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Tim
Co-Founder |
The Parents' Playbox: Spring Break Issue
Our family recently returned from a very cold trip to Michigan to see my family. The cold weather broke on the day
we left and our thoughts drifted to the coming spring -- and the upcoming vacations from school. With Spring Break approaching, I'd like
to remind you to take a few photos or mentally note some details about any trips or local outings that your family
takes while the kids are on vacation. Then, share some of the highlights as reviews or excursions on Parentography. The few minutes it takes to
contribute to the site will save your memories for posterity and help other parents at the same time!
In this issue we'll cover:
A few other housekeeping items:
- We now have link badges available for you to install on your website
or blog to tell everyone that you are a Parentographer! (if you aren't sure what these are, follow the link above and you'll see what we're talking
about).
- Not into link badges or don't have your own website? Then how about adding your Parentographer Profile Page
as a link in your email signature? Mine would say: www.parentography.com/tim
- Add a biography and your location information (city, state) to your Account Page. This will help
other visitors to the site get to know you and inform people about who has written that amazing review they just read and forwarded on to their
playgroup. By entering your location, you'll also notice that when you are signed in to the site, the
search box is pre-populated with your city and state to make searching easier.
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Burning Question |
How do I teach my child not to bite or
hit?
Lisa asks: "Are there any hints from anybody about how to help
teach your child not to bite or
hit? Our two year-old daughter is a sweet
little one, but has her moments and any advice on how to
help would be
great!"
You can post your answers in the comments area of our blog post on this topic.
Our last issue asked how best to prepare for the arrival of a second child. Many parents wrote in and quite a few
suggested using a sling or baby carrier after the new child is born. Others reiterated advice I'd heard before the birth of our first child:
enjoy the relative calm in your house now! To see all the responses, click
here.
If you have a burning question that you'd like to see answered, send me an
email with the subject line "burning question" and we'll pick one and feature it in
the next issue.
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Extraordinary Spring Break Destinations |
Fantastic Spring Break Ideas for the Whole
Family!
Many families have already booked their tickets and made their reservations, but for those of you who haven't, here are a
few ideas about ways to spend an exciting Spring Break...but you'd better hurry (or just enjoy daydreaming!):
What is the best Spring Break vacation you ever went on with your kids? Visit Parentography and tell us about it by
writing a review or excursion!
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Tip For The Road |
Create an "Outing Bag" for Fail-Safe Excursions
[tip submitted by: Carolyn Anderson-Fermann, Simply Organized
Life]
As an Organizing Consultant and soon to be new parent, I know that if you
have kids you also have lots of “stuff”. The challenge, especially when venturing out, is to keep the “stuff” to a
minimum while keeping the children entertained.
I recommend my clients keep a tote bag or backpack stocked specifically for
outings. If you have an infant this would be your diaper bag. Toddlers can carry their own small bag, but typically for only a short time and Mom may
not consider Dora the Explorer a fashion statement. With your help older children can stock their own bags for excursions, which teaches them much
needed organizational skills. Parents can even keep a bag of their own stashed with reading materials for when they travel without the kids.
One of the ways to make sure your “outing bag” is
appropriately stocked is to create a standard checklist of necessary items. This way, you do not need to worry if you are forgetting anything as you
prepare for a trip or are running out the door. For an infant’s diaper bag the checklist might include: diapers, wipes,
bottles and a toy or two. Only the things that you regularly use should be included on the list. The checklist is most useful when kept in the bag so
that you can quickly confirm if you have everything you need. You can write it on heavy cardstock or even have it laminated. Those that are
technically inclined may want to keep the list on their PDA.
For more tips on how to keep your family excursions organized check out http://www.simplyorganizedlife.com/.
Do you have a helpful tip for making family outings - across town or across the country - more enjoyable with your kids (of any
age)? Share it with
us and we'll work it into the rotation for this column!
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Featured Parentographer |
Meet Wanderlust, our #1 Ranked Parentographer and avid adventurer!
Read more of her writing at http://www.geokaz.com/.
Tell us about yourself: I'm a 30's something former Kindergarten
teacher and new mom married to a geeky engineer. Our son, Owen, just turned one. I work from home, writing and tutoring. We have two Labradors and
love to hike, camp and travel. I love finding good deals and have an addiction to using coupons. We move a lot because it's a genetic
disorder I inherited from my parents, who were self- employed/semi-retired when I was a kid. I've lived in six different states (CA, MA, NH, VA, PA,
UT) and traveled across the country by car three times (round trip).
What's your most memorable childhood trip or activity? My most memorable childhood trip was when
I was about 13 and my parents took our family across country from NH to CA in the back of a camper. I was at a time in my life when I was mortified to
be with my parents and three younger siblings (ages 7, 4,and 2) let alone spend the entire summer with them in public places like Yellowstone and
Disneyland. But looking back it was that trip that really encouraged my thirst for adventure and travel. What is the best vacation that you've taken with your own children? Although we took it easy last year because my
son was an infant, my favorite trip with him was probably when I flew with him for the first time to visit my Mom in Las Vegas. He was three months
old and I went alone. It felt very empowering to navigate the trip and know that I could take care of everything myself. My son, freakishly, loves
airplane travel. It's a good thing because we plan on flying to Portland, OR, St. Paul, MN and Philadelphia, PA this year as well as camping in Moab
and Glacier National Park. Then, in 2008, we're planning a one month tour of Europe with a toddler.
What is the best parenting advice you have ever received?There have been two things: (1) This too shall
pass, which I chanted mantra-like over and over when my son was a baby during those sleepless nights; and (2) Having children is like planting a seed
packet with no labels on the front. You plant it, hope for the best, and tend the garden you get.
Share a favorite parenting moment with us: One memorable event was when my son,
last month, had been quietly playing in the living room and I peeked in on him right as he was about to stick his hand in a pile of dog vomit.
Apparently one of the dogs had been sick unbeknownst to me. I whisked him away and put him with some toys in our bedroom to play while I cleaned up
the mess. As I was scrubbing, I heard a crash and went running. He had knocked over the humidifier in our bedroom and the carpet was soaked with
gallons of water. It was like the Bermuda Triangle.
Would you like to be featured in the Parents' Playbox? Send us an email and
we'll try to arrange for you to be profiled here. The only requirement is that you are a registered and active member of
Parentography.
Help Parentography Grow!
Do you like what we are doing and want to help our community grow? Here are a few simple ideas for things you can do to support
Parentography:
- Forward this email to your friends, colleagues, playgroups and other parents and caregivers you know!
- Tell your friends and anyone that you know who works in the media about Parentography! (bloggers,
magazines, newspapers, etc.)
- Write a review or create an excursion on Parentography...it only takes a couple of minutes
- Participate in this newsletter by responding to questions, telling us stories, or just sending us your feedback!
- If you haven't already, upload an image to your Parentography account page and write a short
biography for other readers to see!
- Download a link badge and put it on your site or blog or add Parentography in your email
signature!
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