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6 Friday, February 12, 2021 brooklintowncrier.com Our Brooklin Kids By Leanne Brown When they want to play with "baby" toys My daughter has started pulling out toys she long ago deemed "babyish." Stuffed toys that haven't seen the light of day in three years are now gracing her bed. Shopkins are being arranged on her bedroom floor. What's going on? At first I had a giggle over this puzzling behaviour. Lockdown has had us all looking for new diversions. So I figured that since she doesn't have her sports teams and can't hang with her friends, this must be a distraction as well. I asked my friend who's a therapist. She told me not to panic but that it could be an indicator she's dealing with something and seeking comfort in toys that represent security. It's common and can happen for a number of reasons. Facing a new challenge Perhaps your child is learning something new like an instrument or sport, something that's pushing their comfort zone. Consider the switch from in-person to online school and it's easy to see the challenge this represents. It could also be something relatively simple like making new friends or starting new chores. The feeling they get from doing something easy like playing with old baby toys gives them a sense of control. It's soothing and safe. It may mean they're feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. Let them play with those toys as it's actually a great way for them to relax. Feeling pressured Sometimes kids' confidence drops when they're frustrated. If a child is seeking feelings of completion and achievement through their play, it may be telling us they're frustrated with something else in their daily lives. Perhaps they're frustrated with a school project or even themselves for not living up to their own expectations. Children tend to want to play more before a big test or presentation. So if you can link this play to an outside pressure, it may give a clue as to why this is happening. Work things out We're often in a rush for kids to develop quickly and sometimes feel our child isn't meeting developmental milestones at the same time as their peers. So we feel we need to push them. Children have their own developmental timelines and no two are at the same pace. But rushing to that next stage sometimes robs them of experiencing foundational Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Replacing dairy Dairy can be hard for many people to give up. For instance, it's difficult to find a tasty and healthy cheese replacement as many taste odd and are full of chemicals. My favourite is a cashew cheese made by the Canadian company Nuts for Cheese (nutsforcheese.com). I've served it to guests and they didn't realize it wasn't cheese. It's also a win-win when purchasing it since you'll be supporting local - it's made in Ontario - and you're eating a non-dairy cheese. Their spreadable cashew cheeses are delicious, perfect for serving on a meat-free charcuterie board. Replacing milk is challenging because nothing will taste the same as milk. I recommend giving up trying to find something that will taste like milk and just find something you like. Some plant-based kinds of milk like soy have a strong taste that can be overpowering. I don't use it at all. There's a variety of plant-based milk on the market, which tells me there is a growing interest. On a Facebook group I belong to, there was a recent educational debate about dairy and what to replace it with, from a sustainability perspective. More water needed If you're going plant-based for environmental concerns or are just leaning in that direction, then you should know that some plant-based milks take more water and land to produce than others. As well, in some countries, workers are being exploited to keep up with the demand. Buying fair trade products helps ensure workers get a decent wage. Do your research and then decide what's right for you. If you're making cream soups, coconut seems to be the best choice as full-fat coconut milk is very creamy. Almond milk is also great and easy to make yourself. However, it's one of the nuts that uses a lot of water to grow. Hemp and oat milk are also fantastic to use and easy to make. As to sustainability, they are in the top five. The following recipe for hemp seed milk is from the blog minimalistbaker.com. It's fast and easy to make. Hemp Seed Milk 1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds 3-4 cups water (use less water for thicker, creamier milk) 1 pinch sea salt 1 whole date, pitted (optional for sweetness, or 1 Tbsp maple syrup) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional) 2 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder for "chocolate milk" (optional) Instructions Add hemp seeds, water, salt, and any additional add-ins (optional) to a highspeed blender. Top with lid and cover with a towel to ensure it doesn't splash. Blend for about one minute or until the mixture seems well combined. Scoop out a small sample with a spoon to test flavour/ sweetness. Add more dates, salt, or vanilla as needed. Pour the mixture directly into a serving container. You can strain it, but, in my experience, it doesn't need it. If straining, pour over a large mixing bowl or pitcher covered with a nut milk bag, Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Use cold (and shake well) for best results. Sheree's Hack: Pre-soak the date so it will blend better in this recipe. Sometimes love is for a lifetime, Some- times love is for a moment, Sometimes a moment is a lifetime. In loving memory, we mourn the pass- ing of Frank (Francis) Thomas O'Neill in his 87th year. Beloved husband of Betty Eleanor Marie O'Neill (nee Hub- bert) of 64 years. Loving father of Elea- nor Meredith, Kevin (Dawn), Scott (An- gel), and Marion French (Greg). He will be deeply missed by his grandchildren Angela (Jordan), Eleanor (John), Katie (David), Gordon, Julie (Tyson), James, Kyle, Kristen (Conner), Matthew and Lucas. Great-grandfather of nine great grandchildren. He is predeceased by parents Thom- as and Marion O'Neill of Virginia ON, eldest brother of Hugh (Susan), both predeceased, Evelyn Wilkinson (Jim predeceased), Myrtle McNeil (Don predeceased), Charles (Helen), and Clare (predeceased), and survived by Linda McCartney-Rueckwald. Frank was born in Sutton, raised in Vir- ginia ON, he then moved to Oshawa where he began what would become a forty-year career with the City of Osha- wa Works Department. By moving to the outskirts of Brooklin ON in 1973, he built his farm, thus living his passion, just as his father, and raised his family. Frank was a simple and kind man, who loved his wife and family and quietly in- stilled the values of humility, sincereity, generosity and hard work. Our family is extremely grateful to the staff of Lakeridge Health Oshawa for their tireless care, professionalism and expertise. As an expression of sympathy, dona- tions in memory of Frank O'Neill may be made directly to St. Leo's Church in Brooklin, Lakeridge Health Oshawa or Windreach Farm. Your life was a blessing, your mem- ory a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. O'Neill, Frank (Francis) Thomas OBITUARY play they enjoyed in their earlier years. It could be that your child just wants more time to play like when they were younger. The baby toys will wind up back in storage once they've dealt with whatever it is. However, if this play continues over a longer pe- riod, it might be a good idea to consult with your doctor. Within 48 hours, she'd packed up the baby toys. As we put them in storage, she said, "It was fun to see these again. I still want to keep them but don't want them anymore." I smiled, then dug out another box. In it was an old teddy bear and doll from my own childhood. "I still have my favourites." I said. "That's so cool that you saved these," she said as she stroked the bear's fur. I hugged her. "It's okay to grow up, but still keep your childhood."