Mom Central: Hot Parenting Products

Inchbug’s Bumpyname

Even with just one child, it can be difficult to keep track of things, and any mom with more than one knows that even something as simple as a short car ride or the trip to soccer practice can bring with it any number of problems. Well check one of those off your list - no more fighting over which cup or bottle belongs to which kid.  Thanks to Inchbug’s Bumpyname personalized orbit labels, you can solve the problem permanently. The flexible plastic bands stretch to fit around a variety of drink containers, from 4 oz baby bottles to 20 oz sport bottles, and if you’re feeling particularly clever you can even use the labels on items like shampoo, flashlights, or lotion. You can choose from pre-printed names or customize your own, even adding on information like allergies or a phone number to make sure important information is always close at hand.  The bands come in a variety of colors and can be customized with Braille, and are nontoxic, reusable, and dishwasher and microwave safe. Most importantly, though, while only a small detail, these bands solve a number of problems, from making sure your toddler comes home with the same sippy he took to daycare to ensuring that each child takes the right bottle for lunch. Anyone will find a use for these clever tags, and moms will discover that having one less thing to think about will simplify their daily routines. For more information, visit the website at InchBug.com.

Boon Products: Making bathing safe and fun!

As Moms we all worry a little bit about the hard, metal faucet when we give out children a bath. The Flo Water Deflector and Protective Faucet Cover by Boon gives your normal faucet a protector against injury and allows the water to gently stream out.

The white and green oval-shaped cover is sleek and fun looking, kinda like a UFO prop from a sci-fi movie. To attach it to your faucet, all you have to do is squeeze the top and bottom sections together and slip it over top, making sure the mouth of the spigot reaches over the inside flap (you might need to turn the water on and shimmy the device around a little until you find the ideal placement on your faucet). The water hits the slide-like bottom of the Flo, and fans out into a thin stream (instead of a thick gush), perfect for tear-free rinsing.

Now, washing the shampoo off of tiny heads is less frightening, though avoid over-sudsing—the water flow won’t be strong enough to handle the extra soap. The soft rubber makes the formerly hard, metal faucet kid-friendly. Extra bonus: according to the box, 10% of the profits from this product will be donated to children’s charities.

Once you’ve tucked the kids into bed, you can use the niftiest feature of all—the green compartment on the top of the Flo holds bubble bath, dispensable with a tiny button on the front. Sure, the kids might like that too, but maybe you should keep that one to yourself. Just light some candles, get a book, and bubble, rinse, and repeat.

Check it out at Amazon. 

My Conservation Baby

For all those eco-conscious parents out there, here’s a new way to spread the word: onesies, baby hats, and tee shirts with the messages “Stop Global Warming,” “Conserve,” and “Protect the Environment.” MyConservationBaby.com is an online store that offers high-quality, good-looking clothing with a purpose. Think Angelina, Brad, and their brood who were some of the first to make community service a fashion statement.

The onesies and hats come in eye-catching camouflage and tie-dye prints or solid colors, and the tee shirts are available in toddler and adult sizes. At first glance, the messages seem overly simplistic (e.g., who doesn’t wish we could just “stop” global warming with a snap of our fingers?) and even political (since it’s undeniably a hot topic of debate), and I hesitated having my innocent baby become a channel for them. However, the truth is that we all need reminders to be less wasteful, and the earlier we start to instill conservation habits and awareness in our kids, the more likely those habits will continue for a lifetime. Whether you teach your child just a few good habits like turning off the faucet while brushing his teeth and shutting off unused lights, or go the extra mile by encouraging interest in nature and wildlife, it’s clear that everyone can take steps toward appreciating and preserving our environment. 

Special for Mom Central viewers: MyConservationBaby.com is offering 30% off your entire order! Just enter the code word “DEBROFF” in the discount code box when you place an order. Take advantage of these savings now by visiting www.myconservationbaby.com.

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

That Baby CD and DVD

Rock-a-bye baby on the treetop, when the wind blows the cradle will rock.  Lullabies are so calm, so peaceful, and, well, slightly boring. Song’s for babies haven’t changed much and although there is a bit of nostalgia in singing our child the songs our mother sang for us, it is always nice to start your own traditions.  That Baby has developed a new classic CD and DVD set that turns our favorite songs from the past into lullabies.

That Baby was created by a mom and dad, who carefully selected 11 songs that parents and baby can enjoy together. They picked right with some of my favorites like Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, and Bruce Springsteen. Each song is reworked and arranged in a mellow acoustic format by Stephanie Schneiderman.  That Baby DVD is calming with images of children at play, nature, animation, and puppets. Now maybe those long car trips to grandma’s can be a little more relaxing and enjoyable for you and baby.

The DVD costs $24.95 and the CD is $14.95 or you could buy them together for $34.90.  For more information on purchasing That Baby DVD or CD, and for a full track listing please visit their website.

Kaboost

Here’s a great new product to salute that transitional age when your baby morphs into a toddler. He starts climbing up the crib rails at night, tries out his new little potty hoping to outgrow his pull-ups, and no longer grabs your hand to steady his walk. All signs of growing independence. Kaboost encourages this newfound confidence by allowing your child to sit in a real grown-up chair at the table…without having to prop himself on his knees to see all the action!

Kaboost is a booster that attaches to the bottom of any four-legged chair. The springloaded arms slide out so you can insert the chair’s legs; then they retract to hug the legs securely. It has four rubberized feet to keep the chair sturdy and your floors scratch-free. Your child is boosted to a choice of two different heights so it matures with him, from 20 months to 6 years old. He’ll feel more grown up without his high chair and can reach for his food more easily. Kaboost is lightweight, compact, and folds so it can be toted to homes of friends and relatives. It’s so easy to assemble, you can even attach it quickly in a restaurant if you don’t prefer the somewhat precarious wooden high chairs that are typically offered.

Before using Kaboost, make sure your child can sit safely in a chair without straps. It may be a new sensation for him to no longer be buckled in! For more info visit www.kaboost.com.

Rockabye Baby Lullabies

Diehard fans of big rocks bands such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, and Metallica may be protesting that turning their favorite tunes into lullabies is not possible! But Rockabye Baby has accomplished quite a feat.  They have transformed the hard driving beats of famous rock’n roll songs into ultra-soothing instrumentals.

Skeptical? You’ll simply have to hear it to believe it. Performed by various musicians, songs such as U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday and The Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up are completely refashioned through instrumentals. The result is unbelievably mellow melodies that are first unrecognizable. However, after a few notes eventually and a familiar chorus and you may find yourself singing along, “You make a grown man cry…”

The best thing about these albums is the novelty soothing your baby to sleep with the songs that you love. You can never start too early getting your child hooked on the classics!

Each CD costs about $17. To see the whole collection or to order, visit www.babyrockrecords.com.

Rewarding Kids Responsibility Kit

My kids seemed sincere when they promised (well, more accurately, when I told them they had to) set the dinner table every weeknight and take out the trash every Sunday – but I still always feel like I am nagging them to fulfill those promises? The Rewarding Kids Responsibility Kit helps because it lets a piece of paper do the talking for me.

At the heart of the kit is a Family Job chart listing basic household chores including making lunches, helping with meals, watering plants, and feeding pets. Since the surface is erasable (it comes with its own markers and reusable stickers), assignments can be made by the day or the week and rotated frequently by anyone in the house (just be careful you you hand out the erasers to!). Better still, the chart shows kids all the niggling little tasks that it takes to run a household – something they usually fail to notice. The chart can be prominently posted on the wall or the refrigerator, and pointed to when the cries of “I forgot!” or “I can’t do that now, I have to do my homework!” become particularly obnoxious.

Along with the family chart comes an erasable chart for jobs that children can do on their own, such as brushing teeth and picking up toys, and blank charts that can be customized for your household. A booklet gives even more tools including cut-out cards that can be laminated and hung from hooks, lists to be posted inside of cabinets, and another section with list ideas for incentives and rewards. Though the plain typography is decidedly old-fashioned, the message that kids need to pitch in – and need to be reminded constantly – never goes out of date.

Kindergarten Countdown Toolkit

The first day of “real” school, kindergarten that is, should be one of life’s most exciting moments for you and your child. Often it is, but not surprisingly it may also be filled with anxiety if your child doesn’t know what to expect. This toolkit is the perfect way to break those fears. It features a kindergarten tour on DVD, 5 Tessy & Tab Reading Club magazines, a kindergarten checklist, and a parents’ guide for building early reading skills.

The DVD answers the big questions looming in your child’s mind: How will I get to school? What will my teacher be like? What will I learn? Will other kids like me? Real kindergartners of different ethnic backgrounds give a wide variety of answers to those questions, and are shown learning, playing, and interacting with teachers and their classmates. After you watch the video with your child, you and your child can plan a real tour of your child’s school a few weeks before the big day.

The other tools can help boost your child’s confidence by increasing their recognition of letters and love of books. The Tessy & Tab magazines, geared toward 2-6 year olds, are colorful short stories with titles such as New School, Checkup Time, and Love to Share. The early reading guide shows parents how to use these magazines to focus more deeply on letters, pictures, and word sounds. The handy kindergarten checklist has tips starting at one month prior (e.g., have your child memorize your home address and phone number) to things to do after your child’s first day (e.g., plan a First Day family dinner so your child can share what happened at school). To order the toolkit or a subscription to the Tessy & Tab magazines, visit http://www.tessyandtab.com/kindergarten/.

ThingamaKid Giggle Toons

If your kids love singalongs, they'll love Thingamakid DVD/CD set filled with catchy rhymey tunes of cute laugh-out-loud stories matched with witty cartoons. The DVD presents 10 familiar songs that come alive through animation. In Bingo, a farmer bakes a birthday cake for his dog Bingo, who keeps stealing bites. The farmer unsuccessfully searches for new hiding places hoping to salvage some cake before Bingo's big day. In On Top Of Spaghetti, a forceful sneeze sets loose a meatball from a spaghetti plate and the runaway meatball rolls into the backyard, blooming into a tree full of meatballs covered with sauce. It's goofy stories like these that make the DVD so much fun. The graphics aren't even close to the rising standards of animation titans like DreamWorks and Pixar, but they're so super-colorful and spot on with the lyrics that your kids won't care.

Each song is about 2 minutes and you can either play the DVD in its entirety or select specific songs from a playlist. There are also two fun karaoke options: one with music, lyrics, and voices; the other with music and lyrics only. Visual cues, such as highlighted lyrics, show you when to sing (remember those oldy but goody cartoons where the ball bounced over each word sung?). Included is a CD version with the same songs plus 5 extra. Both are great to pack for long car or airline trips. You can listen to music samples and order this and other singalong DVDs from the ThingamaKid website. Also on the site are games, activity ideas, and resources for parents: http://www.thingamakid.com/.