Stuff Parents Need - Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Easy Clean Eating Recipes (Top 10 Cookbooks That Will Save Your Sanity!)

March 31, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

If you are trying to remove toxins from your home, including in your kitchen, then you are familiar with the term “clean eating.” Basically all clean eating amounts to is eating whole foods, meaning that they are minimally processed, if at all (so nothing enriched, refined, or preserved) and grown in an organic way, free of pesticides, non-GMO, and free of added hormones.

It actually sounds quite simple, until you start trying to find recipes that will work, or go to the grocery store. Then it becomes quite tricky, indeed! I think what is the most frustrating, for me at least, is the amount of time I have to spend on food when I try to eat clean. It feels like I am constantly hunting for recipes, trying to find acceptable ingredients, and then spending tons of time in the kitchen preparing the food.

It’s enough to make me want to quit, and I’ve certainly quit more than a few times after declaring that our family would be eating clean again. Can you relate?

If so, I hope that this list of resources will be very helpful. I put it together because I personally really need easy ways to find delicious and FAST clean eating ideas. I don’t have time to scour Pinterest every day for a new idea, and I definitely don’t have time to spend an hour making dinner every night (not to mention preparing breakfast and lunch!). These 10 cookbooks are just what I have been looking for to help me take care of all aspects of meal planning much faster, and with delicious results.

easy clean eating recipes collage

Clean Eating: 15-Minute Clean eating Recipes: Meals that Improve Your Health, Make You Lean, and Boost Your Metabolism

I love that most of these recipes have 10 ingredients or less and take around 15 minutes to make. Perfect for a busy lifestyle!

2. Clean Eating: The Ultimate Quick Start Guide to Eat Better, Lose Weight,

Geared more toward the person hoping to jump-start some weight loss, this is a fantastic resource with 15 minute recipes, simple ingredients, and delicious flavors.

3. Hungry Girl Clean & Hungry: Easy All-Natural Recipes for Healthy Eating in the Real World

This book goes beyond the 30 minutes or less guideline with some of their recipes, but I love that the book is loaded with color pictures and that the portions are generous and the food is so darn yummy! A great choice for the person who wants to eat better, but not necessarily eat less! 🙂

4. Clean Eating: The 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge: Boost Your Metabolism and Increase Energy With Simple Recipes for Healthy Cooking!

I like that this book is written by a personal trainer and wellness coach, someone who knows a lot about what “good fuel” for our bodies really looks like!

5. Clean Eating for Busy Families

Getting yourself on the clean eating train is one thing, but getting children on board is quite another! I own this cookbook and absolutely love it. It has helped me find foods that my kids enjoy, and most recipes take 30 minutes or less. Perfect!

6. Clean Eating on a Budget

This is the go-to pick if you are worried about how eating clean will impact your grocery budget. It’s a simple cookbook (not as many pictures as I would like) but it gets the job done and will help you save money. Also? It’s just 99 cents!

7. The Family Friendly Clean-Eating Cookbook

Here’s another great pick for busy families with picky little eaters! It includes -12 breakfast recipes, 14 lunch ideas, 15 dinner recipes, 6 desserts and 5 super quick and easy recipe for the busiest of days.

8. Fast and Easy Clean Eating Cookbook

The title says it all! Another great pick.

9. Clean Eating: Quick 15 Day Clean Eating Recipe Cookbook

This is a great choice if you are new to clean eating and have no idea where to start. You can follow these recipes for 2 full weeks and get a sense for your favorite flavors and cooking styles.

10. Clean Eating Kids

I know all too well that it doesn’t matter if a recipe only took you 15 minutes to make if your kids refuse to eat it. Better to help kids with the transition to a less processed diet by presenting more options that they might enjoy, especially at the start! Love this resource for that reason.

I hope these picks help you get on the path to a healthier lifestyle and help you save time because I know you’ve got better things to do than to worry about food all day!

6 Ways to Protect Your Carpet from Your Toddler

March 30, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

The second you have your first child, there’s always something to worry about. Are they safe? Are they happy? Are they hungry? Parents have a million (or more!) concerns when it comes to their kids. Every day is an adventure (or misadventure), and every day new challenges arise. The most important challenge that’s always on a parents’ mind is how to protect their children. But what about protecting your home from your child?

With so many things to think about and worry about as a parent, keeping your home looking and smelling clean doesn’t have to be one of them and shouldn’t be one of them. It’s pretty much a given that when you have a child, things around the house will be a little messier and a little less organized than before. Kids spill, they have accidents, they get sick, and well, life happens. Usually, these mishaps are easy fixes, however, when a spill or accident happens on your carpet, it can be a whole other story. Here are the 6 best ways to protect your carpet from your toddler.

How to Protect Your Carpet from Your Toddler

Chair Mats/Splat Mats

One great way to protect your carpet from your toddler spilling on it is to not allow them to eat near any carpeted areas in your home. Well, that’s easier said than done. Some homes have carpeted eating areas and even if not, some families like to enjoy meals or snacks in rooms other than the kitchen. If this sounds like you, it’s a great idea to get a chair mat or splat mat to put under your child’s chair when they eat. These are perfect for protecting floors at mealtime. They’re lightweight, easy to move around, and most importantly, easy to wipe up if there’s a spill.

Shower Curtain

There are so many activities other than eating that your toddler can be doing around the house that may damage your carpet. From painting and coloring to lounging around drinking a juice box to using toys they’d been playing with outside, if you want to protect a larger area of your carpet or give your kids some space to play, get a little creative and lay a shower curtain down on the floor for them. This will ensure that all messes are easy to clean up and you can even find one with fun patterns and designs that they’ll love!

Get a Cheap Area Rug

An alternative to the shower curtain is using a cheap rug for your child to play on. You can get one for a great price in your kid’s favorite color, and if any messes occur, you can just throw it right in the washing machine. Easy peasy.

Spill Proof Cups

We’re sure you’ve heard the expression “there’s no use crying over spilled milk.” Sure, that’s a great saying until your kid is spilling that milk all over your carpet! Spill proof cups have to be one of the best inventions ever. Give your kid one of these and you’ll never have to worry about crying over spilled milk, because there won’t be any.

Mats by All Doors

As soon as kids step outside to play, they always seem to be covered with dirt and mud within seconds. Don’t let your kids drag this mud inside on their shoes. Put mats by all the doors and make sure to teach your kids that there are no shoes allowed inside. Make sure they always keep their shoes on the mats so that your carpet doesn’t have a chance of ever even seeing the bottoms of their muddy soles!

Carpet Protector

When you have your carpet professionally cleaned, make sure to have the cleaner apply a carpet protector. This will give you some extra protection from your little one doing any damage to your carpet.

If you have any other tips for keeping your carpets safe from toddlers, leave a comment and share!

DIY Detangler Spray (with Hidden Benefits)

March 28, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

We go through detangling spray at our house at a rapid clip, since we have 2 little girls with long hair and a habit of getting who-knows-what in their hair on the regular. So we have lots of little knots and tangles to deal with each and every morning.

By this point in my parenting life, I have probably purchased a dozen bottles of Conditioning Mist from The Honest Company (read my review here), and I do highly recommend this product. But I’ve also learned that spray-in conditioners, which also serve as detanglers, are really nothing more than a 2:1 mixture of water and conditioner.

That’s pretty much it!

So, yeah…this is definitely something you can make on your own for mere pennies, especially if you don’t mind having to give your spray bottle a good shake before each use.

diy detangler spray

To make your own DIY detangler spray, you’ll need the following items:

8 oz glass bottles with spray nozzles (colored glass better protects your essential oils)
aluminum funnel
conditioner of choice
distilled water (your final product will last longer, I promise!)
essential oils of choice (options include tea tree oil, palo santo, Idaho tansy, lavender, peppermint, thyme, geranium, nutmeg, rosemary, cinnamon).

In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/3 cup of conditioner with 2/3 cup distilled water. Stir well to combine. Now add 10 drops of the oil or oils of your choosing from the list above. Why these oils? Because lice absolutely hate them, that’s why! These serve as a natural lice repellent, and friends, if you think lice won’t come after your kid in school or that your family won’t fall victim because you have good hygiene, you are sorely mistaken. It’s actually a common misconception that getting lice is a sign of being dirty. Lice actually much prefer clean hair to dirty hair! They are quite sensitive to smell, and these are the essential oils that they want absolutely NOTHING to do with, friends. I add drops into my girls’ detangler and I’m pleased to say that even though lice just had a very good run through their school, my girls did not bring those bugs home. 🙂

Since I actually own all of the oils listed above except for Idaho tansy, what I do is make a dropper bottle with 8 drops each of all the oils in it, and label the bottle as lice repellent. When it’s time to make a new bottle of detangler, I just use 10 drops from that pre-mixed bottle, which makes things that much easier for me.

As for essential oils, I use and trust Young Living Essential Oils. You can learn more about how I started out my essential oil journey as a total skeptic here. Young Living is a membership-based business, so if you do not already have a connection with someone who regularly orders essential oils, please feel free to reach out to me as I’d be happy to pick up something for you when I place my monthly order (stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com).

Time to Upgrade Your Kitchen Appliances? How to Save BIG on the Costs

March 28, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. As always, all thoughts and opinions are mine, alone.

I was recently chatting with a friend about the high, hidden costs of home-ownership. In my case, when my husband and I first purchased a home, all we saw was the initial price tag, and the initial monthly mortgage note. We knew we could afford that payment, so we signed on the dotted line, blissfully unaware of all the expenses just waiting around the corner. I’ll spare you the laundry list, but the short version of the story is this: stuff breaks, somewhat often, and every time it does you have to fix it or replace it.

Fortunately, there are some expenses that you can prepare for and save lots of money on by buying at the right time. For example, if you know you are going to remodel your kitchen at some point in 2017, then you already know that you are looking for some new kitchen appliances. Therefore, you can buy them when the price is right.

And at Best Buy, the price is right NOW. Best Buy is holding a Remodeling Sales Event and that means the top deals for the top brands and you will save a ton (up to 30%!). These are the best deals of the season on Samsung appliances, and you can save an additional 10% on select Samsung 4-piece kitchen packages, so if you need all new appliances, this is really the way to go. Plus, you can get a free $100 gift card when you buy 2 major appliances totaling $150 or more. What’s not to love about these deals? I mean, can we get a close up on that fridge???

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This is the French Door Refrigerator and I want it!!! It has a showcase door that makes the contents of your refrigerator visible without you having to actually open it. I know all the parents out there will rejoice with me on that one! No more having to tell the kids to shut the refrigerator door and quit letting all the cold air out! I also love the FlexZone drawer with 4 temperature settings and a Smart Divider to ensure the groceries stay the proper temperature. I always struggle to keep all of my produce at the right temp; something is always wilting far sooner than it should! Sounds like this fridge can really help with that problem.

Want to learn more? Click here to get the full scoop on this awesome sale! I hope you save a bundle and that your remodeling experience costs a bit less than you anticipated, thanks to Best Buy!

National Poison Prevention Week: Environmental Toxins to Watch for at Home

March 22, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

There are toxins in the home we need to be aware of and work to avoid! Please take a moment to read this really informative post I put together in collaboration with Heather and the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance

National Poison Prevention Week is March 19th-25th this year and it’s a week to highlight safety for little ones and families, especially around the home. Keeping cleaning products, medicines and other labelled toxic hazards in mind as potential poisons are always so important, yet environmental toxins and chemicals in personal care items can also pose dangers that parents should be aware of.

Some things to be mindful of as potential dangers in the home and how to remedy them:

Environmental Toxins in the Home:

Asbestos – invisible fibers that are the known cause of mesothelioma cancer. Was widely used in multiple building applications including but not limited to: drywall, wall insulation, pipe insulation, tiles, popcorn ceilings, shingles and siding in older homes built prior to 1980. Learn the signs of possible asbestos (take a look at this asbestos safety guide) and contact a licensed abatement professional for all testing and removal.
Lead – most commonly found in paint chips and dust, pipes and water. Exposure can be particularly damaging to children under the age of six, and poisoning can present in a range of symptoms. Licensed professionals can assess and properly abate lead hazards like paint and pipes.
Radon – naturally occurring odorless, colorless gas that can build up in homes and potentially lead to lung cancer. Testing kits are readily available online and radon removal specialists on the EPA website
Carbon Monoxide – odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that can also build up in homes due to burning of fuel (cars, small engines, gas stoves and grills, furnaces, etc.) and detectors can be readily found online and in home improvement stores.

Personal Products:

Parabens – Synthetic compound widely found in personal care items from toothpaste to lotions, makeup, hair care, etc. Found to disrupt hormone function and lead to excess estrogen in the body over time. Learn the main types of parabens and switch to paraben-free alternatives when available.
BPA’s – Plastic compound mostly found in food and beverage containers. Can become an endocrine system disrupter, affecting body’s ability to regulate hormones. Try to switch to BPA free plastics, glass or stainless steel food and beverage containers.
Oxybenzone – Found in sunscreen and is known to build up in the body and can mimic estrogen in the body and associated with endometriosis in women. Look for sunscreens with natural ingredients.

MCA_PoisonPrevention

Finding the Best Multivitamin for Children: My Epic Search and Results

March 21, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

After finding myself frantically searching through reviews on a multivitamin for children on Amazon (for the 3rd time in a year) I decided that I really needed to do some digging and do a best kids multivitamin comparison so that I could stop feeling so darn confused about what to choose.

Part of my search has to do with the fact that I’ve quickly realized how expensive it can be do give 2 kids multivitamins, probiotics and fish oils every single day (a post on probiotics and fish oils is coming later, by the way). I kept finding myself decreasing the dosage I’d give out so that my vitamin bills weren’t crossing over $60/month.

Is it REALLY necessary to spend this much on vitamins? Shouldn’t I start with just feeding my kids nutrient-dense foods?

Well, that really is my first conclusion. If you are spending $60/month on vitamins for your kids but not feeding them plenty of veggies and fruits, then my personal advice (which is not medical advice, by the way…I’m not a doctor and not pretending to be one!) is to put that money into trips to the produce section because that’s really the best place to start.

But I’m also realistic. I know that kids struggle with veggies, sometimes, and that they go through phases where they just want to eat 2 or 3 things (usually brown, carb-filled things) and that’s it. So multi-vitamins still have a place, for sure.

And I also believe that there are ABSOLUTELY vast differences in quality on the market. It is up to you, as the parent, to do your homework on how easily the vitamins and minerals in a product can be absorbed by the body. In so many cases, we are just paying to have expensive urine (sorry to be a bit crude, but it’s true). If the body can only process 10-20% of the vitamin content in a supplement, then the vitamin is only offering a tiny amount of what the child actually needs and the rest is getting sloughed off and sent right back out.

best multivitamins for kids

So here’s what we’ve tried and what it costs to use each product. Affiliate links included at no cost to you.

My Top Pick: Child Life Liquid Multi Vitamin & Mineral

So one of the best ways to ensure bio availability and absorption is to get a liquid multivitamin. My kids started taking Child Life Multi Vitamin & Mineral and they REALLY love the taste. I feel great about what’s included in the product and having researched the company a bit, I feel confident in this company and in their commitment to providing very high quality vitamins and minerals.

On Amazon, as of this writing you can purchase one 8 oz bottle for $16 or a two-pack for $22.99, which is a much better deal. The serving size is 2 tsp and a bottle has 24 servings, so that’s almost one month for 1 kid. If I were to continue with this brand, I would purchase them 2 at a time since I have 2 kids and since the price per serving is much better when you buy 2, and that would make my multivitamin costs $11.50 per child, per month. For me, that’s an acceptable price.

Solgar U Cubes

Let’s look at some other products on the market that you might want to consider, too. Solgar sent us U-Cubes, and these were the big winner as far as overall flavor. The kids wish they could have more than the serving size. I appreciate that they have a child-proof container because I can see kids attempting to break into these yummy treats. Children ages 4 and up get 4 gummies, and 1 container has a 30 day supply for 1 child taking 4 gummies/day. As of this writing, 1 container is $12.80 on Amazon.

Olly Kids’ Multi + Probiotic

This is another big winner in the taste department. It contains 35 servings so it will last you a few days over 1 month for the price of $13.99. This particular multivitamin also contains probiotics, a topic I will discuss in a later post. If you want your children to get probiotics every day this makes this particular brand a very good value since it is included.

Smarty Pants Kids Complete (Fiber, Multi, Omega 3)

I’ve purchased this product on a few occasions, especially when Amazon offers $3 off coupons to help bring the cost down. You should note that they also sell a multivitamin that is just like this one in its offerings, only without the extra fiber and with a sugary coating, and therefore, 3 more grams of sugar per serving. My kids prefer the more sugary one, but I prefer to give them less sugar and more fiber, so of the 2 I’d recommend this one.

The serving size is 4 gummies, and one bottle has enough for 1 child for 1 month. As of this writing, this product is $13.76 per bottle. It is important to note that this particular multivitamin does also contain fish oil, so if you want to give your children some fish oil each day, this vitamin can also take care of that need for you without you having to purchase something else. That’s a significant perk because as you’ll see in a later post, it can really help you save money!

Because of the additional fiber and the fish oil, this particular vitamin is my second favorite pick, and one that I will keep on hand in addition to the liquid multivitamin.

MegaFood Kids One Daily

Unfortunately this product is the one my kids really did not like. I really like this brand and the fact that the vitamins are certified non-GMO but they just couldn’t get over the taste. It comes in tablet form that can be chewed though if your child can swallow pills, it is smooth and so can be swallowed. If you are looking for a multi-vitamin for a child who can swallow pills, I do think this is a good option. I tried chewing up the pill and I agree with my kids…tastes gross!

As of this writing, this product is $25.62 for a bottle that contains a 2 month supply for one child, bringing the per month, per child cost down to $12.81.

Young Living Kids Mightyvites

Young Living is one of the companies that I have full and total faith in, as far as their commitment to providing the very best. I have been a member for 4 years, now, and place an order with the company monthly. I’ve only been able to order this product once because it is out of stock nearly constantly. I also find the price point to be painfully high, as the wholesale price is $25.74 for a one month supply per child. They do offer discounts for folks who order every month, so I do have a 25% discount off of that wholesale price, bringing it down to $19.31/child/month. This still makes it significantly more expensive than the other options I have highlighted, and I also cannot count on getting to order it each month. So this is a product that I will order when I can, but it won’t be the primary vitamin. I will point out that this product offers some whole foods components and also contains ningxia wolfberries, so it does go beyond simply offering vitamins, which is why it is something I will continue to buy when it is available and my budget allows for it. If you would like me to order a bottle for you using my discount, please email me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com and I’d be glad to help you out.

mightvites ingredients multivitamin children

Honest Company Gummy Multivitamins for Kids

My girls used to take Honest Company multivitamins all the time, and that was back when they didn’t taste all that great! Now they have been reformulated and are much more like the other gummy, sugar-dusted products that always go over well with kids. It is $15.95 and has a one month supply for ages 4 and up. It is also frequently out of stock, unfortunately. I like to add these on to a bundle I’m already buying with the honest company, because add-ons are offered at 25% off, which brings the price down to $11.96 per bottle.

Vitamin Ingredient Comparison

One thing I noticed when reading the labels for all of these different vitamins is that they do not all contain the same amounts of everything. One brand might have 20% of the needed vitamin A and another carry 40%, for example. I think the most dramatic differences I saw were with vitamin B12. Smarty Pants offer 1,117% (no idea why they need to include so much!), Child Life offers 100%, Olly offers 50% and U Cubes offers 40%. It’s really going to take more internet research on your part and conversations with your doctor about which vitamins and minerals you need to be working the hardest to get in your children’s systems. For me, after reading up on how the body absorbs vitamins, I’m going to stick with the liquid form in addition to offering my kids as many veggies and fruits as I can.

I also very firmly believe in the power of a good fish oil, and so we’ll take up that topic next time! Stay tuned!

10 Best Board Games for the Easter Basket

March 20, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I love to be able to get my kids something interactive for Easter, and board games are always a fun choice. We own quite a few board games that feature rabbits or chickens and therefore, could easily fit into an Easter theme. If you are looking for a game to put in your child’s Easter basket this year, here are my top picks! Affiliate links included at no cost to you.

best easter games

Rabbit Rally

easter games 10

This game has been with us for just a few weeks, but it is a BIG hit already. The girls ask to play it several times a week and the whole family really enjoys it. It involves making estimations to create little bridges for the bunnies to cross in between 2 piece of land. My 4-year-old and my 7-year-old can both play the game without the younger being confused or the older being bored. It’s great for siblings! I also really like the sturdy wood construction of the pieces; it is built to last, and that’s not something you find very often with games, anymore.

2. Bunny Hop

We’ve owned this one for a few years, and it still get regular play. The rabbit pieces go into little holes and you have to figure out which ones will pop out of the holes and which ones will stay put. It’s really very cute and kids love it!

3. Rooster Race

This game sounds great! I like that it involves cards, a bit of good luck, and lots of corn accumulation!

4. Chicken Drop

I’ve played versions of this game in different formats, but it is similar to Jenga in that you are removing elements of the gameboard, piece by piece, and in so doing, you are risking losing the eggs that are being held by those pieces. My girls would totally love this!

5. Chickyboom

This is another all-wooden game, which I love for the sake of durability, and it involves learning to balance pieces as you move around the chickens, hay bales and wagon wheels.

6. Chicken Cha Cha Cha

This is the game to pick for the kids who love to play memory, because the best memory is going to win!

7. Count Your Chickens

We also own and love this game, and one thing that makes it different is that it is cooperative, meaning that all the players work together to win together. This is a really great pick for younger players who are new to board games (perhaps ages 3 and up).

8. Jumping Jack

This is a really fun game for the active child who needs to see some action happen during a fun but quick game. Players take turns pulling carrots out and seeing which one will trigger the large bunny in the middle to jump sky-high. Part of the fun is trying to catch the bunny before he lands back on the ground!

9. Egg and Spoon Race

This is exactly what it sounds like, only this version is mess-free! Spring is the perfect time of year to get outside and do a little running, so I really love this option! It’s a stretch to call it a board game, for sure, but kids will totally love it, so I had to include it!

10. Dancing Eggs

Oh my gosh, get ready for some giggles! This game involves rolling a dice, placing an egg in funny spots on the body (holding under the chin, holding between the legs, holding in the elbow) and also being prepared to play a little musical chairs in the midst of it all. It looks hilarious!

The Best Root Cover Up Options: 4 Top Picks (and 2 to Avoid)

March 13, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

I used to dye my hair to give my natural color a bit of a boost, or to play around with auburn tones (or burgundy ones back in the ’90s when I loved Claire Danes so much!). But now that I’m working my way toward year 37, gray hairs are becoming more and more frequent and are the key reason for me to put some color in my hair. And as you know, gray hairs are stubborn! In my experience they have the hardest time taking the color and keeping the color. So a root cover up is actually a really helpful product for me because I can isolate those stubborn hairs, and also deal with roots just like anyone else who colors their hair. Using a root cover up can also help stretch out the time between coloring sessions, which saves you BIG bucks if you get your hair professionally colored, and still saves you money even if you color at home.

I want to offer some root cover up reviews since I’ve tried so many over the years to help you save time and money and point you to the best products for your needs.

best root cover products

Madison Reed Root Touch-Up Powder

This is my personal top pick because Madison Reed is my favorite line of at-home hair coloring. You can read more about my experience with the brand here if you are curious. I really like their root touch-up powder because it works quickly and effectively, the color blends in great (I have dark brown hair, BTW) and the product is pillow, sweat and even rain resistant! It will wash out with your next shampoo, and one compact should last you roughly 60 applications, which is a nice long time, especially if you don’t wash your hair every single day. This product is availabe in 8 shades, and the cost is $29.95 (it’s totally worth it!).

Color WOW

This might just be the top selling root cover up product, and for good reason. This is a mineral powder that is also sweat and pillow resistant. It has won over 30 beauty awards and gets high marks because it can provide coverage for those wanting to get rid of gray, but also for those with light colored hair wanting to get rid of darker roots. I also really like this product because it isn’t messy to use, unlike some other products I’ve tried! Color WOW is $34.50 and available in 7 shades.

L’oreal Paris Root Cover Up

So this is not my preferred application method (spray) but some people really like it and I will say that it doesn’t go everywhere, but is rather precise, so that’s good. The price point is nice at under $20, though I suspect that the powder applications do actually last longer in terms of the number of applications you get for the money. This product comes in 8 colors.

Mineral Fusion Gray Root Concealer

So I don’t recommend getting a wand-type product as your only root cover up (I much prefer the powders for the root line). But with that said, this is my favorite product for dealing with the longer gray hairs that you might have and that lose the hair dye applied to them the quickest. Since I have very dark hair, those hairs really stand out, and they are starting to be too numerous to simply pluck. A wand can help me cover up the entire strand with ease and precision. I use the wand in conjunction with a root powder.

Save Your Money

These are products I tried and did not personally care to buy again. Obviously you can make your own judgments, but I don’t recommend these 2 products:

Cover Your Gray Touch-Up Stick

I don’t like the texture when applying, I don’t like the texture once it is “dry” and I don’t think the coverage is all that great for the effort of application. Sorry, just didn’t work for me! The low price tempted me, but in the end, it was a waste of $5.

Rootflage

I do think this product is worth your time to check out, because it does have quite a lot of 5 star reviews. For me, it didn’t pass the test because I don’t like the lack of control with dispensing the powder. It just comes out of the brush when you turn it upside down, and I much prefer being able to control the amount of product I’m using.

Are you using and enjoying a differet root cover up product? Let us know about it in the comments so we can check it out, too!

Math Tutorials: How to Teach Fractions

March 8, 2017 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Last semester Darah’s teacher sent home a note that she was noticing Darah avoiding her math assignments each day. She goes to a Montessori school so she has full control over the order in which she does her individual assignments each day, and in math, she was being introduced to fractions.

She did NOT care for them. And so, she kept saving that work to last and not finishing. But her teacher was on to her and got me in the loop, and within just a few days I had a fractions workbook waiting for her when she got home and we got to work! I told her that the goal was to go from being intimidated by what is hard to embracing a challenge and that by the end, she’d really quite enjoy fractions.

$how to teach fractions$

Yes, it was a tall order, but the workbook helped. However one one resources made the biggest difference of all, so if you have a child struggling with the concept of fractions (including adding and subtracting), I highly recommend a product Learning Resources recently sent our way called Fraction Resources Equivalency Cubes.

When these arrived I decided to simply lay them out on the floor next to the area where Darah would be doing a fractions worksheet. I left it up to her if she wanted to use them or not. She was able to get through the sheet without using them cubes, but once she was finished with her assignment, she immediately started taking the cubes apart, comparing sizes, and totally on her own, figuring out what combinations could produce towers of equivalent sizes.

Since the initial introduction, she definitely has been using the cubes while working on adding together fractions with different denominators. Getting to have a visual aid and something tangible to work with while her mind wraps around the (hard!) concepts is something that is practiced in Montessori education, and we love it because it is highly effective. I’m so glad to have a manipulative device here at home to help her work through this challenging math concept and make it much more fun.

$math fractions practice$

The fraction resources equivalency cubes also showcase decimal points and percentages, and when those concepts come up in the third grade curriculum, these will be useful, yet again. They are reasonably priced at $19.99 and I can already tell they will be well worth that price, which is less than one tutoring session with a math coach around here!