Drum Baby Drum

Yesterday we spent some time at a friend’s house. We always love visiting their house because they have three kids, so everything is very “kid friendly.” I am always amazed at the wonderful toys they have and last night by far the favorite for both babies, children, and adults was the LeapFrog Learning Drum which they just received. It is a “counting drum” which lights up, speaks, and plays music. It is always difficult to get the family to leave after a full day of play. But last night was especially difficult, as all of us wanted to take this toy with us!

Swimwear that Protects from the Sun

As the heat sets in this summer many families will head to the beach and the pool. We intend to hit the water as well, but I know that I am not the only mom that worries about exposing little delicate skin to the harsh sun. Yes, we will arm ourselves with suntan lotion (SPF 60), big hats, and umbrellas for shade, but we will also put our child in a new type of UPF 50 swimming suit from the Gap that will also fight those harsh sun-rays. We like having that little bit of added protection, so that if the suntan lotion washes off, our little one will still be protected. So bring on the water, beach, and fun, this mom knows the summer has just begun (and now she feels better about it).

Beware of Baby Bottles

Although we are now past baby bottles, we are not past worrying about the reports of certain plastic bottles leaking the chemical BPA (bisphenol A) into drinking fluids. We were happy to see a report recently in Parents Magazine listing nine BPA free bottles. One that we used and is this Mom’s Favorite is from the Company Green to Grow and we think all companies manufacturing plastics should follow suit!

Fun in the Sun

So June is here (eek) and summer is upon us. Mom’s Favorite has drawn up a list of “must haves” for mom and family to survive the summer and have fun in the sun.

5. Outdoor toys & games

Here are some of Mom’s Favorite outdoor toys, to help burn away some of the hours of those long summer days.

4. Cool clothes & shoes (literally)

These cool slip-on shoes from Robeez have saved us time, hassle, and hot little feet!

3. Water, water, water

Make sure the whole family stays hydrated with water (yes – right from the tap).

2. Hats & Sunglasses

We get a ton of our summer gear from the Gap because they are reasonable, durable, and reliable.

1. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen – for the
whole family!

Some of Mom’s Favorite products include Clinique’s City Block, Murad’s face protection, Coppertone products, and don’t forget the SPF for lips too! Right now you can even get Clinique’s City Block on a Chain!

Stroller Envy

While on our evening walk, we had the unexpected pleasure of bumping into friends. They had just finished dining outside with their adorable daughter sitting in her stroller at the side of their table. After admiring their stroller my friend told me to try it. And I did, and now I have stroller envy. It was the Jeep Liberty Stroller and it moved like a dream. The front wheel simply glided around easily negotiating every little turn and bump. My envy was further reinforced when our friends join us for the rest of our walk, and I watched as they did the “one handed push.” Are you kidding me? I love our stroller and even suggest it in my baby gear section, but this one was unreal. So though I really can’t see ourselves investing money in another one, I might just stay a little green eyed.

“Help, we are new parents”

Boy, haven’t we all been there? There are so many reasons new parents need help. But recently a friend called me and her “help we are new parents” line was related to what “baby gear” she needed to buy and what was decent. So in her honor I drew up this list. Some of mom’s, dad’s, and yes, baby’s favorite items include:
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Safe Toys

Mom’s Favorite Hints to Finding Safe Toys

Are you worried about the lead, toxins, and other chemicals in our kids’ toys? As a mom, I have been concerned with reports of toys that have high lead levels and toys that are toxic. Keep reading to find out how you can make sure your child’s toys are not causing them harm.

With so many toys recalled, how can you be sure your child’s toys are safe? Here are some of mom’s favorite helpful hints:

Buy American. If possible, see if you can find toys made in the USA. You would be shocked how few there are, but hand-made wood toys are usually pretty safe.

Buy a Lead Test. Now most baby and kids stores sell these. You simply rub them against the toy to find out if they leach chemicals.

Buy organic products. Some companies now boast “organic” stuffed animals, clothes, and other toys. This will help give you piece of mind that what your child is putting in their mouth is not leeching harmful chemicals.

Buy products that are labeled “non-toxic” or “lead free” vs. “natural.” If products have the word non-toxic or lead free, they must verify this is true, however if toys simply have the word “natural” there are no specifications for what criteria the product must follow.

Buy toys from companies that have dedicated themselves to more rigorously testing their toys.

Who are these companies?

Try Melissa & Doug Products. They are great, educational, and safe! Our family and friends simply love their products and they engage in extra testing of their toys. We also like “Uncle Goose” Products, as well as these great “organic” baby & teething sets.

How else do you make sure that the toys you buy are safe?

There are a few good resources that every mom and dad should be sure to check out. It will take a bit of elbow grease to make sure that your toys are safe, but hopefully this information will help.

If you would like more information on what toys are unhealthy and why, see the PBS show “NOW.”

So many toys that have been recalled due to high chemical levels (especially lead). Make sure to check the US Consumer Product Commission Website for a list of all of these toys.

Another site that is a good resource is “Healthy Toys, because it provides a database of tested toys. You can also sign up for a texting function where you text the toys name into their database while shopping.

There are many published & online safety guides as well that listsafe products for kids.

We do a lot of research about unhealthy toys through Consumer Reports. Subscribe to the magazine at a low price to find the best and safest toys for your child.

One of the countries that has the best testing for toys is Canada. They have stringent requirements as to what counts as “safe toy” and they recently published their results for 2008. There are many winners that are available in the United States, and we would say these warrant making it onto mom’s favorite wishlist for safe toys. For see the Canadian Council’s List of Best Toys, click here.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

I grew up loving Saturdays because I was allowed to watch cartoons in the morning. Nowadays cartoons are on 24/7 and many of them seem to be geared towards adults, not children. So if we do turn the tv on to watch cartoons we always check PBS first. This mom, like so many others, loves PBS, and it is my favorite channel. If no cartoons are on, we simply pop one in the DVD player that we bought directly from PBS.