Strollerderby : free

Don't Give Me Your Tired, Your Stained

JeanneSager — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:35:00 GMT

The best thing about giving birth eleven months after my aunt? We are swimming in the hand-me-downs.

No, I'm not the type to turn my nose up at some free goodies for my kid. But I'm learning not all hand-me-downs are created equal.

Case in point: the onesies spotted in mold from being left covered in spit-up in a laundry basket. Seriously, you didn't think this should just be chucked out?

Nor am I a fan of the t-shirt with juice stains down the front from a dribbling toddler's first attempts with a real cup. Face it, kids are slobs until they get a handle on coordination.

So why do parents think it's OK to pass these kinds of clothes down to someone else? You could say I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but really, these aren't gifts. This is garbage that I now have to pay to throw out.

None of this grodiness has come out of my aunt's house, I will note. She and I share similar taste, so the booty I get out of her kids' closets is just the kind of thing I would have bought . . . only I didn't have to. Which is the point of hand-me-downs. To pass along clothing that is still in good condition, that can be used by another kid. And I could practically kiss the feet of the hand-me-downers. Or at least bake them one of my (family) famous banana breads.

There are some stained items I'm OK with - pajamas, after all, aren't going to be seen by anyone but her father and me. My aunt has even thrown in a few undershirts with a warning that they were no longer pristine white, and I thank her and put them on my kid anyway. Again, they're not for out and about.

The rest, I sigh and chuck right in the trash. I'm certainly not passing them along to the mom who gets all of my daughter's hand-me-downs. I like her way too much for that.

Am I just being a crankpot? Or is it common courtesy to toss the disgusting in your own garbage?

Image: DailyMail

Parents are People Too - They Date

JeanneSager — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:52:00 GMT

There are two words that even today I can't stand to be used in the same sentence. OK, maybe three. "My parents" and "sex."

No, I'm not a prude. Yes, that's just . . . ewww. So the new dating site for single parents might have a goofy name, but it's kind of, well, true. Parents "R" People.

Well, duh.

But has anyone told their kids yet? Because parents plus dating is often pretty icky as far as kids are concerned.

Started up by a single mom and licensed clinical social worker, the site is recession-proof because it's free. "I am a single mom and finances are often tough for us...working and supporting kids," explains founder Stacy Schwed. "It is also tough for single dads who are working, and running their household while also paying child support."

Technically the site is a social media setting for parents - any parents, including married ones. But change your marital status to "looking," and it becomes a place for single parents to possibly get rid of the "single" part of the title. For a lot of single parents, the biggest fear of stepping out there again is the second part of their title - "parent." But as Schwed points out, parents are people too, and there's a guarantee someone on the other end of the DSL line gets what it's like to have kids.

"I believe everyone deserves a chance to be happy and have in their lives what they truly want...including a great relationship," Schwed says. Because parents might be single, but that doesn't mean we're dead. Not even our sex drives.

Image:

Celebrate St Patrick's Day With Gaelic, For Free

Amy Kuras — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:34:00 GMT

Faith and begorahh! Not that I know what that means! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Now that we’re parents, the St Patrick’s Day drinkfests of our youth are no more (it is to be hoped, anyway). Maybe some parents whose kids are in school all day can do the “be at the bar at 8 am” stuff, but for those of us whose days parenting young kids coincides neatly with the age of discovering We Can’t Do That Stuff Anymore, St. Patrick’s Day is just another day.

There’s fun ways to celebrate, though. My daughter’s school had a green party, where all of the parents brought in different green foods for the kids to try like zucchini, pea pods, and cucumbers. And we got a cool press release here the other day – the folks at language instruction company Rosetta Stone are offering free access to their “Irish” (really Gaelic) online course through Thursday.

Just go to their site, www.rosettastone.com, and click the link for the free trial. Go through the registration process and you’ll get a link in your email to the software.

It’s very cool and multimedia and a lot more intuitive than the language classes I ha din college. It even helps mak sense out of Gaelic, which seems to be second only to Polish in words that are pronounced nothing like how they are written. The course is very basic but probably wouldn’t grab the attention of a younger kid, although older ones would probably like it.

Can Your Kid Doodle the Google Doodle?

JeanneSager — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:31:00 GMT

They've got down Noggin's doodle of the day, so can they doodle the Google doodle? And can you say that three times fast?

Google (yes, THE Google) opened up its second annual kids art contest this week to find the American school kid who will draw the logo rendition seen on the site's homepage.

With more than one hundred million daily site views, that means your kid could become an artist whose talents are appreciated by, well, one hundred million folks in one day.

The Doodle 4 Google contest is open to kids in kindergarten through twelfth grade (ages five through eighteen), and it's as open as their imaginations. The basic theme is "What I Wish for the World," which seems just right for a kid's contest - after all, their wishes are tomorrow's future (cue the cheesy music).

Last year's winner was Grace Moon, a middle schooler from Castro Valley, Calif. "My doodle, "Up in the Clouds," expresses a world in the sky," she told the judges. "This new world is clean and fresh, and people are social and enlightened. Every person here is treated as family no matter who they are. The bright sun heats this ideal place with warmth, love, and brightens everyone's day"

She earned the day's prime spot on the Doodle site plus a scholarship. This year, the national winner walks away with $15,000 for college, a trip Google's New York offices, a laptop and a t-shirt with their doodle. The kid's school will earn a $25,000 technology grant to be used in the school computer lab.

Another three national finalists will get the Google New York trip and laptop, plus their doodle on a Google tee, while the thirty-six regional winners get the tee and the trip (sorry, no computer). The company has added a District Quality Participation Prize of $10,000 for a school district that encourages "high quality participation." Also geared toward improving the school's technology, the grant must be used on the computer lab.

So whether your kid's a pint-sized Picasso or your school district just really, really needs the help, check out last year's winners (by age group) for some inspiration, then tell your kids to get doodling (registration is required by March 17, and the doodles have to be in by March 31).

Image: Google

Four Reasons Big Families Might Have it Better in This Economy

JeanneSager — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:31:00 GMT

If it costs more to feed a bigger family in good times, doesn't it stand to reason that it would cost more in lean times too? Yes, but it's possible bigger families are better prepared for hard times - because they're used to living on a stricter budget.

Talking with the Chicago Tribune, Don Demaree of the Center for Consumer Credit Counseling says some (not all, he's quick to add) of the larger families have cottoned on long ago to frugality - be it by buying in bulk or finding free entertainment for the family.

So what else do the big families have on those of us with just one or two kids?

1. When they buy in bulk, the family actually uses it all. Some things never expire - we bought all our diapers at Sam's Club. But those blocks of government cheese are likely to turn hard before we plow through them in a house of just three, and a giant bag of chips goes stale before we're down to the crumbs - and there goes our money, down the drain.

2. Built-in entertainment. My grandmother once told me parenting seven was easier than parenting one because there was always someone else for the kids to play with or at least someone else to keep them out of her hair. Which leads me to . . .

3. Built-in babysitters. In big families where the ages range (this obviously won't work for those octuplets!), there's less of a need to hire a babysitter if a parent has to get a second job or Mom has to go back to work.

4. Hand-me-downs. Most of us still have to go out and buy clothes for our kids. Big families do too - but they get a lot more use out of them than the rest of us.

Of course all families have it tough right now. Having a big family might well be harder - because when the breadwinner loses a job, there are a lot more mouths who depended on that bread. But with all the bad news, it's nice to have a little good.

Image: BigFamilies.ca

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Pumping at the Playground

editors — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:37:00 GMT

image from parentdish.

As someone who found breastfeeding, um, challenging, it would have been nice to have these moms around giving supply and pump advice. Check out what these Babble Playground ladies have to say about b’fing and b’pumping b'here.

And while you’re there stop by the January Photo Contest: Baby New Year where you can win a top-of-the-line breast pump. We’ve obviously got one track minds this month at the Playground. But that’s not all you can win! Enter the photo contest to win the fabulous Medela Freestyle, Medela nursing cami and Medela glass 4oz bottles and . . . the king of car seats – the Britax Boulevard CS. Everything you need for your new baby. Enter today! - April Peveteaux

Counterpoint: Newborns Are The Cutest!

editors — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:39:00 GMT

While Jeanne may think newborns are “alien cute” we know that your brand new baby is just as adorable as this little bugger. So show him off! The Babble Playground Photo Contest is in full swing and we want you to add your brand new baby pics to the brood. Go here and enter to win big prizes that help with the bringing home baby transition: a Britax Boulevard CS car seat (a going-home-from-the-hospital must), a Medela Freestyle breast pump, nursing cami and glass 4oz bottles (a feed-that-baby must). Enter to win today. Good luck! – April Peveteaux

Baby Sez, "What the...?"

editors — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:06:00 GMT

Did you capture those first newborn moments on film? Of course you did. Babble wants to reward you for having your camera at the ready. Head over to The Babble Playground, join up, fill out your profile, take a look around and join the January Photo Contest: Baby New Year. Voila! You’re entered to win big prizes from Medela and Britax. See what you can go home with here. Hint – it’s just about everything you need to bring home that baby. Happy New Year! – April Peveteaux

Save Money: Kids Eat Free at Restaurants . . . Well, Some of Them

JeanneSager — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:03:00 GMT

Apparently, I live in the land of cheapskate restaurateurs. The only place my kid has ever eaten free of charge is the pancake breakfast at the volunteer fire department up the street. Yes, I love my town's bravest.Trying to raise money and still giving back to the community. But I digress. Back to these people who are feeding kids for free.

I'm not sending you out on the bread lines to make do in the economic downturn. You can leave the Dumpster diving to dogs in Disney films. Because Kids Meal Deals lets you search your 'hood for the deals and steals for the food they pack away. Expect it to be heavy on fast food - a flashing bar of participating restaurants on the lefthand side repeatedly shows off the golden arches. A search of my fair city (read rural nosepick town) came up with bupkus at the widest expanse of "search within 30 miles."

Other friends told me they looked and found deals that weren't really deals. Still, it's the thought that counts. And restaurateurs are apparently thinking kid-friendly these days. Considering meals on the town are usually the first thing to go during an economic downturn, I could see this tempting parents out of the house to start spending again.

Or maybe it's just wishful thinking. My Danimals and chicken nuggets bill is climbing.

Image: Purdue

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Want Free Ben & Jerry's? Go Vote

JeanneSager — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:27:00 GMT

If the future of our country, state of our economy, healthcare situation . . . aren't good enough reasons to vote on Nov. 4, I've got one that's (almost) as good. Ben & Jerry's is handing out a free scoop of ice cream to everyone who votes.

What's the catch?

There is none. But it does have its benefits (that stretch beyond your belly). Want to show your kids that voting is worth it? You can talk to them all you want about poverty, war, campaign finance reform. But show them there's free ice cream in it for them? Dude, I'm so totally there. Maybe it's a cheap shot, but, hey, if it works. . .

They don't even care if you care who you vote for; as long as you do it. So when you're done picking the next president, get yourself (and the kids) over to a Ben & Jerry's scoop shop with your "I voted" sticker or a snapshot of yourself in front of the ballot box. The promotion runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., so even late voters can get creamed.

Just save me some Phish Food.

Image: JunkFoodBlog

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Free song from Shrek the Musical

Brett Singer — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:00:00 GMT

DreamWorks seems to have decided that they will try and squeeze every last stinking dollar out of their mega-popular "Shrek" franchise. Coming next month: a Broadway musical. If you want to get an idea of what it will sound like, here's a free track.

Called "I Know It's Today", it is sung by Leah Greenhaus, Marissa O'Donnell & Sutton Foster.

Count me among the people who don't really get the fascination with the entire "Shrek" enterprise. The first move was all right, I guess, but hardly the brilliant satire that audiences and critics seemed to think it was. (Oooo! They made fun of "The Matrix"! How edgy!) The next two films felt very slapped together, and the fourth is unlikely to be better.

Judging by the photo of Brian D'Arcy James as the titular ogre, it looks like the makeup will be good.

How's the song? Fairly standard Broadway fare. I'd say below average. But maybe you'll feel differently.

Source: shrekthemusical.com

image: BroadwayWorld

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Halloween Costume Confession: Why it Pays to be the Cheapskate Mom

JeanneSager — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:00 GMT

I've got a secret that could make me the mom they whisper nasties about on the playground. I've never paid a red cent for a Halloween costume. I've never made one either. I'm not bragging. Well, maybe a little.

I just don't get the $30 price tags other moms are paying. You can tell me it's because I never have, but I don't think I ever will.

In the 3 years since my daughter was born, I've lucked into a hand-me-down costume four times in a row. My secret? A pregnancy perfectly timed. Just as my youngest cousin (we're Catholic, what can I say?) was on the verge of turning 1, my daughter debuted. Which puts her second cousin a year ahead of her, and one Halloween costume size bigger. And thanks to an aunt who is among my favorite relatives in the world (and one of the most generous), I've been cheaping out on all hallows eve every year running.

I can sense the end of the run. My cousin is, after all, a little boy. My daughter is not (duh). And while she'll don a pirate hat and Batman cape to prance around town today, tomorrow she may well be begging to be a princess. He's more the Thomas type. But even when the hand-me-downs aren't being handed down, I can't see myself shelling out a mint for an outfit my daughter will wear for one day. OK, maybe two if you count the parade through town. Three if they parade around the nursery school.

Yes, I'm a cheapskate. I eBayed her baby's first Christmas outfit too. I could handle tucking away a $5 outfit. She would have worn the red, green and white through Memorial Day if it had been much more. Sure they're memories, but at what price? Is rushing from house to house on an October night that much better in an outfit that cost your parents more than they'll pay for the gas to drive you around town?

I could go old-fashioned and make her costumes, the way my mother hunched over her sewing machine crafting giant Tweety Bird heads the year my brother and I went as a matching set of Looney Tunes characters or the buzzing bee that still lives in stories of my nursery school parade. But there's not a Martha bone in my body.

The way I see it, I've got two options: the second hand store or making nice with the mother of a daughter older than mine. Cheap is good. Free is better. Now I'm really bragging.

Image: Buy Costume

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Baby's Got Blue (or Green or Brown or Lazy) Eyes

Adrienne Martini — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:00:00 GMT

As part of my ~~court-ordered~~ free-will community service, let me pass some little known knowledge on to you. If you have an infant between the ages of 6-12 months, you can take him or her to a free puppet show that might have long-term benefits to his or her later health.

The InfantSEE program matches up new parents and local eye doctors who can screen their baby's vision for conditions like lazy eye, strabismus (crossed eyes) and glaucoma. Some of these disorders may be easily treatable when the child is very young -- but they under diagnosed because most parents don't know to have their infant screened.

The screening itself is painless and mostly involves a puppet show. Who doesn't love free puppets?

Photo credit: Drdiane.net

Free Comic Book Day

Brett Singer — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:30:00 GMT

I love me some comic books, but they are way too expensive. (Not that this stops me from buying them, mind you.) And if they cost too much for me, they definitely cost too much for the average kid.

That's one of the reasons for Free Comic Book Day, which is tomorrow (Saturday, May 3rd). Stores all over the world give away free comics in the hopes of getting more kids interested in funny books. With the "Iron Man" movie opening this weekend, stores will probably be packed, but they usually have a lot of product to give away, so stop by your local shop and see what they've got. By the way, I do mean "all over the world" -- the website lists a store in Malaysia, among other faraway places.

Kid-friendly books include Tiny Titans, Sonic the Hedgehog and The Simpsons.

Age ranges vary, although personally I can say that Tiny Titans is a true all-ages title. It helps if you are into the Teen Titans cartoon and/or the original comics, but Robin riding in the back of the Batmobile asking Alfred if they can stop for ice cream is the level of humor we're talking about. (If you have no idea what that last sentence means, don't bother picking up this one, although your kid might like it.) A nice touch is that the website has PDF previews of most of the books so you can check them out beforehand if you like. Note that not every title being given away is necessarily for young readers. Also note that some stores are even giving away Star Wars and Iron Man toys! For the kids. Not for me. For the kids...

Giveaways vary by location, check freecomicbookday.com for details.

images: freecomicbookday.com

Like Free Stuff? Try Prizey!

Karen Murphy — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:03:00 GMT

The thing I like best about blogging is the way that community can be built through it. Ask any one of us Strollerderby bloggers; we're pretty tight now even though we all haven't met one another, and when we have met there's been some of that zing of instant recognition/friendship. And the community of Strollerderby extends outward in ever-widening circles: very much a part of it is, of course, you. You're here reading, commenting, and generally absorbing the energy, making it your own, and then sharing that again through your own circles. And in another kind of circle that overlaps this one are the peers of blogging, fellow bloggers or site owners who reach toward us and then back again and in so doing become, like you, a part of what we are.

So I was pleased this morning to hear from my friend Jeremiah over at Z Recommends that he's launched a new site called Prizey. Which is all about the free stuff.

I don't usually plug stuff unless I'm either a user (think Trader Joe's) or see something brilliant in the concept. I think Prizey is brilliant. I love free stuff, but I hate jumping through hoops to get it, filling out endless online forms that you eventually suspect are nothing but email address collectors. You know what I'm talking about. But apparently the people over at Prizey have done the work already, because in riffling through quite a selection of all sorts of useful and cool free offerings (Bahamas vacation? video camera? iPod?), they've outlined exactly what you have to do to enter each giveaway. In other words, no surprises. Plus, there's a neat interface with Google calendar that will remind you of giveaways and deadlines and due dates. Go have a look.

And Free Circus Tickets for All

Karen Murphy — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:12:00 GMT

I was pretty astounded the first time I went to the circus: the bright colors! the noise! the smell of the elephants! all the people! did I mention all the colors!

It's a good thing I was like 23 at the time; if I had been a kid I think I would have imploded with sensory overload. Did I mention the colors? Anyway, it must be time to head to the circus again, because all of a sudden it sounds like fun. Although I'm technically more a Cirque du Soleil fan, but free tickets are free tickets. And did you know that Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus gives away a free circus ticket to every child born in the U.S.? Hey, it's news to me, too, but they've been doing it since 1993.

True! And the free ticket is redeemable for the life of the child, so there's no hurry. You can fill out an online form or do the burdensome mailing thing (guess which one I'll be doing?).

I did mention this is free, right? And you're good with the colors?