Owner: The Opinionated Parent URL:http://www.theopinionatedparent.com Join Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:58:07 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Giving you the goods, parent to parent. Product reviews, recommendations, roasts, giveaways and more. TOP is 'the new black" of parent review blogs. Site statistics:Click here
athleticBaby 2007-03-04 12:00:26 Busy mother of three Karen Foster is the creator of the relatively new DVD series athleticBaby. She has produced a series of five DVD’s (with one more on the way) designed for children aged 3 months and up. TOP has been reviewing the newest DVD, athleticBaby Soccer.
This DVD is a delightful mix of fun music, colourful images and video of real kids playing. I question the age recommendation, simply because I can’t see any good reason for a 3 month old child to be plunked in front of a screen, but that’s a personal preference. For someone who is okay with that, this DVD would be better than many alternatives. There is enough real play to avoid the “entrancement” effect of quick change images that are often marketed to young children, and the DVD verbally encourages kids to get a ball and play along. It also encourages parents to watch and play along with their children, which is a recommendation that should always be adhered to when exposing young chil
No exaggerating. Best. Diaper. Bag. Ever! 2007-03-03 12:00:25 JJ Cole Collections just might be my new favourite company. Why? Because they’ve produced what no other company has been able to.
The diaper bag of all diaper bags.
The one that has ended my seemingly never-ending quest for the perfect bag. Having been a parent for only ten months, I have eight diaper bags. Each one had something special about it that made me think I had to have it, and yet each one was lacking something that would send me back on my search.
Enter the System.
Whatever you need and want in a diaper bag, the System has got you covered.
Sporty look? Check. It could easily be a stylish messenger bag.
Hip colours? Check. My favourite is the green/blue with brown accents(pictured at left), but the other two colour combinations are just as great - cocoa and pink (see below) for the girly-girl and graphite and green for the understated look or the daddy in your life.
Cell phone pocket? Check. My leather case fits right in and it’s easily accessible, Read more:Diaper
Man, I feel like a woman. 2007-03-02 12:00:49 When my daughter turned 8, I decided it was time to have “the talk” –well, the first of many “talks” anyway. She’s not one of those girly girls who loves stuff like that, so I knew that I needed to approach it in a matter of fact, everyday type of way. A commercial for pads was on TV. No boys were around. The perfect opportunity.
Me: Have you ever wondered what those commercials are for?
T: NO!
Me: Well I’m gonna tell you anyway. When girls get to a certain age… yada yada yada period… yada yada yada blood… yada yada yada. If it happens at school, just use a piece of toilet paper and go and tell Mrs. Best-Teacher-In-The-World and she’ll help you. You’re only 8…it probably won’t happen for a long time…but with some girls, it starts earlier so I just wanted you to know so you aren’t scared if you happen to see a little bit of blood. Do you have any questions?
T: No. I feel kind of weird now.
Me: I know. It just means that you’re growing Read more:woman
The Hip Baby’s New Wardrobe 2007-03-01 12:00:24 A new parent has enough anxiety without worrying about clothing.
When her newborn daughter was lost in bulky clothing with scratchy tags and other hassles, Leigh Rubio was inspired. She hooked up with clothing designer Lyn Huffman and the
New line for babies was born.
Designed to fit babies from birth to approximately 3 months, these tiny layette items are just perfect for a precious new baby. There will be no swimming in necklines and no searching for baby amongst the folds. They thought of everything a new parent wants ~ the perfect narrow newborn fit, no tags, soft seams, luxurious cotton, neckline snaps, fold-over cuffs to prevent scratches and lowrise pants for those tender belly buttons. And one of those things you never think of until you’re trying to dress a baby on 24.5 minutes of sleep - everything matches. The items are available in basic white, blue, pink and green (all of which are beautifully muted ~ no easter eggs here) and no matter what you pull out of Read more:Wardrobe
True luxury for your true love 2007-02-28 12:00:32 Mother of two Deborah Nolan has been sewing since she was ten years old. Her talent for design is a true gift, and she shares it with the parenting world at Baby Starlet.
Her stunning Moses Baskets are currently available in six styles.
For little girls, I love her Elizabeth collection. This collection is pink flannel, satin and tulle and the skirt of the basket resembles a ballerina tutu. What little girl wouldn’t love to sleep in this? Personally, I don’t know if I’d pass this on to friends once my own children were done with it. I’d keep it for special dolls to sleep in and, one day, my grandchildren and great grandchildren. It’s just that beautiful.
For little boys or babies of gender yet to be determined, check out the Taylor collection, featuring an elegant sage and cream toile paired with a soft cream flannel. The basket is accented with cream satin ribbon in the ties and the skirt. All of Deborah’s baskets come with a padded bumper, sl
TOP Shops: Fantaztic Learning 2007-02-27 12:00:27 Founded in 2006 by Canadian mother and teacher Kirsten Fantazir, Fantaztic Learning
Store offers products selected by educators for educators (and parents!) that compliment Canadian curriculum and align with Canadian learner expectations. If you cannot find what you are looking for, just ask us and she will search her selection of over 24 000 products for you. If you’re a teacher or homeschooling parent planning a unit, just email Kirsten and she will provide a list of appropriate resources for you…free! Now that’s the kind of service opinionated parents (and teachers!) love.
As a parent, Kirsten appreciates the advantages of learning through play. We know that educational toys are one of the best ways to encourage explorational and discovery learning. For some great ideas, browse the Fantaztic educational toys section.
My personal favourite right now is the Play Foam. Squish it, shape it, save it….or smoosh it and start all over again! We tested out the Pl Read more:TOP Shops
One less tantrum in the day. 2007-02-26 12:00:21 Any parent of a toddler knows a few things for sure…
*Toddlers are very stubborn and want to do everything themselves.
*Toddlers cannot do everything themselves.
Now, though, there’s one more thing they can do.
Myself Belts are the answer for little ones who love to get themselves dressed. You’ll love them in the morning, and you’ll love them even more for those potty training days when before you’d have been doing up a belt twenty times to a chorus of “Iwannadoooooiiiiiitttttt!”
What a great gift these belts would make to celebrate the first potty success ~ a gift for your child and a gift for you rolled into one.
The innovative design developed, of course, by moms, promotes independence and boosts self-esteem by allowing children to easily fasten and unfasten their belt on their own. They’re simple to use (see the instructions) and there’s a design for every outfit ~ for girls and for boys.
Need more evidence that these two Read more:tantrum
It’s not a poncho. It’s not a robe. It’s… 2007-02-25 12:00:18 …the best idea for a blanket I’ve ever seen! It’s The Slanket.
A blanket with sleeves. Who’da thunk it?
Gary, that’s who. When he was compelled to tear a hole in his sleeping bag on a chilly night in Maine, the idea for this very cool blanket was conceived. He commissioned his mom to make one for him the following Christmas and The Slanket was born!
The Slanket is available in five colours and is made of very thick, cozy fleece that you won’t be able to help but curl up under.
The greatest thing about The Slanket for parents? You can be completely covered up and still hold your squirmy children, pass a snack, wipe a nose (not on your slanket, please) or many of the other tasks you can never seem to leave behind once you become a parent.
Don’t throw your blanket off ~ get The Slanket! This is one gift that is not going to be returned or re-gifted. Ever. In fact, I recommend that you get one for each member of your family or you may neve
Because sleeves are not napkins. Really. 2007-02-24 12:04:03 Mealtime at our house is getting increasingly messy. It’s not just the high chair, the floor, me and the dogs that are covered in food by the end of dinner. It’s all of the areas of our son’s shirt that are not covered by his bib.
Answer: Silly Billyz long sleeved bibs. (They’re sold in North America through Live Love Dream Inc. for only $12.)
Available in nine kid-approved colour combinations and 2 sizes, they’re made of anti-pill fleece on the front and rip proof nylon on the sleeves. (Rip proof = good for teething babies who chew their sleeves and anything else they can reach!) They have a velcro closure that’s large enough to make the neck adjustable - very handy for little people with teeny necks! My son tends to pull all but the most floppy terry bibs off because he gets too hot, but the open back feature of Silly Billyz long sleeved bibs allows him to stay nice and cool. He also has “issues” with many crinkly plastic bibs, bu
SuperKid! 2007-02-23 12:00:22 I have vivid memories of playing superhero games with my friends as a child with a towel hanging from my neck. What kid doesn’t have dreams of being a superhero?
Invisible-Girl (who’s parents never catch her in mischief), JunkFood-Boy (has never eaten an organic vegetable and can still scale tall buildings…fueled by sugar, of course).
Whatever the fantasy, Ellie Bellie Kids capes bring superhero play into the current millenium.
Opinionated Parents are all about creative play and getting kids off their butts and outside. I know having my very own cape would inspire some great play in me…and I’m thirty! It’s sure to work even better for children.
Par.entrepreneur Jennifer Cooper custom makes each cape from your choice of two funky colour combinations and personalizes them with a huge superhero-style letter. It just doesn’t get any cooler than that.
Do you know a SuperKid in need of some inspiration? Win a cape personalized with the lett
Organic Convenience 2007-03-05 12:00:16 We’re primarily organic folks here at TOP. We spend a lot of time preparing food for our son so that we can be assured he’s eating high quality, pesticide free food that not only tastes good but won’t give him cancer in 40 years. After several late night steaming sessions trying to get [...] Read more:Organic
, Convenience
Reducing the consequences of mom-brain. 2007-02-22 12:00:20 Goodness knows I need all the help I can get. I think we saw the doctor last month, but it’s all a blur. For a healthy child like mine, my postnatal lack of brain power isn’t really an issue. Much. But it certainly could be. Whether your child is in [...] Read more:Reducing
, consequences
I wanna live in Liliput! 2007-02-21 12:00:21 NYC mama Heather Flottman is the creative genius (and I do mean genius) behind the hip, indie clothing label liliputians NYC. Inspired by her daughter, she creates limited edition, custom, heirloom quality clothing that are true works of art. Her line is separated in to styles for girls, styles for boys, and Mommy [...] Read more:wanna
Why didn’t I think of this? 2007-02-19 12:00:52 Invented by par.entrepreneur Bonnie Stromme of Loveland, Colorado, the Wrap-N-Mat is one of those things that make you ask “Why didn’t I think
of this?” When she found she had six sandwiches to wrap and only four plastic bags, the prototype Wrap-N-Mat was made of paper towel and tape. They’ve come a long [...]
People Against Dirty 2007-02-18 04:00:56 Method Products was founded in San Francisco, CA in 2000 by two buddies, Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan. They’ve taken the consumer packaged goods industry by storm. And with good reason. The Method philosophy is a simple one, and one the opinionated parents can appreciate. To rid the world [...]
Snot Be Gone! 2007-03-06 12:00:05 Like most expectant parents, I bought a baby personal care kit while I was pregnant. It contained the adorable little nail clippers, a teeny comb and brush set, a thermometer and a completely useless piece of plastic that is supposed to be a snot sucker. (You might know it as a nasal aspirator. [...]
Enhance Me 2007-03-07 12:00:43 If you have kids, chances are you have a ton of photographs of them; perhaps they’re in frames, scrapbooks, in film waiting to be developed, or on the computer waiting to be printed. Would you like to add some pizazz and magic to a few of your favorite photographs? If you need some inspiration [...]
Chic, Pink & Fresh 2007-03-08 12:00:02 Chloe In Style is a girly store for girly girls. And I mean that in the best possible way. From stationery to baby to mom to even the walls, Chloe In Style has got you covered.
Skipping Hippos ponchos are a great example of some of the adorable baby and child [...]
Good Kids, Bad Habits 2007-03-08 08:00:19 The Opinionated Parent is taking part in the Mother Talk blog book tour for the book Good Kids, Bad Habits
.
I was so excited to be invited to participate in this tour - this book is right up my alley as a mom, a teacher and a fitness professional. It was perfect timing, [...]
Because it sounds better than puke reservoir… 2007-03-09 12:00:41 It’s simple physics. What goes down must come up. If you’re a parent and you’ve never been puked on, I’m jealous. Some babies do it a lot and some only rarely, but if there’s one guarantee when you become a parent, it’s that you will get your chance to be covered in [...] Read more:better
Taming the spread 2007-03-10 12:00:38 Mother of two boys Sara Holliday is one of those over-achieving women who manages to maintain an incredible balance n spite of it all. As an over-achiever myself, I admire her greatly. She’s not only a licensed marriage and family therapist but also an expert in yoga, aerobics, martial arts and holistic health [...] Read more:Taming
Just Cool Baby Stuff 2007-03-11 20:00:24 Baby Dagny, the premier retailer of just cool baby stuff™, was founded in 2005 by Andrea McGinty when she was expecting her own little bundle. She, as many of us do, embarked on a search for unique baby products. Andrea quickly realized that most retailers carry all the same generic products and that many [...] Read more:Just Cool
Wearing World Peace 2007-03-11 12:00:27 There’s enough violence in the world without advertising it on our kids clothing. As cute as camo can be, I much prefer the peace themed tees from 2dtees.
Owner Jean Malanaphy is all about making designs that reflect the best in human potential. What better than peace? Her designs include ‘pass it on’ [...] Read more:World
, Peace
It’s even good for changing diapers on the lawn. 2007-03-12 12:00:44 What? You don’t do that? Well, you could if you wanted to.
The indoor/outdoor play blanket by Silly Billyz makes it possible. Made of the same anti-pill fleece & nylon backing as the long sleeved bibs, these blankets are the ultimate in all-purpose. Soft fleece on the top makes a comfortable [...] Read more:diapers
The New Parent Brain 2007-03-14 12:00:51 Through the fog of the newborn phase and into toddlerhood, many parents (me, anyway) have a hard time remembering even the most basic of tasks. Forgetting to eat and drink is common during new parenthood. Sooner or later, we all remember and it’s not such a big deal. Those basic baby care [...] Read more:Parent
, Brain
Have you tried crawling lately? Ouch! 2007-03-13 12:00:28 I spend many hours every day crawling around after a baby. I didn’t realize how hard it was until I tried
it. Not only is it rather exhausting (now I need two naps a day, too!) but it’s extremely hard on the knees.
Mom of two Marina Westerdahl had the same problem but instead [...] Read more:lately
TOP Shops: Madallie.com 2007-03-15 12:00:45 If you’ve ever left the house with your children, you know how much hassle traveling can be. Whether it’s to the mall, the next town or the next continent, in a car or on a plane, success is all about preparedness.
As the parents of big Madison & small Allie, Suzanne & Mellanie [...] Read more:Madallie
, TOP Shops
Sweetroll Swaddler 2007-03-14 20:00:26 Our son was swaddled to sleep for longer than many babies. As a sling worn baby, he was comforted by closeness, but sometimes it was necessary to put him down. For bedtime, there are some wonderful blankets on the market. For daytime, however, you’ve got to have a little style.
The [...]
TOP Shops: Blue Blankie Boutique 2007-03-16 12:00:22 Par.entrepreneur and mother of two, Tanya Petruk, is the founder of the awesome Canadian online boutique Blue Blankie.
Blue Blankie launched in 2005 with the goal of carrying items that aren’t found in other online stores in Canada and a focus on high end gifts.
The gorgeous apparel is enough to make your ovaries ache. [...] Read more:Boutique
, TOP Shops
You’re Not The Boss of Me! 2007-03-16 08:01:04 TOP is the last stop of the week on the Mother-Talk blog book tour for Erika Schickel’s new book, You’re Not The Boss of Me.
Having been a confirmed “book review hater” my entire life and, honestly, having felt a little inferior in book clubs requiring intelligent discussion of literature, I am surprised at how much [...]
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