Get the tots involved: Ingrid Callot on encouraging kids to help clean the house

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On top of Ingrid Callot’s checklist for the week: general cleaning. And believe me, it’s long overdue.
Parents usually take the full responsibility of cleaning the house. It’s part of every homeowner’s daily activities, so some point, it can become strenuous. With this, parenting experts suggest that kids, as young as toddlers, should be trained in doing simple household chores.

From Ingrid Callo February Photos

I agree with this. In fact, when Jacob was still two years old, he already knew how to organize his toys. One fateful event actually made ‘the training’ easier for me. One afternoon, my faboosh friend Edgardo Versoza visited our house. While walking towards the patio, he accidentally stepped on one of Jacob’s toys. “Oh no, Ingrid Callot! I think I broke your baby’s toy.”

The incident – Jacob witnessing his toy being smashed because it wasn’t kept in his toy box– became a reminder for him to have the initiative to organize his toys.

I’ve read an article online that supports the idea of encouraging kids to take part in house cleaning. Armin Brott, author of seven books on parenting advice, shared his thoughts on how children can be encouraged to take cleaning as a light and fun task. One of his tips is for parents to not have that “because I said so” attitude. Parents must learn how to make their kids feel that they are important to achieve the goal, which is to have a squeaky clean house.

It is also nice to create a game out of the cleaning process. In my case, I tell Jacob to beat a certain time schedule, and when he does, I see to it that I give him a reward for a job well done.

For more tips on leading a green and fun household, visit Ingrid Callot’s blog.
 

From Ingrid Callo February Photos

Ingrid Callot: Loving life with a green thumb

Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: www.eburcat.com

Hello, everyone! For those of you who have been following my Ingrid Callot blogs know well how much heart I put into living a green lifestyle. A part of this oath to saving Mother Earth is my fervor to savor every moment of life by adhering to the ideals of being person with a green thumb. Well, I’m no expert in terms of growing plants and although friends often spot me in the garden sowing seeds, I’m really not much of a gardener. That’s why I take effort in keeping tabs on how to become one. Fortunately, a person with a green thumb doesn’t have to be born with special powers to grow plants.

Ingrid Callot is known in her neighborhood as a recycling goddess who has countless ideas on how to keep things usable over and over again.

Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: wvoutpost.com

Some people think that someone with a green thumb is born with the power to make any kind of plant grow, blossom, and bear fruit; but that’s not true. I guess all you need to make plants thrive is enough knowledge on how to take care of them, plus lots of patience and a divine love for plants. Some gardeners want to transform their outdoor spaces into a green oasis. Others love to have a kitchen garden. As for me, I like to keep my garden a combination of both.

Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: kingdomcalling.com

Maintaining a garden gives me a sense of serenity and pride as it doesn’t only beautify my home, it also keeps me healthy. Gardening itself is actually an exercise, increasing my stamina and flexibility. The fruits and vegetable I get from my garden are all naturally grown and are organic, keeping me and my family safe from harmful chemicals.

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Ingrid Callot and the blessings of having a green thumb

Ingrid Callot. Photo Credit: http://kingdomcalling.com

I am Ingrid Callot and I take pleasure in encouraging my blog readers to help make America a greener, healthier, more sustainable place to live in by maintaining lush green backyards or bountiful summer lawns in their own homes. There are many upsides to maintaining a garden; however, the biggest benefit of having one is seen on the things gardeners love the most: their families and children who are given the chance to enjoy the greenery and, literally, fruits of their labors. I especially love when my husband, son, and I bond in my garden. It gives me a sense of pride and happiness. Of course, there are also other things that lure me to gardening.

Ingrid Callot loves writing about how she plans to lead an army of recyclists so they can conquer the world with green ideas.

Ingrid Callot. Photo Credit: http://kingdomcalling.com

Working on my garden allows me to be one with nature, letting me get away from all sorts of stressors. Although I dreaded digging in dirt and weeding by hand when I started this hobby, I have found them to be two of my most satisfying experiences when I’m in my garden -- all thanks to my friend, Edgardo Versoza, who made me realize years ago that weeds are not a part of a garden’s entourage.

Ingrid Callot. Photo Credit: http://kingdomcalling.com

Among the surprising benefits that gardening has given me is the way it keeps me disconnected from the constant barrage of the busy world. It pushes me to slow down and enjoy what God has provided: nature. Additionally, it instills in me the wonderful virtue of patience since growing plants takes time. Hurrying nature would only result to a garden of disaster. It takes considerable amount of time (and patience!) to have a beautiful garden.  

For more updates on Ingrid Callot, follow her on Twitter.

Lovin' rubbin' and scrubbin': Ingrid Callot on keeping it clean and green

Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: http://www.eburcat.com/

Apart from managing closet mayhem and riding off lawns of pests and weeds, I, green queen and recycling enthusiast Ingrid Callot, love writing about how I plan to lead an army of recyclists and to conquer the world with our green ideas.

During my free time, I search for DIY ideas, from revamping the living room to coming up with the perfect Christmas presents. While my son Jacob enjoys the recreation, my husband Roger loves driving down to Costco to pick out the materials we would use.

Photo Credit: Ingrid Callot

Although one will typically find me in the garden sowing seeds or in the kitchen adding my own special spin to homemade brownies, I’m neither a green thumb nor a homebody. One of my biggest dreams? I, Ingrid Callot, fancy road tripping with my three favorite people in the world: Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, and the Dalai Lama. We would have a playlist loaded with legendary tunes by the rock gods such as The Proclaimers’ 500 Miles or The Foo Fighters’ Keep It Clean on loop, as Martha and the Lama take turns at the wheel.

“Keep it clean, my mama said keep it clean…
Keep it clean, my Daddy said keep it clean…
Rubbin' and a lovin' and a scrubbin' and a truckin'…
Know what I mean, keep it clean…”

I first heard The Foo Fighters’ single when my friend Edgardo Versoza came to visit. He was holding up a huge cassette player on one shoulder like he zapped into the future from the past. Standing on my front porch with a shocked face, he blurted out loud, “Ingrid Callot, are you insane? Why is your garden full of weeds?”

Photo Credit: House and Home

That’s when I knew I had to take my oath to green living seriously. Now, here in my corner of the Web, you can browse through my collection of green ideas that aren’t just friendly to Mother Earth, but are also friendly to your budget.

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Ingrid Callot: Fascination over bee pollen

From Ingrid Callot. Photo Credit: http://apicare.co.nz.

As a steward of healthy and green living, I, Ingrid Callot, have a personal fascination over organic and natural products. Recently, I have fallen in love with one of nature’s most complete food: bee pollen. For almost three months now, I have been taking fresh bee pollen that I buy directly from a local bee farm. I personally believe that this is one of the reasons why I have not had a single cold even when my son and husband have gone down with the flu. And you, my reader, should try this amazing product!

I have gained added stamina as I am able to handle more than my daily dose of physical workload and exercise. What used to be an hour-long jogging routine, has now become two hours per day. Not only that, my strength still allows me to go to my dance classes every day.

Ingrid Callot is a wife, mother, and an advocate 

of healthy living. She and her family lives in 

Van Nuys, California.

From Ingrid Callot. Photo Credit: http://healthblog.ivlproducts.com.

My husband, Roger, swears that he’s never seen me so active and lively, thanks to my ever reliable fresh bee pollen. Although some people may have questions about the lack of scientific study on the potency of bee pollen, I still attribute my increased sense of well-being and endurance to it.

If you’re one, among many, who’s skeptical about this natural product, let me give you more benefits of bee pollen:

• It is contains a complex of B vitamins, tons of Vitamin C, and an impressive array of other nutrients.
• It also has antioxidant effects needed by the body, helping keep your youthful glow.
• It serves as brain food, enhancing your concentration.


More healthy living tips from Ingrid Callot can be accessed at Twitter.

From Ingrid Callot. Photo Credit: http://beekman1802.com.

Ingrid Callot: Revealing the most harmful home cleaning ingredients

From Ingrid Callo February Photos. Photo Credit: http://houseandhome.com

Hello! This is your friendly blogger, Ingrid Callot, living the green life.

Last night, my son Jacob was kind enough to volunteer to do the dishes for me (though he found it hard to reach the sink). I let him help me with the dishwashing but this morning, he woke up with red blotches on his hands. I suppose it was an allergic reaction to the dishwashing liquid I bought two days ago.


So today I wrote this blog to talk about the dangers behind some cleaning products that are commonly found in households. Believe it or not, it’s ironic how many of the things we use for cleaning are the same ones that pose potential health risks to us, our beloved children (who are more susceptible to diseases than adults do), and even to Mother Earth.

Ingrid Callot is a wife, mother, and blogger. She is known in her neighborhood in Van Nuys as a recycling goddess.

From Ingrid Callo February Photos. Photo Credit: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com

Some cleaners contain unwanted toxins that pollute indoor air or penetrate the skin, leading to adverse effects on the body including allergies, asthma, and even certain cancers. Now, that’s totally scary! So let’s face the facts here. There are some dishwashing liquids sold in the market that contain phosphate which leads to skin irritation and burns. Laundry detergents have linear alkyl benzene that causes reactive dermatitis. Toilet cleaners have harsh chemicals, like sodium hypochlorite that result to breathing difficulty and eye irritation.

I know it’s incredibly impossible to live in a world free of toxins. But we can still do something to make things better by making an effort in using natural cleaning products like baking soda, vinegar, or cream of tartar. We can also minimize the use of harmful chemicals by reading the labels of the products we buy.





For more eco-friendly tips from Ingrid Callot, follow her on Twitter.

From Ingrid Callo February Photos. Photo Credit: http://www.anthropologie.com

Illuminating the home naturally: Ingrid Callot on the benefits of installing skylights

“Looking great, Ingrid Callot!”

Vicky, my long lost friend (I haven’t seen her since college graduation!) greeted me as I walked into her charming abode. It’s one of the most beautiful homes I’ve seen in years. Her house was overflowing with character and grace, thanks to the unique Italian antique set of furniture that greeted me. What caught my attention was how each piece of furniture was highlighted with natural light. Not only that, the entire home was flooded with a generous amount of the sun’s brightness and warmth. So what made her home so bright and welcoming? “It’s the skylights,” Vicky answered proudly as she pointed at the strategically placed skylights in her house.

Ingrid Callot Photo credit: Hexocon.ca

When I shared to her of my vow to healthy and green living, she got excited, and said, “Ingrid Callot, you won’t believe how huge this is not only in cost reduction, but also in everyday living,” she said, pointing at the skylights, and then she went on discussing more about their benefits.


As we toured around her lovely crib, she said that skylights don’t only provide natural light. They also add insulation to reduce energy bills. Quality skylights made of polycarbonate are 200 times stronger than glass or plastic, so they protect homes from extreme weather conditions. The better part is they give an open and airy atmosphere to any space. And of course, natural light enhances the home and mood of everyone in it, improves sleeping patterns, and encourages vitamin D production.

Ingrid Callot Photo credit: Belvederehomeimprovements.com

Visiting Vicky’s house left me wanting to have my own skylight at home. So now that I’m back home, I’ll call one of my husband’s architect friends and maybe they can help me design a skylight!

Ingrid Callot photo credit: Belvederehomeimprovements.com

More eco-friendly tips from Ingrid Callot can be accessed at Twitter.