Each month Baby University offers mothers a chance to share a personal story reflecting a parenting moment or lesson learned through life experience. Participants can enter for a chance to win a $25 cash equivalent prize! Who doesn’t need a little extra cash to spend on a cute new top or a manicure? 
Full contest details and rules can be accessed by visiting the contest topic on our Baby Boards.
Continue reading to view our first winners, Simonne, parenting story.
With the economy becoming more volitile by the day, consumer confidence is getting shakier. One never knows from one day to the next if his or her job will be there, if there will be anything left of investments and even how to survive each day. Are there things that you can do, even as a hardworking citizen with a moderate income? Absolutely. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Starfrit springform pan elevates the serving of tortes or cheesecakes too delicate to be moved from the base they’re baked on. The pan has a white ceramic bottom with a lip to which a nonstick springform side attaches; it’s more stylish than a traditional metal base, so you can use it as a serving plate. The pan comes in 8-inch ($24) and 10-inch ($28) sizes, at Amazon.com.
Fat-free gravy
Traditional grease separators make it impossible to get all the flavor-packed drippings without letting some fat down the spout. The Swing-A-Way separator tackles the problem by putting the spout on the bottom. Pour your pan drippings through the plastic strainer lid and then squeeze the handle to unplug the hole in the bottom; the clear sides let you see when to release your grip and plug the hole. It costs $15 at Solutions.com.
Silicone mitt, improved
Since they appeared on the market several years ago, silicone oven mitts have been our choice for the awkward job of flipping the turkey—they go right into the dishwasher, cutting down on concerns about bacteria from handling raw poultry. But the mitts were never ideal, since they couldn’t withstand heat for very long and they made for sweaty hands. Trudeau’s cloth-lined silicone mitt update solves these problems. The comfy cotton liner, which removes easily and can go in the washing machine, makes it more heat resistant. The lined mitt costs $24 at Entertainingluxury.com.
Photos: Scott Phillips
We can all admit it. On Hallowe’en, we want treats, and not tricks. There are a few steps that you can take to make sure that your child has a safe Hallowe’en that is full of treats.
Kids’ spidey senses will be tingling with anticipation at making these creepy crawly spider bracelets. A super easy craft to make at home or in the classroom, it’s a fun idea for insect themes as well!
It’s a simple centerpiece that doesn’t require a vase… but a pumpkin. P. Allen Smith shows how to take a clumsy winter squash and turn it into a thing of beauty.
Materials & Tools
Pumpkin
Floral foam
Dried flowers
Seed heads of grasses
Seed pods
Fruit
Fresh flowers
As the weather gets cooler and your lightweight summer maternity clothes are no longer warm enough for chilly mornings and evening, you know it is time to go shopping. If this is your first pregnancy, chances are there is nothing in your closet you can wear as pre-pregnancy clothes stop fitting by the 2nd trimester, if not sooner. Instead of panicking or spending a bundle all at once at your closest maternity store, take your time and just fill in the main necessities as you need them. Here are a few suggestions for stocking up your Fall maternity wardrobe.
Children love to learn new and fun ways to do everyday things. One for instance is brushing their teeth. They will tend to copy their parent as closely as possible to get it right. This article will show you a few easy ways to make brushing teeth fun and exciting for children.
A fifth grader in Colorado was suspended from school after wearing a handmade shirt with an “anti-obama” message. The student who was given a choice of turning the shirt inside out or being suspended, chose suspension and believes his first amendment rights have been violated. Speaking to Fox News the fifth grade student, Daxx Dalton, stated “They’re taking away my right of freedom of speech,” he said. “If I have the right to wear this shirt I’m going to use it. And if the only way to use it is get suspended, then I’m going to get suspended.”
The child’s father supports his sons message and is planning on suing the school district. The district declined to comment, but stated the suspension was for willful disobedience not the shirt. Source
Would you allow your child to take their political message to school?
The very early symptoms of pregnancy don’t start immediately. You won’t know that you are pregnant right away and most women don’t realize that they are until they miss their menstrual period. If you have been trying to get pregnant for some time, you may even use a pregnancy wheel to help you determine the best time of the month to conceive. If this is true, you won’t get any results right away. The earliest time you can find out for sure if you are pregnant is at least a week after you have had intercourse during your most fertile time and by using an EPT an early pregnancy test. Read the rest of this entry »
Six-month-old Zander Bauer
A friend sent a link to a new baby product called Heelarious Heels, a soft shoe that is actually a bootie designed simulate a high heel. The completely soft bootie is designed only for baby girls up to 6 months old and comes in 5 different styles. An interesting concept, but not one that I think I am comfortable with even for a crib shoe. Would you put a pair of these on your little one? Please share your thoughts in the comments!
