The Doubletree by Hilton “Little Things Project” hits Philly Sunday,

a pop-up experience at the DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia City Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that brings travelers “little things” they said would make travel better. The hotel chain asked, through social media, what little things would make traveler’s experiences brighter. Based on about 5,000 responses, Doubletree by Hilton reps are hitting the road for a year-round, 50-city tour to share some of the findings. Surprise stops to deserving community groups and charities are also planned along the route.

The Hub experience is marked by what hotel officials called a landmark “Tell Me Tree,” a respite where anyone can enjoy a variety of little things experiences and giveaways the social-media survey said people would like, including local deals and offers.  In Philadelphia, they will be providing event visitors with exclusive local giveaways, the sweet treat of DoubleTree by Hilton’s chocolate chip cookies,  WiFi for visitors to stay connected during their day, relaxing in our lounge to send an email or go online; A “power bar” where visitors can take a moment to “recharge” by powering their electronics before heading to their next destination, and DoubleTree by Hilton will continue to listen and deliver those “little things” event attendees are telling us would brighten their days as the tour makes its way from city to city.

Little Things Project ambassadors will also be driving a “Swarm Car” throughout the city Sunday asking travelers via Twitter what little things would make their day better and surprising some by fulfilling requests, like giving away umbrellas in the rain, free shirts or free cab rides to the airport.  Consumers can tweet to @DoubleTree with requests using #LittleThings for the Swarm Car to turn their requests into reality.

At the DoubleTree by Hilton Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Doubletree, people can enter a sweepstakes to win instant prizes and a $25,000 vacation.

Check it all out at www.twitter.com/doubletree and at YouTube at www.youtube.com/doubletreehotels

TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS

On Wednesday, May 16, The Camden Riversharks are hosting a Mother’s Night at the stadium. Mothers can receive free admission to the game by presenting a Mother’s Day Card at the Box Office the day of the game.

They are also having an essay contest where the winner can win a Leddell Diamond Necklace from Anthony Jewelers valued at $1,195 for their mother!  The essay only needs to be 100 words or less, and the topic is “An Unforgettable moment With My Mom”.  This would be perfect for kids who still need to find a gift for Mother’s Day.

Throughout the game, Massage Envy Spa will be providing free back massages on the concourse for anyone who is interested.  Oooh La La!

For more info or to purchase tickets contact:

Dana Rommel

856-583-0033

or email

DRommel@riversharks.com

www.riversharks.com

Join Mama’s Little Helper

from 5-8 pm

on May 10, 2012

at the

Oxford Valley Mall

for The Ultimate Celebration of MotherHood!

Oxford Valley Mall invites moms to let their hair down at the

Annual National Mom’s Nite Out!

This free event is a guilt-free excuse for moms to take the night off to relax

and enjoy a celebration of motherhood.

Mom’s will join together for a well-deserved break to socialize and relax at this event featuring networking, presentations, shopping incentives, pampering and other fun activities.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

My 5 year old is VERY strong-willed. There have been quite a few days lately where we have spent AN ENTIRE 16 HOUR DAY butting heads. I admit that I sometimes forget she isn’t the devil incarnate. On these days, my only glimpses of the sweet, sweet girl I gave birth to tend to come back right around 7:00pm; fresh out of the tub, she looks like an angel. Squeaky clean in her jammies, sitting on the couch waiting for some snuggle time with her mommy. This is when we normally “reset” and I tell myself (and her) that tomorrow will be a better day.

I was really happy to come across this list from The Pennington Point on Pinterest today. It helped me to remember that I don’t have to wait until the end of a long & trying day to make things “right” again. I have used a few of these on my own when the going has gotten tough, but there are some pretty fresh and amazing tips here that don’t take long to do to help you get your day back on track.

Full credit for this list goes to Lisa Pennington @ The Pennington Point.

20 Ways to Reset When Your Kids Are Having a Hard Day

1. Deep Breath

I call out, “Deep breath!” Then everyone stands up and we all take long, slow breaths while we raise our hands over our heads. Then we let the air out slowly while we lower our arms. The whole movement is very slow and purposeful. We might do that a few times, then go back to our regular day.

2. Jumping Jacks

We all stop what we are doing and do 20 jumping jacks. This is especially good when they seem to have extra energy and need to use it. It’s hilarious to see the littler ones trying to coordinate their arms and legs.

3. The Color Game

If its not raining I take a stack of construction paper (each piece a different color), some tape and some tacks (I used to leave these in a drawer by the front door) and take it all outside. I tack or tape a whole piece of the paper to trees, the car, a bush, the front door….making sure they are spread out but I can see all of the colors from my chair (that I have set in the middle of it all). Then I sit in the chair and gather all of the kids around me and I say, “Ready……RED!”
Then they have to find the red paper and run to it. Once they are all there I call out another color and we keep doing it until they are exhausted. Sometimes I modify the game by calling a kid’s name with a color. You can let the older ones go faster with this version.

4. Play Stations in the Kitchen

Fill the sink half full with water & utensils, fill a 9×13 pan with rice, another with straws, a plastic bowl with beans. Set it all on the kitchen counter (table, whatever) and set the timer for 5 minutes. They play at each station for only 5 minutes then they switch. You stay in the kitchen with them the whole time giving attention to their made up games. In 20 minutes it’s over.

5. Emergency Toys

I keep toys tucked high up in a closet for just such an occasion. Pull them out of the closet and set the timer for 30 minutes. Once the timer goes off….the toys get put away for at least a month. That’s the only way they will work the next time.

6. Play a Game

We’ll all sit and play something unbelievably dull, like Go Fish or a simple board game. Sometimes all they need is for you to stop and give them your full attention for 15 minutes.

7. Music

Music is a-MAZ-ing for this kind of problem. If I don’t have the time to play games or make pans of rice in the kitchen, I will turn on some fun kid music and we’ll all dance around to one song. Mommy dances too (and Daddy if he’s home). One song can reset everyone’s attitude.

8. Tear Paper

Sometimes we all just need to do something wild and completely unexpected. So I will give each child 3 pieces of construction paper and we’ll stand in a circle and when I say, “GO!” we all start tearing up our paper and throwing it on the floor. We jump around and scream and laugh and giggle and fall down and throw the paper around for about 5 minutes. Then I say, “STOP!” and we have to clean it up as quickly and silly as we can.

9. Lie on the Grass

Often, when it’s not too wet, cold, hot…we go outside and lie on the grass. Everyone takes turns telling what they see in the clouds or, if there aren’t any clouds, I will ask them a question and we take turns answering. Sometimes we will do it on the trampoline instead of the grass.

10. Baths

These are not get-clean baths. These are play-baths. 15 minutes in the tub with a few toys and no washing hair. Just time to stop everything and play in the water.

11. Read a Book

If everyone is tired I will grab a book and read it aloud in an unusual way…with an accent, like a monster, while acting it out, hanging upside down off of the couch….something that makes it different.

12. Hold Hands

Sometimes everyone just needs Mom for a few minutes. So we’ll hold hands and walk around, outside if possible but inside works too. I’ll say something like, “Tell me what you liked about today,” and we’ll walk and talk and touch for a few minutes.

13. Quizzes

I’ll line them up in front of me and zing them with questions. They have to answer really quickly and if they take too long I say, “Zing!” and they have to fall down and get back up again. (If you’re not feeling creative, just think of a favorite book or movie and ask them questions about that, “What’s the name of the character that_____,” “Who had the last line in the movie?” “What color was ____ wearing when she was running?”, etc.) This is especially good for nursing moms that need to sit for a few minutes and the older kids are needing attention.

14. Color Their Name

I write their name in really big, puffy letters and they get 3 Crayons to color it in. No sharing, no trading…just 3 colors…GO! If they like to write, they can draw your name and you color it.

15. Have a Snack

You sit with them and talk for just a few minutes. Don’t set them down and walk off. Just sit there for a few minutes and toast your glasses together and say, “To a better day!” and eat a little something.

16. The Whisper Game

I say, “Let’s play the Whisper Game!” and set the timer for 5-10 minutes. That whole time you sit and talk but everyone has to whisper. Do what you can to make it silly and animated, like lean to their ears or tiptoe around the room while you’re whispering.

17. Animals

I sit on the couch and and gather them around, with an arm length between them. Then I call out animals and they have to act like that animal until I change the animal. I might switch it up by calling out a specific child’s name with an animal.

18. Slow Down

This one is good to do after any of the other activities. We all move and talk in slow motion. I will walk around and they follow me and do what I do….all in slow motion. Then I give them turns being the leader. This is fun, but it takes the energy back down and you’re ready to go back to normal.

19. Crawling

I have everyone put shoes on their hands and crawl around until I say stop. Then they have to freeze like a statue until I say go. Sometimes I’ll call out pieces of furniture for them to crawl to. We’ll do this for about 15 minutes then stop and put the shoes away.

20. The Mystery Game

Fill a few “lidded” cups with 10 mystery items each (I use leftover yogurt containers). In the first cup put 10 beans, in another 10 toothpicks, in the third put 10 cotton balls, and so on. Cheerios, rocks, paper clips, macaroni, marshmallows, Cheetos, safety pins, etc. In a separate bowl put one of each item (a bean, a toothpick, a Cheerio, etc. all in the same bowl). Put lids on the cups and line them on the counter. The child has to figure out what is in the cup by shaking it and taking the matching item out of the bowl and setting it on the cup lid. Once they have figured it all out they can eat the little snacks in the cups. If you have more than one child doing it, they can take turns or you can make a set for each child.

**As you can see, the main focus of these activities is to stop what you are doing, stop rushing, stop being frustrated and spend a few minutes together doing something completely different. It is essential that Mom or Dad participate. That’s what really pushes the reset button.

Lisa was kind enough to provide a printable version of the 20 Ways to Reset Your Day List. You can find it HERE.

Can you add to the list? What do you do to reset your day? Feel free to share!

Happy Thanksgiving week!  This Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for in your life?  Do you have any special family traditions?  How do you encourage your children to be grateful?

My son is four this Thanksgiving and slowly understanding a bit more about the holiday.  He knows it centers around our family, who will all be coming here for dinner on Thursday.  At preschool he learned from the folks at the Briar Bush Nature Center a bit about the Lenape Indians who once lived in our region.  He also learned a bit about the Pilgrims and their first Thanksgiving foods.  I did find it amusing that instead of hearing the term “pilgrim” he heard the word “criminal.”  He kept insisting to me that the criminals ate corn and dried out pumpkins!  We will continue to read books at bedtime about Thanksgiving and turkeys and discuss what we are thankful for this year.  Some books that we’ve been enjoying are 10 Fat Turkeys, A Plump and Perky Turkey, and T is for Turkey.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

Mama Diane

This holiday season Wet Ones is teaming up with Mama’s Little Helper to share helpful tips about staying healthy during a sometimes stressful time of year.  With many holiday parties, travel on packed airlines and trains, and more time spent in crowded malls and stores, exposure to cold germs is increased.  Catching a cold at this time of year can be debilitating to moms who have to play Santa, coordinate menus, host extra play dates when school is on break and enjoy this time of year.  Wet Ones has enlisted a Holiday Health Team to help share tips for surviving cold and flu season.

Mom Guru StacyDeBroff Advises:

Go into laundry overdrive. When a cold assault runs througha family, wash your kids’ pillowcases and sheets in very hot water – even daily, if you can.   And, if your child constantly clutches a blanket or stuffed animal, toss those in, too.

Focus on Health. Keep kids’ immune systems kicking during cough and cold season by preparing healthy meals with lots of fruits and vegetables.  By adding a chewable multivitamin each day, Moms also can help ensure children get needed vitamins.

Pay attention to pals.  Colds typically run through classrooms, so keep an eye on your child’s friends and change plans, if needed. Reschedule play dates or sleepovers so your kids reduce their exposure to coughing, sneezing friends. Head off disappointment byhelping kids understand how germs spread and reminding them of the importance of staying healthy so they can play in next week’s band concert or indoor soccer tournament.

Sleep Rules. Kids will always lobby for a later bedtime or one last story, but don’t give in during cough and cold season. Stick to nap schedules for younger kids and keep bedtimes consistent for older ones. If sleeping proves tough due to nasal congestion, prop kids up with an extra pillow or two at bedtime to sleep in a more upright position.

On the Road. Moms often find it even more challenging to keep children healthy during holiday or vacation travel times. Taking along Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes offers Moms the opportunity to clean kids’ hands frequently, as well as wipe down a restaurant counter, airplane armrest, or tray table before using.

Wipe out germs – and messes. Clean hands help prevent the spread of cough and cold germs, but kids’ daily activities often take them far away from soap and water. Wet Ones®Antibacterial Hand Wipes provide a quick, easy way to get rid of grime and kill 99.99% of the germs that cause coughs and colds. Toss them in back packs, lunch bags, the backseat of your car, school lockers– and give a stash to your child’s teacher – to keep messy, germy hands clean.

Dr. Benjamin Tanner, a microbiologist, suggests:

Practice Good Hygiene for at Least a Week After a Cold.  Cold and cold germs can be found in nasal secretions of children for two to three weeks after the onset of symptoms. That’s a long time for an unwanted guest to stick around!

Don’t touch your face. Most cold viruses are spread by contact with surfaces through “self-inoculation” when hands pick up cold viruses, and then touch the nose or eyes to start an infection. In fact, a study of kids showed that a program to discourage touching the face reducedcolds by nearly half.

Keep Your Immune System Healthy.  Studies show that maintaining a healthy body weight with proper nutrition reduces risks of infection, and also may prevent inflammation (potentially damaging immune system hyperactivity).

Keep Up on Cold and Flu Germs.  Colds are most infectious during the first two to four days people are infected.  And you can’t outrun their germs: droplets from sneezes can travel at a velocity of 45 miles per hour and cover a distance of 10 feet. Wash your hands and face regularly; when soap and water is not available use Wet Ones to kill germs onyour hands and face.

Cold Season has already hit this Mama’s household!

For the past two weeks or so my family has been passing around a nasty cold, one that has been the worst I’ve had in years!  Not being prepared for an early cold season, we were really caught off guard.  Thankfully my little guy didn’t develop asthma/breathing difficulties, as this bug stayed in his nose.  It didn’t help that he still can’t blow his nose at age four!  I was really sick and just plain wiped out from a cough that kept me up all night.  We did a lot of hand washing and running the dishwasher on santi-rinse in our attempts to get healthy.  It never even occurred to me to wash our sheets more frequently.  After reading Stacy DeBroff’s tips I immediately stripped all the beds and put on new sheets!  As I’ve written here before, I’ve been a big fan of Wet Ones for a while.  I love how portable they are, especially for road trips or even visits to the park.  I always keep a canister of Wet Ones in my car and a travel pack in my bag so that I have a wipe handy.  We will be using Wet Ones frequently, when hand washing isn’t possible, this winter season with hopes of preventing future colds in our household!

Win a Wet Ones Holiday Survival Kit!

Want a chance to win a Wet Ones Holiday Survival Kit?  Enter by leaving a comment on this blog post and share your best cold care tip, if you like.  In your Holiday Survival Kit you’ll find:

• One Wet Ones Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 40 count canister
• One Wet Ones Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 24 count singles pack
• One Wet Ones Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 15 count travel pack

RULES: There will be one winner selected from all the comments using Random.org on or about November 29, 2011 at 10:00pm EST.  The winner will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to respond to an email from Mama’s Little Helper or forfeit the prize.  Energizer Personal Care is providing the prize(s) for this promotion at no cost to me. This promotion is not being administered or sponsored in any way by Energizer Personal Care or its affiliates, but solely by Mama’s Little Helper. Any questions or comments regarding this promotion must be sent to me at Mama’s Little Helper (Diane@mamaslittlehelper.org) and not to Energizer Personal Care.  Mama’s Little Helper and EPC reserve the right to modify, suspend or terminate this contest if the Promotion is removed by the web server or is otherwise compormised by illegal acts, electronic bots, etc.

Disclosure: Mama was provided with a Holiday Survival Kit for the purposes to composing this post.  No monetary compensation was received and all opinions expressed here are my own.

This week’s featured Mama of the week is Erica from the blog Mommy’s Fabulous.  Erica is the busy mom to a toddler and an infant.  She feels blessed to have a girl and a boy and remarked that they are done!  Eric is works at home full time currently.  She said, “Before last summer, I worked outside of the home full time. I am a writer/marketer/social media manager. I wear a lot of hats, but I primarily work in health care. Before I had my own company, I used to think, “Wow, my job would be so awesome if I could just hang out and talk to my friends all day.” And, with all the social media work I do, I feel like I am doing my dream job. I am really passionate about health care communications, social media and blogging. I love it all.”

Erica’s business is called Fabulous Communications. She was blogging at Mommy’s Fabulous prior to starting her business and wanted to tie in her business to her blog. On her website, www.fabulouscommunications.com, you’ll find information about her marketing and writing consultations that specializes in digital and print media marketing, social media management and content strategy for businesses and health care.

In discussing social media, Erica explained the following:

Way back in the day before “social media” there was this thing called “word of mouth.” It’s how you learned about businesses, brands, products and services. Today, we post questions on our walls, search resumes on LinkedIn and interact with brands on Twitter. It’s different, but it’s the same. Social media has helped small businesses find their voices, and has allowed customers and potential customers to explore a brand before they try – or maintain a relationship once they are connected. For me, social media has let me do what I do best- interact and promote with other people via conversations. That’s what I enjoy the most. My husband and I met online in 2004 – before the explosion of social media, but I would surmise we would have connected on Facebook if we met today.

Parenting presents many joys and challenges.  Erica enjoys teaching her children new things, and watching them interact with one another. She mentioned that her “absolute favorite thing about being a parent is never being able to go to the bathroom alone. Who knew I spent 32 years not knowing the joy of having company while I go to the bathroom?”  This is something that many moms seem to discover!  A challenge for Erica is having patience with her children.  She wants to encourage her daughter to do things for herself, but at times it is hard to not do them for her.  Her advice to new parents is to encourage them to develop patience, as each stage of parenting presents different tests of patience.  Whether it’s dealing with an infant that cannot communicate with you besides crying or a toddler who takes forever to complete minor tasks or a teen who needs to learn from their own mistakes, patience is a characteristic of parenting that repeats throughout the ages of development.

The best advice about parenting Erica was given was about sleep schedules.  She said, “I had no idea how important sleep was, and while sleep training was difficult in the beginning, the payoff is SO worth the trouble. “

Erica enjoys taking her kids out on the weekends.  As a family they visit Sesame Place, the Please Touch Museum, and the Philadelphia Zoo.  They also really enjoy visiting the boardwalk.  Erica and her daughter are also fans of crafts and Play Doh!  Erica said, “my toddler loves driving us crazy, playing with dog food, and running away from us in parking lots. Oh yes, this is a fun stage My 4-month-old currently enjoys sleeping through the night, smiling and batting at toys on his playmat. Obviously, he is the easier of the two.”

Erica mentioned that she “hates cooking but it is a necessary evil… or is it? Here is my favorite recipe.”  Erica has a great sense of humor!  To relax Erica enjoys editing home movies, as she is a video editor by trade.  “I haven’t had time to do it in a while, but I love editing them to music, and creating non-traditional “home movies” that we all like to watch. I also love to exercise – and to just zone with music and sweat in a Spinning class or running in the park.”

You can catch up with Erica on her website, on her Facebook page, or on Twitter!

Thanks so much Erica for being a featured mama of the week!

This is the season for children’s consignment sales. Seasonal consignment sales offer a unique venue for families to sell items their children no longer use and others a chance to purchase the same items at a fraction of regular retail prices. Sales set up shop for a weekend or a few days in the spring and fall. Some sales also offer a holiday sale around December that specializes in toys and holiday clothes. Here are some tips for successfully shopping one of these events. Mark your calendars for the Kidzsignments Fall/Holiday event (November 17-19 at 76 Reaville Avenue (next to McDonalds) in Flemington). Check out our website at www.NJKidSale.com for more information and complete sale schedule.

Find a Sale

Pick a sale that best fits you. Consider how far you’re willing to travel, sale hours, how popular the sale (the more popular usually means the more crowded), what they sell (not all sell car seats or maternity clothing), what payments they will accept etc. A large sale is usually worth the drive, but don’t rule out smaller less popular sales that may not have a large quantity, but will likely still have quality items for sale. Google your area using keywords ‘children’s consignment sale’ to find one in your area.  If you find a sale you enjoy, join their email list to stay informed.

Make a List

Like grocery shopping, it’s never a good idea to walk into a consignment sale without a list – your plan. Take a few minutes prior to the sale to write out what you’re looking to buy. This goes for clothing, sports equipment, books etc. Don’t forget to specify sizes too.

Set a Budget

Walking into a consignment sale for the first time can be overwhelming. There are thousands of GREAT things to buy and the prices are always great. If you don’t set a limit, you will likely over spend. Consider shopping with cash to avoid the urge to buy more with a credit card. Please note that not all sales will accept credit cards for payment.

Leave the Kids at Home

Some sales restrict if or when children may attend. It’s never a great idea to bring your children even if a sale allows. It’s usually stressful to shop anywhere with a child but a consignment sale can be even tougher because of the crowds and lines.  It’ll be more fun for everyone if you can leave the little ones at home.

Shop Early

Most sales allow sellers and volunteers to shop before the public. This can be the difference it makes to ensure you get the ‘best’ deal, and not just the ‘good’ deals. You don’t have be a consignor to shop early. Check sale websites for opportunities to volunteer a few hours to earn a preview shopping pass. Some sales offer First-time moms an opportunity to register for an early shopping pass (rules will vary per sale). Visit the sale website for specifics on early shopping opportunities. If you plan on shopping the first public day, be sure to arrive early, up to an hour, to get in line.

Grab Your Tools

Having the right tools will make your shopping much easier. Use string to measure your child’s waist and length to use when shopping for pants/skirts. You can use cardboard to trace an outline of their feet to help with shoe or snow boot sizes. You can also keep a list of clothing and shoe sizes when shopping. If the sale allows, bring a wagon, basket or rubber bin to hold you items while you shop. It is also a good idea to come in a vehicle large enough to hold your purchases (especially if you are shopping for train tables, infant gear or furniture).

Shop Strategically

When you first arrive make a beeline for the items you want most. Ask about ‘HOLD’ areas or marking items ‘SOLD’ to avoid carrying (or dragging) heavy loads. When shopping for clothing hold an item if it is a “maybe”, instead of returning only to find it gone. Don’t forget that the last day of a sale is usually a discount day. And don’t make the assumption that nothing good would remain on the final day of a sale. Many overpriced items can be snatched up on half price day when the price is right.

Think Outside the Box

Most people think of consignment sales as a less expensive way to buy clothing, toys and baby gear for their family. But consider buying birthday, holiday and other gifts at a consignment sale. Many consignors are selling brand new items – similar to what you may find at WalMart or Target. Some larger sales offer brand new products lines like Melissa & Doug for sale at a discount.  You may also find vendors at some sales selling homemade items or hard to find items.

Know Your Prices/Brands

Consignors are usually responsible for setting their own prices. Don’t assume every price is a ‘good price’. Know the higher end brands (i.e. Baby Gap, Gymboree, Janie & Jack) which will be priced higher AND the lower end (i.e Jumping Beans, Circo, Kid Connection, Faded Glory) which should be priced lower. Take advantage of your SmartPhone to check Ebay or retail store websites (i.e. Target.com) to compare pricing.  Remember, consignment stores will not negotiate pricing or take items back if you find them cheaper somewhere else.

Inspect Your Items

Be sure to double check your finds before paying for them.  Check the sizes on the garment label. Be careful when buying clothing sets to ensure all pieces are the same size. Most sales inspect items during drop off, but it’s always a good idea to look for stains, holes or make sure toys work and have all the pieces. Double check your movies to make sure the correct DVD is inside and check books for tears and writing. Remember, most sales don’t accept returns.

Laurie Owens lives in Flemington, NJ and is the mother of 3 children and owner of Kidzsignments Childrens Consignment Sale. She organizes semi-annual events in Edison and Flemington (Nov 17-19). If you’d like to learn more about her consignment sale, visit her website at www.NJKidSale.com.

This week Mama is wondering about what to do with all that Halloween candy that was collected on Monday night.  My four year old counted his loot and in less than three blocks he managed to bring home 75 pieces of candy, many full sized bars!  One person even gave him a double full sized Three Musketeers bar: two full sized bars in one package!  He is so excited about that one!  For some reason, he hasn’t figured out that he could probably open the candy packages himself, so he asks me every time he wants to eat some.  I figure after a few days, with the candy bowl out of eye sight, he might forget about it.  Last year, he ate some for a few days and I tossed the rest.  This year I’m trying to decide what to do.  I saw a sign at the church where my son goes to preschool about collecting it, so I think I may take some of it there.

Bounce U has a program where this week (until November 4th)  you can bring in 2 pounds of your kid’s Halloween candy in exchange for a bounce session.  This is a great deal!  I have heard of some area dentists collect candy too.

What do you do with all of your kid’s candy?  Share your ideas and knowledge of any area donation programs here!

Every mom of little kids I know has a snack in her bag for her little ones.  I know I usually carry several!  When my son was little it was always cheerios or goldfish, as I frequently found them in the bottom of my diaper bag or on the floor of the car/in the car seat! I’ve had my share of snack cups and have some I like, some that just didn’t work, despite best intentions.  Recently I had the chance to try out the Platex Twist ‘n Click Snacker and the Platex Twist ‘n Click bowl set to see if they could stand up to my kiddo.

The Platex Twist ‘n Click Snacker is a 9 ounce clear colored plastic cup with a contrasting colored solid plastic lid that clicks shut on the top.  Remove the lid by sliding it off and flipping it and snapping it to the bottom of the cup and find a soft plastic star shaped opening that lets little hands reach in while keeping snacks inside and spill resistant.  This snack cup is fairly sturdy: I threw it across the room twice (empty) to see how it held up.  The lid stayed attached to the handle and the top of the snack cup did not open.  My son tested it out and said that the soft opening was easy to use and did not hurt his hand.  I love that the plastic cup is dishwasher safe and BPA free.  It is recommended for ages 12 months plus.

Platex Twist 'n Click Snacker

The Platex Twist ‘n Click Bowl also holds 9 ounces and is made of the same BPA free plastic.  The colored clear bowl has a solid colored lid that is leak proof and easily locked on.  After lining up the small arrows on the rim of the lid and bowl, twist the lid shut and hear the click to know that the contents of the bowl are secure and the seal is tight.  This container is dishwasher and microwave safe, and it stacks easily for storage.  What I like about this bowl and lid is that it is the perfect size for storing leftovers.  I can toss this in my bag for when we go out to eat in restaurants and bring the leftovers of my son’s meal home with us without wasting one of those Styrofoam take-out containers.  This Twist ‘n Click bowl fits into our attempts at being more environmentally green by being less wasteful.  To test this bowl to be sure it was leak proof, I partially filled one bowl with some water, sealed the lid and tossed it around the kitchen.  It did not leak!  It did take me a bit of time to figure out how to properly seal the lid, as there were no instructions on the package about lining up the arrows.  I also have some difficulty with my hands’ strength, as I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, one fixed with surgery.  After some practice, I was able to manipulate the lids on the bowls and get them to properly seal.  I suggest trying out the lids before filling the bowls, just to be sure and prevent possible leaks if the lid isn’t sealed correctly.

Platex Twist 'n Click Bowls

Both the Twist ‘n Click bowl and snacker come in different colors.  I sort of have a pet peeve with storage containers being sexed by color (pink for girls, blue for boys) but that certainly does not affect the effectiveness of the product!  I guess the good thing about having colored storage containers makes it easy to tell in the refrigerator which containers are for the kids versus the adults.  A cool feature of both the bowls and the snacker cup is that there is a space on the bottom of each to write a child’s name in marker.  This is a great feature when you have several kids and the same colored container or for sending to day care or school.

I’ve used Platex sippy cups for several years and know that the company makes a good product.  Adding these storage solutions to their line of products is helpful to parents!  Both of these products are available from Babies R Us.

Giveaway!

Want a chance to try out both of these storage and snacking solutions for yourself and your child?  Enter our giveaway here to win both the Twist ‘n Click Snacker and Bowl products from Platex.  Leave a comment on this blog post and  share your kids’ favorite snack if you’d like.  For a second entry, tweet about this giveaway and comment leaving your twitter handle.  An example tweet could be I entered to #win a set of Platex Twist ‘n Click bowls and snack cup from @MamasLtlHelper! http://ht.ly/77AzG #giveaway #kids

Important! One winner will be selected from all of the comments using Random.org.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond to an email from Mama’s Little Helper or the prize will be forfeited.  This giveaway ends on Tuesday November 8. 2011 at 10:00 pm EST.  Good luck and happy snacking!

Disclosure:  I received one set of bowls and a snack cup for the purpose of this review and giveaway.  The opinions expressed are mine.  No financial compensation was received.  Platex is providing and distributing the prize.