Why we love it: You already know you have the cutest chick around, why not show the rest of the neighborhood on Halloween? The snuggly soft costume should keep your little one warm if the Halloween night gets a little chilly. Where to buy it: Babystyle
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 11,000 pairs of girls' sandals sold by Rack Room Shoes of Charlotte, North Carolina. The ornamental flowers on the sandals can detach and pose a choking hazard to young children.
The sandals are leather with attached leather flowers and were sold under the Kids Feet brand name. They are either all white or white with pink soles. They were sold in girls' sizes 5 through 12 at Rack Room Shoes stores nationwide from February 2008 through June 2008 for about $25 each.
If you have the recalled shoes, you are advised to immediately take them away from your child and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund or store credit. For more information, you can contact Rack Room Shoes by calling (866) 344-1213 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by visiting their Web site.
After a brief hiatus, ParentPicks is back! This is where we take full advantage of your wisdom and experience and ask you to share it with other parents. Whether you have one child or six, chances are you have come across a product, an idea, or a solution to a problem that is just what another parent is looking for. This month, let's see if we can dig out some great storage solutions for kids of all ages.
From birth to college, it seems that kid's lives are all about the stuff. And unless you live in a mansion with a children's wing, you know how all that stuff tends to take over the entire house. How do you keep it under control? Have you discovered the world's best toy box? A simple and stylish way to keep art supplies organized? What about all those stuffed animals that seem to multiply like rabbits?
Having just moved into a much smaller home, I am personally on the edge of my seat awaiting your great ideas for conquering the clutter and taming the toys. Send me your solutions and in two weeks, I will be back to share your picks with our readers.
I remember being a kid and struggling with my mother every Sunday about what I was going to wear to church. Church was a reason to get dressed up, but all my nicer clothes were uncomfortable and I didn't like the thought of being trapped in them every week for even a few hours. While I liked the concept of the frilly dresses and whatnot, the shoes and tights were uncomfortable. I couldn't wait to get home to get all that off of me, to the point where I am not so sure I was paying much attention!
Holidays are one thing--kids get stuffed into nice dresses, tights and miniature suits for a few hours at a time, tops. Once they hit their own homes, half that stuff usually comes off and they are free to run around in more comfortable attire. Depending on where you live, the clothes can get more or less formal. IN New York City, for example, our kids are nothing if not fashion plates. No one seems to bat an eyelash at spending $100 on an outfit her kid is going to wear exactly one time for one special occasion. The good news is the mom usually knows at least one other family to pass the garments on to, so the item does get Miltie-wear.
In other parts of the country jeans are seen as acceptable. Throw a nice sweater on top of it and some decent shoes (which for a child can be unbelievably pricey) and the kids are good to go. They're probably more comfortable, too. Not sure if jeans are considered acceptable, at say, church, but they do fly at brunches and holiday gatherings in general.' Given the current economy, I wonder if kids' clothes will continue to become less formal as folks turn towards wardrobes they've already amassed.
What do your kids wear when the go out? My kid? Well, he wears whatever I mine from the gloriously wonderful clothes my friends lend me from when their sons were that age. We have a little network of lending going so the clothes we do buy get maximum wear.
According to an article in the Detroit Free Press, kids' rooms are one of the fastest growing luxury markets, bringing in almost $10 million a year for retailers. Fueled by shows like "Trading Spaces" Boys vs. Girls" and the well-publicized lifestyles of celebrity offspring, kids are looking for that show-stopping personal space - and their parents are indulging them.
Have you seen the Pottery Barn Kids catalog lately? There isn't one single room in my house that's as nice as the nurseries in that envy-inducing tome. I feel like I need to go work in a soup kitchen after I leaf through one, just to remember that very few people actually live that way.
Smaller businesses are capitalizing on the craze, as well. Apparently, one Michigan firm specializes in nothing but "lavish" kids' rooms, and the clients aren't limited to teens. Even toddlers are getting in on the act, with custom-painted murals and expensive cribs.
What exactly constitutes a "luxurious" touch? According to the article, they range from the minor (vivid paint colors) to the outrageous (leather floors!).
In my day, having a double bed when you were under the age of 18 was considered a luxury. What's next? Diamond-studded toothbrushes? Cashmere diaper covers? Fur-lined onesies?
And you? Are you a luxury lover or is your style more spartan than starlet?
Kathryn Crawford, managing director of The Baby Website, explains the overspending this way: new moms get together for coffee and playdates, which are a "breeding ground for competitiveness." So the Yummy Mummies try to out do each other -- but instead of dressing themselves up, they dress up their babies. "The thing is that mums want to be seen to be doing the very best for their child, and providing the very best, and if this means spending more money than they had intended, so be it."
The survey also found that these moms knock themselves out for playdates at home, cleaning house and cooking and spending hours putting on their makeup. And -- most interestingly -- it also found that moms are more likely to take the advice of other moms before shopping, rather than relying on advertisements or product guides. So when all the other mommies are buying the really expensive baby shoes, it's easy to see where the slippery slope starts, isn't it?
Do you ever overspend on your kids? Or do you stick with a budget, no matter what the other tots are wearing?
If you can't get political enough this season, then perhaps you can share even more of your opinions via your baby's tummy. That's right, world, just when we thought we'd said "ENOUGH!" to all the witty slogan T-shirts out there (no longer midriff-bearing, thank goodness, I am SO over that), the onesie-with-commentary takes center stage.
Check out these witty onesies (and a few bibs) courtesy of website urlesque, which provides interesting tidbits and goings on about the wonderful machine that is the world wide web. Whether you're a democrat or republican, you'll be sure to find something to sport your baby in with political style. Or, perhaps you have no real affiliation, but you are committed to causes like stopping global warming--there's a cute onesie for that one too.
Several of the onesies featured center around our current lame duck president, but most center on Obama and McCain. Of all the 28 pictures, the only onesie I've actually seen is "My mama's for Obama." Several naturally also poke fun at Hillary Clinton. None, of course, center on Sarah Palin, although I'm sure we'll see those soon enough. Just give the witty minds enough time! The one I found most clever made good use of Obama's slogan, "Time for a change." It features a baby who needs his diaper changed (it's promo Obama but the republicans could get a good laugh out of it too!). Very funny!
Funny onesies aside, regardless of what you clothe your kid in this season, PLEASE VOTE IN NOVEMBER!
Welcome to Tried and True, a monthly feature where cool products are put through the ringer -- from our family to yours.
I'm not going to lie. Style plays a huge part my family's purchasing decisions, whether it be furniture, baby goods or clothing. With that being said, I'm also a busy parent and FUNCTION is just as important. Who cares if I have a the most stylish item in my home if it doesn't meet my family's needs? What's the point?
Over the past couple of years, my family has made a priority to use as little plastic as possible. We bought the wooden Svan Highchair for our son, and it has served us well over the past two years. However, I'm extremely nit-picky (especially when an expensive price tag is involved), and a couple of minor issues have kept me from announcing to the world that it's the Best Highchair Ever.
When considering a highchair, the most important issues to me are:
1) Is it constructed with the least amount of plastic possible? 2) Is it space efficient? (We live in a smaller home where space is a premium.) 3) Can the highchair grow with my child, beyond the toddler years? 4) Is it stylish and complement the design elements of my home?
I must say, I have found my personal Best Highchair Ever. The Stokke Tripp Trapp.
Why we love it: Well, who wouldn't enjoy donning a little cowboy monster once in awhile? Fun colors make this whimsical tee a standout among the masses. Where to buy it: Etsy
Why we love it: This tee is made of a very stretchy steel gray knit with orange stitching for a cozy, autumnal feel. Hurry, we have a feeling this one won't last. Where to buy it: Etsy
Why we love it: Hmm, a tee featuring a warthog grilling up some juicy veggie burgers. (HUH?) Available in onesies or tees with short and long sleeves, this shirt is just plain funny. Where to buy it: Etsy
Why we love it: Go ahead, buy the jackalope AND the warthog tee and call it a day. This hand-dyed shirt featuring a Jackalope design comes in brown with a light blue and orange applique with red zig-zag stitching. Where to buy it: Etsy
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 11,000 pairs of girls' sandals sold by Rack Room Shoes of Charlotte, North Carolina. The ornamental flowers on the sandals can detach and pose a choking hazard to young children.
According to an article in the Detroit Free Press, kids' rooms are one of the fastest growing luxury markets, bringing in almost $10 million a year for retailers. Fueled by shows like "Trading Spaces" Boys vs. Girls" and the well-publicized lifestyles of celebrity offspring, kids are looking for that show-stopping personal space - and their parents are indulging them.
Like the US, Great Britain is in the midst of a credit crunch. But that's not stopping new moms from overspending on baby gear.
