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Tips for Parents in Tough Economic Times

julie — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:57:37 +0000

If you’re a new parent (or know one) who needs everything, and I mean everything, for baby, but money is tight right now, read on.

1. Ditch sposies. Or keep use to a minimum. New parents can save a ton of money by using cloth diapers instead of disposables. Don’t worry, cloth diapers today have come a long way from the old school “fold and pin” style–some even look like and feel like disposable diapers.

2. Buy the essentials, wait to buy the optional goods. You may have your heart set on that yummy Banana Fish Bubble Gum Diaper Stacker, but your baby isn’t going to love you any less if you can’t afford to buy it before she’s born. Instead, hold off until you have the essentials, like Under the Nile Organic Onesies and T-shirts (which by the way, trust me, you can never have enough onesies!) and then splurge!

3. Skip the huge expensive baby shower cake. Instead enjoy a smaller cake (and fewer calories!) and encourage friends and family to create a longer lasting “diaper cake” that baby will get to appreciate.

4. Buy a car seat with an extra base. Save a little cash by buying one car seat and an extra base, instead of two car seats.

5. Accept hand-me-downs and troll the Internet for deals. Shop online when possible. You’ll save $$ and gas costs.

6. Buy one high-efficiency laundry detergent for family and baby. Look for sensitive, baby safe laundry detergent that works for both baby and the rest of the family. You’ll save money on “specialty” detergent. Be sure to look for an eco-friendly brand!

7. Get your hands on a quality stroller. Save gas money and get exercise (hey, what mom doesn’t look forward to shedding old pregnancy weight?) by walking with baby whenever possible! A stroller can even help you save gym membership costs!

Super-Manny

derrick — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:09:27 +0000

ABC has announced that Super-Manny, a “back-door pilot” for a male-fronted spinoff of the network’s Supernanny reality show, will air on Friday, November 14 at 9PM ET/PT. Super-Manny will feature Chicago-based child therapist Mike Ruggles as he attempts to fill the child-rearing expert role that British nanny Jo Frost currently fills on Supernanny. Super-Manny’s format will be similar to Supernanny’s, however Ruggles’ approach to dealing with unruly children differs a bit from Frost’s, according to ABC. While they both believe in structure, boundaries, consequences, consistency, time-outs and positive reinforcement, Ruggles doesn’t use an observation period. Instead, he kicks the parents out of the house and use role-playing techniques to determine some of the root causes of the family’s problems (the parents are still allowed to watch from a monitor).

5Second Slide & Store Frame

jason — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:00:01 +0000

Take the hassle out of updating your frames with the latest photos! Without having to remove the frame back or fuss with taping, you can slide photos in and out of the innovative back display pocket. Your photos stay perfectly positioned, plus you can store up to 10 additional photos in the handy back storage pocket. Even creating an attractive wall display is a snap. Simply adhere the full size, self-sticking Tru Hanger wall template to the wall and adjust positioning.
5Second Slide & Store Frame.

Sittercity Makes It Easier For Moms To Vote

julie — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:27:23 +0000

TodaysMama and Sittercity announced that as part of the MamaVote initiative, they will offer free and discounted babysitting on Election Day, November 4, 2008. From October 27 to November 3, all individuals who sign up for a membership at Sittercity.com with the promotional code “MamaVote08” will receive 50 percent off a Sittercity.com membership. In addition, the first 50 individuals to register as new members on Sittercity.com will receive free babysitting for two hours! TodaysMama joined with the League of Women Voters and Sittercity.com to launch MamaVote, a non-partisan, education and inspiration-based initiative that encourages mothers to get involved in the political process. By offering discounted, reliable babysitting, these organizations hope to get more women to the polls. Parents can go to www.sittercity.com and register using the discount code “MamaVote08”. For articles, interviews and voting information, visit www.MamaVote.com.

Exploring Fractions

jason — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:44:32 +0000

As children investigate and compare these puzzle pieces, they get a tactile lesson in fractions and math concepts.

Personalized Books by Mini Me’s Books

julie — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:00:33 +0000

Give the gift of fun and adventure that will inspire the joy of reading! Mini Me’s personalized children’s book lets you combine your favorite family photos into an action-packed story that will delight your child with family adventures. Your child will enjoy this family-friendly story about a baby octopus’s happy arrival and all the exciting activities that the octopus family have together. From playing in the coral reef, to watching the Neptune parade, to baking a seaweed cake, your child will love to follow the octopus family along on their adventure! This creative new storybook will be treasured by all! Retail Price: $32.00 – $48.00

Earthball

julie — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:03:02 +0000

Kids will have a ball with this amazing inflatable globe. Created with NASA satellite photos, the whopping 40″-diameter ball is an astronaut’s-eye-view of the world. Lightweight and portable, it’s fun at the beach, in the backyard, and great for classroom show-and-tell. And check this out — the cities even glow in the dark! Comes with a handbook full of educational games, activities and resources for further exploration. Earthball.

allPopart

julie — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:03:13 +0000

allPopart is brought to you by a group of artists and professionals with a great passion for art, decoration and design. Since we started in 2003, we have served over 20,000 happy customers all over the world, while avoiding the price and hassle that custom services and products usually entitle. All of their customized pop art portraits are professionally created by our award-winning team of illustrators, design artists and professional framers. We hand illustrate all of our designs with digital equipment but we never use artificial or pre-made software filters in our work.

Cuddledry

derrick — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:28:42 +0000

The Cuddledry concept was founded by two long term friends, now working mums. Their first product is the organic Cuddledry baby bath towel. They discovered that learning how to take care of your newborn was stressful enough, without the extra slippery problems associated with getting your precious wriggling bundle safely out of the bath. This unique towel is the answer to upset babies and fraught parents at bathtime. You stay dry, you can lift your baby from bathwater easily and naturally, he/she stays warm and tenderly wrapped so everyone is happy and calm. Cuddledry.

Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips

julie — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:07:56 +0000

Brought to you by the same people who created Safe Baby Handling Tips, check out Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips for a hearty laugh.