Thursday, April 18, 2013

Feminism Defined: The Lowest Common Denominator

I was recently invited to participate in a blog collaboration project over at Tales of an Unlikely Mother as a contributor on Attachment Parenting topics. Most of the bloggers involved in this project self-identify as feminists, and last week, we got into a discussion about whether or not feminism was an appropriate topic for this collaborative effort. For the majority of us, the answer was a resounding "Yes!" but there were some concerns expressed as well. The primary concerns were that 1) A focus on feminism might alienate some folks and that 2) There is no one singular definition of feminism, which might make it confusing or difficult to have a cohesive voice on the topic.

Regarding the first concern, I can't particularly be bothered to care about the opinions of people who are alienated by the notion that women are, you know, people. Which I suppose leads me right to the second concern:

What exactly is feminism anymore, anyway?

....

Oh, were you expecting an easy answer to that? That's adorable!

Let's back up a bit.

I've identified as a feminist for as long as I remember. Definitely since I wrote a paper about Susan B. Anthony in middle school. Definitely since I bought a T-shirt with the quote "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle" on it and had to explain what it meant to what felt like everyone at my high school. Definitely since I found out the university where I completed my undergraduate degree offered a minor in Women's Studies. And that is when I really started diving into feminist theory and all of the history behind it.

Me.
Woman.
Photo by Nicole Aarstad
One of the first assignments in Women's Studies 101 was to draw what "woman" meant to me. I drew an approximation of myself, pregnant, prominent breasts, long hair. As the professor came around and discussed our drawings, she asked me "What about women who don't have or want children?" Confused, I answered that I must have misunderstood the assignment, because I though I was to draw what "woman" meant to me, not what "woman" meant generally. I largely associate my femininity with having carried children in my womb, and having nourished them with my breasts, and the strength, endurance, and commitment that those things entail. This doesn't mean you're wrong if you don't. It's just what connects in my head, partly because I have long been led to believe that I am not otherwise terribly feminine, what with my tendency to eschew make up and jewelry, my loud and often abrasive manner of speaking, my penchant for curse words and fart jokes, and an innate assertiveness that is often read as aggression (because it comes from a female).

I cannot not draw what "woman" means, generally. Because "woman" does not have one singular definition. Much like "feminism" does not have one singular definition.

As the semester progressed, we often revisited this idea of defining what "woman" means. Do we define it by what are generally considered to be feminine characteristics, like nurturing, empathy, sensitivity, caring, and compassion? Do we define it biologically, by what are generally considered to be female physical characteristics, like the ability to bear children or a body that includes breasts, vagina, vulva, and uterus?

Without entirely derailing myself here with my though process behind why neither of those avenues was appropriate, as each one excludes a number of women, I concluded that the only definition of woman I'm comfortable with is this:

A woman is someone who identifies as a woman.

That is the lowest common denominator. It is the one and only thing that every woman has in common.

So on we go to defining Feminism.

As I learned about the various subsets of the various waves of Feminism. There were a lot of "AHA! That's it!" moments, followed by a lot of "Oh wait, no AHA, THAT'S it!" moments. So who had it right? Was it the Marxist Feminists? The Ecofeminists? Maybe it was the Separatists? What about Black Feminism? Could they all be a little right, in their own ways? Why yes! They could! Just like all of us who call ourselves women are correct that we are women!

Alright then. So what's the lowest common denominator? Do all feminists hate men? No. Are all feminists lesbians? No. Are all feminists hairy legged, makeup abstaining loudmouths? No. (But some really cool ones are!) Do all feminists believe that every woman should work and that stay-at-home moms are setting the movement back? Certainly not. Do all feminists believe that women share equal status as human beings and should have the same rights and opportunities as men?

Bingo.

A Feminist is someone who believes that women share equal status as human beings and should have the same rights and opportunities as men.

So if you believe that? You're a feminist. And you're in good company.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Going Green in Baby Steps

Welcome to the April edition of the Simply Living Blog Carnival - Going Green cohosted by Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children, Laura at Authentic Parenting, Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy, and Joella at Fine and Fair. This month, we write about going green and environmentally friendly living. Please check out the links to posts by our other participants at the end of this post.

***

I tend to be an all or nothing sort of person, but when it comes to "Going Green," trying to do it all at once is far too overwhelming to be done successfully. Small changes, made gradually, are more likely to stick than trying to change too much too quickly. Embracing baby steps in reducing our environmental impact has helped to slow down (but not entirely reverse) the two steps forward, two steps back pace we had going on for a while. Below are some of the easiest steps to start with, things that have stuck for us and that don't cost a lot of green:

Ditch the car. Whenever possible, walk or bike instead of driving. Bonus: exercise! Extra bonus: save money on gas and vehicle maintenance! With a bike trailer like this one, small children can easily be transported by bicycle, too!

Clean Green. Forget the toxic cleaners and clean green! There are a number of "green" cleaning products on the market, but we have found that most things can be cleaned with baking soda and vinegar. Cleaning has gotten much cheaper (and less worrisome with little ones around) since we switched to baking soda and vinegar. Some of our favorite commercially available eco-frinedly cleaners include Planet Laundry Detergent, Seventh Generation Dish Soap, and Ecover Toilet Cleaner.


Lose the paper. Start with one paper product to replace with a reusable product. Do you use paper plates? Stop it. Or at least cut down to only using them for parties. Paper towles? Just use towels. Paper napkins? Switch to cloth. I recommend skipping the classic white napkins and going with something that won't show stains much. (We have these in Shale and LOVE them!) If you're really brave, you can even replace toilet paper with cloth wipes, but that's probably not a "baby step" in most books. ;)

Compost. Composting can be as much or as little work as you're willing to put into it. We are pretty lazy composters. We keep a compost container on our countertop (this one) that we take out and throw in the corner of the garden when it gets full. We spray down the pile once in a while, and we turn it when we remember to. If you want usable compost more quickly, you'll need to do some research and put a bit more effort into it, but our system (if you can call it that) has greatly reduced our garbage output and provided goodies for our garden in the form of "volunteer" veggies that grow from seeds and scraps we've discarded!

Freecycle. Have you heard of freecycle.org? If you've got stuff to get rid of, you post an offer. It'll most likely be gone by the end of the day. Need something? Post a request and you just might find it for free! Things I've gotten rid of on freecycle: old and beat up couches, broken appliances, everything left over at a garage sale (seriously, a woman came with a pick up truck and cleaned up my garage sale for me). Things I've gotten on freecycle: books, rocks for garden borders, flower pots, a record player. It is a great way to keep things out of the dump and give them new life!

These five changes are all relatively easy and inexpensive (or free!) to make. Take one at a time, starting with the one that sounds easiest to you, and when it has become habit, pick another! Remeber, the key is to make small changes that will last and not bite off more locally grown organic produce than you can chew! ;)


***


  Thank you for visiting the Simply Living Blog Carnival cohosted by Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children, Laura at Authentic Parenting, Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy, and Joella at Fine and Fair. Read about how others are incorporating eco-friendly living solutions into their everyday lives. We hope you will join us next month, as the Simply Living Blog Carnival focuses on Daily Lives!
 
 
  • Green Renovating: A Lot, A Little, Not So Much - Laura at Authentic Parenting ponders about the many things that have an impact on eco-friendly renovating
  • Growing Native in My Flower Beds - Destany at They Are All of Me takes the guilt out of her flower habit by switching from high maintenance flowers to native plants which not only lessens her gardening load, but also benefits the local wild life.
  • Baby Steps - Kellie at Our Mindful Life shares how her family became more sustainable, one step at a time.
  • A Greener Holiday - Sara from Family Organic discusses the overwhelming amount of "stuff" that comes with every holiday and talks about how to simplify instead.
  • Forcibly Green--Obligatory Organic - Survivor at Surviving Mexico talks about her family's evolution from passive to active green and sustainable living.
  • Giving It Away - Juliet Kemp of Twisting Vines writes about the role of Freecycle, the giant karmic lending library, in her simple and green living.
  • Simply Sustainable - Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children discusses her family's attempts to live in harmony with the earth by living simply and more sustainably.
  • How Does Your Yarden Grow - Alisha at Cinnamon&Sassafras writes about an ongoing permaculture project, converting her grass lawn into a mower-free paradise.
  • Green? - Is it about ticking the boxes? sustainablemum shares her thoughts on what being green means in her life.
  • Using Cloth Products To Reduce Household Waste - Angela from Earth Mama's World shares how her family replaced many disposable household products with cloth to reduce their household waste.
  • Going Green in Baby Steps - Joella of Fine and Fair shares some small, easy steps to gradually reduce your environmental impact.
  • Are You Ready To Play Outside?! - Alex from AN Portraits writes about gardening, and playing in the dirt, and how it's O.K. to get dirty, play in the dirt, play with worms, for both adults and kids.
  • Lavender and Tea Tree Oil Laundry Booster - At Natural Parents Network, Megan from The Boho Mama shares an all-natural way to freshen laundry.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Giveaway: 3-month Conscious Box Subscription - $59 ARV {4.22; U.S. Only}

Conscious Box, a monthly subscription service that brings the best natural and eco-friendly products right to your doorstep, is offering one lucky Fine and Fair reader a free 3-Month Subscription, a value of $59!



I have toyed with the idea of trying out a Conscious Box Subscription in the past, so I was excited when they reached out to sponsor this giveaway, just in time for Earth Day!

If you haven't heard of Conscious Box, they offer a service that hand-picks a variety of products from trusted sustainable and eco-friendly companies, allowing consumers to sample the best of the best and even earn points toward purchasing favorite products!

How Does Conscious Box work?

From their website:

Conscious Box is the best way to discover the most ethical and sustainable products on the planet! Focusing on strict tenets of organic, fair trade, and pure and natural products, each month Conscious Box will introduce you to healthy and honest alternatives for every aspect of your life and for every member of your family. Discover the best natural products, earn points for leaving feedback and reviews, and buy your favorites at incredible discounts!
  • Get a variety of unique pure & natural products every month!
  • From organic food to vegan beauty products, you’re sure to find new favorites!
  • Discover ethical and purpose-driven businesses of all sizes!
  • Get content on daily living tips, exciting monthly themes, and creative ways to use your box!
  • Easily earn points you can apply to full size products for unbeatable discounts! 
Win it!

Enter to win using the rafflecopter giveaway below. Be sure to enter a valid e-mail address so you can be contacted if you win! Earn entries by liking Conscious Box on Facebook, and while you're there, please leave them a comment letting them know that @Fine and Fair sent you! :) 

Buy it!

If you don't win, or can't wait to try it, Conscious Box is offering Fine and Fair readers a 50% discount on any subscription! Enter code LOVELIFE to receive this discount.

Official Rules: No purchase necessary. Entry open to persons 18 years of age and over, US only. Giveaway ends at 12:00 am on April 22, 2013. Winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is sponsored by Conscious Box; Fine and Fair is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Disclosure: I will receive one free box from Conscious Box, and have not otherwise been compensated for this giveaway post.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: My Delicious Feelings

I've been doing a lot of baking lately, a direct result of all of the feelings I'm having about my impending return to work.



My feelings? They're mighty tasty. ;)

They taste like these cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction, which will change your life for the better.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Best Banana Muffin Recipe (Gluten Free & Vegan)

Welcome to the April 2013 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Recipes
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants are sharing their recipes, their stories, their pictures, and their memories.
***

Since my favorite family recipe is one I'm under strict orders to share only with my children, I bring you these Banana Muffins, courtesy of Dionna at Code Name: Mama!

The Best Banana Muffin Recipe via CodeNameMama.com I've been somewhat discouraged by our experiments in gluten free baking. Everything seems to come out too wet, even when I make the batter drier than I think it needs to be. Thankfully, one of my readers shared a recipe with me via Facebook message, and since she got it from a blog that is no longer in existence, I decided to share it with you today - with my tweaks for the dairy and egg free family! We've made these twice, one time mixing everything by hand (except for the oats), the second time adding everything to the blender. Both were delicious, but there was a texture difference - blending by hand makes the muffins a little grainier. These are supposed to freeze and thaw well, but we've eaten them too quickly to test that theory out.

Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Banana Muffins

Ingredients

*Makes approximately 15 muffins.
  • 2/1/2 cup oats
  • 1 cup of plain yogurt (Our dairy free family uses Amande cultured almond milk); the first time I had vanilla handy, the second time it was coconut. Both times were delicious.
  • 2 tbsp flax seed meal stirred into 4 tbsp water (The original recipe calls for 2 eggs.)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup sweetener of choice. The reader who shared this recipe with me uses coconut sugar, which is low glycemic but adds bulk to a recipe like regular sugar. She said that Rapadura or Sucanat would also work, but that liquid sugars (maple syrup, honey) change the texture too much.)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 ripe medium - large bananas
  • 1/2 - 1 cup add-ins of your choice (we used chopped pecans, cranberries, and unsweetened shredded coconut
The Best Banana Muffin Recipe via CodeNameMama.com

Directions

1. Using a food processor or blender, blend oats until they are ground to a flour.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to your blender, mix well. (I stirred in the cranberries by hand.)

3. In a silicone muffin tin or a greased metal muffin tin, fill muffin cups about 2/3 full.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 21-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

These muffins are DELICIOUS. Seriously. Do you have any tips or tricks to vegan + gluten free baking? Share them in the comments! If you are investigating food sensitivities in your family, feel free to chat with me! Read more about our journey into going gluten free and dairy/egg free.
_________________________

 Dionna is a lawyer turned work at home mama of two amazing kids, Kieran and Ailia. You can normally find Dionna over at Code Name: Mama where she shares information, resources, and her thoughts on natural parenting and life with little ones. Dionna is also cofounder of Natural Parents Network and NursingFreedom.org, and author of For My Children: A Mother’s Journal of Memories, Wishes, and Wisdom.
***
Carnival of Natural Parenting -- Hobo Mama and Code Name: MamaVisit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
  • German Red Cabbage: A Family Tradition — At Living Peacefully with Children, Mandy shares her favorite dish and a part of her family's history.
  • Rotisserie Chicken Recipes for Meal Planning — Becky at Crafty Garden Mama shares a new recipe that is in her family's meal-planning rotation. Check out how she uses a rotisserie chicken to get through the week.
  • Grandma Wicken's Sugar Cookies — Jana Falls at Jananas talks about how special her Grandma's sugar cookies made her feel.
  • Recipe: Seed and Bean Burgers — ANonyMous at Radical Ramblings shares one of her favourite frugal recipes that is also super-healthy and totally delicious.
  • PULLING Dinner Together For the Kids – Crockpot Pulled Pork — Lisa at The Squishable Baby PULLS dinner together for the kids.
  • The Best Banana Muffin Recipe (Gluten Free & Vegan) — Dionna of Code Name: Mama's adventures in gluten free baking have not been 100% successful. But today she is guest posting at Fine and Fair to share a banana muffin recipe that will knock your socks off!
  • The Pierogie Mama Whips Up Strawberry Pierogies! — Bianca at The Pierogie Mama shares her family's recipe for strawberry pierogies…a sweet, summery version of the Polish dumplings that she affectionately named her daughter after.
  • Mom's Cookbook — Tree at Mom Grooves digs into the big book her mom created for her six daughters and shares a favorite family recipe.
  • Crispy Duck Confit — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama takes the liberty of starting a family recipe tradition with this super simple, totally delicious crispy duck confit.
  • Stovetop BBQ Chicken — Amy at Me, Mothering, and Making it All Work shares a yummy BBQ chicken recipe that you can make on the stovetop in less than 25 minutes, fridge to table!
  • Twice-Baked Sweet Potato Casserole w/Bacon — Martine at Whey Beyond the Naked Truth shares a naked food twist on an old family favorite!
  • Strawberry Panna Cotta — KerryAnn at CookingTF.com shows you her favorite dessert, a quick and easy Strawberry Panna Cotta that she enjoys so much, she had it instead of a birthday cake this year.
  • Special crepes for a special day — Mikko at Hobo Mama is learning to cook his grandma's signature holiday meal alongside his dad.
  • Three Favorite Family Recipes: To Eat, To Wash, To Play — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings is back with three family favorites: gluten-free vanilla orange sugar cookies, DIY powdered laundry detergent, and something fun for the kids: homemade "Flubber"!
  • Black Bean Soup Forever — Mercedes at Project Procrastinot shares a soup recipe that's been around forever.
  • Do you want to know a secret? — SRB at Little Chicken Nuggets lets go of her mac and cheese recipe, a comfort food favourite for friends and family for years.
  • Creating Our Own Family Recipes — Emily at S.A.H.M. i AM shares how she's trying to create meals that her girls will want to pass down to their own children some day.
  • Vranameer Chicken: A Family Recipe — Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares a recipe that reminds her of childhood and more specifically, of her mother. It's a South African take on sweet and sour chicken and what it lacks in healthy it makes up for in tantalising to the taste buds.
  • One Recipe, Three Uses: Dishwasher Liquid Detergent, Dish Soap, and Hand Soap — If you love saving money and time, you'll love this green recipe from Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama, guest posting at Natural Parents Network.
  • Our Family's Favorite Pies — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares recipes and tutorials for the quintessential American dessert.
  • Deliciously Easy Crock Pot ChiliLactating Girl shares her crock pot chili that is not only quick and easy, but awesome.
  • All-Purpose Crock Pot PorkCrunchy Con Mommy's simple "recipe" for cooking perfect pork in the crock pot is for whatever mood her family is in!
  • Family Rules: A Recipe for Harmony — Cooped-up kids + winter weather + frazzled parents can all blend together into a recipe for disaster. Dionna at Code Name: Mama shares what brought back the peace in her house.
  • Favorite Healthy Family Recipes — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares her family’s healthy eating experiences along with links to free printable vegetarian recipes that her family has created with love.
  • Grandma's Banana Bread — Megan at The Boho Mama has early and fond memories of her grandma's banana bread. It's love in a loaf!
  • Family Comfort Food — Jorje of Momma Jorje shares a recipe handed down that moms have made for their kids, for regular meals as well as to comfort.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Body Image on the Playground: The Subtle Messages All Around

The other day, it was finally starting to feel like Spring had sprung. After my husband arrived home from work, we got the kids ready and went out for a walk to a nearby playground, a popular place, now that it's not covered in snow. As we approached, Delilah was delighted to see a gaggle of older girls swinging on the monkey bars, teeter-tottering, laughing, and chatting. A red-headed 12 year old graciously shared the teeter-totter with an overjoyed 3 year old Delilah, before rejoining her girlfriends as they impressively and athletically navigated the playground equipment.

As Delilah made her way around the structures, I overheard one of the girls ask the other, "Do you think it's bad to weigh 99 pounds in 8th grade?" The girl shrugged and said she didn't know. The first girl continued, "Because I weigh 99 pounds. Do you think that's bad?"

My heart sank. This lovely, healthy 13 year old girl, who had moments before been confidently recounting her recent achievements in gymnastics, was seeking approval from peers about her weight. Was concerned that her number on the scale might be "bad."

As we left the park, I told my husband about what I'd overheard, and how sad it had made me. He remarked that she probably watches "those celebrity shows," teeming with messages about weight, desirability, ideal body types, and the like. I couldn't shake it off quite so easily, and reminded him that such messages come from many more directions than the luminous screen of the television. After all, our own daughter had just heard one right there, on the playground.

The whole scenario got me thinking about just how abundant those messages are, even in our family, where we are conscious about how we talk about our bodies; even in our home, where we painstakingly supervise screen time and almost exclusively limit our daughter's TV viewing to Netflix, where she's not subjected to commercials. Still, she sees me smile and hears me excitedly report my weight loss to her father when I step on the scale once a week. She hears the Wii-Fit tell her that "It's time to say goodbye to Winter, and let's say goodbye to some of that fat on our tummies, too!" She hears various extended family members talk about losing weight and the calorie content of various food items. She sees the disappointment on my face when I pull on a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans only to find that I can't quite zip them yet. And she hears girls on the playground, who she looks up to, question whether their weight might be "bad."

This leaves me with a lot of questions, and very few answers. Our children are not raised in a vacuum. Even those of us who are body positive, who abhor fat-shaming, who work to model healthy relationships with food and our bodies, even we cannot prevent our children from learning that numbers on scales or sizes on clothing labels are a measure of their worth as human beings.

So what do we do? What can we do? In a world where a Victoria's Secret commercial asks, "What is Sexy?" and proceeds to answer its question with images of women who are all tall and thin with long legs and breasts that are somehow both large and perky, how do we teach our children that sexy is different things to different people, and that more importantly, sexy isn't the only thing matters? Is it even possible to raise children, girls especially, who grow into adults who feel good about their bodies, even if they don't fit the "ideal" image that is thrust in their face at every turn?

We talk about how every body is a beautiful body. We talk about how our bodies are strong and about all of the amazing things they can do. We talk about how bodies come in different shapes and sizes and that different shapes and sizes are neither bad nor good. We eat a variety of healthy foods and we indulge in sweets in moderation. We don't label foods as "good" or "bad." We do physically active things as a family and individually.

What more can we be doing? This question is not rhetorical, I sincerely want to know, what more can I do so that my daughter will not be mostly faking a positive body image for the benefit of her own children, the way that I am for mine? What sorts of things do you do to help instill a positive body image and an appreciation for the diversity in body types for your children?

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Petite Pumper

While I was nursing Canon this morning, Delilah brought me my hands-free pumping bra and told me she needed to pump for her babies. I knotted it in back so it would fit her snugly and helped her put it on:


She's like my very own, real-life Pumping Pixie! :)

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Simply Living Blog Carnival: April Call for Submissions

Welcome to the Simply Living Blog Carnival cohosted by Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children, Laura at Authentic Parenting, Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy, and Joella at Fine and Fair. We hope that you will join us on the third Tuesday of each month as we share posts about simple living in our lives. Submission deadline will be the second Tuesday of each month.

Going Green Just as simple living and voluntary simplicity have become catch phrases, so too has the phrase going green. How do green practices affect your decisions? Do you find that your simple lifestyle is in tune with environmental issues? Perhaps you have a practice or product which simplifies your life. Submission deadline: April 9. Carnival posting: April 16.

To submit an article to the blog carnival, please e-mail your submission to mandy{at}livingpeacefullywithchildren{dot}com anddelilahfineandfair{at}gmail{dot}com, and fill out the webform by April 9. Please write a new, unpublished piece for the carnival. We will e-mail you with instructions before the carnival date. We ask that you publish your post on April 16.

We want you to use creativity and to express yourself as you see fit. To that end, you are welcome to post at your discretion with a few guidelines in mind. Please be respectful in your posts. Avoid excessive profanity and poor grammar or spelling. As the co-hosts of the carnival are all advocates of peaceful living and gentle parenting, we ask that you not post about non-gentle practices or violence toward others. While we will not be editing your articles, we do reserve the right to not add your post to the carnival if it is not on topic, is poorly written, or goes against the guidelines which have been set forth.

Blog carnivals are a great way to generate blog traffic and build a supportive community. Your blog will receive links from many other blogs and you and your readers will have the opportunity to discover other blogs with similar goals in mind. Please join us as we embrace Simply Living through Simple Living! We hope you will consider joining us every month as we discuss ways we simplify our lives.

 

Kid-sized Mini-Swiffer

It's been a little over two years since I asked, in jest, "When do babies learn to mop?" Thanks to my wonderful new friend and childcare provider, who I blatantly stole this idea from, I have the beginnings of an answer!


When we met our new sitter and her children for our first play date in their home, it wasn't long before Delilah spotted a Swiffer that was just her size and started swiffing away. I remarked what a great idea it was to leave a Swiffer out, and how much cleaner my floors would be if I did the same, without even noticing that it was a child-sized version. She explained that she'd just assembled the Swiffers (she has 2, one for each of her littles) by attaching the handle directly to the base and discarding the two center rods. Brilliant!

The next day while Delilah napped, I found our own sorely neglected Swiffer (housekeeping is the thing I'm
pretty much the worst at) and removed the two center rods to make it Delilah-sized. She was ecstatic when she woke to find it, and since then, my floors have never been more beautiful. :)


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