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Swapdom Lets you Swap Kids Clothes with other Parents

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Are you looking for used baby items? The traditional way to find them is to ask your friends and neighbors if they are willing to give you the baby items that their children have grown out of. This method is generally “hit or miss” and requires a bit of networking skills. Swapdom.com offers a more efficient method for finding free baby items. There are many different methods that a parent can use if he or she is looking for free baby clothing (and other baby items). You could let your family members, friends, and co-workers know that you are in … Continue reading →

5 Ways to Spend Less on Halloween

The cute costumes, the Martha Stewart decorations, the bags and bags of candy…the cost of it adds up. Just like the dark monster in the corner, you are afraid to take a good look at how much your are actually spending. Halloween has certainly become a big holiday. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent more than $8 billion last year celebrating. Eight billion! Seriously. It doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, brandish your own bag of tricks to spend less this Halloween. You’ll be able to make it a magical holiday and leave the bills … Continue reading →

Should You Create A Birth Plan?

Should you create a birth plan?  It can be a helpful tool for making your wishes known both to your healthcare provider and the labor & delivery staff, but it also seems a little silly to plan something like one’s labor: after all, if we could control it, we would all have easy births. When I first heard about birth plans, I decided that they weren’t for me.  I’m a very Type A person; I get stressed if even my silliest of plans get messed up, if they’re ones I’m excited about.  Trying to plan my baby’s birth, and everything … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Last Minute Changes

Yesterday I found out that one of my two midwives left the practice.  Yesterday also happened to mark a calendar month before my due date.  As you might guess, in my hormonal state (and given that I’m also just kind of a worrier anyway), I found this all upsetting. Now that there’s only one midwife, there’s a chance I might have a regular obstetrician deliver my baby, if my midwife isn’t on call when I go into labor.  Not only that, it will be one I won’t know, because all of my prenatal appointments have been with my midwives.  It’s … Continue reading →

Why Kids and Smartphones Don’t Mix

No one said using a smartphone is a sure-fire way to avoid making stupid mistakes. I’ve covered the not-so wonderful side of technology in previous posts.  However, this latest gem goes beyond falling down manholes or setting expensive texting records. If you are a parent, you now have another reason to safeguard your smartphone when your kids are around. Paul Stoute is living proof that protecting your cellphone from little fingers is one of the smartest parenting moves you can make. The Oregon dad is the new owner of a vintage car, thanks to his toddler daughter’s cellphone skills. Or, … Continue reading →

Babies Having Babies

I had just crossed the threshold into teenhood when CBS ran a Schoolbreak Special called:  “Babies Having Babies.”  It was directed by Martin Sheen and starred my idol Lori Loughlin and Jill “The Love Boat” Whelan as pregnant teens who meet up at a group counseling session. The show was one of my first introductions to the relatively unknown world of teenage motherhood and a far cry from today’s mega-hyped MTV reality TV hits “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom.” Critics have long claimed that both series glamourize teen pregnancy and encourage young girls to procreate outside of marriage.  Meanwhile, … Continue reading →

Fun Father’s Day Reads

Forget about the tacky tie, fluorescent golf balls, and the tennis racket-shaped bug zapper.  What Dad really wants this Father’s Day is some quality time with the TV remote, his trusty recliner and a plate of bacon. Of course, what Dad wants for the upcoming holiday and what his enthusiastic young offspring want for him may be vastly different.  Fortunately, the following Father’s Day reads may be the key to compromise.  Kids can cuddle up with Dad on his favorite chair and share quality time reading the delightful holiday-themed page turners… while Mom cooks a pile of pork products for a post-story time … Continue reading →

Let There Be Light

I can see it, smell it, and almost touch it. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. And by tunnel I mean my daughter’s school year. In two weeks I will enjoy a treasured reprieve from the worst mom job ever—packing school lunches. I abhor the near daily ritual, which hurts my brain, as much as it does my wallet. I’ve endured this penitent practice for nearly three years and I still haven’t figured out what I can pack that my now 8-year-old won’t toss into the school’s 80-gallon garbage barrel. Aside from the torment of devising a … Continue reading →

Have Fun Toasting Mom

“All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Those wise words are courtesy of the late, great Abraham Lincoln.  The 16th President of the United States knew a thing or two about waxing poetic, especially when it involved his dearly beloved mother. Lincoln’s mom Nancy died when Abe was just nine years old. Whether your mom is with you physically or in spirit tomorrow is the day set aside to celebrate the blood, sweat and tears she has shed to make you the person you are. Make it a Mother’s Day to remember by … Continue reading →

Earn Money at a Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s markets are just getting started now, and you can take advantage of their popularity to earn some income! Here is how. First, locate several farmer’s markets near your home, do some research and ask some questions. Do they charge a fee to sell, or can anyone just set up a table with no overhead? Are there rules or regulations of which you should be aware? What types of things are sold at these farmer’s markets: produce only, crafts, anything goes? Find out all you can, so you can make a good decision about which farmer’s market is right for … Continue reading →