The Vaccination Debate: What Do You Think?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici, www.freedigitalphotos.net

You'd have to be hiding under a rock somewhere to not be aware of all of the controversy that's been going on lately surrounding vaccines. It's been all over the news that there was an insane measles outbreak in California, and it can be traced back to a visit to Disneyland. Now, California is considering legislation that would make vaccinations for school-aged children mandatory, regardless of your spiritual beliefs or personal choices.

It probably won't be long before this happens all across the country.

I'm writing this post not because I want to make sure my voice is heard about my personal beliefs in vaccinations, but because I want to hear your thoughts. Perhaps I should begin by telling you where I stand.

I'm the mom of three children. They're 15, 12 and 5 years old. They make every day better for me, and I'm so blessed to have them. When I started having kids, I never even considered choosing not to vaccinate them. Their pediatrician had a set schedule, and that's what we went by. I never questioned it at all.

That is...until I heard about the Gardasil vaccine.

On the surface, it sounded great. It would protect girls from getting HPV, which is an STI that's contracted during sex. HPV can cause cervical cancer. If you don't protect your daughter from cancer, you're a bad mom, aren't you?

I wasn't so sure. You see, it was my goal to protect my daughter from all of the things that come with having sex before you're married. I wanted to protect her from the broken heart, the shattered soul ties, the possibility of pregnancy, and the STIs. As I said, she's 15 years old now, and she's listened to me so far.

It wasn't long before I started seeing articles like this one. The article says that many girls have had the Gardasil vaccine, and they're just fine. However, in Canada, there is a growing population of girls who are not just fine. Some of them ended up in wheelchairs or needing feeding tubes. Others had different significant problems, and one girl passed away after her second dose (the article says she drowned in her bathtub).

These are some pretty significant risks. And no, my daughter might not ever have any issues with Gardasil, but...what if she did? Could I live with myself? Probably not.

That's why she didn't get that vaccine, and she never will. Period.

The second red flag I had about vaccines happened two years ago when I got the flu. I got vaccinated just like I was supposed to. However, they were all out of the "regular" vaccine that day, so they offered me a different variety that went just under the skin, and it used a live version of the virus. The "regular" vaccine uses a dead version. I figured it must be OK; after all, this was a drug store offering this to me, right? I had my flu shot, and I went home.

Two weeks later, I became ill. I mean, deathly ill. I have never been that sick in my entire life. I thought I was going to die, and it was an illness that just wouldn't let up, no matter what I did. I was stuck on the couch for at least a week, and I was begging and pleading for God to make it go away.

That was the last flu shot I got, and I haven't gotten my children vaccinated for the flu since then, either. I figure one of two things:

1. Either I got sick from the flu shot, or
2. It doesn't really work that well, so why get it?

This year, we're seeing lots of people who are coming down with the flu, and these people were vaccinated. They're getting it anyway! Of course, the powers that be state that the virus mutated this year, and that's why people are getting the flu anyway. I can't help but question how many crazy chemicals those people are putting in their body (all used to create the flu vaccine) all in the name of not getting an illness they're going to get anyway.

These two vaccines, the flu and the Gardasil, started making me think about all of the other vaccines I've had, and that my children have had. There are all kinds of studies out there about how vaccines can be linked to increased instances of SIDS and Autism. Then someone else comes along and debunks those theories, only to have their theories debunked, and...well, it's a vicious cycle.

The way I see it, vaccines and medications are all a great way for pharmacy companies to make money. Most of the drugs and vaccines that are on the market come with a host of side effects that you need additional medication to treat.

When does it end? 

So now...I'm torn. My older two are off the hook for vaccines for a couple of years at least, but my younger one will have some scheduled shots coming up within the next few years. I just don't know what the right answer is for him.

What do you think?

Dinner Calls: Fight or Flight?

Photo courtesy of artemisphoto, www.freedigitalphotos.net

Your day at work ended perfectly. You had very little stress, and you can't wait to run home and cook dinner for your family. When you walk in the door, everyone is smiling, and they welcome you home with open arms.

You laugh as you accept their hugs and kisses, and in one sweeping motion, you grab your apron from the hook, where you hang it each night once you're finished preparing that evening's feast. You tie it on, and begin your dinner preparations, humming a little tune as you work. A mere hour goes by, and dinner is presented on the table in all its splendor. The smells emanating from your kitchen remind everyone of a lovely Italian bistro, and you can't help but be thrilled with your own culinary expertise.

If only that were the way it worked.

In truth, once you finish work, you race home, or you leave your home office, and you can't believe you forget to set something out to thaw that morning. You scour the freezer or the fridge for something that might be considered edible, all the while thinking about how you can convince your husband that pizza would be a better choice for that evening's dinner. Sometimes your meals are great, and other times...well, not so much.

Relax!

There are real answers for your dinner woes! Today we're going to talk about a few things you can do to make dinner preparations and planning a little more enjoyable for you and your family (Yes! It really is possible!).

1. Your crockpot is your friend

One of the greatest tools for any busy mom is the crockpot. There are all different styles available, and you can even find one in some really cool colors. You can find plenty of crockpot recipes online, and there are even some great crockpot cookbooks out there that are filled with great ideas that require little to no preparation time on your part. If you're looking for meals you can just toss in and forget about until you get home, there are lots of them.

2. Make double batches

Sometimes, you just can't escape cooking. However, try to avoid the temptation to make small meals that will only last for one night. If you double your recipes, you'll make a larger amount of food, and you can have the same meal again the next night, or even freeze half of it for use on another night. There are some plastic containers on the market that work really well for this, and it's great to pull a frozen meal out and reheat it. It saves you a lot of time.

3. Have a cooking frenzy on the weekend

Speaking of freezing food, why not have a cooking party during one Saturday afternoon? This is a great project for the entire family, or you can tackle it with your husband. All you need to do is get your ingredients together and prepare big batches of everything your family loves. You'll be amazed at how many things are easier to make in larger batches (spaghetti sauce, mashed potatoes, etc.). Once you're finished, you can freeze your meals and tuck them away for upcoming weeknights.

4. Call it a leftovers night

"How long has this been in here?" "Honey, are these still OK to eat?" If you've heard these phrases often in your house, then  you probably have plenty of leftovers in your fridge. Leftovers nights can be a lot of fun for your family because they get to pick and choose their favorite meals from the past few nights. They'll love the crazy combinations they come up with, and you'll love not having to cook. As a bonus, you'll save a lot of money because you won't be throwing away food.

5. Teach your older kids to cook

If you're like me, you tend to take on most of the cooking responsibilities yourself. On the weekends, my husband cooks (he knows that's the plan), but during the week, I've started instructing my older kids on how to prepare simple meals for the family. There are many of them out there that are easy for them to make. They can cook and mash potatoes, make spaghetti or other types of pasta, make taco salad or do breakfast for dinner. Focus on simplifying the instructions, and only start with one or two things at a time to give them time to get the hang of it. Before long, they'll be excellent cooks, and you'll get a break.

I hope these tips help you breathe a little easier during those weeknights when you can't stand the thought of cooking a full meal after putting in a whole day at work. Whether you work at home or you work outside your home, your family can enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals every day without causing you a lot of stress and anxiety.

A Working Mom's Greatest Challenge: The Snow Day

Without a doubt, one of the hardest parts of winter for any mom is knowing what to do when the local school district declares a day a snow day.

Your children are hooting, hollering, and making plans for snowmen and hot chocolate while you're stuck wondering what you should do...because you still have to go to work!

Never fear; I've come up with some ideas that will help to navigate you through the challenges of the (for much of the country) inevitable snow day.

Tip #1: Have a plan

No matter what problem you're facing, it's much easier if you have a plan. If you work outside the home, you'll have to make a decision on what you're going to do. Do you stay home and call in, or do you contact a sitter for the day? Some employers are very lenient on snow days, and they're happy to allow you to stay home with your kids; especially if it's possible for you to work from home. Others will want you to come in anyway, even if you have to come in late. However, knowing what you'll do, and who you can call can make it easier when you find out your kids will be home for a snow day.

Tip #2: Nix the screen time

If your kids are like mine, they're thrilled to stay home from school because that means they'll get to play video games, watch television or go online. Too much screen time is bad for them (and it's not so great for us, either), so come up with some fun ideas for them to do instead. Board games are always a hit with kids, and there are so many to choose from that will keep them occupied for hours. You can choose from classic board games like Connect Four and Battleship. There are also many other games out there that they're sure to love.

Tip #3: Family Project: Dinner and Dessert

This is a fun idea that will get the entire family excited about dinner. If you have to go off to work, you'll want to prepare this ahead of time, but if you'll be home, you'll enjoy doing this with your kids. You can get out the family cookbook and look for some fun dinner ideas that you can prepare together. While it's great to have some awesome kitchen tools to make dinner prep easier, you can create an awesome meal no matter what you have on hand. The kids will be thrilled to be a part of the dinner plan, and they might even eat their dinner just a little bit better that night; especially if they had a hand in helping to make dessert!

  

With a little help, you really can survive a snow day. You might even find you start looking forward to the next one!