Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Summer Learning: It’s Happening on Netflix

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I’m a member of the Netflix Stream team and enjoy free streaming service. I have been a happy Netflix customer for 11 years, now and am thrilled to share about my experience.

I know you are probably feeling guilty by this point in the summer about how much screen time your kids are getting. I feel you. I’ve been trying to keep the kids engaged in other activities, but there are times when I just have to surrender and get Netflix rolling so that I can get some laundry done, make dinner or even have a complete thought without being interrupted.

But here’s the wonderful thing: Netflix has some great shows that are sneaking in those learning opportunities left and right! I can’t tell you how many times my children have busted out with some animal facts or dropped some science on me and when asked where they learned it, replied “Netflix!”

Perhaps the hottest hit for the summer for them is The Deep. They get to watch an episode several nights a week after dinner with their dad. It’s one you should most definitely check out!

THE_DEEP

We are also excited that another season of LEGO Friends: The Power of Friendship released a few new episodes. You might be surprised by the topics that get discussed in that one!

LEGOFRIENDSHIP

Little Einsteins is a regular for my youngest, and a regular source of knowledge for her, too!

ARABESQUEV1

And of course, if you really want to get some awesome history lessons in the mix, you will be delighted with Mr. Peabody & Sherman (and if you need a break and want to watch something fun with the kids, this is my personal top pick!).

MR_PEABODY_CLEOP

So if you need to give in a little to the requests for screen time, offer a curated list of options that can be fun to watch and help your kids learn some cool new stuff.

What are your kids watching this summer? Any recommendations? 

How Can I Get Rid of Ants? 10 Tips to Remove Ants FAST

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A few weeks ago I opened the passenger side door of my car and discovered something positively horrific: approximately 8 billion* ants were in my car, in a line, going after who knows what (ok, I do know…it’s food. I’ve got little kids, what can I say?). It felt like a scene out of a low budget horror movie and I started to feel my skin crawl pretty much immediately.

UGH! Seemingly out of nowhere, we had ants!!!

You might be in a similar situation (though more likely the location is your house) and you are trying to figure out how you can get rid of ants right this very second. I hope I can help you out!

can i get rid of ants

The first thing you have to realize is that in the United States alone, there are more than 700 different types of ants, and each type responds differently to things, so your very best course of action is to bring in a professional who can determine the type of ant you have in your home and the type of treatment you need to kick them out immediately to ensure that you don’t find yourself with a full-blown infestation. I partner with Arrow Exterminators because I have found their staff to be extremely knowledgeable about bugs (which is important!) and they have specific plans for how to treat different types of ants so you aren’t looking at a “spray and pray” type of pest treatment. I trust them with all of our pest control needs inside and outside of our home.

There’s a saying that the best defense is a good offense, and it definitely applies to keeping ants out of your home. If you want the ants to go away, you need to get the right treatment for them with a professional, and you also need to prevent them from wanting to enter your house (or car, in my case) in the first place. Basically, your space needs to become very unappealing to them, and fast. And if you don’t have ants at the moment, take heed of these steps so that you won’t get them! They really love to come inside during the hot months, so now’s the time to make sure they skip right past your place when hunting for a cooler spot to hang out.

1. Always store food and liquids in sealed, airtight container. Not everything you buy at the store comes in a package that is easy to keep closed (flour and sugar both come to mind). So for us, we put many of our pantry items in larger mason jars and then label them. The pantry looks nicer and the food smells are kept to a minimum.

2. Pay attention to your pet feeding bowls. If you have a messy eater who spills bits of water or food onto the floor, you might want to change their feeding station or just be vigilant about keeping the area clean, as the food and water on the floor will attract ants. We had a very messy eater and it was a game changer for us to switch to this food and water dish.

3. Go on a hunt for cracks in the foundation. This is a prime way that ants (and other pests) can enter your home, so seal up all cracks in and around the foundation of the home with caulk. Be extra vigilant around all areas where utilities and pipes enter the home.

4. Chimney care. If you have a chimney in your home, you need to make sure that you have screened the vents and openings. Might seem like overkill for ants, but it isn’t! It will also help you avoid larger pest problems (hello, rodents!).

5. Check all screens. If you ever open your windows or doors and make use of screens, now is the time to check them for holes or gaps. This is yet another way that pests find their way into your home.

6. No dirty dishes! This one is the hardest for me, honestly, but the truth of the matter is that if you have food debris on the floor or anywhere on the counters, ants can pick up on the scent and will work very hard to get to that food. So you need to take care of the dishes daily, wipe down the counters daily, and sweep the floor daily (and don’t forget your kitchen table and/or dining room!).

7. Bathroom care. Ants are also attracted to water, so it’s important to pay attention to if you have stagnant water in your bathroom (beyond the toilet, obviously). If you have kiddos who take baths and do some splashing, for example, you’ll want to make sure that all the drops of water on the floor get removed and not left.

8. Check for leaky pipes. Check under your sinks and around your toilets to make sure you don’t have any leaks. Even very small amounts of water are enough to draw attention. And bonus: those leaks need to be fixed, anyway, so good thing you found them!

9. Keep plants off your house. If you have tree branches or shrubs that are touching your home, that’s a bridge for the ants to come over on, so take it away by keeping those plants, trees and shrubs trimmed.

10. Firewood check. If you have firewood piled up for the winter, make sure it is at least 20 feet away from the home and on an elevated surface. It is an ant magnet!

I hope these tips help you keep the ants from wanting to hang out with you this summer. Remember, there’s always more than meets the eye, so if you see ants in your home, there’s a good chance that there are more very close by (like in your walls), so do your due diligence to make sure they leave!

*Ok probably not 8 billion. But it was A LOT, y’all! 

One (Very) Simple Thing You Can Do to Improve Your Community Right Now

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Hasn’t it been a heavy summer, friends? Heck, hasn’t it been a heavy decade? I have heard many people online talk about how scary the world is, and how it only seems to be getting worse. I’m not convinced that’s true, honestly. I just think the power of social media has allowed us to uncover more of the ugly truth of what is broken in our country and in our world. Because most everyone has a phone and a video camera with them at all times, we can see what is really happening out there, and not just what the news might choose to report.

And in the midst of it all, are you just feeling lost about what to do? What is an action you can take that will make a difference? Today I want to share one, and it is a very small one, but one very much worth doing. Friends, are you collecting Box Tops for Education? If you are a parent of a school-aged child, I can pretty much guarantee you that your school participates in this program, as it offers 10 cents for every Box Top that is collected and submitted by the school. If you aren’t a parent, you still live close to a school, and that school could really use your Box Tops.

The Easiest Way to Make a Difference

Education, in my opinion, is one of the very most broken systems in our country, and it’s also the area where the biggest positive change can happen. There are countless ways you can support the school your children attend or the school that is in your neighborhood, but for now, let’s focus on one of the very easiest things you could possibly do that really will matter: start collecting those Box Tops!!!

Strength in Numbers

Please do not get discouraged by the fact that they are only worth 10 cents each. This is a program that has its strength in the entire community participating. Just imagine if each and every household in a school’s district contributed just 10 box tops. Where I live, for example, the average number of households per school district is over 3,200. If each household turned in enough box tops to equal a $1 donation, that would be an extra $3,200 in funds per school, and that’s amazing, friends. I estimate that I collect around 60 box tops each year, so just imagine if every household could donate that amount. In the previous example, that would turn into an extra $19,200 donation per school!

box tops for education 1

Change in our world doesn’t only occur by making grand gestures. It also occurs by every person striving to do just a little bit better every day, and by taking a few seconds out of their day to contribute to a greater good.

Snipping these little box tops takes mere seconds, but if we all do it, we will reap the benefits of a country where our schools have more of the resources they need to help our children be wonderful global citizens.

Where to Find Box Tops

box tops for education 3

I would be willing to be that there’s at least one Box Top for Education on a product in your pantry at this very moment. I actually set my timer for 1 minute to see how many I could find in my house that quickly. I found 5! And remember, box tops for education are not only on food products. Be sure to look on your Reynolds and Hefty Products! In fact, you can find them on any of the following items:

  • Reynolds® Parchment Paper
  • Reynolds® Cooking Baking Sheets
  • Reynolds® Bakeware Pans
  • Reynolds® StayBrite® Baking Cups
  • Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liners
  • Reynolds® Oven Bags
  • Hefty® Strong Tall Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags
  • Hefty® Ultra Strong™ Tall Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags
  • Hefty® Ultra Strong™ BlackOut® Tall Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags
  • Hefty® Cinch Sak® Large Trash Bags and Lawn & Leaf Bags
  • Hefty® Easy Flaps® Tall Kitchen Bags and Large Trash Bags
  • Hefty® Renew® Tall Kitchen Bags and Trash Bags
  • Hefty® SteelSak® Trash Bags
  • Hefty® Twist Tie Tall Kitchen Bags and Trash and Lawn & Leaf Bags
  • Hefty® Ultra Flex® Trash Bags
  • Hefty® Easy Grip® Cups
  • Hefty® Deluxe™ Plates and Platters
  • Hefty® Everyday™ Soak Proof Bowls
  • Hefty® Everyday™ Soak Proof Plates
  • Hefty® Style™ Prints Cups
  • Hefty® Style Plates
  • Hefty® Ultimate™ Easy Grip® Cups
  • EZ Foil® by Hefty® Bakeware Pans

What To Do Once You’ve Snipped

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Use a plastic bag to store your box tops while you collect them throughout the year, and keep it somewhere intuitive in the kitchen. For us, that means storing it near our aluminum foil in an easy to access drawer. Then you can put a note on your calendar for once or twice a year to drop off the box tops at your neighborhood school. I send mine in about every 6 months. You can call your school office to ask about when a good time of day might be to drop off your box tops, and if you have a child in school, just send them along with him or her one school day, and the teacher will get them to the right place. It’s SO easy, friends!

 School Supplied Sweepstakes

Reynolds-Hefty Box Tops

Not only do Hefty and Reynolds Box Tops for Education want to help your schools, but they also want to help you get your kids ready for the new school year, too. Check out the School Supplied Sweepstakes and Instant Win Game, because thousands of prizes plus 10,000 eBoxTops to 5 lucky schools are going to be given away. Good luck!

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

Six Flags White Water: Tips for Tackling the Park with Young Kids

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Thanks to Six Flags White Water for providing admission tickets. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Last week my family paid a visit to Six Flags – White Water, a water park in Marietta, Georgia. It’s on the north side of Atlanta, so for us coming down from Chattanooga, it was a very easy 1 1/2 hour drive. We had a lot of fun, and we learned some things from our visit that I’d love to share with you if you are considering a trip to this water park in the future. I hope my tips help you out.

  1. Go Mid-Week

We intentionally planned our trip for a Wednesday, and we also (unintentionally) went on a day when thunderstorms were expected for part of the day. This was a really nice double whammy for the crowds. I waited for 20 minutes to ride one ride, but otherwise, found next to no line for things, and the crowds in the wave pool and the lazy river ride (our two favorite things to do) were quite reasonable. If you can go mid-week instead of on a weekend, I highly recommend it in order to maximize the amount of things you can do in the park.

six flags white water 7

2. Don’t Prepay for Parking

When I was on the White Water website before the trip, I found out that parking could be paid for in advance so you can get through the line faster. Since I knew I’d be paying that expense I decided to get it taken care of. Don’t do it! Parking at the gate is $15, and I spent $16.99 to get it in advance. It didn’t save me any time because there was no “express” lane for folks who already paid. Totally wasted $1.99, so learn from my mistake.

3. No Liquids

Just a heads up: if you bring in a backpack, beach tote, purse, or similar, it will be checked at the gate. I had a water bottle and was asked to dump out the contents before heading in. I was told that I could easily find a water fountain once inside the park, so it was no big deal to me, but it’s a good heads up. If you have formula or apple juice for a wee one, you might want to check the policies on the website to see if those things are permitted.

six flags whitewater 4

4. Food is Expensive

This shouldn’t be a shocker, but it’s always nice to know: you will be hard-pressed to spend less than $10/person/meal, and that’s not necessarily including a drink. I noticed a few meal deals for families of 4, with burgers, fries and drinks for $40, but since my kids don’t drink sodas and aren’t big on burgers, that wasn’t a good fit for us. We ended up pushing lunch back to be a little bit late and just sharing a basket of chicken fingers, and then leaving the park around 5:30 and getting something to eat on our way home. I did notice a picnic pavilion and wished that we had brought our own food, only to later realize that no outside food is allowed in the park (with exceptions being made for dietary restrictions), so I guess that is just overflow table space for eating the park’s food. I get it, but it’s a bummer, especially with the overall lack of diversity on the menu. It’s pizza, burgers, and chicken tenders as far as the eye can see. The only work around I can think of is leaving your food in a cooler in your trunk, and then leaving the park (you can get a hand stamp) and heading back to the car to eat. This would be a pain in the rear, obviously, but if you have 4 or 5 people with big appetites and if you plan to eat twice, you could save quite a bit of money that way.

5. Know Your Audience

Is anyone in your party a thrill-seeker? Or do you have anyone who likes to take it easy and isn’t much for the rides? It’s good to have a sense for the types of things people really want to do. My kids really, REALLY wanted to play in the splash zones and they also loved going around and around in the lazy river. So we set up our towels and shoes in the Buccaneer Bay area since we were almost always within striking distance of it, anyway. My husband and I quickly let go of the idea of doing most of the rides because if there is a parent swap in place, it isn’t obvious and therefore, it wasn’t worth it to us to mess with it so that we could ride when there were so many open pool and splash areas our kids would rather be playing in, anyway.

And I will say that even if you don’t take advantage of all the great rides at this park, you can still have a really fun day. We certainly did!

six flags white water 1

6. It’s Tough to Get Photos! 

This is probably obvious, but I didn’t really think about how hard it would be to capture fun photos of the day in a water park. I happen to own a water protection cover which meant my phone could get wet, but even then, it’s a pain to lug around with you constantly when you just want to play! We rented a locker (which is $15, despite the website listing it as $14) for the day, and that did help, but it felt like a lot to spend just to be able to take pictures every now and then. Next time I go, I’m leaving my phone in the trunk of my car.

six flags white water 2

7. Rain in the Forecast? Get a Plan

If a thunderstorm occurs, rides are shut down (which is just as it should be, obviously). I was very impressed with how the management of SF White Water kept guests in the loop about storms heading our way and how long they might last. We were communicated with via a speaker system that we could hear very clearly. What was a little concerning was that we were advised to seek shelter quickly when one particular cell was headed our way, only…where is the shelter? It’s an outdoor water park! I took the girls to the women’s restroom, and we had to camp out there for about 30 minutes. All this is to say to scope out the actual buildings you can enter in the park (it’s pretty much only restrooms) so you don’t find yourself outside during a thunderstorm, just under a roof with no walls. That’s not where I want to be when lightning is coming down!  six flags whitewater 6

8. Where to Change?

We only found one changing area, called the bath house, centrally located in the park. It’s good to identify where it is so that you know where to get changed before heading home.

six flags whitewater 5

9. Cabanas: Yes or No?

There are private cabanas in a few different sections of the park that offer shade, lockers and personalized service. The price tag is steep, at $150 for the day, but before you write it off, there are some reasons to think about going for it. If you are nursing a child, for example, it’s really nice to be able to close the curtain and have privacy (otherwise there’s only one nursing area in the park, located in first aid). Also, if you are planning on renting a locker, you get a very large lockable locker in your cabana included with the price. And additionally, if you plan on eating in the park, you get 15% off your food purchases, as well as personalized service, meaning that an employee will take your order and deliver the food to you. And you can also get changed in your cabana at the end of the day instead of hiking over to the bath houses. So depending on what your needs are, a cabana can be a really nice treat. Expensive, but nice all the same.

Six Flags -White Water is not a cheap park to visit (especially by the time you pay for parking, a storage locker and some food) but it IS a very fun place to visit. There are tons of rides and also plenty of open play areas so ensure that your family will have a blast all day long and leave exhausted. My girls slept GREAT that night! 🙂

If you have some tips for Six Flags – White Water, please share them in the comments! 

 

When the World is Scary: 17 Tips for Talking With Kids About Tragedy

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This is an issue I have been struggling with this issue for quite some time. My kids have seen the pain on my face as I scroll through my Facebook feed or check the news,a and I haven’t had a clue what to say to them. This content helped me a lot, and I hope it helps you better understand how to help your children work through news that is scary. 

With recent tragedies in the news, many children, including those challenged with special needs, are exposed to trauma through the media and in conversations. The Episcopal Center for Children (ECC), a nonprofit school serving children with special needs ages 5-14 in the Washington, DC area, offers some advice on how to talk with your child about tragedy.

how to talk with kids about tragedies

“Children hear information from other children and from the activities around them. Your child will pick up information very quickly after a traumatic event happens,” said Dodd White, president and CEO of ECC. “It’s important for parents and guardians to set a tone of openness and support with their children, and to re-assure children that they are safe.” Dodd and the staff at ECC offer the following tips and advice:

Use age appropriate language. Talk with your child about the tragedy in a way that is appropriate for his or her age. Elementary schoolers may have questions about their own safety and security. Older children may want more information about the cause of the tragedy or want to talk about how it could be prevented.

Share what is appropriate for your child. Be mindful about the personality of your child. Your child may be a 6-year-old who laughs at monsters in movies and can handle the truth about bad guys being a reality of life. Or your child may be a 10-year-old who cannot handle scary movies, and gets emotional when people are hurt. When answering your child’s questions about tragic news events, let the unique personality of your child be your guide.

Let your child know it is ok to talk to you about the tragedy. Spend time talking with your child. Let them know that they are welcome to ask questions and express their concerns and feelings. You might not know all the answers and it is OK to say that. At the same time, don’t push them to talk if they don’t want to. Let them know you are available when they are ready.

Be calm. Your child will look to you for cues about how to react. It’s OK for children to see adults sad or crying, but consider excusing yourself if you are experiencing intense emotions.

Reassure your child about his or her own safety. Point out factors that ensure your child’s immediate safety and the safety of the community. Review your family’s plans for responding to a crisis. Assure your child that he or she is safe and loved.

Limit media exposure. Constant exposure to coverage of a tragedy can heighten anxiety. Do not allow young children to repeatedly see or hear news coverage of a tragedy. Even if a young child is engrossed in play, he or she is likely aware of what you are watching on television – and can become confused or upset. Older children might want to learn more about a tragedy by reading or watching TV. However, avoid repetitive loops of news information once you have the facts.

Avoid placing blame. Be careful not to blame a cultural, racial or ethnic group, or people who have mental illnesses.

Maintain your family routines. Continue your family’s usual routines for waking up, dinnertime, and bedtime. The familiarity of these routines will help your child.

Promote self-care. Encourage your child to drink enough water, eat regularly, rest, and exercise. And follow this advice for yourself too!

Spend extra time together.  Spend a little more time reading to your child. Take a few extra moments when tucking him or her in at night. If your child is having trouble sleeping, allow him or her to sleep with a light on or to sleep in your room for a short time. Extra hugs and cuddles are good too. All of these actions can improve your child’s sense of security.

Watch for signs of stress and anxiety in your child. Look for hyperactivity, irritability, regression, stomach aches/headaches, and separation anxiety. Take steps to relieve stress and anxiety.

Get physical. Exercise can relieve stress and help you and your child get a better perspective.

Pay close attention to your child if he or she has emotional problems, learning challenges, is going through major changes at home, or has experienced trauma in the past. Children can merge a new trauma and it can heighten their anxieties. If your child has suffered a loss, is facing special challenges, or been exposed to other trauma, he or she may be at greater risk of a severe reaction to a new tragic event. Watch your child closely for any changes in mood or behavior.

Do not dismiss or minimize your child’s feelings. Your child might worry that someone will come and hurt him or her. Rather than saying she’s being silly or that such things will never happen, help your child put things in perspective. Say how rare such things would be, and explain how unlikely they are. Address each concern. Point out that many children and parents out there have the same worries and we can instead focus on the definite “will happens” (fun things to do at home and at school and with friends and family) rather than on the very unlikely “might happens.”

Encourage the expression of feelings. Explain that it’s OK to be upset. Let your child write about or draw what he or she is feeling. Physical activity might serve as an outlet for feelings or frustration. If your child is acting out, explain that there are other ways of coping.

Do something for those affected by the tragedy. Focusing on what can be done to help others, can help children feel less anxious and more secure. Consider ways that you and your child can help victims and their families. You might take your child to your place of worship, light a memorial candle, or write thank-you notes to first responders.

Get help if needed. If your child is still exhibiting signs of anxiety after a week or two. Seek out a school counselor, therapist, a member of the clergy, or any other spiritual leader or mental health professional.

Tips adapted from the Mayo Clinic, SpecialNeeds.com, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

About the Episcopal Center for Children
The Episcopal Center for Children (Center) is a nonprofit, nondenominational school and treatment program for children contending with emotional challenges from the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  Accredited by the Joint Commission, the Center serves children who are 5-14 years old in grades K-8. The goal of the Center’s treatment, therapeutic milieu, and individualized special education program is to empower each child to function productively within his or her family and community. Building on strengths within children, the Center partners with families in treatment and focuses on enabling its students to access and become their best possible selves. More information is available at eccofdc.org and on Twitter@ECCofDC.

Honest Company Mineral Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 Review: An Honest Assessment

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Affiliate links may be included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. 

I’m a firm believer that if you are spending the day outside with your kids and any part of that day is going to involve water activity (beach, pool, splash park, etc.) then spray on sunscreen is totally the way to go. Ounce for ounce it’s quite a bit more expensive than the lotion, but the convenience factor makes it worth every single penny.

Except there’s a problem: spray on sunscreens have a reputation as being unsafe, because you don’t want to inhale those nasty chemicals and that’s exactly what will happen when you spray them on.

And this is why I turn to Honest Company for my spray on sunscreen option. It’s a mineral-based product and doesn’t have any of the junk that your lungs need to avoid. It’s SPF coverage isn’t sky high (it’s 30) but if you research SPF a bit, you’ll quickly learn that there’s not much of a point of anything beyond 30, anyway. The truth is simply that you need to reapply your sunscreen fairly often if you plan to be outside for a while.

natural sunscreen

I find the coverage to be even and generous with Honest Mineral Sunscreen Spray, and because it is white when it comes out, you can see exactly where you sprayed and where you didn’t. Unlike other sprays, though, you will need to rub this one in a bit. It only takes seconds, and I supposed it isn’t necessary, but you will look like someone who walked through a splatter paint party if you don’t.

And now for a warning about this stuff: do NOT apply it inside your house or while standing on something you really care about (like your back deck). We have stains on our deck from this stuff because it does not wash off. Learn from our mistakes and put this stuff on while on the grass.

eco-friendly sunscreen

Honest Company sells this product for $13.95, but to get the best price you need to add it to a bundle order, as a bundle of 5 items costs just $7.20 per item, which almost cuts the cost in half. The only bummer is that you can only order 1 spray sunscreen per bundle (I would have purchased 5 at once if it had been allowed!). But you can add up to 3 additional items to your bundle for 25% off, and you can do sunscreen for all 3 of those slots if you want. The price per bottle at 25% off is $10.46, which is competitive with other spray on sunscreens your find at brick and mortar stores, only minus the nasty chemicals.

The product isn’t perfect, especially with the staining factor on hard surfaces, but it’s still my go-to for my kids. I don’t like having to tell my kids to hold their breath while I apply something to their skin, because if it’s that bad for their lungs, why would I slather it all over their largest organ (the skin), too?

Looking for more product recommendations (and tips on what to avoid)? I have a long and growing list of Honest Company reviews that you can check out to help you pick out the best of the best from this company before you make your purchase.

Summer Bedding: Why Down Alternative is the Way to Go

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Chattanooga has been unseasonably warm almost the entire month of June. Our weather has felt much more like August, with temps hanging out in the mid to upper 90s and the humidity levels sky high. One of the things I have loved about living here is that compared to most of the South, our temps are fairly mild, rarely getting quite as hot or as humid. Well, this summer that just hasn’t been true, and I’ve had to dress like I live in Florida. Rude.

If you are experiencing a heat wave, you might also be re-thinking your bedding situation. Tim and I typically use a down comforter, and that has simply had to go this month. We struggled for a bit to find what worked: a sheet alone was too cold and the throw blankets we had were a bit too small to keep us both covered (I confess…I’m a blanket snatcher!).

down alternative benefits

But now we’ve found something that is working. Linenspa sent over a bed in a bag kit which contained a down alternative comforter. Friends this is the way to go in the summer if you are like us and typically like a down comforter. Here’s why it works best.

down alternative comforter for summer

  1. Lightweight. In the summer, you need more than a sheet and less than a big, fluffy comforter. The down alternative comforter from Linenspa hits that middle ground beautifully, offering coverage but not overheating you.
  2. Washable. Unlike down comforters, down alternative can usually be machine washed without incident. Love this! My girls are known for dragging comforters off beds to create play spaces or impromptu picnics, and that means that our comforters often are in need of a wash.
  3. Allergies. If you are suffering from allergies throughout the summer (that’s me!) then don’t let what you are sleeping on contribute to the problem. This down alternative bedding is hypoallergenic, which means it is the perfect choice for the allergy sufferer.
  4. Super soft. The entire bedding ensemble in this kit is microfiber, which is breathable and super soft. I want my bed to be extra comfy, especially in the summer when I may have spent some portion of the day feeling uncomfortably warm.
  5. Summer visitors? No problem. I love this bed-in-a-bag set because it’s just great to keep in your linen closet for any summer visitors who might be headed your way. The set has the comforter, the sheets and the pillows and pillowcases all ready to go. No more having to dig around and assemble a mismatched mess for company. When it’s time to store it away again, you’ll appreciate that a down alternative comforter won’t take up as much room as a traditional down comforter would.

summer comforter

Make the switch if you are uncomfortable at night, friends! Right now you can save an additional 35% off the price (the bed in a bag set is already on sale!) by using coupon code STUFF35. Happy shopping!

 

STEM Activities for the Summer: Where to Find Them

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This post was sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club of America as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

How’s summer going so far, mamas? I know there are some folks who have only been out of school for a week or two, but my family is rounding the corner to being 6 weeks into the summer season, so I thought it was time for a little check-in. Anyone else starting to struggle a little bit?

I’ve got a daily schedule of educational activities that we are sticking to (just worksheets, nothing spectacular) but that only takes up about 20 minutes of the day, and I am struggling to also offer enough hands-on fun stuff every day. I hop on Pinterest and just get overwhelmed by all of the options.

Stem

And this is why I am really liking the Boys & Girls Club of America My.Future Website. This is a really simple (and free!) one stop shop for me to select a fun activity that my girls will enjoy and that encourages them to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) topics. Boys & Girls Clubs have been leaders in out-of-school time programming for more than 150 years (!) and the My.Future activity selection is a great example of that expertise.

So why give kids STEM activities over the summer? Well, it’s been show that STEM jobs in the U.S. will be growing nearly twice as fast as any other field by 2018. Simply put, these are going to be necessary skills for our kids to have. I recently read that approximately 65% of the jobs our children will have as adults don’t even exist right now, but it’s a safe bet that STEM skills will be very important for those jobs.

Summer is a time for having lots of fun, and for exploring ideas that pique kids’ interest. You can encourage them to discover and develop a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math this summer (and hold on to a bit of your sanity) by spending some time at the My.Future website and completing the activities. You can also learn more about the entire My.Future program here.

Kids’ Backpacks: Get One, Give One with Sydney Paige

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Our school has one request when it comes to the backpacks we send with our kids: no licensed characters. This eliminates about 75% of the backpack options out there, which means that it is common for kids to show up at school with the same backpack design and color, and then to have backpacks get switched around and sent home with the wrong kid (it’s happened to us twice!).

So if you are searching for a backpack with no characters and that doesn’t look like everyone else’s, here’s a good place to look: Sydney Paige.

preschool backpack

We were sent the Young Explorers Valencia backpack in orange tunnels. It’s a great design with a fun, different color (not many orange backpacks out there!). I’m impressed with the mesh back for breathability, the generous side pockets to hold water bottles, and all the great spaces for holding different items.

preschool backpack 3

I also really like the size. It’s larger than a toddler backpack (Sydney Paige has those, too!) but it’s not as big as the backpacks teenagers need (check out the World Changers line for the tweens and teens). It’s generous in size without being overwhelming to a smaller frame. I also love the sternum strap for additional support as more homework starts to come home each night.

preschool backpack 1

But perhaps my very favorite thing about this backpack, and any Sydney Paige backpack for that matter, is that for every backpack that is purchased, another one just like it, filled with school supplies, is going to be donated to a child in need. As the customer, you even get to choose the nonprofit who will receive the donation! In the United States, 1 in 5 children live below the poverty line, and getting ready for back-to-school season is very stressful for parents who have so little in the way of discretionary funds. I love that Sydney Paige is stepping up to help fill that gap for families in need. Be sure to check out their amazing line of backpacks as you start to think about your back-to-school purchase needs.