Say thanks to the early childhood teachers with a special eco-friendly gift!

Most of us are aware (at least I hope) that in April there is Earth Day. Most are not aware that for one week in April it is the week of the young child. This is a week where the National Association for the Education of Young Children tries to bring communities together for the young children. Communities are urged to have family and community activities, educational opportunities and celebrations. It also happens to be one week (April 13-19, 2008) where I do my best to recognize those working with young children and give them my biggest thank you and appreciation for the work they do. If you have a young one in childcare, preschool or the early elementary levels ask your director or principal what your community or school is doing for this special honorary week.

I spent many years teaching preschool and working with children in all types of settings. I know it’s a rewarding job but I wouldn’t exactly say I was over paid or appreciated. I went into teaching because I love it. My son now goes to school where I began my early childhood education experience and his teacher actually has the job I had! It’s funny because I tell him how to do something and he says, “No mom, Miss Susan said to do this.” I tell him I’m a teacher like Miss Susan and he tells me that I am a mom. He’s in love with her! I know how hard she works and have literally been in her shoes! For the week of April 13-19, I will shower her and all of the early childhood teachers, working with my son and those taking care of my daughter, with my appreciation. Last year we brought flowers and made home made cards and gifts and from my husband and I we bought lunch for the staff. This year I am going to go all out, like a green and clean mom should do and give eco friendly gifts.

I found several from gifts.com but a few of my favorite are:

*Organic Fruit Basket (yum, I love fresh fruit)

*Fara Cafe Fair Trade Coffee

*Recyled Paper Notebook Set

*Grow Your Own Tree Kit

*Victoria's Secret Pink Reusable Bags (a teacher can never have too many bags)

These are just a few things I'm considering and would have loved as a teacher. I'm also the biggest fan of Fairytale brownies! You could even help the teacher start to green her home with some natural non-toxic cleaners! There's no need to spend a lot of green to say thank you. A homemade card from you and your child would make any teacher feel special. Whatever you decide to do, please just recognize the early childhood professionals this week...they deserve it!

*Please note these are my personal recommendations and I do not accept paid links. I am linking to these sites, gifts, products, etc. because I personally want you to know of them.

Green mom's cry for help is answered and there is a winner!

The clock is ticking, the calendar has big red x’s…nearing closer to the vacation day, where I will leave my children for five days. I’m not a nail biter and I’m biting my nails (gross)! It’s not because I don’t trust my best friend and her husband. It’s not because I don’t need the break. It’s that I’m going to miss my little cutie pies. I have to get over it and enjoy the R&R…I know. Deep breath, sigh and now I’m moving on.

For all the hard work that my best friend and her hubby will do AND to show them my deepest gratitude I need to bestow upon them a thank you gift. Several ideas were posted or emailed to me in response to my cry for help. I gave all of the ideas a lot of consideration. I thought about what was practical, what I would like, what they would like and came to one fairly large conclusion, I’m some shade of green but they are not! Giving a terrapass and planting a tree was my favorite idea because I would love this and think it was perfect. Ambre(that's how she spells her name), bless her heart just wouldn’t appreciate this. She’d thank me and never tell me that she wasn’t over the moon for it but it’s just not her. Awesome idea though!

The gift idea that would be the greatest fit for this hardworking couple with three boys under the age of 5 (gasp) would have to be from Michelle and she writes:

“This idea comes from a mom with a very heavy 8 month old...get them gift certificates for a massage or some kind of spa treatment. Oh, I would kill for something like that these days!”

Michelle, I couldn’t agree with you more. Maybe I’ll spring for a couples massage and of course take the kids for them!! Michelle has won the best laundry booster and stain fighter out there and it’s natural! Yahoooo! I tracked you back Michelle but can’t find an email. So if you’re reading this contact me so I can send you your prize! Thanks for the help everyone!

Plastic Bags Blow!

What a cute saying...."Plastic Bags Blow"! I found this on ReusableBags.com while searching for environmentally friendly holiday gifts (which I promised I would write more about). There's an actually campaign to help stop the use of plastic bags. You can get activist kit with buttons, t-shirt and stickers for only $4.95!!! Wow! What a great thing to get a young teen who wants to have a cause. I can't stand using the plastic bags but do my best to recycle them at our local Wal-Mart or use them for our tiny garbage cans around the house. I'm not as diligent as I should be about using my canvas bags and it has to do with forgetfulness and laziness.

When I started reading some facts on ReusableBags.com I started feeling guilty and now will be buying everyone I know for Christmas some of their very stylish bags. I'm going to use them as my gift bags this year so that I'm not even buying wrapping paper (if I can avoid it). Here are some facts from ReusableBags.com that I urge you to check out....

• Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food.

• Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, accoPlastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingestrding to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation.

• Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

• According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion)

So here's another great earth friendly, give back and help someone gift idea and a prompt for myself and everyone to stop being so lazy!!!! Shame on me. Make sure you leave me a post and tell me if you use reusable bags or what your thoughts are.