Read. Write. Mom!

How To Keep Baby Safe & Comfortable During the Spring Months & Dreft Giveaway #DreftSpring

Posted on May 2, 2016January 20, 2024 by Mandy

Spring is finally here and if you’re a parent, you know the weather this time of year is perfect for finally getting your little ones out after a long winter of being cooped up. When my son was little, I loved nothing more than taking him outside to play once he could walk. It was so much fun watching him explore the world around him and he could never get enough of outside time!

I sure do miss those days, but one thing that always put a damper on our outdoor fun was seasonal allergies. We happen to live where the pollen is just miserable, so it was important to me to always make sure I didn’t use anything in our laundry detergent to further aggravate his little skin. This time of year, it’s so important to make sure your little ones are as comfortable as possible, and Dreft is #1 detergent choice of pediatricians to be gentle and hypoallergenic on baby’s sensitive skin.

How To Keep Baby Safe & Comfortable During the Spring Months

Dr. Dyan Hes , Medical Director of Gramercy Pediatrics and a recent named Top Doctor of 2013 by NEW YORK magazine has the following tips to ensure your baby is protected and comfortable during the spring months:

1. Shade the sun: The long awaited spring season means increased outdoor time for parents and their babies. When heading outside, don’t forget to practice appropriate baby skin safety. For babies 6 months or older. If your baby is 6 months or older, liberally use sunscreen. Also, avoid exposing your baby to the sun during peak hours — generally 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — and dress your baby in protective clothing, a hat with a brim and sunglasses. For babies younger than 6 months. If your baby is younger than 6 months, keep him or her out of direct sunlight. Protect your baby from sun exposure by dressing him or her in protective clothing, a hat with a brim and sunglasses.

2. Make bath-time beneficial: Over exposure to water can actually rob skin of natural moisture. Scaling back on tub time will help avoid resulting itch — about 10 minutes is plenty of time for water play and a quick scrub. Use warm water (vs. hot) and leave the suds to the very end. Use a mild cleanser to keep skin soft and itch-free. Gently pat skin dry and end with an after-bath moisturizer to seal in moisture and protect baby’s soft skin.

3. Load up on liquids: Staying hydrated during the spring months is important as baby gets more active outdoor time and sun exposure. Start with the inside and ensure children get enough to drink throughout the day. Infants should nurse or take a bottle often; older kids should tote a sippy cup or reusable water bottle. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and smoothies in your child’s diet too.

4. Choose the right fabrics and care for them properly: When it comes to fabrics, it’s extremely important to seek out gentle and hypoallergenic items to care for the items that touch baby’s sensitive skin. It’s also essential that fabrics be cared for properly. Wash baby’s items with a specially-formulated product such as Dreft, the #1 baby laundry detergent choice of pediatricians to be gentle and hypoallergenic on baby’s skin. Trusted for over 80 years, Dreft comes with a babyhood scent beloved by moms, and it remains safe and hypoallergenic for baby.

5. Protect Problem Skin: Heat is a common trigger for eczema and as the weather warms up, there are a few things you can do to help prevent flare ups of such skin irritations. The sun is strongest between the hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. so try to shield baby from direct sun exposure during those times. There are also apps available that can inform you of the hottest part of the day – which can be helpful for parents as they plan any outings with their little ones!

TWITTER PARTY

Please join @Dreft on May 9^th from 9-10pm EST as they host a Twitter Party with pediatrician and mom, Dr. Dyan Hes @GramercyPeds. Dr. Hes will be sharing her tips to ensure your baby is protected and comfortable during the spring allergy season. Please RSVP here.

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will win a Dreft Hypoallergenic Package which includes the following:

- Dreft product (Newborn, Active Baby, & Blissfuls)
- Gender neutral hypoallergenic blanket

Just click on the entry form below to enter to win! You can choose to do as many entries as you like and each is a chance to win. One winner will be chosen and the giveaway ends on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 11:59 PM CST. 18+ US. ONLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Winner must respond to winner notification email within 72 hours or another winner will be randomly chosen.

Entry-Form

Learn more about and follow Dreft on the social media outlets below:

This post and giveaway were made possible by iConnect and Dreft. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Why Reading Books to Children is So Important

Posted on May 2, 2016May 1, 2016 by Mandy

Reading is something enjoyed by all ages, but what is it about reading to a child that matters? What life lessons and skills are you instilling within your child by opening the door to a world of books? There are many reasons reading books to children is so important. To begin with, it opens the door to a world of imagination where anything can happen. Books open many doors for children and here are a few reasons why you should continue reading books to your children:

· Academic Success – studies have shown time and time again that children who were read to at a young age will continue reading long into their adult life and in turn have high rate of academic success.

· Higher Vocabulary – children who are read to from a young age and on actually have a higher vocabulary than those who weren’t read to at all. It seems books open the doors to the world of words, and children learn to use those words correctly.

· Bonding Time – when you sit with your child, no matter their age, and read a book together you are forming a lifetime bond over the love of books. This time spent reading together helps encourage your bond of parent and child.

· Promotes Imagination – in a world where society seems to push creativity out the door, imagination needs to be encouraged; reading books to children helps promote their vivid imaginations and allows them to be more creative adults.

· Life Lessons – there are many fictional and fun books for kids of all ages that have hidden life lessons in them, such as The Tortoise and the Hare, a longtime childhood favorite that shows anyone can succeed, no matter their size or speed.

· A Love of Books – reading to your children from a young age instills a love of books within them so they will begin to learn what genre of books they enjoy and soon enough you will find them curled up reading a book on their own as they get older.

Reading books to children matters because literature is a fantastic way to educate about history, magical places in faraway lands, and books are always a great escape from any stress the world places upon us. No matter how old your child is, consider starting a reading night where you both curl up and read together as a means to create an everlasting bond that is stemmed from a common place: the love of books.

How to Pay for a College Education

Posted on May 1, 2016May 1, 2016 by Mandy

See this kid?

He is my world. My baby. My heart. I blinked suddenly and now he is 11 years old. How did that happen?!

I can’t believe in seven more years I will be sending him off to college to prepare him for the rest of his adult life. I’m definitely in a little bit of denial about this. Because this?

This is how I like to keep him in my mind and heart. A little, adventurous boy always exploring his world and full of laughs and silliness.

I wish I could say that I don’t have to worry at all about how we will pay for his college education, but I can’t. It’s something I’ve always assumed we would have plenty of time to prepare for, but time has passed so quickly and my best intentions haven’t exactly produced any action when it comes to saving money for his education. Perhaps you have found yourself in the same situation, only your child is graduating in a few short weeks and you’re worried about how you will pay for their college education. There’s some good news, and all you have to do is visit the College Ave Student Loan parent page to find out just how beneficial this service can be to you.

Why College Ave?

The College Ave Student Loans Parent Loan is a great option for parents, because it offers these great benefits:

No origination fee

Lower rates than the federal loan for those with qualifying credit

An average savings of $1,000 vs.. the Federal Direct Parent Plus program.

Personalized options to meet your financial situations, such as money deposited into the parent’s bank account to control how money is spent for extra educational expenses, like books, dorm supplies, and more.

Parents can also have the option to start paying in full right away, or to limit monthly payments while the student is in school, and to pick their own repayment terms from 5 to 12 years.

Does this sound like this could help your family?

Get Started

Visit the College Ave Student Loans homepage to get started and visit the College Ave Student Loans qualification tool. This tool makes it very simple for parents and students to choose which type of loan they will need and the terms for repayment that best fit their circumstances. I played around with the qualification tools myself and it was so quick and easy to navigate and play around with different numbers and terms. It definitely gave me a better idea of what sort of repayment terms we could be looking at down the road and the different ways we could go about pursuing a student loan for our son. Because while your children may still be busy enjoying a classroom party in elementary school…

I promise it goes by way too fast.

Sending your child off to college should be a happy, although a little bittersweet, time and College Ave Student Loans helps make this process easy and clear so your student can get on with working toward their bright future ahead. Isn’t that what matters the most?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Easy Taco Salad Recipe

Posted on April 27, 2016June 27, 2021 by Mandy

I love anything taco and this easy taco salad recipe is definitely one of my favorites. My best taco soup recipe ever is quite a popular one here on the blog, and it’s definitely my go-to soup recipe during the fall and winter months because it’s just so darn easy to make. Did I mention I like easy recipes, too? But during the summer, I like lighter foods and this easy taco salad recipe is perfect for getting my taco fix without eating such a heavy meal. The great thing about this taco salad is that you can make it with ground beef or turkey, so you can mix this one up a bit depending on what you prefer.

Easy Taco Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

(For meat mixture)

1.5 lbs ground beef or turkey

1 tsp oil

2 tbs Sofrito (found in the international section of most grocery stores)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp paprika

½ tsp salt (or to liking)

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

4 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped

1 or 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped (your choice)

1 cup shredded red leaf lettuce, chopped

1 or 2 thinly sliced radishes (optional)

½ sweet onion, chopped (optional)

Toppings-(all optional)

1 Haas avocado

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

taco sauce

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.

2. Add in ground beef or turkey mixture and break apart the meat while cooking for 5 minutes.

3. Add to the ground beef or turkey the Sofrito, oregano, cumin, garlic powder chili powder, salt, pepper, paprika and cilantro. Stir ingredients together, lower heat if needed. Cook an additional 5-7 minutes.

4. Serve ground beef or turkey over a bed of remaining ingredients, top with diced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese and taco sauce.

Serves 4-6

So delicious and a great way to get your veggies in!

5 Ways to Save Money at Kroger

Posted on April 26, 2016April 14, 2017 by Mandy

If you want to save money on groceries, you should be shopping at Kroger! Not only are the prices lower than what you’d find at Whole Foods or Publix, but they have a wide selection, including store-brand organic and non-GMO foods! If you know a couple of handy Kroger saving tips, you can save even more on your grocery budget! Take a look at these 5 Ways to Save Money at Kroger.

5 Ways to Save Money at Kroger

1. Don’t Buy 10 for $10

If you want to save money at Kroger, you need to know a bit about their signage. Just because a sign says buy X for $Y, doesn’t mean you actually have to buy X number to get the sale price. The sale price actually applies to each of the individual items. So if a sign says buy 10 for $10, but you know that 10 of the item would be a waste, you can just buy 3 and get them for $3 instead! Make sure to read the small print on each sign, though, as some sales occasionally are number restricted and you really have to buy the number mentioned to get the discount price.

2. Be Expiration Date Savvy

An easy way to save money at Kroger is to buy things that are going to expire soon. If a food is a few days away from its expiration, it’ll often have a red and yellow markdown sticker. If you were planning to eat whatever it is in the next day or so, you should take advantage of the low price. Foods with these stickers are often 50% or more off! But don’t count on Kroger employees to mark down everything for you. Check the expiration date of everything you put in your cart. If you find something expiring in a few days that doesn’t have a sticker, ask a store associate to put a sale sticker on it.

3. Take Advantage of the Scan-Right Guarantee

Kroger’s scan-right guarantee is one of Kroger’s best saving secrets. Basically, the guarantee means that if something doesn’t scan at the right price the first time, the cashier shouldn’t adjust the price to the correct one, they should give you the item for free. I say “should” because this usually isn’t what usually happens. Usually when you point out a wrong price the cashier will just adjust it and move on. You may need to specifically mention the scan-right guarantee, at which point they should give the item for free.

4. Don’t Forget Your Kroger Plus Card

Kroger’s free Kroger Plus membership card is a great source of savings! The card automatically entitles you to dozens of sales store-wide. You also need to have the card to take advantage of the fuel program, which allows you to earn points toward savings at Kroger’s fuel center. On top of that, your Kroger Plus Card can be loaded with digital coupons, allowing you to bring coupons to the store without having to clip any out! It’s essentially a money saving card!

5. Combine Coupons

If you have two coupons for the same thing, you may not have to choose between the two. If you’re trying to save money at Kroger, you’ll be happy to hear that you can use one manufacturer coupon and one Kroger coupon on the same item. The Kroger coupon has to say Kroger on it, it can’t say “manufacturer coupon.” If you’re lucky enough to have a store coupon, a manufacturer coupon, and a rebate on a mobile app like iBotta or Checkout51, then you could save a lot!

What do you do to save money at Kroger?

How to End the Hassle of Homework

Posted on April 25, 2016April 25, 2016 by Mandy

Every parent wants their child to do better in school and with that comes the need to complete homework in a timely fashion. There are many households across the globe that struggle with the hassle of homework; whether your child consistently strikes up a debate about homework or occasionally gives you a hard time, here are 10 ways to end the hassle of homework for good!

10 Ways to End the Hassle of Homework

1. Do Homework Immediately After School – As soon as your child arrives home from school make sure to have them sit down and immediately do homework. Supply a healthy snack and all supplies for them to complete their homework efficiently while they are still in “school mode”.

2. Praise and Encouragement – When your child starts to show signs of frustration, provide encouraging words to uplift their spirits. Giving praise and encouragement while your child feels down about their abilities helps to push them through difficult homework problems.

3. Split Homework Time Up – If your child has a huge load of homework to complete, try to split homework time in half. Allow for your child to work at their own pace, so as long as they complete the assignments necessary to hand into their teacher the next day.

4. Give the Answer – While parents usually want the child to work out problems on their own, sometimes homework can get tedious, don’t be afraid to give the answer. When providing an answer to a frustrating problem, also show the child how you arrived at the solution to ensure they are learning from your assistance.

5. Provide Soothing Music – Some children work better with music in the background, you know your child best. Provide soothing music in the background during homework time if your youngster works best with this type of environment.

6. Create Specific Homework Space – It is extremely important to have a place in the home that is designated specifically for homework time. This allows your child to get into the homework mindset, without distractions of toys, electronics and other family happenings.

7. Make it a Competition – Set a timer and see how quickly and accurately your child can complete their homework. Making homework into a competition works for children who enjoy a bit of a challenge.

8. Allow Venting – Just like adults, children have strengths and weaknesses, but they still have to complete their homework. Allowing your child to vent out their frustrations in a healthy way may encourage them to complete their homework with a clear mind.

9. Stay Close By – Make sure you are close by so that your child knows you are there to support them and assist when needed. Having a parent within eye view may encourage the child to complete homework more confidently.

10. Stay True to Teachers Methods – While you may have a shortcut method to completing the homework problem, it’s best to continue with the method set forth by the child’s teacher. Trying to teach your own short cuts may actually increase confusion and frustration within your child. I know this is difficult sometimes and I struggle with this myself.

So there you have it, 10 ways to end the hassle of homework as a means to ensure your child doesn’t give up on finishing assignments on time. Each parent knows their child best. Use any of these tips that you feel will help in your family with your own children and watch as the homework hassles disappear for good.

Plackers Dual Grip Fruit Smoothie Swirl Flossers for Kids

Posted on April 17, 2016April 23, 2016 by Mandy

I don’t know about you, but getting my son to brush and floss his teeth is a major chore. He’s 11, so he’s not too worried about his oral hygiene at this point, but as a parent I don’t want him to have to go through any major dental work again like he did when he was three years old. He is super picky when it comes to toothpaste flavor and pretty much didn’t care at all for flossing until we were given the opportunity to try out Plackers Dual Grip Smoothie Swirl Flossers for Kids.

If you have younger children, you might be wondering when it’s time to introduce flossing to your child’s dental care routine.

“Dentists recommend as soon as a child has two teeth that are touching, parents should help them begin a daily flossing routine,” said Greg McCormick, Senior Vice President of Global Innovation and Technology for Plackers’ parent company, Ranir. “Plackers new Kids’ Flossers were designed specifically with parents and children in mind to offer an easy, fun and flavorful way to teach kids about flossing and healthy dental care habits. If parents teach their kids healthy habits when they’re young, they will be more likely to carry on those habits throughout their lives.”

The Plackers Flosser Friend is the perfect little holder for these flossers and makes it easy for little hands to reach in and grab one. They come in a package of 30 and an assortment of fun colors with a great tasting flavor.

My son wasn’t too sure about it at first because he’s always used regular floss on a roll, but he ended up loving how much easier the Plackers were for him to use and he loved the great taste!

If you have a kid who could use a little more fun in their dental care routine, you can pick up a Plackers new Dual Grip Fruit Smoothie Swirl Kids’ Flossers and the Flosser Friend at WalMart, Publix, Safeway, and Target. You can also get more information at http://www.plackers.com and be sure to follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/plackersdental.

Win It!

One lucky Read. Write. Mom! reader will win a Plackers Flosser Friend. Just click on the entry form below to enter to win! You can choose to do as many entries as you like and each is a chance to win. One winner will be chosen and the giveaway ends on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 11:59 PM CST. 18+ US. ONLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Winner must respond to winner notification email within 72 hours or another winner will be randomly chosen.

Entry -Form

I was provided a Flosser Friend and thank-you item to facilitate this post and . All opinions are my own.

20 Best Educational Games to Have Fun While Learning

Posted on April 13, 2016April 12, 2016 by Mandy

Kids learn in many different ways. Singing and repetition both help kids learn and retain information, as well as hands on activities. Some of the greatest hands on activities are games – and what kid doesn’t love playing games? I searched on Amazon for a while and found 20 of the best educational games kids will love to play. Don’t worry Mom and Dad, you can get in on the fun too!

These games cover quite a bit of different types of skills. Not everything is just reading, spelling, and math – there’s so much more! Brain Quest alone covers a variety of topics through trivia questions, which gets kids thinking on a deeper level. There are also games that cover storytelling, fractions, fine motor skills, geography, and much more. The titles listed here are visually appealing as well, so between that and how much fun the kiddos are going to have, they’re sure to spend loads of time learning and not even realize it.

I regularly use a few of these games in my own school library. I set them up as centers and my kids absolutely love centers! As a matter of fact, the first thing they want to know when they walk through the door is if we are doing centers. If you are a school librarian, the Story Cubes make for a fabulous reading and writing center.

1 – Brain Quest Game

2 – Wordplay For Kids

3 – Shelby’s Snack Shack Game

4 – Alphabet Soup Game

5 – The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game

6 – Rory’s Story Cubes

7 – Pop for Word Families Game

8 – Deep Sea Rescue Board Game

9 – The Very Hungry Caterpillar Spin & Seek ABC Game

10 – Explore the World Game

11 – BBQ BLITZ!

12 – Free-Range Fractions Game

13 – Pizza Fraction Fun Jr. Game

14 – Spot it! Disney Frozen Alphabet Game

15 – Sophie’s Seashell Scramble Board Game

16 – Scrabble Junior Game

17 – Bananagrams

18 – Zingo Sight Words

19 – Q’s Race to the Top Educational Board Game

20 – Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Educational Board Game

These games are great for boredom busters at home and any parent would probably appreciate their child receiving one of these as a gift for a special occasion. Add a little fun into your child’s learning. I promise they will love you for it!