The Voice of Mom

Now that my daughter is familiar with using my laptop, I have been searching for a mini. Not only could she use it easier, but we could take it with us when we’re traveling. It took me a while to find one that I was comfortable with, but I finally settled on the Asus Eee 10.1″ 1001P netbook.

These machines come with 1GB DDR2 memory and 160GB hard drive. It has a built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam. We have 3 USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks, and an SD/miniSD card reader. We have Windows XP Home for the operating system. It was important for me to get one with XP Home because the newest ones with Windows 7 Starter have features blocked out. Starter editions mean you don’t have the full version of the operating system. One feature that is blocked is changing the desktop background. That would annoy me so I had to make sure I had a full version of Windows. (more…)

A few months ago we began seeing previews for the latest Dwayne Johnson movie, The Tooth Fairy.  We’ve seen some of his other movies that were made for kids and enjoyed them, so when my oldest son chose this movie as the one he wanted to go see for his birthday we were all happy to make plans to see it.

A word of warning to parents out there, the first part of the movie does appear to shatter those fantasies about the Tooth Fairy and other big dreams.  But, stick with it, by the end of the movie you’ll see that your kids won’t lose their innocence because our hero, Dwayne Johnson, comes through and shows that you have to believe in order for any of your dreams to come true. (more…)

When the airline surcharge for checked baggage was announced, my husband and I bristled.  Even when we are traveling alone we hate to put out the extra money for something we became accustomed to expecting as a “right,” so for each travel adventure we make it our personal challenge to go with carry-on luggage only.

Here are a few hints we’ve picked up along the way that have made our travels smoother:

• Each child has a full size carry-on that rolls easily and a backpack as their luggage. If we pay for a ticket for a child, no matter their size, we utilize the luggage for that child (or at least make a note that we can if we don’t need the space on the trip away– we may need it on the return home). If they do not need all of the space in their carry-on that leaves mom and dad more room to stuff items in.  The backpacks carry all of their entertainment items– toys, books, art and drawing supplies, snacks.   If the children are responsible for choosing items there will be less complaining later that they are bored.  I always throw in some small figurines and it never fails that they are used for imaginative play in that older toddler to 7 or 8 year old range.
• When our youngest needed diapers, we had a great back pack equipped with a changing pad and drink holders that was much more shoulder-friendly than a traditional diaper bag.  It then morphed into a great catch all pack for hikes and trips.
• We always pack reusable shopping bags.  They take up little space and if we ever run out of room, they are easily used for overflow and typically go uncounted as a carry-on– but don’t quote me on that after the 12/09 airline security breach all bets are off regarding flexibility. (more…)

Are you tired of winter yet? Feeling trapped indoors and ready for a great big pick-me-up? Winter can be a whole lot of fun … but the dark days and cold air can sap away your mental and physical get-up-and-go.

What can you do?

Dr. Steven Joyal, M.D., Vice President of Science and Medical Affairs for Life Extension offered these tips:

• Physical Energy and Performance – Winter is the time for avoiding the outdoors and the cold, which means less outdoor workout activity. Supplements that can maximize the benefits of the workout you are getting can help sustain vitality, energy and performance levels. (Try CoQ10 or D-Ribose for boosting cellular energy).
• Mental Energy – Lack of sunlight and other factors can contribute to the “winter blahs”, a lack of mental energy and easy fatigue with even simple cognitive tasks. Supplements that have been shown to have a role in supporting a healthy, active mind (Try Rhoodiola, Ashwagandha, or Fish Oil)
• Post-sickness energy recovery – After battling a cold or flu, it is important to keep energy levels up (Try Vitamin C with Dihydroquercetin and CoQ10)

When I was pregnant with my first child, it dawned on me that my husband and I might not have the chance to travel again soon. So we planned a getaway and enjoyed our impending parenthood in tropical climates. It was wonderful. Trips like that are called babymoons …

Brightstarts is giving away three babymoons right now. Here are the details:

Baby on the way?

Before baby arrives, win a getaway to pamper yourself and enjoy some downtime. Bright Starts™ (www.brightstarts.com) is giving away a luxurious 7-night babymoon vacation to three lucky couples.  Relax and reconnect at an incredible U.S. Virgin Islands destination – St. Croix, St. John , or St. Thomas.

Your babymoon includes:
·        Airfare for up to four from anywhere in the continental U.S.
·        Seven night’s hotel accommodations
·        Spa treatment for the mother-to-be
·        Dinner for up to four people
·        $500 spending cash
·        Choice of activities

Sweepstakes ends November 30, 2010. One winner will be chosen each 4-month giveaway period.

Enter to win at www.brightstarts.com/babymoon and visit www.facebook.com/brightstarts for details.

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to quit your job, sell everything, put your finger on the globe and take off for a year seeing where the wind might carry you?   Throw a family of four in the mix with two school-age children and you have the Redpath family.

Bob and Brenna Redpath and their children Owen and Eleanor are seven months into their globetrotting adventure and have been documenting their journey on their most delightful blog, From Here to Uncertainty.

Bob is an Emmy-nominated sound guy who left Warner Bros. and turned down a season’s worth of work for the trip. Brenna is a singer-songwriter who homeschools their kids. Owen is an 11-year-old card-carrying member of Green Peace and RPG fan. And, last but not least, Eleanor is a seven-year-old who loves to bake and create “special things.” Together, this family is on a most extraordinary adventure. (Learn more about them on their About page.) (more…)

If you are like most people, you probably started the year off hot and heavy and ready to make some big changes in your life. You made resolutions and promised yourself that this was the year that you should stick to them. But things seldom go as intended, even with the best laid plans. Soon the resolutions fell by the wayside, and you mourned your missed chance for big changes …

Sound familiar? That happens to a lot of people. But why should you let the stumbling blocks of January stop you from making good changes now? Self Magazine says that you simply shouldn’t. Instead, give yourself a redo and start again … Now!

Self Magazine’s Editor in Chief Lucy Danziger says that people should give themselves an opportunity to restart their resolutions today, on Mulligan Monday. Mulligan, a golfing term, just means a restart … (more…)

A few weeks ago, I was browsing the bargain books at a local bookstore and came across a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Snack Attack! for a pretty good price.  My initial glance through the book made me purchase it to see if it could get my boys into the kitchen.

The cookbook is filled with fun cartoon pictures and photos of each and every recipe.  This is key to keeping kids interest as they read through the book.  My son has marked quite a few recipes in the book that he would like to try, and we’ve already made several since bringing the book home. (more…)

Nickelodeon’s beloved Latina heroine, Dora the Explorer, is currently appearing in two spots on Nick Jr. inviting children and their parents to participate in Trike-A-Thon, a fun, week-long curriculum and fundraising program for daycare centers or pre-schools. (Check out the video here.)

The program teaches children riding toy safety lessons through a series of interactive stories. The week ends with kids bringing their trikes and riding toys to school and practicing the rules they learned.

Parents help their children gain sponsorship to participate in Trike-A-Thon from friends, family and co-workers; all money raised is donated to help kids battling cancer and other deadly diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

• More than 8,600 pre-schools and daycare centers across the country participate in the Trike-A-Thon program.
• Their efforts contribute more than $7.7 million to St. Jude every year.

Nickelodeon’s award-winning website, www.nickjr.com, houses a dedicated site (stjude.nickjr.com) featuring the Dora the Explorer spots and additional information about bike safety and the Trike-A-Thon program.

Interested in joining in?  Complete details can be found here.

There’s a new game in our home and I’m thrilled that our children can’t get enough of it.

But Wild Ride to the Heart is not just a game.

Remember all the hype about 10 years ago when a book came out touting that emotional intelligence might be more important than IQ?  Most folks you talk to that have experience working with children and adults rarely argue that point.

With Wild Ride to the Heart, here comes a game with a dash of Candy Land but a bigger dose of emotional literacy exercises.  The age on the box is 4 and up and it’s also marked for adult/child and designed to help with family bonding, managing emotions and self control.

My 5-1/2 year old loves this game.  It teaches all the fair-play skills of taking turns, sometimes moving backwards or skipping a turn, counting your spaces, going to colors (again, much at the speed of Candy Land), BUT the standout point of this game is that players learn a centering technique referred to as “go to the heart” that has found to be helpful in centering emotions and also used in educational environments with much success. 

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