GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

I’ve never been good at remembering combinations to locks. Ask my mom who had to literally cut a bike lock off of her wicker shelf system because I’d put the lock on it and couldn’t remember how to get it off.

I had the opportunity to test drive two of the Wordlock Luggage Locks and promptly hooked my husband (who was getting ready to go on a business trip) with one of the locks. I told him to set the combination and let me know what he thought of it. The first “issue” he mentioned was that he was limited in what words he could create – but I think he wanted to use a certain four-letter-word. I told him that there are around 10,000 letter combinations that he can make and to just deal with it. He used his Wordlock on his trip and said it worked great – he would recommend the Wordlock. Plus, if I may add, my husband isn’t very good at remembering numeric combinations either!

Wordlock is the first combination lock that unlocks with a word, instead of the usual numeric code. The travel locks are TSA friendly and are secure. They are very well made and come in five colors – black, silver, red, pink and neon green.

BUY IT : You can purchase your own Wordlock from stores such as Target, Sears, KMart and Walgreens or you can buy online at Amazon or any of the online luggage and travel retailers.

WIN IT : We’re giving away one Wordlock Padlock and Bike lock to a lucky reader. All you need to do is:

• Visit www.wordlock.com and choose the colour of the padlock and bikelock that you want to win
• Three additional entries if you blog about this giveaway and link back to this post (please leave your post url), AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you stumble this post.
• If you qualify for additional entries, please comment separately and let us know which option you’ve used
• Giveaway is open to Continental US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway closes on 5th May 2009 and a winner will be picked using Random.Org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe or check back here so that you do not miss the announcement of winners.

COMING SOON!!!

Congratulations to the following winner who have won the  Mookimoo Sleepwear Giveaway

 Jessica K.

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted. 
3. If the winner does not claim her prize by the 24th April 2009, we will do a second draw. 

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Picture this – it’s midnight – your child is fussy, grumpy maybe even feverish. He may or may not be pulling on his ears. What’s up? Is it just an oncoming cold or could it be an oncoming (or already here) ear infection. Should you just watch your child or take him as soon as possible to the doctor? Want an easier way to tell?

I had the opportunity to try out the EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor – which claims to be able to accurately detect the presence fluid in the ear. If there is fluid in the middle ear (behind the eardrum) there is a very good chance that your child has an ear infection.

I tried the EarCheck out on myself first, just to see how loud it was and how it worked. The beeping (more like chirping) wasn’t loud at all and the reading came back in seconds – green (as I figured it would be). I next tried the EarCheck out on my son – he didn’t squirm and it didn’t bother him at all. Again the reading came back green (again, as I figured it would be).

The website claims that the device has been used and is recommended by Pediatricians. So, I did a little detective work and found that – indeed – the EarCheck is recommended by Doctors.

I think the EarCheck is an incredibly cool device. This could save unnecessary trips to the doctor’s office and worries that you might have to miss work the next day. Keep in mind though – that even though your child may have an ear infection, it may not be bad enough to warrant antibiotics. So please don’t run to your doctor waving around your EarCheck yelling for medicine!

BUY IT: You can purchase the EarCheck at Target, Wal-Mart, CVS and other drug stores. You can also purchase one off the EarCheck website. To find a retailer near you – you can call 1-888-EAR-CHEK.

WIN IT : We’ve partnered with EarCheck to giveaway one unit of EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor worth $49.95 to one of our readers. To enter, here’s what you need to do:

Three additional entries if you   AND/OR

By Jay Tucker

We have a three year old West Highland White Terrier named Max. Max is a pretty good dog, I have to admit. He is obedient, loving, and usually pretty quiet. Max is as gentle with our two children as any dog could be. He contributes daily to Twitter, has 298 friends on FaceBook, and once saved a family from a burning building. O.K., he hasn’t done any of that, but being able to sit up and dance sounded a little boring for the high pressure world of internet blogging.

So maybe Max isn’t Super-Dog. What he is, however, is a member of the family that has taught me a thing or two about parenting. This just goes to prove the old adage, “A young dog can teach a nearly middle-aged man parenting tricks.” Or something like that.

Always Be Clear About What You Need- Max leaves no doubt about when it’s time to go outside to do his “duties”. I have found that when I am unclear about my expectations with my children they usually aren’t met. Sometimes even when I feel like I’ve been absolutely clear about what needs to happen, it doesn’t happen. I’ve learned that sometimes you need to as obvious as jumping and clawing at the door.

Some Temptations Simply Can’t Be Avoided- My daughter left the last third of her chocolate Easter bunny where Max could get to it. Although Max knows that people food isn’t allowed, he just couldn’t resist. Temptation won out. Temptation gets the best of even the hardiest of adults too. Our kids are tempted by so much of what they hear through television and other media. While reasoning with Max doesn’t work, I’ve found that sitting down to talk with my kids about things that aren’t good for them does. Sometimes, however, I have to make sure that their access to temptation is removed completely. Make sure the T.V. is something they look at briefly each day.

Patience is a Must- Our dog lives with a seven year old and a four year old. The things that Max puts up with on a daily basis are truly heroic. The only explanation that I can come up with is that he loves our kids. He gets ridden around the house, startled, and awoken from naps several times per day. He never shows any anger towards his instigators. Instead he wags his tail and continues to play tug of war with his chew toy. Yep, he either loves our kids or figures the food messes they leave are worth the torment.

Even the Potty-Trained Veteran has the Occasional Accident- Max was the easiest dog to train in this area. He’s only left squishy doggy landmines in the house a few times as a puppy. However, if we miss his schedule or leave him alone for too long, he will download. It’s not as though he wanted to do it, but sometimes what happens, happens. We pick it up, take him outside, and try to remember that he really is a good dog.

Quiet Time is a Must- We crate-trained Max as a puppy. This means that he spends a lot of time in his roomy and comfortable doggy crate in the kitchen. The theory behind crate training is that because dogs are naturally den animals, they won’t soil the place they sleep or eat in. Max’s crate has also become his place of refuge. When the kids get too crazy or if Max gets tired, he retreats to his crate for some R and R. We all need at leas a few moments of quiet “me time” during the day. It’s amazing what a little rest can do for the soul.

So take a look at your canine friend today. What is he trying to say to you about parenting? If you are lucky enough to have a collie you can get parenting advice AND directions to what mine Timmy is trapped in. With that I will bow-wow out gracefully, and not a moment too soon.

About the Author

Jay Tucker is fulltime Youth Minister and dad in Florida and author of “The Whole Youth Worker: Advice on Professional, Personal, and Physical Wellness from the Trenches” from Loving Healing Press. You can read more articles by Jay at his website www.BetterYouthMinistry.com·

Congratulations to the following winners who have won the Child Minder Smart Pad Safety Seat Monitoring System:

1. Kathy Pease Angeleyes (via 2nd draw)

2. Dreamer

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted. 
3. If the winner does not claim her prize by the 15th April 2009, we will do a second draw. 

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

Note : The Child Minder Systems are on sale until April 28th for $69.95.  There is also discounts for multiple purchases.  Customers just need to call:  888.450.6725 for the special discount code!

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

In many cultures the tradition of placing chiming bells on babies was to keep evil spirits away from the little ones. Personally, I’ve always been a big fan of jinglebell anklet as I love to hear the jingling sound when my little girl moves around in it. Coming from a busy mom, believe me when I say that jinglebell anklet is a great tool to track your tot who is trying to outrun and hide from you!

A couple of month’s back, my daughter’s anklet was broken and we decided that  we would get her a new one on her birthday. I was excited to have found Jinglebugs, another mom-owned business which sells cute and affordable handmade jinglebell anklets. I had finally chosen the 925 sterling silver Heart and Round Bell Design charm design. My daughter’s old anklet came with a hook which meant it was easy to break after a few times of removing and fastening the anklet. Needless to say, I was especially pleased that the new anklet came with a lobster clasp instead. What impressed me more was the fact that the jingle bell anklet arrived in an organza gift pouch and peach coloured gift box. How thoughtful is that!

About Jinglebugs:

Jinglebugs started in 2008 on a tiny island in the Marianas, was a love born out of a need to be practical and beautiful. With our little, michievieous daughter, Caiah becoming more and more mobile, I started creating custom, jingle bell anklets and bracelets out of beads and tiny sterling silver bells, so I could “hear” where my daughter was when the pitter patter of her tiny feet were not.

BUY IT : Also available in Round Bell Design, the Jinglebugs Jinglebell anklet makes a great gift for a baby shower, christening, baptisms or even as a birthday present for the little tot in your life. Jinglebugs also offer a a collection of personalized handmade baby bracelets and a variety of hair clips.

WIN IT : Charito, the owner of Jinglebugs has generously sponsored a jingle bell anklet of winner’s choice to giveaway to one lucky reader. To participate, here’s what you need to do:

• Visit www.jinglebugs.com and let us know which design of anklet you would like to win
• Three additional entries if you  Subscribe in a reader, AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you stumble this post.
• Giveaway is open to all location that the USPS is able to ship to.
• Giveaway closes on 20th April 2009 and a winner will be picked using Random.Org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

By David Elkind Ph.D, Chief Scientific Advisor, JustAskBaby.com

Picture courtesy of Justaskbaby.com

Although the divorce rate in the US is declining, the number of single parent families is a still a substantial proportion of all families. While many single parents do a superb job of childrearing, they confront many more challenges and unwise options than is the case in two parent households. Perhaps the greatest challenge is having no one with whom to share responsibilities and decision making. In some respects, the single parent must be mother and father, homemaker and breadwinner, good cop, bad cop. In addition, the inevitable crises, illnesses, and emotional meltdowns have to be handled without someone else to lean on or take over when in need of a break. It is not an easy task but many parents handle it brilliantly, particularly if they have the support of friends and an extended family.

Yet there are unhealthy options as well as challenges. Perhaps the most serious of these is to use the child as a partner, confidant and/or therapist. We all need to confide in people, to share our experiences, our likes and dislikes. It is tempting, in the absence of an adult partner, to use the child in the same way, as one might use the other parent. Indeed, in some cases the child comes to see himself or herself as the other parent. In many respects, treating the young person in this way, robs the child of his or her childhood with long lasting negative consequences. This is not to say that children should not have more chores and responsibilities than might be expected in a two parent family. The added work is easy for the children to understand and is healthy and normal. What is hard for children to understand is why they have to hear about the parent’s problems at work, and especially about their romantic involvements. These are not things they neither need, nor want, to hear about.

One option a single parent should be very careful about taking, is involving the child in a relationship, which may not be serious. The child has already been attached to a parent who is now gone. Attaching to another, or more than one, new adult who then disappears from the child’s life, puts the child at risk for attachment burn. Just as the child who had been burned avoids the fire, a child who has experienced too many broken attachments will be reluctant to enter new ones.

Single parenting is hard but can be immensely rewarding. In such a household children may learn to be more responsible and more independent than in a two parent household. If single parents look to friends, and to the extended family for the kind of adult support they need, children will reap the benefits, and not the costs, of single parenting.

About The Author

David Elkind Ph.D is the chief scientific advisor for Just Ask Baby, an online video membership service, which gives parents a unique baby’s eye view on how to effectively nurture their infant’s full developmental potential. For more information visit http://www.JustAskBaby.com

Congratulations to the following winner who have won the Name Bubbles Day Care Pack Giveaway

Rebecca C

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted. 
3. If the winner does not claim her prize by the 10th April 2009, we will do a second draw. 

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

They’re quick, they’re fast, they’re curious and they’re wiggly. Yes folks, I’m talking about them toddlers.

They learn by play and playing means, learning new stuff everyday! Not only that, repetition is key to learning..and oh! the things they repeat!

When they were toddlers, my two elder boys mastered the art of unfastening their diapers. Of course, there wasn’t anything like Mookimoo in the market, so obviously pulling their pants off was as easy as shouting their ABCs.

There’s nothing quite like finding a toddler in their birthday suit, prancing around with their soiled diaper.

With my third child, I kept replaying in my mind, all the mischievous things that he’ll be doing. I mean… experience has taught me one thing about kids… they just love watching a person go berserk! Yes…they all think it’s a lovely game.

Sorry, just got carried away there. Back to where I was…the Mookimoo! When I first got my hands on them, they looked really slim-cut. I had wondered if my 12 month old would be able to fit in them. And..yes, indeed it did! It was very snug on him. It’s just a little longish on the legs, but it wasn’t loose and dangly. Anyway, the label did say, “Must fit snugly”. As I’m so used to zippers/buttons on the front, it was a challenge for me to wear it on the back. My lil guy kept giving me strange looks. After a while, he was all zipped up and ready for bed.

Sorry lil guy, there’s just no escapin’ now. Mua ha ha ha ha ha!

Now, what I really liked about this, is that because my lil guy sleeps on his tummy, I knew he wouldn’t have any of those ‘button impressions’ on his body when he woke up. So, I knew he would really be able to sleep comfortably.

BUY IT: With the Mookimoo Sleepwear, no toddler will ever be in their birthday suit and every parent will sleep better knowing their lil precious ones aren’t freezing away. The uncomplicated design makes it effortless for parents to zip them up. I especially liked their simple prints, which means, it looks just as good on girls as on boys.

WIN IT: Mookimoo is giving one lucky reader a chance to win an exclusive Mookimoo sleepwear. All you have to do is :

• Visit Mookimoo and select the colour, design and size you want. Let us know your preference in our comment section here.
• Three additional entries if you grab our button from our sidebar and link back to us from your blog AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you Tweet this giveaway. Please leave your Twitter id.
• Giveaway is open to all destination where the USPS is able to ship to.
• Giveaway closes on 13th April 2009 and a winner will be picked using Random.Org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.