Mom Central: Hot Parenting Products

BOB the Time Manager

I cannot count the number of times I have shouted “Turn off the TV!” to my kids before they finally listen. Now I have BOB the Time Manager, and I don’t have to say a word. Bob is a small device that looks similar to a calculator that monitors and controls the hours your kids spend staring at the set. Simply plug your television, gaming system, or computer into BOB, which then plugs into any electrical outlet. You, the parent, are the “Master User” and the only one who can set and change the hours and time blocks allotted.

Your kids create 4-digit PIN numbers that must be entered before turning on the TV (BOB manages up to 6 users). You set time limits for each child either per day or per week. When that time is used up, the TV, video game or whatever it may be turns off automatically for the rest of the day or week with a 60-second warning of the impending shut-off.

You can also block out specific time periods throughout the day, such as right after school when homework or chores take priority, after you’ve gone to bed when the kids sneak in that extra Internet surfing, or on your night out when the kids have learned to bribe the babysitter to watch the late-night movie. What I like most about BOB is that it not only teaches your kids to budget their fun time but to genuinely appreciate it. We know how easy it is for kids (and admittedly we adults) to veg out in front of the TV the whole afternoon, not getting much out of it except for bug eyes. Knowing they have time restrictions, kids will more carefully select only their favorite programs and then truly enjoy them. It’ll probably take some getting used to…I initially set time limits by the week and my son, without thinking, used it all in one day! He was infuriated when he realized he couldn’t access BOB until the timer reset the following week. Ouch—pretty painful, but he sure learned fast especially since there’s no arguing with BOB.

Click here to buy now!BOB - Screen Time Manager - Manage Your TV Time

Carry It All

As any mother of a newborn would know, sometimes you could use an extra hand (or five). Get the extra hand you’ve been looking for with stroller organizing products from Carry You. The simple installation process lasts all of ten seconds since the organizers attach onto the back of your stroller with Velcro, and they won't interfere with the reclining & collapsing features of the stroller. The waterproof and spill-proof Nylon organizers are large enough to fit all the little extras for baby.

The Carry You Milan Deluxe Stroller Organizer has two cup holders, which are perfect for holding your water and your baby’s bottle. The large Velcro pockets that are great for important items that you can’t lose (your wallet, your planner) and two smaller pockets for pacifiers and snacks. The front mesh pocket is great for the things you need to get to right away.

Carry You has a variety of different organizers, snack trays, and other stroller accessories, and can even tell you if the Carry You products will fit your stroller. Prices range from about $30 to $40 for an organizer. Check them out at www.carryyou.com. 

Sweetriot

I have been hooked on this product for a while, and from what I hear, Sarah Jessica Parker, Drew Barrymore, and Lauren Conrad all love it too.  I must be more cool than my 15-year-old daughter thinks! The amazing discovery, Sweetriot. These little treats are good for you, eco-friendly, all natural, dairy free, and gluten free.  In “mom speak,” a chocolate treat that you don’t have to feel guilty snacking on. Sweetriot is also chock full of antioxidants which can reduce the effect of dangerous oxidants and help repair damage already sustained by cells. These treats are perfect for on–the-go moms with their small packages that fit perfectly in a diaper bag or an evening clutch.  The outside of the tin is covered with trendy artwork and supports the emerging artists community by featuring works that embrace Sweetriot's culture on its tins. Every few months they ask their consumers to help pick the featured artist for it upcoming tins.

It’s more then just a name though; the people behind the company really are activists themselves. Sweetriot encourages its consumers to reuse, recycle, or return their tins and has carbon offset options in their online store. Sweetriot is loyal to the true source of the cacao bean - Latin America, and Founder Sarah Endline has established direct trade channels for her beans. Check it all out Sweetriot at www.sweetriot.com

Promax

My schedule is full, sometimes overwhelmingly so. Picking up the kids, grocery-shopping, conference calls, flying out for client meetings, throwing a staff Christmas party, running family errands, phew! I sometimes forget to breath.  Being a mother means living a hectic lifestyle (you know what I mean), but it’s still important to remember to take care of yourself, which means eating right and staying healthy, especially when it comes to snacking. Although the little snack sized chip bags that you put in your kids lunch look tempting, they offer little fuel to keep us going. 

Promax bars, which have always been a little skeptical about as a meal replacement, that’s all I get? In addition, my past experience with chalky nutrition bars hasn’t made want to go back for more. However, these little bars actually taste good! The 70 calorie snack bars mean the I can have one as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up without feeling guilty, but actually good about myself. Protein in a snack, its about time!

My favorite flavor thus far is Cookies’n Cream, but Promax comes in ton of other flavors, especially for the chocolate lover. My 15-year-old daughter Kyle even likes them for a snack during track and soccer practices, not a bad habit to start.  To check out where Promax bars can be purchased check out their website at www.promaxnutrition.net.

Oregon Chai

Sometimes when the weather gets cold, and all I want is a warm cup of hot chocolate, but I don’t think it is something I should be drinking all the time. Luckily there are other options out there to satisfy my sweet tooth urgings, while still being organic and a little better for me than a packets of Swiss Miss. Oregon Chai latte is great tasting, as easy to make as adding hot water, and organic.

Oregon Chai is an great blend of tea, spices, and sweetness that is a perfect alternative during this holiday season while sitting by the fire (or heater).  It comes in a variety of great flavors such as original, vanilla chai, spiced chai, matcha green tea, java chai, and the slightly sweet chai.  The chai cider and the chai nog are perfect for friends or family at holiday parties.  It also comes in caffeine free and is available in a concentrate or dry mix.  It’s also perfect for an on-the-go treat.

There is so much you can do with Oregon Chai too.  It’s great served hot but with a little imagination it’s so much more.  Mix Oregon Chai with some ice cream and milk, blend, and you get a milkshake.  Try Oregon Chi in your Long Island Iced Tea to make a Long Island Iced Chai.  If your having trouble concocting your own recipes, Oregon Chai has a whole section on their website full of recipes for hot chai, cold chai, chai in your alcoholic beverages, and chai in food and desserts. 

To learn more about Oregon Chai, prices, available flavors and sizes, or where to purchase, visit their website at www.Oregonchai.com. 

Lights, Cameras, Action!

I am always looking for ways to get the whole family involved in activities together, and with the holidays coming up, I can already hear my kids saying “I’m bored!” two days into break. My new solution, Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action for Xbox 360. It’s so easy to use. Even for a video game beginner like myself I was able to set the console up to begin challenging my family with their movie knowledge. You simply plug the receiver into the back of the Xbox console, aim your controller and play. Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action includes more than 1,800 questions and twenty-one different types of games, so it’s fun for everyone in the family to play. The games include  "Credit Roll," a game in which you guess the film based on a list of characters and actors, "Child’s Play," where you guess the name of the film based on a child’s drawing of a film scene, and "Quotables," where you are challenged to finish a famous line from a featured film.

The game comes with four wireless Big Button Pads, so each player has his or her own buzzer. Buzz in with the colored A, B, X, Y buttons to win points based on how quickly you can answer each question. The longer it takes you to answer, the fewer points you are awarded. Some of the questions might be a little more difficult for younger children (they may not know who Humphrey Bogart is) but this is also a great reason to play in teams, involving all generations who have gathered for the holidays. The only problem I noticed was that the points don’t add up from level to level, so if you play for a longer period of time, you’ll have to add your score after each round to determine who wins overall.

I would definitely recommend this as a great holiday gift for any family with an Xbox – or as a gift to yourself, guaranteeing lots of laughs whether you’re playing with friends at a holiday party or your kids after dinner. Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action is available anywhere Xbox games are sold for $59.99, which is a little more then most Xbox games are sold for, but the 4 wireless controllers and the hours of entertainment make it more than worth it. May the force be with you!

Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action

Schlage Lock

Between me, my husband, two teenagers, the home cleaning service, occasional babysitters, and the company that spent all summer renovating my home office, I count a dozen opportunities for a copy of our front door key to get lost or put in the wrong hands. The area locksmith and I are practically on a first-name basis!

Replacing a missing key is a pain, but isn’t nearly as painful as digging through my purse in the rain with a bag of groceries in one arm and a soccer game looming for the kids, and realizing my house keys are not in there. Leaving a spare key outside for anyone to find—and trusting that the last person who used it remembered to put it back again—is no longer a safe or reliable option.

Why not take a page from the professional buildings and go keyless? Schlage Lock has come out with a residential electronic keypad lock for your front (or back, or side) door that has some great features for families. This all-in-one unit replaces your regular doorknob or deadbolt and makes it unnecessary for you or your family to carry a key (though you have the option to use one also). The battery operated, illuminated lock comes already programmed with two unique four-digit user codes for you and your family, and it can store up to 17 additional user codes. What a relief for Moms who are trying to keep track of who has keys to their busy households. You can create a specific code for each person who needs access to your house, and then delete that code when he or she has finished the job.

The set looks great on my front door, but my back door would have needed additional holes drilled to fit the new lock, adding quite a bit of labor costs to the keypad’s roughly $130 price tag. If it means taking the emergency locksmith off my cell phone’s speed dial, it’s still well worth the price. Visit www.schlage.com for information and retailers.

Flip Video

Mention videotaping the kids and I would take a pass. It was too complicated to work the switches, set everything up and figure out how the heck to download what you just shot. All those little tapes made for more mess then memories. My husband showed me everything 3 times on our video camera, but I was content to shoot away with my digital cameras.

Everything changed this past week when I got a Flip Video recorder in the mail. And I just, well, sort of flipped for it. It looks like a camera but has the functions of a camcorder. I didn’t need my husband to teach me how to use this!  The manual consists of four uncluttered diagrams:

1) Put in the two A batteries
2) Hit the red button on the back to record (zoom in and out toggles above and below)
3) Done recording? Hit the red button again.
4) Flip the switch on the side and out pops a USB port that plugs into your computer.  I don’t have to worry about not having my USB cord, it’s always ready to go.
5) Watch what you shot! Drag it onto your desktop if it is a keeper. Don’t like it: delete!

It is that darn easy. So why have I flipped for it? It now resides in my purse. I used it to shoot video footage of new Mom Central office space we were looking at, so we could show the staff that couldn’t make it. Next up, 7 spontaneous videos shot during Thanksgiving Day; then there’s Grandma with us for amazing pasta in Boston’s North End; and here comes the video the kids produced goofing around with each other…5 days and 30 video vignettes later.

Did I mention the cable that directly plugs into the TV, so we could laugh uproariously with Grandma at her going back three times for pastry in the Italian store as the kids tailed her in line, asking what’s it going to be this time? Almond biscotti? Pancetta bread?!

Plus, you can upload videos directly to YouTube, AOL, you name it.

No wonder this was recently featured on Oprah, and why my husband and daughter are clamoring for their own for the holidays. And with around a $155 price on Amazon.com, I am thinking this could be my one-stop shopping!

Ubi Changing Table

The portable Ubi Changing Table has managed to combine comfort and innovation that reminds me of something I may take off the shelves of IKEA. The unique changing table is definitely not something I remember seeing when my kids were still in diapers, and comes in light or cherry wood. It is fashionable enough that it can be placed in any room of the house without seeming too obtrusive or unsightly. One of the great features of the table is its cushioned surface with an easy-wipe, anti-microbial surface. This makes it comfortable for the baby, but also an easy clean up for mom. One of my personal favorite features is the fastener on the surface that holds open a diaper, ready for a changing. The fasteners work great, holding the diaper tightly (really useful with super-squirmy babies!) and therefore speeding along the diaper change. The deluxe version includes a spring-loaded dispenser (holds about 7-10 diapers depending on their size) that automatically shoots up a fresh diaper as needed.

The table holds up to a 30-pound baby and has safety belt straps so no matter how much you infant may wiggle they won’t be going far. I like its portability, now Moms won’t have to worry about hiking up the stairs every hour to change a diaper. A drawback, there’s no extra storage space for wipes or creams, but these can always be kept in a storage area nearby. The Ubi Changing Table comes in 6 mod designs. Visit www.ubi-baby.com for more info.

To order one now, click here! UBI Deluxe Changing Table

Memory Mixer

In our time-crunched world, the average American Mom constantly struggles with the dilemma of how to utilize all of those carefully snapped photos of family and friends in a creative way. MemoryMixer software was ideated by the brainpower behind Lasting Impressions, which has been making scrapbooking stickers, buttons, and papers for years. They realized that not all families have the time to devote towards creating paper scrapbooks and committed themselves to developing a fast and easy solution to capture memories – and so was born MemoryMixer.

I was in a bind a few weeks ago with a wedding of two of my closest friends coming up, and I just couldn’t bring myself to buy something impersonal from their registry for a gift. The MemoryMixer software is quick and easy to learn, and allows you to create beautiful scrapbooks digitally with all of the trimmings we know and love from the paper version, including buttons, tags, and a variety of papers to choose from. Additionally, there is an ever-growing selection of pre-made, beautiful scrapbook templates to which you can simply import your pictures (how easy is that?!). So I set up my laptop with the software and spent an afternoon playing with it.

After a couple of hours, I had created a book filled with my favorite pictures of the couple over the course of the time they had known each other, detailed with beautiful buttons, bows, and paper designs, and uploaded it to the MemoryMixer website. The entire process took no more time than downloading and printing the registry information and going to the nearest Crate and Barrel to pick up a gift would have, and the result was completely personal to our relationship.

Once you’ve created your book, MemoryMixer provides a number of different ways to share them with family and friends. You can have them printed as a bound photo book to display on a coffee table or bookshelf; share them online and include videos, music, and commentary to personalize even further; print photo pages to slip into your own photo book; or create calendars with the designs and pictures of your choice. I chose to print my scrapbook as a bound photobook, and within a few days it arrived at my doorstep, even lovelier in person than it had been electronically. I gave it to my friends at their wedding, and I can honestly say I think it’s the first wedding present I’ve given that’s actually made newlyweds tear up.

MemoryMixer software comes in lite and full versions ($34.95 and $79.95 respectively), both of which have full functionality, but the full version provides additional embellishment options. To learn more about the software or buy a set for yourself, visit their website.