When I was a little girl, I had a leather satchel to go to school, like millions of other European school kids. Its was just a plain old satchel that looked like those used by War Time children, and those before that. You still see them all over Europe – but these – by Miniseri, are un updated version of a classic – and don’t look like those dreadful plastic things I see children saddled with around local schools.

Most of the tacky school bags, slathered in Dora or insipid princesses or trucks, are toxic. Toxic to the eye – as well as to the health of your little learner. Spare them the indignity of both – and buy them a lovely school bag they can use as they prepare for that East Coast school you have picked out.

And on that trip to grandmas….

Do they really need that pink or blue plastic atrocity that we see so many children dragging behind them? It’s toxic. Take it to the Goodwill and get something that your little travellers can be proud of, like this lovely vintage looking equipage from Miniseri.

Miniseri has pages of school satchels/bags and children’s luggage that meets those rigourous EU standards of health AND style.

(And don’t those princess things just make you ANGRY?!)

Happy Tuesday!

If your little one is in pre-school, he needs a nap mat. One that isn’t riddled with toxins, or covered in insipid characters.

Etsy to the rescue. Again.

Sewn Natural has a darling selection of nap mats that are beautiful, cozy and safe (organic).

I love that they aren’t covered in cartoon characters.

Somehow they seem less distracting than those dreadful Made In China mats that I see so many young ones trot off to school with.

As a Pisces, I also love her organic fishes. Perfect for little Catholic pre-school story telling.

Naps.

Those were brilliant.

Sweet Dreams!

When do we want them? NOW!

As a Conservative, I have never had the chance to march in rallys and chant in memes.  As a Cuban, the idea of doing so is very appealing.  As a Chicagoan, there usually isn’t any parking.

But if I were to dress up in a slogan T Shirt, burn my Hanro bra, wave a placard about wildly, and stick daisy’s in barrels, it would be for a cause such as this: getting that bloody bollocks insidious PVC out of our precious and vulnerable children’s school supplies!   And as soon as I am invited to the Million Mums March, I shall do just that.

Until then, if ever you were a child, have loved one, or have one, please, please, pretty please with organic cherries on top, sign this petition, and spam your friends via email and Facebook to do the same:

“Yesterday we and our friends at MomsRising announced that over 10,000 parents have organized to petition retailers to take toxic PVC school supplies off store shelves.  Momentum is building!  You can join them by signing the petition here, if you haven’t already.  Parents across the country are banding together to give their children a safe back to school sendoff by keeping toxic school supplies out of children’s backpacks and organizing to keep those toxic binders and lunchboxes off of store shelves.”

More on PVC, and these fine folks who are fighting it: http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/index.htm

Sadly, this includes Trapper Keepers.  Fer sure.

Though I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home after my son arrives, it’s comforting for me to know that there is actually an eco nursery in my own Lincoln Park neighborhood. By the time he is 3, I imagine there will be far more.

Aside from the Green Bean, the Little Green Treehouse in the Loop is another nursery school that Blackberrying Loop parents may want to consider.

Most “conventional” nursery schools that I have seen have stacks of plastic toys and those awful plastic “Play Houses” that give me the willys.  Check to see if there isn’t a greener childcare option in your area - especially as you work so hard to provide a healthy environment for jr. at home - 

Feeling fiesty? Learn more about greening your school:

http://www.myhealthyschool.com/supplies/classroom.php

http://www.healthyschools.org/

http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/

And don’t forget that organic apple for your hemp wearing teacher!

We all have smells and tastes that transport us back to our very own temp perdu – Play Dough is one of those for me.  Nothing catapults me back to being four at St. Andreas school, and the field of daffodils that surrounded that crumbling Victorian pile, quicker than the taste or smell of good ol’ Play Dough.  I may not yet have a child in pre-school, but if I did, he’d have more than one canister of non-toxic, food grade Soft Dough. 

It seems that the old fashioned Playdoh isn’t toxic (bless them), but it ain’t food grade, or organic - so you may opt for a food grade brand, if your wee one, like I did, takes the food shapes literally.

Another item I would send my boy to school with would be fab pebble shaped non-toxic crayons. I feel more artistic just looking at them.

It seems that these crayons are not only groovy looking, but much easier for wee hands to grip.

And on what should the little chitlins use these crayons, and all the other delicious non-toxic art supplies?  An enchanted cottage, of course. As every childhood should have an enchanted cottage and magic coloured pebbles to go with.

Just make sure that they have thier pockets full of local, organic, gluten-free bread crumbs first.