Why are LEGO® sets good for Kids?

January 13, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

Our family is completely in love with LEGO^® sets. I don’t just mean a little bit – it’s the activity my kids ask for more often than most any other. We have huge totes and buckets full of pieces – the largest supply being from Hubby’s childhood! Yup, our love of these building blocks goes deep – it was his main thing growing up, and now he’s sharing it with his children. Plus, now we can enjoy LEGO^® Super Heroes at any age! You may be wondering ‘Why are LEGO® sets good for Kids?‘ Here’s the reasons I personally like best!Since we’re also major super hero fans, the LEGO^® Super Heroes: MARVEL^™ and LEGO^® Super Heroes: DC UNIVERSE^™sets are the PERFECT thing for this group of kiddos – and us adults, too! They bring characters from comic books and new movie releases to LEGO brick form, making great fun for all.

I really wish I’d gotten my family’s reactions on video when I pulled out the two sets we received. You can tell how my hubby and Black Widow responded in the picture above, at least! My boys were equally thrilled, and couldn’t wait to get started on the LEGO^® JUNIORS (Ages 4+) that was the perfect level for them. They had so much fun putting together Spiderman and his helicopter, then played for hours with him, Green Goblin and the rescue force dude that came in the set.

They didn’t even need much supervision because LEGO^® JUNIORS delivers fun, age-appropriate building sets with easy-to-follow building instructions, colorful photos and playful guidance to help to ensure a smooth transition to independent building. Quick start elements and modular bricks, such as walls and archways, facilitate easy builds—giving children out-of-the-box success.

Reason #1 to why are LEGO^®sets good for kids

Storytelling and creative play is inspired by a variety of iconic themes.

My kids LOVE coming up with stories inspired by their favorite super heroes with these sets! It’s so funny to hear them say things such as ‘I’ll get you Green Goblin’ and ‘spider web ahoy’! Hubby and I were grinning ear to ear, remember all the superhero games from when we were little. I’m so glad the love of super heroes is strong in my family!

Reason #2 why we love LEGO® sets for kids’ learning & growth

As children play, they grow confident in their ability to bring stories and ideas to life.

I let Black Widow do the Batman & Deathstroke LEGO^® Super Heroes (ages 5-12) set by herself, and it couldn’t be more perfect for her age range! With just very minor help here and there, she really felt good about herself once it was all done!

Reason #3 why you should let your kids play with LEGO®

Because LEGO^® Super Heroes is a perfect way to introduce the entire family to the land of make-believe & open-ended play. With something for every age, you are never too young or too much of an adult to build your own version of a superhero with LEGO bricks.

Which brings us to our last reason these are such great toys for kids:

Reason #4 to let your kids play with LEGO^® building sets

It really does bridge the gap between generations! We get the grandparents down playing with these guys, building and creating, using their imaginations for new stories and situations. They love it!

What special power does everyone in the family wish they had?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The Sock Basket

January 12, 2016 by Lynn Driver

Moms encounter all kinds of little dilemmas every day, and sometimes the simplest solutions are the best solutions- like this laundry room Sock Basket.

It’s that time again, when everyone is making resolutions for the new year, and getting organized is usually pretty high on everybody’s list- including mine! I’m Lynn, here from Riggstown Road to share one of my all-time-favorite (and simplest) tips with you: the sock basket, and two ways to use it.

In my house, there are 6 people, who each have two feet, and that means that in winter we use a dozen socks a day. Now, they don’t take up all that much space in the laundry, but what does happen in the laundry is…they get lost. More specifically, it’s usually one sock out of a pair that gets lost. It is one of the great mysteries of life how two matching socks go into the laundry hamper, but only one comes out of the dryer. :/ That leaves us with a collection of single socks, which we either cram into a drawer where they get lost and take up space, or we toss them in the trash- only to find their match a day or week later.

So, I decided to start saving all those random socks in one place, and it’s so handy.

Here is alternative #1: Keep a basket or bucket in your laundry room, labeled “socks.” It doesn’t have to be cute, but it helps. 😉 When laundry is being folded & put away, and there are several random socks in the stack, (because there always are…) just toss them into the sock basket and once a week or so, look through the basket and match up any pairs. When the mates reappear, you’ll be glad you didn’t trash those random singles. If you’re family is like mine, there always seems to be a sock shortage!

And here is option #2: When you empty the dryer, keep all the socks in a basket saved especially for socks. Let your little ones match them up. It’s a great skill for preschoolers to practice and/or a perfect chore to assign to your school-aged kiddos, because busy moms need good helpers! Then they can deliver all the socks they’ve matched up to their owners, and leave all the rest right in the sock basket ’til next time.

When a sock shortage occurs, you can direct the kids to the sock basket. Maybe they will find the one they need! If not, they will at least find socks!

Bonus: The sock basket comes in handy when the kids want to make sock puppets or doll clothes, and when mom needs a really good dust cloth.

If you recognized the chalkboard pennant label on my basket, I borrowed it from the EASY CHALKBOARD BANNER you can find in this post:

Be sure to check out all the great organization tips here at Busy Mom’s Helper!

15 Tips for a Healthy Active Life

December 29, 2015 by Kathleen Clegg

With the new year comes new goals for a lot of people. Some people call them resolutions, but for me, resolutions are things people stop doing and goals are things people tend to work towards. Each year I set goals for myself for the coming year. Sometimes I make them, sometimes I decide they aren’t really things I want to pursue and sometimes they get carried on to the next year. Being healthy and active is something that has become more and more important to me as I have gotten older. As I am considering my goals for the next year, I thought I would bring you 15 Tips for a Healthy Active Life. Some of my tips might seem really basic to you, but hopefully they will all help someone. I think we all want to live healthy lives and being active is a huge step toward that goal.

[Read more…]

Let Your Tween Show Her Style

December 3, 2015 by Kelly Dedeaux

My daughter is really into fashion – not as in following whatever the current trend is, but in dressing to show her own unique personality and fun sense of style. She hates being in near-uniform at school, but luckily outside of class I can Let my Tween Show Her Style!

I only have one girl, remember, and she’s 9 going on 16! She was furious when we moved from a semi-lenient dress code school district until now where it’s basically a uniform. She likes to pick and choose her clothes, switch them up to make cool trends, and really SHINE! When I told her we were going to swing by Justice to nab her a few outfits, it was like Christmas already! She loves that store – and not just because the variety of fun & stylish clothing options. The set-up is super nice – they clearly show where the Pj area is, snow attire, the more casual, etc. And it’s great that their friendly staff has sample outfits matched up on the displays to get her stylish ideas flowing.

I think she’d buy half the store if I let her, crazy tween girl! Justice is THE go-to destination for stylish tween girls this holiday season. Whether shopping in-store or online, Justice makes it easy and hassle-free for anyone with a tween girl in their life to find great holiday gifts! It’s like my girl can’t wait to get home from school just so she can put on a new outfit – and she’s always up for a photo opp!

So what if you want to pick out some clothes for your tween to surprise her with Christmas morning? No worries – now you don’t have to stress out about shopping for the tween in your life! The Justice Holiday Gift Guide makes it easy to find the perfect gift on Shopjustice.com.

Is your girl a trend setter? A mega athlete? Maybe a girly girl? Justice’s Justice Holiday Gift Guide makes shopping for every girl easy and fun! They have such a variety – my dancing, twirling, book reading, rough-housing, tomboy sweetheart of a girl finds the PERFECT things to really let her personality SHINE!

Snap a photo of your tween’s holiday wish to enter into the Justice Wishes Sweepstakes between 12/1 and 12/24 to win weekly amazing prizes like $250 Justice gift cards or a shopping spree!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

20 Alternatives to TV for Kids

November 21, 2015 by Lynn Driver

I’m a list person. It’s how I keep my sanity. 🙂 I loved making this list of 20 Alternatives to TV for Kids!

Happy Thanksgiving from Riggstown Road, moms! I’m Lynn, and I love coming over to BMH to share some ideas with you, like these things your kids can do when they think there is nothing to do. I’m sure that, like me, you count your children at the top of your list when you count your blessings. I also know that life with kids can get pretty chaotic…like those times when your children insist they have absolutely nothing to do (moping and whining notwithstanding) while YOU are busy with so much to do! TV is such an easy and oh-so-convenient time-filler, but wouldn’t it be nice to have some alternatives to TV to fall back on?

But it’s hard for you to think of suggestions when you have the baby on your hip and dinner on the stove. I have learned (the hard way) that right in the middle of a thing is not the best time to come up with a plan. It’s best to be prepared ahead of time. So, keep these ideas handy and whenever you think of a new one, add it to the list!

ALTERNATIVES to TV for KIDS:

Do some memory work. (Learn a scripture, a poem, or those pesky times tables.)
Use flash cards to quiz a sibling.
Radio dramas/ Audio books. (These are amazing. You can purchase cd’s or listen online.)
Extra chores that we don’t get to every day (um, week.) (I have a list for that!)
Do a fun creative writing assignment.
Use craft supplies to make something fun. (Keep a craft bucket filled with kid-friendly supplies.)
Go on a scavenger hunt in the yard.
Speaking of the yard, Play Outside!
Help a neighbor.
Play a board game.
Read. (Be prepared to tell me about it!)
Dump out the toy box and rediscover things.
Help mom in the kitchen.
Play a board game.
Help dad by raking leaves.
Jump into newly raked pile of leaves and start over.
Clean out the car. (You get to keep all the change you find!)
Draw and/or color. (Buying fresh, new coloring books now & then is a worthy investment.)
Build with Legos or Lincoln Logs. (Make it a competition!)
Research something you’re interested in, and report on it at dinner.

Now, obviously, some of these activities sound like more fun than others. I usually start by suggesting the most appealing things first. If the whining continues, I suggest (or require) the more academic or chore-like activities. It’s a “complain at your own risk” sort of deal. 🙂 Also, those times when there seems to be a surplus of time are the perfect opportunity to get some of those neglected or forgotten things done.

Even though I limited this list to 20 to keep the post from being too long, there really are endless possibilities. I would love to hear some of your ideas, so I can add them to my list!

(And…check out this post for another sanity-saving idea for moms.)

Fun While Learning with Innotab

November 17, 2015 by Kelly Dedeaux

The product has been provided by VTech so I could experience it with my family; however, the thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

You know those moms who think kids shouldn’t have tablets, because then it could turn into an electronic babysitter? I’m so not one of those! Not judging them in any way, it’s just not my own opinion. My kids have tablets – not their own, specifically, but ‘family tablets’ they’re allowed to use, with our permission. Not only is it great when I have an important 10 minute phone call and need them quiet, but it also can be educational! My new favorite, the VTech InnoTab MAX, not only let’s me monitor and adjust the security, but they can also have Fun While Learning with InnoTab!

I love the ease of this tablet, especially setting up the parental controls! Even my Hubby commented on how nice the touchscreen worked. The kids were so excited that they could set their picture for the profiles, too! Hubby had to try it out first, of course 🙂

The VTech InnoTab MAX is targeted for ages 3-9, so it fits my three boys perfectly, while still being decently good for my 9-year-old girl.

So what sets this apart from previous versions or tablets? The 7″ multi-touch screen has high resolution, and it uses a rechargeable Lithium battery. It’s ran by a powerful dual-core CPU with up to 6 times the processing power of previous generations. Yup, it’s a tough beast!

Seriously, it has so many features and things that I just can’t mention them all! Here’s a few of my favorites:

Includes VTech Kid Connect™, which allows children and parents to exchange voice and text messages, photos, drawings and fun stickers in real time between the tablet and a smartphone
Educational bundle of eight apps that can be downloaded after registering the tablet on the Learning Lodge® app store
Huge existing library of age-appropriate apps plus hand-picked Android learning games

It even has a progressive learning content that adapts to a child’s skill level – this is especially helpful for my little Thor. It’s awesome seeing him learn and progress through things – and it makes him so proud!

They’ve built in fun little extras, such as an area where you kids can ‘WISH’ for apps they want – then you, the parent, can go in and see if you want to get that for them, or not. A neat idea, in my opinion!

As far as safety is concerned, it has kid-safe Wi-Fi and Web Browser to they can explore online games, videos and websites that were pre-selected by VTech. Using the easy-to-navigate Parental Controls, you can manage their apps, web access and even set limits and rules to their tablet time.

It allows you to track their learning development, too, which is AWESOME!

My Android-loving hubby was thrilled to learn it uses Android! It’s available in blue or pink, and would make a FABULOUS Christmas or birthday gift!

And You Can Win a VTech InnoTab MAX just in time for the holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Support Your Baby’s Language Development

November 4, 2015 by Ashley Soderlund Ph.D.

Hello Busy Moms! Today I’m back talking about language development in babies. Language development is fascinating, especially once infants start talking sometime after their first birthday. But even before they begin talking, language is developing under the surface.

When babies make cooing sounds they are practicing vowel sounds and when they make sounds like “ba,ba,ba,ba,ba” they are practicing vowel-consonant combinations. But much of that under the surface learning comes from them listening to our language. Babies as young as 6-months can recognize familiar words like “mommy” and “daddy.”

So how can you support your baby’s language?

You are probably already doing exactly what your baby needs you to do, but maybe you have doubts about it or don’t realize how important it actually is. Do you use “baby talk” when talking with your baby? Maybe your voice becomes a little more singsong and you repeat words more often? Researchers, who study baby talk or “child-directed speech,” have found that it is important for language development. You may have heard the opposite, that simplifying language could be detrimental when in fact, using “baby talk” is probably one of the best things you can do to help them develop language.

Think about what baby talk sounds like. We use a singsong and higher pitch voice, repetition, longer pauses, and exaggerated pronunciation and expressions. All of these features work to capture your baby’s attention. Babies prefer listening to child-directed speech over regular speech and by the time they are 5-months-old they show greater emotional reactions when listening to child-directed speech compared to regular speech.

When you think about it makes sense. Child-directed speech is simpler and slower making it easier for infants to understand the social and emotional meaning of the interaction. It also helps babies develop language. In one study, researchers found that a toddler’s vocabulary was larger when their parents repeated more words when they were 7-months old.

Our instinct to use cute words and change our voices when we talk to babies was well designed to promote language development, probably in more ways than we know!

So, don’t hold back on the baby talk, it’s exactly what you are supposed to do!

10 tips for holiday travel with kids

October 23, 2015 by Keri Houchin

The holiday season is coming up fast. Chances are that your family will be traveling to visit extended family sometime in November of December. Traveling with kids can be stressful, but planning can make all the difference. These 10 tips for holiday travel with kids are practical and simple.

Hello Busy Mom’s Helper readers! It’s Keri from One Mama’s Daily Drama and today I want to share some really simple travel tips. My in-laws live about 300 miles from my home and it usually takes us about 5 or 6 hours along winding rural roads to get to their house.

Although we don’t travel as much now that my kids are older (ironically), when they were babies and toddlers, we made that drive almost every month. How did I keep from going crazy?

I made a few small plans that had a big effect. I want to share them with you so that when you are traveling with the kids for Thanksgiving or Christmas (or any time, really), it can be pleasant for everyone involved no matter how far you are going.

Plan for stops on the road.

Kids have tiny bladders and the rocking of the car doesn’t help. Expect to stop every hour or two (depending on how old your kids are) for a bathroom break. If you check the route ahead of time, you can plan to stop at the cleanest rest stops instead of funky gas stations.

Consider your child’s nap schedule.

The rocking of the vehicle can lull a cranky baby to sleep. If possible, plan to drive during nap time. This way, when you arrive at grandma’s house, baby will be ready to wake up and play and hopefully her sleep schedule won’t be off too much.

Make lists and delegate responsibilities.

If you are not an uber-organized person, keeping track of everything you need for the trip can be a chore. Make a list for each person’s suitcase and let the kids pack themselves if they are old enough. You’ll also want a list of gifts, car essentials, and a few emergency items.

Bring plenty of snacks.

When kids (and adults) get bored, they also get hungry. Pack easy travel friendly snacks that don’t need refrigeration, like granola bars, pretzels, and dried fruit.

Pack some new entertainment.

Fun car activities don’t have to be expensive – or even cost. Before each trip, I print off several free coloring pages and puzzles. What makes them interesting is that they are new.

Borrow an audio book from the library.

Christmas carols on a CD will get old pretty quick. Instead, pick up an audio book from your local library for free. Find something that will be interesting to kids and adults. We like classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Bunnicula series.

Spread out the fun.

If you give the kids all of the snacks and entertainment at the beginning of the trip, they will be bored in 20 minutes. Instead, make sticky notes with times on them and stick them near the clock. When each special moment arrives, hand out a new coloring page or snack.

Give your child a map.

In an age where technology is everything, the simplicity of a paper map is magical. Trace the route you will be following and highlight a few landmarks that your child can look for. It will help with the inevitable “are we there yet?”

Plan for emergencies.

Nobody wants to think about the dangers of traveling, but it’s important to be prepared. If it will be cold, make sure you have the essential emergency supplies. Check the air in the tires and pack a spare. Let others know when to expect you so that if you are very late, they can take appropriate action.

Don’t stress too much.

Sometimes this is easier said than done. It’s important to remember the reason for your trip: to visit loved ones. The holidays are a joyful time when we get to visit the people we love and don’t see as often. If you need to make a few extra stops, they will understand if you arrive a little late. If you forget to pack something, you can almost always find an alternative.

Which one of these tips for holiday travel with kids do you think would help your family?

Free Photos for your Kids’ Halloween Costumes

October 21, 2015 by Kelly Dedeaux

This is a sponsored post that helps support this blog. All opinions are mine alone.

Who doesn’t love FREE photos? I know I do – especially Free photos for your Kids’ Halloween Costumes! We spend forever deciding on the darn things, I want a good, quality picture of them – and any I attempt seem to be blurry because they’re just too excited! We’ll be heading over to either Plano, Fort Worth, or Arlington for ours, but maybe Cedar Hills, TX is closer to you. Ready to learn all the ‘spooktacular’ details? Here we go then!

You’re invited to our Halloween Party! No tricks here, just treats. Portrait Innovations invites you to attend our FREE PORTRAIT EVENT, at your nearest studio on Monday, October 26th from 4-6pm. Make sure to come dressed in costume to recieve a free 5×7 Print, 3 freeDigital Images, and of course FREE candy for kids in costume! There will be no sales or appointments during this event.

Of course, there will be candy! What Halloween event would be complete without? And, for a little extra motivation for YOU, submit those darling costume portraits from the event in the Portrait Innovations Boo-tiful Costume Contest for a chance to win a $5,000 cash prize. That’ll make for a fantastic Halloween!

Every Portrait Innovations Studio across the country is hosting the event. To find the studio closest to you, visit: http://www.portraitinnovations.com/Find-a-Studio

Can’t make it on the 26th? Don’t fret! Book a regular appointment, snap a few costume pics and you can still enter the contest.

You may see us there – we’ll have a couple of ‘Ninjago Ninja’ guys in our midst, plus Mal from Disney Descendents. Heck, I may even join in the fun and dress up in my Mad Hatter girl costume – and hubby is looking forward to being Starlord from Guardians of the Galaxy!

Planning to go? What will your littles be dressed up as?

The Parenting Toolbox

October 5, 2015 by Ashley Soderlund Ph.D.

I’m happy to be back at Busy Mom’s helper today sharing a positive parenting tip that helps me get through the more challenging times.

What is a Parenting Toolbox?

It’s a set of ideas, strategies and approaches that you cultivate over time to help you deal with the parenting challenges we all face. Even more than that it is an attitude that helps help deal with those challenging times in a positive way.

This idea of a ‘parenting toolbox’ came up during conversations with my sister as we both raise highly spirited boys. We call each other asking for advice saying things, like “I’ve tried everything and nothing works!” and “I need a new tool in my parenting toolbox!”

My sister and I have both recently made it through the independence-seeking, defiant, and boundary testing days of year two, only to turn around and find ourselves with the even more challenging behavior of year three. Her oldest just turned three and mine just turned four (phew!). Needless to say we’ve had A LOT of conversations over the last few years that have started with – “I’m so frustrated!” and more often than not have ended with “That’s a good idea, I’ll try it.”

As parents, we all face challenges raising our children. And in the face of those challenges we may also have moments of self-doubt. That critical voice in our head creeps in and wonders what we did wrong or even what’s wrong with our child. If we can push those thoughts aside and instead see our child’s new challenging behavior as an opportunity for expanding our parenting skills, then we are truly engaging in positive parenting.

Because here’s the thing:

Our children are constantly growing and developing. With each new stage come new joys and new challenges. We as parents need to grow right along with them—we need to face those new challenges with new ideas and new tools.

That trait, the ability to look at challenge as an opportunity to grow, is a characteristic of highly resilient people. Psychologists call this cognitive hardiness: a style of coping common among people who thrive even when faced with challenge and who report high levels of well-being. In other words, people who are happy and successful.

It seems to me that this is something that we as parents do all the time. Raising children is wonderful and challenging. It makes sense that when they grow that we as parents would view this as an opportunity to grow ourselves.

People are full of good advice for parents and sometimes that’s annoying, but I think usually it’s a good thing. Maybe even a GREAT thing. Yes, you have to filter through that advice – what will work for your child’s temperament and your family may not work for someone else. But I always listen and file away the advice I get because someday it might be the very thing I need to help my child.

So here is my wish for all of us. That we always grow alongside our children and that our parenting expands and deepens with each year. Fill up that parenting toolbox!

To get started check out these posts—all of them contain concrete parenting actions. Tools for your parenting toolbox.

Three Quick Tips to Help Your Kids Calm Down

The Power of a High Five

Self-Regulation Toolkit for When Kids Have to Wait

How to Get Your Child to Listen

Four Mealtime Strategies for Kids Who Won’t Sit Still!

Thanks for Reading!

5 Tips to Make Reading Fun

September 27, 2015 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and SunnyD, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #keepitsunny http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

I’m a huge fan of books, and so far my kiddos have shown a great interest in reading, too – but there’s plenty of kids who don’t enjoy it! Here’s 5 Tips to Make Reading Fun – plus how to earn FREE BOOKS for your kids’ school, just with items you already enjoy from the grocery store!

Especially now that I have THREE kiddos in school, we stay stocked up on drinks like SunnyD and Fruit2O for the occasional special drink in their lunches, or as the perfect refreshment with after-school snack! I was THRILLED to learn that just by purchasing things we’re already enjoying, we can easily earn free books for their school with the Book Spree Program. It’s also nice that it’s not just a specific store – I can grab the correctly marked products at Walmart or Kroger, which are my usual shopping spots. Check your local store, too!

Here’s how the program works:

Clip and collect eligible SunnyD and Fruit2O UPC labels (they’ll be clearly marked).
Send the labels with your child to a participating teacher.
Once all of the UPCs are collected, the teacher then fills out the entry form and mails that, along with the UPCs, to SunnyD.
SunnyD will then send current, age-appropriate books to the participating classroom – up to 20 books per classroom.

The Book Spree ends 11/30/2015, so don’t wait! I have many friends who are home educators and guess what? They’re eligible, too! This brings us to our tips starting with #1….

1. Offer a Variety of Books

Reading the same type of story or writing style can become boring quick, so offer your kids a variety of books – different topics, illustration styles, etc. This helps give them something new, and also can help them learn what TYPE of books they really find the most enjoyable.

2. Read Together

One of my twins didn’t use to like reading – by himself, that is. I understand, since they’re still learning how, but it was still difficult. After I started reading WITH him more, and it became like a habit, he now likes sitting down with a book by himself almost as much as when we sit together.

3. Bring the Book to Life with Crafts

Get your kids more involved in the books they’re reading by doing an activity or craft! A recent one we did was taking some of our empty SunnyD bottles, cleaning them out, then decorating them a character from a book they like. This particular one was Cat in the Hat comes back – so we shoved some white paper scraps inside and made red stripes! After reading Charlotte’s Web, my daughter created a little ‘farm’ to match the one in the book just from construction paper and colored cotton balls.

4. Do the Voices

Some people HATE doing the different ‘voices’ of characters in books, but I’ve heard many say it helps keep the kids engaged and their attention span lasts longer. It’s like in college when I had a monotone professor – hard to pay attention to the same sound for too long!

5. Recall the Stories

Bring up the stories you’ve read at other times, not just ‘reading time’. One way our family does this is by randomly saying quotes from a recent book. Example: I’ll tell the kids to sit down for something and be like ‘And all they could do was to sit, sit, sit sit,’. The kids, if they remember (they usually do), reply ‘and they did not like it, not one little bit!’ Makes a fun moment for us all, and helps their memory at the same time!

Just collect SunnyD labels and send to your child’s teacher. Teachers will then send the labels into SunnyD to get free books. For every 20 labels received, SunnyD will donate 20 free books. (expires on 11/30/15 or while supplies last)

How to Win the Bed-Making Fight

September 8, 2015 by Kelly Dedeaux

I received a free Zipit Bedding to facilitate this review. All opinions are entirely my own. The Zipit Bedding®, information, and giveaway have been provided by Ontel.

Since school’s back in session, I know y’all have heard me say many times how much I dread the morning hassle. Early school means rushing through breakfast, getting kids dressed, teeth brushed, beds made and everything else. Luckily I now have a great way to Win the Bed-Making Fight! Oh – PLUS a giveaway – Woot woot!

Do your kids hate making their beds? Mine sure do – either that, or they LOVE doing it one day, which results in 30 minutes of messing with blankets until I feel like I’ll pull my hair out. I don’t want to do it FOR them, though – they need to learn! I was a bit skeptical when I heard about Zipit Bedding®, because I wasn’t sure how comfy it would be for them, the struggling with it during the night, or the ease of putting it on and off the bed when it’s laundry time.

I was pleasantly surprised, though, and actually really love it! It basically is a fitted sheet you put on the bed – then the comforter zippers on BOTH sides. It’s open on the bottom, probably for air flow and comfort – which I think is ideal.

Hulk was super excited about the designs – we chose the Extreme Sports set. There’s plenty to choose from though, such as Outer Space, Rock Princess, or even just classic colors! Their also reversible so you can switch things up easily!

Another nifty feature is the zipper pocket at the top – keep a diary, flashlight, or whatever in there for the kiddos.

It’s now SO MUCH EASIER when it’s time to make their beds! Anything that saves us time and fights in the morning is a HUGE blessing, as I’m sure you other busy mama’s understand!

More info on Zipit Bedding®:

· It is the perfect gift for kids ages 3+ and teens who dislike making their bed

· Zipit Bedding® comes in stylish, reversible styles for both girls and boys

· It glows in the dark

· In addition to fitting standard beds, Zipit Bedding® is perfect for traveling and sleepaway camps

o Fits hard-to-make bunk beds, trundle beds, air mattresses and more

· It is available in two convenient sizes:

o Twin size- SRP: $59.99

o Full/Queen size- SRP: $79.99 (currently only available online)

· Zipit Bedding® is machine washable

Ready to win a twin-sized Zipit Bedding®?

The Zipit Bedding®, information, and giveaway have been provided by Ontel. Available to U.S. Residents only. Will be shipped by company.