You need to always keep boo boo cold packs on hand - well, in your fridge to be exact. These are a great distraction if not anything else to when your tot inevitably has a boo boo. But sometimes the injury does require a cold pack to reduce inflammation and bruising. These fun and cute Boo Boo Buddies makes your tots know that there is something you can do to make them feel better. These are sold individually but I would have a couple waiting in the wings, just in case. At Giggle for $6 each.
I don't have daughters so I should not judge but I've always wondered why parents would allow little girls to paint their nails with toxic polishes and worse-- use toxic polish removers! I was not allowed to use make up or paint my nails until I was 13 (that's not to say I didn't sneak lip gloss to school!) but looking back, I'm glad I was so closely monitored. Our nails need to breathe and being suffocated by polish is not healthy for anyone, let alone a 5 year old! Sorry, is this too preachy? Maybe I'm just jealous cuz I don't have a daughter to play dress up with! At least now you can use Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover; a low odor, biodegradable and hypoallergenic polish remover containing aloe vera and vitamin E. Next time you paint your tot's digits, remember to remove with Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover !
This year marks the historical high of infant hot car deaths. It's easier for us assume this only happens to negligent parents but statistically that is not the case. These accidents usually occur when the parent's routine is altered and their brain goes on auto pilot mode of their regular routine, which does not involve transporting a tot in the car. For example, a parent normally does not drop off the tot at childcare but due to circumstances must do so on a particular day. The parent gets in the car and the habit forming part of the brain, which is stronger, takes over and drives them directly to work. Since they've never had to remove a tot from the car at the place of work, the brain naturally blocks out all cues and inclinations of doing so.
As with everything involving safety, it is better to be safe than sorry. We have monitors and safety measures for everything, but why not an alarm that reminds us to take our tot out of the car? There are 2 products that do just that. The Cars-N-Kids turns on automatically with the weight of the child and plays a lullaby every time the car stops. It is only $29.95. But because it plays a lullaby every time the car stops (including stop lights), I prefer the Child Minder, which has a device attached to your car keys and the alarm will go off if you are more than 15 feet from the car when the child is in the car. The Child Minder has a chest clip that replaces the current chest clip of your car seat, so when it is clipped, the system is turned on. This product is $69.95 and you can get additional key rings for additional caregivers for $28.95.
Parenting Magazine has an article with other precautions to take to avoid this from happening to you.
A cute and easy way to keep essentials on hand. The designs make the aftermath of the boo boo a little bit easier to handle. These are perfect in your bag, car and travel toiletries. Each kit comes with 15 crayon bandages, a large bandage for knee or elbow, aloe vera packet, 6 gauze pads, 4 cleaning wipes, 12 fun stickers and a convenient case. The kit is certified lead free and the plastic used is 100% recycled. Now you can rest easy all around. At Chloe in Style for $7.25
After seeing the feature on the Today show about bacteria growing in bath toys, I became weary and uneasy during bath times. I try to squeeze all the water out of the squirty toys but of course it is impossible to be 100% diligent. So the other day, after being away on a trip for a few days and allowing things to simmer and brew in the bath toys, I noticed something strange in the crab squirt toy - it looked as if something was casting a shadow inside. It was, of course, full of water and when I squeezed - BLACK gunk came out!!!! I was like, "OUT OF THE BATH, EVERYONE!!!!!" (my 2 tots bath together). It was so nasty. I immediately ran them into my shower for a proper scrub down and as soon as that was done I tossed ALL the squirt toys. Needless to say, there will be no more squirt toys for us. The ones that wind up and swim are ok because they completely drain and dry. Tonight during bath time I would take a closer look at the toys in the bath and seriously consider a proper heave ho of potential germ capsules.
Have a cupcake tea party with your tots! There is nothing more fun and more special than a weekend spent doing fun activities with the whole family. Tots love to bake, and of course they love cupcakes! These Teacupcakes Cupcake Molds go from oven to table top, are adorable and reusable! The silicon is phalate free. Set of 4 for $19.95. Also, check out the Cupcake Shape Bandages, makes getting boo boos a bit more fun, $7.50.
It is well established thy brushing with an electronic tooth brush improves overall dental hygiene. I use the Sonicare and my dental hygienist always comments on how clean my teeth are. On my recent trip to the pediatric dentist I was told that the Sonicare for kids is highly recommended to establish lifelong good dental care. I tried using my adult Sonicare with my tots with not so favorable results because they were bothered by the vibration. The difference with the specially designed Sonicare for kids is that this model has varying modes that ramp up the sonic vibration so your Tot will get used to it. It starts off slow, in other words, not so ticklish and gradually will increase with each use until it reaches the optimal speed. At which point your Tot is on his/her way to properly maintaining the adult teeth they will be using for the rest of their life. Philips Sonicare for Kids Toothbrush
With so much debate and controversy over BPA and it's harmful affects, I decided to speak to Ron Vigdor, President of Born Free, maker of BPA free sippy cups and bottles. The importance of the discussion regarding BPA cannot be over stated. It is because of consumers like us who demand change that the industry and government has taken action. There has been decades of conspiracies to cover up this known harm because plastic is a $374 billion industry. The FDA has known about the potential danger of BPA since 1997 yet they have not banned BPA and are only influenced by lobbyists from the plastic industry. Meanwhile, children in the US have been and are still being exposed to the possible harms while more studies and test are conducted and analyzed. There are technicalities that make this issue terribly confusing but instead of waiting for the FDA to give us a clear understanding, we have decided to rely on the one rule parents have always followed - to better be safe than sorry.
Why did you start Born Free?
I saw a documentary in 2006 regarding the harm caused by BPA in plastics and it inspired me to develop products that would do good and be good.
Why is BPA so dangerous?
BPA (bisphenol-A) is an endocrine destroyer, hormone mimicker, causes cancer, diabetes, early puberty and learning and developmental delays and alters the gene physiques in the womb if ingested by the mother. It was used as a birth control substance in the early 1900's. BPA is particularly harmful to fetuses and babies under the age of 3 because of their inability to properly and fully synthesize and filter waste. The waste stays in their bodies longer and this causes more damage.
No time to clean the floor? Don't worry, just slip on these Evriholder Slipper Genie Microfiber Cleaning Slippers
It is raining cats and dogs here, or Pigs and Spongbob Squarepants! But with the heater going, you still always need a good humidifier. I have an area in my garage with all the reject humidifiers. The Crane Cool Mist is best, and most of my friends with tots agree. It is stealthily quiet, you can control the amount of humidity and comes in super cute designs. Another plus, when your tot is sick, according to my pediatrician, cool mist is best. My 2 year old recently got crup, it's where the larynx gets infected so the air way is inflamed and blocked. She sounded like she couldn't breathe and her cough was the sound of a barking sea lion! She ended up in the ER where they gave her an oral steroid but they also treated her with cool mist - just simple plain saline water in a mist form. I was told to take her home and keep her in the bathroom while running a cold shower. I told the doctor about my Crane humidifier and he agreed that it would do the exact same thing, except using WAY less water!! Plus, I can keep this on all day (auto shut off when the water runs out). If you crank this thing way up, you will create a rain forest in your room. You do need to elevate the machine to avoid misting the floor - it does get really wet! I put it on a steady step stool with a towel underneath when blasting the mist on HIGH. The Crane Pig Cool Mist Humidifier
