Slumber Party

Green your PJ party

By Corey

When I was in second grade, my best friend Kelly Kurtz had a slumber party for her birthday.

Before the celebration began, Kelly and I made a pact: after all the other girls fell asleep, we would stay up for the entire night.

I'm not sure what prompted this idea, but I do remember thinking that staying up all night was some kind of heroic feat which only "big" kids were capable of. Added to this notion was a wholehearted belief that something magical would happen if we stayed up until midnight. (Even first graders knew that when a clock "strikes twelve" horse drawn coaches turn to pumpkins and once frozen toys celebrate their freedom until the store clerk returns to find them – amazingly – back in the very same spot he left them.)

So after the popcorn, pillow fights and giggling (due, in part to the endless rounds of "Girls, if I hear one more peep…" – followed by our unified, high-pitched, peep-peep-peeps), we hunkered into our sleeping bags and waited for the rest of the party to drift off to Slumber Land.

We were so impressed with ourselves for pulling the wool over Kelly's mom's eyes – surely she assumed we were goners - but after about an hour of telling ghost stores, reciting the alphabet backwards and making up silly poems, we had trouble keeping our eyelids open, and knew we needed a different plan.

We decided that since we were best friends, that we were basically one in the same and that if one of us were awake then that counted for us both being awake. Somewhere in some movie we'd seen sailors taking "look out" shifts – so we thought we'd give this a try. We Rho-Sham-Bo'd over who would take look out shift one. Since I won, I was first to sleep. The plan was for Kelly to stay awake for one hour and then for her to wake me up at which point, I'd take over and let her catch a few winks.

Kelly sat up against the wall and I took a deep exhale – looking forward to my precious one hour of rest…

… and the next thing I knew…

I awoke to the smell of pancakes and bacon – the other party guests stepping over me and Kelly, who was flat on her back, snoring loudly.

Here are some tips for celebrating green during your child's PJ or slumber party:

PJ's

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) decrees that sleep and loungewear for children's clothing (sized 9 mo – 14 years) be either snug fitting or flame retardant.

Unfortunately, most sleepwear that falls in the flame resistant category is doused or infused with chemicals to make it so. These chemicals are cause for concern and should be avoided, even if the sleep or loungewear has been washed many times.

Snug fitting sleepwear is considered less likely to ignite than loose sleepwear because it is less likely to come into contact with open flame and because less oxygen between the fabric and the child's skin leads to reduced flammability.

While many of the snug fitting PJs on the market are made from 100% cotton, organic cotton is preferred as it is exposes children, the Earth and the farmer workers growing and harvesting the cotton to a significantly reduced number of chemicals. And considering the fact that your child may spend up to 12 hours a night sleeping, choosing organic cotton sleepwear might seem worthwhile. You might be surprised to discover how affordable organic PJs can be. (I recently stocked up on long-sleeved Hanna Andersson-type PJs for about $12 a set, purchased at Costco.)

Another option is naturally flame retardant wool PJs. Not only is wool less likely to catch fire, but it's also dust and mite resistant and it helps to moderate the body temperature as well. And if they're peed on, the lanolin in the wool helps it be "self cleaning" – just drip dry (no need to wash). While wool is definitely the more expensive option, you might find that you're able to lower your nighttime heating bill (as was the case in our home). Check out A Toy Garden or Green Mountain Organics for soft-as-a-lamb and never itchy European woolens. (Ask about their pre-season ordering to buy at a discount!)

Food

• Popcorn: Choose organic and non-GMO pop-corn in bulk (make the "old-fashioned" way in a pot on the stove, or by placing a handful of kernels in a paper lunch bag and popping in the microwave). You might also try Newman's Own Organic Microwave Pop-corn, available everywhere.
• Pizza: Let kids make their own personal-sized pies, or create a group masterpiece by making the dough in advance or purchasing pre-made from the store. Look for whole-wheat and add your own herbs or spices. Before the party, chop up some fresh, veggies in a rainbow of colors. Bell peppers and spinach are on the list of must-buy organics because of they contain some of the highest pesticide residues of any vegetables. A pick-up or delivery from your local organic pizzeria might also be an option. Check out www.pizzafusion.com.
• Ice cream: with the prevalence food allergies, chances are that one or your guests (or own children) are unable to consume dairy. Although rice and soy ice creams are available, our favorite ice cream substitute is Coconut Bliss which is organic, vegan, kosher, fair trade and so divine that children and parents will be left ooh-ing and ahh-ing. If you have an ice-cream maker or ball, you can also make homemade sorbet.

Drinks

Instead of serving soda, how about steering clear of the high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors and flavors and instead going with organic juice in kid-friendly flavors such as raspberry lemonade, orange-mango or strawberry-kiwi? Try Santa Cruz Organics or Crayons Beverages, available nation-wide.

Activities

• Cooperative games: If your kids haven't tried cooperative games, now's the time! Games may be cooperative board games or zero-cost, need-nothing-but-the-kids games like un-musical chairs.
• Recycled art activities: keep the fun but add a dash of eco-friendly, buy creating art out of repurposed and recycled objects. The Imagination Factory is an eco-fabulous resource for art projects for kids of all ages.
• Fitness challenges: Get the party going with some indoor or outdoor fitness games and challenges. Treeswing.org has lots of ideas for making fitness something to smile about.

Pillow fight props and bedding

Like with PJs (see above) the materials used to make pillows and bedding are of utmost importance. Why? Considering the amount of time children (and adults) spend sleeping, and the growing mountain of research documenting the potential ill effects of using conventional bedding and accessories, we suggest 100% natural and chemical-free pillows and bedding for your family.

Natura is one of our favorite bedding companies. They have a full line of organic cotton, wool and natural latex mattresses, comforters, toppers, sheets and pillow-fight-worthy pillows. Like with the wool PJs, choosing wool bedding will allow you to turn your thermostat down (or off), so will save money over time.

Recycled content sleeping bags or those made from sustainable materials such as coconut husks and bamboo are other eco-savvy options, although at this time, few may be available in junior sizes.

Want more ideas on how to Celebrate GreenÔ? Visit us at www.celebrategreen.net.