Tag Archives: parenting

New Social Shopping Site Launched For New And Expecting Parents

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parents, parenting, kids, berry clever, Parents need all the help they can get. Which is why we think BerryClever, a brand new social shopping site for new and expecting parents is great. It aims to make online shopping more fun and interactive by giving parents the power to discover and choose the perfect parenting products by reading and sharing honest advice from the people they can trust the most, their friends. BerryClever has had over 7,000 members joins since it launched 3 months ago.

Online shopping has revolutionised our lives and the range of product choices available to parents for their little ones has never been greater. But with this overwhelming range of choice often comes more questions than answers, especially for first time parents who are under pressure to buy all sorts of baby essentials that they often know nothing about. BerryClever’s research found that an incredible 91% of people surveyed admitted that they had wasted money buying the wrong products for their babies. What’s more 86% of people surveyed wanted their friend’s recommendations when making purchasing decisions. So where do you start when it comes to choosing the right products for your baby? That’s where BerryClever comes in.

BerryClever has created a unique online environment, which allows you to connect with existing friends and new like-minded ones to discover the products they love, regret or simply can’t live without. Kristi Flax and Emma Kafton, who are both mums themselves, recognise that parents in particular prefer recommendations from people they know and trust when it comes to buying products for their babies. Because the reviews on BerryClever are written by friends in your network, you know they have no vested interest in promoting certain products and that they are just sharing their own honest and experienced views. Emma explains that “the idea is to make online shopping for your baby feel intuitive rather than the transactional and anonymous experience you get on many other ecommerce websites. With so much online content being disingenuous, the ability to read information from people you trust is ever more valuable”.

BerryClever’s reviews, known as ‘tips’, are no longer than 150 characters making them quick to write and read on mobile devices and ideal for busy mums on the go. As parents overwhelmingly prefer reviews from people they know, BerryClever’s unique algorithm ranks reviews based on their social profile so they will always be shown the most relevant products reviewed by their friends and the people they are most similar to first.

Users can also upload Pictips – a product photo review, watch recommended videos from the web and create lists of favourite or most wanted products for themselves or to share with others. The ability to explore friends’ lists provides a simple way for experienced parents to help their newly pregnant friends find everything they need for every stage of their birth and child’s development, from weaning and feeding to potty training, playing and learning.

Not only does BerryClever help parents make the important decisions on what to buy, it also quickly and easily links directly through to their Amazon account or the retailer’s website to allow them to make the purchase. There is even a ‘demand a lower price’ feature to help parents, who on average spend £5,000 in the first year of their child’s life alone, save money on expensive items like buggies and car seats. If a lower price can be found, the user will be sent an email within 48 hours confirming an offer which they can choose to either accept or decline, with no hidden small print.

Every feature is intended to make BerryClever a place where shopping can become a fun, social and resourceful experience.

Sign up now and invite your friends to see what they really think of those ‘must-have’ products www.berryclever.com

 

 

 

Work From Home Week 2015 – 19th to 25th January

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working from home, work, home workingAs someone who works from home I can vouch for its good points and its bad ones. Mostly it is great, offering flexibility and the chance to work to the best of your potential. No nasty commute needed so it is good for your bank account and the environment too. In fact, this is Work From Home Week and in June 2014, new rights to flexible working laws were introduced in the UK, declaring that all employees – who have worked for the same employer for at least 26 weeks – are eligible to request flexible working, including the option of working from home. In fact, most recent figures now show that around 14% of people in employment are working from home, highlighting the idea that it’s increasingly becoming a viable and attractive alternative for businesses.

Launched in 2003, Work From Home Week, running from the 19th to 25th of January, puts a spotlight on this rising figure, raising awareness of working from home for both employers and employees alike.

In a time of constantly evolving technology, it’s never been easier to access information away from the office, so we’re calling on employers to embrace the opportunity as a way to boost happiness and productivity among their employees.

Graham Long, Vice President of the Enterprise Business Team at Samsung UK supports working from home.

‘’At Samsung, we believe it’s vital for people to be given the option and the tools to work flexibly, which is why we view Work from Home Week as an important and worthwhile initiative.

“Our own research reveals over a quarter of workers would opt for flexible working over a pay rise, and more than four in 10 (42%) employees strongly agree with the idea of being able to access work emails and apps outside of official working hours. Despite this, many businesses still don’t trust their employees to do so, highlighting the need to educate enterprises on the benefits of working from home. The option to work more flexibly can have a huge impact on productivity and wellbeing and with advancements in mobile technology, it is now possible for employees to work beyond the confines of the office, making working from home a choice that should be open to all rather than a select few.’’

Of course, for many across the UK, working from home isn’t just for a week. For the hundreds of single parents, carers, injured veterans and those living with disabilities, working from home is a necessity.

To celebrate working from home, the team behind the campaign have compiled the top 5 reasons to consider it!

Money – Not only would you save money on travel costs – train tickets, petrol, parking, etc. – but not eating out for lunch on a regular basis is bound to save you some pennies too. For parents, it gives the opportunity to radically reduce the costs of childcare.

Commute – Forget about delayed trains or road traffic dampening your spirits.

Comfort – Rather than donning a power suit or being restricted to a desk all day, choose your own dress code and working environment.

Green Living – Working from home can help reduce your carbon footprint, conserve office space for your employer, and perhaps most importantly, allow you to be the master of your own environment!

Freedom/Flexibility – Having the freedom to choose your hours and coffee breaks, while not being dragged in and out of corporate meetings all day is something that could potentially boost your overall moral and work ethic. Not to mention it allows you to create that ideal work/life balance.

Work From Home Week runs from the 19th – 25th January 2015. Twitter @WorkFromHomeWK  #WFHW

 

Skip Hop Duo Special Edition Changing Bag Review

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It is hard enough to find a bag you like in life without the addition of baby paraphenalia. Which is why changing bags have it so hard: they need to be functional and gorgeous. Parents don’t expect anything less.

First thoughts on the Skip Hop Duo Special Edition Changing Bag were good. It is a beautiful bag. It is well made and has a lovely design. It is so stylish and beautiful that I would actually buy it if it wasn’t a changing bag. But is it functional? Yes. The bag has wipable fabric and a cushioned changing pad. It has a total of nine pockets which included a personal zip pocket and two hidden insulated side pockets.

skiphopdiaperbag Skip Hop Duo Special Edition Skip Hop Duo Special Editionchangingbag

It has two pockets on the front of the bag which are very handy, and the pocket at the back has the cushioned changing pod in. The back pocket still has room for other things too. The front pockets have magnetic closure and one of the things I really love about the bag is that it is not bulky at all. It is incredibly well designed and you can tell a lot of thought and time has gone into making such an excellent changing bag.

The bag is a good size and I love a big bag. Other great things are the slip-resistant adjustable stroller strap & the rolled handles, the key fob zipper pull and the fact that the bag is BPA and Phthalate-free. This bag really is a winner: highly recommended. It is perfect for fashionable parents who want the best of everything.

skiphopdiaperbagside skiphopdiaperbagcompartment skiphopdiaperbaginside

The latest changing bag to come from the New York based SkipHop brand is the Duo Special Edition.  The bag’s ultra-stylish, fresh design came about after Skip Hop cleverly incorporated all the style and functionality of its best-selling Duo Deluxe changing bag, but added three contemporary patterns and several extra special features, ensuring parents really stand out from the crowd.

With the Duo Special Edition, Skip Hop has cleverly combined high style with practicality.  Mums will love the faux leather detailing, smart key fob zipper pulls and rolled clutch handles in addition to the slip resistant shoulder strap. And when it comes to the bag’s material, it looks just like a regular, smart fabric but in fact it’s a clever, wipe-able material that ensures the bag stays looking as good as new for years to come.

Other features on the Duo Special Edition include Skip-Hop’s special patented shuttle clip system which allows the Duo Special Edition to attach effortlessly to the buggy handles in seconds.  The nine compartments let you organise all of baby’s essentials and keep wet and messy items separate; the pockets include a large, roomy main compartment with a zip closure to keep contents safe, large rear pocket for changing pad and nappies and two roomy front pouches. Contents are easy to spot with the contrasting lining and the convenient side phone holder and easy access pen holders ensure mums and dads have everything to hand. Parents will also appreciate the ‘quiet’ magnetic closures to help prevent waking baby.  The changing pad is cushioned and waterproof and the entire bag is of course BPA and Phthalate free.

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Parents have a choice of three fabric patterns: the smart black and white ‘Aztec’, chic ‘Blue Pin’ or the ‘French Stripe’, a classic ‘boating’ style navy striped fabric that looks just like canvas.

Skip Hop Duo Special Edition:  RRP £65.00

STOCKISTS: 

French Stripe – marksandspencer.com

Blue Pin – marksandspencer.com

Aztec – www.jaijai.co.uk

More Skip Hop Duo Changing Bag’s available here.

www.maguari.com

 

Shove a Stache in it: Very Cool Dummy | Parenting

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You need all of the amusement you can get when a child won’t stop crying so we loved this moustache dummy.

Shove a Stache in itcooldummiesdumm The Chill Baby Moustache Dummy

The Chill Baby Moustache Dummy. Made from non-toxic silicone this is the perfect present for pregnant friends, babies and tough toddler.

Get your baby equipped with a hip and hilarious dummy for an awesome price of £7.95 from www.prezzybox.com.

Milton Steriliser Reviews

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We reviewed some great products from sterilising experts Milton, whose products have been used by parents in homes and hospitals for over 65 years to ensure baby feeding equipment is clean and germ-free.

miltonsteriliserreview

The Milton Mini Portable Soother Steriliser  – This help solves every parent’s dilemma – what to do with a dropped dummy? This nifty little gadget cleans and sterilises dummies in less than 15 minutes, plus provides a safe and sterile place to store a spare dummy when you are out and about. The Velcro strap has been designed so you can attach the Mini to the pushchair when out and about. Small and would fit into any handbag. Very handy. Wouldn’t be without it.

 

The Milton Solo Travel Steriliser – this is a 2-in–1 microwave or cold water single bottle steriliser. It is ideal for sterilising when travelling or away from home. It sterilises from 2 minutes in the microwave and in 15 minutes with cold water. It safely sterilises most makes and sizes of bottles and also small baby equipment such as tethers and plastic toys. This is small enough to fit into a changing  bag. Is handy and works well.

 

The Milton Combi Microwave or Cold Water Steriliser is a 2-in-1 microwave or cold water steriliser. It effectively cleans and sterilises bottles from 2 minutes in the microwave and in 15 minutes for cold water. Its compact design is small enough to fit into most microwaves, yet spacious enough to sterilise up to 5 bottles of any brand.The Combi sterilises from 2 minutes in the microwave and in 15 minutes with cold water.  All bacteria, viruses and fungi are killed. It is a decent size and comes with some free tablets inside. Highly recommended.

 

Milton Sterilising Tablets: a recent study shows that their sterilising tablets are now effective against the two germs responsible for Typhoid and Cholera. This means that parents travelling further abroad, to countries outside of Europe and the US, where sanitation is poor, can use Milton‘s products safe in the knowledge that they will sterilise all items. Thereby protecting little ones against the germs that cause serious illnesses, such as typhoid and cholera, which are contracted through contaminated food and water. They are just as great in the UK obviously.

 

Do you have any parenting recommendations?

 

 

PacaPod Hastings Parenting Bag Review

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Some parenting bags look awful, others are just not that functional. When we reviewed the PacaPod Hastings Parenting Bag we were very impressed. It has different removable sections for each aspect of parenting: feeding, changing and a mat. Even more impressive, it even has space for the ol’ parents things. The hastings is even better because it is also unisex, so the poor woman doesn’t end up always carrying the bag. It has three bags rolled into one and is easily cleaned. The mat and removable bags are easily wiped clean, they also can be unzipped and packed away flat in the bag.

We were very impressed with the bag, it is stylish, functional and is also lightweight: everything you could want in a parenting bag. It gets our stamp of approval. We interviewed Jacqueline Waggett, founder of the amazing PacaPod changing bags here.

Hastings driftwoods set hasting inner 2 pods pacapod hastings mocha 1

PacaPod’s new ‘Travel Lite’ Hastings puts the knapsack back on the map for adventure seeking parents. Versatile in design it can be worn as a shoulder bag or backpack and seamlessly marries style with practicality, combining utilitarian styling with innovative new design features and a super lightweight construction.

PacaPod Hastings Parenting Bag Review PacaPod Hastings Parenting Bag Review1 PacaPod Hastings Parenting Bag Review23

Perfect for all kinds of family road trips the Hastings is part of PacaPod’s ingenious new ‘Travel Lite’ range and weighs just .56kg. It has a practical top loading style which makes it easy to arrange baby gear and pack, grab and go. The brand’s unique 3-in-1 ‘baby organisation system’ has also been cranked up a notch with new flat pack feeder, changer pods and mat which are simple to clean and fold away.

 

Retaining a sense of tradition for this much-loved style the Hastings features a modern pin-stripe print, offset with faux leather trims that will have both mum and dad reaching for it as they leave the house. The sturdiest and most adaptable change bag on the market it represents a great value too, providing parents with three bags rolled into one and the tools they need to travel in confidence with tots on board.

 

Hastings in Mocha or Driftwood priced at £65 available from www.pacapod.com,  johnlewis.com and mummyandlittleme.co.uk

 

BabyBjörn Baby Carrier We Review

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I went to check out BabyBjörn’s new Baby Carrier We at the W Hotel. I was very impressed. First of all: it looks incredibly stylish but, equally important, it is easy to use. You don’t even need to take your baby out to turn the carrier around. It is very secure and safe. It is easy to put on, easy to manoeuvre and is comfortable. It doesn’t cut into the shoulders or rub. You can carry the baby on your front, inward-facing or on your back when your child is older. From newborns to three-years-old. The one we tried didn’t have an outward-facing option but not every parent wants that. It works and we highly recommend it.

babycarrierwebackcarrying babycarrierwenewbornposition

After hundreds of interviews with test families in several countries, a recurring theme was identified. Parents want a simple baby carrier that they can use for a long time, The BabyBjörn Baby Carrier We is flexible with perfect ergonomic support, and has a great design at an affordable price, it is unique in the market and will help new families everywhere enjoy the benefits of babywearing with BabyBjorn. Parents now expect baby carriers to be safe, comfortable and high quality, which is always guaranteed with all BabyBjörn products and carriers.

 

With the BabyBjörn We, you are guaranteed:

  • Ergonomic baby carrier offering maximum comfort – adjustable with padded shoulder straps and waist belt.
  • Three front and back carrying positions (special inward-facing option for newborns)
  • Long usage time, from birth to 3 years with support for the child’s head, back and hips.
  • Available from johnlewis.com and here.

 

“Today’s parents have an active lifestyle and a baby carrier needs to be practical and fit into all parts of family life. It should be just as easy to put on and wear at home in the middle of the night, as it is in a queue at the airport,” says Björn Jakobson, founder and CEO of BabyBjörn.

 

The Baby Carrier We is made of the best quality cotton and polyester. The materials are certified for use in baby products in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standard 100, Class 1, which guarantees that they do not contain any health-hazardous or allergenic substances.

 

 

Tech for Little Kids – Good or Bad?

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toptipskidsbathtimefunThis is an important question because, in today’s tech world, almost everything is dependent on technology. Studies show that screen time is not beneficial for very young children. They get distracted when TV is on, but still don’t reap any benefits out of it. However, as they grow older (age 5 or above) they can understand the benefits and accordingly will be able to master them too.

 

Looking at the other side, preschoolers know how to operate an electronic gadget but don’t know how to tie their shoelaces. Yes, this shows that they are technology-friendly. But has technology taken away the simplicity of your children? Is it taking over their lives?

 

Children are spending too much screen time, which is not good for them. But then there are so many sources for them like television, computer, laptop, smartphone, and a number of other electronic gadgets. Agreed, they are still playing in the parks, having regular physical activities and going to their grandma’s house, but the question still is; is technology good for them or bad?

 

Looking at the good side, there are a number of gadgets designed to teach kids. Educational toys, interactive media and other electronic stuff help kids to become smarter. They are able to compete with elder kids and can still be good enough.

But the negative side is terrible. With a recommendation that the screen time of a toddler should be reduced to nil, babies today are logging an average screen time of two hours on a daily basis.

 

Can one do anything about it?

Digital media is a part of our lives and slowly becoming a need for the kids too. There is nothing much that can be done to keep them away from technology. If you stop watching television, shut your laptops and PCs, throw away your smartphones, your kids will still be exposed to technology, in some form or the other. So, it is better to focus on how can one use it to their advantage and make them benefit from it.

 

Here are some cool ways; you can use technology for the good:

  1. Music: If you are playing a song on your TV sets, your iPod, iPhone, or music system, use it to make a dancing session for your kids. This way, you and your kids are a part of a physical activity.
  2. Games: There are a number of educational games available in the market. Buy some for your kid and let them spend more time with it, instead of wasting quality time on watching TV or staring at the laptop.
  3. Mix Flash Cards with TV time: This combination can be a bit irritating, but if you do, there is a possibility that your kid will learn more to watch his favorite cartoon on TV. If you are planning to buy such kid-friendly stuffs, here is a free shipping coupon sears to make your purchase cheaper. These toys help kids learn things quickly and with ease.