LilSugar

Do You Board Early With Baby?

LilSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:00:19 -0700

We all know that jetsetting with junior can be overwhelming. It's one thing if you're in danger of being deplaned, but it's another to be itching to board the plane. For quite some time, airlines have allowed families the luxury of getting set up for flight a few minutes before other passengers. According to one report, things are changing. When you have your kids in tow, do you take advantage of early boarding to stow luggage and buckle up, or do you wait until the last minute before strapping in your lil rascal?
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15 Favorite Family Board Games

LilSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:00:01 -0700

Board games are a timeless way to gather the family for an hour or two of fun. What child didn't satisfy a sweet tooth with a trip across the Candy Land board or become a small sleuth figuring out the culprit in Clue? While many of these great games have only changed their graphics over the years, new ones have also hit the toy store shelves. Take a look at our 15 favorite board games for families to enjoy! Source

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Would You Send Your Baby Off to Boarding School?

babysugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:45:17 -0700

What's school without carpool, bus lines, permission slips, and weekend sleepovers? Boarding school! Instead of a crossing guard being on alert, a dormitory watchman or housemaster keeps tabs on the students. Parents who attended boarding schools often feel the desire to have their offspring follow in their footsteps and carry on the tradition. Alumni of the system boast about life-long friendships cultivated while living amongst their "brothers" or "sisters" as their families maintained their lives back home. Out on their own, children also become independent, raise a lil cane, and hopefully get a top-notch education. And, every night is a sleepover!

Not every pupil will be lucky enough to have a dorm mom like Mrs. Garrett or an English teacher like John Keating to show them the ways of the Dead Poets Society, but they'll likely find themselves buddies and a bit of mischief like those attending Hogwarts. Would you consider boarding school for your child?

Texts and Tunes: Board Book Albums

LilSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:00:20 -0800

After looking at all of the board books lined up on my kids' bookshelves, I'm amazed that I never had this idea myself. When Laura Miranti's youngest child was undergoing early learning therapy, her therapist suggested creating a photo album of the people and objects her daughter saw on a daily basis. From there, the Texas-based mom of three hatched an idea for Board Book Albums. ($20) - photo albums reminiscent of her tot's every day reads that can hold standard 4x6-inch snapshots.

The great thing about the books is that they can be updated as the child grows, or reused for younger siblings with appropriate images. According to Miranti, "Studies have shown that young children only have object recognition with photos. This means that before the age of two, they can not relate a drawing of an object with the actual object, but they can relate a photo of the object with the actual object." With that in mind, it is no wonder that teachers and therapists are recommending similar book concepts for their students.

Mommy's Lil Helper: Bags on Board

babysugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:00:01 -0700

Diaper bags can get overstuffed with junk in no time. In an effort to keep them tidy and manageable, I have started to use some convenient disposable diaper bags by Bags on Board. I know what you're thinking. . . they look like the baggies people use to collect dog poop. Well, you're right. Made by the same people who make doggie and cat trash bags, the diaper bags are tightly rolled up into a fist sized container that clips onto the diaper bag strap or stroller frame making them a cinch to snag in a stinky moment.

The next time you're lunching at your friend's house and Junior has an accident, you won't be embarrassed to hand her a heaping diaper. Instead, the messy nappy will be discreetly stashed away in a scented bag that never even made it into your orderly diaper bag!

Toy Box: Grooving on a Groovin' Balance Board

babysugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Teaching patience and a balanced perspective to a youngster can be a brain teaser for many, dare I say most, parents. Toys that encourage learning that type of behavior are too few and sometimes plain boring. The Groovin' Balance Board ($98) may teach a tot a thing or two while providing them hours of pleasure. Children can learn to balance and play a labyrinth game all while strengthening their core muscles.

At $98, most parents will only want to buy one so taking turns will be mandatory. But if the lessons go according to plan, sitting out and waiting a turn will be a piece of cake.

Do You Know Your Classic Games?

babysugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:00:40 -0700

There is nothing like a classic game night to bring back memories of my childhood. I remember sitting around the kitchen table and battling it out with my parents and sister as we played endless rounds of Uno and Monopoly. As I begin introducing my daughter to the world of board games, I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how well you remember a few of the classics.

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Tell Mommy Your Thoughts on Paying Cash For Extra Credit

babysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:30:52 -0800

Would you work a little harder on a task at the office if your boss offered to give you a bonus upon completing it? Many would answer that question with a resounding, "Yes." What if that same situation was applied to schools with teachers and their students? Kids earn extra credit points a number of ways but one North Carolina school came under fire for offering its pupils 20 test points (10 points to be used on two tests of their choosing) if they brought in a $20 donation to the school.

Like many schools across the country, Rosewood Middle School is facing tough economic times and was looking for innovative ideas in fund-raising. After the parent advisory board came up with the concept and then the principal endorsed it, it looked like the fund-raiser was a go, but it never actually took off. The state education officials got wind of the practice and stopped it before it was ever set in motion. They believe it is teaching children the wrong lesson - that grades can be bought. Instead of cash, they insist the students should be rewarded bonus points for knowledge gained, not green paper. In defense of the program, Principal Susie Shepherd made the point that two test bumps won't make a difference in a student's final grade but that the money would have been helpful in upgrading the computer lab and their classrooms.

Do you agree with the state education officials or do you think the fund-raiser was a legitimate way to get kids involved in the school's improvement efforts?

Moms Options For Avoiding a Double Stroller

LilSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:15:00 -0700

Adding a sibling to the family mix brings lots of excitement and a bit of fear to families already crammed for space. A new addition brings more toys and the need for additional sleeping space and a way to transport multiple children. While some families opt for double strollers, budget and space limitations have others looking for alternatives. For mamas with older kids who don't necessarily spend much time in the stroller, here are a few suggestions for avoiding a double buggy.

Wheeled boards, like the Buggy Board, Hitchhiker Stroller Board and the Bugaboo Boogie Board all attach to existing single strollers and offer older tots a place to stand while being wheeled around town. While the boards do require kids to stand, they also allow them to jump on and off.
Wagons like Fisher Price Kid Utility Vehicle and the Step2 Neighborhood Wagon allow tots to face each other as they cruise around town. Best for shorter distances, the wagons are a fun alternative since they also contain compartments for storing food and toys.
Baby carriers allow mums to carry their littlest one close while pushing an older sibling in the carriage. By doing so, the big brother or sister don't feel like they have to give up their ride for the new addition.
Sit-and-stand strollers like the Baby Trend Columbia, Mia Moda Compagno, and Joovy Caboose provide a middle ground between single and double carriages. They have seat baby in front and have space for the older kid to sit or stand in back.
The new Twoo is a seat adapter for Bugaboo strollers, which attaches directly to the wheeled board and offers older tots a place to rest their bums when they are tired of standing.

Jell-O Jiggler Jack-O'-Lanterns and Bats

babysugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:17 -0700

Tired of the same ol', same ol'? Almost every Halloween soiree is guaranteed to offer up candy and caramel covered apples. Take the opportunity to serve up something refreshing, fun and super easy to make. Whip up some Jell-O jigglers in festive colors and shapes. Tots will get fired up to offer a helping hand and mama will delight in the easy clean up and simple recipe.

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To see how to make these wobbly creatures, just read more.

Pick out colors to suit your fancy. I chose orange and purple for their Halloween spirit and their tasty purposes.
Use the Jell-O jiggler recipe given on the side of the box - it is not the same as regular Jell-O!
When the Jell-O has settled, pull the trays out of the refrigerator and place it on a larger bin or warm water to loosen the bottom of the Jell-O.
For ease, I cut the Jell-O into squares with a wet knife and then removed the pieces and placed them on a level cutting board.
Dip the your cookie cutters into water before using it on the Jell-O -it makes for smoother edges.
Peel the excess away from the cookie cutter and use your spatula to remove the jiggler from the cutting board. Place it on the serving tray.

When all of the jigglers have been cut out, mama can enlist her troops to decorate the lil fellas. Use miniature marshmallows and pink decorating gel for eyes and black decorating gel for the jack-o'-lantern's mugs. If you want to add some flair to the tray, use a small circular object and cut out small bits of Jell-O to the edges.