​This blog contains affiliate links. (To read our affiliate disclosure, click here.)

As busy parents who are always on the go, we have tried many different baby carriers over the years and in our opinion, none compare to the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier! We were so impressed with everything about this baby carrier that we quickly put it on our list of Tried and True #Musthave Items for Your Baby Registry and will be including it in our upcoming list of Tried and True Vacation #MustHave Items for Families (coming Dec 2019!)

So what is it exactly that makes the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier so amazing?

The Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier enables babywearing confidence for parents because of it's supportive and simple structure that is not only super comfortable for the parent wearing it, but it's also soft and comforting for the baby too.

The ComfyFit Baby Carrier was inspired by yoga apparel - so it's made of lightweight, super soft fabric that will move with you and your baby, thus supporting your active lifestyle in the most comfortable way. 

Made by the brilliant minds at Boppy, this company is known worldwide for their quality baby gear that lasts and lasts so it's a sure thing that the ComfyFit Baby Carrier was made with quality and comfort in mind. Boppy is also the creators of the well-loved Boppy Nursing and Support Pillow, Boppy Newborn Lounger and Boppy Pregnancy Pillows (among many other amazing products!)

More Info About the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier: 

• One size fits most. Makes sharing your carrier between caregivers quick and easy!
• Perfect fit. No infant insert required. Recommended baby weight: 8-35lbs
• Adjustable waist belt. 54 inches maximum length
• 2 Comfy carrying positions. Front face-in and front face-out. Baby should be in the front facing-in position until 6 months of age. (Check out their FAQ section for more details on carrying your baby face-in and face-out)
• Padded waist belt and comfortable wide shoulder straps help to distribute your baby’s weight evenly.
• Zippered pocket in waist belt to keep small items conveniently in reach.
• Stash n’ Go Pouch makes your carrier small and portable when not in use.
• ​Machine washable! For easy care because messes happen.
• Made of 88% Polyester and 12% Spandex; Inner Material: 100% Polyester Spacer Mesh

The Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier is available in 4 neutral, goes-with-everything colors: Heathered Gray, Black, Midnight Blue and Black Camo. 

In exchange for our review, the wonderful folks at Boppy gave us our very own Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier in Heathered Gray to try out and we truly love everything about it! Scroll down to read more about what we love about this baby carrier and why we think you will too!

What we loved about the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier:

We have tried many baby carriers and have never found one that met every need we have - until we tried the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier that is! We are so impressed with not just the quality of this baby carrier (it is made by Boppy after all!) but also by the comfort and flexibility of it too.

Before, babywearing always hurt my back but I haven't had that problem since switching to the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier. I love the padded waist belt, the wide shoulder straps and how soft the material is too. It's made babywearing so much easier!

I also love how similar the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier's material is to my favorite yoga pants. As parents in hot south Florida, we love this lightweight, super soft material and how it keeps parents and baby cool and comfortable.

I'd also like to mention that prior to the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier, my super tall husband was never able to wear a baby carrier because they didn't fit right; but now that's no longer a problem. Our Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier was a comfortable fit for both myself and my husband. I felt it important to share this because other couples who have the same issue can rest assured that with this baby carrier, you both likely will be able to share babywearing and enjoy the snuggly time with your little one - how awesome is that!

We highly recommend the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier and we think this is a #musthave item for all families with babies!

Don't delay, Get your Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier today! 
Available for purchase on Boppy.com, at many major retailers and on Amazon.com too

This blog uses affiliate links. (To read our affiliate disclosure, click here.)

Parents can agree that when it comes to our homes, we want it to be the safest environment possible for our little ones.

It's no surprise then that each year parents around the world spend millions of dollars on baby-proofing and toddler-proofing gear to make sure that they do everything they can to keep their precious little ones safe.

In addition, we strive to keep our homes clean and use all kinds of products in an attempt to keep the germs at bay... but have you taken a look at what's in your cleaning supplies recently?

I took a look at many common cleaning supplies and found they've got tons of toxic chemicals - which is why many of them cannot be used around babies. Also, many of them recommend cleaning the area with soap & water after you've already cleaned it with their product. Yikes!

As a mom myself, I take great care to read the labels and make sure everything that comes into my home is safe to use around my little ones as well as our pets. That's why I was so excited when Dapple Baby contacted me recently and requested our review of their household care line!

Dapple Baby was founded by two moms, Dana & Tamar, who felt that there was a need in the marketplace for worry-free, sustainable, and effective products that would get the cleaning job done, without the fear that their family would be unsafe. 

They created an amazing line of non-toxic, hypo-allergenic, eco-friendly household care products that can be used around the whole home and are all priced quite reasonably. You may have already seen some of their products at Target, Walmart or on Amazon (just to name a few!) 

Dapple Baby was super generous and sent us samples of their household care products in exchange for my review. We'll get to the review in a moment, but first here's all the info about Dapple Baby's household care products:

Dapple Baby Household Care Products:

• ​Bottle & Dish Soap
• Dishwasher Detergent Packs
• ​All Purpose Cleaning Wipes
• Toy & High Chair Cleaning Spray
• All Purpose Cleaning Spray
• Baby Laundry Detergent
• Stain Remover Spray​
• 
  

About Dapple Baby Household Care Products:

• Plant-based care
• Extra gentle care with prebiotic botanical blend
• Non-toxic
• Hypoallergenic
• Pediatrician tested
• Dermatologist tested
• Made without the bad stuff like parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes and fragrances
• Proudly made in the USA

Dapple's awesome Mission Statement:
Dapple’s on a mission to create completely gentle & effective, baby- focused products. Our top green scientists have developed plant-based solutions that pack a punch—these powerful formulas have even received a “Best in Class” rating from the Clean Label Project that tests for product purity!

Why is Dapple formulated with plant-based ingredients?
Babies explore their environment with their hands, their mouths, and pretty much everything else. Common household cleaners from many mass brands, contain toxins and harmful ingredients that are linked to everything from cancer to birth defects. Using dapple on the things that interact with your baby creates a toxin and worry-free environment for your child to explore.

But there are many plant-based products, why is Dapple better?
Because it’s not just worry-free; it’s also very effective. That’s what dapple is all about. Some products focus so much on the “safety,” that they don’t live up to efficacy expectations and needs. Dapple products have gone through careful and thorough testing that prove our products work better, and are formulated without harsh chemicals.

Are Dapple products toxin free?
YES! We proudly leave all toxic ingredients out of our formulations. Dapple is formulated without: Parabens, Phthalates, Formaldehyde, Artificial Dyes and Fragrances, Chlorine, SLS, SLES, 1,4-Dioxane, Phosphates, Alcohol.

Clean Label Project Purity Award Winner!
Our Dapple products are proud winners of the Clean Label Project Purity Award for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to clean and pure ingredients.​ Each Dapple cleaning product is created with plant-based ingredients that are biodegradable, and made without parabens, formaldehyde, SLS and SLES, as well as synthetic dyes or fragrances. Our friends at the Clean Label Project are hard at work to make it even easier to identify products made with good, clean ingredients. They test America’s best-selling consumer products for more than 130 contaminants and toxins including heavy metals, antibiotics and pesticides!

Where can I buy Dapple products?
Visit DappleBaby.com to find stores near you (Click HERE to check it out!)

Samples we received in exchange for our review:
​

What we love about Dapple Baby household care products:

As the mom of two young children I am so relieved to have found an amazing line like Dapple Baby products!

I love that Dapple Baby household care products are safe to use around the whole family and provide an amazing clean to everything we used it on!

I love the All Purpose Spray because I can use it to clean the table, counters, changing table - even my the kids toys! It provided a spectacular clean without any harsh chemical residue and might I mention, the Sweet Lavender scent is heavenly!

The Bottle & Dish Soap is quite possibly the best dish soap I've ever used. Even though we have a dishwasher for the big stuff, every day I hand-wash our kids used sippy cups, school sports bottles and dishes and Dapple Baby Bottle & Dish Soap easily gets them squeaky clean! I love that it's gentle on my hands but even more so I really love how it easily and quickly removes every bit of milk residue and odor, even for the sippy cups that accidentally get left in the car all afternoon or the school sports bottle that was left in my son's backpack all day.  

I love Dapple Baby All Purpose Wipes because they are so convenient and easy to bring with us everywhere we go! We used the All Purpose Wipes during our recent family road trip since they don't take up much space yet they can clean even the stickiest little fingers after eating meals in the car! 

I love that in addition to fragrance free, Dapple Baby household care products also come in fresh scents like Hint of Lavender, Apple Pear and Mango Melon which I think smell a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

​I love that Dapple Baby's products come in full size and travel size too - which makes it super easy for families like mine who are on the go a lot. Now we can feel good traveling because we can easily bring these safe, reliable products with us everywhere we go!

I love that thanks to Dapple Baby, I can get affordable non-toxic, hypo-allergenic, USA made personal care products that I know are going to be safe to use around my whole family!

We absolutely love Dapple Baby household care products! We highly recommend Dapple Baby household care products and think this amazing line is a #musthave for all homes with little ones! 

This blog uses affiliate links. (To read our affiliate disclosure, click here.)

If you have a child who has skin allergies or very sensitive skin like mine does, you have got to check out Dapple Baby products! 

My little guy has very sensitive skin and unfortunately is allergic to the ingredients that are found in many of the  popular soaps & shampoos currently on the market. We've tried so many brands and so many different products out there. It's safe to say it's been a difficult and sometimes stressful journey trying to find products that are gentle enough to use on our child without breaking the bank considering we are a one-income family right now. 

That's why I was super excited to hear about Dapple Baby products: extra-gentle, plant-based products that are non-toxic, hypoallergenic and founded by two moms who just wanted to be able to care for their own babies in a safer, healthier, more eco-friendly way! 

Dapple Baby first launched their line of eco-friendly, baby safe surface cleaners, dishwasher soap, laundry detergent, and pacifier wipes to much success. You may have seen their household cleaners at your local store already; they are sold at Target, Walmart, and Amazon (just to name a few!)

And now, Dapple Baby has recently launched a new personal care line with baby shampoo, body wash, hand & face wipes and baby lotion too! 

Dapple Baby was super generous and offered us samples of their personal care products in exchange for my review. We'll get to the review in a moment, but first here's all the info about Dapple Baby's personal care products:

About Dapple Baby Personal Care Products:

• Plant-based care
• Extra gentle care with prebiotic botanical blend
• Non-toxic
• Hypoallergenic
• Pediatrician tested
• Dermatologist tested
• Made without the bad stuff like parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes and fragrances
• Proudly made in the USA

Dapple's awesome Mission Statement:
Dapple’s on a mission to create completely gentle & effective, baby- focused products. Our top green scientists have developed plant-based solutions that pack a punch—these powerful formulas have even received a “Best in Class” rating from the Clean Label Project that tests for product purity!

Why is Dapple formulated with plant-based ingredients?
Babies explore their environment with their hands, their mouths, and pretty much everything else. Common household cleaners from many mass brands, contain toxins and harmful ingredients that are linked to everything from cancer to birth defects. Using dapple on the things that interact with your baby creates a toxin and worry-free environment for your child to explore.

But there are many plant-based products, why is Dapple better?
Because it’s not just worry-free; it’s also very effective. That’s what dapple is all about. Some products focus so much on the “safety,” that they don’t live up to efficacy expectations and needs. Dapple products have gone through careful and thorough testing that prove our products work better, and are formulated without harsh chemicals.

Are Dapple products toxin free?
YES! We proudly leave all toxic ingredients out of our formulations. Dapple is formulated without: Parabens, Phthalates, Formaldehyde, Artificial Dyes and Fragrances, Chlorine, SLS, SLES, 1,4-Dioxane, Phosphates, Alcohol.

Clean Label Project Purity Award Winner!
Our Dapple products are proud winners of the Clean Label Project Purity Award for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to clean and pure ingredients.​ Each Dapple cleaning product is created with plant-based ingredients that are biodegradable, and made without parabens, formaldehyde, SLS and SLES, as well as synthetic dyes or fragrances. Our friends at the Clean Label Project are hard at work to make it even easier to identify products made with good, clean ingredients. They test America’s best-selling consumer products for more than 130 contaminants and toxins including heavy metals, antibiotics and pesticides!

Where can I buy Dapple products?
Visit DappleBaby.com to find stores near you (Click HERE to check it out!)

​Samples we received in exchange for our review:
​

​What we love about Dapple Baby personal care products:

As the mom of a child who has very sensitive skin and is allergic to many perfumes currently found in soap and shampoos, I am so relieved to have found an amazing line like Dapple Baby products!

I love that Dapple Baby personal care products are super gentle on my little guy's sensitive skin, yet strong enough to make him squeaky clean and keep his skin moisturized all day long. 

I love that Dapple Baby personal care products also come in fun scents like Sweet Apple and Hint of Lavender, which I think smell a-m-a-z-i-n-g and my kids love too!

I love that Dapple Baby was founded by two moms, Dana & Tamar, who felt that there was a need in the marketplace for worry-free, sustainable, and effective products that would get the cleaning job done, without the fear that their family would be unsafe. 

​I love that Dapple Baby products come in full size and travel size too - which makes it super easy for families like mine who are on the go a lot. Now we can feel good traveling because we can easily bring these safe, reliable products with us everywhere we go!

I love that thanks to Dapple Baby, I can get affordable non-toxic, hypo-allergenic, USA made personal care products that I know are going to be safe to use on my whole family from the youngest to the oldest!

We absolutely love Dapple Baby personal care products! We highly recommend Dapple Baby personal care products and think this amazing line is a #musthave for all homes with little ones! 

​Our blog may use affiliate links. (To read our affiliate disclosure, click here.)

The most wonderful time of the year is here, and the beloved Ted the Friendly Frog series continues as Ted and his brother Brad await the arrival of Santa Frog in the newly released children's book, Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog!

On Christmas Eve, brothers Ted and Brad snuggle by the fire as their father tells them the magical story of his encounter with Santa Frog. From cups of cocoa and cozy mittens to snowmen and presents, author Scott McCall offers a richly-illustrated and heartwarming Christmas tale that families will love reading together this holiday season.

“Christmas has always been a wonderful holiday for our family," says author Scott McCall, "My family has always made Christmas about spending time with family and having many laughs. When writing Ted the Friendly Frog book series I wanted to have an entire world for Ted the Friendly Frog. I wanted the reader to experience the great stories and adventures with Ted the Friendly Frog as they read each book. When I was looking at adding a holiday or even a few I knew I wanted to write a Christmas story.

A parent himself, author Scott McCall began writing short stories to help his son learn how to read. Together, they enjoyed creating rhyming stories that later inspired the Ted the Friendly Frog books - a series of entertaining and meaningful books that help teach children simple yet valuable lessons about family and friends.

"When I wrote this series I wanted to have this series inspire my son in many ways," McCall adds, "With this book series now available to the public, I think any kid that reads Ted the Friendly Frog will learn many things. This series teaches how to help out your friends, don’t talk to strangers, listen to your parents, etc. This series teaches all these things with so many fun adventures. Hopefully the kids will have many wonderful experiences of their own. Learning valuable lessons will only help them with their adventures."

We were recently contacted by Brown Books Publishing Group and offered a copy of Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog in exchange for our review. Scroll down to read our thoughts on this fun book and why we think it's a great book to read this Christmas with the kiddos!

What we loved about Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog:

​Our family loves everything to do with Christmas and when we were offered a copy of Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog for review, naturally we hopped right to it (pardon my "mom joke")

We really enjoyed reading Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog! It's a fun and fresh Christmas tale that had our little guys giggling and intrigued page after page. We loved how the story was told in rhyme and thought the whole story from start to finish was a lot of fun to read together.

Our kiddos loved the friendly, colorful illustrations and thought the unique idea of Santa Frog using birds to pull his sleigh instead of reindeer was hilarious! Without giving away too much of the book (no spoilers) we all really had fun with this book and will certainly incorporate Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog into our family's reading tradition, 25 Days of Christmas Books (which by the way will be another blog coming soon - so stay tuned!) 

Our family really enjoyed reading Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog! It's a fun story that we will enjoy reading together for years to come. We highly recommend this unique, adorably silly Christmas tale and we think your family will love it too!

You can order a hardcover copy of Ted the Friendly Frog and Santa Frog online at https://www.scottmccallbooks.com/ and on Amazon.com! 

Other books in the Ted the Friendly Frog series:
​

​There's more in store! Author Scott McCall says he's already got more adventures in mind for his Ted the Friendly Frog series, "One of the next books has Ted and his brother Brad going to a carnival. What is more fun than a frog carnival? Another book has Ted and his family going on a camping trip. This is a great story and it teaches a valuable lesson all kids should know. After that Ted has a birthday, goes to the Amazing Circus, has a baseball
game called Acorn Pass, has a relay race, and then the last week of school. The kids and families that read these books will get to experience Ted’s wonderful world and have many laughs on the way. There are also two songs that go with this book series. Ted the Friendly Frog would love to share his stories with you."

For more information about the author and his books, please visit www.scottmccallbooks.com. 

This blog contains affiliate links. (To read our affiliate disclosure, click here)

I think it's pretty safe to say just about every parent knows the fear and panic that accompanies a child's loss of their favorite toy. 

Ever since he was an infant, our youngest child has some very special stuffed animals and a blankie that are his must-have items every single night. Sometimes during the day when he's feeling nervous, tired, or shy he will also choose to bring one of them along with him because they help him feel safe and brave.

I remember the day when our little guy accidentally left his blankie at Sunday School. He was fighting a cold and wasn't feeling his best so we let him bring his favorite blankie along that morning. It wasn't until later that afternoon when we'd returned home and he was ready for a nap that I realized somehow we'd left it behind! Our little guy was in a panic that his blankie was lost and I frantically contacted everyone I could think of to help me locate this very special blankie. Thankfully our story ended happily, as our son's blankie was found and I was able to go and pick it up - however, our little guy still talks about the day he almost lost his most favorite blanket.

Our story is a similar story that parents everywhere can relate to; including GoPals inventor / Mother of two, Lorrie Vogel! "Somewhere while traveling between Seattle and Portland - we never figured out where - my daughter Piper's favorite plush toy, Midnight, just disappeared," says Lorrie, "The loss was devastating to my six-year-old, who never went to bed without her favorite cat. Right then and there is occurred to me: our phones are mobile, computers are mobile, why can't plush toys be mobile too?"

Fast forward 11 years. "My six-year-old daughter was now seventeen, she had a twelve-year-old brother, and their mom had spent more than twenty  years as a top footwear and apparel designer for Nike," Lorrie says, "And so one night - after my kids and I watched a few too many episodes of Shark Tank - we decided it was time to make my idea a reality."

Lorrie and her children, Piper and Cole, started GoPals and worked together to design a plush toy that could travel everywhere a child does, a stuffed animal that could fasten to any backpack, seat belt, bike/scooter and more. They wanted their GoPals to happily tag along on every trip - to school, sleepovers, vacations, anywhere! They wanted to make sure that with GoPals, a child's favorite pal will never leave their side. 

“In deciding to create this company,” says Vogel, “we wanted it to be one that spread joy by doing good – the first by creating a small stuffed friend that never leaves a child’s side, the second by supporting children charities." The GoPals Brand has signed a partnership with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation with is aimed at propelling the world towards a future without childhood cancer. A portion of every GoPals animal sold will go toward funding and promoting children's charities. 

"This work is personal to my family," Lorrie adds, "Several years ago, I lost a husband - and my daughter Piper a father - to cancer. We know how hard he fought, and we want to continue his fight by supporting the cure for childhood cancer. Please join us in the effort to rid the world of childhood cancers and save other families from the devastating loss of a loved one."

GoPals was introduced in June 2019 on Amazon and www.GOPALS.net. We were recently gifted one of these adorable GoPals in exchange for our review (read our thoughts in a moment!) 

About GoPals, for kids on the move:

• Made with top quality materials for softness and durability
• GoPals stuffed animals are designed to be mobile, attaching to your backpack, seat-belts, bikes/scooters and more
• Stackable so you can attach more GoPals stuffed animal friends
• With every GoPals stuffed animal purchase, Seedtank will give a portion of the proceeds to Children's Charities like Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
• There's a secret message from your GoPals friend woven on each toy
• There's eight characters in the "Original" Collection
• GoPals are 7" tall
• Recommended for children ages 3 and up
• Designed in Oregon, USA

Collect them all!

What we loved about GoPals:

We were gifted Spencer the Lamb in exchange for our review and we were so pleasantly surprised with just how adorable these GoPals really are in person! Our GoPals is so wonderfully soft - like as soft as a plush baby blanket. At 7" tall, it is the perfect size for little hands to hold and a convenient size for bringing along anywhere without taking up too much space.

We found GoPals to be super easy to attach to our standard-size backpacks and smaller, toddler-sized backpacks, our diaper bag, car seat seat-belt, regular seat-belt, stroller seat-belt, scooter, bicycle, we even easily attached it to our son's belt loop on his pants when he wanted to walk around the store with his GoPals friend! 

We love the sweet expression on Spencer the Lamb's face and the friendly message on his strap that reads, "Spencer the Lamb will match you stride for stride, no matter where you’re headed he is by your side."

Since our youngest is the one who always needs to bring a snuggly toy or blankie with him, we gave him Spencer the Lamb and it was love at first sight! Our little guy loves that his GoPals friend feels as soft as his favorite blankie, is small enough to easily hold yet still the perfect size to snuggle, and best of all can go with him everywhere he goes!

I should also mention that our 7 year old also thinks GoPals is the best idea ever and has already begun requesting GoPals for his own this Christmas! I think it's safe to say GoPals is a huge hit in the Florida Family Fun Travel household and we think your little ones will love them too!

GoPals is a wonderful invention with a wonderful mission - and we absolutely love that a portion of the proceeds go towards children's charities.

​GoPals are available for purchase online through their official website
at www.GOPALS.net and also on Amazon.

Click the links below to order from Amazon (Prime Members get FREE 2-day shipping - yay!)

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Children love imitating those around them. It's not uncommon to see even the youngest of babies copying the expressions and sounds of someone they love. In fact, imitation is one of the important ways children learn; according to FactsforLifeGlobal.org, young children learn how to interact socially and understand different ways people behave by watching and imitating others and by pretending, which also helps develop their imagination and creativity.

As children grow, they begin to imitate their parents more and more. And whether or not a parent realizes it, every decision they make influences their child one way or another. So that's why allowing children to be actively involved in family life is not only a great thing for everyone, but it can help inspire them to take initiative and explore their creativity too!

The question is, how can parents encourage motivation in their child?

In the newly released book, Little Hands Help, authors Mike Morrison Ph.D. and Mackenzie Morrison offer an educational and heartfelt message about allowing children to contribute to any family routine with colorful illustrations and relatable situations throughout. We were recently given an advance copy of Little Hands Help in exchange for our review (we'll tell you our thoughts in a bit!)

The Father/Daughter duo want to use their newest book Little Hands Help to help young children find their voice and take initiative within their own families. While most children have the desire to contribute to what their parents are doing, few cultivate the inner reflection skills that will allow them to speak up about how they feel. Inner reflection skills are necessary to guide children through all stages of life and as parents, it's important to teach our children this skill and co-learn with them (because although we try, no parent is perfect - we all do our best & learn as we go!) 

Intended for little ones as they enter their preschool and kindergarten years, a critical development period when the foundations of conscience begin to develop, the second installment of Small Voice Says series, Little Hands Help teaches children to use their inner voice to speak up about wanting to be more involved in family life.

The main character, Angela, returns in beautifully-detailed illustrations and uses her newfound small inner voice to assert her feelings about her parents excluding her from chores that she could realistically help with. Shown through a collection of situations entered around household chores, Angela starts to feel left out and dissapointed when her parents ask her to complete a different task instead of helping them with what they are doing.

In Little Hands Help, we learn to catch ourselves from redirecting our children's motivation and instead ask: what does your small inner voice say you should do? 

Described as "not a book you read to, but a book you read with children," Little Hands Help will find a forever home on any bookshelf and explores:

• Cultivation of a strong inner voice to enact feelings and motivations
• Discussion opportunities for parents to create a more nurturing relationship with their child
• Expression of individuality
• Expansion of learning capabilities
• Education and empowerment of girls

What we loved about Little Hands Help:

As the second book in the Small Voice Says series, Little Hands Help is a fabulous book with another wonderful lesson.

In Little Hands Help, we see from a child's perspective how it feels when a parent doesn't let their little one help because it's just easier or faster. Through Angela's journey, we see the sadness that happens when a child is rejected from helping a parent, the exclusion when they are told to go do something else and the frustration of not being given a chance to try. When young Angela finds the courage to call a family meeting, she bravely explains to her parents how she feels. Her parents lovingly acknowledge her feelings and choose to involve her more. In the end, Angela and her family realize that doing even the simplest things together is way more fun and special after all. 
 
Admittedly, this topic is something that I think happens in most homes because life can be so busy and sometimes we as parents can get too wrapped up in trying to get things done faster. All too often in our busyness we forget how every day tasks can be wonderful learning tools for our children. Little Hands Help is great reminder of how important it is to let our children be involved in what we do and that even every day tasks can become beautiful memory-making moments!

We loved that Little Hands Help is not only a great story with sweet and colorful illustrations, but it is a great reminder for parents to let our little ones be involved - and also a great encouragement to help little ones speak up when there is something bothering them. 

Little Hands Help is a great book for both parents and children - we loved it and we think your family will too! 

Little Hands Help is now available for purchase!! 

Click the link below to order your own copy from Amazon today!

​If you love this book you will love Small Voice Says too! Read our review of the first installment of the Small Voice Says series here >>>> Click here to read our review of Small Voice Says

​
To learn more about this book and this series, visit smallvoicesays.com 
​
About the Authors:

Mike Morrison Ph.D.'s passion centers on developing leaders at all ages, from the four year old entering preschool to the corporate CEO leading a global enterprise. Morrison believes that in today's world, we all need to lead in some way and he hopes to help illuminate that path through his three books, including The Other Side of the Card. 

Mackenzie Morrison is a writer and artist working in the music industry in Los Angeles, CA.

Nina Summer is a Swiss artist living in Brooklyn, New York. She likes swing dancing, Tostitos and pro-wrestling. She doesn't have a favorite color, except maybe a soft yellow. You can find more of her work at www.nina-summer.com 

Thanks for reading our review of Little Hands Help!
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No matter how tech savvy we are as parents, I think most of us have come to the realization that no matter how up-to-date we think we are, our kids are always more knowledgeable at the ins and outs of our cell phones and computers. It's a tough thing to admit, but it's true; I myself have frustratingly given my phone to my young child when I just can't figure out why it's not doing what it's supposed to -- and sure enough, a couple swipes and clicks later, he's fixed the problem. "Easy peasy, mom!" he says. 

In this digital era, our kids are becoming increasingly skillful with technology. An article on TheGuardian.com says researchers recently did a study of 37,000 volunteers across 160 countries and found teenagers on average typed about 40wpm (words per minute) in comparison to people in their 40s and 50s who on average type much slower at 26-29wpm! 

It's no doubt that our younger generation is more advanced when it comes to technology -- but the question is, are they prepared for all that life will throw their way when they leave the nest?

Sure, the average teenager will know everything they need to know academically to graduate high school and perhaps have even picked up some helpful skills to direct them into a career path when they start college. However, when it comes to the skills they'll need in order to handle their own finances, most are completely clueless.

In the new book, Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands: How to Teach Young Kids About Finance (and They're Never Too Young) Certified Financial Planner Liz Frazier spells out the fundamentals of finance. We were recently given an advance copy of Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands in exchange for our review (we will tell you our thoughts about this book in a bit!)

This easy-to-follow guide allows parents to teach their elementary-aged children the importance of saving, spending and everything in between! While the main goal is to teach children about the financial basics they will need to know as they enter young adulthood, it also provides fun bonding activities that parents & children can complete together (which makes it less of a homework assignment and more of a fun life tool.)

"This book provides parents with the confidence to teach simple financial basics to their children," says Frazier, "With that confidence comes excitement and inspiration, by teaching your children about finance you will influence every step of their lives in a positive and meaningful way."

Starting with the fundamental lessons such as needs versus wants, then moving into the "piggy bank basics" of spending, saving and sharing, parents can teach their children about not only saving money but making money through hard work - whether by doing age-appropriate jobs (dog walking, etc) or selling old toys at a garage sale, for example. These tools will help children build a strong financial foundation, which is so important because it will equip them with the knowledge they need to make sound financial decisions as they enter into adulthood.

Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands also addresses other money basics and lessons such as:

• Easy ways parents can refresh their own financial knowledge before they begin teaching their children
• Step-by-step guides for parents to teach their children about finances at any age: from the beginner level, intermediate level, and advanced level if their child is eager to learn more about finance
• Smart and responsible spending and budgeting habits, and how parents can lead a positive example through their own spending habits
• Economics for Kids: how businesses use money, defining the economy and why it's always changing
• Finance in the digital age: teaching about finances through the internet, debit cards, banking apps and trends that will be affecting the next generation
• and more!

Wondering if Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands is a good fit for your family? Read this Q&A with Liz Frazier (there's lots of helpful answers here!) >>> Click to read Q&A

What we loved about Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands:

Firstly, from cover to cover this entire book was packed full of helpful information that really breaks down challenging topics into easier-to-understand and easier-to-communicate lessons that parents can share with their children.

Part I has Tips for the Already Overwhelmed Parent, which really brings home why teaching our younger generations financial responsibility is so important, how to communicate with your child about finance and even includes a fabulous Step-by-Step Guide to Age-Appropriate Information.

Part II covers the Beginner Level: Pre-K - First Grade, and thoroughly breaks down basic finance into simple, kid-friendly lessons. Each lesson is short which we think is fabulous because it made the lessons much less intimidating and much easier to communicate with our little ones. There are even hands-on activities to help make each lesson fun such as Play Archeologist with Coins, Grocery Store Guessing Game, Counting Coins, and a fun can-you-find-these-hidden-objects on dollars activity (which our kiddos thought was so fun!)

Part III is for the Intermediate Level: 1st - 5th Grade, and teaches important age-appropriate lessons on saving, sharing and spending (aka Piggy Bank Basics.) It covers topics such as Allowance, Fun Jobs for Kids, Smart Shopping, Charitable Activities for Kids and so much more. As in Part I, there are hands-on activities that you can do with your child that will help them further understand each lesson. We really appreciated the included Real-World Activity: Saving for a Goal where kids are encouraged to create their own savings goal on a big poster and keep track of how close they are to their goal as they continue to save their money. For example: In our home, our son chose to save for a new bike. We looked in store and online for the best deal and when he made his decision on the bike he wanted, we wrote down how much he needed to save in order to purchase that bike. Our son chose to save every bit of his allowance and even his birthday money for a whole year and when the day came that he finally reached his goal, he was so very proud to purchase his new bike. By making a real goal that he could actively choose to save toward, he learned an important lesson about impulse buying VS saving towards bigger & better things - and to this day his bike is his most prized possession! 

Part IV is the Advanced Level: 2nd - 5th Grade and really dives in to even more important finance lessons such as Kiddie Economics, Banking and Investing, Interest, Stocks, Debt, Taxes and much more. There are fun hands-on activities which further helps kids (and parents) apply each lesson to their every-day lives. Every bit of Part IV is full of really helpful information that will equip kids with the tools they need to be financially responsible and aware adults and honestly we think even kids above 5th grade would benefit greatly from this!

It's no doubt that teaching financial responsibility to children is extremely important but admittedly, it can be difficult to communicate this topic in age-appropriate ways; Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands took the difficulty away and helped us effectively teach our children (and ourselves in the process) important tools that they will use for the rest of their lives.

We love that this is not a read-once-and-you're-done book but it is a helpful tool which you can continually go back to and use as your children grow and begin to understand more and more.  We think Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands is a fantastic book and highly recommend it for all families!

​

Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands: How to Teach Young Kids About Finance (and They're Never Too Young) is now available for purchase!! 

Click the link below to order your copy today!

About author Liz Frazier: Liz Frazier is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) at Frazier Financial Consultants (FFC), her family's firm. She holds a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) from Wake Forest University and is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisers (NAPFA). She contributes regularly to Forbes.com, focusing on everyday personal finance that anyone can use, with simple and entertaining financial advice. Frazier currently resides in Westchester, NY with her husband and two children. Here's the links to visit Liz Frazier's Twitter and Instagram page.  You can also view her website here: ​https://lizfrazier.com/

Thanks for reading our review of Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands!

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Halloween is only 2 weeks away and kids everywhere are eagerly awaiting all the upcoming trick or treating, trunk or treating, fall festivals - oh and of course the school's class Halloween parties too! With all the festive events coming up, parents (and dentists) everywhere rightfully worry about healthy or alternative treat options for kids - after all, who really needs multiple buckets full of sugary junk food?

As we really dive into the Halloween (and holiday) season, we also should be aware of safe alternatives for children who have food allergies or juvenile diabetes. As parents with children who are allergic to certain things and friends of several families who have children with juvenile diabetes, we understand the worry many families have about their child's health and safety as they participate in school and community events during the holidays.

The trick though for parents & grandparents alike is to find something other than candy that is still a treat (pardon our silly Halloween humor, we can't help ourselves!)

So what are fun alternatives to candy that all kids will love this Halloween? OOLY has the answer! 

OOLY, creator of unique art and writing essentials for all ages, created the super fun Monster collection which is a great alternative to food treats! No more need to worry about sugar overload or food allergies with these cute Monster friends. Families will also love that items from OOLY's Monster collection are inexpensive and totally budget-friendly.

OOLY was kind enough to give us samples from their Monster collection in exchange for our review. Read our thoughts and see why we think OOLY's Monster collection is the perfect alternative treat for every little trick-or-treater this Halloween! 

Here's a peek at the items we were sent:

Monster Erasers (Set of 3) ($2.99) - Boo! Mistakes better be on the lookout because there are monsters out to get them! You can swap the scary jaws and arms of these Monster Erasers with the other ones to mix up their colors or to match your other stationery. Keep these colorful monsters near so they can keep their one, three and four eyes on the lookout for any errors.

Monster Pencils ($4.99) - This pencil pack includes 12 No. 2 graphite pencils, each featuring the cutest monsters you’ve ever seen. With silly faces and fun colors, one of these monsters is bound to be your new best friend.

​Monster Mini Scented Highlighters ($3.99) - It doesn’t get any cuter than the Mini Monster Scented Markers. Your child will have a silly companion while coloring, and the neon colors and fruity scents make coloring fun! Don’t worry, these mini monsters are here for a creative playful accomplice and are far from scary.

Modern Script Fountain Pens and Journal ($12.99) - Write elegant prose, creative ideas, or simply the day’s events in fine style with this fountain pen writing set. Designed with penmanship in mind, the 3 black ink fountain pens in metallic Gold, Rose Gold, and Silver are perfectly matched with a slim 60 page Gold and Silver ombré journal.​

What we love about OOLY's Monster collection & Modern Script Fountain Pens and Journal:

First off, we have to say that OOLY's Monster collection totally made us smile! As soon as our kiddo saw the Monster Erasers, Monster Mini Scented Highlighters and Monster Pencils he excitedly exclaimed, "These are awesome!" and, "I am so bringing these to school!"

The Monster Erasers are SO cute and friendly looking! Both our 7 year old and 4 year old are obsessed with these erasers. In addition to working as an eraser, these little Monsters each have their own silly expression and can easily stand on their own which make them a lot of fun to not only use but also to play with!

The Monster Pencils are a practical (but also a really fun) alternative to boring, plain pencils. This pack comes with 12 No. 2 graphite pencils and each pencil has different & kooky monster design and colors. These pencils write well and are bound to make little ones smile every time they look at them during a long school day!

The Monster Mini Scented Highlighters are another really fun item to consider as an alternative Halloween treat. Each mini highlighter looks like a different monster with his/her own unique expression and fun fruity scent. They come in a cute pack of 6 so they can be handed out separately or as one super awesome Halloween treat.

The Modern Script Fountain Pens and Journal aren't on our list of items to hand out to the kids this Halloween but they should be added to your cart when you stock up on OOLY's Monster collection for the trick or treaters -  because you deserve a treat too! I absolutely love OOLY's Modern Script Fountain Pens; they write beautifully, they look super cool and they are really fun to use. This set comes with 3 fountain pens, so you can easily take one with you wherever you go; I keep one with my work, one in my purse and one next to our family schedule book. In addition to the pens, you also get a slim 60 page Gold and Silver ombré journal which is perfect for keeping in your pocket or in your purse! As a mom blogger, I write a lot of notes during the day so this has come in really handy for me! 

We are obsessed with OOLY's super fun Monster collection and fabulous line of unique art and writing essentials and we think they are the perfect, fun and safe alternative for Halloween trick or treating!