Graco 4Ever VS Graco Milestone – Video Comparison

August 25, 2014 by momicles Leave a Comment

If you get in a car with your child, you have to have a car seat. Which one do you buy? Is it worth the money? Is there really a seat that can transition from babyhood to big kid? What do you get when you spend the extra money? Our friends at Graco sent me 2 car seats to do a side by side comparison for you. You can watch my video comparison/review here.

I was actually in the car seat market myself and trying to decide between the Graco Milestone and the newly released Graco 4Ever. These two seats are extremely similar. This is Graco, so you can rest assured that both seats have undergone strenuous testing for both safety and durability. Especially living in the South, I was happy to see both seats are approved for extreme car interior temperatures. They are both side impact tested, and one of my favorite perks is that neither seat is ginormous. I don’t know if you could fit three of these across in a a car, but they are more narrow than some of the competitor seats. Here are some more features BOTH the Graco 4Ever and the Graco Milestone have:

Rear Facing 5 Point Harness
Simply Safe Adjust Harness Systmem (One hand, no rethread, height adjustment)
InRight LATCH System (one second attachment)
Washable Covers
Recline Indicator Labels
Harness Storage (for when using as booster)

Graco Milestone Car Seat

After seeing all of these features, you can tell why I honestly can recommend either of the seats to anyone. You will have a happy, secure child with either seat. I especially love the easy to remove and wash covers and the no rethread height adjustment. Now for the differences. At a MSRP of $229.99, the Graco Milestone is approved for use in children 5 lbs-100 lbs. It works as a rear-facing 5 point harness for infants 5 – 40 lbs, a forward facing 5 point harness for children 20-65 lbs, and a belt positioning booster for children 30 – 100 lbs. There is one detachable cupholder and a red line indicator to help you with the level of the seat during installation.

Graco 4Ever Car Seat

At a MSRP of $299.99, the Graco 4Ever car seat is more expensive, but does offer more product. The 4Ever seat is actually approved for use for children 4 lbs – 120 lbs. The 4Ever actually transitions one additional time as compared to the Milestone. The back of the seat actually comes off transforming the car seat into a backless belt postioning booster. That is in addition to the other seat set ups also offered by the Milestone. The 4Ever car seat has 6 levels of recline. It also has an air bubble level indicator which I find to be much more helpful during the installation process. There are also 2 cupholders on the 4Ever as opposed to the one on the Milestone. In our family, it seems like you need two – one for drinks and one for toys!

I truly do not think you can go wrong purchasing either seat. I personally like the 4Ever a little better. I like the added cupholder and transition into the backless booster. Graco’s intent was to create a car seat that could last for 10 years, and I really think they’ve done it. Not only is the seat designed to transition through the 10 years of stages that your child will go through, but the 4ever car seats do not expire until 10 years after their manufacture date. For more information, feel free to visit Graco online.

Ensuring Health for Mom and Baby

August 25, 2014 by Momstart 2 Comments

Are thoughts of baby booties and the pitter patter of small feet running through your mind? Whether you are trying to conceive or are already pregnant, your health should become a priority. Before you wonder if you’ll ever be able to brush your teeth alone again, there are few things that need tending too, for instance your body. While regular prenatal checkups are an important piece to this puzzle, there are some over-the-counter items that should be on your list for your next run to the grocery store, if they are not already.

Head for the vitamin aisle near the pharmacy or wherever it is in the layout of the store. Search for the prenatal vitamin section. There are going to be a few different options to choose from. Either choose the brand specifically recommended by your doctor or look for one manufactured by reputed companies such as The Honest Company. You may need to switch your choice later, but for the health of both mom and baby, these vitamins are an important purchase.

Vitamins for Mom

There are so many types of vitamins available to consumers today, it can be hard to determine exactly which one to take and why. Mothers to be and those who are trying, but want to get a jump start on ensuring their health and the health of their fetus should consider vitamins a part of their routine.

These vitamins can provide many benefits to the mother including boosting her body and protecting her baby from problems either before or after birth. For instance, a mother’s low vitamin D level may lead to dental problems for babies after they are born, according to US News and World Report. However, many already include the recommended amount. As always, if there are questions or concerns the expectant mothers should consult their doctors for more in depth information.

No matter what form of the prenatal vitamin that you chose, chewable or not, the important thing is to take them. Some are available by prescription only while others can be purchased over the counter, do not combine supplements, but do find the one that works for you, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

Impact Baby

The positive impact of proper maternal care including vitamins, on a fetus has been proven time and again. Vitamins and supplements can help lower the chances of or prevent certain health problems all together.

Two of the most important ingredients in a prenatal vitamin are iron and folic acid, according to the Mayo Clinic. Moms to-be and those trying to conceive should really learn how these two elements work in pregnancy. Iron will help baby grow and support mom’s body by preventing anemia. Taking folic acid supplements, even before pregnancy, is extremely important because it helps prevent many health issues including neural tube problems that can affect the brain and spinal cord.

After Birth

By their nature, these supplements are intended to be taken prior to giving birth. However, there have been some benefits linked to continuing these vitamins after the baby is born. It is important to note that your doctor is the best judge whether or not this is a safe practice for you.

If you are on the fence whether or not to continue your regimen once your new family member makes an appearance there are a few things you and your partner may want to keep in mind. This information is especially important if you are planning to breastfeed your new addition.

· You used to supply baby with nutrients while they were in the womb, now you supply them once again. Keep up the strong flow of good new nutrition.

· One consideration for the new mom is the amount of calcium. It likely will not be enough to supplement your needs as you feed. Consider adding other sources of calcium to your diet to make up for the short fall, but consult your doctor first.

· You only need one supplement instead of multiple. Just in the prenatal stage, only one type should do unless doctor’s orders state otherwise. Just imagine one quick second to yourself that can impact both you and your baby.

The importance of strong prenatal health cannot be stressed enough. It is important to consider every aspect of life from your daily workout to your diet, vitamins included when considering starting a family. These elements grow in importance once conception has taken place. Even on a weak stomach, vitamins are essential. Whether they are store bought, it does not matter because that can have a positive impact on the health of the mother and the baby prior to and even after

GoodNites* TRU-FIT* launch in Walmart #TRUFITWALMART #AD

August 13, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf GoodNites* TRU-FIT*.

Bedwetting happens and it’s not that big of a deal. According to a GoodNites® brand study, it’s estimated that 1 in 6 children between the ages of 4-12 in the United States suffer from nocturnal enuresis, more commonly known as bedwetting.

I mean, in the middle of the night having to get up and change the sheets, yeah, honestly that is annoying to have to deal with as a parent, but to the child it’s quite embarrassing. My son was so embarrassed that for the longest time when he had an accident he wouldn’t even tell me. Then I felt bad for him because he was sleeping in a stinking bed. GoodNites® brand is introducing a completely new kind of bedtime protection: GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Underwear. GoodNites* TRU-FIT* is machine-washable, real underwear with disposable, absorbent inserts that help keep sheets and PJs dry all night. They look like underwear and work like something much much more.

GoodNites* TRU-FIT* offers a new choice for parents and children looking for a superior bedwetting product to help families have a better night, every night. GoodNites* TRU-FIT* is available in Walmart and Walmart.com as always at a low competitive price for boys and girls in sizes S/M and L/XL with colors and patterns for each size.

GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Underwear is accompanied by a disposable, absorbent insert – designed to protect sheets and PJs all night. The disposable, absorbent insert should be discarded after each night’s use. But the underwear can be washed.

Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that psychologically, children who wet the bed do not want to participate in fun activities, such as sleepovers, because of their fear and embarrassment. This is something that is really hard for parents and children. A lot of parents have kids that feel like they are too old to need something to keep them dry but withGoodNites* TRU-FIT* Underwear kids can feel more confident.

GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Underwear with GoodNites* TRU-FIT* Absorbent Insert = Outstanding Nighttime Protection.

Visit the Better Night Network at www.GoodNites.com and the GoodNites Facebook page for more information on bedwetting solutions and advice from trusted experts.

Safety 1st Keep The Road Trip Car Organized #OurSummerJourney @Safety_1st

August 4, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

This is a partnered post and opinions are our own.

Unless you just started reading MomStart today, you already know I am a huge fan of road trips. I’m not afraid to just load up the family on a whim and travel somewhere. This year we’ve driving to San Francisco, The red wood forest, The Oregon Coast, LA, and Disneyland. We love road trips.

One thing I can say is that when we get back from road trips the car is a disaster. So we’ve recently teamed up with Safety 1st. to keep our car in better shape during our latest travels. We received a few organizational products, the Car Door Sanitation Station , the Just-in-Case Storage Station , and the Incognito™ Kid-Positioning Seat – Gray for review. They have helped so much. Not even ten minutes into our car ride today did my daughter start yelling eww grose Miles. I popped my head around and he had his protein bar melted in his hand playing with his truck at the same time. I was just thinking to myself, come on kid you know better than that. Really? I was grateful though that I had the Car Door Sanitation loaded up so I was easily able to grab some baby wipes and pass them back.

The kids love to color and draw and play with toys. Plus it’s nice to have snacks within their reach, the Just in Case Storage case has five different sections with pockets in a few of the sections allowing you to keep the car organized and the kids happy.

See Miles coloring:

We’re about to head off to Florida to finish off our summer vacations because school doesn’t start until September. If you are in the same boat as us, don’t be afraid to take a road trip and use Safety 1St to help you along the way.

Safety 1st would like to know your summer journey stories too. Let us know where you have been.

And Visit and like Safety 1St on Facebook to win a grand prize travel kit.

The Effectiveness of Going Organic with Your Sunscreen

June 23, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Using sunscreen is very important to protect your baby and to provide healthy skin for life. The difficulty you may face when it comes to buying the right sunscreen is deciding whether it’s worth your time and money to purchase organically made sunscreen . More parents are discovering the benefits of buying this kind of sunscreen because of the way it benefits the skin, protects from the sun’s damaging rays and even lasts longer than some of the commercial brands. Here are a few ways to make sure you’re getting the most effectiveness that going organic with your sunscreen can provide your baby.

Make Sure to Check the Expiration Dates

To get the maximum effectiveness out of organic sunscreen, make sure you’re checking the expiration date. This should be printed clearly on the bottle for you to check. You should check near the top of the bottle or near the bottom if it is a package that tapers on the end. If the sunscreen has expired, you need to throw it away rather than taking a chance, according to Baby Center. The ingredients will lose their protective properties over time and make it possible for the harmful rays from the sun to get through. Rather than take the chance you’re going to burn your baby’s skin, just toss it out and buy some more. The additional cost is worth it to protect your baby.

To make sure you’re not tossing money into the trash, try to buy sunscreen as you go. It may be tempting to buy sunscreen at the end of the season, or to stock up at the beginning of the summer, but if you don’t use it all, you’re going to end up throwing those savings away. If you’re going on a trip, try to buy enough to get you through the trip and have a little leftover for when you get home.

Lay It on Thick

You should make sure whichever organic sunscreen you purchase for your baby is at least 30 SPF (sun protection factor); companies such as The Honest Company have a range of organic sunscreens which not only have 30 SPF but are gentle enough for a baby’s sensitive skin. According to The Mayo Clinic, regardless of the SPF you purchase, you’ll need to make sure you apply it as thick as possible. Just be careful when you get around your baby’s eyes, but other than that, feel free to apply as thick as possible. The main reason for this is because between towels and water, sunscreen can slowly wear thin and skin will be unprotected. You’ll know when you have the right amount of sunscreen on if you can barely see the skin through the sunscreen. Just rub it in and eventually it will be absorbed by the skin. Some of the products for older kids change colors after they have been absorbed into the skin. Use this as a reference point for how much sunscreen you should be using. Don’t worry about how much the sunscreen costs, because thanks to your application, you’re helping to protect your baby’s skin from any problems later in life.

Sunscreens Can Moisturize the Skin

Many of the organic products on the market also include things like coconut oil or beeswax. Both of these are very effective in providing the skin with additional moisture, according to Wellness Mama. Simply by protecting your baby’s skin from the sun, you’re also helping to improve skin tone and elasticity so skin will remain supple and fresh even as your baby starts growing into a kid and well beyond. Remember to read the label to know exactly what is going into the sunscreen you’re using. You should be able to recognize all of the ingredients in the sunscreen. If it’s organic, it might still use things like Zinc Oxide, but it will also include natural oils that provide healthy benefits to your baby’s skin.

Nanotechnology is Something to Watch For

Among the sunscreens you should be looking for when looking to get the best effectiveness are those using ingredients produced from nanotechnology, according to Good Housekeeping. These provide mineral sunscreens organically made so you can feel good about using them on your children. The reason why nanotechnology is a good thing to watch for is because it means the minerals have been processed in such a way they effectively minimize the harmful rays getting through to the skin without having to use a lot of it. While this industry is mostly unregulated, it’s only because it’s still a fairly new technology. The benefits have been seen by parents and adults alike. As you can see, there are many benefits to going organic when it comes to baby sunscreen. Make sure you’re applying sunscreen any time your baby’s going to be exposed to the sun for any stretch of time longer than 5-10 minutes. Always remember to reapply every two hours and your baby’s skin will be healthy for years to come.

How to Keep Your Family Fit and Healthy This Summer

May 2, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Summer represents a time of freedom for children. School’s out, their responsibilities are few, and they have more opportunities to do the things they love, which can include playing video games, watching television, and snacking incessantly. If you’re concerned about the unintended consequences of all this freedom and bliss, check out this list of tactics you can use to keep your kids healthy and fit.

Stay on the Move

Image via Flickr by MoBikeFed

Summer is an ideal time for kids to get outside and get moving. Encourage exercise by planning a family outing on bicycles, going for a walk together, or hiking in a scenic area. If your family has a competitive streak, set up a friendly game of badminton, basketball, or croquet. Other simple, inexpensive outdoor activities include hopscotch, freeze tag, or hide-and-seek.

Another fun idea is to buy each family member a pedometer. Create a weekly contest to see who walks the most, and award a small prize. Then, offer a larger gift for whoever has the most steps at the end of the summer. This an excellent way for kids and adults to monitor and increase their physical activity.

Prepare Healthy Food and Drinks

Image via Flickr by khawkins04

Whip up fun and nutritious summer meals with your children. As you prepare the food, explain to your kids why certain ingredients are healthy, and how the nutrients in the food helps their bodies. For example, you can tell them dairy products have a lot of calcium, which helps bones grow and makes them strong. Teaching your children about different foods and their benefits helps them appreciate the importance of making healthy choices.

Because there are a lot of delicious fruits in season, summer is an ideal time for making smoothies. Use plain, non-fat Greek yogurt and a no-sugar-added fruit juice. Then, blend in the fruit of your choice. Your children will enjoy dropping in the fruit and watching it liquefy. They’ll appreciate drinking this delicious, healthy snack since they helped make it.

Due to the heat, summer is a time when kids need access to cool water. Central water filtration systems remove the unpleasant taste and smell of chlorine from tap water, making it taste better. If your kids haven’t been big water drinkers in the past, using one of these systems could enhance the taste and make tap water more appealing to your kids.

Incorporate Physical Activity Into Vacation

Image via Flickr by turni

Many families go on vacation during the summer. Wherever you go, incorporate physical activity into your itinerary. Walking around a theme park, playing volleyball or tossing a Frisbee on the beach, and swimming in the ocean, lake, or pool are all excellent vacation activities that involve physical exertion.

Be proactive in planning healthy meals. One effective strategy is to pack a cooler of healthy snacks when you go on a road trip. This reduces the chance you’ll buy unhealthy food along the way.

Enforce Bed Time

Even if you make bed time a bit later than it is during the school year, try to keep your children on a regular sleeping schedule. They’ll be less cranky and will feel better. They’ll also have more energy to engage in physical activity during the day.

Group Activities for the Whole Family

Instead of having your kids doing individual activities all over town, let the whole family take karate or tae kwon do. Other fun group activities that promote fitness include 5k races, aerobics classes, and "mommy and me" swimming lessons.

Take Safety Precautions

Image via Flickr by John Tann

An important part of keeping kids healthy is protecting them from injury. Ensure that when your kids engage in a physical activity, they wear the appropriate size and type of safety gear. Tell your kids that helmets and pads for biking and skateboarding are mandatory. Going swimming means applying sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher that’s also water-resistant, and re-applying it at the recommended intervals.

If your kids are going to play in a wooded area or a field with tall grass, use a mosquito repellent that’s approved for use on children. Be sure to check your kids for ticks after they come inside.

Share some of your favorite strategies for ensuring your children stay active and eat nutritious food during the summer.

6 Ways to Keep Baby’s Bath Time Short

April 4, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Keeping your baby’s bath time short is important, but it’s also a constant challenge. Babies often love the water, and they look so cute that it can be difficult to remove them from something they’re so interested in. If your baby likes to mellow in the tub, it can be hard to take them out of it when you’re hoping to get them down to nap soon. However, overly warm, long baths take away your baby’s natural skin oil and makes it more likely that your baby’s going to develop chapped skin. Cut down bath time and you’ll have a better chance of keeping your baby’s skin flawless. Here are some tips that should speed the bathing process.

Gather All Supplies before You Start

This seems like it should go without saying, but if you want to cut down on the total time of your bath you should gather everything for the baby at the start. This doesn’t just mean the shampoos and soaps and toys (if your baby is old enough to enjoy a rubber duckie, of course), but things that you’re going to need afterwards. The towel, the baby’s diapers, clothes, and so forth. These things are easy to forget when you’re rounding up the soap and shampoo. Since you obviously can’t leave your baby alone in the tub, if you forget something, you’ll either have to carry a dripping baby to another room or have your family member/partner bring what you need. This can easily add minutes to your bath time. You don’t want to take baby out of the water until you can immediately dry him or her off. This makes sense, so just taking the time to slow down before baby’s bath, remembering that you’re going to need his clothes afterwards, can be a big help.

Use the Water Temperature to Hurry You

It’s not recommended to put your baby under running water. This means that you really only have how long the water stays warm to bathe your baby. You don’t want her to get a chill, so you have to be sure that you’re getting the baby clean before the water gets cool. The ideal temperature for a baby bath is between 75 and 80 degrees, according to WhatToExpect. There are plenty of bath-time thermometers, but you can just as easily tell for yourself by putting your elbow or the inside of your wrist in the water. These areas of your body are more sensitive than your fingertips. The water should be warm but not hot.

Use Only a Few Drops of Soap

Soap can be a skin irritant for a young child. You really only need a few drops of a mild baby formula to keep your little one clean. On the plus side, avoiding using tons of soap also means that you don’t have to spend as long rinsing your baby. It’s important to get the entire soap residue off of him. Reducing the amount of soap reduces skin irritation in two ways: by reducing the length of the bath and by using less of something that can irritate your baby’s skin all by itself.

Count Seconds as You Go

Some babies get uneasy in the bath, and some take to it like little ducklings. Whichever sort of baby you have, hearing your voice will help set them at ease. Because they’re still far too young to have any idea what you’re talking about, a great way to keep track of time is to just count the seconds out loud in a soothing voice. Your baby will feel safe and close to you, and you’ll have a good handle on how long your bath is running. Remember, three to five minutes is the optimal answer here. Counting the seconds out loud also means that you’ll manage to avoid getting sucked into how sweet your little angel looks and simply losing track of time.

Use a Two-in-one Shampoo

The same rules as the soap rules apply to shampoo. Your baby’s hair only really needs to be washed once a week. When you do wash it, you can cut down on the time it takes by using a 2-in-1 shampoo that doesn’t require a lot of rinsing. You can get a baby-safe, all-natural shampoo, that’s also easy to wash out, from companies such as the Honest Company— the fact that it’s a 2-in-1 means that you only have to lather and rinse once. This shaves baby hair-care time in half.

Cut It Short If Baby Gets Grumpy

This nugget of wisdom seems obvious, but a lot of parents can get caught up in the checklist of everything they have to do with their baby at bath time. A sponge bath will be able to take care of the day-to-day dirt, so if your baby gets gassy, fussy, or unhappy in the bath then just take him out – according to Parents. You don’t want your little one to associate the bath with anything bad, so keep things short if anything gets overwhelming.

5 Career Paths to Discuss with Your Teen

March 31, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

By Megan Wilson

Part of a parent’s job is to help their children discover who they are and what they want out of life. If your teen is deciding on what careers they want to pursue, you can help them. Here are five career paths to discuss with your teen and prepare them to live their dreams.

Law

It seems a tad cliché to suggest entering the world of law, but there are a variety of opportunities available for anyone interested in fighting for justice. Talk to them about becoming an attorney for the prosecution or the defense. Legal Aids are vitally important to building a case. Law enforcement officers such as police, state troopers, and detectives are also optional careers in the law field.

Medical

Just like careers in law, the medical field offers jobs in many different positions. Family nurse practitioners focus on the care of everyone from children and adults to even the elderly. Doctors and nurses are needed to deliver babies, perform surgery, perform tests, and fight diseases. Those who work in hospice care make sure that terminal patients receive the best quality of life in their last days. The medical career path will always be in business and is perfect if your teen is a care giver.

Writing and Editing

It takes an adventurous, creative, and dedicated person to work in the field of literature, and there many ways to do so. The most known career is becoming an author, but authors need editors, and both need publishing companies. There are also careers in film and television for script writing, revising, and even screenwriting. Technical writers create textbooks and user manuals for the public to read and learn. Journalists write articles for websites, newspapers, and magazines.

Design

A career in design can mean many things. Interior designers create aesthetically pleasing rooms for businesses, homes, hotels, and government buildings. Architects focus on the structure of buildings and the way it’s constructed. If you’re teen has an eye for the beautiful, talk to them about becoming a web designer or a consultant. Fashion designers create beautiful works of wearable art to create memorable and functional apparel.

Science

In the world of science, your teen will be able to make earth shattering discoveries and change the way humans understand the world. Geologists, Astronomers, Biologists, Forensic Scientists, Archeologists, Anthropologists, Psychologists, and many more opportunities are available for your teen to enter. Whatever he’s interested in, there’s a science for it, and he’ll be able to learn all about what he loves best.

You’ll love your teen no matter what they choose to do in life, but sometimes they may need help deciding. Sit them down and discuss what their interests are, and what they can see themselves doing in the long-term. Their decision may change from time to time, but that’s OK. Offer them a few suggestions they can think about before jumping the fast track to career success.

Author Bio:

Meagan Wilson loves to read and write with her beast of a dog. She lives in a small southern town where the weather is predictably, unpredictable.

3 Ways To Encourage Kids To Drink More Water

March 18, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

http://www.123rf.com/photo_4633916_two-cute-brothers-having-fun-outdoors.html photo credit

Water helps organs to function properly, aids the passage of nutrients throughout the body, cools the body down, lubricates the joints and aids the removal of waste from the system, among other benefits. If people become dehydrated they also tend to have trouble concentrating, and education and work results are affected. All in all, water is an essential fluid that humans must get plenty of. However, when it comes to a child’s taste buds, they often prefer juice, cordial or soft drinks over healthy water. As a result, parents need to do what they can to encourage children to drink enough. While you can look at fun ways to color water or add slices of fruit or novelty ice blocks, there are also some other ideas that you can implement both inside your home and out to help kids drink up. Read on for three ways you can encourage your child to drink more water and get their required daily servings of H20 as a result.

Make Water Easily Accessible

One of the best ways to guarantee success is to plan for it by creating a water-friendly environment at home. Start introducing water to children as soon as possible and make it accessible to them at all times. When they’re babies, you can introduce them to a spoonful at a time or let them play with a sippy cup of water to learn how it works and how the new liquid tastes. Try different sorts of baby cups too — sometimes you won’t realise that certain cups with a no-spill spout make it difficult for bubs to access their water, so a free-flow design might work better. Some containers can also tend to give users a plastic or metal aftertaste, so again, try different options to see which your baby likes best.

It can also help to allocate a special cup to each child in the household if they’re old enough, let them have some control by choosing their own. Use this vessel only when drinking water and leave it in a spot that your child can reach in the home. You might find that older children, if allowed some freedom to fill up their cups from a fridge’s water dispenser or the tap when they choose, will end up drinking more than if you pour it for them each time. Having cold or filtered water on hand, especially in summer, is a good way to ensure that the drink is more appealing as well.

Take It to Go

Keep the good habits going when you’re out and about by ensuring each child in your family has their own personalized water bottle. Purchase a fun, bright, specially labeled bottle from a store such as Stuck on You and your child will be much more likely to want to drink from it. Take a few moments each night to fill up the water bottles and you’ll soon get in the habit of ensuring you never need to buy bottled water on the run. This is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly option, and a great routine to instill in your children. If you intend to be out of the house for many hours then take an Esky or water bottle cooler to keep the water at a drinkable temperature. If your child is of school age, then it also helps to freeze the water bottle at night so that the liquid ends up at a suitable drinking temperature.

Lead by Example

One of the best ways you can encourage your children to drink more water is to lead by example. Focus on developing this habit together as a family, and each day show your kids how much water you drink. Spend time explaining to your children why water consumption is an important part of healthy living and why drinking more of it is a healthy choice the whole family needs to make each day. Also ensure you keep the focus positive. Instead of telling your children that they’re not allowed soft drink or sugary cordials, focus on the fact that they do get to hydrate their bodies with fresh, clean water day in, day out.

Seek Community and Parenting Advice at Bundoo & Giveaway

March 7, 2014 by Momstart 12 Comments

This is a partnered post.

Thinking back when I found out that I was pregnant I wanted to know everything all at one time. I wanted to know what to expect so we went out and bought some books. My husband started reading parenting books and about my pregnancy and I started with the pregnancy book. It was nice to have those books, but it would have been even better to have something like Bundoo. Smart Parenting Starts Here.

Bundoo is a parenting site with information, tools and products all in one place. Starting with pregnancy advice and going all the way into toddlers. Bundoo is full of free A-Z articles are reviewed and written by pediatricians, OB/GYNs and child development specialists in an easy-to-understand and straightforward style that is free from any confusing medical jargon. The information on Bundoo is organized in such an amazing way that it’s so easy to find what you are looking for and I received an interesting article in my inbox this morning. The article was about e-cigs. I’ve never really thought about them that much except that I don’t want to support cigarettes on my blog at all. I clicked on it and found out that they aren’t healthy either and the vapors can still be bad for you and others around you. And I liked how when I was reading I saw something else I wanted to click on and that’s when you know you are on a good site. You see an article that’s interesting and click and you keep clicking.

It’s also very important as a new parent to make sure you have a community of some kind. I found myself feeling alone often. Or even now, I feel like parenting is so hard. Sometimes I feel like everything I do is wrong. I mean just the other day I had to put my child on the school bus and she went to school throwing a complete tantrum. I was embarrassed and felt like how is it that my child is the only one that has to throw a fit like that. Then I start talking to other moms and friends and they said, it’s happened to them just in a different way. It wasn’t the school bus it was in the mall or just something. So you need that community in some way to survive being a parent. The Keeping it “Real” group in the Bundoo Community is a great place to talk about this kind of thing. Bundoo’s free online community provides a friendly, positive space where parents can benefit from the support of other parents and gain access to experts in childcare, child development, pediatrics and pregnancy.

The Bundoo Marketplace offers specially selected products that support and help guide parents to make smart purchasing decisions for their families. Bundoo experts offer tips for selected products. Bundoo is free except for one section. The Ask Bundoo section is $100 a month. Bundoo’s Ask Bundoo connects parents directly with pediatricians, OB/GYNs and other childcare experts to answer questions privately with current and accurate information. Ask Bundoo is a way for parents to get peace of mind by asking questions without having to pay a co-pay.