Toad House: Spring has Sprung in Wisconsin

Spring may have sprung in Wisconsin with more April Showers than we have seen in a long time. With the changes in the amount of daylight we will all be outside longer including our littlest children. This is a healthy change from the indoor hibernation we impose upon ourselves during our long winter. With this change, the amount of energy it takes changes. Our need for nourishing food increases.

I recently watched a movie with a group of people called, “A Place at the Table”. The movie spoke to the issue of hunger, not the hunger we see in television broadcasts about places around the world, far away from our little town, but hunger in our own backyard.

The developments in our culture with quick, easy foods in cans and boxes, ‘helpful’ to families with two working parents, have created a barren landscape of non-nourishing foods. Mealtimes are no longer times when we put thought, time, and love into preparing food from scratch to nourish our families, but where we see how quickly we can get something in our children’s tummies and move on to the next thing in live.

Children are developing a palate for these foods, full of fat, sugars, and empty carbohydrates and no longer gravitate towards truly tasty, vitamin and mineral rich foods. Their bodies and minds suffer the consequences and become susceptible to diseases and early morbidity.

It is spring in Wisconsin--I challenge each of us to make a small change this year, maybe growing a few vegetables in our backyard, maybe using our food stamps, not to buy mac and cheese in a box, but fresh,nourishing vegetables from the farmer’s market. I hope we can change away from this fast food culture of non-nourishing foods and learn to cook again.—and spring stands for new life.

I wish to thank Shaun Jochimsen for her great addition to the community--music and movement for the little toadlets in our community. Please sign up with Shaun for the summer series of Little Toadlets Hop & Play. The summer session will begin June 14 and run thru July 26^th with a break for Mardi-Gras. The toadlets meet at 10:00 in the tower @ Toad House. This week, on ground floor, the Artsy Kids will make beautiful watercolor Mother’s Day cards. Come and help your artsy kiddo make a card.