When we had kids, my husband and I stopped going out. We didn’t know about any reputable nanny services and we didn’t have any family in the area. Finding a babysitter that we trusted was a tough business. To be honest, we still don’t go out often and usually we just take the kids with us.

But as far as nanny services go, I just came across a site called SitterCity.com. I don’t know much about them. But my they did capture my interest. They are a nanny service that has a database of babysitters, nannies, tutors, and even petsitters from around the country. You just type in your zip code and they show you the candidates in your area, along with a picture. Interesting. Some nanny profiles include background checks (that should provide parents with a little peace of mind) and some are tagged as “super” sitters - not sure what makes you “super”. Also people who have hired a particular sitter can leave a review. The cost is under $100 per year to use the service and each sitter includes their hourly rate in their profile. I gave the site a little test drive by typing in my zip code - and the search returned a list of sitters in my area.

Although SitterCity is one of many nanny services, it seems comprehensive and reputable (although I can’t vouch for this personally). Founder Genvieve Thiers has a colorful background and has already accomplished a lot in her life - her profile is an interesting read.
If you are feeling a bit homebound and you are considering nanny services, take a look at SitterCity.com.

My quick parenting tip for today is - Silver Sharpie.

Black sharpie permanent markers and even colored permanent markers are quite common. But a silver Sharpie permanent marker is what every household with children needs.

Why? Because silver sharpie permanent marker shows up easily on dark surfaces. Backpacks, plastics, folders, you name it - anything with a dark surface needs a silver Sharpie. Think dark labels in clothes (parents are constantly putting their children’s names in clothing and winter gear). Think the dark surface of waterproof gloves, or even the black rubber on winter boots.

Given the size of our family, we have many of the same pairs of winter boots in all different sizes. I use the silver sharpie to label the size right on the outside of the boot. Easy to pair up, easy to find. Next season I will be thanking myself for this quick parenting tip.

How Hooked on Phonics helped my Children Learn How to Read

Every child is different, with different strengths and different weaknesses. Having four children, I know this firsthand. When it comes to learning, these differences stand out even more. My first two children were what I would call average early learners. They seemed to be right on target with their classmates. The learned to read and write and do math right along with everyone else. They loved to read, once they learned how. To this day they are voracious readers and enjoy reading for fun. No issues. Easy.

When it came time for my third child to begin reading, we were in for a shock. Reading did not come easily to him. Try as we might we could not spark an interest. That is when we discovered Hooked on Phonics. (No, this isn’t an infomercial telling you that due to Hooked on Phonics he became a reading sensation overnight.) Even today, he remains what can be referred to as a reluctant reader. He doesn’t read “for fun” and much prefers video games to books. But due in large part to the Hooked on Phonics system - he can read. Whether he chooses to or not is a different story. This son of mine is doing fine in school and keeping up with his class. We started with the Kindergarten Hooked on Phonics and followed up with the first grade series. The best part was that he enjoyed the activities and did not resist the work. The included audio CD’s made it easy for him to work on his own if I could not sit down and work with him. (three other kids can be a bit distracting.)

My fourth child is still in preschool. Not wanting to experience the same difficulties with her, I purchased the Preschool Hooked on Phonics system last year. Thankfully, she seems to have an affinity towards reading and took to it right away. She loved playing the games, letter bingo was her favorite. And we quickly finished that program before the year was out. She is now halfway through the kindergarten Hooked on Phonics program. (keep in mind that she is still in preschool) She knows all her letters - both upper and lower case. And she is reading simple books. We are taking the program slow, we work on it a few times a week. If it seems to difficult for her we put it away and come back to it later. This way learning to read remains fun for her.

I have been through all kinds of different workbooks and systems over the course of four kids, and have to say that Hooked on Phonics is my favorite learning system. All the tools are provided in one useful package that kids enjoy and parents love. I have just become aware of two coupon codes that you can use with the previous link: save 20% on all orders with code SAVE20 or receive a free activity kit with any purchase over $50 - code FG7009. I am not sure for how long these codes are valid. Many of my friends have commented on my daughter’s reading abilities, so I just wanted to share with you what worked for me.

Fellow parent, Lisa, has gotten fed up with how companies are marketing to children.

Children are growing up faster these days, in large part because of the media and what they are exposed to at younger and younger ages. Companies are create flashy, grown up, inappropriate products and generate sales by marketing to children.

As parents, we have seen the effects that these products have on our children and families. We get tired of saying “no”, get tired of answering “why?, why can’t I?”. And then we get grouchy, and our children get grouchy. And the cycle continues.

Well, Lisa has gone one step further with her anger, or passion if you will. She has created a non-profit organization called Parents for Ethical Marketing (PEM). PEM was launched in November 2007 with the goal of encouraging companies to advertise to children responsibly, keeping in mind the overall health of the child and the family. To accomplish this goal PEM plans to enlist the help of parents, the public, and the politicians. (Some of you may remember my mentioning Lisa’s previous sit, Two Knives in one of my past parenting tips on how difficult and dangerous it is to open all the plastic packaging these days).

Despite the youth of PEM, Lisa has already heard from at least one company that is interested in making a difference - Vision Conscious Brands. This company represents clients that are interested in the opinions of parents about marketing to children. Vision Conscious Brands has asked Lisa the following questions and she, in turn, has asked for my opinion. (Leave a comment here or on Lisa’s site if you want to put your 2 cents worth in as well)

Do you spend time learning about how products are made and pay attention to the social and environmental impacts of how companies produce, market, and sell their products? If yes, how do you evaluate this? Where do you get your information? How do you make your decisions?

My answer: Yes, I do pay attention. Since all of the recent recalls, I have become very cautious about where a product is made. If the toy is made overseas I always think twice before buying. I constantly read recall lists to see if products that I own are included.

As far as marketing goes, I say no to my kids a lot. If I feel that a toy, product, or message is inappropriate then I don’t allow it - even if “all the other kids have one.”

Because of time constraints (parents are busy people), I cannot research every item that captures my children’s attention. So my decisions are usually based on my perception of the product itself, the packaging and the related advertising. Word of mouth amongst the parent network, goes a long way too.

Do you provide your feedback to companies? For example, on how you’d like them to perform on environmental and social measures?

My answer: Not usually - again, parent time constraints. But if I am dissatisfied then I am more likely to call or offer feedback.

If you are concerned about the environmental and social impacts of toy manufacturers: Have you noticed the latest news about Mattel toy recalls and their safety concerns of the toys they produce?
Has this lead you to changing your buying habits over the past few months?
Do you think this news has impacted sales in a positive or negative way?

My answer: I have been very aware of the latest toy recalls. Because of the recalls, I have cut back on toy purchases overall. At the very least, I examine how the toy was made (if it is painted, etc). My children are out of the baby phase, so thankfully they are not putting everything in their mouths. I think there is an underlying air of uncertainty which definitely impacts sales negatively. If I am unsure about something, I usually don’t buy it.

So, there you have it - this parent’s opinion on toy recalls and marketing to children.

A good set of travel packing tips is very useful to parents that are traveling with babies and young children. Once upon a time travel packing tips consisted of ticket - check, passport - check, something to read - check, ok - let’s go!

Once baby entered the scene, traveling became a lot more complicated. Between strollers, portable, cribs, diapers, baby food, toys, extra clothes, blankies, binkies - it’s a wonder that parents leave the house at all. I know I traveled as little as possible when my children were under 1 year old. It just wasn’t worth the effort and I usually returned from the trip more stressed out than when I left. So the best of my travel packing tips is - Just Stay Home!

But I know that many of you are more adventurous than I, and truth be told, I did end up leaving the house from time to time. Actually I have become quite adept at packing up a family of six - although traveling is still not my favorite thing to do.

But rather than rely on my travel packing tips expertise, I will point you over to Aruni’s excellent site - Entrepremusings, where she hosts a variety of Guest Baby Tips. If you recall, back in December I had the honor of guest posting my time honored parenting tip about keeping a baby food journal. This month Aruni’s Guest Baby Tip is authored by Maryam Ghaemmaghami Scoble, wife of Robert Scoble of Scobelizer fame.  Entitled “15 Tips for Traveling with Baby“, this month’s Guest Baby Tip outlines some great travel packing tips for parents to keep in mind. Covering everything from necessary baby equipment, to diapers and formula, to airport activities for children Maryam covers it all.

Now that winter break is upon some of us, with others planning vacations during the March spring break, these travel packing tips are very timely. If anything, these tips may just motivate me to leave the comforts of home and pursue some foreign adventure.