What are good questions for expectant parents to ask in selecting a pediatrician for their new baby?

• Experience: You can ask about the pediatrician’s training and experience and areas of interest.
• Compatibility: Try to find out if you are philosophically compatible.
• Availability: Find out how to get in touch with him/her at various times of the day and night and how you can deal with emergencies. As you talk, assess his/her ability to communicate. It’s important to get someone who understands you and who talks so you can understand him/her. Definitely choose someone you like.
• Ask Others: It is also wise to ask others about their experiences with that physician/practice. You can also learn a lot through observation.
• Environment: Other things to consider are the physical environment of the practice. How are you treated by the staff? Are interactions with patients age-appropriate? Often you can get a “feel” for the doctor/office by taking a tour.

Do you ever miss the days where it was easy to just take off for a night and be spontaneous? Go to the movies, the beach, a nice dinner, and not have to plan ahead? As parents, our lives have to be planned out to the minute sometimes. When we want a night alone with our partner, it isn’t as easy as getting in the car and just finding something random. Now, in our new lives, we have to make reservations in advance, and schedule a babysitter to be there just in time so we can rush to make it to dinner. If you think about the $20 a plate for a nice restaurant, plus the $25 babysitting fees for you even to be able to get out together, it becomes sometimes impractical and expensive. So scrap your usual plans of dinner and a movie and spend a night at home together for a romantic night in.

Here are a few tips and ideas for your romantic night at home with your partner:

• First of all, make sure that you won’t be interrupted. Talk to some other parents that you are friends with and plan a sleepover so each of you can have a night alone with your partner. If your kids are a little older, leave them a note saying something like “Parents date night, do not interrupt after 9 pm.”
• Bubble bath for two- A wonderful way to start out your evening and leave you both relaxed and completely touchable. Read the rest »

So I recently got ahold of a copy of this book, This Little Piggy went to Prada: Nursery Rhymes for the Blahnik Brigade. So funny. For those of you who have read Bergdof Blondes, this is like the kids version. Each rhyme has it’s own modern twist to it relating to fashion, shopping and couture culture.

For example, “There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,” has been changed to “There was a young woman who lived in her Choos.” And I love the beginning of “This Old Man,” which starts out, “This old man, he played one, off to St. Tropez for some sun, In her Gucci, Pucci, Mummy needs to tone, time to get the trainer home.”

What a great baby shower gift for that friend who loves to shop, or just a fun purchase for yourself for the amusement!

List price is $19.95, you can get it on Amazon for $13.57 and it’s eligible for free shipping when you spend $25 or more. And hurry… Earlier it was showing as limited quantities as it just came out, but it’s back in stock so get it while you can.

You want them, you need them, well…. our swapper from Wintersville, Ohio has them! Six adorable, new burp cloths featuring an array of designs on them, from cars to stars. She would like to find boys clothing ranging from 3-9 months and 4T-5T. View her listing here for more information.

A Special Pricing Offer for all Clever Parents Business Owners!

For the month of November, we are offering all Clever Parents Business Owners the opportunity to list their service on www.babyswap.net for $75 for an entire year. (That’s more than 35% off the normal price of $120.) Contact us at sales@babyswap.net to take advantage of this great offer and be sure to stop by BabySwap.NET to view all of our listings.

Are you still trying to unload the uneaten Halloween candy when Easter rolls around? If so, then you must take note of these clever tips:

• Birthday and Holiday Gift Wrapping – Do you end up spending a small fortune every year on gift-wrapping? My kids and I like to create our own by wrapping birthday or holiday gifts in plain paper or purchasing plain gift bags at the dollar store. I then sit the kids down with a pile of candy and some glue and let them at it. Glue the candy onto the wrapping/bag still enclosed in its wrapper for a treat as well as a gift or unwrap the candy for a colorful, creative, non-edible wrapping. The recipients will love this unusual packaging, the kids take pride in their efforts and (my favorite part) this activity keeps the kids happy and quiet for hours!
• Decorate Cakes and Desserts – Do you bake a lot of cakes, pies or cookies, especially around the holidays? If so, then use all that Halloween candy as decoration or bake it right into the treat. My kids love to decorate cakes with their candy: M&Ms, Skittles and licorice are the best items to create words and greetings while mini-candy bars and jelly treats make a tasty and creative border. Use those leftover M&Ms and Hershey’s kisses instead of store-bought chocolate chips to bake right into your holiday cookies.

Read the rest »

Yikes, it’s getting cold out there. It’s time to review some great tips for cooler weather! I’ve got a few nitty gritty tips that you’ll only get from RunnerMom!

• Dress in layers. This is a good time to add cotton to your running wardrobe. A cotton tank or t-shirt would be a good choice for a first layer.
• Wear a cool weather but light weight jacket that covers your backside. Running jackets can be expensive. However, the fabric used and venting usually built in really makes a big difference. You will have it for a long time - they last forever - it’s worth the investment. A regular polyester rain jacket or wind jacket can get really hot and sweaty. Read the rest »

Halloween is a fun time of year what with dress-up and special treats and all of the excitement. Before suiting up and hitting the candy trail, take a quick look at these Halloween Safety Tips provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

ALL DRESSED UP:

* Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
* Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags for greater visibility.
* Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
* When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
* If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
* Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
* Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost. Read the rest »