting to eat a big snack after school and ignore dinner or they skip snack and are STARVING at dinner time.

If you have Crock Pot meals or Instant Pot meals to rely on that may make it easier. Soup, pasta and casseroles are easy meals at our house but sometimes we end up with sandwiches and cereal. Between working full-time, running a business on the side and being a wife and mommy cereal can be a life saver.

3. Work Ahead and in Batches

I don’t know about you but I feel like I’m running behind a lot of the time. I have to be very intentional about working ahead. You can get your kids help by preparing a week’s worth of snack on the weekend to use during the week. I will buy large bags pretzels and place them in individual containers for the week.. Then each morning I can send my son to the pantry to grab the snack for that day.

You can also do this with you kids clothes for the week. Pick out a full set of clothes for every day so your child can grab their clothes and get dressed on their own. You can even add hair accessories if you do that sort of thing. You can hang the whole outfit on hangers or buy one of these hanging dividers. This can be a great reminder if you child needs to take money on Wednesday for popcorn, just put it with the clothes for that day.

I also like to prepare a few days of lunch ahead of time. I’ll make lunches for up to three days so I can just grab and go. You can do this trick with dinners too. If you are really in the groove make a few dinners ahead or even individual meals.

Do you have a tip to add? What do feel like needs to be done to make the transition back to school a little easier? Don’t forget to follow my Back to School Pinterest Board for more inspiration.

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Leading by Example

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Today’s post was written by my husband, Jim. You can read his last post When the “Vegan” Husband is Tempted or his Weight Loss Story for a little more background. Today he shares the importance of Leading by Example. 
Leading by Example Advice from a plant-based dad

OK so at home, we’ve got little guys, a 3 year old and a 5 year old. For many meals, all the boys want to eat is fruit or cereal.

So what does a good dad\parent do? – Lead by example

Well obviously a good dad\parent has to be patient, consistent, loving and lead by example. Your kids will listen to your actions much more than your words. If your kids are anything like mine, they love to “share with Daddy”. If Daddy is eating corn chips with salsa, that’s what they’ll want. If Daddy is eating an apple and a pear and a peach… that’s what they’ll want. If Daddy is eating spinach, broccoli, sliced apples and blueberries, that’s what they’ll want. OK, so it’s not as linear as I’d like for it to be but, the more they see you eating it, the more they’ll eat it too.

It’s like teaching them to drive – except this is for their health

Have you ever noticed your children doing something that you do while you’re driving… that makes your cringe? I know I have. The sounds of “race ’em Daddy, race ’em”, still make me shake my head. So, as a parent, I want my kids to be good drivers, heck, even great drivers. How much more important is it then, that they have good healthy food habits as they grow up that they learn at home. Once our kids leave our nest, they’ll go off and make their own choices that they will need to live with.

Childhood Obesity

According to the CDC, childhood obesity statistics from 1980 to 2012:
Obesity in children aged from 6 – 11, increased from 7% to 18%
Obesity in children aged from 12 – 19, increased from 5% to 21%
Obesity in children increases many risk factors

Your kids will listen to your actions.

Although I struggle at times with eating a great diet, these statistics are hard to turn away from. Lead by example, eat your fresh vegetables and fruits in front of your kids and with them. They will listen to your actions.

Surely leading by example is one of the most important parts of getting your family to eat healthy. For more tips to get your kids eating healthy check out these popular posts.

My Kids Won’t Eat That! 5 tips for introducing new (healthy) foods.

5 Simple Tricks to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies

Plant-Based Kids

 

3 Reasons I Don’t Pack a “Healthy” Lunch Box

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If you’ve been following me on Instagram you may have noticed I don’t pack my kindergartener the healthiest lunches. It may even surprise you to find out how deliberate I am with what I pack.

Back to School Month

Since this blog is about “plant-based” living you may expect me to pack veggie wraps and super healthy lunch box fare. I hope I haven’t let you down, but I’m not concerned with my kid having a “Healthy” lunch box.

3 reasons I don't pack a Healthy lunch box

I have complete oversight regarding what my kids eat at home. At school, I really can’t know. I could pack a super healthy lunch box but that doesn’t mean it would be eaten. Instead I focus on the following ideas.

1. What Will Get Eaten

My son is 5 and eating five meals a week away from me. He is not quite used to that amount of freedom. The first few days of school I packed lots of choices. I wanted to get a good idea of “how much” he would eat during his lunch time. I instructed him not to throw anything away and to bring all of the leftover home.

Sandwiches would only have a few nibbles, if that much. Of course, sweet and salty foods were eaten right up. Fruit was hit and miss. His leftovers would normally be eaten after school.

2. Avoiding Ridicule

No one wants to be the kid with a weird lunch. I remember feeling lunch box shame when my lunch didn’t match the cool kids at the lunch table. I was the kid with bologna.

Somewhere between broccoli-flavored tofu nuggets* and bacon-wrapped candy bars* there is a happy medium of  foods that make parents and kids happy. (*Please note that we don’t eat either of those.)

3. Quick and Easy

Have you been in a lunch room during elementary lunch? It’s a mad house, every man for himself. Even though there may be as many as 30 minutes scheduled for lunch by the time kids arrive at their table they may only have 15 or so minutes to eat. They best thing I can do for my kid is to pack food he can eat quickly and easily.

Elementary kids, especially kindergartener like mine don’t really understand how to budget their time. They may spend 10 minutes laughing and telling jokes then 5 minutes waiting for a lunch aide to help open their container. Everything I pack for my son is easy for him to open and can be eaten easily.

 

For more Back to School ideas visit my Back to School Pinterest Board. You can also check out Lunch Box Guide (it’s a printable) and my Lunch Box Essentials post.

Do you pack a lunch for your child? What do you normally pack?

UPDATE

We finished the school year and I have to say I’m pretty happy with our lunches for the year. Using the EasyLunchBoxes system saved my sanity. They held up well and helped us pack great lunches for our kids.

I visited my kindergartner one day for lunch toward the end of the year. The lunch aid said my son always had the healthiest lunch at the table. My son would occasionally ask for foods he saw the other kids eat, like lunchables and Cheetos. Instead we’d occasionally buy Enjoy Life Cookies that are allergy-friendly and once tried Organicasaurus dino shaped corn snacks.

The next Back to School campaign starts in August! Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss incredible giveaways and tips!

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Keeping Kids with Food Allergies Safe at School

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Please note I am not a doctor or attorney. I do not give medical or legal advise.

As you know it’s back to school month here at My Plant-Based Family! We are celebrating all month, well I’m celebrating and trying to make your back to school transition a little smoother.

Back to School Month

Today I want to address all of those families that have kids with food allergies but please stick around even if your family isn’t touched by food allergies.

If you are new to the Food Allergy scene I’m sure you are a nervous wreck about sending your kid to school. Rightly so. It can be very scary. I’m in a number of food allergy support groups online and the stories I hear are heart breaking. The purpose of today’s post is to equip and hopefully encourage you as you send your kids with food allergies back to school.

 

Does a 504 plan keep your kids safe

What is a 504 Plan?

Did you know that severe, life threatening food allergies are considered a “hidden disability” by the U.S. Department of Education? Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (and American with Disabilities Act amendments) prohibits discrimination against children with disabilities at schools that receive federal funding. Essentially it assures that students with disabilities receive the same education in the least restrictive way.

A 504 Plan is a cooperative plan put in place at your child’s school designed to keep them safe from food allergies. A student with severe peanut allergies may have a 504 Plan that prohibits peanuts being brought into the classroom. They typically address any area of the school where the student has access.

How to get a 504 Plan

If your child needs a 504 Plan you should contact your child’s school. I recommend you write an email so you have a paper trail. You will need proper documentation from your child’s doctor. Your job will be to prove that your child is eligible for the plan. I’ll include more resources at the end of the post to help you.

If your child is eligible a 504 Plan there will be meetings where you and various people at the school typically administrators, teachers, cafeteria managers, school nurse, etc. will attend.

We do not have a 504 Plan and I’ve never had to go through the 504 Plan process. I’ve asked other food allergy moms about their experiences though.

What really happens

I asked a couple of food allergy moms to share their experiences with me. Meet Jeannette and Rachel!

Do you feel like a 504 Plan keeps your child safe?

Jeannette says,

Unfortunately, the answer is no.  I had a talk with our allergists who has never been a big advocate of 504’s about this. He told us “A school will either do what is right for your child or they won’t.  A 504 won’t change that”.  After having talked with several special education professionals, I got the same answer.  If we look at human behavior, we see that simply having something on paper does not determine behavior (if that were the case, no one would ever drive over the speed limit).  A 504 can provide understanding and clarification, but it will not keep your child safe.  The only thing that keeps your child safe is educators committed to the inclusion and safety of all students.

Rachel says,

I think Molly’s  504 keeps her safe when it is followed.  I have had two different experiences at two different schools.  The biggest issue for us was not safety but exclusion.  As Molly has gotten older being excluded or different has been hard for her to deal with, at times it’s heartbreaking.  Bullying was an issue at one school but not the other.  That is something that I will always be sure to address, how will you handle bullying?

Do you have advice for families considering a 504 Plan? As parents what issues should we address?

Jeannette says,

The best strategy to ensuring safety of food allergic students is to ensure that school staff understand the concepts of community, inclusion, and safety of all students and have the ability to engage in collaborative conversations about how we balance conflicting needs and interests.  As parents of food allergic students, we clearly have a lot of “skin in the game”, that being said, success and safety for food allergic student’s requires all members of the team (principal, nurse, teacher, education assistant, etc.) all see that they also have a vested interest.

Rachel says,

Don’t let small things slide.  If they aren’t following the plan on ANYTHING let them know, nicely.  Little things not being followed turn into big things.  I always address inclusion: classroom, field trips, extracurricular activities, bullying, parties and programs, absences, self carried emergency medication, Epi action plan, cleaning in the cafeteria, school bus safety, recess and PE.  I make sure that I can take her on all field trips because we once had an asthma attack on a field trip severe enough to go to the ER.  I also request permission to be at every classroom party.

Another thing to mention is substitute teachers/staff.  The one time Molly had to have Epi at school was when they had a substitute.  To me it is a HUGE safety issue.  I also had a substitute tell her once she could not take her Epi bag with her.  She has self carried since she was four, so she stood her ground.  

I firmly believe that every student with a life threatening food allergy should have a 504 Plan. It provides a set of guidelines that everyone needs to follow. Never the less, students and parents must remain vigilant to keep food allergic children safe.

Helpful Resources

Two of the best things I’ve read about 504 Plan’s can be found at Nut Free Wok and Multiple Food Allergy Help!

Visit FARE for more info about 504 and Written Management Plans along with lots of other helpful information.

The US Department of Education’s Q&A Page for the ADA Amendments of 2008 and their explanation of the civil rights of children with  hidden disabilities .

Special Thanks to Jeanette Baxter and Rachel Reed!

Jeanette is a passionate advocate for the Allergy, Anaphylaxis, and Asthma community, mother of four, one of which is a brave little girl with peanut allergies, asthma, and Mast Cell Activation Disease.  Follow her work in Oregon to help those living with Allergies, Anaphylaxis, and Asthma at http://oregonaaaalliance.blogspot.com/, on Facebook, or Twitter (@Oregonaaaalliance).
 
Rachel Reed is mom to Molly, peanut, tree  nut, peaches, banana, coconut allergic.  They have been conquering ANA allergies, eczema and asthma since 2 weeks old.  They are currently in an OIT program in Dallas, Texas and you can follow them at www.mollyoit.blogspot.com or on twitter @prissymomtoo.  
 

Do you have experience with 504 Plans or kids with food allergies going to school. Please share!

Lunch Box Essentials

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Have you started your Back to School Countdown yet?

Today is our First Day of School! I said goodbye to my kindergartner today as he got on the school bus. He said he isn’t really a kindergartner until he does some kindergarten work.

Back to School Month

We have been prepping for this day for weeks (and months in some ways). You know you have to buy school supplies, potentially get new clothes or shoes, and if your child has food allergies talk to the school about keeping your child safe.

Basic Lunch Box Essentials for elementary kids

I’ll be writing a lot about packing lunches this month but today I want to tell you about my Lunch Box Essentials!

1. Lunch Boxes

There are many different kinds of lunch boxes. I recommend you read some reviews to find out which lunch boxes are going to hold up for at least a year. Some lunch boxes may be insulated while others require an Insulated Bag or holder. We bought EasyLunchboxes 3-compartment Bento Lunch Box so you will being seeing these featured.

2. Small Containers and Dividers

Depending on the style of lunch box you use small containers to hold crackers, hummus, salsa or other foods may come in handy. I use “Mini-Dippers” and Silicone Baking Cups to keep food items separated.

3. Sunbutter and WOW Butter

Even though my kindergartner isn’t allergic to peanut butter our preschooler is. We won’t be serving peanut products. We buy SunButter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread and WOWBUTTER instead. My boys love it and you use it exactly like peanut butter. If your kids normally eat peanut butter give one of these a try. We use so much we normally buy SunButter 5 Pounds, (Pack of 2)
and WOWBUTTER 2 x 4.4 lbs from Amazon to save money but the regular sizes are available in many grocery stores.

4. Extras

I’ve bought a few extra’s too. Ice Packs will keep lunch items cold. Bento Food Picks may not be necessary but they will be fun and keep food together.

You can see more great Lunch Box Ideas by following me on Pinterest! Don’t forget! You can become a contributor of my Back to School with My Plant-Based Family Board!

This page contains affiliate links.

 

An Open Letter: To the Couple eating nuts on our flight

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This post was written about our recent trip and flight but the feelings behind it play out every day for families with food allergies. I’ll admit that it’s tone is much more serious and maybe even desperate. It was written from a mother’s heart. I was sitting across the aisle from the rest of my family and this letter details what I observed.  open letter to the couple eating peanuts

To the couple eating nuts sitting behind my son on the airplane,

You don’t know me. I’m the hyper-vigilant momma on board your flight who is more than slightly nervous you may kill her child. I saw you hide your ginormo bag of nuts when the flight attendant came over the speaker and announced that “a person with a peanut allergy” was on board. That person is my son. He is sitting directly in front of you.

I also saw you hide the bag of nuts every time I looked back at you and AGAIN when the flight attendant asked you to put them away.

You know it’s wrong or you wouldn’t hide it. Trust me, I have little kids, they don’t hide what they are doing unless they are breaking the rules.

Did you hear that? It was my heart pounding, not because of the “flight” but because of your snack. What if my son has a reaction, or worse?

A food allergy momma doesn’t just see a bag of nuts, granola or candy bar. We see a loaded weapon.

I know that may sound a little dramatic to you. Every 3 minutes someone experiences an allergic reaction that sends them to the ER. What do you think happens if you can’t get to the hospital?

The airline (Thank you Southwest) was nice enough to offer nut-free snacks. From where I’m sitting I could see you have several other bags as well. As a Food Allergy Momma I had a whole backpack full of snacks I would have happily given you for the added peace of mind of keeping my son safe.

I may be a little extra cautious. The night before the flight  my son’s face was covered in hives, his face was swollen and red from an unknown allergen. He has never had that reaction. I wondered if his immune system is overburdened already.

My husband thinks I’m crazy for never deleting pictures or videos of my kids. This is why. One person, not following the rules, could cause me to lose my baby. I’ll admit, I didn’t give food allergies that much consideration before I found out my kid was allergic. However I was always accommodating. I would ask questions and go out of my way to keep people safe, I call it being considerate or human.

In case you are wondering, it’s not the sight of peanuts that will hurt people with food allergies (hiding them doesn’t make a difference). For some people just being in the same room as a peanut will cause their throat to swell shut. Other people have to eat them to have a reaction. We don’t yet know the severity of my son’s allergy. He seems ok when in the same room as peanuts. The last time he ate something with peanuts his face and neck turned red, he started crying, and scratching his neck. He was 1-year-old and we’ve been diligent to keep him away from nuts.

One in 13 children have food allergies. There is no cure. I don’t want my son to be a statistic. More than 200 deaths occur each year due to food allergies. We carry two Epi Pen’s everywhere we go. Epi Pen’s are life saving during an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). If you watch the news you know that some people don’t survive even when they use multiple Epi Pens.

My son and the 6 million other children affected with food allergies are delightful, precious, beautiful, talented and brilliant. They deserve to grow up without fear of getting sick or dying. Even though my son is only 3 years old he is very careful about what he eats. I hate to say it but he has had bouts of anxiety about food. Sadly, that anxiety keeps him safe.

We are not so different, you appear to be health conscious and natural minded people. I’m only guessing that because of your snack choices like nuts, seaweed and dry roasted veggies. We may even shop at the same stores or read the same blogs.

Truthfully I don’t think you were being malicious. I think that you just didn’t realize how dangerous your actions could have been. My hope is that now you do. Next time please realize that my son’s life is more important than your snack.

Sincerely,

Holly, a food allergy momma