Yards Shrink, Homes Grow, and Kids Need Time Outdoors More than Ever

A few years ago, several different news sources began reporting a disturbing trend in the United States: the average size of a person’s home was growing, but the average size of yards was shrinking. In 2015, the average lot size was down 13% from 1978, reduced to a mere .19 acres, according to The Atlantic.

This is not to say that old homes' lawns were shrinking. The study focused on new homes and found that Americans preferred buying houses with a greater house-to-lawn ratio than ever before. According to Martekwatch, this means that lot usage has reached an all-time peak. Lot usage, or how much land is devoted to a house rather than green space, is now a whopping 25%.

A survey conducted by Harris Poll for the National Association of Landscape Professionals revealed that three out of four Americans (75%) still felt that spending time outside in their yards was important. So why are so many choosing to buy bigger houses with less lawn space?

According to The Atlantic, cutting down on acreage makes homes more affordable in a tight market. Families can still get the number of bedrooms and bathrooms they need if they sacrifice yard space.

Another suggestion is that many suburban families have become more environmentally conscious. Rather than maintaining a fake, lurid-green lawn with wasted water, some homeowners opt for rock gardens and make the park their yard instead.

Minimalist Living With Kids -- Is It Even Possible?

Modern parenting is hard. Most of the time you don't really know if you're doing it right, and the Internet will always be there to tell you exactly how you're doing it wrong. In recent years, the minimalist movement has exploded in popularity, but this trend is rarely discussed in terms of parenting.

While childless urban hipsters may be able to go minimalist without any problems, can parents also adopt a scaled-back lifestyle? What would minimalist parenting even look like?

While parents do need a certain amount of stuff by necessity -- car seats, toys, clothes, cooking supplies, and so, so much more -- there are some ways you can transform your lifestyle. And if you're looking at this post, then you're already thinking that you want to change.

Health & Wellness Back-to-School Gift Ideas for Teachers

The new school year is upon us and it's time to think of a great gift for your child's teacher. Unfortunately, coming up with a good gift idea for someone you hardly know can be quite challenging. This is especially true if you're part of the 25% of the U.S. population that waits until the last minute to buy gifts (which we're all guilty of doing). But you can never go wrong with buying health and wellness gifts for teachers -- so let's take a look at a few simple gift ideas you can put together quickly.

Cold and Flu Care

It's no surprise that teachers can get sick pretty easily being surrounded by kids and their germs all day, every day. So what better gift to give your child's teacher than some cold and flu care essentials? Tissues, cough drops, herbal tea, and hand sanitizer can all come in handy if teachers start to feel unwell. And since cold symptoms can last up to 14 days, your child's teacher will be sure to appreciate having care products already on hand. Better yet, you can even put together some cleaning supplies, like wipes and sprays, to help them keep their classroom as germ-free as possible. Either way, these gifts are sure to come in handy during cold and flu season.

Oat Milk May Just Be The Greatest Healthy Culinary Trend of 2018

Considering a significant portion of people are lactose intolerant and/or vegan, it's not surprising that a bunch of alternatives to cow's milk have popped up over the years. You've probably heard of soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, and coconut milk. Now there's a promising new cow's milk alternative: oat milk!

What is oat milk, you ask? You take rolled or steel-cut oats, blend them with water, and strain the resulting mix to end up with a creamy milk-like drink.

What sets this new alternative milk contender apart? Oat milk is:

1. Dairy-free,
2. Nut-free,
3. Soy-free,
4. Full of healthy fiber,
5. Creamier in texture than some other alt milks,
6. And it's fast and cheap to make at home.

On top of those reasons, oat crops are great for farmers and the environment. They're hardy and tolerant of all kinds of weather, so they can grow in many climates with less pesticides or fertilizers. Oat crops also help replenish soil nutrients. Does the buzz among healthy eating aficionados make sense now?

Study: Kids Who Play Multiple Sports Less Likely to Sustain Injuries

Although playing a sport is often considered to be a rite of passage as well as an American tradition, parents often experience an interesting juxtaposition of swelling pride and impending dread as their child walks up to bat, heads out on the field, or runs onto the court. That's because sports injuries are extremely common -- and are often extremely traumatic. But after careful analysis, experts say there may be a simple (yet seemingly counterproductive) way to prevent them: by playing more sports.


That advice might seem strange, given the prevalence of sports injuries among young Americans. According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3.5 million children under the age of 14 receive medical treatment for sports injuries on an annual basis. And while only 3% of all patients who go to urgent care need to be diverted to an emergency department, children between the ages of five and 14 account for almost 40% of all sports-related injuries that are treated in U.S. hospitals. The statistics aren't much better among older teens; high school athletes sustain an estimated 2 million injuries -- and subsequently make 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 stays in the hospital -- every year.


The CDC also reports that more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable, with overuse injuries accounting for nearly that same percentage. While many parents might assume this means their child should steer clear of sports involvement, a recent study shows that the exact opposite may be true.

Teething With Amber Necklaces

Teething With Amber Necklaces

I knew that when I became a mother, I wanted to take the most natural route as possible. I didn't want to fix something that wasn't broken, so to speak, and did as much research as I could to ensure that was the case. When my baby was born, I did an all natural delivery with no drugs so that my newborn wouldn't be dazed and confused.

They would be awake, they would be alert, and we could bond during those precious few hours. I knew that I wanted the rest of his childhood to be the same way. I had done research while I was pregnant on no vaccinations and knew that I would do homeopathic remedies for the common colds. I even registered for Baltic amber necklaces.
Baltic amber is not a new cure but has recently caught traction in modern parenting due to its effectiveness in not only teething tots but in adults suffering from chronic joint and muscle pain, women who endure awful menstrual cramps, people who have compromised immunity and want to naturally strengthen it, and even people who are suffering from mild mood disorders.
This is due to the succinic acid that's found in the sap of the conifer trees found in the region near the Baltic Sea. Succinic acid has recently been dubbed as Nature's Ibuprofen by scientists who study amber and its medicinal benefits.
After reading everything that I did about Baltic amber and how it not only works as a cure for teething babies but adults suffering from pain caused by inflammation, I decided to purchase an amber baby teething necklace for each family member. When buying amber, you'll notice that you can either purchase a raw or polished stone. If you're buying a necklace for your child, I would suggest buying a polished bead of a lighter color.

4 Smart Tips To Help Encourage Your Child to Spend More Time Outdoors This Spring

At long last, springtime has finally arrived, and with it are countless kids yearning to get back outside and play. And of course, there are also the kids that may need a bit more encouragement to get some activity and outdoor time. Children's activity levels inevitably vary at all ages, but if you're having some trouble encouraging your child to spend time outdoors, there are a number of simple steps you can take to spark their imagination and help them to hit the ground running. Here are just a few kid-friendly tips to help encourage more outdoor time this season.

Sign Them Up For A Team Sport

If your child has a lot of energy and seems as though they could benefit from participating in a team sport after school, sit down with them and talk it over. Don't be pushy about it, of course, but tell them you want to see them reach their potential and you think it'd be healthy for them. Chances are, they'll bring up their favorite sport in gym or most beloved recess activity. If not, there's no harm in taking a chance and letting them try a new sport. For example, 25 million kids play soccer around the globe every year, and there are plenty of opportunities to register your child for a seasonal and age-appropriate soccer league.

Raising Eco-Friendly Kids

One way to ensure the planet continues to support human life for as long as possible is to teach future generations how to embrace eco-friendly living. The great news is that such lessons all start at home. By teaching kids how to care for the planet you can ensure they sustain Earth’s valuable resources while also living much healthier lives. Here are a few ways in which you can raise your kid’s sense of eco-consciousness.

#1 Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting items that would ordinarily be thrown away and transforming them into new products. Recycling can easily be incorporated at home by placing a separate recycling bin in a convenient location, such as in the kitchen so that children can practice separating out their garbage from recyclables like paper, plastics, glass and aluminum. Children will enjoy the responsibility of separating their trash while also taking care of their planet and parents can take pride in imbibing a lifestyle that prioritizes such eco-friendly behaviors.

How to Choose Eco-Friendly Products for Your Home

There are a lot of products that we buy for our homes. From cleaning supplies to cosmetics to food, people are constantly buying new products to bring home to their families. Unfortunately, not many people think about whether or not the products they're buying are eco-friendly. In today's society, not only are eco-friendly products better for the environment, but they can be better for our health too. So with that in mind, here are a few tips to help you choose eco-friendly products next time you're out shopping.

First, it's a good idea to think about how the product was made. And seeing as how the 2016 West Rock Consumer Insights Study found that 45% of consumers have chosen a certain product because the packaging was environmentally friendly, more people are starting to care about how products are made. This can include thinking about the life cycle of the item, including the materials it's made from, how it was made, how durable it is, and whether or not it can be recycled. This can be difficult to do sometimes because some products may be eco-friendly in one way but not another. Overall, it's important to use your best judgment and try to pick the most eco-friendly product as possible.

How to Travel With Mother Earth in Mind

The list of benefits to taking a vacation does not typically include saving the environment -- or even being nice to it. Even though there are many forms of travel that range in eco-friendliness, the only way to be 100% sure you're not hurting the environment on your trip is to simply not go at all.

Travel can be very polluting when factoring in the different aspects of the trip. From the method of transportation used to how much you pack are all components of the overall carbon footprint you'll leave behind.

Pain Relief: Safe and Natural Alternatives to Medication

When you experience physical pain, every aspect of your life may be affected. Whether it's a simple headache or debilitating chronic pain, pain can affect your ability to go about your day as normal and spend time with your family. In fact, 59% of people who suffer from chronic pain say their pain has an impact on their overall enjoyment of life. Because of the negative impacts, pain can have on a parent's life, it's important to find healthy ways to manage it. But instead of reaching for a bottle of painkillers, consider trying some of these natural pain management options instead.

Acupuncture is one alternative treatment for pain that is getting recommended more and more often. Studies have found it to be effective for managing pain from conditions like osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and injuries. One of the best things about this treatment option is that if it doesn't work, there are no harmful side effects or addiction risks, so there's no harm in trying.

Some experts believe that stress reduction is key to managing pain. Because stress can cause additional physical pain, making current pain even worse, it's important for those who suffer from pain to ensure they're managing their stress levels. Yoga, music therapy, relaxation therapy, and a number of other techniques can be helpful in managing stress and, in turn, physical pain.

With the negative side effects and risk of addiction that come with using prescription painkillers, many people are turning to nature for help in relieving their pain. People are often surprised with how helpful plant-based pain management options can be.

The Dalai Lama's Advice For Children of All Ages Children's Book Review

Intentional Conscious Parenting brings you life lessons and quotes from the Dalai Lama. 

The Dalai Lama's Advice For Children of All Ages

We are going to get straight to the point. Each word in this book is purposely chosen with the Dalai Lama's message about love, compassion, and living our lives from a place of no judgment.

When the Dalai Lama communicates, it comes from a place of love, that's what makes this simplistic book so profound. You can't help but feel it when you read it. 

A true message of unification about raising the vibration of the whole to show the oneness of us all.  We truly are all the same inside and out.

If you are wanting a tool to help teach your children how to grow up into kind, tolerant and loving adults, this is the perfect children's book to add to your conscious parenting book collection. 

Review by Stacy Toten and Carol Lawrence, Intentional Conscious Parenting 


The Dalai Lama’s advice for children of all ages is available on Amazon, in English, French and Spanish.