Have you tried to rack your brain to come up with kid snacks that are not only healthy but also inviting to you child well join the club. All the people in power at the moment seem to talk about is healthy eating but honestly with all the bright coloured packaging on the most popular foods is hard to compete with. Plus not to mention the high cost of fruit and vegetables at the moment you do wonder how you can afford to feed your child healthy foods and still pay the mortgage.
We have come up with a few alternatives that we have found worked in our house. Zip lock bags are a great invention for you to make your own snack bags at half the cost of a bag of chips, muesli bars or muffin bars. You can use plain store brand labelled food and split them into the zip lock bags such as a mixture of dried fruits with unsalted nuts, pretzels etc. We put in cut up fruit for school you can use a melon baller to cut up the fruit to make it a bit more interesting and believe me other children will ask them what it is and it does start a trend at recess time.
Healthy eating all begins at home and the younger you can get your child started the less battle it will be once the start school. While they are young try fresh fruit skewers and use biscuit cutters and make healthy sandwiches and then cut them into fun shapes. Use foods with lots of colours as this will make your child interested in the healthy food you have prepared for them and less interested in the junk food ad they just saw on the TV.
Lets face it its not going to be easy to keep you child interested in healthy food. They see so much advertising for chips, chocolate and take away on the TV but if you can make healthy eating as much fun as what they think a Happy Meal is you have half the battle won. From allot of cheap shops you can buy small novelty toys that you could also add to your Childs lunch which will make it like a happy meal except it will be your healthy meal. Give it a try you may come up with other interesting foods to use for your kid snacks.
Online Shopping Solution For Buying Baby Clothing
If you are the mother of a cute baby, you would definitely like to get your baby some beautiful dresses available in the world. Babies bring happiness and joy into a family. Gone are the days when fashion was the domain of teenagers and mature people; today, even babies wear designer dresses. There are parents who desire to make their babies wear affordable yet stylish clothes. And there are some others who spend hundreds of dollars for buying designer baby dresses for their babies.
Celebrity parents are notorious for spending a ton of money to dress up their babies. Baby clothing is a huge growing industry thanks to the popularity of baby clothes worldwide. In addition, many famous clothing companies have started making baby clothes. Making a rough estimate, it would be safe to say the baby clothing industry is worth at least a couple billion dollars.
There are hundreds of baby clothes designers known for their style. If you think that shopping for your child will be simple, think again. You might be disoriented when you first go to a baby clothing store. Clothing for babies is offered in various sizes, shapes, and colors.
You can find summer baby clothing too. There are in fact different types of baby dresses for different seasons. It is also important to understand that the skin of your baby is very sensitive. Making your baby wear summer clothes in winters or vice-versa may invite trouble. Summer dresses for babies are light-weight and light in color.
Within the realm of baby clothing, online shopping is gaining momentum. Many parents are now coming to the internet to find clothes for their new babies. Many online stores will only make parents come back for more, providing designer clothing for the youngest members of the family. Babies are special and sensitive, and their clothing is something not to be compromised.
If you want a great tip on purchasing baby clothes, search online using the words "online. shopping". Search with these keywords should generate hundreds of results to help you find the best baby wear available, which you can then browse through. Thanks to using "online. shopping" as keywords, you can find multiple options on baby clothing.
Celebrity parents are notorious for spending a ton of money to dress up their babies. Baby clothing is a huge growing industry thanks to the popularity of baby clothes worldwide. In addition, many famous clothing companies have started making baby clothes. Making a rough estimate, it would be safe to say the baby clothing industry is worth at least a couple billion dollars.
There are hundreds of baby clothes designers known for their style. If you think that shopping for your child will be simple, think again. You might be disoriented when you first go to a baby clothing store. Clothing for babies is offered in various sizes, shapes, and colors.
You can find summer baby clothing too. There are in fact different types of baby dresses for different seasons. It is also important to understand that the skin of your baby is very sensitive. Making your baby wear summer clothes in winters or vice-versa may invite trouble. Summer dresses for babies are light-weight and light in color.
Within the realm of baby clothing, online shopping is gaining momentum. Many parents are now coming to the internet to find clothes for their new babies. Many online stores will only make parents come back for more, providing designer clothing for the youngest members of the family. Babies are special and sensitive, and their clothing is something not to be compromised.
If you want a great tip on purchasing baby clothes, search online using the words "online. shopping". Search with these keywords should generate hundreds of results to help you find the best baby wear available, which you can then browse through. Thanks to using "online. shopping" as keywords, you can find multiple options on baby clothing.
Tips for Relieving Newborn Constipation
A couple of years ago I needed some tips for relieving newborn constipation when my niece asked me to keep her infant daughter while she returned to work. I never had any children so her mother had to tell me what to do when the baby was constipated.
Since then I’ve asked some mothers how they dealt with newborn constipation. I learned that one of the reasons for infant constipation is the iron contained in infant formula; some babies don’t need the additional iron. Some babies have allergies, usually to formula, which can cause constipation, although one woman shared that her son was actually allergic to the water she was using to mix his formula with.
In no particular order, here are some of the best tips for relieving newborn constipation:
Fruit Juice
Diluted apple or prune juice is one of the more popular methods for relieving infant constipation that I heard. However, it shouldn’t be used for infants under 3-4 months, and should always be diluted. The acid content of some fruit juices can contribute to diaper rash unless diluted with water.
Karo Syrup
Another of the more common cures for newborn constipation is Karo corn syrup. Some used the light or dark corn syrup, while others insisted that only the light corn syrup should be used. Mix 1-3 tablespoons of the syrup in a bottle of warm water. NOTE: Since corn syrup has been linked to obesity, you may want to limit its use.
Applesauce
Once the baby is taking baby food, applesauce will usually keep them regular, and they also enjoy the flavor. If the baby is too young for baby food, try mixing a little applesauce with rice cereal and diluting it so it can be drunk out of a bottle.
Oatmeal
One woman found that her baby’s constipation would be eased when she fed him formula to which oatmeal baby cereal had been added.
Massage
Massage can be accomplished in two different ways. The first is to use a bit of baby lotion and use the tips of your fingers to gently massage the belly and lower abdomen. The second method is to bend the baby’s legs so the knees press gently against the belly. This can be done with both legs together or one at a time in a “cycling” motion.
Glycerin suppositories
Glycerin suppositories will work when all other methods have failed. That is actually what my niece had me use on her daughter. The suppository would be gently inserted into the rectum, then her legs would be “bicycled” placing light pressure on the lower belly. Usually within a matter of one or two minutes she would have a bowel movement.
One of the most important tips for relieving newborn constipation was the necessity of seeking medical attention should home remedies fail to work. There may be something more going on and failure to get medical help could result in long-term problems.
by C.L. HENDRICKS
Since then I’ve asked some mothers how they dealt with newborn constipation. I learned that one of the reasons for infant constipation is the iron contained in infant formula; some babies don’t need the additional iron. Some babies have allergies, usually to formula, which can cause constipation, although one woman shared that her son was actually allergic to the water she was using to mix his formula with.
In no particular order, here are some of the best tips for relieving newborn constipation:
Fruit Juice
Diluted apple or prune juice is one of the more popular methods for relieving infant constipation that I heard. However, it shouldn’t be used for infants under 3-4 months, and should always be diluted. The acid content of some fruit juices can contribute to diaper rash unless diluted with water.
Karo Syrup
Another of the more common cures for newborn constipation is Karo corn syrup. Some used the light or dark corn syrup, while others insisted that only the light corn syrup should be used. Mix 1-3 tablespoons of the syrup in a bottle of warm water. NOTE: Since corn syrup has been linked to obesity, you may want to limit its use.
Applesauce
Once the baby is taking baby food, applesauce will usually keep them regular, and they also enjoy the flavor. If the baby is too young for baby food, try mixing a little applesauce with rice cereal and diluting it so it can be drunk out of a bottle.
Oatmeal
One woman found that her baby’s constipation would be eased when she fed him formula to which oatmeal baby cereal had been added.
Massage
Massage can be accomplished in two different ways. The first is to use a bit of baby lotion and use the tips of your fingers to gently massage the belly and lower abdomen. The second method is to bend the baby’s legs so the knees press gently against the belly. This can be done with both legs together or one at a time in a “cycling” motion.
Glycerin suppositories
Glycerin suppositories will work when all other methods have failed. That is actually what my niece had me use on her daughter. The suppository would be gently inserted into the rectum, then her legs would be “bicycled” placing light pressure on the lower belly. Usually within a matter of one or two minutes she would have a bowel movement.
One of the most important tips for relieving newborn constipation was the necessity of seeking medical attention should home remedies fail to work. There may be something more going on and failure to get medical help could result in long-term problems.
by C.L. HENDRICKS
Five Tips for Buying Toys for Toddlers
Most of us have been there before. You open the mailbox to find a brightly colored invitation to the birthday party of your favorite two year old. You hang the invitation on the refrigerator with great intentions to stop at the toy store after work to buy a great birthday gift. Several weeks later, you realize the party starts in 2 hours and you have yet to get the perfect gift. You jump in the car, race to the toy store, and run inside. Suddenly, you are surrounded by a sea of remarkable toys and start to panic! Take a deep breath and slow down for just a minute. These five tips will help you choose the perfect educational toy and get to the party in time.
First, be sure to buy a toy that is for a toddler. Sure, their parents may tell you that their child is so advanced, that they should be in third grade by now. But let’s face it; you should buy a toy that’s fit for a two year old. Otherwise, the child may not be interested in it, and end up just playing with the box. Also, it is important that they toy is in the right age range for the child to make sure it is safe. Little hands and mouths are not safe around toys with little detachable parts. Most toy stores arrange their products by corresponding age ranges, so head straight to the section designed for the child you have in mind.
Next, think about choosing a gift that allows parents to interact with their child to build skills important for later academic success. It is important for toddlers to be exposed to letters, letter sounds, and numbers. Look for brightly colored blocks, oversized flashcards, or puzzles with letters and numbers that may also have a tactile component like a fuzzy duck or shiny moon. Some phonological based toys also talk or sing to children. Parents always enjoy helping their child explore and create with oversized paper and crayons, or clay.
Third, to please both parent and child, shop around for great toddler books. Books made especially for toddlers are typically ones made from thick cardboard. They may have pop-up characters, animals with fur that kids can pet, and flowers with a scratch-and-sniff scent. It is important for parents to read to their children to introduce them to language and ideas, and also to instill a sense that reading and learning are important. Books also provide great bonding moments between parents and children.
Next, remember not to overdo it. Sure, it is tempting to try and pick out the biggest and best gift that will be at the party. It is always flattering when the birthday boy or girl latches on to the gift you presented, and barely lets go long enough to finishing opening the rest! But, the size of the gift and the amount of money you spend is not as important as the impact that your gift may have on that particular child. Choose something that will stimulate their minds and spur their development.
Last but not least, think creatively when shopping for educational toys for toddlers. Maybe you could try a plant that they can learn to love, water, and care for, along with their very first watering can. Or perhaps they would enjoy a wardrobe of dress-up clothes, so they can pretend to be a soldier, astronaut, or athlete.
When you are racing through the toy store on the way to another great birthday party, remember to choose a stimulating and creative toy that is age appropriate for your little friend. Just don’t forget to grab some wrapping paper on the way to the cash register.
Mark Easterday is the Director of Marketing for Educational Toys & Puzzles. Educational Toys & Puzzles carries a complete line of educational and wooden toys that promote cognitive, motor and creative skills in children. For more information about Educational Toys & Puzzles please visit http://www.educationaltoysandpuzzles.com/.
First, be sure to buy a toy that is for a toddler. Sure, their parents may tell you that their child is so advanced, that they should be in third grade by now. But let’s face it; you should buy a toy that’s fit for a two year old. Otherwise, the child may not be interested in it, and end up just playing with the box. Also, it is important that they toy is in the right age range for the child to make sure it is safe. Little hands and mouths are not safe around toys with little detachable parts. Most toy stores arrange their products by corresponding age ranges, so head straight to the section designed for the child you have in mind.
Next, think about choosing a gift that allows parents to interact with their child to build skills important for later academic success. It is important for toddlers to be exposed to letters, letter sounds, and numbers. Look for brightly colored blocks, oversized flashcards, or puzzles with letters and numbers that may also have a tactile component like a fuzzy duck or shiny moon. Some phonological based toys also talk or sing to children. Parents always enjoy helping their child explore and create with oversized paper and crayons, or clay.
Third, to please both parent and child, shop around for great toddler books. Books made especially for toddlers are typically ones made from thick cardboard. They may have pop-up characters, animals with fur that kids can pet, and flowers with a scratch-and-sniff scent. It is important for parents to read to their children to introduce them to language and ideas, and also to instill a sense that reading and learning are important. Books also provide great bonding moments between parents and children.
Next, remember not to overdo it. Sure, it is tempting to try and pick out the biggest and best gift that will be at the party. It is always flattering when the birthday boy or girl latches on to the gift you presented, and barely lets go long enough to finishing opening the rest! But, the size of the gift and the amount of money you spend is not as important as the impact that your gift may have on that particular child. Choose something that will stimulate their minds and spur their development.
Last but not least, think creatively when shopping for educational toys for toddlers. Maybe you could try a plant that they can learn to love, water, and care for, along with their very first watering can. Or perhaps they would enjoy a wardrobe of dress-up clothes, so they can pretend to be a soldier, astronaut, or athlete.
When you are racing through the toy store on the way to another great birthday party, remember to choose a stimulating and creative toy that is age appropriate for your little friend. Just don’t forget to grab some wrapping paper on the way to the cash register.
Mark Easterday is the Director of Marketing for Educational Toys & Puzzles. Educational Toys & Puzzles carries a complete line of educational and wooden toys that promote cognitive, motor and creative skills in children. For more information about Educational Toys & Puzzles please visit http://www.educationaltoysandpuzzles.com/.
Girls Want to Express Themselves: Help Her do it in Age-Appropriate Ways
You know your daughter or granddaughter wants to express herself and her personality through her clothes and everything she does. You’ve already seen how picky she can be about what she wears to school or just to hang out with her friends on weekends. Fashion is important to most girls, tweens and teens and now more fashion choices are available.
However, as a parent you may not feel comfortable with the scary Goth-chick look, ripped jeans or overly provocative fashions now available to underage girls. How can you encourage her individuality, her confidence and sense of personal expression in a way that’s fashionable and age-appropriate at the same time?
First, when she knows she is valued and appreciated she will be more likely to take your direction. Second, experts in child psychology say girls encouraged to speak up, share their thoughts and express themselves are more likely to feel self confident and exhibit healthy self esteem. Finally, when she sees an example of confident and loving people around her, she has a great example to follow. When you’re confident – she will be more likely to be confident.
One fashion look that’s become popular among women the last couple years and has trickled down to girls is the surprise of unexpected color. It started with women who wore a black and white outfit and “popped it” with a bright red or yellow purse. Now, almost anything goes when it comes to pairing color in an outfit. That jolt of unexpected color is usually seen in a bag, shoes or a belt. Girls now look for ways to pop their outfits with a jolt of bright color
Enter St. Louis designer James Androuais, age 22, who wanted to encourage girls in a positive way with his business. He saw the skyrocketing fame of MySpace and Facebook websites with girls, tweens and teens. Networking websites where conversations can go back and forth for hours. He noticed girls are constantly expressing with their words and in their appearance. So he created a fashion accessory both girls and parents can love. Now she can be unique, fashion forward and express her point of view all at the same time.
Meant to be worn with jeans, that ever-present fashion staple among girls of all ages, Xpressit belts provide a pop of bright, unexpected color and a little extra. Yes, the belts come in hot, fun colors girls, tweens and teens love including Mimosa Yellow (the “in” color for 2009), Classic Red, Aqua Blue, Limey Green, Bubblegum Pink and Perfect White. But it doesn’t stop there.
After choosing the color belt she wants she gets to choose from little Twistonz (about the size of a penny) that go in the grommet holes around the belt to create a one of a kind look. She can spell her name with Twistonz. If she’s an animal lover there are animal Twistonz with cute names. Does she love shopping? There are Twistonz with a high heel shoe, a purse and words like “Shopping Diva.” Love text messaging and her MySpace page? She can get Twistonz with popular sayings like “BFF,” “OMG” and more.
They have become so popular that XpressIt belts were chosen to be featured in a holiday gift bag loaded with goodies distributed to Hollywood moms with celeb-daughters like Debra Messing, Brook Shields, Heidi Klum and others.
Girls love clothing items and accessories that provide an opportunity to showcase her unique personality and style in ways that are fun and fresh. In a world where almost everything seems is mass-produced, having the ability to change the words and pictures on the belt she wears with her jeans makes her feel a little more special and important.
The possibilities are almost endless. Fortunately, the XpressIt Designs website at http://www.XpressItDesigns.com has an Ideas page where girls can get a little fashion inspiration so she can see the possibilities. Truthfully, she’s only limited by her imagination and how she wants to express herself.
XpressIt belts and patent pending Twistonz can be found exclusively at http://www.XpressItDesigns.com or email us for more information at XpressItDesigns@gmail.com Get yours today! (
However, as a parent you may not feel comfortable with the scary Goth-chick look, ripped jeans or overly provocative fashions now available to underage girls. How can you encourage her individuality, her confidence and sense of personal expression in a way that’s fashionable and age-appropriate at the same time?
First, when she knows she is valued and appreciated she will be more likely to take your direction. Second, experts in child psychology say girls encouraged to speak up, share their thoughts and express themselves are more likely to feel self confident and exhibit healthy self esteem. Finally, when she sees an example of confident and loving people around her, she has a great example to follow. When you’re confident – she will be more likely to be confident.
One fashion look that’s become popular among women the last couple years and has trickled down to girls is the surprise of unexpected color. It started with women who wore a black and white outfit and “popped it” with a bright red or yellow purse. Now, almost anything goes when it comes to pairing color in an outfit. That jolt of unexpected color is usually seen in a bag, shoes or a belt. Girls now look for ways to pop their outfits with a jolt of bright color
Enter St. Louis designer James Androuais, age 22, who wanted to encourage girls in a positive way with his business. He saw the skyrocketing fame of MySpace and Facebook websites with girls, tweens and teens. Networking websites where conversations can go back and forth for hours. He noticed girls are constantly expressing with their words and in their appearance. So he created a fashion accessory both girls and parents can love. Now she can be unique, fashion forward and express her point of view all at the same time.
Meant to be worn with jeans, that ever-present fashion staple among girls of all ages, Xpressit belts provide a pop of bright, unexpected color and a little extra. Yes, the belts come in hot, fun colors girls, tweens and teens love including Mimosa Yellow (the “in” color for 2009), Classic Red, Aqua Blue, Limey Green, Bubblegum Pink and Perfect White. But it doesn’t stop there.
After choosing the color belt she wants she gets to choose from little Twistonz (about the size of a penny) that go in the grommet holes around the belt to create a one of a kind look. She can spell her name with Twistonz. If she’s an animal lover there are animal Twistonz with cute names. Does she love shopping? There are Twistonz with a high heel shoe, a purse and words like “Shopping Diva.” Love text messaging and her MySpace page? She can get Twistonz with popular sayings like “BFF,” “OMG” and more.
They have become so popular that XpressIt belts were chosen to be featured in a holiday gift bag loaded with goodies distributed to Hollywood moms with celeb-daughters like Debra Messing, Brook Shields, Heidi Klum and others.
Girls love clothing items and accessories that provide an opportunity to showcase her unique personality and style in ways that are fun and fresh. In a world where almost everything seems is mass-produced, having the ability to change the words and pictures on the belt she wears with her jeans makes her feel a little more special and important.
The possibilities are almost endless. Fortunately, the XpressIt Designs website at http://www.XpressItDesigns.com has an Ideas page where girls can get a little fashion inspiration so she can see the possibilities. Truthfully, she’s only limited by her imagination and how she wants to express herself.
XpressIt belts and patent pending Twistonz can be found exclusively at http://www.XpressItDesigns.com or email us for more information at XpressItDesigns@gmail.com Get yours today! (
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