New Year's Promise

Dear All,

HAPPY, HEALTHY and FULFILLED NEW YEAR 2012!

The new year started with many wonderful 'Firsts' for my daughter: first road-trip up North to visit Santa Claus Himself, kiss to a (real) rain deer, welding of a horse shoe predicting the new year (yes, it is a tradition) and traveling by train.. Talk about the amazement of an almost 2 -year old! At least as surprised, I realized I had to convince her of the fun of rushing downhill with a snow sleigh, making snow angels or building a snow man..By the end of the week we were finally both enjoying:)

She was not the only one discovering new things either. Apparently the many years abroad have left me with some worrying gaps in my general knowledge about how to live this life (the right way). Did YOU know that:

- It is no longer enough that your child covers her mouth with her hand when coughing? She should be covering it with her elbow of course! (to avoid seriously the share of microbes)
- BIO food is dangerous (because it probably contains un-tested toxins that will harm your health)
- Eating vegetarian will very likely make even your child's growth curve slow down (even if you give them a steak twice a week)
-Yogurts should be forbidden, lunches must be served hot and heavy, milk with vitamin D is the only proper drink for a toddler and vitamin C is THE remedy for all illness!

I felt the responsibility of making smart decisions weighing heavy on my shoulders. Made me also wonder of all the other vital pieces of information I am still left out..How will we survive?

Some weeks later I was back home visiting our neighbourhood boulangerie with my little daughter. As we were leaving, the lady suddenly opened a drawer and - before I could take a breath - took a huge, beautiful bright blue artificial lollipop glowing of e-items and stack it to my daughters delighted mouth. I blushed and muttered: "Oh, indeed, great, there goes her first lolly..!". The lady looked at me puzzled: "But it's not so serious Madame".

I  realized from this moment onwards it was NOT going to be all so serious ! Who cares! Where's the FUN!  Think of us, kids of the wild 70's: How many e-filled candies have we eaten? How many toys coming fresh from Chinese factories? And yet we turned out so perfect !

New Year's promise? Let's take it laid back..