Much to my surprise, now is the time to begin brushing my 1-year-old’s teeth. Even though she only has six of them–yep, we’ve been counting–the American Dental Association advises starting good brushing habits at the sign of the first tooth (we’re already behind–gasp!). At a time when everything under the sun is finding its way into my daughter’s mouth anyway, it only makes sense that her first toothbrush be an appetizing one. That’s why I really like the clever design of the Baby Banana Brush from Kushies. The curved handle helps me fit the brush easily into her mouth, while letting me keep her secure. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that my daughter loves bananas. The eye-catching, sunny-yellow design might “appeal” to the more reluctant [&hellip
Yes, it’s true: Proper hand-washing has become the stress du jour for our families. After last season’s swine flu outbreak, it’s one practice we can’t emphasize enough in our households, no matter how many kids you have or how old they are. While we can’t watch their every move when they are at school or at a friend’s house, we can influence this good habit at home. Many preschoolers/kindergartners are being taught to sing “Happy Birthday” while washing their hands, so they’ll know how long to do so. But if your little diva turns into….well, a diva when it’s time to wash up for dinner, Disney Musical Hand Wash Timers from Healthy Hands can help get the job done. Out in time for National Clean [&hellip
Fess up: when you went to the bus stop this morning, were your pajamas hidden under your raincoat? The answer may, in fact, allude to the type of mom you are–or at least, if you are a slave to fashion. Clotheshorse or not, if you’re a fan of those women magazine-style quizzes that determine your personality from answering a few telltale queries, check out the BabyBjorn Motherhood Identity one and see how you rate. By responding to a few short questions, you’ll can enter to win a new BabyBjorn Baby Carrier Synergy (left) or a BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light. It’s all part of the excitement surrounding the opening of the new motion picture, “Motherhood,” starring Uma Thurman, next month in theatres across the country. You [&hellip
How crushed I was when my 15-month-old ruined a monogrammed bib that a friend had given as a baby gift. By “ruined,” I mean a stain that wouldn’t just come out, no matter how much we “Shout”ed it out, as my 5-year-old has dubbed our official spot removal treatment. (Of course, why anyone would give a pristine white bib as a gift is beside the point.) And then when the sleeves on one of her cutest shirts–outfitted with little red anchors–was covered in fruit sauce, I realized that this ship too had sailed. Aren’t bibs supposed to prevent, or at least minimize, clothing disasters? That’s why I was intrigued by Baggino’s Learner’s Bib,which feature an extra long front and long sleeves for extra protection. At [&hellip
When I think of all the hats we mothers assume each and every day–cook, laundress, chauffeur, playmate…the list is endless–I forget that magician is sometimes part of the job description. Why is it that kids will do just about anything if you turn it into a game? (At clean-up time in our house, we call it a “picking up party”…) So as the new school year gets underway, I feel as though I must stand on my head for my 5-year-old to get ready. What I don’t need to coax her into doing, luckily, is slathering on some lotion after bathtime. I can’t figure out if it’s the cool name or the great smell, but eco.kid’s Potion Lotion does the trick. This lotion for kids [&hellip
Any idea how many masterpieces your little Picasso has churned out over the course of her young life? Now is your chance to take your child’s best work and enter it into ALEX Toys’ Ready, Set, Create contest. Kids ages 3-5 are encouraged to submit photographs of their original artwork — everything from crayon drawings to model clay sculptures is eligible– for the chance to win one of three ALEX Toys: the Floor Standing Easel and Paper Roll, Little Hands My Tabletop Easel and Little Hands My Giant Busy Box. And moms, if you’re particularly pleased with the makeshift studio you’ve fashioned out of your kitchen countertop, mesh baskets for all those supplies and egg cartons you’ve recycled into very hungry caterpillars, you have an [&hellip
You know the drill: The night before the first day of school, you dutifully set out your child’s outfit and all of her necessities (and if you’re one of those parents who is not loving this later-than-usual start to the new school year, you may have picked out your essentials weeks ago!). No matter when you began your preparations, a child-sized backpack is sure to be on your list. My quest was to find something that was not only the right size for my kindergartner’s small frame, but one that she could easily locate in a sea of similar looking styles hanging in the coat closet. The new line of Skip Hop Zoo Packs are not only whimsical in their design, but just enough of [&hellip
You know you are officially pregnant the moment you’ve realized you can no longer button up your favorite pair of jeans–no matter how hard you try. And if you’re anything like I am, a good pair is one you treasure and hold on to until that last thread is practically irreparable. When maternity jeans just won’t do, you can invest in Denim Therapy, a service that enables you to hang on to your beloved jeans through those nine months and still be able to wear them once you are back to your pre-pregnancy self. Using a special thread selection process, each pair of jeans is stitched with expandable side inseams to accommodate growing bellies. Then once you’re ready to wear your old blues again, they [&hellip
Wasn’t it just yesterday that you mastered your baby’s car seat installation? And now your pediatrician has given you the OK for her to ride facing forward, which means breaking out the instruction manual. (Too bad the seat doesn’t come with built-in GPS for locating that misplaced guide…)If you had your hands on the Combi Zeus 360, this wouldn’t even be an issue. This convertible car seat is designed to rotate 360 degrees without requiring you to re-install it. With so much attention as of late on keeping toddlers rear-facing as long as possible, this car seat accommodates rear-facing babies up to 33 lbs. (and up to 40 lbs. for forward-facing), so you can breathe a little more easily that your child is staying safe [&hellip
I can hardly believe how often we lose my 15-month-old’s socks–and that I can’t even blame it on our washer/dryer, which seems responsible for usurping all the grown-up ones in our home! Much to my chagrin, my exploratory toddler has decorated the floor of one too many grocery stores and our local library with her missing socks. Well, we’ll be having no more Cinderella of socks (that’s off, one on) in this house, thanks to Stay With Me socks , which proudly live up to their name. Even the most determined toddler can’t wrestle these stay-put socks off her tootsies; a simple Velcro strap around the ankle keeps them in place, no matter how much your little one tries to remove them. And as your [&hellip