No Average Mom

For many years our house was television free. Last year when we decided to begin home schooling our older son it seemed like a wise idea to get television. As much as we wanted to shelter our son from some of the harsher realities of public school we did not want to shelter him from the world entirely. Now almost a year later I am beginning to question that decision. There isn’t a day where he isn’t asking some really tough questions and I am sure it is all because of television. This week I have been asked wide ranging questions about topics such as getting an international background check and why people kidnap children. These are just a few of the things we have discussed at the kitchen table and I know this is all thanks to television.

I have some questions. I have looked ALL over for this in town. Not a single grocery store carries it. I even called WalMart in the laundry section AND the pool section and they don’t carry it!

Where do you all get this? Is it cheaper to get it on line? Is the pool cleaning “soda ash” the exact same thing as laundry “washing soda”? (They are both sodium carbonate, so I am assuming so.) If so, does that mean I can use it to make laundry detergent at home?

If you have any on-line places to get this really cheap, I would appreciate it. I have seen it for $4 something at an old-time laundry place… but then I’ve seen it for $2 something at an on-line grocery store… would like to pay the cheapest amount and decent S&H.

I have been making small steps towards going “green”. Last week I ordered some reusable shopping bags and a low flow shower head. The other thing on my list was to order low flow adapters for my sink faucets. Prior to installing them I really would like to update our existing faucets with newer hardware. If only I could find a Moen faucet sale then I would really be happy. I am hoping that aside from lowering our water usage the new faucets will brighten our bathroom and kitchen.

We took all our kids to the dentist last week and both had cold sores. The dental hygenist said they have found that SLS (sodium laral sufate) inhibits the healing and eggravates them. This will also help in the spreading of them. Tom’s is the only one that we found without it that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Some of their does include it, but they have some that doesn’t. Oh and all SLS does in toothpaste is make it bubble when you brush. When we started with the toothbrush, I always just gave it to them while I was brushing my teeth (lets them know it’s important if you are doing it) and let them chew on it. After they were bigger and understood not to swallow it we went to a small amount. My grandmother brushed all her life just with a little baking soda and rinsed with salt water. She died with ALL her teeth.