back to school

The Back to School Shopping Guide

GEAR, tech By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments

We all know that the end of August brings an obsession with things ‘wooly’ and the exciting task of acquiring school supplies and clothing for the kids.  Parents scour busy stores overflowing with pencils in order to outfit their children for back to school.  Not to worry!  The back to school shopping guide features lots of stylish goodies that can be found online.  In hopes you used a bit of the summer to de-clutter and inventory what you already have, you can fill the holes in your kids’ back to school shopping list with a few of our picks.  We’ve shopped around to find the best supplies, gadgets and funky fashions for your little collegiates.

Back to School Supplies

1.  The Spencer Stainless Steel Bento Box Container: Crafted of stainless steel with a spacious bottom compartment, an interior tray for separating snacks and a snug plastic lid, this is sure to be a winner.  Just make sure you check our our healthy snack ideas when you fill it!  $59   Available at www.potterybarnkids.com

2. Text Bands.  Now kids only have to bump fists in order to pass notes.  The text bands allow the message to appear on a friend’s wrist with a light bump.  You can type up to 10 characters and each band can hold up to 24 messages at once. (Turning the band off will delete all messages).  Now that’s a heck of an improvement from note passing.  Hallmark.com

3.  ABC Sigg Water Bottles are BPA and phthalate free. You can recyclable them at the end of their lifetime, and the nonporous interior lining in the bottles ensures that it remains taste and odor neutral.  Know what that means?  You can put grape juice in it (or something stronger for Mom) on the weekend and send it to school with milk on Monday. www.mysigg.com

4.  Fun, Fictional Flash Drives –  From The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Looney Tunes to skateboard USBs, students can transport files with their favourite characters.  Unfortunately, they do not come with your very own Princess Leah hologram.  You’ll have to hit the rides at Disneyland for that. www.staples.ca

5.  The Madbox from Land’s End is the coolest lunchbox we’ve seen in a while.  Five kids from Madison, WI set out to build a better lunchbox and Land’s End liked their idea so much – they produced it!  It comes with an adjustable ice pack that focuses the cold to the food that needs to stay cold and leaves room temperature food alone.  No more soggy crackers.  www.landsend.com

6.  Who doesn’t love labels?   Mabels Labels has a cool new Tween pack that is sure to delight your kids.  They’ve also got a rock-sold back-to-school pack and even preschool shoe labels.  www.mabelslabels.com

7.  New for the fall, the Native ‘Jimmy’.  From the makes of our favourite summer show comes the Jimmy, just in time for fall.  These durable and funky boots will look great with this season’s signature trench for kids.  www.shop.nativeshoes.com

8.  The Lunchkin reusable sandwich bag.  In Hermes orange, or course.  Wait.  That’s for me.  Well, if you want uber-cute, they’re available in crabs, sailboats, soccer balls and school apples too.  And they’re great for the environment.  And cool.  Need we say more?  www.raspberrykids.com

9.  Any flower-lover would eat every bite out out of this adorable PVC-free grab-and-go lunch purse.  But be careful.  Unless you snag a couple you may have a fight on your hands, as we guarantee you’ll want one too!  I think I may grab one and use it for a funky back tie clutch…  www.lavishandlime.com

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back to school picks for mom

Back to School Picks for Mom

GEAR, style By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

The end of August marks a special time.  (And not only because the fall fashion issues are so thick).  With the little ones returning back to school for a new year and a fresh start, Moms can’t forget that they deserve a bit of a refresher too.  You get them to school.  You’re the activity chauffeur and playdate secretary.  School lunch chef, homework enforcer.  We know that’s just a few of your duties.  Here are a few of our Back to School Picks for the moms out there.

Back to School Picks for Mom

1.  Shoes: Gentle Souls, (a Kenneth Cole brand) are comfortable, practical and stylish.  And if you like science, their technology is based on displaceable solids comprised of – deerskin lining, NASA developed memory foam called PORON, flax seeds pillows &  rubber soles. Bottom line, they are so comfortable!  www.gentlesouls.com

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Baby Shower Menu Ideas

EAT, entertain By August 18, 2012 Tags: , , , No Comments

When planning a baby shower, the menu is usually one of the top ítems to consider—we all know how bad  or great food can make or break and party! There are many factors that should go into your consideration of baby shower menu ideas, such as the venue, the time of day and year, cost, and, especially, the mom-to-be’s preferences!

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Teaching Kids the Art of Fishing

LIVE, play By August 15, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

Have you ever thought about teaching your kids the art of fishing? Of course there’s the romance of little Huckleberry Finns sitting on a dock with a string and a stick.  And then there’s the possibility of catching dinner.  And teaching kids that all food doesn’t necessarily come from a supermarket.  But the photos you’ll get?  Priceless.

We spent a week this summer in the New York Finger Lakes swimming, casting and paddling.  But the best memories were on the dock.  When ‘Uncle Brad’ gave a fishing rod and tackle to my eldest son, the eyes lit up and hours were spent learning about sinkers, hooks and worms.  Taking them all out and organizing.  Sleeping with them.  Uncle Brad is quite the accomplished fisherman, and I convinced him to share his tips for teaching kids the art of fishing.

1.  Rule #1: Size does not matter.  Any fish is a good fish.  And catching one and handing them the rod can get them ‘hooked’ for life.
2.  Start the teaching of casting using foam fish and a foam hook.  When attached to a line, the foam hook can be used to retrieve the floating fish form in the water.
3.  A kid’s rod  is shorter with an internal reel and button.  (Bait casting reel as opposed to a spinning reel).  Shakespeare makes great ones for boys and girls and they are readily available at Target and Walmart.  (You can even get Disney, Star Wars, Spiderman and princess themes).
4.  A dock on a calm lake from 6-8am is usually the best time to nab the critters.
5.  Use pliers to flatten the barbs on your hooks.  It’s nicer for the fish.
6.  Always remove hooks from the lines when you are done so as not to invite any injuries.
7.  Make the kids look around prior to casting.  My son caught a 5-foot-eleven man named ‘Uncle Brad’.
8.  Encouraging the kids to drop the fish back into the water will excite them.  (And then you don’t have to touch them).
9.  Live worms are an easy and plentiful bait.
10.  Try to teach about the species of fish as you catch.
11.  Patience can be a challenge for kids.  But having quiet conversations as you set your lines can form the best memories and bonds between parent and child.
12.  Make sure at least one adult isn’t squeamish about baiting the hooks or taking fish off the line.
13.  Rod and reel are not necessary.  A string tied to a bamboo pole with a hook works just fine.
14.  Fish under a certain number of pounds must be tossed back.  Check in the jurisdiction you are in.  And keeping anything as a pet is just a bad idea.
15.  Hats, sunscreen, fishing license, water, band-aids and snacks should never be far away.

Next step?  Tying their own flies and mastering the art of planking a salmon.  Oh – and never make the mistake of asking first if they caught anything.  As a good friend once said, “I’m going fishing.  Not fish-catching.”

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Best Baby CDs

GEAR, toys By August 14, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , 5 Comments

It is well-established that music is beneficial for children’s mental and emotional development, even in the womb. Also, music is a great way to help baby drift off to sleep…and mom, too! Here are some of the best Baby CDs out there right now, all are available through Amazon and other outlets.

Rockabye Baby. For those of us who don’t want to sacrifice our hipness or adversely influence our childrens’ brain development by exposing them to too much silly kids’ music and cultivate some style and culture…it’s Rockabye Baby! You saw it on Ellen Degeneres and other places; celebs love these Baby CDs, because they literally rock! Your favorite songs by your favorite rock, pop and even some R&B artists, such as Coldplay, Bob Marley, the Beatles, Green Day, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, etc., are all on here. Sure, lullaby versions of your favourite hit songs can get Junior to crash for a nap, and subliminally you’ll be telling him, “Just say NO to bad music!”

Disney Babies: Lullaby Album. This is a must-have in every nursery CD player or MP3 playlist. The best Disney songs as lullabies, it doesn’t get much better than this!

Jewel, Lullaby. For those of us who love Jewel’s sweet, plaintive, ethereal yet earthy voice, this is an awesome choice. Jewel recently became a mom for the first time, but this album of old-fashioned classics and new selections is a great listen for the nursery.

Baby Einstein, Lullaby Classics. Baby Einstein is another awesome child-development audio tool, with a large body of work to choose from. All of it is ultra creative, hip, and worth buying, but if you want a lullaby collection of classical music (which has been shown to boost brain development in babies), choose this one. Mozart at his best and sweetest, your baby will love it, and you will, too!

Do you have some favourites? Please let us and our readers know below! You can also tweet us at @urbanmommies.

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Summer-Fresh Blueberry Dessert for Babies

baby, EAT By August 9, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , No Comments

With summer here and berries in abundance, your little one can enjoy the sweet berries of the summer season with this simple recipe. Blueberries are one of the most suitable berries for babies as they don’t need sweetening. They are high in vitamin C and contain a natural enzyme that allows them to keep for a long time in the fridge.

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helpful tips for working moms

Time Management Tips for Working Moms

FAM, self By August 1, 2012 Tags: , , , , No Comments

In today’s world, everyone is busy.  People always seem to be rushing from one activity to the next and trying to do several things at once in an effort to save time.  Working mothers understand “busy”- they’re basically working two full time jobs, and it’s no wonder why working mothers often find it difficult to balance everything in a neat and organized fashion!

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camping with kids

Tips for Camping with Kids and Babies

Canada, ROAM By July 31, 2012 4 Comments

Pre-kids, you used to hoist a bunch of stuff onto your back, portage a canoe and enjoy a romantic long weekend in the woods.  Suddenly, there were three of you.  Or four.  Do camping and kids mix? Absolutely and we’ve got tips for camping with kids and babies so you don’t have to throw away your old life when you have children – you just have to adapt.  By integrating the things you love into your parenting approach, your kids will learn from your excitement, and you will be a happier person.

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