Products for Moms by Moms

Good morning and welcome to all you WTMJ4 viewers stopping by to learn more about the products you saw me talking about on Live at Daybreak this morning! Below you will find all the information for each of the products I mentioned as well as links to giveaways of the items.


Thanks for stopping by and be sure to become a fan of Wisconsin Mommy on Facebook and get advanced notice of giveaways in the future (if you use Facebook, just click on the "become a fan" button at the top of the left hand column of this site). You can also subscribe to Wisconsin Mommy's posts by clicking the orange "subscribe" button in the left hand column.










Treasure Chest Pets are the first and only organizers that make putting things away fun and a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Designed to look like cuddly stuffed animals, each TC Pet has a magnetic, detachable, pillowy stuffed animal head and stuffed animal bodies that contain external and internal compartments for organizing and storing children’s (and grownups!) treasures. Treasure Chest Pets are a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Six different stuffed animal designs to choose from in 3 three different styles - Accessory Chest Dog and Accessory Chest Pig have a hidden drawer and two secret pockets on the outside, along with secret pockets in both ears. Treasure Chest Monkey and Treasure Chest Cow have one gigantic pocket inside that opens like a treasure chest. Media Chest Bear and Media Chest Horse have a secret pocket inside the head and 3 compartments in the body to store CDs, DVDs, speakers/cables, MP3 player and more. $19.99 http://www.mytcpets.com/










The My Royal Heinie Daypack is the best combination of affordability, functionality and style in a diaper bag. It is also the only diaper bag fully equipped with a built-in Smart Wipes Dispenser on the market. Just load a stack of wet wipes right into the heat-sealed pocket in the front of the bag and quickly access wipes with one hand when diaper duty calls! My Royal Heinie Daypacks can be personalized with a name or monogram. $34.99, www.myroyalheinie.com










My Plate-Mate is a unique, mom-invented product for toddlers geared to make meal times easier for families. My Plate-Mate is a spill-guard that attaches to the rim of any standard plate. Great for promoting independent self feeding while minimizing messy spills and clean up for parents whether you're at home or on the go out at restaurants or grandma's house. As a spill guard, it creates a bumper to prevent food from falling off the plate while a child eats. Also, My Plate-Mate's innovative design provides a curved wall that helps children scoop food onto their utensil with ease, giving them independence and confidence in self-feeding. Made in the USA, using only FDA-approved plastic (no lead, phthalates, bisphenol-a, polycarbonates or PVC). Dishwasher-safe and conveniently portable so that children and families can enjoy their meals anywhere. Retails for $7.95, can be purchased online at MyPlate-Mate.com, via phone at 925-272-0745 and at retailers throughout North America. http://www.myplate-mate.com/










Tilty is a revolutionary training cup that makes learning to drink easier. Through its internal angled wall design, the Tilty forces the fluid to the spout and allows the child to easily drink with minimal effort and head tilt, just like they would drink out of a regular cup or glass. The Tilty not only helps infants transition to using a regular cup quickly, it also improves gross motor skills and provides a better alternative to bottles and sippy cups, which, because of the sucking and posture required to drink out them, are associated with higher rates of poor dental development and ear infections. At the same time, the Tilty's standard lid controls the speed of the liquid flow to avoid major spills. Also available is a smoothie lid for serving baby food, yogurt or thick drinks, as well as a leak-proof travel lid. Each Tilty can contain 7 ounces and is BPA, dye and phthalate free. For children 9 months and up. http://www.tiltycup.com/, $5.99/2 pack.









NeckSaver is the most versatile head and neck support for babies, ergonomically designed to reduce strain on the neck and cradle a baby's head, keeping it from slumping or flopping while the baby sleeps. A baby spends on average more than 6 hours a day in his car seat, high chair, swing and stroller, often asleep with head slumped over. This leads to soreness and can even damage a baby's postural development. Proper neck support is crucial to young babies as their skeletal structures undergo the greatest development in the early months. With good neck support, babies can develop better postures, are more comfortable, rest better, and wake up happier. The NeckSaver provides this support and enables baby to rest more comfortably anywhere he might be - car seat, high chair, swing, stroller, bouncer etc. Also great for keeping baby's head stable while strolling on uneven ground or stroller jogging. Made of soft, hypoallergenic material designed to absorb moisture, the NeckSaver is comfortable for baby year-round. Comes in 10 different colors to match any stroller, car seat or baby outfit. $12, http://www.baberoo.com/.










BabyBriefcase is a document organizer designed specifically for parents and their babies and toddlers, particularly useful and important for health-related documents. Stylish and charming, the mom-invented BabyBriefcase stores all the documents and information relating to a new baby in a way that makes everything easily accessible whether at a hospital, doctor's office, on vacation or anywhere else. Every document that deals with the new baby has a special place for it in the BabyBriefcase so that if an emergency arises, parents don't have to sort through to find what they need. $29.95, http://www.babybriefcase.com/








Disclosure: Each of the above named companies sent me the products shown for my review and to use as examples on TV. All of the opinions expressed by me (both here and on the TV segment) are my own and are not influenced by any compensation. I am giving away the products and paying for the shipping out of the goodness of my oh-so-big heart 'cause that's just how I roll. You're welcome!



NeckSaver Pillow Giveaway

necksaver pillow infant support NeckSaver is the most versatile head and neck support for babies, ergonomically designed to reduce strain on the neck and cradle a baby's head, keeping it from slumping or flopping while the baby sleeps. A baby spends on average more than 6 hours a day in his car seat, high chair, swing and stroller, often asleep with head slumped over. This leads to soreness and can even damage a baby's postural development.

Proper neck support is crucial to young babies as their skeletal structures undergo the greatest development in the early months. With good neck support, babies can develop better postures, are more comfortable, rest better, and wake up happier. The NeckSaver provides this support and enables baby to rest more comfortably anywhere he might be - car seat, high chair, swing, stroller, bouncer etc. Also great for keeping baby's head stable while strolling on uneven ground or stroller jogging. Made of soft, hypoallergenic material designed to absorb moisture, the NeckSaver is comfortable for baby year-round. Comes in 10 different colors to match any stroller, car seat or baby outfit. $12, http://www.baberoo.com/.

Here's how to win your own NeckSaver pillow!

1. For one entry: leave me a comment telling me where is the most uncomfortable place your child has ever fallen asleep.

2. For another entry, follow Wisconsin Mommy on Twitter and then leave me a comment letting me know that you are following me.

3. For two additional entries, become a fan of Wisconsin Mommy on Facebook then leave two comments letting me know that you have done that.

4. For three additional entries, blog about this contest and link to this post. Be sure to leave three comments letting me know that you have blogged.

The contest will run until midnight (Central time) on March 28th. A winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email (so be sure that I have a way to get in touch with you!!). The winner will then have five days to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: This product was provided by the company named above for demonstration purposes. Postage will be paid by me.

Tilty Cup Giveaway

better sippy cup tilty Tilty is a revolutionary training cup that makes learning to drink easier. Through its internal angled wall design, the Tilty forces the fluid to the spout and allows the child to easily drink with minimal effort and head tilt, just like they would drink out of a regular cup or glass.

The Tilty not only helps infants transition to using a regular cup quickly, it also improves gross motor skills and provides a better alternative to bottles and sippy cups, which, because of the sucking and posture required to drink out them, are associated with higher rates of poor dental development and ear infections. At the same time, the Tilty's standard lid controls the speed of the liquid flow to avoid major spills.

Also available is a smoothie lid for serving baby food, yogurt or thick drinks, as well as a leak-proof travel lid. Each Tilty can contain 7 ounces and is BPA, dye and phthalate free. For children 9 months and up. http://www.tiltycup.com/, $5.99/2 pack.


Here's how to win your own Tilty Cup!!!


1. For one entry: leave me a comment telling me what is your child's favorite thing to drink in his/her sippy cup.


2. For another entry, follow Wisconsin Mommy on Twitter and then leave me a comment letting me know that you are following me.


3. For two additional entries, become a fan of Wisconsin Mommy on Facebook then leave two comments letting me know that you have done that.


4. For three additional entries, blog about this contest and link to this post. Be sure to leave three comments letting me know that you have blogged.


The contest will run until midnight (Central time) on March 28th. A winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email (so be sure that I have a way to get in touch with you!!). The winner will then have five days to respond before a new winner will be chosen.


Disclosure: This product was provided by the company named above for demonstration purposes. Postage will be paid by me.

My Plate-Mate Giveaway

plate mate toddler eatingMy Plate-Mate is a unique, mom-invented product for toddlers geared to make meal times easier for families. My Plate-Mate is a spill-guard that attaches to the rim of any standard plate. Great for promoting independent self feeding while minimizing messy spills and clean up for parents whether you're at home or on the go out at restaurants or grandma's house. As a spill guard, it creates a bumper to prevent food from falling off the plate while a child eats. Also, My Plate-Mate's innovative design provides a curved wall that helps children scoop food onto their utensil with ease, giving them independence and confidence in self-feeding. Made in the USA, using only FDA-approved plastic (no lead, phthalates, bisphenol-a, polycarbonates or PVC). Dishwasher-safe and conveniently portable so that children and families can enjoy their meals anywhere. Retails for $7.95, can be purchased online at MyPlate-Mate.com, via phone at 925-272-0745 and at retailers throughout North America. http://www.myplate-mate.com/

Here's how to enter to win your own Plate-Mate!!!

1. For one entry: leave me a comment telling me which meal is the messiest at your house.

2. For another entry, follow Wisconsin Mommy on Twitter and then leave me a comment letting me know that you are following me.

3. For two additional entries, become a fan of Wisconsin Mommy on Facebook then leave two comments letting me know that you have done that.

4. For three additional entries, blog about this contest and link to this post. Be sure to leave three comments letting me know that you have blogged.

The contest will run until midnight (Central time) on March 28th. A winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email (so be sure that I have a way to get in touch with you!!). The winner will then have five days to respond before a new winner will be chosen.


Disclosure: This product was provided by the company named above for demonstration purposes. Postage will be paid by me.

Treasure Chest Pet Pig Giveaway

treasure chest pets giveaway Treasure Chest Pets are the first and only organizers that make putting things away fun and a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Designed to look like cuddly stuffed animals, each TC Pet has a magnetic, detachable, pillowy stuffed animal head and stuffed animal bodies that contain external and internal compartments for organizing and storing children’s (and grownups!) treasures. Treasure Chest Pets are a great way for kids to keep their special things safe. Six different stuffed animal designs to choose from in 3 three different styles - Accessory Chest Dog and Accessory Chest Pig have a hidden drawer and two secret pockets on the outside, along with secret pockets in both ears. Treasure Chest Monkey and Treasure Chest Cow have one gigantic pocket inside that opens like a treasure chest. Media Chest Bear and Media Chest Horse have a secret pocket inside the head and 3 compartments in the body to store CDs, DVDs, speakers/cables, MP3 player and more. $19.99 http://www.mytcpets.com/




Here's how to enter to win the pig!!!




1. For one entry: go to http://www.mytcpets.com/ and check out the different animal Treasure Chest Pets and leave a comment telling me which one is your favorite.


2. For another entry, follow Wisconsin Mommy on Twitter and then leave me a comment letting me know that you are following me.


3. For two additional entries, become a fan of Wisconsin Mommy on Facebook then leave two comments letting me know that you have done that.


4. For three additional entries, blog about this contest and link to this post. Be sure to leave three comments letting me know that you have blogged.


The contest will run until midnight (Central time) on March 28th. A winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email (so be sure that I have a way to get in touch with you!!). The winner will then have five days to respond before a new winner will be chosen.


Disclosure: This product was provided by the company named above for demonstration purposes. Postage will be paid by me.


Get a free Audio Book!!

audiobook audible book I've always been a reader. From the time I learned how to read, you could often find me with my nose buried in a book. I've always loved getting completely lost in a story. As I've gotten older, I've had less time to read books than I used to. Now, often when I find myself with a few minutes to sit down and read, I wind up needing to read something for work (not the same!!!).

Recently I discovered Audible, an offshoot of Google. I began downloading books to my iPod and am enjoying listening to them in the car, when I'm working out, when I'm cleaning, going for a walk, whatever. It's not exactly the same as reading an actual paper book, but it's a close second and I'll take that any day!!

If this sounds like something you would like to try, click on the link below for a free audiobook to get you started.

Try Audible Now and Get A FREE Audiobook!
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Pay it forward...

Winter never makes me feel like a good mother. With all of the time spent inside, I feel like all of my conversations with LJ start with don't.

Don't jump on the couch, it's not a trampoline.
Don't run in the kitchen, I just washed the floor and it's slippery.
Don't throw that in here, you'll break something.

It makes me wonder if I'm teaching him the lessons he's supposed to learn, or just following him around telling him what not to do...

Last week, a friend and I took our boys to a local gym to let the boys burn off some excess energy. They all take classes there once a week and have learned how to use the trampolines, bars, pommel horse, etc. The gym also sets up several inflatable slides and bounce houses.

At one point, LJ was about to jump into the foam pit before another child was out of the way and I called his name loudly. The mother standing next to me looked over at me and smiled. "Is LJ your son?" she asked. I nodded hoping he hadn't done anything naughty like jumping on her child in the foam pit.

"We were all just talking about him over there," she indicated the inflatable slide.
"Oh?" I said bracing for whatever was coming next.
"Yeah, we were all saying how considerate he is of the kids who are younger than him. He was really polite and kind to them. What a nice boy."

I wanted to hug her right then and there next to the trampoline.

It seems like so many times other mothers are quick to point out our shortcomings, whether to our faces or behind our backs. How nice to hear something positive, something that says hey, you're doing a good job.

This week I'm paying it forward. You there - yeah, you reading this...you're doing a good job! Your kid/s are going to turn out just great and you deserve the credit.

(Pass it on.)


Daughtry sings Lady Gaga's Poker Face

I have been a Daughtry fan since his first audition on American Idol. One of the things I most love about him is his ability to take others' songs and change them up to create something new sounding.

His version of Lady Gaga's Poker Face is a great example of this amazing talent. I love Gaga's original version of this song but I can't get Daughtry's out of my head!

What do you think?


The Best Valentine's Gift ever...

Yesterday I was driving back from running and errand with LJ. He was busy playing with his Leapster in the backseat and I was spacing like I usually do when driving (don't tell my insurance company).
Out of nowhere, he looked up and announced:

"Mommy, I like being your son."
Heart. Completely. Melted.
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How would you like to have Danny Gokey teach a music class at your school????

Has your child missed school due to an extended illness? Luckily, we haven't had to deal with having LJ miss too much, but even a day or two out of school has him begging to go back. He misses his friends and the security of the routine at school and is always worried that he's missing something important.

When I was teaching in the classroom, kids who missed more than a few days often had a tough time getting caught back up with their work. Clorox and Milwaukee's own Danny Gokey know that missing school due to the flu is no fun and have teamed up together to launch I Don't Want to Miss…, a national campaign designed to get teens and their teachers involved in flu prevention.


The I Don't Want to Miss...campaign features a contest that invites school musical groups to create a video performance of a song written by Berklee College of Music student Will Wells on what they don't want to miss out on if they were home sick and why illness prevention is important. The winning school will win a music class led by former American Idol finalist Danny Gokey!


For each entry submitted, The Clorox Company will donate $100 (up to $10,000) to the Sophia's Heart Foundation, a charity founded by Gokey in honor of his late wife, Sophia, and dedicated to helping children achieve academic success via musical training and restoring musical dreams in children. As you know, music programs are often the first cut when budgets get tight, so foundations like Sophia's Heart are key in helping students with a gift for music reach their potential.


Visit the Clorox page on Facebook (http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=6985%7c7877%7c964&digest=EGJ9Xusyr0pVrqzgtX7vBQ) to learn more about this creative and informational challenge. For the first 100 groups to submit, the teacher will receive a wellness care package from The Clorox Company. Get all the details for the contest at http://www2.schooltube.com/Contests/IDontWanttoMiss2010.aspx and be sure to let the teachers at your kids' school know about the contest as well.
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Clorox and received $20 thank-you gift certificate

Baltimore Weatherman Loses It (on the air!)


EMBED-Meteorologist Freaks Out Over Blizzard - Watch more free videos

Who Should Dictate Dress and Behavior at School Activites?

grinding dress code menomonee falls There's been a lot of discussion around these parts regarding appropriate dress and behavior at school sponsored dances. The controversy began when a local district proposed some guidelines for their upcoming "Turnabout Dance". (For those of you old fogies like me who didn't know what this was, it's what we used to call a Sadie Hawkins dance.)

The local district posted guidelines for the dance including a ban on "grinding" on the dance floor and a dress code that stated that girls' dresses must be at least fingertip in length.

The students' reactions were strong and probably not too surprising. They quickly announced a boycott of the dance and proceeded to schedule their own "alternative" dance at a local hall. Due to low ticket sales, the original school dance was cancelled.

What came as a surprise to many was the reaction of the parents. Many parents came out in support of the students who felt this was unfair and unwarranted. Parents were instrumental in helping the high schoolers organize the alternative dance and have been very vocal in the local media calling out the high school administration for interfering in what they feel should be a family decision.

I have to admit, I was caught a bit off guard by the parents' reaction. It seems that more often than not, parents are upset with the local public schools for going "too far" when dealing with their kids. Topics like sex education always bring out parents who want the schools to lean more toward the conservative side when dealing with the kids. No condoms on banana lessons needed, we'll take care of that at home! Birth control is a private matter - we'll take care of that lesson too, thank-you-very-much. Very rarely (at least around here) do you have parents accusing the schools of being too Puritanical.

So what do you think? Whether you are the parent of a teen or a toddler, this issue is going to come up sooner or later. Do you think the schools have a right to ban suggestive dancing or "grinding" at school sponsored events? Do they have a right to impose a dress code and was this one reasonable?



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When I Grow Up....

Yesterday, LJ accompanied me for a quick blood test. I was a little concerned that he might get freaked out about it and went through the whole thing step by step in an effort to make it "less scary".

"Is there going to be a lot of blood?" he asked.

I assured him that there would not be.

"Darn," he replied. "I really wanna see a lot of blood." (Thanks kid!)

As we were leaving the test, LJ was kind of quiet and I waited to see what was going to pop out of his mouth next. As I buckled him into his seat, he tilted his head to the side and slowly announced "When I grow up, I wanna be a doctor."

"That's great," I told him. "I think you would make a great doctor."

"I wanna be the kind of doctor that rides in the van with the lights and sirens. That way I can drive reeeeealy fast."

I chuckled to myself since in the last few weeks he has announced that he'd like to be about fourteen different things, each allowing him to drive fast. I envy the folks who may get to be on his garbage route as he aspires to drive the garbage truck faster than it's ever been driven before.

After a few minutes of quiet in the backseat he piped up again.

"You know Mommy, I'm having trouble keeping up with all the things I wanna be."

Sometimes I wish I was five again.

Would you let your child blog?

child blogging computer safety Your town's Park and Rec department is one of those things you don't really think about until you have kids. I never really paid attention to the classes and activities that our town offers until after LJ was born and I was looking for things to do with him.

That was when I made the happy discovery that our town's Park and Rec department is actually very good and offers a wide variety of classes and activities for the young AND not-so-young. Not only do they offer the seasonal sports and traditional classes like hunter training, babysitting certification, and first aid/CPR, but they also offer classes like: comic book creation, video game design, belly dancing, and a variety of computer classes as well as trips to local shows and destinations.

I was looking through the latest Park and Rec booklet, when I came across a new class being offered: Blogs and Podcasting. "Wow," I thought. "How great that they are offering a class to people who might want to start blogging." I had taken a class last year on Photoshop and it was well attended by over 15 adults.

As I looked more closely at the class, I noticed that it was located in the "after school tech camp" section and that the class was being offered to students in grades 3 through 5.

Huh?

I looked at the description which stated the following:

Share your thoughts and opinions with the world! In this course, the world's eyes and ears are at your fingertips! Images, text and video podcasts will be part of your personal blog. By the end of this course you will be on your way to becoming a famed Internet Journalist!"


Knowing that many of you who read Wisconsin Mommy are other bloggers and most readers are parents, I have to ask you - what do you think about this?

Would you let your 8 year old start a public blog to broadcast to "the world"? Would you want them knowing how to set up this kind of blog without your help? Do you think children this age have the kind of perspective to judge what is okay to publish and what is not?

(I'm guessing you can tell what my feelings are on this!)


Please, I'd love to hear your thoughts!!