Yoplait Kids

As Moms with families on the go we are constantly on the lookout for ways to get our children to eat nutritious foods, and the key is finding things our kids really enjoy. The new Yoplait Kids with 25% less sugar Omega-3 DHA offer a great on-the-go, healthy snack (or breakfast, or dessert, or...) option.

These sip-able and spoon-able yogurts provide calcium, vitamins A and D, protein and Omega-3 DHA (aka: brain food) and come in creamy banana, strawberry, peach and vanilla flavors to entice the kids (having Dora, Diego, and the Backyardigans on the labels doesn't hurt either!)  Kids like the tasty fruit flavors and creamy texture, designed to stay on the spoon and perfect for practice self-feeding, and portable drinks while Moms love the nutritional benefits.

Go get your free Yoplait Kids coupon at www.yoplaitkids.com

Mom Central Product Picks for Holiday Gifts

How do the holidays creep up on us? It always seems that I am frantically searching for the best presents out there for the kids in my life at the last minute. The flurry of toy commercials and bright splashy advertising only make the whole process of finding a gift that is both fun and educational even more difficult, and wading through one website after another is bound to deflate even the most determined holiday spirit.

Here at Mom Central, we’ve been flooded all year long with the hottest new games and toys to review on our Mom Central Product Picks blog. For those of us heading out to the stores or online for that last shopping push, I’ve pulled together the best of the best for a guaranteed holiday hit!

Teens and Tweens

GelaSkins Inc. : innovative artwork for the exterior of laptops, RAZRs, iPhones, and iPods, cut to fit each device and using a no-residue adhesive. GelaSkins come in hundreds of styles, from classical artists to  contemporary graffiti.

LeapFrog FLY Fusion Pentop Computer: a pen that comes with a camera built into the tip which reads handwriting and can be plugged into your computer and converted to text in Word or e-mail format. This is a must-have for heavy note takers! Also comes with games and learning programs including math, English, and foreign languages.

Guardian Wired Headphones: warns kids and parents when music is too loud by flashing a red LED light when the volume is too loud for safe listening.

Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes: looks like a camera but has the functions of a camcorder, and is so easy to use! This innovative, completely digital recorder makes it simple to download video onto a computer or plug into the TV to instantly watch what was just filmed.

Kajeet: the ultimate cell phone for kids! Kajeet phones come several cool models kids will love, but parents control the amount of minutes purchased, which numbers are stored, and even when the phone can be used.

Elementary

Jakks EyeClops Bionic Eye: a cool new microscope that zooms in 200x on any object, which then flashes a super amplified, full color image of it onto your television screen.

Dragonfly by Wowwee: the world’s first radio-controlled flying insect! !he dragonfly is an easy-to-fly aeronautical marvel, which can be used indoors or out,you’re your child has full control of its speed, direction and height via remote control.

Me Movies: upload your child’s photo onto Me Movies’ website and a 30-minute cartoon is personalized with your child’s photo neatly superimposed onto a cartoon body. Two stories to choose from, which include endless scenes of your child accompanying the main character, Bee, on his adventures.

Pre-school

WowWee Robotics RoboPanda: crowd-pleasing, interactive robotic panda who gives hugs, holds conversations, and shares stories by responding to sound and its eight touch sensors all over his body.

FlattenMe Books: personalized storybooks with a picture of your child uploaded and imposed into their pre-written and beautifully illustrated books.

Giggle Toons: filled with catchy, rhymey tunes of cute laugh-out-loud stories matched with witty cartoons and presents 10 familiar songs that come alive through animation.

School Zone: kids will have so much fun, they’ll forget they’re learning! Includes workbooks, magnetic puzzles, bingo games, and flash cards completely updated for the 21st century.

Kindergarten Countdown Toolkit: This toolkit is the perfect way to break those fears of the first day of kindergarten, and features a kindergarten tour on DVD, 5 Tessy & Tab Reading Club magazines, a kindergarten checklist, and a parents’ guide for building early reading skills.

Babies

Butt Naked Baby: a full line of organic, all natural products including shampoo, oatmeal bath, lightweight lotion, oil, butter cream, powder, and more!

UBI Deluxe Changing Table: an Ikea-esque changing table that combines comfort, innovation, and style.

That Baby CD and DVD: songs that parents and baby can enjoy together, including Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, and Bruce Springsteen, reworked and arranged in a mellow acoustic format.

Crystaleigh Baby Products: a posh line of baby blankets and onesies give a little bit of luxury with the combination of functionality.

Boogaloo Bath Toys: an innovative toy company dedicated to making products that are both fun and functional for baby development – in the tub!

Happy holidays (and happy gift buying!) from the Mom Central team!

New Place!!!

Hi Everyone! My blog has moved due to the recent changes at ClubMom. Come check out the DeBroffDebrief here! Thanks!

Crossing the Line

It’s probably true that we’ve all been in a situation where someone else’s child is out of line, and they’re either not there or simply not doing anything about it. In fact, it tends to happen a lot around the holidays when we start visiting with family and friends who we don’t see everyday. When faced with this situation, we’re often tempted to scold the child in loco parentis – or, hey, maybe even discipline the negligent parents themselves. After all, we’d never let our kids behave like that. Which is exactly why an article in Newsweek caught my eye recently. In it, Kathleen Deveny lamented just this situation – and claims she still regrets not having taken it upon herself to say something to someone else’s child in a situation or two, rather than buying into what she calls one of society’s “parenting taboos.”

I beg to differ. In my opinion, the only time we should be disciplining another person’s child is when it’s necessary to prevent dangerous and destructive behavior. Otherwise, it’s up to the parents to set their own limits and decide what will be punished and how. Although Deveny points to a time in the mid-20th century where parents felt free to enact community discipline and yell at any and all neighborhood kid behaving inappropriately, families today have wildly different standards. Who’s to say it’s not right for a child to jump in puddles or run through the grocery store? Well, if it’s not your child, then not you.

Parents need to be consistent with their discipline without worrying how other children’s parents are treating their child, and they should feel free to set their own boundaries in their own way. The way they choose to discipline their child is, after all, no one else’s business. No matter how annoying that really loud 4-year-old in your favorite restaurant is.

Deveny also claims that too many parents today are unwilling to discipline their child – and maybe she’s got something there. In this age of spoiling our kids, trying to be their friend, and not teaching them the word ‘no,’ this is a whole different issue. Yet even if it’s the case that we are more lax with our kids than our parents were with us, it still doesn’t give someone else the right to decide what’s appropriate for our child.

And while we’ve all been in that situation where we have to bite our tongue instead of saying whatever it is we’d like to say to the offending child, many of us have also been nearby when another adult reprimanded our kid – and we probably had a few choice words in mind then, too.

Back to the Backyard

What do you do when baby comes home, you quit going to the gym, and several years later you still have yet to lose the baby weight? According to a recent article in The Washington Times, the solution for time-pressed yet exercise-deprived parents is to make fitness a family project.

Lots of gyms and fitness centers have already thought of this, which led to the creation of numerous family fitness programs and even brand new fitness centers dedicated to allowing families the opportunity to get moving together. Parents and their children of all ages can take part in a variety of family-friendly classes ranging from swimming to jogging to dance. Yet club memberships or trips to the gym aren’t the only way to get your family in shape.

In fact, the article suggests simply just getting outside and moving around – a novel idea by today’s standards, where busy schedules and video games often prevent families from engaging in any kind of physical play. Yet playing games in the backyard not only helps squeeze in a fun and easy fitness routine for the day, but it gets kids off the couch and active, creates a positive impression of physical activity, relieves stress, and nurtures family bonding time.

It might come as a shock to some that, after all of the fad diets and expensive exercise equipment, experts are now suggesting we go back to Red Rover, Kick the Can, tag, and ball tosses. It took a long time – and a lot of failed diets along the way – but it seems we are now rediscovering the obvious. An afternoon outside can do wonders for the waistline – not to mention the family.

So grab the kids and head outside for a few games from your own childhood – while the weather still permits. And, hey, after all that running around maybe you won’t feel so bad about indulging during the holidays.

ESRB - Making video game shopping a little easier this holiday season!

Sometimes walking down an aisle of video games can be dizzying. How do we choose from an ever-growing selection of titles, hoping our children will like it, but also worrying whether or not it is appropriate for their age? It isn’t the fact that our kids play video games; but a bigger concern is with what games they play. With a busy Mom’s schedule, we don’t have time to watch or read about every game out there to make sure it is a safe and fun pick for our children.

That is why, just like videos, ESRB (the Entertainment Software Rating Board) has developed a trusted system to rate each game. Since video games are no longer being made “just for kids” (what happen to Pac Man?!), we as parents have to be more aware of the content that is in a given game. In addition, ESRB is beginning to give parents instructions on how to stop their child from reaching certain adult-themed levels of a game through their child’s gaming systems.

ESRB has surveyed parents and learned that when we are aware of the different ratings, and what they mean, we are more likely to check them before making a purchase. We know we want our children to steer away from violent games, but sometimes just the cover (that cute bunny doesn’t just hop around!) doesn’t give enough information.

ESRB ratings have been assigned to computer and video games since 1994 and appear on the packaging for virtually every game sold in the U.S. and Canada. There are six rating categories ranging from eC (early childhood) to AO (adults only) and appear on the back of the package with accompanying details regarding any elements that may trigger concern.

Beyond the ratings, websites have more information to help us make better decisions before we even get to the video game aisle, including trailers, screen shots, and interactive demonstrations.

Parental Controls

Sometimes, even when we think a game is safe for our child, there may be levels in the game that introduce them to more violence than we want them to see. For this reason, ESRB is now giving parents access to web sites that offer instructions on how to adjust different types of gaming systems in order to introduce parental controls.

For example, the Xbox website lists information on such safeguards as from how to make sure your child is not participating in video communication with other gamers he doesn’t know personally to controlling the level content they are allowed to play in certain games. ESRB makes it easier for parents to find and link to these pages and become a step ahead of their child’s video game playing.

Although, no amount of remote control beats sitting down with your child and playing the games with him ESRB makes it easier to ensure appropriate games are played when you cannot be there.

Not the Same Latchkey Kids

Good news for all those parents whose heart breaks every time they drop their kids off at daycare or leave them with a nanny and head off to work. According to a GfK Roper Consulting survey, kids claim to be much less affected by working parents than we tend to think they are. Which, at the very least, should relieve some of that maternal guilt.

These findings contradict every message we have heard on the subject recently, and probably our own personal beliefs as well. Every mother who works knows how difficult it is to be away from her children during the day – and often worries about what she or her kids are missing out on as a result. Which makes that decision whether or not to return to work all the more difficult after baby is born. Moms worry their kids are being short-changed as they try to balance their responsibilities, too often feeling like they’re not giving either job their full attention.

But while we’re feeling guilty, it seems kids are satisfied. According to Business Week, the survey showed that the kids polled (who were all between the ages of 8 and 17) are as content to have both parents work as they are to have one parent who stays home full-time. And not only does having two working parents create positive role models for kids, they’re really not feeling deprived at all.

Now don’t let these results make you think that we are neglecting our kids, or that they’re simply used to having parents out of the house and are happy to entertain themselves. The study also found that the amount of time parents are spending with their kids on average is up even in the past five years – now almost 31 hours a week. Whether this is due to more understanding and flexible companies or simply more working parents dedicated to making the time for their kids, it’s good news for everyone.

So stop feeling so guilty; the kids are fine whether you work or stay home. If we’re lucky, maybe this will help put an end to those Mommy Wars. 

The Great Debate

I recently came across yet another article about the ongoing vaccination debates of late, and was, once again, struck by the absurdity of such controversy. Amidst rumors of autism, refusals to get the chicken pox vaccine, and even reported dangers of cold medications, this topic is becoming as heated as whether or not to breastfeed or stay home from work.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that people simply don’t trust doctors anymore. With the widespread and frequent use of online medical sites like WebMD enabling (often flawed) self-diagnoses and books advertising ever more rigorous and fanatical forms of healthy living, mothers no longer take pediatricians at their word. In fact, moms are taking their kids for second, third, even fourth opinions, and writing off doctors who recommend vaccinations.

What happened to the days when we were grateful?? Not to say that educating yourself on issues you find important is bad. But there was a time when mothers trusted doctors – who are trained to answer their questions and make suggestions based on their expert opinions (whether you agree with them or not). Yet the mere suggestion of the flu shot now brings moms to arms in doctors’ offices across the country.

Although polio has been widely eradicated in the Western world, a boycott of the polio vaccine in Africa by parents worried that the shot could contain harmful chemicals recently led to outbreaks in over a dozen countries. Which could, conceivably, happen in the US as well. And although many parents believe that their children won’t get sick, especially if they’re not yet in school, there’s no way to ensure kids are safe if you choose not to vaccinate.

The debate has been greatly intensified lately by reports about links between the MMR shot and autism, although scientific evidence thus far has not proven a cause and effect relationship between the two, and any correlation may simply come from the fact that the age the vaccine is given corresponds pretty directly with the age that the first symptoms of autism become apparent, leading many to draw mistaken conclusions.

Still, despite scientific studies and the advice of pediatricians, when it comes to choosing whether or not to vaccinate, many parents claim they’d rather be safe than sorry. But, knowing what could happen without vaccines, what decision is safer in this case?  Yet, regardless of any and all reports favoring either side of the issue, without a question the debate will rage on.

Big Home, Bigger Heart

Move over, Angelina! A woman from Chelmsford, MA who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, looked back over her long and happy life, the highlight of which was raising 155 children. Jane Cryan, who has five biological children, along with 18 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, also spent over 30 years taking in foster kids – 150 total.

It takes a special person to be a foster parent, and Jane clearly had love to share. While many parents can’t imagine handling more than the 2 or 3 kids they already have, Jane found the patience and care necessary to help as many children as she could.

Jane and her husband took in a variety of troubled or abandoned kids, from a confused 17-year-old to four-year-old triplets to impressionable infants, and everything in between. And they have a lot of happy memories to show for it – including big group meals, family chores made fun when disguised as games with numerous participants, and always-crowded bedrooms full of makeshift beds. Some children stayed only days, while others remained in the house for years., but the Cryans always considered themselves lucky to be able to have an effect on the children’s lives, no matter how much time they spent with them.

Although they are now grown and long gone, Jane is in contact with many of her former foster children, and she hopes above all that she has taught them love, compassion, and respect. For their part, Jane’s five kids, who enjoyed having so many playmates around, believe she did just that. After all, if anyone could be a role model for love and compassion, Jane is that person.

Although she admits that not only were there never any dull moments around their house, Jane also says it was never quiet either. Yet she managed to pack a lot of life into her 90 years – and that’s something to be grateful for.

Marketing to Moms

According to a recent article out of England, moms are no longer just worried about the marketing aimed at their kids – they’re also worried about the commercials and ads being aimed at them.

Although moms make the majority of purchasing decisions for their homes, about everything to cars to house cleaning products to clothes, a study of over 1000 mothers proved that advertisers are missing the mark. Not only did half of the women surveyed disagree that advertisers were targeting them well, over 80% of moms also said that marketers clearly don’t understand moms’ interests, values, or motivations. 

Although women have made a variety of great strides in the last several decades, it seems advertisements haven’t been keeping up. Many mothers believe that advertisers are portraying women solely as housewives interested only in babies, products for cooking and cleaning, and their looks. Advertisers also don’t seem to realize that moms vary across important spectrums – including job status, ages of their kids, backgrounds, and interests. Rather, marketers see “mom” as a single defining factor and pigeonhole the group based on stereotypes about what that means. Obviously, in the advertising world, ideas about motherhood lag far behind society.

The moms in the survey also expressed annoyance with the recent increase in “celebrity mom” advertisements, such as ads featuring Nicole Kidman or Victoria Beckham. Although moms may like the stars featured in ads, few aspire to imitate celebrity parents, the result of which is ineffective advertising.

So why, when moms make up such an important audience, are advertisers so off base? The experts think it has to do with the advertising companies themselves – most of which employ many more men than women. Even when the products are ones that will appeal to moms, these companies often don’t understand why women make the purchases they do. For that reason, most moms preferred brands that weren’t stereotypically targeting mothers.

With the holiday season upcoming, companies will likely be struggling to reach moms through a variety of new advertisements, and only time will tell whether they continue to miss the mark.