5 Tips for Selecting a Family Tour Package for Your Next Vacation

April 24, 2013 by 5 Comments

IMG_0041A lot goes into planning a family vacation, from ordering airline tickets and booking rooms to arranging for transportation once you’re there. And it all gets more complicated when you’ve got kids in tow. It’s no longer enough to book any old room, you need to find a hotel that is reputable and clean and you have to make sure to get a non-smoking room on a non-smoking floor, not to mention enough beds to accommodate the whole family, or perhaps even adjoining rooms. And all the hassles of travel can definitely be exacerbated by having to keep track of a pack of little ones in addition to yourself. But you probably still want to play the tourist game in order to get the most out of your time away from home and work, and setting up tour packages is a great way to reduce the stress and headaches associated with seeing the sights. Here are a few tips to help you select the right ones for your family.

  1. Kid-friendly accommodations. You’re no doubt familiar with the double-decker tour buses designed to show you the skyscrapers of Times Square or the homes of Hollywood stars. But these types of open-air transport with nary a seatbelt in sight may not appeal to parents who have the safety of their children to consider. [Read more…]
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5 Tips for Getting Kids to Take Yucky Tasting Medicine

April 20, 2013 by 6 Comments

We’ve all had to face the tears and tantrums that seem to go hand-in-hand with forcing kids to take foul-tasting medicines. And while most of us would rather not subject our kids to this trauma, the truth is that they have to take their medicine, like it or not, if they want to overcome whatever illness all their classmates have contracted and passed around this week. So here are just a few ways that you can make the ordeal a little easier on everyone involved.

getting kids to take medicine

  1. Change the flavor. If it turns out your child is averse to certain flavors of medicine, simply ask at your local pharmacy about changing the flavor. Many pharmacies offer a laundry list of kid-friendly flavors for liquid medicines, including favorites like grape, orange, strawberry, and bubble gum, just to name a few. And if your medication is prescribed in a pill form (something of a rarity for children’s medication) simply ask if it comes in a liquid or if there is a comparable alternative that comes in liquid form.
  2. Try a new delivery system. When your kids see you coming with the bottle and spoon they might be aware of exactly what lies ahead. So try switching things [Read more…]
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How to Select a Safe Pet for a Child With Allergies

April 15, 2013 by 5 Comments

100_19821Although nearly every child is interested in the prospect of having a pet (at least until they see the end of ‘Old Yeller’), not every kid is capable of living with certain types of pets due to allergies. Sadly, the hair and dander produced by most cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals can cause those in proximity to cough, sneeze, wheeze, and even suffer from rashes, hives, or anaphylaxis. It can not only be uncomfortable; in some cases these allergic reactions can be severe and even deadly. But are there options out there for pets that won’t cause your kids to swell up like a balloon? The answer is yes and no. It depends on the animal, your child, and the severity of their allergies. But here are a few options you might want to explore.

The truth is that any animal has the potential to induce an allergic reaction if your child’s immune system happens to be sensitive. In most cases this is related to fur and dander, but it could also have to do with proteins in saliva, oils secreted on the skin, waste products (urine, for example) that dry on the fur, or any number of other natural elements. However, your kids may be more sensitive to certain types of animals. If, for example, they have allergic reactions around cats, it could be related to the Fel d 1 protein in their saliva, meaning [Read more…]

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Alternative and Affordable Lodging Options for Family Travel

April 6, 2013 by 12 Comments

No matter how you look at it, family travel can be a fairly expensive prospect. This is probably why so many families on a budget have to plan their trips well in advance in order to save up the money needed for transportation, food, and lodgings. And while there are definitely ways to cut back on travel expenses, by driving instead of flying, for example, or waiting for low airfare sales, it can be a bit more difficult to find suitable hotels at less cost. It’s not like you’re going to shack up in a youth hostel with your family so that you can get a few bunks at $20 a pop. Honestly, with a couple of kids in tow, you might as well spring for a budget motel room since it will cost the same amount and offer you more privacy. But even then, you’ll have to deal with crappy rooms that cater to, shall we say, a lower caliber of guests in some cases. And with the bedbug epidemic in full swing, motels might not be your first choice anyway. So what can you do to save some money on lodgings when you head out for a family trip? Here are just a few options to consider.

affordable family travelOne thing you might want to look for is a reputable Bed and Breakfast. These dwellings are often located in residential areas, making them kid-friendly, they offer you breakfast as part of the price of your [Read more…]

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5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Babysitter for Your Kids

March 28, 2013 by 1 Comment

While it might seem easy to just go online or look in the newspaper, choose a babysitter, call them, and hire them on the spot, it is recommended that parents and guardians do their due diligence first. Not everyone is who he or she says they are on the Internet, and their online reputation could be much different than what it is in person – they might not be entirely trustworthy or they might even have a criminal record. If you don’t want to put your children in danger while you sneak away for the night for a date with the hubby, it is important to do your research first; hiring a babysitter is a big deal. Here are 5 things to consider before hiring a babysitter for your kids.

hiring a babysitter

  1. If you have already done a few face-to-face interviews, it is recommended that you don’t hire them on the spot. You can always have them do a test run by babysitting your child while you are home. Hire them for a few hours during your busiest hours or while you are doing house work, but make sure to observe them to see how engaged they are with your child and how engaged your child is with them. This is a great way to know for certain if a babysitter is a good fit.

    2. [Read more…]

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Totseat from Trendy Kids Review & Giveaway

March 26, 2013 by 15 Comments

totseat

 

We are definintely a family that is on the go at most times. Sometimes that means that we are out to eat, but more often, it means that we are at friends or family’s houses, many whom don’t have children. It sure is hard to try and feed a baby or toddler while holding them. But, at the same time I hate to lug along our “travel high chair”, because it takes up so much room. I was lucky enough to be able to review the perfect solution for our problem, The Tot Seat.

About The Tot Seat:

They say that the totseat is the washable squashable high chair.

It is the only adaptable chair harness. It is totally washable. It is easy to use. Easy to carry along, and it fits almost every chair out there.

  • Fully adjustable chair harness for babies (8-36 months).

pink tot seat

 

My Thoughts:

I have been very impressed with how much that I have enjoyed our totseat. It is very easy to quickly put on a chair, [Read more…]

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5 Simple Stress Management Tips for New Moms

March 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

new momDo you remember the days when you could sleep in on Saturdays or if you wanted to lay on the couch after work and watch reruns of your favorite sitcoms (uninterrupted, we might add), you could? Now that you’re a new mom, that probably seems like a lifetime ago. Suddenly, your world consists of tending to all of the needs of your newborn and while it brings you lots of joy, we get why it can also be pretty stressful at times. Being a mom is a 24-hour responsibility, after all.

That’s why we’ve enclosed five very simple stress management tips; ones that will help you to stay “cool, calm and collected” as you are in the process of adjusting to your “new normal”:

Get more rest. Yes, we get why this tip might cause you to internally laugh a bit because sleep is one of the things that’s hardest to get when you have a new baby in the house. However, what tends to happen to a lot of moms is that when the baby is sleeping, they use that as a time to clean up or talk on the phone. You’re going to need as much rest as possible to keep your stress levels down and sanity levels up, so at least take a couple of naps when your child is asleep and try and go to bed about 30 minutes earlier than [Read more…]

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6 Family Friendly Pacific Northwestern Vacations to Enjoy on a Budget

March 25, 2013 by 3 Comments

Vacation budgets are slim these days, and families are looking for ways to spend some quality time and share some adventures on the cheap. If you’re intrigued by the idea of exploring the Pacific Northwest, here are a few family friendly vacation ideas that won’t break the bank but aren’t short on fun.

boat tours

Backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail is composed of multiple sections, each of several dozen miles, spanning Oregon, Northern California and Washington. All you need for a great family vacation backpacking the Pacific Coast Trail are camping gear and supplies and your adventurous spirit. If you’re not an experienced backpacker, it’s a good idea to take a guided tour.

Relax on the Oregon Coast

A camping trip to the Oregon Coast is an affordable getaway if your sole goal is relaxing and soaking in all that nature has to offer. If you’re not one for camping, there are plenty of affordable hotels in the region near to the coast.

Explore the City of Seattle

There are so many things to do in Seattle, a trip to explore the sights and sounds of this city is a fulfilling experience for many travelers. Take your family to see the Space Needle, explore the city’s many museums and [Read more…]

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