Dear Geralin,

Planning just about anything is a challenge for my husband and me. Both of us have ADHD. We want to vacation this summer with friends and family, but we can’t keep the details straight. We’re aware of a few good packing tips from articles we’ve read, but wondered if you have any out-of-the-ordinary hints for getting a family organized before the packing starts?

Sarah Read the rest »

Boston Mamas: BPA & Baby Bottles Get the lowdown on Bisphenol A (BPA), and which baby bottles are or are not BPA-free

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Coochicoos: Y Water - Drink, Design & Toy Designer Yves Behar designs bottle for new kid’s drink called Y Water

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Parent Blog Roundup Giveaways:

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Packing. And unpacking. That’s how it felt anyway.

In the past few weeks of our post-Kindergarten, first ever school-free summer (since you need to have started school to be out of school), my daughter Clare, my wife and I spent a week vacationing at the beach and took a few other day trips to places like parks, museums and zoos. For the whole summer, it seemed, we were either getting ready to go somewhere or just getting back.

It may sound like I’m exaggerating, but you parents know that packing and preparing to go out—even for a day—can just about fill another day. You know you do.

When I was single, I’d leave the house for a day with no more than the clothes I was wearing and my wallet. What guy needed anything else? For an overnight trip, I’d drop a change of clothes and a toothbrush into a backpack. Going away for a week didn’t take much more than a bigger backpack. It made getting away a lot easier and more spontaneous. Now, with only one kid, I take more going out for a few hours than I used to take for a weekend away. Going somewhere overnight with my daughter is the equivalent of packing for a week as a single guy. And a week’s vacation with kids—that’s the equivalent of moving. I’m serious. I used to move apartments with less than we take on vacation now. I could fit all of it into the back of a van—and I didn’t need one of those cartop Big Mac-type carriers for extra stuff. Read the rest »

Maybe I watched JAWS once too many times and as a result I have a curious love/hate relationship with these animals. At the beach, I incessantly scan the horizon for fins and constantly try to get my kids closer to shore, yet every time a shark/human encounter makes headlines, I obsessively tune in!

The good news is shark attacks are rare and infrequent. Sharks are generally not bloodthirsty maniacal killers. Considering that tens of thousands of people come in close contact with sharks each year while swimming, surfing, or boating, numbers of shark attacks are negligible. Still, if you are concerned about your kids in the ocean, here are some simple tips to avoid a ‘close encounter’ with a shark: Read the rest »

With summer in full swing, it’s time for road trips and that means trying to keep the kids entertained in the car for long chunks of time. When you’ve had all you can take of the Wheels on the Bus and Nemo, be the hero when you pull out a cool activity pack from Four Peas.

Parentrepreneur and owner of Four Peas, Casey Basa, is a former teacher and the mother of four girls. The idea for the activity packs came to her because she needed something to keep her children busy when they were out and about. Read the rest »

You’re trekking over what seems like miles of unforgiving sandy terrain, hauling pounds of gear and apparatus, your arms start to tremble from the strain, your knees begin to buckle, your voice is hoarse from yelling at the kids to slow down and then…you see it. The perfect patch of sand that is not too close to the water, not to close to other people. You call to the rest of the family with undue excitement, “This is our spot! Drop everything here!” Blankets, umbrellas, coolers, beach bags, shoes, shirts all tumble into a pile and everybody bolts to the water. But, wait. You’ve not only missed your chance to slather everybody with sunscreen, you’ve missed your best opportunity to stress to your kids that in the event that can’t find you, they should look for your stuff, head there and stay put. In the myriad of supplies that you’ve toted, you should bring items that will easily distinguish your area from the hundreds of other sunbathers on the beach. Here is a list of very visible markers to choose from to mark your spot:

· Pick a spot near a lifeguard tower. This serves as a visible landmark as well as keeps you close to help, if needed.

· Choose a bright-colored beach blanket with distinctive markings. Or, instead of a beach blanket, use a Queen sized flat sheet. They’re lighter to carry, easier to clean, and bigger than most beach blankets. Also, distinctive, bright colored designs are easy to find on a flat sheet (we bring along my daughter’s old Hello Kitty sheet – the brilliant pink kitty faces are easy to see and the only one on the beach!) Read the rest »

Summer is quickly approching and hopefully you’ve got some fantastic getaways planned!!! Need something the kids can carry all their distractions in? Check out Zid Zid Kids, Airplane Backpack at Black Wagon!