If you live in a place that gets cold in the winter, then you know how easy it is to let exterior home maintenance fall behind. However, this time of year is actually a great time to assess and organize your garage.

From revamping your storage system to freeing up space for the warmer months ahead, we reached out to two professional organizers and home experts to find out her top tips for cleaning out the garage.

Stop using the garage as a dumping ground

Like basements and attics, home influencer Laura Ascher says garages are a major magnet for clutter because people often treat them like landfills. If that’s you, now is a good time to take a look at what seasonal items you have stashed away in your garage that you might want to clear out.

Look for things like holiday decorations and outdoor gear, as these are the two main culprits for garage clutter. Make sure they are neatly put away for when their proper season comes again.

“This not only leads to unnecessary clutter, but also makes it difficult to find what you need when you need it,” says Ascher.

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Move your winter gear forward

If your garage is already nicely decorated, there may still be work to do before winter. One mistake professional organizer Diane N. Quintana says she sees is when people store items where they fit, but not necessarily where they’re most useful.

“For example, you want to store your snow shovel and de-icing pellets, sand, or other substances you use to prevent slipping on ice where you can access them,” she says.

This could be in the garage, but it could also be in an outside shed or your mud room; be sure to optimize all these spaces for ease of use.

Make space in your interior closet

Before you embark on decluttering your garage, take a look at your alternative solutions inside. As Quintana points out, your closet could be a great option—with a few tweaks.

“I recommend installing a set of small shelves in the back of a utility closet for (things like) paint cans,” she says.

By creating an alternative space indoors, you can ensure that you are not storing things in the garage that shouldn’t be, such as old files and photos and out-of-season clothes.

Optimize vertical storage options

While you’re trying to declutter your garage, try to assess your vertical storage space. If you keep a lot of stuff on the floor, winter is a great time to create a storage system to solve this potential disaster.

“Storing items directly on the floor only increases the risk of water damage, as well as contributing to unnecessary items on the floor,” says Ascher. “This can give the garage a disorganized, messy look.”

Look for shelves, simple wall cabinets and wall hooks, which are especially great for everyday use like cleaning and garden tools.

Keep things off the floor

Whether you use wall shelves, ceiling storage or rolling racks, Ascher says the most critical thing you can do in the winter is keep items off the garage floor. Even raised platforms might be worth considering to get you through the season.

“Protect your belongings from exposure to water from melting snow or leaks,” she says. “By taking these steps, you can ensure your stored items stay safe, organized and in good condition all season long.”

Make the most of every ceiling space

Along with shelving, a garage is a great place for a ceiling storage system.

“(These) can be great for rarely used items like camping gear without taking up any usable space,” Ascher says.

Use waterproof buckets

If you’re short on space and moving things around isn’t an option, it might be time to invest in waterproof, airtight bins. This will protect your items from moisture, temperature fluctuations and pests.

“For added protection, you might consider using silica gel packets to absorb moisture inside the bins,” says Ascher.

They are far preferable to cardboard, which can easily become damp and attract pests. As you declutter and organize, it’s also incredibly important to label each bin. This way you can more easily locate things moving forward.

Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get started on the gardening season. However, the key is to do it at the right time. The excitement of the upcoming planting season can make it difficult to wait, but starting seeds too early can have several unintended consequences. According to gardening experts, this is the ideal time to start seeds indoors and why you shouldn’t try too early.

When should you start seeds indoors?

The exact time to start seeds indoors varies by region, but as a general rule, you should aim to start seeds about six to eight weeks before the last frost date in your area, says Tammy Sons, founder and CEO of TN Nursery .

While the last frost date is always an estimate, it gives gardeners a date to work against. A quick Google search can help you learn the last frost date in your region, which varies by climate and USDA hardiness zone. This means that gardeners in warmer climates can sow earlier than gardeners in colder climates with longer winters.

Some seeds (such as cool-season crops that thrive in cooler temperatures) should be started indoors just a few weeks before the expected last frost date, says Carrie Spoonmore, co-creator of the From Seed to Spoon app. This is because these plants can be transplanted outdoors as soon as the soil becomes workable, even as tender seedlings.

However, some crops such as carrots, radishes and beans do best when sown directly into the garden after the danger of frost has officially passed, says Spoonmore.

Fortunately, you don’t have to remember these details to make sure you get your seeds started at the right time. Seed packets contain all the information you need to successfully start seeds, including recommended starting date, seed planting depth and spacing, recommended light and temperature levels, and more.

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Risks of premature seed initiation

So what’s the problem with seeding earlier than the recommended six to eight week benchmark? Problems arise due to adequate care of mature seedlings indoors.

“Starting seeds too early can cause plants to outgrow their containers or become root-bound, tall or stressed due to lack of adequate light or indoor space,” says Spoonmore.

Once seedlings become leggy or stressed, this process is impossible to reverse, making it much less likely that they will survive when moved to the garden.

Plus, the extra time indoors can make the transplant process itself more complicated, Sons says. Early-conceived plants can grow too large before outdoor conditions are safe, leading to transplant shock when you move them into the garden.

As hard as it is to wait, patience is key when sowing seeds, especially for gardeners in cold climates where the last frosts are later.

“If you want to get healthy and strong plants, it’s important to wait for the right planting time by researching the best season for your region,” says Sons.

Tips for starting seeds indoors

Besides waiting for the right time, several other things can help your seeds get off to a good start indoors. Spoonmore offers a few tips and tricks she likes to use on her seedlings before transplanting them outdoors.

First, she recommends watering the seedlings from below after they emerge.

“Bottom watering encourages seedlings to grow deep in their roots because they are naturally attracted to water,” says Spoonmore.

Watering from below will also ensure that you don’t disturb the delicate seedlings after they emerge. You can water the seedlings at the bottom by placing their containers on a tray or saucer and filling them with water. The seedlings will draw water as needed through the drainage holes in the container.

This means you’ll never have to pour water directly onto the soil surrounding the tiny plant, and your plants are less likely to suffer from overwatering.

Always monitor the water levels in the tray or plate. Overwatering is still possible with underwatering, and you don’t want waterlogged soil. If your seedlings aren’t absorbing the water you gave them, it probably means they don’t need water, so you can drain the container and wait a day or two before trying again.

Spoonmore also recommends placing a small fan near your seedlings after they emerge. Introducing a light breeze into the seedling growing environment will help strengthen their stems and prepare them for outdoor conditions. Just be careful not to put the fan too close and risk damaging the delicate stems.

We all hope that we will never be put in a situation where we have to save a child’s life, but it could happen. Children test their physical limits and get into all kinds of dangerous situations. They choke on food, fall off bikes and play equipment, and wade into water unattended.

This step-by-step guide explains the basics of first aid for choking and CPR, but don’t rely on it as your only source of information. Take a few hours to take an infant and child CPR course to learn and practice the proper techniques. These techniques differ depending on the age of the child, and performing them incorrectly can be harmful.

If you would like to attend an in-person class in your area, please visit Red Cross websiteOpens a new window or call 800-733-2767 (800-RED CROSS). Or, if you prefer an online offering, BabyCenter Courses offers self-paced CPR course for babies and childrenOpens a new window which you can take home.

Be prepared for worst case scenarios

Learn how to deal with an emergency directly from an emergency physician in our CPR and Choking Course

The following instructions are for children aged 1 to 12 years. To learn what to do when a baby under 12 months is choking or needs CPR, see our visual guide to infant CPR.

What to do if your child is choking

Step 1: Quickly assess the situation

If the child suddenly cannot cry, cough or speak, there is probably something blocking their airway and you will need to help them out. They may make strange sounds or make no sound at all when they open their mouths. Their skin may turn bright red or blue.

If they cough or grunt, it means their airways are only partially blocked. If this is the case, let them continue to cough. Coughing is the most effective way to clear the blockage.

Call 911 or your local 911 number if:

• The child is unable to cough up the object. Ask someone else to call 911 or your local emergency number while you begin back thrusts and abdominal thrusts (see step 2 below). If you are alone with your child, give two minutes of care and then call 911.
• You suspect that the child’s airway is closed because his throat is swollen. They may have an allergic reaction – to food or insect bites, for example – or they may have an illness, such as croup.
• You witnessed a child suddenly collapse.

Step 2: Try to move the object with back kicks and abdominal crunches

First do the back kicks.

If the child is conscious but cannot cough, speak or breathe or is turning blue, stand or kneel slightly behind them. Provide support by placing one arm diagonally across their chest and leaning them forward.

With the heel of your other hand, hit the child hard between the shoulder blades. Each blow to the back should be a distinct and clear attempt to remove the obstruction.

Take five of these backstabs.

Then do abdominal thrusts.

Stand with one foot in front of the other, or kneel behind the child and wrap your arms around the child’s waist.

Locate their belly button with one or two fingers. Make a fist with your other hand and place your thumb in the middle of the child’s abdomen, just above the navel and well below the lower tip of the sternum.

Grasp the fist with the other hand and give five quick upward punches to the stomach. Each abdominal thrust should be a separate and distinct attempt to dislodge the obstruction.

Repeat back kicks and abdominal thrusts.

Continue alternating five back and five abdominal thrusts until the object is dislodged or the child begins to cough violently, talk, cry, breathe, or become unresponsive. If they cough, encourage them to cough up the object.

If the child does not respond:

If the choking child is unresponsive, you will need to perform a modified version of CPR:

1. Place the child on his back on a firm, flat surface. Kneel next to your upper chest. Place the heel of one hand on their sternum (breastbone), in the center of their chest. Place the other hand directly on top of the first hand. Try to keep your fingers away from your chest by interlacing them or holding them up.
2. Give 30 compressions by pushing the baby’s sternum down about 2 inches. Allow the chest to return to its normal position before starting the next compression.
3. Open the child’s mouth and look for a blockage. Never put your finger in their mouth unless you can actually see the blockage. If you can’t see them and put your finger in their mouth, you could accidentally push the object further down their throat. If you see anything, remove it with your fingers.
4. If you cannot clear the blockage and the child is still unresponsive, give two rescue breaths. Tilt the child’s head with one hand and gently lift the chin with the other. This will open their airways. Plug your child’s nose, place your mouth over theirs, and breathe into their lungs until you see their chest rise.
5. If you do not see the chest rising, repeat the cycle of 30 compressions, checking for the object and attempting two rescue breaths until the object is removed and the child is breathing on their own or help arrives.

After the incident, have the child examined by a medical professional.

How to perform CPR on a child

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is a lifesaving measure you can take to save someone who is not showing signs of life, meaning they are unconscious and not breathing.

CPR uses chest compressions and rescue breathing to keep oxygen-rich blood circulating through the brain and other vital organs until the child is revived or emergency medical personnel arrive. Keeping the oxygen-enriched blood circulating helps prevent brain damage—which can happen within minutes—and death.

If you haven’t been trained in CPR (which includes chest compressions and rescue breathing), you should just try doing chest compressions.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Check the child’s condition

Touch the child’s shoulder and call his name. If they are unresponsive, have someone call 911 or your local emergency number. If you are alone with your child, give two minutes of care as described below, then call 911 yourself.

Place the child on his back on a firm, flat surface. Kneel beside them.

Make sure they are not bleeding profusely. If they are, take measures to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the area. Do not give CPR until the bleeding is under control.

Step 2: Do 30 chest compressions

Place the heel of one hand in the center of the child’s chest and the other hand on top. Try to keep your fingers off their chest by interlacing them or holding them up. Position your body so that your shoulders are directly over your hands. (For a small child, you can use the one-handed CPR technique: Place the heel of one hand in the center of the child’s chest.)

Keeping your arms straight, push straight down about 2 inches, then let your chest return to its normal position. Push hard and fast. Compressions should be smooth, not jerky.

Do 30 chest compressions at a rate of two per second. Count out loud: “One and two and three and…”, pushing as you say the number and lifting as you say “i”. (The song “Stayin’ Alive” has a beat to boot, as does Adele’s recent hit “Set Fire to the Rain.”)

“When giving chest compressions, it’s important to push down hard and quickly using your upper body weight,” says Liz Donner, MD, a pediatric hospitalist and member of BabyCenter’s medical advisory board. “Keep your arms straight, but release all pressure briefly to allow the heart to fill with blood between each compression. Practicing on a manikin is extremely helpful to get the feel for this.”

Continue giving compressions until:

• You notice an obvious sign of life.
• The AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is ready for use.
• You have performed approximately 2 minutes of CPR and another person is available to take over.
• You have performed approximately 2 minutes of CPR, you are alone with your child, and you need to call 911 or the designated emergency number.
• EMS (emergency medical services) personnel take over.
• You are too tired to continue.
• The scene becomes uncertain.

Even if the child appears to be fine until help arrives, a medical professional will need to check the child to make sure the airway is completely clear and that no internal injuries have occurred.

Learn more:

Dry indoor air can make plant leaves crisp and dry and lead to stunted plant growth and other problems. However, there is a lot of misinformation about the humidity needs of houseplants, and following the wrong plant care advice can actually cause more harm than good.

In this guide, we’ll uncover a few truths about increasing plant humidity and debunk five houseplant humidity tips that pros hate to hear.

Misting your hands increases humidity

Many growers suggest manual misting as a way to increase humidity around dry houseplants. But the truth is that misting only provides a brief increase in humidity, and humidity levels drop as soon as the mist droplets evaporate.

“Misting just doesn’t help increase the humidity around the plant,” explains Jarrod Bouchie, manager at Pistils Nursery. “I a lot of plants don’t really like being fogged up.”

Bouchie notes that plants like begonias can develop rot or powdery mildew if water droplets sit on their leaves for too long. But he adds that manual misting can limit leaf tears when plants like bird of paradise or Glorious Philodendron.

“Instead of misting, I would recommend a tray of gravel to increase the humidity of the environment,” explains Bouchie. “A humidifier can also make plants that need it happy.”

Unlike manual misting, humidifiers and gravel trays provide a more consistent amount of moisture over a longer period of time. Not to mention, they also require less effort and fuss.

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All plants love extra humidity

Karen Musgrave, a certified nursery professional at Hicks Nurseries, points out another common misconception about the humidity needs of houseplants. She explains how many people believe that houseplants don’t need a certain level of humidity to thrive.

“Cactus and succulents thrive in low humidity (around 40% or less), and most houseplants thrive in a balanced humidity range of 40-60%,” says Musgrave.

Using a one-size-fits-all strategy for dealing with moisture problems can pose problems for succulents and other plants that prefer drier conditions—and can lead to mold, leaf drop, and more. To avoid this, carefully research the humidity requirements of your plants, create a microclimate by grouping plants with similar needs, and add a small humidifier near the plants that need it most.

Increase humidity to fix crispy plant leaves

“Without adequate humidity, plants can develop brown leaf edges, experience stunted growth, or show other signs of stress,” says Musgrave.

However, these plant symptoms can also be caused by plant pests, insufficient watering, or excessive watering. In fact, immediately reaching for a humidifier at the first sign of dry plant leaves can cause problems – especially if your plants suffer from overwatering or root rot.

Instead, be sure to carefully inspect diseased plants for signs of pests or root damage before increasing moisture levels. Extra humidity is sometimes the last thing dry plants need.

Grow moisture-loving plants in bathrooms

Plant parents are often told to keep ferns and other moisture-loving plants in steam rooms where the humidity is relatively high. However, this recommendation comes with a list of potential problems.

Although bathrooms can get quite humid when you shower, humidity levels often fluctuate throughout the day and can drop dramatically if you keep the bathroom door open. This can reduce humidity and allow your plants to dry out. On top of that, bathrooms often have low lighting, so even low-light plants won’t thrive in a windowless room.

If you decide to keep your plants in the bathroom, make sure they get enough light and watch for signs that your plants aren’t getting enough moisture. If necessary, you can always add a tray of gravel under the pots if your bathroom plants need a boost of humidity.

Just add a moisturizer

Adding a cool mist humidifier is one of the best ways to ensure constant humidity for tropical plants. However, not all humidifiers are created equal. Small humidifiers may not provide enough moisture for large plant collections, while oversized humidifiers can create moisture problems and increase the chance of rotting.

As a general rule, small humidifiers can cover about 300 square feet of space, while medium-sized humidifiers are suitable for rooms of 400 to 500 square feet. For larger areas, choose a large humidifier or add several small humidifiers near groups of plants. You can also skip the humidifier altogether and try this low-tech trick instead.

“Instead of adding a humidifier, I recommend grouping plants and keeping them away from vents,” says Bouchie. “Regular watering and growing plants away from draughty locations can serve them just as well as a humidifier!”

All food, including baby food, contains some heavy metals. Metals are naturally present in water, soil and air, but they also enter our food through pesticides and pollution.

Several reports highlight unsafe levels of toxic heavy metals—arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury—found in baby foods (including organic brands). And in 2021 congressional reportOpens a new window found that some of the largest US baby food manufacturers were selling foods with high levels of these metals.

Consumer Reports TestedOpens a new window 50 packaged foods for babies and toddlers in 2018 for cadmium, mercury, arsenic and lead and showed alarming results. All products contained measurable amounts of at least one heavy metal, about two-thirds had “worrying” levels of these metals, and 15 posed a potential health risk if eaten once a day. In subsequent tests in 2023. Consumer reports foundOpens a new window that although levels of heavy metals have fallen in some baby products, the overall risk has not changed much compared to five years earlier.

Non-profit The bright future of healthy babies analyzedOpens a new window 168 baby foods in 2019 and toxic metals were found in 95% of them. In 2022, Healthy Babies Bright Futures tested homemade baby food to see if it was safer than store-bought. Unfortunately, the group found that 94% of domestic baby food is contaminated with one or more of four toxic heavy metals. Heavy metal levels varied significantly depending on the type of food, not the way it was made.

Excessive consumption of heavy metals can cause health problems and damage a child’s developing brain – and there’s no easy way for parents to know what’s in the baby food they buy or make.

Public health experts have called on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set safe standards for baby food and provide more transparent labels – and some progress has been made.

FDA Closer to zeroOpens a new window The program aims to reduce contaminants in food, and in 2025, the agency announced guidanceOpens a new window on limiting lead in baby food. The FDA recommends that lead levels be less than:

• 10 parts per billion (ppb) for fruits, vegetables (excluding single-ingredient root vegetables), mixes (including grain-meat-based mixes), yoghurts, creams/puddings and single-ingredient meats

• 20 ppb for root vegetables with one ingredient

• 20 ppb for dry infant cereal

The new California law also now requires all baby food manufacturers to test their products for certain heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. Manufacturers will also begin including a QR code on product labels that takes customers to a website where they can see how many of these heavy metals are in any baby food.

Although it’s impossible to completely avoid heavy metals lurking in your baby’s meals and snacks, you can take steps to reduce the risk of your baby getting too much in his diet:

• Continue to serve a wide variety of foods that are rich in essential nutrients. Feeding your child a variety of healthy foods helps ensure a balanced diet and can help limit the risk of long-term exposure to heavy metals. Start solids with pureed vegetables, fruit or meat, not baby cereal. Or, skip puree and try weaning.
• Avoid rice cereal and snacks made from rice flour, as rice absorbs about 10 times more arsenic than other grains. According to Healthy Babies Bright Futures, rice cakes, crispy rice flakes and rice puffs are the most contaminated foods. Rice milk and brown rice syrup, which are used to sweeten some foods, are also not recommended.
• Instead of rice, opt for whole grains such as oats, barley, farro, bulgar and quinoa. When making rice for your family, keep in mind that white basmati and sushi rice have lower levels of arsenic than brown rice. Rinse the rice before cooking it and consider cooking it in extra water and draining the excess.
• Give your child whole foods as much as possible, instead of processed snacks. Foods low in heavy metals include: apples, unsweetened applesauce, avocados, bananas, barley with diced vegetables, beans, cheese, grapes, hard-boiled eggs, peaches, strawberries and yogurt. (Just be sure to cut the food into small pieces to avoid choking hazards.)
• Breastfeed if possible. Breastfeeding instead of formula feeding can help reduce exposure to metals.
• If you use tap water to prepare infant formula or cereal, consider testing the water in your home for lead. Metals can get into tap water, especially if it comes from a well or runs through older pipes. If you are concerned about your water, use bottled water to make bottles and feed for your baby. (The FDA limits heavy metals in bottled water.)
• Choose fish with low mercury content. Fish is packed with beneficial nutrients, and babies can eat fish soon after they start eating solids. But you’ll want to avoid fish that are high in methylmercury, such as tuna, king mackerel, marlin, swordfish, and bluegill. Better fish choices include salmon, cod, tilapia and white fish.
• Avoid fruit juice. Many brands of apple and grape juice contain inorganic arsenic and lead. If you do give your child juice, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 4 ounces per day for children ages 1 to 3, and no juice at all for infants.
• Limit carrots and sweet potatoes, which contain more heavy metals than other vegetables because they grow in the ground. Always wash and peel them before serving. Consumer Reports found that sweet potatoes were especially likely to have high levels of heavy metals. Healthy Babies Bright Futures also recommends limiting spinach and cantaloupe.

Should I make baby food instead of buying it?

Heavy metals are found in the products we buy, so making homemade baby food will not help you avoid them in your baby’s diet. But since heavy metals can also get into baby food from food production and packaging, making your own baby food can help reduce your baby’s exposure.

The AAP says that whether you make your own baby food or buy it at the store, offering a variety of foods is key to reducing the risk of toxic metals in your child’s food.

You can make all or part of your baby’s food by pureeing fruits, vegetables, grains, and other foods with a little breast milk, formula, or water to the desired consistency. You can also puree what the rest of the family eats if it doesn’t contain added sugars or too much sodium.

It’s unlikely, but not impossible. As reported by AAPOpens a new windowthe levels of heavy metals found in baby food are a relatively small part of the overall risk of a child’s exposure to toxic metals. But it is best to reduce children’s exposure to heavy metals from all sources.

“Exposure to heavy metals can be harmful to the developing brain. It has been linked to problems with learning, cognition, and behavior,” says the AAP. Because babies’ brains grow quickly and their bodies are small, exposure to heavy metals is especially dangerous.

However, this is not the time to panic about your child’s food.

“A child’s exposure to these heavy metals through baby food is likely to be negligible and not have a significant negative impact on their health,” says pediatrician Dawn Rosenberg, a BabyCenter advisory board member.

“However, this is an important risk that can be additive, and now that we know about these toxic metals in our food, we need to reduce future exposure as much as possible,” says Dr. Rosenberg. “It is imperative that our government regulate and set rigorous safety standards for baby food.”

Dr. Rosenberg encourages parents to rely less on packaged purees and snacks. “Fortunately, our guidelines for feeding babies solid foods have changed dramatically over the past decades,” she says. “Families can be more flexible in feeding babies, offering unsalted soft foods and adding flavors and spices.”

Do I feed my child organic baby food?

Some parents prefer organic baby food because they want to give their baby food that does not contain pesticides and other chemicals. This is a question you will have to decide based on what is best for your family. But keep in mind that organic food can contain heavy metals just like conventional food.

You might consider buying organic varieties called the dirty dozenOpens a new window. These are the fruits and vegetables that tend to contain the most pesticides, according to The Environmental Working Group, an environmental health nonprofit that updates the list each year.

Whatever you decide, don’t skimp on fruits and vegetables in an effort to reduce your baby’s exposure to heavy metals or pesticides. Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of important nutrients, including potassium, folate, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. In addition, studies show that babies who don’t get a lot of fruits and vegetables in their diet are less likely to eat them later.

How can I choose safe baby food?

If you’re concerned about heavy metals in your baby’s food, check out The Clean Label Project. This national non-profit organization tests baby foods for heavy metals and publishes a list the best and worst baby food productsOpens a new window.

Healthy Babies Bright Futures also offers advice for parents reduce the exposure of babies to heavy metalsOpens a new window in their diet.

According to the group, foods low in heavy metals include fruit (fresh, frozen and in baby food); vegetables such as green beans, peas and squash; and proteins such as meat, eggs and beans. The least contaminated baby food, they say, is:

• fruit
• meat
• vegetables like butternut squash, green beans and peas
• eggs
• yogurt
• beans

The most contaminated baby food, according to Healthy Babies Bright Futures, is:

• rice cakes
• crispy rice cereal
• rice-based puffs
• brown rice
• rice-based teething biscuits
• rice cereal for babies
• grape juice
• sunflower seed butter
• dried fruit
• full size spinach (baby spinach is better)
• oat cereal

The nonprofit says to “limit or rotate” healthy foods with moderate heavy metal content such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, baby spinach, other leafy greens, peanut butter, oatmeal, infant multigrain cereals and white rice.

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  True
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What is the story?

IN TRUTH, legendary movie actress Fabienne Dangeville (Catherine Deneuve) has just released her memoir and is embarking on a new role in a sci-fi movie. At the same time, Fabien’s daughter, screenwriter Lumir (Juliette Binoche), arrives from New York with her actor husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) and their young daughter Charlotte (Clémentine Grenier). Lumir reads her mother’s memoirs and is amazed to discover many untruths. For example, Fabienne claims that she was a loving mother, when the opposite was true. Meanwhile, Fabienne begins filming and finds herself in the role of the seven-year-old daughter of the film’s younger main character (Manon Clavel); in the story, Manon is sick and lives in space, where she does not age. Between film and memoir, can mother and daughter find a way to reconnect?

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Is it good?

Our review:

Parents say :
Not rated yet

children say:
Not rated yet

Working outside of his native Japan with well-known French and American stars, director Hirokazu Koreeda delivers a drama that feels a little off, yet is quietly thoughtful and beautifully acted. Certain characters, including Hank, and certain subplots/themes don’t really seem necessary and feel like they’re going off the rails. The majority True is in French (with English subtitles for the US release), and Hank’s character only speaks English, so he spends most of the movie either looking confused or ignoring the other adults and playing games with Charlotte. Another character, “Susan”, seems important and is mentioned in dialogue, but is never seen.

But Binoche and Deneuve are spectacular in their scenes together, and Deneuve has one of her best and funniest roles with Fabienne, who often gets laughs with her wry, sophisticated line readings. The sci-fi movie-within-a-movie also offers a fascinating perspective, with Fabienne playing scenes as a daughter longing to fill in the gaps in her relationship with her mother. It’s a perceptive mirror – the opposite of the real-life scenes between Fabienne and Lumiro. Although True it’s not perfect, it’s these humanistic touches — a Koreed trademark (And Wish, Shoplifters) — which makes it worth seeing.

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Talk to your kids about…

• Families can discuss how True shows alcohol/drinking. Is it glamorous? How do you think the filmmakers intended the audience to feel about the character who stopped drinking?

• How is smoking portrayed? Are there consequences? Why is it important?

• What is the relationship between mother and daughter in this story? How is it similar or different from your relationship(s)?

• What is interesting or unique about a Japanese filmmaker telling a story about people in France? Is his view of human behavior universal?

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Did we miss something about diversity?

Research shows a connection between children’s healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in the media. That’s why we’ve added a new “Different Representations” section to our reviews, which will be published continuously. You can help us help children
proposing a diversity update.