The Need for Sleep: Why You Should Turn Off Tech and Get Some Rest

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Published by Make It Better- May 2016

“We are now part of a sleep deprivation epidemic,” says Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and author of “The Sleep Revolution,” her 15th book, during her program at the Chicago Humanities Festival, the first of the new Spring Festival, Style. “Our addiction to technology makes it harder to disconnect with our devices and reconnect with ourselves,” says Huffington. She likens it to the first industrial revolution. “Human beings are treating themselves like machines, with the main goal of minimizing downtime,” says Huffington. Sleep is seen as an evolutionary fault, a waste of time, when, in fact, quality sleep is as necessary to our health and well-being as diet and exercise.

Sleep for Your Health

Sleep is the time for the brain to clean out toxins, repair tissues, consolidate memories and process emotions. “Insufficient sleep is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and mood disorders,” says Dr. Robert S. Rosenberg, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center of Prescott Valley, Arizona, and author of “The Doctor’s Guide to Sleep Solutions for Stress and Anxiety.”

Sleep to Be Slim

“Weight loss is all about hormone function,” says Shawn Stevenson, creator of The Model Health Show, a popular nutrition and fitness podcast on iTunes, and author of “Sleep Smarter.” “Sleep quality is more influential to hormone health than diet or exercise.” He cites a University of Chicago study of participants on restricted-calorie diets. “Participants who slept 8.5 hours a night lost 55 percent more body fat than those who slept 5.5 hours,” says Stevenson. Metabolism slows down when you’re not getting enough rest, making it hard to get rid of stubborn belly fat. “The biggest influence of sleep deprivation is that you’re hungry the next day,” says Stevenson. “You’ll go for snacks you wouldn’t normally eat, and justify it because you’re tired.” When you’re struggling with biology versus willpower, Stevenson says, biology is going to win.

Sleep to Look and Feel Refreshed

There is such a thing as beauty sleep. “The biggest secretion of the human growth hormone, known as the youth hormone, happens during deep sleep,” says Stevenson. Looking for that radiant, youthful glow? Get some rest and you’ll look naturally recharged, and maybe even enhance your love life, too.

Sleep to Improve Your Relationship

“Well-rested women are 14 percent more likely to be engaged in healthy sexual activity the next day,” says Stevenson. “They’ll also experience increased sexual arousal during that intercourse.” Other relationship interactions improve too. A UC Berkeley brain imaging study found that those who are sleep-deprived can be hypersensitive and over-aggressive. “You’ll want to bite your partner’s head off for something small because the survival part of your brain is hijacking the system,” says Stevenson. Get some rest and petty arguments should diminish.

Sleep for the Whole Family

Most members of the modern family aren’t getting enough rest, and the reason is often tied to technology. “Parents of teens report that their kids get seven hours of sleep a night, when they should be getting at least 8.5,” says Kristen Knutson, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at theUniversity of Chicago. While younger children should, and are reported to, sleep longer, each age group is about an hour deficient on shut-eye per night.

The presence of electronics, especially in the children’s bedrooms, had a significant negative impact on sleep. However, rules that ensured tech was turned off at a certain hour helped. “Sleep is like diet,” says Knutson, “It’s really hard for one family member to change and be successful. All have to come together for an age-appropriate conversation about the importance of sleep.” Huffington says you can rely on what her mom used to tell her — you will feel more alert, perform better (in school, sports and work) and be less cranky.

Wake Up to a Good Life

Huffington says certain cultures, like in big cities or cutthroat corporations, can glamorize sleep deprivation. People wear it like a badge of honor, bragging that they only got four hours of sleep the night before. “That’s the cognitive equivalent of going to work drunk,” Huffington says. She too was guilty of running on too little sleep, but didn’t just wake up one morning and see the error in her ways. She collapsed from sleep deprivation, hit her head on a desk and broke her cheekbone. “If that hadn’t happened, I probably would have had a heart attack, like so many executives collapsing on treadmills these days,” she says. Huffington commends Aetna Chairman and CEO Mark Bertolini for rewarding his workforce when they sleep seven or more hours per night. Productivity goes up when you’re mindful of well-being.

Recharge Yourself

Huffington wants to rekindle the romance with sleep, so that we actually look forward to it. Sleep, for her, used to be a heavily mined border that she avoided crossing at all costs. She’d constantly push herself to finish a project or answer 20 more emails. “We endlessly prolong work,” she says. “It never stops because our smartphones follow us everywhere.” She says the most important step to a sleep revolution is to turn devices off and gently escort them out of the bedroom at least 30 minutes before sleep. “We take better care of our smartphones than ourselves,” says Huffington. “We know how much battery is left in our smartphones, but what about ourselves? On the day that I collapsed, if you would have asked me how I felt, I would have said fine.” It’s not enough to just get things done. When you get more rest, you reawaken some of the joys in life.

Sleep Solutions

Don’t Count on Catch-Up

“Those who get 6.5 to 7.5 hours of sleep per night have the healthiest, longest lifespans,” says Rosenberg. But catch-up sleep doesn’t work. “Even if you sleep 10 to 12 hours per night on the weekend, but four to five every weeknight, the damage is already done to the brain and central nervous system,” says Rosenberg. Instead, he recommends a steady sleep/wake schedule that you can stick to on both weekdays and weekends. Sure, you might want to stay up a bit later on the weekends, but be wary of “social jet lag”— meaning if you sleep until noon on Sunday, it’s going to be difficult to get to sleep that night for work on Monday morning.

Have a Bright Day

“Expose yourself to sunlight as soon as possible after awakening,” says Rosenberg. Open the blinds and enjoy your morning coffee in front of a window. “People who work in well-lit areas are more alert, have less mood disorders and sleep better at night than people who work in dark cubby holes,” says Rosenberg. If you work in a cube without a window, take walks when possible. We know those who exercise sleep better, deeper and longer, and that morning exercise sets you up for a great day. New research does indicate though that exercising at night is better than not exercising at all. Omega 3s in fish and fish oil supplements can also help you sleep better and feel less stressed.

Find Out If There’s More to the Snore

According to Rosenberg, 54 percent of men snore and 22 percent of middle-aged men have sleep apnea, a condition that can lead to heart attack or stroke. If your partner is a habitual snorer, check with his or her doctor to see if sleep apnea is the cause. And if you get a bedroom divorce to improve your sleep, it doesn’t mean you can’t have conjugal visits.

OTCs Can Negatively Impact Memory

“Avoid medications, if possible,” says Rosenberg. “Especially over-the-counter ones, like Unisom or Tylenol PM. A big study just came out linking anticholinergic drugs to an increased risk of dementia.” Rosenberg recommends going to sleep the natural way, with your own sleep routine. “If you’re a worrier, do constructive worrying,” he says. “At 6 p.m., write down your problems and possible solutions, then put them in a desk drawer. Don’t bring them into the bedroom.”

Expert Tips for an Optimum Sleep Environment

Rosenberg’s recommendations:

  • Keep it cool: 65-68 degrees.
  • Make it dark: Eye masks and dark curtains help.
  • Limit distractions: Use fans or Bose noise-cancelling headphones.
  • Try hypnosis or meditation: Apps are available.
  • Apply or diffuse lavender oil: Proven to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Huffington’s ritual:

  • Hot bath with Epsom salts: “Water washes away the day.”
  • Beautiful lingerie: Sleep clothes cue sleep.
  • Physical, non-work-related books: No tech in the bedroom.

Knutson’s tips:

  • Find what is most comfortable to you: Cotton pjs and silk sheets?
  • Limit caffeine: Try herbal tea.
  • Don’t drink alcohol: It will wake you in the middle of the night.

Stevenson’s hack:

  • If you can’t stop working an hour before bed: Use a blue light blocker (Lux is an helpful app; Night Shift is an iOS 9 update).

MIB team favorite:

 

The Most Common Chromosome Disorder You’ve Never Heard Of

Posted on by Cortney Fries

“The ultrasound technician was being very quiet and taking longer than normal,” recalls Ryan Garcia. He and wife, Lindsey, were awaiting the results of her 20-week ultrasound for their second child. “At first, the doctor thought our son had Tetralogy of Fallot, a heart defect common with certain genetic disorders.” The Garcias decided to have an amniocentesis for genetic testing. After three rounds of testing, their son, to be named Cohen, was diagnosed with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q-Lindsey-Ryan-Cohen-Garcia

After Down syndrome, 22q is the second most common chromosome disorder. It is caused by a small missing portion, or deletion, of the 22nd chromosome. While it is estimated that 1 in 2,000 to 4,000 children each year are born with 22q, the actual number of people who are diagnosed with the syndrome is less than that because the symptoms range from mild to severe and are associated with almost 200 health and development issues.

Before the discovery of the deletion, the disorder was known by several different names. DiGeorge syndrome was associated with severe heart defects, hypoparathyroidism and severe immune deficiency. A combination of milder heart defects, feeding issues, speech problems and cleft lip/palate was identified as VCFS (velocardio facial syndrome). Now, all symptoms are realized to fall under the 22q11.2 umbrella. The number of names associated with the symptoms only compounds the issue of diagnosing and managing healthcare for 22q.

“There are individuals with 22q who need 24-hour care, while there’s also a woman with 22q who has the same master’s degree I do,” says Bettsy Leech, genetic counselor and 22q/VCFS coordinator at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. “If your child has birth defects, developmental delays and learning problems that are not going away, you should consider a genetic evaluation.”

An early diagnosis can save years of confusion and frustration. It provides parents and practitioners with a roadmap and warning signs, enabling symptoms to be caught while they are small. About 75 percent of 22q patients have a cardiac anomaly. Anxiety is the single most common symptom, with 98 percent reporting. Learning disabilities are common.

“Their whole lives are built on anxiety,” explains Leech. “It’s like listening to a foreign language tape for a region in India, then just getting dropped off there. You don’t know the culture. You’re bound to offend people. The anxiety builds and these children have less bandwidth to focus on learning.”

Scoliosis is another possible concern as children reach puberty, but Leech says less than 5 percent of the kids with 22q who she is familiar with have scoliosis. A bigger, and more frightening concern, she says, is the 25 percent risk for schizophrenia.

When the Garcias received their son’s diagnosis in August 2013, they immediately turned to the Internet for information. The Dempster Family Foundation, founded by former Cubs’ pitcher Ryan Dempster when his daughter, Riley, was diagnosed, was a wonderful resource. Focused on building awareness and supporting 22q families, the Dempster Family Foundation (DFF) pitches in to provide a leg up in managing children’s special education needs and developing a roadmap to success. The Dempster Family Foundation is planning to close, but The International 22q11.2 Foundation, Inc. provides similar resources for families.

No stranger to helping others, Ryan Garcia quickly realized he had a platform to build awareness for this seldom discussed syndrome. You may remember Garcia as the Chicago dad who pledged to perform 366 Acts of Kindness in 2012 after his daughter, Isla, was born.

“I wanted to make the world a better place for her and set a good example,” recalls Garcia. “For the final act of kindness, we were going to adopt a baby.” Those plans were delayed when the Garcias discovered they were pregnant. When Cohen was diagnosed with 22q, instead of worrying about every possible negative outcome, Garcia decided to evolve his efforts into State of Kind — he pledged to perform an act of kindness in every state, to raise awareness for 22q.

The first State of Kind endeavor was completed in October 2013, a month before Cohen was born. Garcia raised over $1,200 in gasoline gift cards to offset the travel expenses of an Indiana single mother of three special needs children, including one in a facility two hours from her home. To date, six acts of kindness have been completed, in Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Vermont and Texas. State of Kind gifted lawn care and spa services to a mother of two young boys who was recovering from colorectal cancer after she lost her husband, father and father-in-law to other forms of cancer.Kyle Korver of the Atlanta Hawks donated great seats to a game and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., provided an autographed model of his NASCAR racecar to State of Kind recipients.

“It’s really bonded us as a family,” says Garcia. “Our mission is now to raise awareness.” Daughter Isla has been known to host drink stands and request donations to 22q in lieu of birthday presents.

22q-Isla-Garcia

22q is a common syndrome that is rarely diagnosed. Education allows those affected to be proactive. You can help put 22q on the public radar by sharing this article.

Sensory Solutions and Support

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Published on Make It Better- June 2015

 

“Vibrating oral-facial massager” was the search term Ellen Sternweiler typed into her computer. Mother to three children with developmental differences, Sternweiler was desperately seeking a solution to her middle son’s severe sensory-seeking behavior. She didn’t know what the product was called, she just knew that he needed deep sensory input into his jaw. After three hours of sifting through a barrage of unwanted products, she had an epiphany. She decided to open The Sensory Kids Store.

“Being a parent to special needs kids is hard enough,” Sternweiler says. “Finding what you need for them should be easy.”

The Sensory Kids Store opened in 2011 inside Bellybum Boutique, Sternweiler’s now-shuttered Lincoln Square green parenting store. It was the first brick and mortar storefront offering sensory and developmental toys, therapeutic aids and clothing in a mainstream, inclusive setting. Sternweiler utilized her background in graphic design to make in-store and online shopping for items like weighted vests feel akin to picking out a pair of jeans. She wanted it clean, not clinical; bright, not boring. The response was astounding. People came from all over to see, touch and feel in person.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six children in the United States, ages 3-17, have one or more developmental difference. “Every child can benefit from a healthy sensory diet,” Sternweiler says. “Some just need more than others.” The Sensory Kids Store offers products that keep the senses in balance, so kids can regulate themselves and enhance their focus.

After living in Chicago for 24 years, the Sternweilers decided to move, to better meet the special education needs of their children. In 2014, they purposefully landed in Wilmette and could not be happier. “District 39 is fantastic,” says Sternweiler. “The special education support at Romona and Highcrest is unparalleled.” She speaks highly of Wilmette’s recreational sports community and inclusion at Northfield’s Temple Jeremiah.

“One of the biggest challenges as a mom in business is creating balance,” says Sternweiler. Relocated to Wilmette, The Sensory Kids Store now sells products online and through one-on-one product consulting to parents, schools, community groups and clinics.

Megan Kennedy, Skokie mother of two, says Sternweiler is one of the most helpful resources her family has encountered on their special-needs journey. “The opportunity to speak with Ellen personally is one of the most beneficial things we’ve been able to take advantage of.”

Sternweiler is a well-known sensory product expert. “My job is to curate, to make sure I have the best few items at a good value,” Sternweiler says. Sensorykidstore.com is organized into categories like seeing, hearing, talking and touching. Parents don’t need to learn a whole new language of terminology to shop. They just need to know what their child is seeking; then the choices can be easily drilled down from there.

Parents receiving a troubling diagnosis for their child are overwhelmed, confused and frustrated. Sternweiler helps filter data and provide support, as both a parent and a product specialist. “If your kid loves to be tickled but hates to be compressed, I’d suggest brushing,” explains Sternweiler.

Weighted and compression vests, seamless sensitivity socks and chew jewelry are some of her top sellers. Products like the Joki Swing or Big Red Top offer aesthetically pleasing and fun ways for kids to get the peace and quiet or gentle motion they crave.

Melinda Brooks, Chicago mom of two, highly recommends sensorykidstore.com’s streamlined selection. “It’s great for grandparents and gifts,” says Brooks. Her family’s favorite is Riverstones, an obstacle course that’s great for balancing, constructing, and rearranging patterns.

Sternweiler is also one of the main organizers of the Neighborhood Parents Network Developmental Differences Resource Fair and co-host of a monthly parent support group. Checktheir website for details. A North Shore parent support group is in the works.

“After years in graphic design, I needed to do something that was meaningful, and give back to the community,” Sternweiler says. “What could be better than helping support, educate and make life easier for my fellow parents struggling with the challenges of raising children with developmental differences. This is incredibly fulfilling.”

Young Mom Has Stroke Two Weeks After Birth of First Baby

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Written for Make It Better- March 2015

Adam Kroupa and his wife, Heather, were snuggling on the bed with their newborn son, Joshua. It was their first day home together as a family.

“What do you think he’ll be like when he grows up?” Adam asked Heather.

Heather did not answer. Her eyes were wide, but she did not speak. Adam repeated the question. Heather just looked lost.

“If you don’t respond now,” Adam told her, “I am calling the ambulance.” Heather slumped over. Adam dialed 911. Would he need to raise their child on his own?

Heather was rushed to Central DuPage Hospital. At only 27 years old, she had suffered a stroke. The doctors told Adam she may never get out of bed again.

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, almost 800,000 Americans suffer from a stroke each year. Continue reading “Young Mom Has Stroke Two Weeks After Birth of First Baby” →

Special Needs Tweens: How to Ease the Transition to Middle School

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Written for Chicago Special Parent- March 2015

The tween years are a time of increased independence, body changes, social pressures and additional responsibility, yet they are also a wonderful time for children to be industrious and show their true potential.

For tweens with special needs, middle school can be difficult, warns Ellen Sternweiler, owner of The Sensory Kids Store in Wilmette and mom to three children with developmental difficulties.

“But you’ve got this. You’ve made it this far. You’re going to make it,” she says.

Sternweiler assembled a panel of special needs parents and Educational Therapist Richard Bograd for the 2015 Neighborhood Parents Network Developmental Differences Resource Fair to discuss the changing demands of middle school.

Transitioning to middle school can be scary and confusing; but with your continued support, kids can more easily overcome this next big hurdle.

They offered these tips to set your child up for success:

1 Continue to communicate with teachers.

Even though parents are encouraged to be more hands-off in middle school, you know your child’s unique challenges.

2 Go after what your kid needs.

For example, if no reference materials are provided in class but your child needs them to succeed, ask for them.

3 Reassess your child’s IEP.

The therapeutic gap may have widened due to complex curriculum or increased demand for executive functioning skills.

4 Help your child thrive during unstructured times.

Coach them on breaking into lunchroom conversations. Aid them in developing social circles. Friends are a necessary respite from the stress of the day.

5 Talk about their changing bodies.

Kids will notice if they are early or late in development. Have explicit, open, honest conversations.

6 Maintain healthy eating and sleeping routines.

Your child is older, but facing many challenges. Keep a 9 p.m. bedtime.

7 Celebrate successes.

While it may be difficult to watch your child come in last, realize that he may have improved his performance or played his personal best.

8 Teach and encourage your child to text message friends.

Cellphones are a major mode of communication in middle school.

9 Limit screen time during the week.

On weekends, allow one hour as soon as kids wake up. They get what they want right away; parents get more sleep.

Time Out for Better Time In

Posted on by Cortney Fries

My story, Time Out for Better Time In, will appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Time to Thrive.

 

This collection of true stories about making and taking the time to create balance and increase joy will be available May 5, 2015. I am thrilled my story was selected from thousands to be included in the book. It is a delight to be a Chicken Soup for the Soul author and part of an organization that inspires so many. To learn more or to pre-order, click here.

Chicago Botanic Garden Serves Up Healthy Family Meals

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Written for Chicago Parent magazine- October 2014

Living in Chicago, I think it’s especially important to get kids out in nature—skipping, exploring, creating and learning. From the beautiful Malott Japanese Garden to our favorite Model Railroad Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden offers those opportunities to interact with the outdoor world. Taking my 3- and 5-year-old there, I hoped to feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I didn’t expect to share one of the most delectable, healthy and peaceful meals I’ve ever had alone with my children.

The Garden View Cafe was quite busy for a Tuesday, but for good reason. The new menu offers many colorful ingredients harvested from the garden’s own fresh fruits and vegetables.

Chef Michael Kingsley, who has worked in some of the top food institutions in Chicago, developed a plant-centric menu that rotates spring, summer and fall. My Superfood Salad was amazing with blueberries, mango, almonds and a honey-orange dressing. The kids’ choices were a lot healthier than what you would find in most restaurants. Their Top Secret Mac & Cheese is named due to (shhh…) the butternut squash that is incorporated into the sauce.

Since zucchini was in season when we visited, my son enjoyed some tasty zucchini bread. We were thrilled to discover the garden shares its recipes online—three season’s worth are available at on their website.

My sprouts and I agree that the new food at the Garden View Café is flavorful. The tranquility of the scenery also makes it a delightful place to share a meal.

The Cruelest Thing I Saw on a Hog Farm

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Written for Illinois Farm Families Field Mom Blog- April 2014

Walking into the hog barn, the strong smell of pig manure pierced my nostrils. As my body adjusted to the smell, my sight was the next sense to be overwhelmed. Row upon row of large hogs were lined up in stalls just bigger than their bodies. Literally hundreds of 250 lb animals were shoulder-to-shoulder in crates too narrow for them to even turn around in.

These cages are known as gestation stalls. I had visited the Gould’s third-generation family owned and operated grain and livestock farm in Western Kane County as an Illinois Farm Families 2014 Field Mom. Most of the pigs on this farm were pregnant, as it is a farrow-to-wean swine operation consisting of 750 females producing 16,000 piglets annually. That means female pigs are housed to be bred. Piglets are nursed until weaning, then moved on to another operation, which raises them to market weight. Animal activist and industry debates center on the use of such constrictive confinement. I don’t have to tell you how cruel it seems to be unable to walk or even turn around.

When confronted with swine housing, most consumers automatically suggest open pens. They seem more natural and idyllic of farms. But most of us, like me, have absolutely no experience raising livestock and need to understand the issue isn’t quite that simple.

Hogs can demonstrate very violent social behavior as alphas try to establish dominancy. Sows, or mother pigs, have to be on specialized, measured diets to ensure optimal health during pregnancy. In open pen situations, the more aggressive pigs end up with more feed than they should, the timid hogs with too little, and all suffer from fighting for feed. The scratching and biting result in open wounds, leaving pigs hurt and sick.

However, the eeriest thing in the Gould gestation barn was that it was almost silent. All those animals lined up one after another and there was no snorting, no grunting and no aggressive behavior. For as much as a non-animal-expert can tell you, the environment seemed to be low stress. Perhaps larger stalls that allow room to at least turn could improve the pigs’ lives, but currently they seemed to be clean, calm and healthy-looking.

Next we moved onto the farrowing barn, where newborn pigs nurse with their mothers. They were housed in farrowing stalls, where piglets have an open pen, but bars separate the mother from rolling onto and crushing her babies.

It was hard not to squeal with joy at the piles of tiny pink piglets. New brothers and sisters were grunting and pushing as they clamored for warmth and milk. But just as my heart filled with the joy of new life, my eyes laid upon a smaller, thinner one shivering in the corner.

“Oh no,” I said, pointing. “I think that one needs help.”

Eldon Gould, owner of the farm since 1968, reached into the pen and pulled the struggling newborn into the warmth of the heat lamp.

I looked at Eldon and the piglet with my sad but hopeful eyes. We moved on. Several stalls down I saw another runt shaking.

“Diarrhea,” Eldon said.

“What do you do?” I asked.

Eldon shrugged, “Mother Nature can be very cruel.” He explained how they didn’t want to force things or take artificial measures. “Sometimes they’re just not going to make it.”

I stopped taking pictures of the piglets.

“How many of them don’t make it?” I asked.

“We have a 10-12% mortality rate,” he answered honestly.

While it was hard to stomach the image of a struggling newborn pig, I appreciated the fact that the Gould family was not sheltering us from the reality of hog farming. After all, that was why I was there.

I asked the Gould family what the most difficult thing about being farmers was. The answer was uncertainty, and usually a different kind each day. Farmers have to play mental games with finances and resources as they struggle with variable weather and fight diseases. “One year there’s a draught, the next there’s a flood,” said Sandy Gould, Eldon’s wife and co-owner of the farm. I nodded my head in understanding as we were huddled together on a 30-degree day in late March. I think we can all agree that farmers have tough jobs and many mouths to feed.

I was impressed by the amount of science incorporated into farming today. Genetics help ensure sows have healthy litter sizes and hogs are bred to ideal weights and lengths. Proper nutrition and care is taken and measured for each hog on “baseball card stats.”

“What’s good for pigs is good for us,” Eldon said. “Like your kids, keep them healthy rather than try to get them better after being sick.”

Leaving the Gould farm, I felt they were doing their best to raise healthy animals to feed our country and make a living. While my first look at gestation crates and farrowing stalls was alarming, the images I truly can’t shake are of the baby piglets that were simply born unstable. The cruelest thing I saw on that hog farm was at the hands of Mother Nature, not a farmer, as some alarmist propaganda may have you believe.

“Are there some bad farmers?” Pam Janssen, owner of another hog farm, asked us on our previous Field Mom excursion. “Sure. Just like there are some bad teachers and bad priests. But does that make them all bad?”

I suggest going and seeing for yourself.

 

Cortney Fries Talks to Illinois Farmer Today: Straight From the Source

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Dale Drendel, left, hosts many different groups to help share his unique story of agriculture. Here, a group of Illinois Farm Families Chicago area Field Moms listen to what he has to say. Photo courtesy of Illinois Farm Families

Appeared in llinois Farmer Today • Sept. 9, 2014

 

HAMPSHIRE — With so much conflicting news about what is healthy to eat, Cortney Fries had no idea where to turn for accurate information about the food she was feeding her family.

“I would do research, but I would get answers on both sides of the question and didn’t know which side I could trust,” she explains.

“So, when I saw the ad to become an Illinois Farm Families field mom and talk to farmers first hand about how they produce the food I eat, I jumped at the opportunity.”

The program involves Chicago-area moms touring modern farms to speak with farmers.

“I love that I get to see what happens on a farm first hand,” Fries says. Continue reading “Cortney Fries Talks to Illinois Farmer Today: Straight From the Source” →

Ag in the Bag: Fun & Free Agriculture Classroom Presentations

Posted on by Cortney Fries

Written for Illinois Farm Families Field Mom Blog- April 2014

“Do I look like a farmer?” Diane Merrion, agriculture literacy coordinator with the Cook County Farm Bureau, asked the forty children, ages 3-5, in my son’s preschool class. They studied her black pants and red sweater quizzically.

“I bet you thought I’d be wearing overalls and boots,” she said. That was just the first myth she was there to dispel.

Kids these days, especially those living in big cities like us, can be pretty far removed from farming and its impact on their everyday lives. I wanted my son to not only know what was on Old McDonald’s farm, but also what it provided us. That’s why I asked Ag in the Classroom to come to his Chicago Public School preschool for a presentation on food, fiber and fuel.

Although Diane typically does in-school field trips for fourth graders, she was fabulous with the youngsters, quickly pulling real agriculture products out of her bag for the children to touch and feel. The first was a long, golden stem of wheat.

“Wow!” the kids all murmured.

One student and a teacher got to touch it, noting how it felt “smooth like hair.” After rubbing the wheat in the other direction, the teacher scrunched her nose. Her students guessed it must have felt “prickly like a porcupine.

Diane showed the children samples from Illinois crops, like dent, sweet and popping corn. Did you know that popcorn is the Illinois state snack? She also pulled source components, like soybeans, out of a cracker box to demonstrate what goes into the foods kids love. For example, soybean oil is used to make Wheat Thins.

“What does a cow have that’s different than us?” Diane asked.

“More tummies,” a four-year-old quickly piped in, reminding me of a fact I had forgotten.

As the kids called out the differing parts between a cow and a human, Diane dressed up a volunteer. There were four balloons for the stomachs and a fly swatter for the tail, along with hooves and a scratchy tongue. The furry brown outfit was adorable and helped the kids visualize the total differences.

Diane showed innovations like packing peanuts made from corn, which dissolve in water. She then asked which corn product babies use every day. We were all stumped. My son volunteered to stir a mixture of water and cornstarch, which demonstrated the product she was referring to.

“It’s frozen!” the kids gasped, mystified by the thick goo.

“Is it your water?” Diane joked. “No, this is a corn product, used in diapers.”

“Yuck!” hollered the children; but we parents, we’re grateful. The hydrosorb material in diapers, paper towels and napkins soak up a lot of messes.

Diane talked about the jobs the kids could do when they grow up related to agriculture– like being a food scientist, pilot or farmer. She also explained things pigs give us. The children seemed to understand that bacon and sausage came from hogs; but when she said “heart valve transplants,” I thought it might go over the preschoolers’ heads. However, the next morning at breakfast, I was delighted to hear my son talk about the “heart tubes pigs give us.” Kids absorb more than you might expect.

Diane ended her session at the preschool with a funny farm-to-fork book, “The Cow in Patrick O’Shanahan’s Kitchen” by Diana Prichard. The kids loved the pig and cow paper plate crafts she brought for them. Did you know that cows’ ear tags are stamped with their birthdates?

Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) is a national program with activities in every state. The mission of Cook County AITC is “to expand students’ awareness and appreciation for the importance of agriculture everywhere.” They offer free 4th grade “in-school field trips,” 3rd grade ag days, ag magazines and curriculum kits as well as low-cost teacher workshops and summer agriculture institutes. Last year Cook County Farm Bureau’s AITC team visited over 300 classrooms and reached 21,000 4th grade students. They can also be available for career days and presentations on topics like nutrition, biotechnology, environmental impacts of farming and sanitation.

If you have students in Cook County, teachers can sign up now for presentations, which are given September through May.

Contact Diane Merrion, Agriculture Literacy Coordinator
Phone 708-354-3276
Email aitc@cookcfb.org

They’ve got ag in the bag, bringing fun and informative presentations to classrooms, often for free.