Back to the Basic – A Math Tool to Help Kids

Back to the Basic – A Math Tool to Help Kids

Did you know the U.S. ranks 25th in the World on math skills? As a mom, and former educator, it is so hard to watch kids struggle with basic math skills that we know they will need in their adult lives. Giving our kids the tools to succeed in school and life is an important part of raising kids. Schools do what they can with the budgets they have, but as a parent, I’m always looking for ways to reinforce lessons at home. I want my kids to love learning and hope I am raising life long learners.

When it comes to math skills, X Bandz are an innovative way to help kids learn the math skills they need for life. These bands have multiplication equations that conveniently fit on your child’s wrist. Educators call these X-Bandz “Today’s Flash Cards”. They are perfect for children from 1st to 5th grade and come in a variety of colors. You can grab a set of bands on Amazon or directly from the Kiddzatwork website.

Do your kids struggle in math?

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by garyfitzroy. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Changing Seasons – Time to Update the Kids Wardrobe in an Affordable Way

Changing Seasons – Time to Update the Kids Wardrobe in an Affordable Way at Lil Jelly Beans Online Consignment Shop

Finally spring is here! Weather is warming up. My kids are chomping at the bit to start wearing shorts every day to school. As the weather starts to change, I know its time to switch out wardrobes and update our warm weather clothing ensembles.

Thank goodness for Lil Jelly Beans – an online consignment shop where you can find fashionable and affordable kids clothes. Literally there tag line is “Designer clothes at family prices”. 

What mom or dad wouldn’t want that? 

I love searching through Lil Jelly Beans website for clothes. They have boys, girls, and maternity clothes. Plus, shoes for those fast growing feet of your little one. Lil Jelly Beans combines the ease of online shopping with the perfect prices of going to a consignment shop. I can’t wait to grab some essential springtime clothes for my kiddos.

...and don't forget to look into how to consign those clothes your little one has out grown. They have a consignor program so you can get some cash back on those old clothes. See Lil Jelly Beans' How to Sell Items for more details.

Do you shop consignment shops? Have you tried them online?

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by Lil Jelly Beans. All opinions are 100% mine.

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The Many Uses for Organic Muslin Swaddling Blankets #Review

The Many Uses for Organic Muslin Swaddling Blankets

There is nothing you want more for your newborn baby that warmth and comfort. Swaddling is a great way to create the warmth and comfort of the womb as your baby’s body adjusts. Swaddling can help to reduce stress they might feel in a larger world outside of the womb. Beyond wrapping up our most precious babes, swaddling blankets can serve so many uses for a mom with her hands full.

Swaddling blankets were staples in my life when both of my kids were newborns. I had extras in the car, in the diaper bag, and at home. I used swaddling blankets as emergency changing mats on the go, an extra burp cloth if one wasn’t close enough, or as a car seat cover to shade the sun from my sleeping baby’s eyes. You can never have too many and now I’m saving my collection to make a quilt for my kids when they get older.

Itsy Bitsy Baby Boo offers luxurious Organic Muslin Swaddling Blanket packs that are perfect gifts for a new mom or to add to your blanket collection. These ultra-soft blankets come in colorful designs and each pack is coordinated in style and design. They are made with 100% organic muslin and an extra-large size (47” x 47”) adding to their versatility. I love the Gentle Whispers, Calming Seas design for the whimsical under the sea theme.

These organic muslin swaddling blanket packs are great for baby shower gifts or delivery gifts after baby has arrived. Grab a couple sets. They even put step-by-step instructions on how to swaddle your baby for those new moms and dads who may need more guidance.

Did you swaddle your newborns a lot when they were first born?

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by Itsy Bitsy Baby Boo. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Choosing The Ideal Blow Dryer For Your Hair & Budget #GuestPost

As a busy mom, I often don't have time to put too much thought into my hair...let alone my hair dryer. Today's guest post helps us break down finding the right blow dryer for your hair and your budget. Brought to you by Shop Hair Dryers - a website full of advice on a wide variety of hair dryers for all hair types. Enjoy today's guest post!

Choosing The Ideal Blow Dryer For Your Hair & Budget

Having trouble choosing the right hair dryer for your family? We break down how to find the best hair dryer for your hair type and budget.

Picking The Best Hair Dryer For The Entire Family

If you're purchasing a hair dryer for family use, pick one with numerous heat and speed settings. Those with thicker hair may want to use higher speeds while children may prefer a cooler setting. Pick a dryer with the ability to turn the ion setting on and off since ions aren't suitable for every type of hair. For example, those with fine hair may want to turn the ion setting off in order to create volume.
 

Thick & Coarse Hair

According to Shop Hair Dryers, a blow dry review site, heat is imperative if you want to straighten or style hair that is exceptionally thick and unmanageable. Pick a hair dryer with at least 1800 watts of power such as the Rusk Spead Freak or T3 Featherweight. You also want to opt for ionic and tourmaline technology which dry hair strands from the inside out which minimizes damage from heat styling.

Curly Locks & Wavy Hair

If you have curly hair pick a dryer with a diffuser in order to keep your locks manageable and smooth. Most hair dryers come with a diffuser. These can also be purchased separately since most hair dryers will work with a  universal diffuser. You will want to use a dryer with lower heat settings since curly hair generally turns out more manageable with lower heat.

Drying Hair On A Budget

Contrary to popular belief you don't need to spend a fortune in order to get the best hair dryer. Brands such as Revlon and Conair have producing quality dryers for years, many which come with the same ionic and tourmaline technology found in more upscale brands. 

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Rhyme Time for the Foolish & Coolish – Modern Twist for Bedtime #Review

Rhyme Time for the Foolish & Coolish – Modern Twist for Bedtime

My favorite time of the day is bedtime. Partly because I know I will get some quiet time to unwind from my day, but also because I love spending time snuggled up reading a book with my kids before the fall to sleep. These minutes are some of my most precious mommy time during the day. We are always exploring new books and revisiting classic favorites.

Rhyme Time for the Foolish & Coolish is a fun new twist on classic rhyming books. These sing-songy stories give an updated feel that the kids love. Themes of diversity, equality and inclusion, creativity through self-expression, technology and environmentalism are presented in a fun, cool, kid-friendly style.

Even the illustrations are colorful, vibrant, and modern visuals that fit great with these reimagined and relatable 21st century themes. You will find girls pursuing STEM, boys enjoying art, and reflect the use of today’s technology and video games that the kids will recognize. 

Rhyme Time books are written to inspire any kid’s imagination. They are available on Etsy or grab the ebook  version on Amazon by searching for the author Devon Clasen.

Do you read with your kids every night?

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by garbiedog. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Admitopia #Review

Admitopia – Helping College Students Find the Right School

Prepping and planning for college is stressful – for parents and students. Beyond the academic basics – making the grades, passing the tests, and having all the right activities on their resume – how do students know if they are choosing the right school for their future?

So many students go off to college to find out later that the school of their dreams wasn’t all it cracked up to be. Perhaps they thought college life would be a certain way, but their school tour didn’t give an accurate depiction of what they would be experiences.

Admitopia is an online service helping students, and the parents, find the right college. Admitopia is not all about academic matchmaking. They focus on helping families find real life students and families who can give more insight into the REAL college experience.

The way it works:

A family with a college bound student can register online at Admitopia. You select the school in which you are interested. Then, you can find other college studetns who’ve already partenered with Admitopia to share their experience. You simply request a call with the selected student(s) and they help answer any questions you may have about the college, courses, student life, etc.

Admitopia is focused on getting families answers to their questions about college with honest feedback from real students. They want to help you make the right decision for yourself or your student. Sign up today to learn more about Admitopia!

Do you have a college-bound student? 

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by Admitopia. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Speech Essentials – A Speech Therapy App for Parents #Review

Speech Essentials – A Speech Therapy App for Parents

Understanding what your child is saying to you can be an art form for most parents. I often have to translate my four year old when he gets tired and whiney. My non-parent friends can have a hard time understanding him if they are not used to his speech patterns when he is tired. When he is rested and happy, he has clear speech and it’s never a problem.

My youngest doesn’t suffer from any speech impediments, but for those who have children in need of assistance with articulation, you may already be going to speech therapy sessions. How do you keep your little one engaged and practicing at home?

Speech Essentials is a speech therapy app for parents that has been developed by a private speech therapy practice in Utah. They are certified therapists who combine today’s technology with traditional techniques to help parents have an app at their fingertips to use.

Plus, Speech Essentials is designed to make speech therapy fun, exciting, and more interactive for children struggling with articulation. It’s a great way for parents to provide structured techniques to reinforce therapy sessions.

Test out Speech Essentials - The B sound can be downloaded for free and contains all of the functions and features necessary to facilitate articulation practice.  Additional sounds can be purchased for a few dollars.

Is this an app you would use at home if one of your kids struggled with speech?

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by Speech Essentials. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Joy Bright – The Perfect Lunch Tote for Your Family #Review

Joy Bright – The Perfect Lunch Tote for Your Family

School lunch is a fun topic for moms. To pack a lunch or let them buy lunch from school…that is the question. For me, I prefer to pack a lunch so I know my kids are getting nutritious options and I can see how much they eat (or don’t eat). Buying lunch becomes a privilege that is earned – rewarded for good behavior. Right now, only my oldest is in public school and she does great with taking her lunch and eating what she is supposed to. So, I don’t worry about her too much when it comes to her lunch.

However, it is just over half way through the school year. Inevitably, that  lunchbox I pack every day is beginning to have a smell – that mid-year lunch smell. I can wash it out a few more times so that we eek it out until the end of the year, but why wait? She needs a new lunch box and I’m happy to get rid of the smelly old one.

Introducing: Joy Bright’s Neoprene Lunch Tote! This lunch tote bag is perfect because my daughter can take it to school for the remainder of the year, but it’s a basic black so I don’t mind carrying it around on the weekend for our activities. I can even take it with me to the office when I need to. It is a large size so I have plenty of room to pack what I need regardless where we go. The neoprene fabric is stretchy and it holds food temperatures for a longer time period.

No more smelly lunchboxes with weird mid-year sandwich smells. I’m excited to have a grown up bag option for our family weekend and upcoming summer activities. The Joy Bright Lunch Tote is available on Amazon (Prime eligible).

How are your mid-year school lunch boxes fairing for your kids?

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by Joy Bright. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Kate and Bean - Taking the Grunt Work Out of Running Your Own Handmade Business #Review

Kate and Bean - Taking the Grunt Work Out of Running Your Own Handmade Business

I dream of being crafty enough one day that someone would pay for my handy work. However, I recognize my limitations and appreciate those of you who can make fabulous handmade gifts, jewelry, clothing, art, and more. That is one reason I love supporting handmade businesses here on My Mom Spark.

If you run your own handmade business, you know there is A LOT more to do after you’ve worked hard on your creations. From setting up a shop (online and offline), finding the right buyers, marketing materials (like business cards), there is a lot to do in order for you to start making money from your creative and unique creations. 

Have you found the right place for your products? Good news. A new marketplace for artists and vintage sellers is opening their doors. 

Kate and Bean is designed to take the grunt out of running your handmade business. They offer vendors resources for marketing – personalized business cards, professional photography, online shop, featured listings, and social media shout outs, to name a few. Kate and Bean also helps handmade business owners with storing inventory, shipping, customer interaction, and other operational details that can take you away from creating more fabulous finds!

Kate and Bean will be accepting applications for vendors in early April. They welcome any questions you have about their new marketplace. You can sign up to be notified when applications open so you can be one of the first to take advantage of their services.

Do you have your own handmade business? Share a link in the comments so I can share you with the My Mom Spark audience. 

Until Next Time,

Katie

This post is sponsored by Kate and Bean. All opinions are 100% mine.

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