What Should Go In Every Diaper Bag

There are so many things that we are not told about as parents. After the first child you think that you know it all, but you don’t. One of the most important things that a parent can do is have the right kind of stuff. This may seem silly, but when you are out it is important to be sure to have everything you might need.

Consumables

There are some things that you will have to replace in each diaper bag. Diapers and wipes are going to be a staple of life for the next few years. Always include at least 4 diapers and a pack of wipes. If you are breastfeeding then you will also need to include some breast pads, you might go through those quickly so be prepared. Something that no bag should be without is hand sanitizer, you will go through a lot when you are out. Keeping your hands (and others) prepared to touch your baby at all times. Last but not least is formula. This is something that is a must when it comes to feeding your baby. You will need to pack the formula and the bottles. If you are breastfeeding you want to include a bottle of water. This is the one thing that any woman breastfeeding needs to replenish.

Safety Gear

When you’re a parent, especially first timer, you prepare for every possible thing that could go wrong. This isn’t a bad thing, however here are some ideas of those things that you absolutely need. Thermometer is something that most diaper bags have in them. They aren’t often needed, however they are always needed when you least expect it. Medicine is something that everyone says to have in the bag, but bringing the whole cabinet won’t do any good. Keep a bottle of Tylenol or Motrin in the bag. Anything more than that and you will already have been to the doctors. Diaper cream is something that every diaper bag needs. Every baby gets diaper rash at some point in time.

Other Essentials

There are other things that belong in a diaper bag, these things are important and most parents can’t live without. Burp cloths is something that is a must at a very young age, however if you get used to them as most parents do, or for as long as you use a diaper bag. Pacifiers are something that you might want to keep on hand.

However, as your babies grow you will find that they needed a few different things. For example, as you pass the first few months when teeth begin you will want teething rings. These can be bought at the store, they are designed to help alleviate some of the pain as well as something to bite on. Something else that can help a mom when it comes to teething, is to have a necklace that is specially made for your baby to chew on. Little Miss Fairytale is a place to get some of the cutest teething jewelry. This can make not only baby happy, but help mama to look great as well.

Mommy Friendly Ways To Cut a Budget

Cutting your budget is something that so many of us think about on a monthly basis. Here are some ideas on ways that you can cut a budget. There are several options that a person has depending on how much they are looking to cut.

Monthly Budget

This is the first step in making any decreases to your budget. In order to know where to decrease you need to know what to cut. Creating a list of all your expenses as well as all the places that you spend money each is very helpful. Getting a clear view of the money going out can help when looking for ways to save money.

Groceries

The grocery bill is usually one of the largest expenses that you will have each month. There are some tips that can help you to reduce your grocery bill.

ü  Making a list can help to make sure that you are not buying more items of the things that you already have at home.

ü  Couponing is a tip that many families are doing more often. There are places that offer double coupon days that can help you to save a lot of money sometimes.

ü  Mini gardens are becoming popular. Self-sustainment is becoming trendier as the food industry notes new chemicals and troubles with certain foods. Having a veggie garden can be helpful at least to supplement some of the food budget.

ü  Shopping on a full stomach can be the difference in your total grocery bill. When an individual is hungry, they tend to buy more food than when they are not.

ü  Buying in bulk can also help to reduce your monthly grocery cost. This is only helpful if you purchase things that you use a lot. This can stop the mid-week shopping trips.

Food Options

Some food options that you can take can help you to save money without even realizing it. Sometimes the hardest changes are the ones that are made because of convenience. One of the easiest changes that you can make is to not go through the drive thru at the coffee house. Those specialty coffees can be one of the biggest budget drains a person can have. Those once a day treats of $4.00 can add up to a lot at the end of the month. Another, way to cut your monthly budget is through taking your lunch. Buying lunches can also be a big drain on a budget. Paying $5.00 or more per day for a lunch special can put a big hole in your budget. Packing your lunch the night before can save time in the mornings, and save money for the whole month.

Saving money can be hard, but so many people can do these little things to help increase their money at the end of the month.

Bored Afternoon with a Toddler

One of the hardest things that you can do is have a toddler bored. It might seem silly to worry about a bored toddler; however, they can get into a lot of trouble when they are bored. Here are some activities that you can do with your toddler on those stuck inside days.

Play Dough

Play dough is one of the favorites of most toddlers. There are so many recipes for play dough, some edible, and some not.

Here is a yummy recipe that many toddlers love. Peanut Butter play dough is one that is fun to play with and safe to eat. The Imagination Tree has many great recipes. This recipe only takes three ingredients. The three ingredients are powered milk, peanut butter, and honey.

Another recipe for play dough that is not as yummy but still safe if your toddler does lick their fingers. The play dough can be colored. You can use natural coloring or food coloring to change the tints. No cook play dough is a great recipe that toddlers will enjoy making and you can feel safe with them enjoying the fun.

Messy

Sometimes as parents, we hate the idea of getting messy. As parents, it can be important that on those stuck indoor we offer them some fun messy activities. Messy play can help to expand a child’s fine motor skills, concentration, and even their coordination. Offering different types of sensory activities can give your child wonderful experiences.

Rainbow Sensory Rice Bags is something that can offer bright colors, fun, and no messes. All that is needed is rice, food coloring, ziplock bags. Remember that not only the feel of the rice can be educational. Using different types of rice can offer different scents to peak your toddler’s interests.

Hands on as We Grow has a great sensory activity that involves leftovers. You can simply cook some new spaghetti noodles, or use ones from last night’s dinner. Add food coloring to the noodles. Add some oil to the outside of the noodles; this will help to keep them shining and slimy.

Sensory bags are something that can be very helpful. This is a wonderful activity for those individuals that have occupational therapy. You will need a plastic bag, some hair gel, and some small toys or little balls. Mama OT is a great place to get some ideas on other occupational activities.

There are days when you cannot find anything to do. When those days hit it can be very important to have things to do with your toddler.

Easter Decorations and Gifts

Easter is a holiday that can sometimes be put on the back burner. Even though the holiday has a large commercial following, there are some things that you can do to make it a special day. It can also be a big drain on a budget. Here are some ideas on gifts and decorations that can help to reduce the money being spent.

Gifts

Gifts can be something that might be a good option when it comes to kids and Easter. Baskets are not always the answer, but a well-loved gift might be just the trick.

Play Tents are something that you can spend a lot of money on if you desire to. However, they are also a great do it yourself project to get those smiles. iVillage offers the instructions on how to make the tent all on your own.

Jewerly is always a special gift. iVillage offers some great ideas on making braided bracelets that can be enjoyed by anyone on your Easter list. Know of another mother that is in need of some wonderful jewelry. Look at Little Miss Fairytale they make beautiful teething jewelry for mommy. Little Miss even has a few clothing choices that are adorable for the littlest ones on our list.  

Decorations

Decorations are something that can take time to complete. However, they can be made as a wonderful project for you and your children.

Bunny or Egg Garland is one that can be simple and pretty at the same time. Titatoni offers a download that can make it a bit easier to make garland out of bunnies. If you are looking to make eggs you can use any coloring egg with a design, have it colored by the kids and hang on a piece of string. Modern Parents Messy Kids a unique suggestion to making egg garland. This garland is made from those free paint chips you get when trying to decide the best colors to paint with.

Origami Bunny Baskets is a decoration that your older children can enjoy helping make and not feel like they are making something babyish. Origami Sprirt offers directions on how to make origami bunnies. These bunnies have an open back allowing for chocolates, jellybeans, or any other little treat to be placed there.

Creating a magical Easter does not depend on the money you can spend. Many times, it is about the time you spend. Making decorations or gifts can be worth the time. Although, if making everything is not best, then finding that perfect thing might be even better.

Family Style Easter Egg Hunt Secrets

Easter is one of those busy times of the year. New dresses or suits are necessary. Tons of eggs needed to boil and color. Plastic eggs are always an option; however, that does not stop you from needing those hard eggs. One of the best parts Easter is the egg hunts. Here comes the biggest problem with Easter. After several years, the Easter egg hunts become mundane, and boring to the children. Here are some ideas to liven up your egg hunts.

Great Egg Race

There are several ways to play this game. Here are some options.

• Place an even number of eggs and placing them in a row. Have kids start at the beginning of the row and race to pick up as many eggs as possible. The one who gets to the end of the line first is the winner.

• Put tons of eggs all over the yard. They do not all have to be hiding. Some can be easy to find for those younger kids. Others can be more difficult so that the older children can still be involved. At the end, the winner will be the one with the most eggs. So, let the race begin.

Coded Messages

Once our kids get older, hunting no longer is something fun. In order to make it fun for them you have to increase the difficulty level. This idea is where you hide clues to the next egg in each of the previous eggs. You can print as many clues as you need, and it they can be long or short. It can be done simultaneously while the other kids are doing their egg hunt.

Golden Egg Contest

The golden egg contest is one of the simplest options to add something to your basic egg hunt. Best Family Traditions has some great options for a nice egg coloring. The golden egg is a great way to offer a special prize at the end of the basic egg hunt. You may use any color egg, but it needs to be just one egg of that color. This gives you the ability to know which one is the specific egg.

Letter Eggs – Making Words

There are some options when it comes to letter eggs. They can be used as a teaching tool or as a reward at the end of the egg hunt. Playing house had some great ideas.

• As a teaching tool, you can take a set of plastic eggs. You will want to get at least enough to make one per alphabet letter. Some letters that you will want to double up on, making the formation of words easier done. Then you will place a capital letter on half of the egg and a lower case on the other half. This can be a letter recognition, and then help with word formation.

• Each egg can have a letter on them. You can pick a secret word and have the kids use the letter eggs to form that word. For those individuals, that is able to create the word from letter eggs will receive a special prize different from the others.