So, my “baby” (now almost 3) has a seriously sensitive stomach. Everything gives him the “glug glugs,” and he will not sleep if his gas is too bad. First, there was colic. Then, allergies. Then, teething. Now, he eats too fast and gulps a lot of air with his food, and there may be more food sensitivities (it’s in the genes, so it wouldn’t be unusual.)

I can’t tell you the number of nights I’ve had 3-4 hours sleep, max… one of the reasons I don’t update this blog that often. I’m still usually not operating on a full tank. Not even on half a tank.

I’m not a big fan of giving kids any kind of medicine, not even homeopathic remedies. Honestly, homeopathy kind of scares me, and it’s never worked for me personally. There’s also a tradition of toughing out discomfort in my family, unless there’s a high fever or blood spurting, something like that.

But enough is enough. I had to do something — not even I could survive consistently on 3-4 hours of sleep per night, every night. Even now, my kid is almost 3, but he is still super sensitive to any kind of discomfort and won’t sleep without it. And when he doesn’t sleep, I don’t sleep.

Colic Calm is totally awesome for the gas which occurs any time he’s had too much milk, too much fruit, a cold, eats too fast, gets hurt at the park, etc. Though I was initially hesitant to give him anything, especially when he was a baby, it turned out to work like a charm. As an added bonus, it’s FDA registered and regulated, and it is free of any common allergies (soy, dairy, yeast, wheat, animal products, artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners.)

I have no problem recommending and representing it to anyone with a kid who gets the “glug glugs.” I’ve even taken it a few times for reflux! I expect to keep it on hand for a long time… in fact, my son was up all night with gas last night, and I was out. I ordered 2 more bottles (which will come in the next few days — they are lightning fast about shipping and customer service.)

To find out more, just click on any of the images (they’re affiliate links, and I do get a small commission if you buy through my links.) The Colic Calm website has tons of info on their product, enough to satisfy even parents scared or skeptical of homeopathic remedies like me!  They have extensive information on the ingredients, the function of the ingredients, and health and safety.

Join us in an excellent lifestyle based on creativity, high-quality, and frugality -- become part of the Excellent Living Guide community! You'll be invited to participate in member discussions, projects, events, and special PDF tutorials on making more cool stuff. Read about ELG values and sign up here.

You see, he’s two, which is a naturally destructive age. And he lives for hitting and throwing games, even more than the average two year old. When he gets tired, he doesn’t get crabby, but crazy, and objects just fly out of his hands. These blocks are great for when he goes into crazy mode — he can’t hurt anyone or anything, and they are encased in vinyl, so they stand up to rough handling.

It’s a great way for us both to get exercise in the winter. He throws them as hard as he can, and I kick them or hit them with a foam bat. He will play this for hours, off and on, in a single day.

Here’s my 2 year old playing with them at the Y on Family Fun Gym day:

I give these large foam blocks the official ELG stamp of approval. Though they may seem a bit expensive, I always advise saving up for the good toys, and not getting the cheap junk. If you have active children, these blocks are an excellent investment. I recommend them on several points:

• Eco friendliness (low waste, lasts for years.)
• Creativity enhancing! Not a ready-made, branded toy, but one that exercises the imagination.
• Easy to store — just stack them up in a corner.
• Flexibility: build houses, play games, get out nervous energy.
• Good for siblings to have constructive, competitive play without fighting or hurting each other.
• Quiet and doesn’t require batteries.
• Safe fun for all ages! Even my 24 year old brother has fun with these. We still pelt each other with various objects as adults.
• Instant exercise and occupation for restless people — you can always find something to do with them, whether it’s stacking, hiding, throwing, or knocking them down.

There are a lot of people who make them, but the best seems to be the Children’s Factory brand. Their foam blocks are really durable — my local YMCA uses them for classes for 2 – 4 year olds, so those take a serious beating.

There are foam blocks not covered in vinyl, but those will get ruined fast. You need the tough coating because these blocks just beg to be thrown and hit. You can get Children’s Factory ones from Amazon. Here are some different sets:

Big 21-piece set. Expensive, but great for multiple kids to use at the same time, especially if you have a basement playroom.

Twelve 9″ blocks — ideal for throwing and kicking:

This set has four cubes and four bigger blocks, good for building:

5 1/2″ block set for babies and young toddlers. Also good missiles for pelting your brothers and sisters…

As a result, I’m not a hard-core “no TV” parent — in fact, I don’t think anything should be vetoed, because that just makes kids want it more. The information I have on letting young kids watch TV implied that they shouldn’t watch commercials, both because of the advertising exposure and because it encourages shorter attention spans. So, regular network TV is out, but that’s ok with me — I still think it’s boring!

Signing Time buys you guilt-free time.

But Signing Time is another matter. I discovered ST videos at the local library. I was desperate for a break — any break — from my 14 month old “velcro baby,” but he simply couldn’t do anything by himself at that time. I tried Volume 3 of Signing Time, which was all about eating and drinking, and he was mesmerized by it all. The kids were either his age or a year or two older, the narration was all kids’ voices, and the music was surprisingly sophisticated.

Since I could only check out videos for 7 days, and it was pretty clear that he loved them, I decided to invest in some Signing Time DVDs (I have 10.) He watched them over and over… and he actually learned to sign. He’s pretty verbal, though, so he only signs for comedic effect these days; however, I think ST has encouraged him in the area he wanted to learn most: music! He learned all the songs, and each DVD has a mode where you can just play the songs without the other stuff.

It’s entertainment, not education.

As far as the educational value, I don’t care that he didn’t sign a lot. He definitely learned some signs, and the videos definitely helped him understand concepts, but these videos are entertainment. I’m not really into that “genius baby” stuff. At over 2 years old, he still watches them and sings along with the songs — just this morning, we did the colors of the rainbow one.

The music is the best part.

There are at least 2 songs in every episode, and they are not typical kiddie music stuff! Not the corny, cheesy Barney or Elephant Show songs, but much more sophisticated. They’re written by Rachel Coleman’s father, who is a film composer and DJ, and sound like adult contemporary music with good arrangements. Rachel herself is a good singer; I think she might have been a career musician before starting Signing Time.

It’s still children’s music, but definitely listenable and repeatable. Each song is short, only 1 – 3 minutes. For musical learners like my son, it really satisfies their craving for rhyme, rhythm, and melody without driving you insane.

Since I discovered this show, I started recommending it to everyone with children aged one or more — especially for first children, since they have no older sibs to interact with.

My son’s favorites.
Here are the “wideos” he requests the most. I’m now a ST affiliate, so if you do buy from them through my links, I get a small commission which helps support this site.

Signing Time Volume 3: Every Day Signs DVD. Apples, banana, cracker, cheese, ice cream, candy, day, night… what could be more interesting to a young toddler?

Signing Time Volume 7: Leah’s Farm DVD. Lots and lots of animals, with good songs!

Signing Time Volume 12: Time to Eat DVD. More cooking and eating, which is awesome since he’s really into making “goop” out of flour, water, food coloring, etc. Cute songs!

Signing Time Volume 11: My Neighborhood DVD. Songs about the park and things you do there, transportation like motorcycles and helicopters, and safety people (doctors, nurses, police, firetrucks!) Some of the best songs on this one.

Signing Time Volume 6: My Favorite Things DVD. Colors of the rainbow, fruit, veggies, and physical activities. Good for teaching about summer.

Signing Time Volume 4: Family, Feelings & Fun DVD. Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers… and some seasonal clothing. Good for teaching about winter (hat, boots, coat, etc.)

If I’d known, I would have gotten the whole collection of Series 1, since it’s the same amount that I ended up spending, but more videos ($250.) I’m probably going to invest in all of Series 2 when he gets a little older — you can see by the subjects that some of the DVDs are for more 3′s and 4′s, not 1′s and 2′s.

They also have a DVD of the Month club for $20 / month, which I am considering joining.

Join us in an excellent lifestyle based on creativity, high-quality, and frugality -- become part of the Excellent Living Guide community! You'll be invited to participate in member discussions, projects, events, and special PDF tutorials on making more cool stuff. Read about ELG values and sign up here.