Parenting Squad

ProSquad Answers: Credit Scores, the Stay-at-Home Parent, and a Case of Strep Throat

Rhonda Franz — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:00:02 +0000

Welcome to the ProSquad! We check in regularly with our team of experts to get answers to parenting's trickiest dilemmas and hottest issues. This week, our financial expert talks about credit scores for stay-at-home parents, and our resident doctor gives us the scoop on treating strep throat.

I'm a stay-at-home mom for now and am worried that I'm hurting my credit score. Would a part-time job help boost it?

Your credit scores are crucial because they are a big factor in determining if, how much and at what rate a lender will loan money to you. Your credit is usually checked when you lease a car, buy car insurance, rent an apartment, open a credit card, or even get a new cell phone. And these days, more and more employers are pulling people's credit history when they apply for a job.

The vast majority of lenders in this country look at your FICO scores — you have three, one for each of the existing credit bureaus. The higher the number, the more likely you'll (supposedly) be to pay your bills on time.

And here's great news for all mothers who have taken time off from their office jobs or left the work force to raise their families — your FICO score doesn't include your salary. But there's a catch. While your income doesn't show up on credit reports, most lenders will ask for it on a loan application. And a mortgage broker might, for example, reject an unemployed man or woman, especially in today's tight market. It's the loan officer's call, based on your overall mortgage application, not just your FICO number.

Whether you want or need to go back to work part-time is probably a multifaceted and highly personal decision for you and your family — but your credit score shouldn't have anything to do with it.

Legal Pro, Jacoba Urist

Jacoba Urist, Esq. is a lawyer, writer and mom in Manhattan. She's currently working on a book, The Happiest Parent, about estate planning and personal finance, specifically for parents. Over the past year, she's interviewed hundreds of mothers and researched (almost) every aspect of protecting your family's long-term well-being, and she came to one overwhelming conclusion: The Happiest Parent is the one who plans for the future no matter how hard it may seem today.

Jacoba earned her Juris Doctorate from New York University in 2002 as well as her Masters in Taxation in 2004. She also has a Masters from The Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies where she studied economic and regulatory issues. She's practiced at one of the country's top law firms and written on a wide range of topics for legal professionals.

Can I really treat my child's strep throat without antibiotics?

I often get this question from parents, wondering if antibiotics are absolutely necessary. I have to say, it's quite the change from a few years ago, and I'm glad more and more parents are trending away from the use of unnecessary medications. I, too, am prudent about unnecessary antibiotics and other medicines in children. However, when it comes to a bona fide strep throat infection that has been diagnosed by a throat culture, your child absolutely needs the appropriate antibiotics to clear that infection and prevent serious post strep complications. Why? Because although your child's strep throat will improve on its own after a few days of infection, she is still at risk for spreading this infection to others. Most importantly, this puts her at risk for complications such as Rheumatic Fever and post strep glomerulonephritis, a potentially serious kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure.

If your child's sore throat is simply the result of a viral infection and has had a negative strep culture, then you can most certainly ease her symptoms by having her drink warm liquids, sucking on popsicles, and/or gargling with warm salt water. These types of sore throats that are due to viruses usually have associated viral symptoms such as a runny nose, congestion, and/or cough. They do not need antibiotics and are amenable to the above natural remedies…and time.

Medical Pro, Melissa Arca

Melissa Arca, M.D. is a board certified pediatrician, mom of two, writer, and blogger who has found her passion in writing and speaking about parenting and children's health. She realizes that parenting is not an exact science and offers her practical tips on handling common parenting dilemmas. In addition, she loves educating parents and children about their health and ways to improve it.

She authors a weekly Dr.Mom column in The Sacramento Bee and appears weekly on KCRA with Dr.Mom tips on a variety of pediatric health topics. Her blog, Confessions of a Dr.Mom, is truly the place where doctor and mom collide.

Dr.Arca received her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine and went on to obtain her medical degree from USC Keck School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency in 2003 from Children's Hospital Los Angeles and is a member of the AAP Council on Communication and Media.

She lives in Northern California with her husband and children, ages 4 and 6. They visit the ocean any free chance they get.

Permalink | Comments | Rhonda Franz's blog | Channel: Tips

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Best Children’s Books to Teach Kids About Inclusion

Nancy Flanders — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:00:03 +0000

By Nancy Flanders

Every other year, the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities honors authors who are helping to raise awareness and understanding of children with developmental disabilities. In addition to this year's recipients of the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award, there is a variety of books available to help teach your children the importance of accepting everyone for who they are, and understanding that everyone has different abilities.

My Brother Charlie

Written by Holly Robinson Peete and her daughter Ryan Elizabeth Peete, My Brother Charlie is a winner of the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award. It portrays what life is like through the eyes of the sibling of a child with autism. It teaches children about acceptance, whether it is their sibling or their friend who has autism.

Just Because

A picture book for young children, Just Because by Rebecca Elliott is also a recipient of the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award. The book is written from the point of view of young Toby whose big sister Clemmie has multiple disabilities. Toby writes about their adventures, plus their different activities and habits.

Wendy on Wheels

Wendy on Wheels by Angela Ruzicka is a series of books for young children featuring 10-year-old Wendy and all of the fun she has with her wheelchair. Whether she is at the beach or at the zoo, Wendy is always enthusiastic and ready for fun. Wendy teaches children that we are all differently-abled.

Mockingbird

A 2010 National Book Award winner, Mockingbird is a chapter book by Kathryn Erskine, which highlights life with Asperger's. After experiencing a personal loss, Caitlin, an 11-year-old with Asperger's, goes on a search for healing and closure.

Waiting for No One

Waiting for No One by Beverley Brenna is the sequel to Wild Orchard and is the continued journey of a young adult with Asperger's. This award recipient chronicles the attempts a young woman makes to better understand the world around her and to reach out to the people in it.

Books are a wonderful teaching tool, not just for language and vocabulary, but for emotional intelligence as well. The right characters can model kind and decent behavior for children in a world where different is often viewed as wrong.

Permalink | 1 comment | Nancy Flanders's blog | Channel: News & Commentary, Tips, Education, Health, Social Skills, Etiquette, Learning Tools, Culture, Relationships, Diseases & Disorders, Extra Curricular

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7 Tips to Help Improve Your Child's Handwriting

Kelli Robinson — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:00:02 +0000

By Kelli Robinson

Cursive writing may share the dinosaurs' fate. Like the T-Rex that became extinct millions of years ago, cursive writing faces a defunct future as more school districts phase out instructing the creative form of handwriting.

While cursive writing may fall prey to typing skills, handwriting is still an essential tool. Whether your child attends public school or is homeschooled, grows up to become a computer engineer or English teacher, their training starts with forming that all important letter "A."

If you notice your child struggling with his handwriting, here are some ways you can help him improve his skills and gain confidence in his abilities.

1. Develop fine motor skills

There's a reason why so many preschool projects involve rice, beads, beans, and shells. Working with these tiny objects builds your child's fine motor skills and develops hand muscles necessary in handwriting. Look for ways your child can develop fine motor skills at home. Opportunities abound, from misting the plants to finger painting.

2. Identify the problem

Where is your child having the most difficulty? Forming letters, sizing letters, lining words on the page, or spacing between words? All are tasks that have remedies unique to each other. If you daughter has trouble forming letters, tracing paper will be her best friend. A child who sizes letters incorrectly will benefit from using lined paper.

3. Get a grip

The first step toward legible handwriting is holding the writing tool correctly. Little kids naturally grab crayons and markers with a closed fist. As your child approaches preschool age, begin showing him the proper way to hold a pencil: Hold in place with the thumb, index and middle fingers.

4. Encourage your child to go slow

Kids are busy creatures! They've got places to go and often quickly scribble their way through an assignment. Encourage your child to take their time writing the letters. If you have the time, grab a pencil and piece of paper and sit down to write a letter. Your daughter will be more likely to model your behavior.

5. Don't press so hard

Check the table where your son was doing his homework. If you can see letter imprints in the wood, he's pressing too hard! Pressing hard on the paper makes letter formation difficult. Additionally fingers cramp up sooner. Encourage your child to relax his grip on the pencil.

6. Have the right tools

Your child will be more successful if she's armed with the right tools to improve her handwriting. Head to the store to pick up the following items:

Different sized pencils. The verdict's still out on whether or not jumbo-sized pencils help with writing skills. Some kids have difficulty properly grasping the oversized pencils. If your child is one of them, switch to regular sized pencils. Better yet, try a golf pencil. They're smaller and lighter.
Dry erase board. Perfect for letting your child repeatedly practice her letters. Saves paper, too!
Plastic wipe-off sheets. Laminate sturdy stock paper. Your child can use wet-erase markers that will easily wipe off with a wet paper towel.
Raised line paper. Raised line paper is a child's best friend. Kids can feel the lines on the paper which helps them learn proper sizing.
Tracing paper and alphabet book. This combination lets kids trace the letters getting a proper feel for how they're constructed.
Erasers. The only way to learn is through making mistakes. Make sure you have plenty of erasers on hand.
Fun accessories. Pencil toppers, different colored pencils, brightly colored kid-friendly notebooks — anything to help your child associate handwriting with fun.

7. Think positive

Don't worry when your kindergartner writes his "A's" backwards for the entire year. It's okay that your preschooler's name takes up the entire page. Learning to write is like learning to ride a bike. It takes time, but once the task's accomplished, it stays with your child for a lifetime.

Permalink | Comments | Kelli Robinson's blog | Channel: Tips, Learning Tools, Home School, Pre School, K-8

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Romance Roundup: How to Make Valentine's Day Sizzle With Your Significant Other

Alyssa Chirco — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:03 +0000

By Alyssa Chirco

Nothing takes the romance out of Valentine's Day like the arrival of children. One minute, the holiday means roses, champagne, and a night full of passion — and then suddenly you're celebrating by baking two dozen egg-free, wheat-free, nut-free pink cupcakes for the class party.

Celebrating Valentine's Day with kids is fun, but there's no reason why you can't have an "adults-only" celebration as well. Need inspiration? Check out these great ideas for romantic, grown-up celebrations that we've rounded up from around the web!

Grown-up Valentine's Day Celebration Ideas

Indulge in decadent treats like Raspberry Mousse Cakes or any of these 5 Romantic Valentine's Day Desserts after the kids have gone to bed.
Kick the traditional Valentine's Day cocktail up a notch by making a Love Potion No. 9. In a blender, combine 3 parts Sauza Silver Tequila, 1 part DeKupyer Razzmatazz Schnapps Liqueur, and 4 parts chocolate ice cream. Garnish this adults-only treat with fresh raspberries and enjoy!
Skip the overpriced Valentine's packages, and dine on February 13 instead. If you can splurge for a weekend away, travel February 24-26, when rates are lower.
Like sushi? Learn how to make "Valentine Rolls" on YouTube, and then enjoy an adults-only sushi dinner (again, best after the kids go to bed).
Read 10 Valentine's Day Tips for Spouses Who Want to Improve Their Marriage if you want to reconnect with your significant other on a more meaningful level.
Think outside the box to plan a better Valentine's Day date. For example, how about lunch and a romantic afternoon rendezvous at a local hotel? You can celebrate with your significant other and still be home in time to tuck your little ones into bed.
Skip the cotton nightgown or baggy sweatpants for at least one night and buy some sexy lingerie. It's a fun way to keep your sex life steamy.
Create a romantic scavenger hunt for your partner to complete, or play romantic games together.
Curl up on the couch and watch romantic movies like The Notebook or Casablanca. Check out the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest love stories of all time for more ideas.

Recapture the Romance

Valentine's Day is, for the most part, an overly commercialized Hallmark holiday. But if nothing else, the fanfare that accompanies February 14 serves as a good reminder that it really is important to show our significant other how much we care. Connecting as a couple is good for your relationship, even if it feels almost impossible to accomplish.

So whether you spend a glamorous night on the town or share a glass of wine in the comfort of your living room, make the effort to spend some time alone together this Valentine's Day. Besides, isn't quiet time without the kids all the romance that parents really need anyway?

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day with your significant other? Or has the holiday become more about celebrating with your children?

Permalink | 1 comment | Alyssa Chirco's blog | Channel: Tips, No Children Zone, Sex & Relationships

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Join our Tweetchat Today, Thursday, 02/09 For a Chance To Win an Amazon Gift Card

Rhonda Franz — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:52:30 +0000

By Rhonda Franz

Join us today over on Twitter, where we'll be chattin' it up about shopping for the fam at our #pschat at 11:00 PST / 1:00 CST / 2:00 EST. (Make sure you're following us: @parentingsquad)

How do you manage the responsibility of shopping for your family? Do you make a menu? Use meal-planning apps? What tips do you have to help others?

We give away a $10 Amazon gift card every week!

Permalink | Comments | Rhonda Franz's blog | Channel: News & Commentary, Tips

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7 Ways to Take the Scare Out of the Dental Chair

Nancy Flanders — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:03 +0000

By Nancy Flanders

February is National Children's Dental Heath Month and if your child is over the age of one and has not seen a dentist, it's time to go. Many parents are anxious about the dentist themselves, or are nervous about getting their child to sit in the dental chair calmly and happily. Either way, skipping out on the dentist can lead to dental health problems for your child. The first step to take is to locate a pediatric dentist in your area. Taking a child to a pediatric dentist will make a big difference in your child's dental experience. But there's even more you can do as a parent to help your child like going to the dentist.

1. Know Your Child

Some children like to have a heads-up before they go to a doctor's appointment. They prefer to know in advance because it gives them time to prepare. For other children, knowing in advance leads to anxiety as they wait for the day to approach. Depending on the age and personality of your child, give her as much or as little advanced notice as you see fit.

2. Prepare

Letting your child know what to expect is important. You can prepare your child by watching a video or reading a book about the dentist. You can talk about how the dentist will look at and clean your child's teeth, and you can model good dental office behavior by letting your child play dentist and look at your teeth.

3. Accentuate the Positive

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) wants parents to avoid words like "hurt" and "afraid". Even though we have good intentions when telling a child that something won't hurt or won't be scary, we've now planted the idea of hurt and fear in her mind. She will wonder why you even brought those words up and her red flags will go up. You should also refrain from using this language after the dentist. Don't say "That wasn't so bad" or, "You were so brave" as this implies that there is something about what the dentist did that was frightening.

4. Time It Right

The AAPD also suggests scheduling your child's appointment during a time of day in which your child is rested and alert. If your child is sleepy and can get cranky in the afternoon, making the appointment for 2 p.m. is a big mistake. Schedule the appointment during the morning hours when your child is more likely to be happy and agreeable.

5. Give Her Power

Letting your child have some level of power will help her feel in control at the dentist, according to the AAPD. Give her choices such as whether or not to bring her favorite stuffed animal, whether she will hold her toy or you will, which toothbrush she wants, and which sticker or toy she wants from the choices your dentist probably has available for kids.

6. Make It Fun

Create a special book for your child's visits to the doctor and dentist. It can be a sticker book or a photo album. At each visit, bring the book and place your child's new sticker in it, or take a picture for her album. You or she can write how she felt about going to the dentist or doctor and you can refer to the book before her next appointment, reminding her that the dentist can be fun.

7. Children With Special Needs

Some children with special needs will be more susceptible to tooth decay due to a specific health condition or regularly taken medication. And while parents may want to avoid the dentist because it's yet another appointment for their child, it is vital to take them. According to the AAPD, pediatric dentists have two or more years of advanced training beyond dental school that focuses on care for children with special needs, and pediatric dental offices are designed to be accessible for patients with special needs. Prepare your child with special needs to go to the dentist the same way you would any child, in a manner that is appropriate for her age, understanding, and personality.

The dentist may not be your favorite place to go, but you can still make the experience enjoyable and even exciting for your child. You can find more tips to help your child like the dentist, as well as locate a pediatric dentist in your area, by visiting the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry website.

Permalink | Comments | Nancy Flanders's blog | Channel: Tips, Health, Social Skills, Etiquette, Conflict Resolution, Culture, Healthcare, Diseases & Disorders

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Great Family Deals Roundup

Debbie Dragon — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:02 +0000

By Debbie Dragon

Many families are constantly on the look-out for discounts and good deals to help stretch their budget and get the most out of their hard-earned cash. Here's a list of some great family deals you can take advantage of over the next couple weeks:

Babies and Kids

Pampers Kandoo Flushable Wipes — Now through Saturday, February 11th, you can get a 150-count or 400-count package of Pampers Kandoo flushable wipes at Target for discounted pricing. The 150-count package comes with a FREE TUB and is $1.00 off, while the price of the 400-count package has been reduced by 15%.

Boys Winter Coats — great deals on boys winter coats available at Sears.com, up to 80% off — winter coats as low as $17.99 and hoodie sweatshirts as low as $3.49. If you are all set for the current winter season, consider buying a larger size for next season and save.

Huggies Diapers — Santa Diapers are on clearance at Toys R Us. Get 25-count of diapers for just $4.98 (regularly $12.29).

Parents

Redbox Movie — Send Valentine's Day cards from the Redbox Facebook page and each friend you send a card to will receive a promo code for a free Redbox Rental on Valentine's Day. Hint: Ask a friend to return the favor so you can get your free movie rental, too.

CVS Photos — When you register for a CVS photo account, you'll get 25 free photo prints with free shipping to your local CVS store. Your account also gives you free online photo storage.

2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths — Olay is offering a free sample of their 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths. Get a deeper clean with dual-sided cloths.

Permalink | Comments | Debbie Dragon's blog | Channel: Tips

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7 Reasons to Feed Your Family Organic, Wholesome Foods

Maggie Wells — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:30:31 +0000

By Maggie Wells

Many of us mean to eat well and make sure our kids are eating well, but often we go for quick and easy over organic and wholesome. There are are benefits to eating healthy, and choosing whole foods should be taken into just as much consideration as price and convenience. Feeding your kids organics gives them an opportunity to learn about what goes in their mouths and what the process of getting food to the table really entails. What are some of my reasons?

1. Health benefits for your family

Laugh all you want, but the No. 1 reason to eat well is to be well. Medical costs in this country are not going down anytime soon, but the better your family eats, the better their immune system is — and that means fewer doctor visits for everyone. Make the only time your kid visits the doctor be the time she jumps off the monkey bars rather than every flu season.

2. It sends a message

When you as a consumer decide to eat organic, slow, local, or wholesome direct sale foods such as Marengo Foods, you send a powerful message that you care about where your food comes from, how it was handled, and what is on it. Did your tomato get more stamps on its passport than you've ever had? What's the carbon footprint of that banana if it came from five countries away? Supporting local farmers and farmer's markets is a great way for kids to learn about food, too. Many nutritionists advocate eating in the season for better health as well. Consumers who are conscious of their choices help to keep the industry on its toes.

3. Encourages a real appreciation for real food.

Many families are now going in with other families to butcher one organic cow together and share the meat. The same with chickens, or raising chickens for eggs. What better way for a child to not take food for granted if he/she actually sees what meat really is and where it comes from?

Family organic gardens give kids ownership of their food. Many finicky eaters become willing to try the new veggie when they had a hand in raising it. All that hard work!

4. It is better for the environment

It's not just about us — we often forget that part! Organics and small farms help keep plants diversified and soil fertile. If you have plants growing in better non-toxic conditions, it's going to benefit everyone and everything involved. Eating organic keeps real food intact. Say no to GMO or what's known as Frankenfood. A tomato should have tomato DNA, not fish DNA.

5. Your purchase is better for the farmer

The more direct you buy your food, the better it is for the farmer selling it. Especially when you consider that organic farmers are not privy to the same subsidies the big industrial chemical farmers are. By buying as direct as possible or shopping at grocery stores that adhere to this policy of buying directly from farmers, you are helping the small farmer to make more organics and whole foods available. You are creating demand for better quality food!

6. Whole foods taste better

The discerning kid can tell. Bite into an organic strawberry or cucumber in the summer and then bite into one shipped in from Peru in January. The taste is like night and day. Food for mass supermarkets are usually picked way before they are ripe and they ripen in the store weeks later. But organics and local produce can stay on the vines longer and aren't typically grown out of season. Demand freshness, even if it is in the form of vegetable juices, like Juice Plus, a product recently featured on Lifetime Television's The Balancing Act.

7. It teaches children stronger values

Kids are learning from us everyday. We are what we eat, but we are also what we value. Teaching your children that you care about what goes in your body and their bodies sends a strong signal to them that this is important stuff to consider. They learn that, just as you shield them from harm in the street or outside, so too do you shield them from chemicals and future health problems.

So what are you waiting for? Eat good. Eat healthy.

Permalink | 2 comments | Maggie Wells's blog | Channel: Shopping, Nutrition, Healthcare, Allergies, Diseases & Disorders

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Tips for Managing the Family Shopping Chore

Sharon Rowley — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:06 +0000

By Sharon Rowley

As a busy mom running a household that includes six children, managing the shopping for groceries and clothing is really more of a chore than a pleasure. I just want to find the fastest and easiest way to get the things that I need for my family at a decent price without spending a ridiculous amount of effort. (Clearly you won't find me featured on Extreme Couponing any time soon!) So, here are my tips on managing the chore of shopping:

When It's Time for Grocery Shopping: Plan the Trip

1. Make a detailed list of what you need.

I spend an hour each Sunday night making my grocery list. First, using my menu planning board, I plan what to make each night for dinner, then check through the fridge, freezer, and pantry to see what items I need to add onto my grocery list in order to prepare those meals. I keep a running grocery list on a clipboard in my kitchen that is organized by aisle in my local grocery store. This makes it easy to add items to the list and easy to find them once I am in the store.

2. Study the store circular to plan your visit.

Next, I grab the grocery store circular from my Sunday newspaper. I note what is on sale, pull out my coupons to see which ones I can match up with a sale price, then make notes on my grocery list of what product size is on sale, the price I should find it at, and the quantity I wish to purchase. For example, last week, I wrote down: Honey Nuts (cheerios), 12.25 oz. $2.49, 4.

3. Use a coupon-matching deal site to make sure you aren't missing any deals.

Next I check my favorite deal-matching website Living Rich with Coupons to see where Cindy matched up the sale prices with printed or online coupons just to make sure that I didn't miss out any deals that I might want to take advantage of.

4. While at the store, buy only what is on your list!

On Monday morning, I put the kids on the bus and head right to my local Shop Rite. I only buy the items on my list in the sizes and quantities that I outlined (unless I happen upon an unadvertised special in the store that I can also pair up with a coupon to score a good deal!). Since I am working off of an organized and detailed list, I can be in and out of the store in about an hour. Not bad for buying a week's worth of groceries for a family of eight!

For Clothes and Shoe Shopping: Do It All Online!

I buy pretty much 99% of my kids' clothes (and mine too) online instead of heading out to the mall. It saves me a ton of time to take care of it from the comfort of my own home, and since I shop strategically, it also allows me to save a ton of money! I even purchase all of our shoes online with the help of an at-home shoe sizer from One Step Ahead to help me to measure my kids' feet accurately. Here are a few tips to smart online shopping:

1. Sign up for email notifications of sales.

Sign up for sale emails from these sites you know so you get a heads-up when items your family needs are at a great price. For example, I prefer to buy my boys' jeans at the GAP. The styling is nice, they offer a pull-tab adjustable waistband to adjust the fit, and they hold up really well. But I don't want to shell out $25-$30 for a pair of jeans, so I wait for the store to have a sale and then stock up on the next sizes that I will need for each of the boys.

2. Take advantage of daily deal sites.

Don't forget about using deal sites to gain access to some terrific limited-time offers at rock bottom prices. One such site is totsy.com. Recently featured on Lifetime Television's The Balancing Act, totsy is a great place to find fantastic deals of cute kids clothing and accessories (and maybe one or two things for you!)

3. Make sure you look for free shipping.

Most retailers offers some sort of a customer rewards program that often includes free shipping if you just sign up. In some cases, their program may require you to use their credit card, which is fine as long as you pay off the bill each month!

4. Always look for online coupons before completing the transaction.

My favorite site for this is RetailMeNot. Never, never, never complete a purchase in your online shipping cart without first checking to see if there are any online promo code available. You might be surprised how much money you can save taking a few minutes to check for codes before clicking the "buy" button.

5. Don't forget about cash-back sites.

A favorite cash back referral site is Ebates. Even if you have already started shopping at a retailer, you can simply open another window on your computer, log into Ebates to check and see if that retailer is offering any cash back. And if so, use Ebates to launch a new window to that retailer, which will already contain everything that was in your cart. Complete your transaction through that new window, and poof ! You have earned a few dollars back. Easy-peasy.

Permalink | Comments | Sharon Rowley's blog | Channel: Shopping

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4 Cute Valentine's Day Crafts for Toddlers

Alyssa Chirco — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:48:22 +0000

By Alyssa Chirco

Making Valentine's Day crafts can be a fun and festive way to celebrate the holiday with kids, but when you have a toddler, projects like these can easily be too complicated to make them worthwhile. Fortunately, we've rounded up four cute and easy Valentine crafts that even parents of toddlers can appreciate.

Love Bugs

Toddler heart crafts don't need to be difficult. Cut out several paper hearts in a variety of sizes (and colors if you like) and then help your toddler think of different bugs and animals they can make from them. Click on the link above to see pictures of various "love bugs" at The Active Toddler blog for inspiration.

Decorate A Mailbox

If your toddler will be receiving Valentines, consider making a "mailbox" to keep them in. The beauty of this project is that there is no right or wrong way to do it — toddlers can decorate their mailbox with items like paint, stickers, and ribbons in any way they like.

A few ideas for starting your box:

Paint and decorate an unfinished kleenex holder from the local craft store.

Let your toddler decorate a large piece of white craft paper with heart stamps or stencils, and then wrap a shoebox with the decorated paper.

Bake Valentine Treats

Toddlers love to spend time mixing and dumping, and baking together can be both fun and educational. Learn about counting and measuring by making Valentine Muffins, or enlist your toddler's help creating a Dessert Pizza topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Toddler Tip: Consider making your toddler his very own pizza to "decorate" however he wants, while also making a larger, edible one for the rest of the family.

A Valentine's Pinata

Young toddlers will need some help making this Valentine's Pinata from Kaboose, but it's labeled "very easy" and considered appropriate for ages 3 and up. By filling a brown paper grocery bag with treats and covering it with strips of red and pink tissue, you'll have a fun craft that doubles as a toddler-friendly party game!

What is your favorite Valentine's Day craft for toddlers?

Permalink | Comments | Alyssa Chirco's blog | Channel: Tips, Entertainment

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