Strollerderby : thrift stores

What They're Babbling About: Birthdays and Every Day

JeanneSager — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:38:00 GMT

Is there any day as big for parents as their kid's birthday? Forget the wedding anniversary or - dare I say it - your own birthday. There's big doings for little kids, and other day-to-day life in this week's edition of What They're Babbling About.

Big on birthdays? About.com's parenting section is planning a birthday party next month - and you're invited. Write up your party post, and send it over by Feb. 25 (that's Wednesday) to get your piece of cake. - About.com

Everyone could shave a little money off the day-to-day family expenses. But sometimes hitting up the secondhand store means money wasted, says this mom. She says thrifting it is kind of gross - what do you think? - Parent Dish

Think you're the only one staring delivery in the face and still throwing up? Lil Sugar's taken a poll - sixty eight percent of their readers got friendly with their toilet during pregnancy. Somehow, that still doesn't make us feel any better. - Lil Sugar

Hey Mom clique. Hello, you, yeah, you. Mighty Maggie is trying to say hello, can you hear her? Ever been the mom on the outside looking in? - Parenting

Image: SagerScenes

Smackdown: Babies Don't Need Birthday Parties

Explaining Financial Troubles to the Kids

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:57:00 GMT

With disappearing 401(k) savings, exorbitant gas prices, and piling up medical bills, many families are being forced to make serious changes in their spending patterns. This can be a shock for teens and preteens who grew up in the 90s, during affluent times in which the prevailing wisdom in the U.S. extolled making your kids happy. Average teen allowances nationwide are upwards of $100 a month, and many high schoolers have credit cards.

But last week, a survey found that teen spending had dropped by 27 percent. Considering that much of this spending money comes from allowances or gifts, we can be pretty sure the kids are not being thrifty out of choice.

As parents struggle to explain the crisis to teens freaked out by dire newspaper headlines and cutbacks in family expenditures, parents may see their kids as spoiled or bratty, while teens may see their parents as unreasonable or over-anxious. One mother interviewed by the New York Times started showing her confused and upset teenagers the monthly bills. Another father threatened to charge his kids’ friends rent for sleeping over.

Some families have found the crisis to be a good opportunity to become close with their children in new ways. Asking your kids to brainstorm about ways to cut back on family spending makes them feel valued and useful, and helps prepare them to find their own way in less than optimum economic times. Some parents have stopped hiring lawn cutters and housecleaners, choosing instead to pay their kids (far less) for the same services.

How have other parents changed your families’ spending patterns? Have you talked to your kids about the changes?

Photo: New York Times

Thrift Stores Swamped With Recalled Toys

Karen Murphy — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:05:00 GMT

We have long extolled the virtues of thrift-store shopping here at Strollerderby. And why not? It's eco-conscious, has clothes that will cover your daughter's navel, and Julia Roberts does it. And if that wasn't enough, it's, well, cheaper.

But if your thrift-store shopping list contains toys, you may want to rethink that. Apparently some parents, and I won't name any names here, are going through their kids' toy boxes, removing the recalled lead-filled toys, and then donating them to charity. I don't know if these people are unthinking or just idiots, but apparently thrift stores are overwhelmed with toy donations lately which unfortunately contain a good many of the recalled toys.

Idiots. I've decided they are just stupid, people who would donate a toy poisonous to their own kid that, what, wouldn't be poisonous to someone else's kid? Or is it the tax write-off for the donation? Thanks but no thanks!

As a result, some thrift store chains (notably, St. Vincent de Paul, where once upon a time I shopped for retro beaded cardigans and old wedding dresses and elbow-length gloves) are no longer selling toys at all. And while thrift workers and shop owners are scurrying to keep up with the recalls, there's just no way that there won't be an oversight here and there, so vigilance on the part of the shopper is likely the best course of action. If you or someone you love shops for toys at thrift stores, have a close look at the latest recall list from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, would you? And pass it on.

Strollerderby : thrift stores

What They're Babbling About: Birthdays and Every Day

Smackdown: Party On Baby!

Smackdown: Babies Don't Need Birthday Parties

Explaining Financial Troubles to the Kids

Thrift Stores Swamped With Recalled Toys