Parenting Children

When we moved into this house I put in new, light colored carpets upstairs. We take off our shoes in the house, we are clean people, but there is always a carpet mess. From my children’s no spill sippy cups to the cat throwing up I have my share of carpet stains. When I got the chance to try out the WD-40 Spot Shot carpet cleaner, I had to jump on it.

Spot Shot is an amazing product because it permanently eliminats old and new stains, neutralizing smells through dual-odor eliminators, and incorporating anti-resoiling agents into your carpet to help prevent stains from returning! Spot Shot is newly reformulated Spot Shot is also non-toxic and is environmentally friendly, which is great since we are going green in this house.
Spot Shot removed all of my tough ground in stains on my carpet except one. It was easy to use and didn’t have a terrible, harsh chemical smell either. That is a huge plus.
My husband and I were really happy with the performance of the new Spot Shot.

The WD-40 Company is also introducing Spot Shot Pet, formulated specifically for the safe, permanent removal of the most difficult pet stains and odors. Anyoen with pets knows the stians they can create.
Non-toxic and biodegradable, Spot Shot Pet can safely treat carpets everywhere kids play and pets roam.
Thanks to Mom Central and Spot Shot for the chance to try this great cleaner!

Spot Shot, WD-40, carpet stains, parenting, cleaning house, environmentally friendly cleaners, cleaners

The question of when you start feeding a baby cereal has come up within my circle of friends recently. One friend has a baby who is four months old and has not yet been introduced to cereal, another friend started her son when he was 3 months old. I have yet another friend who intyroduced cereal in her child's bottles to help him sleep through the night. I started my own kids on cereal when they were almost five months.
So who is right?

There is no perfect time to start your infant on solid foods, although putting cereal in a baby bottle is a choking hazard for your baby.
The optimum time to start a child on cereal is between 4-6 months.
How will you know your child is ready? You will know if you follow these guidelines:

-nurses or drinks eagerly and is looking for more when s/he is done

-Has she lost her tongue-thrusting reflex? This reflex -- which prevents her from choking on formula -- could cause her to push solid food from her mouth with her tongue.

-has control of her head and neck muscles

Remember, if you or any family member has any food allergies check with your doctor before starting cereals.
Start with rice cereal, then oatmeal and finish with barley. (remember ROB)
Feed each diluted cereal in addition to his formula or breastmilk for a couple of days to a week before trying a new one.

baby cereal, when to feed a baby cereal, when to start solids, infants, babies, moms, new moms, feedings, breastfeeding, formula

My children are like every other child, they love to learn. They love hands-on learning question asking and doing. What is wrong with that you may ask, you are the parent, you should foster learing in your home and teach them every minute of the day. You are right, I should and I try to, what I do not intend on doing is bringing every living creature into this house to learn about it!

My children love animals- as do I, but I love critters a lot more when they stay outride and never, ever enter my house. I do not want to pet a insect with 8763 legs, I don’t think these ants should be your “pets” and live in your room and I certainly do not love spiders taking up residence in my corners. I like to admire them from afar in their natural habitat, enjoy them whilst not having contact with them in any form.
My children would have ever beetle, worm or chipmunk in this house if they could.
I have to check them when they come inside to make sure they are not smuggling anything in.
Can’t we read about these creatures, we go to the zoo and the museums, can that not be enough?
It is literally like a zoo in here. I really have to start charging admission!

This post was sponsered by iKnow Animals, Letters & Sounds who encourages an active interest in readingand by Parent bloggers.

parenting, parenting children, teaching children, iknow animals letters & sounds, kids,

I am fairly crazy about dressing my kids. When they were babies I would buy his and her matching outfits. They are twins after all! I would dress them up and admire how cute they were and take a million pictures a day of them in fancy hats, clothing or cute shoes.
Then they turned two. All my son wanted to wear was kid versions of What Not To Wear, ugly tee shirts. Shirts with monster trucks on them. Thomas the train, Elmo and even race cars. I hate these shirts, but it made him happy so I decided to chose my battles.

Then my daughter turned five. All of a sudden she wanted to wear things she picked out! Things that didn’t match! The horrors. Again, I decided they could wear what they wanted- within reason. They can’t go to school in costumes or two different shoes or princess heels. They can wear it around the house though, all day everyday if they desire.

We almost went to target with my daughter dressed in a two sizes too small Tinkerbell costume the other day and my son wanted to wear Dash boots with plaid shorts and a striped top, but my husband talked them both out of it. We dodged another bullet.
Now when I see another weary mother in the store followed by a child wearing rain boots on a sunny day or a wool coat in the summer, I just nod and smile because I know.

This post was brought to you by Polly Pocket Pop ‘N Swap and Parent Bloggers.

kid’s clothing, parenting, parenting children, polly pockets

Researchers and consumers have been caught up in dairy’s controversial game of tug-of-war. You grew up hearing how good milk was for you and I know I was served milk every day with my meals, but now there is evidence of health risks from consuming too much milk. Today I want to talk milk pros and cons.

I know I was told you needed milk for strong bones from my parents and teachers. Milk and other dairy products are the lead source of calcium, which you need for the development and strength of bones and teeth.
Dairy is also an excellent source of protein and vitamins A (essential for eye health), B 12 (for the production of healthy red blood cells), and D (necessary for bone and tooth formation). My doctors also recommend extra calcium in any form to prevent osteoporosis.
There is some evidence that suggests if you ingest calcium (in any form) you reduces the risks of certain cancers.

We are the only mammals to drink milk after infancy and now researchers say we should seek calcium elsewhere, as dairy’s disadvantages may outweigh its benefits. Dairy products, especially full-fat milk and cheese, are high in saturated fat. Saturated fats raise cholesterol and can cause heart disease. . Dairy is thought to trigger outbreaks of eczema, which I have seen myself in babies.
There is also a link between dairy and cancer. A recent study concluded that lactose may be a cause of ovarian cancer.
You can replace dairy with soy products.

My kids do drink organic milk in moderation and they love cheese and yogurt.
Do you drink milk and do your kids? What do you think about too much dairy, does the benefits outweigh the risks?

dairy for kids, dairy and allergies, eczema, babies, children, parenting, parenting children, milk

With the lead in children’s toys and dress up items and the warning last year about Chinese made toothpaste, it leads me wondering: is there anything safe to buy from China? Turns out, maybe not. The industrial chemical melamine has been found in infant formula and milk products from 22 of China’s dairy companies!

The chemical has lead to 12,892 of children hospitalized in recent weeks and four deaths. Of the infants in a hospital, 104 are in serious condition. Officials said another 39,965 children received outpatient treatment at hospitals and were now considered “basically recovered,” the AP reported.
This terrible incident has prompted the recall of infant formula and other milk products from stores across China, and dairy-related products made in China have been banned across Asia.

I am aware that Chinese manufactured items are cheaper for companies but when will this madness end? I think the mothers of this world need to rise up and demand that our children’s toys be made safer, demand that the chemicals leeching from our baby and water bottles be banned from use and take a stand against using child labor to make our clothing. We need to hold these companies responsible for how and with what they are making our products from. Are these chemicals the reason that autism, ADD and ADHD are on the rise?

I know I will be making my point made when I do my chopping this holiday season. I will buy American made, I will support my local artisans and mother owned companies.
What will you buy this holiday season?

Chinese formula, toys, keeping kids healthy, safe toys, parenting, holiday shopping, gifts, chemicals in baby gear, safe baby gear

Every time my mother or mother in law comes over, they remark about how much “stuff” we have. Inevitably this leads to a story or three about how they didn’t have things like exesaucers, diaper genies or minivans AND they had to carry babies up hill each way to the doctors.
In the winter.
Barefoot.

I admit it, we mothers have it easier than every before. We have grocery services, the internet for last minute dinner ideas and the television with the DVR for keeping kids out of our hair for a minute. Some things are better off simple but ther are certain baby gear I could never live without.
Here are my top baby gear must-haves for any new mom:

A temporal thermometer. I love this thermometer and couldn’t live without it. Plus it is so much cheaper then it was new to the market and I bought it!

A boppy is amazing for feeding, support for after a C-Section and for when baby wants to sit up on his own.

A Travel Swing>. This is great for inside, getting baby to sleep and for your backyard or if you travel often.

Swaddle Wraps. This is a must have for a newborn. Regular receiving blankets don’t cut it, you need a generous sized swaddle wrap. When you are done swaddling, use it for a stroller blanket.

So tell me, what is your must-have baby gear?

This post was inspired by Parent Bloggers Network and Yoplait Kids, the makers of the 25%^ less sugar yogurt that my kids love.

baby gear, baby gear reviews, yoplait kids, parenting, new parents, must-have baby gear, new moms

Trying to find gifts for people can sometimes be difficult. I love personalized gifts but I always have to find something I know (or hope) the receipient will love. Circle of Sentiments is a store that has something for everyone and is perfect for gift giving.

Circle of Sentiments is owned by Jamie, a mom of twin boys, and I love to support mom owned businesses, especially another mom of twins. Her collection of jewelry includes a fabulous selection of hand stamped necklaces and bracelets. Whether you are looking for something unique for yourself or a distinctive gift, Circle of Sentiments offers simple and affordable gifts for every woman on your list.

One of my favorites from her collection is the initial necklace, which I received for review. The sterling silver ball chain is available in 16″ or “18 and features a disc (slightly smaller than a quarter) that is hand stamped with the upper case initial. This necklace is gorgeous, I love it and I wear it everywhere and with everything. It looks perfect with jeans and a tee or a dress. Check out her patterned necklace or this gorgeous cuff bracelet. You can proudly display your children’s names initials or a phrase on all of these products.

Remember Circle of Sentiments for a new mom, grandma, bridesmaid, communion or mother’s day gifts. I know these will all be on my go to list for gifts this year for family and friends.

unique gifts, Circle of Sentiments, mom jewelry, hand stamped necklaces, gifts for moms, gifts

My kids love to draw and their imaginations just are amazing. I would love for something they had drawn to come to life for them. When I heard North American Bear and FAO Schwartz had a make your own monster kit, I had to get more information on it.

The Make Your Own Monster Design Kit comes with colored pencils, paper and a detailed questionnaire. With the kit your child can create their own “monster” but also his personality. Once your child is done creating their very own monster, you submit the kit along with $249 (ouch!) to the lab and wait for your reproduction to be delivered to your home in about 8 to 10 weeks. The 20″ soft, plush monster comes with a descriptive tag that tells your child’s story.
The process really is fascinating.

If your child is not ready to design their own, or the price tag is slightly too heavy for you, they can buy a ready to go monster. My son has Yucky and LOVES him. A portion of the sales go to Global Action for Children.
My own monsters has received such honors like Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products.

This would be an amazing, unique gift for any child, heck I want to make my own monster! With five year old twins, the cost is too much for me right now but maybe one day.

make your own monster, gifts for kids, stuffed animals, make your own stuffed animals, FAO Schwartz, North American Bear, cool gifts for kids

Like I said in my last post, I have a hard time with gifts, especially gifts for boys. The older a boy get the harder, I think, that it is to find a great gift for them. When I got the chance to review a Smart Lab You Explore It Human Body I jumped on it.

The You Explore It Human Body is a clear plastic-encased skeleton with “squishy insides” — human organs, muscles and bones that you remove like a surgeon using plastic forceps and tweezers that are included. An accompanying book provides science lessons about the organs.
The parents loved this as much as the kids did. It is fun to take out the organs and try and put them back where they belong.

The Insides Out book that is included well written and very kid-friendly with information and cool facts. The kit includes:
12-inch plastic human body model
nine removable squishy vital organs
skeletal, vascular and muscular systems
forceps and tweezers
tray to organize your organs and
32-page fully illustrated color book

This is for ages 8 and up ($27.00) and my eight year old nephew loved it as much as my five year old twins and my husband and I did! This is a fun learning tool. A perfect gift for boys or girls who are interested in the human body, science or even for kids who just love gross, squishy things.

kid gifts, gifts for kids, birthday party gifts, kids, You Explore It Human Body, Smart Lab

My twins have been in school for only three days when our first birthday party invitation arrives home in my daughter’s backpack. “Celebrate Evan’s 6th birthday at the farm!” it reads and it is only a couple of weeks away.
Of course my children have been to birthday parties before. For my friend’s children or their cousins, but really never a classmate.

When giving gifts I like it to be personalized, if my friend’s son likes sharks I will buy a shark towel and bathing suit, if my nephew likes Diego then I will buy him something with Diego for his room. How do you go about buying a gift for a person you do not know?
I also think buying for a boy is harder than a girl, there are so many things you can buy a girl, clothes, toys, jewelry, crafts, but boy’s interests seem to be more specific.
My mother always bought pajamas for gifts when I was a child. It seems like a great idea because who couldn’t use pajamas, but I think children vary in size so much more these days, and without seeing the boy in person, I would be nervous to buy a clothing item.

I would love to hear from you on what you buy for kid’s birthday parties especially if you don’t know the child personally. I wonder if a gift card to Barnes & Noble would be something every child would love, I know my kids do. I am also trying to figure out what to spend on a gift. Is there a specific amount you commit to for gifts?
Do you always give the gift receipt with the gift?

gifts, birthday parties, birthday gifts, gifts for kids, parenting

Baby K is just starting to eat foods now and I am back into the game of buying baby foods and cereals. With my twins they ate only organic baby food, or I made their food myself. Many of my friends who had babies after I did, asked me about my decision about organic baby foods. I am far from an expert, but if you are confused about all those tiny jars of food in your grocery store, I am here to end your confusion!

There are just some foods that are worth the extra money to buy organic and the same goes for baby foods. Avoiding pesticides is one reason to buy organic. Pesticides are poisons sprayed onto crops to kill any pests that may damage or eat the plant, just like you use in your garden. If you eat conventional foods then you are eating the pesticides that go with them and these can be passed to a fetus through the placenta, and to an infant through breast milk.
Hormones are given to animals to speed their growth rates allowing them to reach full size much faster than normal and antibiotics are given to keep the animals well. Both of these are ingested by us as we eat the animal.
The environment does not fair well with all of these things either. The pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides get into our air, water and soil. Our kids deserve better then the Earth left to them in the state that it is in now.

Should you only buy organic for your children? That is a personal decision. Tell me do you buy organic for your family? Are there certain items you will or will not purchase organic?

organic foods, organic baby food, parenting, healthy kids, infants, feeding kids, baby food

We were never allowed to have horrible snacks in our house and by horrible, I mean the good kind. I think the most outrageous snacks we had on hand were Kudos bars, you know the chocolate covered granola bars. Some how they slipped through my moms junk food crack down. Lest you think we were that deprived I have to say we were allowed the occasional ice cream.

Finding healthy snacks for my kids is becoming increasingly hard. They love healthy snacks here at home, they beg for hummas, yogurt and vegetables and dip. School is a different story. There they see what all their friends have for snacks and lunch. Suddenly I am in the grocery store and my kids are pointing out all the things their friends bring, Yogos! (what are those anyway?) Cheetos! Fruit snacks! All the *great* things that I don’t let my kids have.

Can I keep my kids on the healthy track all their lives? I am sure that I can’t and as long as they have healthy eating habits at home, I know it is okay to indulge in birthday cakes and sugary snacks once in awhile. After all, I can’t keep them locked in the house with no knowledge of chocolate flavored cereals forever! I will try to keep them on the straight and narrow for as long as I can but if I ever see them with a Hi-C mustache, I can’t guarantee they will ever leave the house again!

“This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as an entry for a contest sponsored by Brothers-All-Natural.”

healthy snacks, school lunches, kids, healthy eating, brothers all natural, parenting

Wasn’t it just yesterday that I drove my twins home from the hospital at a snails pace? How could it be that I just let my five year old children board a bus to take them to a far off, wondrous place known as kindergarten?

I didn’t want to send them today.
Everything inside of me was yelling, “no, this is not right your babies should be with you, who has nurtured them every day of their lives, not in the hands and care of strangers”.
How could I trust virtual strangers with my most precious possessions? Would they take care of them and hold them lightly but strong enough not to let them falter?
Would they know how much these twins need each other for support? Will they nurter their minds while letting their imaginations soar? Will they treat them as their own?

How does a mother let go of their child’s small hand so they can dip their toe in the ocean of the world, when all they want to do is scoop them into her arms and lay under the safety of a tree and just be?
If I didn’t let go now, would I ever be able to?
So silly of me to fret over my children being gone three hours from my care, but those three hours are special and those precious hours will be making memories that I will not be in.

These are my precious babies, no matter how old they will become, so I will do what every mother does:
I will send them to school. I will walk them to the bus, I will place them in the care of others and I will watch as the bus drives away.
And I will hold my tears until they are in the distance, crying for the little babies that were and for the amazing people I know they will become.

kindergarten, first day of school, school, parenting, moms