Filed under: Preschooler, Kidwear, Fabrics, Crafts

Egg and cheese omelettes, please! These 100% handwoven cotton aprons are perfect for your stylish, little chef. Measuring 56 x 30 inches and machine-washable, the aprons come in three different designs - an egg, cheese or a goose. Also great for messy arts and crafts projects around the home.

Made by Furnis and only $14.99 at Moolka.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Media, Likes and dislikes

With Santa up north working on his naughty and nice list, American kids have been asked for their input. In an online poll conducted by E-Poll Market Research, 1,107 kids ages 2 to 17 were asked to define 'naughty' and 'nice' and help Santa figure which celebrity goes on which list.

First, the naughty list. The kids surveyed defined naughty as "not listening to parents," "being mean & bullying" and "being snobby." And just who did they think should make Santa's naughty list? As bad as they are, Swiper the Fox and the Grinch are were not chosen as the naughtiest celebrities. That honor went to none other than Britney Spears, followed closely by Paris Hilton.

For the nice list, children aged 2 to 12 deemed Hannah Montana as the nicest celebrity, with older kids putting Angelina Jolie at the top.

When asked what they think naughty children should receive from Santa, the kids were most charitable. Rather than a lump of coal, they feel that naughty kids should get at least one gift and "get another chance to do good for next year." And what gift would these children most like to give other kids? "hugs," "kisses" and "love." Awww.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Image of the Day

The next month will be so busy and jam packed with activity that I believe we should take a moment to look at these lovely toes. So new and small, they are just precious. This picture presents a great view with such a tight focus on the feet and the background a soft blur. The lighting is also perfect as it lends a feeling of peacefulness to the image. A big thank you to SeetYing for sharing this with us all at Image of the Day.

November has come to an end and the excitement of December is upon us. This is a wonderful time of year as we prepare for family traditions, parties, giving thanks and sharing love with friends and relatives. What does this time of year mean to you? How do you capture it and hold it dear for the rest of the year? Show us with your images and feel free to include some text with your submissions, it is always so great to get a deeper understanding of your photos.

If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr Pool - We'll select an image every day to highlight. Remember: we're on the lookout for shots with interesting backgrounds, cool angles, or original composition. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information and limit your uploading to 5 photos per day.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Webkinz are the craze this year, at least in my first grade classroom. The kids eagerly share stories about their newest "adopted" plush toys, who come with a special code that allows their child owners to log on to the virtual world of Webkinz. In Webkinz world, kids earn Kinz cash by playing games and then purchase items to go in their pet's virtual home. They can also chat with other Webkinz users, soft of like like a My Space for kids.

It's a brilliant idea from a marketing standpoint--it gets kids hooked not just on a toy, but the entire brand. And the toys toys are super cute: made with extra-soft fabrics and spiky fur, each animal is certainly worthy of coveting by the younger set. Webkinz claim that their website is a "safe and educational" way for kids to play, and indeed, the games and activities seem both harmless and fun.

But what about imagination? Everything in Webkinz world is a virtual reality that replaces an imagined one--and the difference, I think, is huge. Remember playing for hours with an empty refrigerator box, or a pile of blocks, as they became a castle, a fort, or place to host tea parties for a bevy of stuffed toys? Webkinz leave nothing to the imagination-after a child "adopts" a pet, he or she is then given information about it including it's favorite foods and secret wishes.

In my classroom I watch children sit down to write stories--and struggle to come up with an idea. Many times they go to what they know: and write stories about their Webkinz and the virtual world where they play with them. These stories lack the spark of imagination and delight that accompanies the stories that spring fresh from a six year old's mind.

What do you think? Do Webkinz help or hinder imagination?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Hospitals, Plush Toys

Need a little something to cheer up a sick kid? Got a microbiology or virology student on your shopping list? Or just need a discreet way to let a co-worker know they need to use breath mints?

There are now fluffy, stuffed version of the microbes that cause common diseases like cough, the common cold, stomach aches, or bad breath.

The little bugs are cute and kid could use them to re-enact what happens when people don't wash their hands or cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Each Microbe comes with a photo of its real-life counterpart, along with fascinating information about the germ, so they are fun AND educational!

At only $7.95, you could even keep a set on hand to give friends or children when they have the matching illness!

%Gallery-11146%

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Feeding & Nutrition, Pregnancy and Birth, Pregnancy diet, Weird but True

While some couples who are ready to conceive really don't have a preference regarding the sex of their child, many do. From charting cervical mucus to attempting to conceive only during certain times of the year, there are many methods that will supposedly increase the chances of getting the sex of your choice. Scientists at the University of Pretoria in South Africa have been hard at work on this issue and have come up with another one.

Based on the results of a study involving mice, these researchers have determined that girls might really be made from sugar and spice and perhaps chocolate. Likewise, if you are hoping to conceive a boy, skip the puppy dog tails and go for a hamburger and fries.

In the study, scientists gave 20 female mice a diet of the steroid dexamethasone, which kept their blood-sugar levels low. Then, the mice had some babies and their litters were compared to those of 20 mice on a regular diet. The steroid-taking mice produced litters that were 41 percent male, compared to 53 percent for the mice eating normally. Low blood sugar is an indicator of a sugar-rich diet, therefore leading the researchers to believe that eating more sugar will produce more girls.

But we all know that the sex of the child is determined by a chromosome in the male sperm, so how could the mother's diet have any impact at all? Researchers theorize that perhaps a woman's diet affects the environment in her womb, making things more hospitable for a male or female sperm.

So, there you have it. It might be total bunk, but I suppose if I were hoping for a girl, I could be convinced to load up on sugar.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Image of the Day

The end of November brings the dawn of December and the excitement that will surely rain down upon us all in the weeks to come. It also means the announcement of this month's Image of the Month winner. The staff of ParentDish had some hard decisions to make this month regarding the winner; there are simply so many amazing images from which to choose. Nevertheless, after much deliberation we have chosen the above picture for its excellence of content and technical high points. This image has just about everything a photographer could want: a beautiful child, exuberant energy, a great story, I could go on and on.

We would like to thank Todd Deery for sharing this image with us. Todd Deery will be entitled to download and use to his/her heart's desire the ever so cool and noble Image of the Month Winner banner. Just cut and paste and that bad boy is yours! Thanks again ToddDeery for your submission!

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q20/Caloden/IOTMbutton2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

As always, we are so grateful to everybody who submits pictures to the Image of the Day feature. We have so much fun looking through them and sharing small snippets of your lives. Please continue to upload your photos to the ParentDish Flickr site so that we may have the honor of viewing them and learning that much more about you, our readers.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Blogs, In the News

I've been halfheartedly pondering my Christmas shopping list lately, thinking that perhaps it's a pretty decent time to give up my gingerbread lattes for a while but then I think, no. No, you know what? I work my butt off and I have not bought a new pair of jeans in more than a year and I no longer spend hundreds of dollars a year on fabulous pointy pumps. I totally deserve my indulgent gingerbread latte, even if giving it up means I would save $ 80.00 a month (ouch.) But, I would like some other ways to save up money for holiday shopping for my family, please.

This list comes in pretty handy. Daily Brilliance has concocted thirty-six ways to save some extra holiday cash. Some are brilliant (order online, save sales tax, have a look at your cell phone plan, you're probably paying too much) and some are dubious (Don't eat your meals on paper plates. What? Who does that?) They also have the no latte advice. I'm just going to ignore that one and pick and choose the ones I like -- and hopefully have a little extra coin when I start my Christmas shopping on the 23rd. Unless I find a list with 36 tips on how to stop procrastinating.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Health and Safety, Toys, Recalls

As you may know, Barbie and Ken broke up in 2004. At the time, Barbie's spokesperson at Mattel said that the couple felt it was time "to spend some quality time -- apart." But when Barbie and Ken recently ran into each other at a bar, the sparks flew and the result was an unfortunate one night stand.

The nonprofit Campaign for America's Future has posted this satire video of the Barbie and Ken hookup to bring awareness to the lead tainted toy situation with China and to call for the resignation of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chairwman Nancy Nord. A spokesperson for the CPSC is not amused. "I'm not going to dignify the video with any kind of response other than to say it's riddled with inaccuracies," says Julie Vallese.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Health and Safety, Lifestyle, Parks, Sports, Outings, Celebrity parents, Outdoor Play

Officials near Melbourne, Australia have threatened local children with a $250AU fine if they continue playing in a local park. Parents, who include Olympic marathon runners Steve Moneghetti and Kerryn McCann, as well as basketball champ Andrew Gaze, are understandably upset about the situation.

McCann, with three kids of her own, noted that parents need encouragement to get their kids outside these days, more so because of the current problem of widespread obesity. "I understand they want to keep parks nice but the kids come first," she said. Lately, an informal group of kids and parents have been meeting at the park on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school.

They've been told, however, that organized groups are not allowed to use the park -- and that even a large family would be considered an "organized group" (obviously, someone doesn't have any children!) "We started coming down here because the kids would be getting home after school and playing computer games all arvo. We wanted to give them a chance to run around," said Grant Cohen, one of the fathers. "This park should be full of kids doing exactly that."

This sure seems like a case of officials being a little too official. As Andrew Gaze said, "You can't have a park for the people and not let them on it." I say let the kids play; the grass will grow back.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here