Kids Who Explore Parent Edition

Ep. 20 Tick Safety with 3 Moms Organics

On today’s episode, we sit down with Jennifer and LJ, the founders and owners of 3 Moms Organics, which carries a product we love, TickWise. TickWise is an organic, DEET-free, family safe, insect repellent, that also repels ticks, among many other bugs! Their product is EPA compliant, and is registered in all 50 states in the US. It is sold in over 300 stores and that number is increasing every day. It is also sold on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Lowes.com. Furthermore, 3 Moms Organics was recently certified as a prestigious Women-Owned Small Business. Both Jennifer and LJ have lived in the Hamptons of New York for all their adult life. They have both raised families in East Hampton and learned early on the dangers of ticks, and the diseases they carry. LJ’s children have each been infected with tick-borne diseases multiple times, as have Jennifer’s. The tick problem has gotten so bad in East Hampton that you cannot even step onto your lawn without finding at least one crawling up your leg.  

 

LJ shares her story of having Neurological Lyme Disease [Neurological Lyme Disease requires a Deet-Free product]. We learn how LJ’s tick knowledge, paired with Jennifer’s essential oil knowledge, sent them down the path to protect their children from ticks (and now, thankfully, many other people)!  

 

 

All the Tick Safety Tips: 

• Spray Permethrin on your shoes (spray it outside, and let it dry before wearing; repeat every 2 weeks) 
• Spray yourself (with TickWise) 
• Spray your belongings, including your backpack 
• For babies, do not spray hands or face, but you can spray their clothes, their carrier, their stroller, etc.  
• Wear light-coloured clothing, so you can easily spot ticks 
• Tuck your pants into your tall socks 
• Wear clothes that cover your skin 
• Avoid walking in long grass; although, ticks can also be found in short grass, depending location, and closer to trail where they are looking to feed 
• Use a lint roller (or duct tape) right after adventuring, to take off any ticks that are hanging on clothing 
• At home, strip down, and put your clothing in the dryer on high heat for 1 hour (ticks do not like high heat) 
• Shower and do a thorough tick check, especially warm areas of your body, and your hair 
• Be cognisant of anything that is itchy once inside – look before you scratch! 

 

 

If You Find a Tick: 

• If you find a tick around your house, get rid of it 
• If a tick is found on you, remove it immediately with needle-nose tweezers, or a tick twister (remove it slowly, and make sure all of the tick is removed) 
• If the tick has bitten you, put it in a bottle or a plastic bag to send in for testing (do not put it in tape) – check www.tickreport.com 
• If a tick has bitten you, do the full 28-days of antibiotics (as that brackets the life cycle of the bacteria) – testing for Lyme disease in people is very flawed. The CDC says that just because you test negative, does not mean you don’t have Lyme disease. Testing is only 30% positive 
• **Don’t do the “soap on a cotton ball trick” to remove a tick, because it could leave some of the tick behind, or the tick could regurgitate their stomach contents 

 

 

Facts about Ticks that will Scare You (Sorry!) 

• They can sense when someone has walked in the last 5 hours 
• There is a type of tick that can reproduce without a male 
• Mice, rabbits, deer, squirrels carry them around 
• Possums eat ticks  

 

 

TickWise Spray Info: 

• It’s been field tested for its efficacy  
• It’s registered in all 50 states in the US 
• It lasts for 2 hours for ticks, and 1.75 hours for mosquitos; then it must be re-applied 
• It is also good for dogs, but not cats. 

 

**If you’re trying to keep ticks away from the yard, it’s best to set up tick boxes, because if you spray the yard, it negatively impacts other animals** 

 

 

Follow: 

Website: https://www.3momsorganics.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3momsorganics/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3momsorganics/ 

 

Shop at: 

Website: https://www.3momsorganics.com 

Amazon: www.amazon.com/ 

Walmart: www.walmart.com/ 

Lowes: www.lowes.com/ 

 

Thank you to Rumpl for supporting today’s episode! Use EXPLORE15 for 15% your first order at www.rumpl.com 

 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.  

Ep. 19 Backcountry Camping 101 with John Dowsett

Cindy Dowsett, from Kids Who Explore, along with her husband, John Dowsett, are sharing their knowledge!

How to Book for Backcountry Camping:

• choose site via Provincial or National Park sites (albertaparks.ca)
• book a reservation and then it’s usually first come first serve for specific spots

 

How to Get to Backcountry Camping Site:

• hike in
• pack everything in a chariot and bike in
• canoe in!

 

What to Expect:

• usually zero service
• many locations have bear locks and fire wood, but some have no amenities
• don’t expect a lot of sleep
• sometimes there are communal cooking areas, sometimes not

 

How to Start with Kids:

• plan for one night (maybe two)
• pick a close location (smaller hike to get into site, for example)

Safety Tips:

• always watch kids
• make a “safety circle” with a stick around the fire for kids not to cross
• pack warm, “winter” gear even in the summer (plan for all weather)

 

Backcountry Camping Packing List:

• Backcountry tent
• Sleeping mats
• Sleeping bags
• Hiking backpack
• Garbage bags
• Clothes (layers)
• Hiking boots
• Hat/sunglasses
• Food
• Water
• Water filter
• Camping stove and pots
• Backcountry plates/bowls/mugs/utensils
• Propane for stove
• Backcountry dish soap
• Headlamp/flashlight
• Fire starter/matches
• First aid kit (Benadryl for allergies (bee sting), After Sun, After Bite, Band-Aids, Antiseptic wipes, Polysporin, Tylenol, Dehydration packages, Water filtration tablets, etc.)
• Sewing kit/patch kit
• Toiletries
• Toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer
• Susncreen/Bug spray
• Bear spray
• Camera
• Day hike pack, whistle, knife, rope, duct tape
• Hand/foot warmers
• Extra batteries
• ID
• Backcountry permit (if required)
• Rain covers
• Satellite phone
• Games

 

Backcountry Camping Additionals for Baby:

• Baby carrier
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Layers (wool base layers and socks, fleece mid-layer, waterproof outer layer, neck warmer, mitts, boots or slippers) & extra layers!
• Sleep sac
• Milk
• Soother
• Toys
• Sunhat/Sunglasses

 

*Don’t over pack! It will get heavy! Many items are backcountry camping specific, so they are much lighter and smaller to pack down.*

 

Borrow or rent to get started, if you don’t want to commit to buying everything.

 

Thank you to Rumpl for supporting today’s episode! Use EXPLORE15 for 15% your first order at www.rumpl.com

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 18 Becoming a Climbing Family with Annika Mang

About Annika: Annika Mang is a content creator, storyteller, writer, and photographer. Her book, Hikes for Families: A Guide to the Canadian Rockies has over 45 family-friendly hikes. In 2014, she created the Born to Explore Adventurous platform founded on the belief that “Adventuring does not end when you have children, it is only the beginning.”

She has lived all over Western Canada with her family, including three months in a van! Although she hiked as a kid herself, her love for hiking really flourished in University.

She has recently started a new initiative called Trail Collectiv, that determines difficulty level of hikes in 5 different categories, making it more clear for families what is accessible to them! She also shares which hikes are friendly for all-terrain strollers.

 

Annika loves rock climbing, because it allows her and her family to see nature from a new perspective.

 

Starting Rock Climbing with Your Kids:

• Get certified [Annika took the Outdoor Climbing Course through the Calgary Climbing Gym – they used an ACMG Certified Instructor]
• Be able to climb a 5.10 in the gym
• Learn to create proper anchors and how to set up with proper etiquette
• Pick a location with smooth ground and not a lot of rock fall
• Check in with locals from the area for suggestions
• Always think of safety first!

 

Make It Happen:

• Bring your kids by 2-years-old up to a hold to “hang”
• Let your kids see you enjoying it!
• Find friends interested in taking turns between watching the kids and climbing

Recommendations for Rock Climbing Spots in Alberta with Kids:

• Wasootch (https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/canada/kananaskis-country/area/11922961) -Sunshine Rock (https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/canada/alberta/banff/area/547764147)

 

Not Recommended for Rock Climbing in Alberta with Kids:

• Grassi Lakes

Links: Calgary Climbing Gym (to certify) – www.calgaryclimbing.com Mountain Guides (to certify) – https://yamnuska.com/mountain-guides/

Follow Annika: IG: @borntobeadventurous Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BorntobeAdventurous/

Follow Trail Collectiv: IG: @trailcollectiv

Find Annika’s Book: Her Website – https://www.borntobeadventurous.com The Great Outdoors Store Calgary - https://www.thegreatoutdoorscalgary.ca Valhalla Pure Canmore - https://vpo.ca/topic/VPO.StoreLocator.Canmore All Out Kids Online - https://alloutkids.com

 

Thank you to Sawyer for sponsoring today’s episode! https://besawyer.com

 

Production: @ kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 17 Nature is Music - Lauren Rodych-Eberle Spotlight

Lauren Rodych-Eberle is the Communications and Media Director for Kids Who Explore, and her passions with KWE really lie in sharing knowledge, tips and tricks, and promoting even the smallest of adventures!

Outside of Kids Who Explore, Lauren is the owner and instructor of Miss Lauren’s Music Studio, where she just released a Preschool Music eCourse: https://laurenrodycheberle.mykajabi.com/store

She is releasing her 4th cookbook in 2022 that is specifically for kids! She hopes it helps others pack food on their adventures: https://laurenrodycheberle.com/shop/

In today’s episode, she will also discuss:

• How she involves her daughter in ALL things
• How she’s meditated for 4 years consecutively
• How she’s learned to check safety for different adventure areas, from bears to ticks
• How KWE and the IG community inspire her to write

 

Links: Jan&Jul Sun Hats: https://janandjul.com/sun-hats/

Follow Lauren at: IG: @laurenrodycheberle; www.laurenrodycheberle.com; or over on Kids Who Explore!

Thank you to Rumpl for supporting today’s episode! Use EXPLORE15 for 15% your first order at www.rumpl.com

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

BONUS EPISODE - YYC Outdoor Communities with Tanya Koob

Making friends can be hard! Making friends who want to do the same outdoor activities as you can be even harder! Tanya Koob, a Calgary-based mom, found herself in that predicament 12 years ago, when she first had her son. The solution? She started Facebook groups that brought like-minded, outdoor loving families together! Calgary Outdoor Play Groups run by Tanya: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1570536683159307/ Cross Country Skiing YYC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/562727260820378/ Mighty Mountains Kid Group (6 to 12/14-years-old): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1880664988893275/

Also mentioned – YYC Family Biking on Facebook

Other fun suggestions:

• Geocaching: https://www.geocaching.com/play
• Bike closed highways: One example is Highway 66 outside Bragg Creek, starting from Elbow Falls to Beaver Dam Flats Campground (check if it is closed before you go)

 

Follow Tanya at: IG: @mountainmomyyc; the Facebook groups listed above; http://www.rockiesfamilyadventures.com

 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities: https://kidswhoexplore.ca/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/

 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 16 Camping with Kids with Carrie Malin

Carrie Malin grew up camping. She loves being in the outdoors - camping, hiking, backpacking, and canoeing, joined by her spouse, her son, and her dog! She is the Marketing Manager for Kids Who Explore, and we loved talking all things camping with her! Alberta Camping: https://www.albertaparks.ca To Get Kids Excited to Camp:

• build up anticipation
• involve them in packing camping gear
• let them pack a backpack of toys that they carry

Carrie’s Camping Essentials:

• Tent
• Sleeping Bag
• Hammock
• Head Lamp
• Tylenol/Advil
• Google: 10 Must-Bring Camping Essentials

 

Carrie likes to camp May-October, until it gets to -5 degrees Celsius. Tip: Learn to build a fire to keep warm! A perfect camping trip would be 3-4 days for her, but she will take even a night, if that’s all she can get. She loves playing camping games with her son - tag, or X’s & O’s.

Her Advice to Beginner Campers:

• You don’t need fancy gear
• Start small and add as you need
• Plan for one night to start, close to home

Links:

• Carrie’s Post, Let’s Get Camping: https://thatoutdoorsyfamily.com/lets-get-camping/
• Hug a Tree Foundation: https://www.adventuresmart.ca/programs/hug-a-tree-and-survive/

 

Follow Carrie at: IG: @__carrielynnn & www.thatoutdoorsyfamily.com

Thank you to Rumpl for supporting today’s episode! Use EXPLORE15 for 15% your first order at www.rumpl.com

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 15 Wildlife Safety While Camping with Kim Titchener

Back in Episode 5, we learned from Wildlife Specialist, Kim Titchener, who is the Owner of Bear Safety and More. In this episode, we dive deeper into wildlife safety when it comes to camping. Kim camps in all seasons and is building a cabin right in the heart of grizzly bear habitat, so she knows a thing or two first-hand!! The safety we talk about applies to all wildlife, even though we specifically address bears most often. Before Heading Out Camping:

• Find out if your camp site is in bear country
• Find out if there are bear warnings for the camp area (if so, don’t go)
• Contact campsite beforehand and ask them what has been going on at their site (Provincial or National Parks are often good spots)

 

Before Setting Up:

• Check site to see if anything has been eaten, if there is a carcass nearby, if birds of prey are flying overhead, or if there is bear food, like berries, near your site…all of these are very dangerous signs and the bear will come back

Once Camping:

• Be self-sufficient and keep your food away from animals with bear-resistant garbages or bear lockers
• If there are none of the above, you will need to know where to put your garbage…the car is fine for some locations, but some places in the USA, bears have learned how to get into cars – in that case, you will need to look into a bear hang or bear keg
• Keep anything with scent away from campsite (even to go on a walk or to the washroom): food, toiletries, cans of kerosene, etc.
• Make sure where you are eating and where you are sleeping are separate from each other
• Have bear spray nearby at all times – even on the picnic table with an air horn – and then by your head when in the tent at night, with a glow-in-the-dark safety
• Keep kids supervised, and stay together
• Keep dogs on leash
• Leave no trace, and pack up everything you brought in when leaving

*When hiking, have food sealed up in good containers* *Teach kids bear safety, without scaring them – Give them knowledge to make lots of noise, make themselves big, back away, get to safety* *Take a course to feel knowledgeable on what to do in any encounter*

Remember that it is also dangerous for wildlife to come near your site, as they will have to be shot, or put in a zoo, and no longer be allowed to live on the land. Don’t feed bears/coyotes/wolves/birds/etc. Stay in groups!

Some other great tips Kim has for getting kids outside:

• Have layers for them and be prepared for all weather conditions
• Carry a first aid kit, and bliss wool for blisters
• Play games and make checklists for kids to look out for, and check off, on the trail
• Bring stuffed animal, for the kids to focus on and take care of (take selfie with stuffie!)…but, do not leave stuffie on site

Learn more at: www.recsafewithwildlife.com and www.bearsafety.com Follow Kim at: IG: @bearconflicts and @bearsafetyadventures Thank you to Scat Belt for sponsoring today’s podcast! Get your Scat Belt today to always have your bear spray accessible at www.scatbelt.com and on IG: @scatbelt Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 14 Ticks Are Not Friends with Jamie Jones

Disclaimer: We are not medical professionals giving medical advice.

Jamie Jones is a Minnesota girl with a heart full of wanderlust. She is a wife, a mother to two energetic boys, and an event/wedding planner. She loves travelling, working out, skating, and being on the water.

She grew up on a ranch, where she spent all her time outdoors, where the ticks love to roam. In college, she started getting really sore, and wondered if it was arthritis. She was often dismissed and told it was just from stress.

Jamie’s Symptoms:

• Joints hurting – sore and swollen
• Feet felt like walking on pins and needles
• Fatigued
• Headaches

 

Thankfully, Jamie’s story didn’t lead to chronic Lyme disease, as many do, because hers was caught early enough and she was put on antibiotics (for a year).

Becoming diagnosed Is hard, as something like 20-30% of people don’t test positive.

Being Diagnosed:

• Blood test (looking for antibody marker)
• Visible bullseye rash
• Usually followed with a 30-day cycle of antibiotics

Jamie’s Lasting Effects:

• Loses voice very easily (especially when tired)
• Gets swollen muscles
• Joints and feet get sore (especially when it’s cold)

 

Deer ticks (the ticks that most often carry Lyme disease), are about the size of a sesame seed.

How to Prevent Tick Exposure:

• Wear layers and cover up your skin (tall socks, long sleeves, etc.)
• Wear light colours, so ticks can easily be spotted
• Pull hair up
• Avoid tall grass, when you can
• Use Tick Spray (Lauren suggests 3momsorganics TickWise, and Jamie uses Deep Woods Off)
• When inside, check hair, clothing, and dark, warm areas for ticks
• Be cautious of your pets, as they can be exposed to ticks as well (Jamie shares that in Minnesota, there is a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs, and also a chewable fly and tick guard that they use)
• Be mindful: Jamie cautions that she was simply running barefoot in her backyard when she was exposed

 

Links:

• 3momsorganics TickWise - https://www.3momsorganics.com
• Deep Woods Off - https://off.com/en/product/deep-woods
• Thule Chariot (Jamie’s Favourite) - https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-trailers/multisport-trailers/thule-chariot-cross-2-_-10202023

 

Be mindful, but still get outside!! The world was meant for exploring!

Find Jamie on IG: @jamie_m_jones

 

Thank you to Sawyer for supporting today’s episode! Check out Sawyer goods at https://besawyer.com

 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 13 Encourage Small Adventures

Whether you’re like us and want your kids on all your adventures, or the pandemic has made it so you can’t travel far, or get childcare, we are here promoting small adventures…you don’t need to go far from your backyard to expose kids to the beauty of nature! Remember, for kids, these small adventures are anything but small!

Some small adventure ideas:

• walks
• yardwork
• step outside!
• play in the yard
• parks
• green space
• biking
• yard sledding
• yard snowboarding

If you can’t get outside, you can bring the outdoors in, from making leaf prints to using food colouring in bins of snow indoors, get creative with nature!!

Thank you to Rumpl for supporting today’s episode! Use EXPLORE15 for 15% your first order at www.rumpl.com

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.

Ep. 12 Pelvic Floor 101 with Rachel Parrotta

We all have a pelvic floor…every single one of us! But, how much do we really know about it? Rachel Parrotta, who is a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist based on Long Island, in New York, teaches us how to take care of our pelvic floor, especially for those in pregnancy or postpartum. We think you’re going to be very motivated to visit a Pelvic Floor Therapist after this episode! And, as we learn, it’s never too late!

Get assessment from a Pelvic Floor Therapist if:

• you feel “pressure” in the pelvis
• you are experiencing incontinence (any leaking of urine from running, jumping, sneezing, etc.)
• you have Diastasis Recti (when the abdominal wall widens, and if you have feelings of pressure coming up from that line)

 

If you are pregnant:

• you want to still be active during your pregnancy and use
• your core muscles, but there are modifications to do so safely
• visit a pelvic floor therapist to gauge where you’re at, learn about the pelvic floor, and prepare for birth and recovery

 

If you have a pelvic prolapse (distension or stretching of the vaginal walls internally):

• hold off on more intense exercise until 12 weeks postpartum
• week 6-12 should be rehabilitative, and you should have an assessment done
• strengthen the core and pelvic floor, also the hips and whole body!
• some may need internal support, from a pessary

 

If you have Diastasis Recti:

• work with a Pelvic Floor Therapist to strength the entire abdominal wall
• correct the feelings of pressure

 

How to return to postpartum exercise:

• week 6-12 postpartum should be about rehabilitation
• think of exercise as a progressive program
• start with easier workouts on the ground: the core, pelvic floor, and breath
• then get up on your feet, and return to squatting and lunging
• runners need to think about if they can do one legged squatting, before running

 

Follow Rachel on IG: @rachel_parrotta_dpt www.rachelparrotta.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParrottaPhysicalTherapy/

 

To find a PFT in your area:

• www.pelvicrehab.com
• www.pelvicguru.com
• ask birth workers in your community

 

Thank you to Rumpl for supporting today’s episode! Use EXPLORE15 for 15% your first order at www.rumpl.com

 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music