There are a ton of products on the market out there for dandruff for adults and children alike. The problem with the majority of products designed to rid our heads of this sneaky problem, is the chemicals and toxins found in them!  Yes, a infant cradle cap or dandruff shampoo may rid your little one of this pesky issue, but at what expense?  For starters most infant dandruff shampoos warn against getting any in the babies eyes, as it will cause irritation.   With the experience of having a toddler under my belt, I can say with certainty that bathing them without any water in their eyes is a very trying task!   Secondly are the chemicals and toxins found in so many baby products today.   It's so easy for us to assume that since a product is intended it's for babies, that it is "all natural"  and "sensitive".   

I've found the very best method of curing cradle cap and dandruff.

OLIVE OIL!

That's right :) When my 15 month developed dandruff on the front part of his head, I did some research and this is the method that worked best for me, and solved the issue the FIRST USE.

I found it easiest to put my toddler in his highchair, to keep him still and give him some snacks and toys to play with. Then I applied small amounts (dime size) of oil olive to the problem areas of his scalp. Using a brand new toothbrush, (that will only ever be used for this purpose!)

i started both combing the olive oil through his hair, and scrubbing in a circular motion around his scalp, loosening up what was attached. Because I was using an infant toothbrush which is soft, i was no worried about it being rough on his skin! I did this for about 20 minutes until I both exhausted the area I needed to work on, and my toddlers attention span!   Then i took him in the bath and washed and rinsed his hair as normal.


The next morning upon inspection, all residue was gone :) (And has been gone for over a month!)

Do you have any green parenting tips you'd like to share with me? Leave a comment!

If you are a parent, you are all too familiar with the constant flow of batteries (hopefully rechargeable!) in and out of the sea of toys your children have no doubt inherited. But what do we as parents do once a toy stops working even with fresh batteries in place?

Well in the past perhaps I would have shrugged it off as it being over-played with...and off to toy heaven it would go. (Or stay in the bottom of the toy box).

Since entering the world of toddlerdom where the toy supply is endless I've learned to reach out to the various toy companies when a product isn't functioning, and they are surprisingly helpful!

In the past 2 months, I've had 3 instances where reaching out to the company and explaining the dilemma has proven helpful!

#1 Legacy Grow-With-Me-Pony.

We received this as a Christmas gift, and suddenly one day it stopped working, even with a battery change. (Personally, I have a feeling Liam bit the horse's ears too much and broke something lol). After tracking down the contact information for the manufacturer, I emailed them and within a day or two, had a response I wasn't expecting...they simply asked for my mailing address and said they would send me a new product immediately. I was shocked...but brushed it off as just a really good company.

#2 Leap Frog Activity Table

After holding down the many buttons for much to long, my son Liam managed to break this table within 3 months of having it. The soundbox of the table was clearly stuck, and if this mama had to hear the word "A" one more time, I quite possibly could have punched someone, lol!  Not expecting the same outcome as the horse, but curious if they had any technical support, I contacted Leap Frog.  While the steps were a bit more lengthy then simply providing my address, (Leap Frog procedure is for them to assign and damaged number to your product and have you write it in permanent market on the top --to avoid resale, I'd assume-- and e-mail them a photo along with the proper shipping address.  Within 2 weeks we had a brand new activity table delivered.

It was at this point that I really started to understand and appreciate the customer service that is provided to parents.  And it definitely encouraged me to continue buying from Leap Frog!

#3. Lil' Zoomers SHake and Crawl    Fisher Price

This morning I contacted Fisher Price via their online customer service chat window about an issue we were having with this toy. It seemed that while the toys would make car noises, it no longer wanted to zoom.  In the back of my mind I knew that I had purchased this item on clearance at Target, and wondered if Fisher Price would still honor this item, if it's no longer being sold.  I also am aware of the multitude of products Fisher Price sells, and I wasn't so sure I would be able to recover yet another brand new toy, but I was wrong.   The customer service agent I chatted with was extremely helpful, and assured me that they apologized for the inconvenience and would have a new toy out to me within 14 business days.   THANK YOU FISHER PRICE!

Overall, as a family on a budget, I am extremely impressed with how well toy companies treat their customers.  Surely every toy that breaks will not be replaced (and lets be honest here, some are so annoying do we really want them to work?), but i think it's important for us to reach out to manufacturers and give our opinion on the products we spend our hard earned money on!  In a world where take take take without and giving is all too prevalent, I find it refreshing that quality customer service still exists!

A Few Tips
1.Save your paperwork on the toys your purchase and send in those registrations!  If for no other reason then safety recalls, sending in registrations are super important!

2. Kindness goes a long way! When you call customer service, there is no reason to be huffy immediately! Calmly explain to them your problem, you'd be suprised how far that can take you.

3. Check online forums for technical suggestions.  Chances are you aren't the only person experiencing problems with your toy. By reaching out online and searching forums you can learn and tips or fixes other parents did that worked for them!



<3

Okay. I know what you are thinking. I'm all for "greener" choices, but this seems to be going a little too far. I personally can't take credit for even considering this recipe. Doug's cousin mentioned it to me, and I thought it sounded cool but Doug was kinda against it.. thinking that it wouldn't be good for the machine.. At that point I kinda dropped it, and them out of no where 2 other ppl mentioned it to me. After reading online and watching some youtube videos. (I particularly like  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=lvBqold9ekA
)

I convinced Doug to let me give it a try! I intend on letting you know how it works out! I am particularly interested/concerned on how my sons skin will tolerate it! He has baby eczema and suggested to use Ivory soap which incidently is an ingredient in this recipe!

The recipe comes from the Duggar's website. (Yes, those Duggars!)

• 
  Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
  
  4  Cups - hot tap water
  1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
  1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
  ½ Cup Borax
  
  - Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
  
  -Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
  
  -Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
  
  -Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
  
  -Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
  
  -Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
  
  -Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
  
  *Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!
  
  

Once I make it, I'll update and review! :-)

Ever get overwhelmed with the amount of baby stuff you need to buy for your little bun in the oven?  Or maybe you are an experienced mom who did in fact spend a bundle on your bundle of joy but realized how quickly the little ones grow out of their clothes! (Often times a small baby will only wear an outfit 1 or 2 times before outgrowing it! These outfits are still in like new condition with minimal wear!)

If you fit into either of those scenarios, consignment sales can be for you!  For the buyer, consignment offers new (don't we all have that baby outfit with tags on we forgot about and is too small now?!) or gently used clothing and accessories for a fraction of retail prices!

For mamas out there who have a ton of great baby pieces that are sitting around but you don't wanna give away for 25 cents at a garage sales, consignment can be a great money maker for you!  When you consign your items, the company promoting the sale displays your merchandise and your asking price at their widely marketed sales. The consignment company charges either a flat fee or percentage of the asking price.

Some tips to remember about consignment shopping/selling:

1. Places like Craigslist and your local mommy boards post sales in advance! Check listings regularly. Most consignment sales are in the Spring March-June.
2. Presales Presales Presales! Because Consignment shops are first come first serve, getting a golden ticket in for presales can be highly beneficial! People consigning their items almost always get presale admission, and often times new moms or moms to be get in on the magic too!
   
3. Last Day of the Sale = BIG SAVINGS! The goal of a consignment sale is to get the merchandise moved!  Most sales offer 50% off the asking price of items (if the consignor so chooses to include their merch in this sale) on the last day or a bag of clothes for X amount of $.
   

Below is a video series showing a recent shopping (binge) and the estimated savings!

Video 1 of 4. 
This video showcases 0-3 month clothing.
Paid $24 Retail Value around $100+

Video 2 of 4 Showcases clothing sizes 3-6 months.
Amount spent: 32$ Estimated Retail: 125$+

Video 3 of 4 showcases clothing sizes 6-12 months!
I paid $12  Estimated Retail $100+

Our final video! Size 18-24m and accessories! (Are you bored yet?!)

I paid $9 estimated retail 100$+

Overall I am really proud of our finds!  Part of greener parenting is using our resources (in this case, money) wisely!  We generated an incredible savings on new and gently loved clothing!  (Now it's time to convince my darling boy that I should use some of this savings on more cute cloth diapers!)

I'd love to hear of your awesome finds at sales and any tips you might have to share!! :)

Ash.

My Amazon purchase of Dr. Alan Green's book "Feeding Baby Green" came in today! I can't wait to read it! Will post review once I'm done!

He was recently a guest on My Baby Experts!

My fiance Doug has always teased me a bit, claiming I am a hippy at heart.  Greener living has always been important to me, and as he puts it, "Ashlee dies a little inside everytime a can or bottle is thrown away".  Doing things that are better for the environment haven't always fit into my lifestyle (or let's be honest, budget) but I do try to do what i can in little steps where possible!

I'm hoping to post articles I come across and common sense ideas how we can all go a little green without a huge change in our routine both in parenting and life in general!