Nikki -- good job on the walking tapes! I'm glad it's working out.

Interesting how people react to extended nursing. My mother said the same thing.

"Oooh... she's getting teeth. You are going to have to stop nursing!"

"Why?"

"She'll bite you!"

"So?"

When Julia used to pee on me, it didn't mean I quit trying to teach her to potty or quit changing her diaper!

I wanted to nurse Julia to a year and then evaluate. I've decided to go another year and then evaluate again. Julai might choose to stop on her own, or I may have to lead the weaning ion order to get back on meds for TTC. I don't know.

It's going to be interesting to me to see if I notice any increase in "looks" for nursing a walking toddler though. Paul says he'd noticed some out and about when I had to nurse Julia when she was younger. I didn't notice it myself because I was too preoccupied with learning to nurse!

Amy -- I know. I don't like vending machines in schools either and the problem of serving better food in school has always been there. I also agree that removing external things won't change things.

I think the key is going to be teaching self-discipline to the children, and that has to come from home. That's for the children coping.

On the school front... parents need to speak up, protest, AND... be willing to foot the subsequent bills. Schools place these vending machines in the schools because they need the money. Either directly selling themselves or because manufacturers will give them a hefty chunk of change for placing the machines there. "Renting" the space basically.

The Dr Phil mom who wouldn't let the kids eat even though hungry... that's mean. If you really are hungry, eat! You don't have to be a "food nazi" against hunger. Hunger is a natural thing.

You have to be a food nazi during a kid's early years to encourage physical activity, preserve their natural instinct for hunger, stopping when full, and their natural palate. Shape their preferences. Then by the time they hit the school circuit you can hope they have a sound base and can choose more wisely for themselves as you stop choosing their food for them and stop suggesting their games for them.

Right now the only thing Julia chooses herself is to nurse by signing "Milk." The rest of her food I choose for her. With her play, she's into everything and we still have to redirect her to appropriate play. Doesn't mean she still doesn't try to shut down the server by pushing the shiny button! Ha! :)

I marvel that PE is not required here. I had PE as a requirement up to 9th grade, then it was elective after that.

I haven't read it yet, but you might also want to check out Raising Vegetarian Children : A Guide to Good Health and Family Harmony by Joanne Stepaniak. The parts that interest me are the parts about coping in school.

CPSI has the School Foods Toolkit to download too. It's interesting reading.

Great discussion, ladies! I'll have to see if I can think of a "topic" later this week. This is fun! :)