Welcome to Mom Tips

birthday tip - balloon fairy

Try this special birthday idea - on the eve of your child´s birthday, after they are asleep, buy mylar balloons and place them in their bedroom. When they wake to this wonderful surprise, you can either take credit, or tell them the "balloon fairy" made a visit. Do not do this with babies or very young children as balloons can present a choking hazard.

birthday party tip -goody bags

As a giveaway for birtday parties, use disposable cameras. You can find them on sale and put them in a bag with candy if you wish. This is a big hit with all age children and both sexes. It is also a good activity if you´d like them to use a few photos before the party ends.

sharing candy

If your child gets too much candy on Halloween, ask them to make a bag to give away. Your local food bank will be happy to take it. Some hospitals will also be glad to give it to children who were not able to trick-or-treat that year. You´ll teach your child a wonderful lesson and get all that extra candy out of your house!!

holiday tip - shopping for gifts

Good advice for busy moms -start shopping early for holiday gifts. Keep them in a special closet with a section for each person on your holiday list. It will help save headaches later.
As a bonus, you will most likely save money, too!!

All wrapped up ?

Wrapping extra large gifts is not always necessary. Sometimes just a big bow or trailing ribbons are all you need. If you feel obligated to cover them up, buy a roll of paper table cover (approximately 60"x100´). Similar table covers in colored plastic also come in single table sizes (5´x8´), and are available at most dollar stores. Leftover wallpaper is also an option. Works well for all special occasion gifts, including Christmas and birthdays.

Christmas shopping with Children

Know what gift(s) you are shopping for before you leave the house. Review with the kids before you enter a store, exactly what you are getting and for whom. No side trips, no fuss, no gawking, no candy. It is extremely simple to keep the children on track if you can distract them by enlisting their help in finding the section or item needed.

Father´s Day

Make Fathers day affordable for every member of the family: make up coupons redeemable only by Dad!

Dripping Candles?

Refrigerate candles for several hours before lighting; it will cause fewer drips.

Safe Snacks

Children shouldn´t snack while they´re trick-or-treating. Parents should check treats at home. Watch for signs of tampering, such as small pinholes in wrappers and torn or loose packages. Parents of young children should get rid of choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.

All dressed up

Children who will be trick-or-treating after dusk should have reflective tape on their costumes and carry flashlights.

Out for the Count(down)

Midnight is a very late hour for children to stay awake for. Even if you enforce a nap in the afternoon before (and after) you will still have to put up with cranky and unreasonable children the next day. Compromise by letting them fall asleep on the couch, but be sure to wake them in time for the big Countdown.

sharing candy

If your child gets too much candy on Halloween, ask them to make a bag to give away. Your local food bank will be happy to take it. Some hospitals will also be glad to give it to children who were not able to trick-or-treat that year. You´ll teach your child a wonderful lesson and get all that extra candy out of your house!!

Lose the Masks

Because they can obstruct a child´s vision, masks are not recommended. If a child wears makeup, parents should look for non-toxic, hypo-allergenic kits.

Ask Santa

Writing letters to Santa is great practice! The 1st graders get an opportunity to show off their phonetics, 2nd grade children practice punctuation, and 3rd graders are ready to help the pre-schoolers. All of your children are helping you, Mom, to narrow down the toy-of-choice field that will change your shopping from exploration to a mission. Be available to help label the envelopes c/o The North Pole, Canada, H0H0H0!

Bedtime Extensions

Let them stay up a little bit past their regular bedtime. Plan to start an age appropriate movie right after completion of their normal bedtime rituals. If possible, set up a TV/VCR in the same room where the children will sleep. If they happen to fall asleep prematurely, just leave them alone.

Loot Bags

The idea of a returned favor in the form of candy is the current basis of the loot bag. What could be more age appropriate than a thank you in a fun and delicious package? There are no language barriers. There are no written words to print. There is no favoritism shown. Parents can even prepare them ahead of time. There are no limits to imaginative contents. Or how much you spend on them. This includes how you package and decorate each.

Cheers!

When toasting in the New Year with minors and other abstainers in attendance, a round of sparkling "white" is still definitely in order. This could be sparkling white grape juice, sparkling lemonade, a half and half mixture of ginger ale and apple juice, or plain old club soda for maximum fizz. Serve each child in an ´adult´ glass, even if this means stocking up on plastic champagne goblets. Cheers!

Loot bags

Take some time to think about the uninvited siblings that will be waiting at the door when the party-goer returns home with a loot bag. Toys with small parts may not be the best to include if a crawling brother/sister is witing at home. The potential for choking is too big a risk to take.