Free Gift Re-Gift

Forget pulling out your credit card for holiday gifts for others (or yourself). That’s like, soooo pre-economic crisis!

Instead, pull out dem ugly gifts other people have given you over the years and swap ‘em for something you (or someone you know) will actually like.  

Re-gifting? Kinda… but without the worry that you’ll accidentally give your cousin the, er, “beautiful” plaid scalloped-edged apron that your aunt gave you three Decembers ago.

So, enter Freecycle. Membership costs nothin’. And as you might have guessed from the name (or should have), it is “…a place to give or receive what you have and don’t need or what you need and don’t have.”  

Say that 10 times fast.

Then go visit Freecycle and find that big, comfy easy chair you’ve always wanted and offer someone else that treadmill that’s been taunting you from across the room since 2002.  And if you find and give the neighbor that snowblower you thought he always wanted (but didn’t), he can always put it back up for grabs while searching Freecycle for the panini maker that he secretly hoped you were sliding under his tree.

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ParentZing! Perk: Hurry! FCDL20 is the current promo code to get 20% off at Flying Colors Baby. Hey, if you’re gonna spend you might as well save, right?

Gift of Music: JAM for Free

Charity and the JAMband, the award-winning San Francisco group, has a new “Song of the Month” feature on their website. 

For the holidays you can listen to the band’s all-new arrangement of  ”Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”… for free! Played with an indie-rock twist, this version adds new sparkle to an old favorite. It’ll appeal to both big and little elves alike. 

What’s JAM like? Their website describes it best:

 

“What is JAM? The short answer…

JAM is a hootenanny, a hullabaloo, a dance party, a shindig-bash, a festival, a family band, a rain dance, a sun song, a fairy frolic, a wander in the park, a race on the beach, a flitting floating butterfly-bop, a blundering thundering elephant-stomp, a twirling-whirling-swirling dizzy-dee fall-down boogie!

JAM is about making sounds and songs and hooting and hollering and belly laughing and shimmying and swaying and running and jumping and jiving and bouncing with people you love!

JAM is about pushing the furniture to the walls and creating a dancing room in your homes and your hearts, for forever, for inside and out, for back and forth, for now.

JAM is about being real and feeling alive.”

Sounds to me like they capture the holiday spirit ALL year ’round!

 

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Holiday JAMband Sale: All Charity and the JAMband music is on sale now! Select the songs you want to purchase and enter  the discount code TWINKLEJAM to receive 50% off all downloads. (Expires December 30, 2008). 

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More ParentZing! Perks: We’re in the giving mood, so here’s another perk for your holiday shopping pleasure. The Gap is offering $20 off online orders of $100 or more! Use  coupon code GAP20. (Hurry! Expires 11/14/08)

Kum Bah Ya Gifts

Do your responsible shopping online and make the world a less toxic place! Make a tax-deductible donation of $135 NOW $99 to the Environmental Working Group in honor of a friend or family member and they’ll receive a snazzy “green” gift bag that includes: 

1. A 27 oz. Klean Kanteen stainless steel bottle — the perfect solution to using less plastic and avoiding contaminated bottled water
2. Jumbo Enviro-Tote made from 100% recycled plastic, printed with EWG’s pollution solutions
3. 6-piece Pyrex glass container set (no more Tupperware!)
4. Crummy Brothers organic chocolate chip cookies
5. $25 in free product coupons, plus…
6. EWG’s most popular tools for healthy living

Best Kids’ Gift, Hands Down (And Up. And Down. And Up…)

Forget video games. Forget movies on DVD. It’s time to harken back to the good ol’ days when creativity and imagination were the core elements of kids’ gifts.  

Enter The Sock Puppy Kit from famed puppeteer John Kennedy. It comes complete with all the materials your little puppet master needs to make the super-cute canine. The instructions are clear and easy, but if you like visual aids there’s actually an online video from Activity TV that demonstrates how to bring the pup puppet to life.

Wait! There’s more! You get a free set of Ginzu knives with each purchase.  (Oh, come on, get a sense of humor… I’m kidding, here).  

But really, the kit does include oodles of extra goodies like a CD packed with original stories and music, paper farm animal puppets to use with Sock Puppy when performing the “Sock Puppies on the Farm” show for family and friends, and stickers for your star-in-training to promote his or her performances. And dang, that John Kennedy’s clever: Even the box it all comes in becomes part of the play as Sock Puppy’s very own dog house.  

Dreamy Creamy Gift

Abby & Becky wish you Season's Eatings!

ParentZing! had the, er, “cool” opportunity to interview Becky App, one of the smooth gals behind eCreamery. Becky and her business partner Abby Klusmire churn out custom-made ice cream concoctions. (And it’s *yummy*! We tried it!) Yup, you get to design and name your very own creations. Not only will it be fun for you, but think of the glow on Aunt Fran’s face when she and her card-playing buddies dig their spoons into the Chocolate Coconut Caramel Canasta Night blend you conjured up just for her.

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Q: I remember when I was 7 or 8 years old, I thought no one was looking so I grabbed a marshmallow peep and cracked a Cadbury Egg and smashed it around in my bowl of ice cream. I just got in trouble for doing it. How’d the heck did you manage to turn your ice cream dreams into a lucrative business?

A: It actually all started with diamonds and crystal. Abby and I worked together in the custom gift department of a Fine Jewelry store and helped people create unique personalized gifts. Gifts with a personal message and unique stories that made them special. We kept thinking how we could take this concept into the realm of our true passion – food! So aafter many meetings over lunch and dinner it hit us: What could be sweeter than personalized ice cream? A partnership with a long established mom and pop ice cream shop and HOURS UPON HOURS of learning the intricacies of gourmet ice creams & gelatos (serious taste testing) and we were off!

 

Q: Admit it. Jennifer Aniston helped you develop your “Break Up” flavors, right? What other celebs order from you and what flavors do they like? After hunky Daniel Craig places his order to celebrate the success of his newest film, could I personally deliver the package to him? Will the package include two spoons, because we’ll need them.

A: Break ups were inspired by none other than Carrie Bradford of Sex & the City. Everyone needs a sympathy scoop now and again. We’d love to share the delectable secrets of our sweet toothed celebs but we have to respect  their privacy. Rachael Ray however, is proud to share her love of her creation, Izzy’s Pick Me Up, publically. She had it made in honor of Isabel, her dog. She is a fantastic customer! As for the long list of others, I can only hint. Park Avenue Fashion Designers, Wall Street Secret Lovers, we’ve even had an Oval Office Ovation order. We love reading the order list.

“Mewed” Music

You know how when you (used to) have grownup parties you pick(ed) particular CDs to play in the background to set the mood? Well, I’ve got one for the kiddie party circuit: Baby Loves Salsa: Salsa para los gatitos y perritos. That is, Salsa for Kittens and Puppies.

The CD has 16 hot salsa tracks, some of them familiar (“You are My Sunshine”) and many not. The overall theme is a story about, yes, kitties and pups from New York City who form a successful salsa band. The journey starts with an introduction to instruments used in this type of band, along with what each one is called in English and Spanish.

The kids were more interested in the music than in the Spanish lesson, but no matter: Starting with the second song they began to expend massive amounts of energy. They joined rousing choruses of “all the little kitties say MEOW! MEOW! MEOW! All the little doggies say “HOWL! HOWL! HOWL!“ 
 

We all mewed, howled and, inexplicably, oinked our way around the room in a dance train that woulda made Mario Lopez darn proud.

I thought they might be interested in seeing real salsa dancing, but I knew my salsa-savvy friend Susan wasn’t in town to demonstrate. (She once tried to teach me the basic dance steps in a dark and lonely parking lot, under starry skies, as we attempted to jump start my brain-dead car. Long story). Since she wasn’t on hand for a live performance, I found a clip on YouTube.  

That was the only permission they needed to start spinning around to the music and wrapping their arms around each other in Twister-like poses. (It could be argued that some were more akin to a half nelson wrestling move).

So, it wasn’t really salsa dancing. Who cares, right? The salsa spirit was certainly there!

 

When Listening to Music Becomes a Production (Literally)

With everything going on in the world today (heck, even ”The King of Beers” is now owned by another country), it’s a particularly wise idea to introduce your child to other cultures early on. How? Not to get all literature-y on you, but I think it was Longfellow who said “Music is the universal language of mankind.” 

But does this hold true for “kidkind”? As I’m sure you’ve experienced, little sponges love hearing and watching the same things over and over and over (and over). In their case, familiarity breeds… well, more familiarity, not contempt. 

On a recent rainy weekend day I conducted a test. I slid the new Putumayo Kids CD “Sesame Street Playground: Songs and Videos from Around the World” into the player. I hit play, sat back, and observed. The disc begins with the Dutch “Sesamstraat.” There are 13 songs in all, only two of which are in English.

 
 

You know the look Shaggy gives when he yells out “Zoinks!“? That’s exactly the look they had on their faces as they listened with confused curiosity. After a couple of tracks one ‘em declared, “These songs sound… funny.”  

When the third track started — “Elmo’s Song” in good ol’ English — I explained to them that people who spoke languages other than ours probably thought that *this* song sounded funny. 

I smiled (at least inside), all smug and self-satisfied. I had taught them a valuable lesson.

Then Rubber Duckie came on in Mandarin. They howled. Knee-slapped. Rolled on the ground with laughter. Oh, yeah, and they were trying to imitate the sounds… and not in a politically correct way, I might add.

Justin Roberts Woke Me Up at 5:30AM

The clock says 5:30AM. Arghhhh! I roll over and sit up. What’s that noise? I hear a drumbeat. I hear vocals. I think I hear an electric guitar. Then THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

I stumble out of bed, down the hall. More THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. You’ve got to be kidding me: Are those … giggles?

I push open the door to the kids’ bedroom. Before my red-rimmed eyes are two fully awake (inexplicably dressed for the day) five year olds. Did I mention it was 5:30AM?

The new Justin Roberts CD Pop Fly was blaring. Said children were jumping up and down with such zeal that the floor boards were shaking. I half-expected to see one crash through the hardwood, arms and head sticking out of the top of the hole, legs flailing beneath and visible only from the family room sofa.

Instead, they just looked at me. “We’re listening to the new Justhin Rahbarts!” Did I mention it was 5:30AM?

I can almost understand. Almost. The CD’s good. Catchy. Fun. Witty. It’s got a great beat and you can dance to it. Plus, just the day before we caught Sir Roberts and his band the Not Ready for Naptime Players at a concert in Washington, DC. Look, even if you haven’t been to a concert since, like, that 1993 UB40 one, I’m sure you remember what it’s like to get juiced up by a good live performance. You wanted to go home and listen to the cassette tape over and over, right?

If you aren’t yet enlightened, here’s the scoop: Justin is one of the darlings of the kiddie indie rock world. Except his melodies aren’t really just for the wee ones. In the same vein as They Might be Giants, Barenaked Ladies and Lisa Loeb, he successfully blurs (and in some cases practically erases) the lines between adult and kid music. 

In other words, Justin *rocks* for them AND — hallelujah! — for us.

It’s easy to get caught up in the alt-folksy-funk he and his band spin. On the surface Pop Fly tracks may sound like songs for the minis, but listen closely and you’ll notice there’s something for everyone. Take “Stay-At-Home Dad” for example. If you are ancient enough, you may remember an old 70s perfume ad that Justin’s lyrics mimic:

“Now he can bring home the bacon.
He fries it up in a pan.
At dinnertime when my mom gets home,
She’s like his biggest fan.”

The commercial before your time? Trust me, you gotta see it:

[Note: I know you're groaning. Of course you are! But everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- knew how completely tacky it was even back then. So laugh away, but with us... not at us.]

Avoiding the School Lunch Crunch

We’re firmly into the school swing of things, and making those lunches everyday somehow isn’t getting any easier. Back in the day, a parent would slap some bologna between two pieces of white bread. Add a slice of American cheese. Slip in a Twinkie (or two).  Lunch done.  Today, many parents really do try to pack healthier options.  This requires a bit of creativity at times. And speaking from experience, it’s not a good idea to try to tap into your creativity at 6:30AM before you’ve had your first full cup of coffee.  

How to avoid the lunch crunch? Our guest poster Jill Cornfield, NYC mom, gives us her “battle plan”. And tying into our allergy thread, Jill provides some recipes to squash the hunger of kids allergic to various foodstuffs. 

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I guess it was inevitable that I’d get a little weary of turning out school lunches every day. When my younger son started kindergarten I was full of grand plans. I bought a cute tool that cut a sandwich in half on the diagonal with a fancy wavy line. I made things that looked like other things, like pinwheel wraps, or had cute names, like ants on a tree.

But now he’s in 3rd grade, and instead of tips and ideas for adorable, fun, irresistible lunches, here’s my battle plan for down-and-dirty, get-it-done, if-you-don’t-like-it-you-can-make-it-yourself lunches.

Sneeze-Free Buys

Today’s guest post is from B. Casey, a Chicago parent who knows the ins and outs of life with a sneezy, itchy kid (i.e., he has allergies). Here she shares some of her “sneeze-free” clothing finds. No allergy issues? No problem.  Flaking skin isn’t a requirement. Her organic cotton picks are perfectly cozy for every baby and kid in your life.  

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I‘ve traipsed the streets of my own and other cities and roamed the Information Highway in an attempt to find clothes that would make life a little less sneezy and itchy for my son, Jake. Organic cotton clothing is a good choice because it doesn’t have icky toxic residues and stuff that conventional cotton often does (plus, it’s softer!).  

Julia's kids do organic clothes.

One of my favorites spots to browse and buy is Fig Kids. Their website is one of the coolest out there. It’s almost like playing a video game.

And guess who reportedly buys their clothes? The Pretty Woman herself, Julia Roberts. If they are good enough for her, they are good enough for me.

 

 

Also look to Speesees. The name itself is fun, so you can imagine the clothes. If I had a girl, I’d want her to wear this pony dress. Maybe I should have another baby. I hope my husband is reading this.

 

Big Kid VrrrrrRoom!

You’ve checked out ParentZing!’s nursery and toddler room ideas. Now see what we’ve got on tap for bigger kids’ rooms. Once your growing creations see our options, they’ll be begging to clean up their place to make space. Maddox knows: Cool rooms rule.

 

 

 

 

If you have kids sharing space (which isn’t unlikely if you do live in the city, unless you’re Brad & Ang… who, by the way, just donated $2 million for an Ethiopian clinic) look to bunk beds as a solution. Today’s bunk beds are a far cry from the fugly ones of years past.  Great modern options are out there. Pricey, but this is one item you don’t want to skimp on. Whether you like it (or not), this’ll be the focal point of the room.  So make it a pleasing one, like this’un from Argington.

 

Take a poke at popular culture as well offering a space-saving place for your artiste to center his or her attention. Look at the cute Chalkals wall chalkboard decals for options. When your precious babe isn’t looking, you’ll be doodling episodes of the original 90210. Fer sure.

 

Toddler VrrrrrRoom!

Violet Affleck, practicing her chase scenes.

Maybe you didn’t stop to read our Nursery VrrrrrRoom entry because you’re past the coochie-coochie-coo phase and into the chase scenes. Well, we wouldn’t leave you in a lurch.  We’ve also got some finds that will help give your active toddler’s room some vrrrrrroom! 

First, make catching your creature easier by getting some of that energy out. The slick Svan Scooter will do the trick.  With its swishes and curves, it nearly doubles as an architectural sculpture. 

 

 

 

 

Encourage tidiness with zero effort by using the P’kolino clothes tree. Kids will hang their sweaters, hats and whatever else they can get their hands on — all without being asked.  

And talk about double-duty! Imagine the fun the kids will have playing “camping” by hanging flashlights on the branches. 

 

 

Team it up with a cool foldable teepee like this one and you’ve got a winning combination…both fun-wise and style-wise. 

 

 

 

Nursery VrrrrrRoom!

Gwen & Gavin have cool digs for their kids; you can, too.

Why should your baby or kid have a boring ol’ room when he or she can have a “vrrrrroom“? 

Come on, there are no longer *any* valid excuses for having a tired or tacky nursery or kid’s bedroom. And ok, let’s be honest: Haven’t we worked hard and shopped long to get the rest of our home just the way we want it? Really, you don’t have to sacrifice your style … your little creature’s habitat can have both function AND form.

Thankfully, these days the merchandising powers-that-be understand that many of us think Pooh is cute as long as he stays within the pages of a book.  That means modern, well-designed furniture and accessories are out there for the masses. Yes, you could spend a bundle on your bundle… but you don’t HAVE to.

In this series of posts — starting with today’s nursery finds — we provide some affordable options to check out as well as some splurges.  Mix and match inexpensive with expensive, old with new, pre-fab with handmade. 

Now, all you swanky gentleman & ladies: Start your engines… and get ready to vrrrrroom!

 

Celery’s line of baby furniture is at once utilitarian and stylish.  Part Zen/part mod, this rockin’ cradle would fit into any nursery from now until we party like it’s 2999.  We say that date because this piece IS expensive… but it appears well-made and is intended to last for generations. (And it’s eco-friendly, so your great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren won’t hate you for contributing to whatever mess Earth is in at that point).

 

Eco-Zing! “Green” Gifts for Expecting or New Parents

I’m today’s guest blogger, typing this out at midnight after the kids are asleep. My ParentZing! bloggerista buddy is unplugged somewhere in North Carolina, and since I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill (go Heels!) I’m so glad she’s vacationing there.

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This list has been jotted down on napkins and post-it notes for years, whenever a non-parent says: “You have kids. So what should I get for someone who is about to have (or just had) a baby?”

I’m glad they ask. I’m glad you’ve asked. Well, maybe you haven’t technically asked…but haven’t you noticed all those baby bumps around? Clearly you need my help. So here it is: My Top 10 Eco-Friendly Gift List for Expecting or New urban. style. parents.