How do you deal with the grandparents’ gifts at your house - are you a list-giver, cash-taker, or just extremely trusting? And what do you do when the gift giving goes terribly wrong?

This weekend’s Blog Blast is all about how to handle gift idea requests and other kids gift-buying dilemmas. Tell us about how you and your kids’ grandparents collaborate (or not!) on gifts.

And whether or not you’ve got a good gift-buying system in place, take a peek at Grandkids Gift Guide - a fantastic resource for gift suggestions. Better yet, bookmark it (on your kids’ grandparents’ computers!).

Here’s how to participate:

Write a post about how you and your kids’ grandparents handle buying gifts. Post anytime this weekend - Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18. Make sure to link http://www.grandkidsgiftguide.com and http://blog.parentbloggers.com somewhere in your post. Then email us the link to your post at parentbloggers@gmail.com.

We’ll be linking them up on our blog all weekend long, so be creative with your title!

What can you win?

A collection of five Kushies Zolo Toys (valued at about $200 retail - a great gift idea right there!) and a $50 Starbucks gift card - something for the kids, and something for Mom too! One winner will be drawn at random.

Check out these posts:

Advice? I Can’t HEAR YOU!!!

All’s Fair When it Comes to the Grandkids

From Grandma, with Love

Grandkids Gift Guide: If Only My In-Laws Would Read It

Grandma Doesn’t Listen

Grandma Goes Shopping

Grandma Needs a Gift Consultant

Grandma Needs a Gift Giving Clue!

Grandparenting License

None of These Kids is Just Like the Others

No Noisy Gifts Allowed!

The Times They Are A-Changin’

Walking With Dinosaurs Live With Grandmom

What Do You Do When Grandparents Don’t Listen?

White Elephants and Rabbits

Other Links:

Kirtsy: Gift Giving Help for Clueless Grandparents

Dr. Daoshing Ni, a descendant of more than 70 generations of Taoist masters, is well known amongst infertility specialists. He believes a woman’s body, mind, and soul must be prepared for not only conception but pregnancy and birth. He and Dana Herko, are authors the new book, The Tao of Fertility: A Healing Chinese Medicine Program to Prepare Body, Mind, and Spirit for New Life.

The Tao of Fertility offers insights and Taoist principles that a woman can carry with her while on her quest for motherhood. Several of our bloggers reviewed The Tao of Fertility. What did they think? Did this book empower them to find harmony (and possibly new life) within? Stay tuned…

Fri 5/16 - Halloween Lover
Mon 5/19 - Daddy in a Strange Land and Gunfighter’s View
Tues 5/20 - Baggage Reviews
Wed 5/21 - Mama Drama (Stephanie)
Thurs 5/22 - The Chunky Purse
Fri 5/23 - Growing a Life
Sun 5/25 - Round-Up

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Make sure to join us tomorrow for a fantastic blog blast with Grandkids Gift Guide. It’s all about how to handle gift idea requests and other kids gift-buying dilemmas with the grandparents!

Tell us about how you and your kids’ grandparents collaborate (or not!) on gifts.

You can win a collection of five Kushies Zolo Toys (valued at about $200 retail - a great gift idea right there!) and a $50 Starbucks gift card - something for the kids, and something for Mom too! One winner will be drawn at random, so make sure to send in your post by Sunday midnight PST!

Mother and designer Tristan Benz founded Maiden America, a company dedicated to producing beautiful non-slip hair clips. When Tristan says “non-slip”, she means it. These patent-pending clips are designed to stay in place, no matter how thin and fine your little one’s hair may be. No more clips lost at the park or pulled out by your toddler to use as a teething toy.

There’s no better group of little girls to put these non-slip hair clips to the test than the kids of our parent bloggers. Twenty bloggers (and their little maidens) each selected several clips to test out at home, and they’ll be reviewing them over the next few weeks. If you’ve got a little girl with thin or fine hair who loves (and loses) hair clips, you’ll want to check these out!

Fri 5/16 - Chicky Chicky Baby and Laura Williams’ Musings
Mon 5/19 - Creature Bug and One Plus Two
Tues 5/20 - Mummy’s Product Reviews
Wed 5/21 - My Five Little Monkeys and The Delaney and Waylon Diaries
Thurs 5/22 - Cheese Party
Fri 5/23 - Chicken and Cheese and Mother May I
Mon 5/26 - Island Review and Mama Maven
Tues 5/27 - Cootie Chronicles
Wed 5/28 - The Chunky Purse
Thurs 5/29 - Bananas and Toddlers and Mid-Campaign Review on PBN
Fri 5/30 - Lather Rinse Repeat and Marketing Mommy
Mon 6/2 - Mama Drama Stephanie and Mom to the Screaming Masses
Tues 6/3 - Daddy in a Strange Land
Thurs 6/5 - Round-Up Review on PBN

Two of the games from the Discovery Channel Store’s Bamboo Collection - Rapelli and Rapido - definitely fit the bill. The feedback from the bloggers so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

One mother described Rapido as follows: “Each player gets one colored tube and one bamboo strip. The strips each have colored dots on them in a particular pattern. You take all the balls, put them in the cylinder, and dump them out. (The rope keeps them from rolling everywhere). Then as fast as you can, you pick up the balls with your cylinder in the order that they appear on the bamboo strips.”

Another added: “With Rapido you think fast, and move even faster, as you collect colored bamboo marbles to match a special pattern. My kiddos have not only had so much fun picking up the marbles with their bamboo tubes, but they’re building color and pattern recognition skills, too!” The first mother agreed with the assessment that Rapido is good for color recognition, and she also noted: “It also helps build hand eye coordination and to be honest, I had just as much fun playing it as the kids. It is also the kind of game that you can make as long or as short as you want to.”

As for Rapelli, “Basically it consists of two half cylinders that you press together to form a tree. It takes about two seconds to assemble it. The pieces consist of 18 caterpillars in 6 different colors…There are also two dice made out of bamboo. One is a colored die, and the other is an action die…The object of the game is to be the first person to have all your caterpillars removed from the tree.” This blogger went on to comment: “I think it teaches great concepts like playing with multiple dice and how to distinguish between forward and backwards. When you have many players, the child has to strategically decide which caterpillar they should take, so as to optimize their chances of winning.”

There was some disagreement among the bloggers as to how well the game was explained in the directions. One blogger felt the directions “could use some fine tuning in order to make the game a bit clearer to the adults so the adults can more clearly explain the game before the little people get too impatient and start throwing the little caterpillars around the room.” But others found the directions “pretty straight forward” and “easy to read and a piece of cake to explain to my four and seven year olds.” Another mother admitted: “The official rules are a bit vague on some of the details of playing the game, but that didn’t bother us since we just make up our own rules to fit what we’re doing and [our daughter's] age.”

Even so, both parents and kids enjoyed Rapelli. One blogger enthused: “I love that they love the game and that it was easy to learn but isn’t so childish that adults don’t want to play with it.” Another found that it was a fun way for her daughter to “work on vision exercises. She has to look at small parts, manipulate smallish pieces, and coordinate all those things together. She never feels like it’s a chore to play the game (and since the game only take about 15 minutes to play, it doesn’t feel like a chore to us either), and right now that’s key to getting her transitioned into wearing her bifocals more often.”

Both games are geared toward kids that are at least four years old. A mother who reviewed Rapido agreed: “It is recommended for ages 4 and up, and due to the rope and the small balls, I would say this is correct.” But a mother who reviewed Rapelli noted that the kids “found the game to be too long” and suggested “I would change the age of this game to five and up.”

But all of the bloggers were thrilled that the games were “made of eco-friendly bamboo that was preserved to keep its economical and ecological values to the world.” And, as one blogger concluded, “It will definitely end up on my list of go-to birthday gifts!”

More reviews coming up!

TODAY - Mother May I
Thurs 5/15 - Not That I Don’t Love My Kids
Fri 5/16 - One Chic Mama
Mon 5/19 - A Gaggle of Girls
Tues 5/20 - My Family Loves It
Wed 5/21 - Lawyer Mama
Thurs 5/22 - Toddler Planet
Fri 5/23 - SusieJ
Tues 5/27 - Round-Up Review on PBN

This free service allows parents to upload and maintain pictures and information and then only share it with a specific group of people. And those people can’t forward it to anyone else.

For me, however, the best and most interesting part of the website (since even my own in-laws can barely use the fairly simple set-up) is the photo mailing service. As I wrote in my review, I found this to be worth its weight in gold. For just $2.99/month per address, they will send up to 10 pictures. REAL. LIVE. PICTURES. I’m pretty sure I won the Mother’s Day jackpot. So, if you’ve got grandparents who complain about never getting pictures, this might be the service for you.

But that’s just my opinion. Let’s see how our bloggers have fared with both the web based service as well as the photo mailing component of Kinzin.

An important component to any of these types of service is ease of use, particularly since the people using it are probably not going to be the most technically savvy. One mom had this to say “Setting up your distribution list is as simple as typing in the name and email list and my family had no trouble viewing them once accepting their privately emailed invitation.” In a similar vein, this mom said “This service is extremely easy for less tech-savvy grandparents to view. Simply send them an invite e-mail, and they can then access the photos. There is very little clicking involved, and each section is clearly labeled, making it less likely to cause any confusion.” Added another mom “So far, I’ve found that the photos are easy to upload, and you can add titles and descriptions of each picture if you’d like.” This blogger’s family had no problems figuring it out! “It’s an easy, private photo sharing site that even my most technologically-dumb family members can navigate. I was easily able to share our account with them and they were easily able to register and view the pictures that we uploaded.”

Parents noted that it was indeed completely secure. ” This feature was so secure that I was unable to use the link I sent to one invitee on a different computer than theirs.”

Others noted that while the service is private, you can elect to make it public and connect with other parents. “From there, you can make photo books with the pictures you’ve uploaded or even connect with other parents online, if that’s your thing. I prefer just keeping my pictures private for my close relatives and good friends to view whenever they so desire.”

Additionally, the bloggers noted specific features of the web based component that they liked.

- I also like that you can set up profiles of your kids with a current picture and a blurb telling what they are up to right now, what their favorite things currently are, and even add a wish list of things they’d like for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. How wonderful would that be for those family and friends who live far away and aren’t able to keep up what your kids are busy with these days.

- The “Photo Book” feature of Kinzin is smart. There are definitely events that show geographically significant information about my kids, or other personal details that I wouldn’t want in a Flickr photoset. Or, I may want to highlight only a few “best” photos on Flickr, whereas I could put up a whole unedited book on Kinzin for the grandparents who don’t mind seeing a gazillion photos of the same kid differing only on a slight angle or pose.

Overall, the bloggers’ favorite feature was the photo mailing service. Bloggers commented on the quality of the pictures. “My order just arrived, and the finishing is lovely, and the colors are great. I love that the photos are matte finished, and have the photo name printed on the front of the photo.” One blogger, who found a few small glitches with the web component felt that the photo mailing service redeemed any issues that he had. “This is a great feature for those of us (like me) who have parents who do not “do” digital. The packages are cleanly presented, and the prints are excellent on high quality paper (our first set came on Fuji paper).”

One blogger did caution users in that what you see is what you get — make sure you upload good quality photos as this is just a printing service (no retouching included!). “A word of caution about the prints - make sure the quality of your digital photos are exactly what you want. Kinzin is not going to touch up or make your dodgy pictures look nicer for you. What you upload is what you get. Just keep that in mind when you’re manipulating your pictures into something unrecognizable and they’re all cropped strangely.”

Some folks had mixed emotions about the titles on the photos, which is an option that you get to choose (although some bloggers stated it was difficult to find. “I do NOT like the title on the prints. I mean, who wants words on their chin (see left). When I complained about said words on chin, I found out that they’re now working to make this option more visible along with a link to show you what the option actually entails and, of course, you are able to deselect it. Fabulous. My experience is now perfect.”

And best of all, our bloggers had very happy family members! “I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks now, the first shipment of photos of Gabe shipped out this week, and so far I’ve received rave reviews. Everyone has updated pictures, and I didn’t have to do anything! It’s a win-win situation! Plus, the grandparents are happy!” Added another “All 3 were very impressed with the pictures - they are beautifully printed, and come in a nice envelope. My grandmother lives in an assisted living place, and her pictures came at breakfast, and she was the talk of the dining room! She was so proud to show off her great-grandchildren!”

One blogger completely surprised her family and this is what she summized: “Her [family member] strong hint that this is the perfect gift idea for families who live apart from grandchildren and loved ones definitely let’s me know we’ll be using Kinzin again in the future.”

Stay tuned for more Kinzin reviews, and try the service out for yourself! Based on the reactions of these family members, it will make a fantastic father’s day gift for some lucky grandpa.

Today! Cheese Party, Lawyer Mama,
Wed 5/14 - Letters to My Daughters, Mom Reviews
Thurs 5/15 - Binkytown, Krississippi,
Thurs 5/22 - FINAL ROUND UP

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We have some Blog Blast Winners to announce! (And stay tuned for a great one this Friday — speaking of grandparents…

Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Cause Winners (Johnson and Johnson Gift Basket courtesy of JnJ and $25 donation to Global Giving Charity of their choice courtesy of PBN):

http://creaturebug.typepad.com/creature_bug/2008/05/the-year-i-buy.html

http://rerunandjungleclown.blogspot.com/2008/05/one-mama-bloggers-baby-gardening-cause.html

http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/musings_of_a_housewife/2008/05/hallmark-strike.html

http://cheeseparty.blogspot.com/2008/05/making-it-all-worthwhile.html

http://submommy.blogspot.com/2008/05/my-ugly-feet.html

http://stuffreviews.blogspot.com/2008/04/mothers-day-doesnt-have-to-be-another.html

http://andababy.blogspot.com/2008/05/mother-of-all-mixers.html

http://jasonncaryn.blogspot.com/2008/05/greatest-gift.html

http://amommystory.blogspot.com/2008/05/this-mothers-day-just-leave-me-alone.html

http://ngunderground.blogspot.com/2008/05/what-i-want-for-mothers-day.html

Rookie Moms Blog Blast Winners (a super duper prize pack of all kinds of cool stuff!)

http://www.temporarilyme.com/2008/05/09/integrating-into-a-new-world-rookie-style/

http://thekiddieclique.com/main/?p=213

(If you haven’t been emailed yet and you see your blog up here, then email us!)

Most of our bloggers boasted that they probably wouldn’t need the tips in the book, but little by little, the truth came out: “I host Thanksgiving at my house every year. And yet I had no idea how to make gravy. Every year I would buy a bunch of jars of gravy, pour them into a pan on the stove and then hide the jars in the garbage so no one would know I did not make it (I can’t believe I just admitted that!) This year, I am definitely going to make my own gravy!” and “When I said I would review it, I was worried that none of it would apply to me. I have been married since I was 20, have 4 kids, I pretty much thought I had it figured out. This book would have been great to have when I first got married/moved away from my parents, but what could it possibly teach me now, right? Well, it taught me all kinds of things I didn’t know how to do.”

Or they thought it would be one of “those” books that include how to use finger bowls and bustle trains (since we all wear frocks that require this on a daily basis) but, “It’s not a fussy etiquette book, with all the delicate little frou-frou things that are important to high society folks or royalty - it’s just straight-forward basic survival.” Survival is good, especially when it comes to “yukky things.” One of our bloggers has a son that constantly finds the single carpeted area of their house whenever he has gastric issues. She was relieved to discover “a tip” (which she won’t reveal, since you need to buy the book to find out:) “Before I read the tip, I was borrowing my neighbors big carpet cleaner each time he didn’t make it to the toilet. This tip is so much easier and actually works.” Many of the bloggers concur “the list of Unbelievable Baking Soda Tips! is worth the price of the book alone.” and “The numerous baking soda tips? I was tempted to post it on my fridge. I went on for days about this section alone. I am that much of a dork.”

Even those reviewers who thought that the book didn’t apply to them said it would be a fantastic gift: “One [occasion to give as a gift] is graduation from high school or college (conveniently, ’tis the season! Oh, you crafty publishers). Another might be a milestone birthday, like 18 or 21 or even 30, or the purchase of a first home.“, “I think it would make a fantastic graduation gift for a friend or family member who is going out on their own for the first time” or to pass on to their own children: “I loved this book, and won’t be giving away my copy, as per my usual MO on this site. Instead, I plan to keep it and force all of my children to read it before they move out. I may even test them on the contents.” Another reviewer agreed, but only on non-drinking things: “As an established adult it’s also a good reminder of what you want to teach your own kids as they grow up so they won’t need this book themselves someday (well maybe this doesn’t apply to things like throwing a cocktail party and fighting a hangover but I’ll be sure they know how to boil an egg, clean, have friends over for dinner and how to be a polite guest).”

And then there were the bloggers who wished they could pass on this book anonymously: “…the publication of this book is proof of the decline of western civilization,” “I wish I could force a large chunk of society to read these sections, as I slowly see basic etiquette slipping away more and more each day.” and “I know someone who could really benefit from this book, someone who was raised not by wolves but by a very caring, but overly solicitious mother. The chapter entitled ‘If Your Mom Still Chews Your Food for You’ would be perfect for her. But unless I could remove all my fingerprints from my copy, and then wrap it in plain brown paper and stuff it under her door in the dead of night, I won’t be giving it to her.”

One blogger admitted that she knew this book was for her, even as she is already an adult with two daughters, “I learned a surprising amount of information even from the basics mentioned in this book. I consider myself a domestic zero. My mom was a single mom, so she didn’t have time to teach me all of her wisdom when I was younger. My house is a disaster, I’m a lousy cook, and until reading this book, I didn’t know that a martini was made with gin. I could have sworn it was only made with vodka. While the intended audience are young adults on their own for the first time, I realized that at 31 I still needed this advice and knowledge.” And another confessed, “After reading the book, I can tell you that my answer to the question ‘Were you raised by wolves’ is, ‘Why yes, it seems that I was.’”

Our bloggers disagreed on the tone of the book. Some welcomed the familiarity and others worried about it. One blogger said: “Humorously written in a tone more like a funny older sister than a distantly polite Emily Post, Were You Raised by Wolves captures many of the elements we sometimes assume young people should know, but don’t. ” And another “I had a picture of the author’s voice in my mind. She was a cross between a mother, a grandmother and a best friend. She was kind and compassionate, but also didn’t take any nonsense and is very aware of modern life. I mean my great aunt can give me advice, but she doesn’t own a computer so she can’t really give me advice on email etiquette or thong underwear. At least not that I know! Yes, there is advice on thongs in the book.“.

One reviewer commented: “I love statements like these hidden in the back: ‘Sunscreen and cocktails: one I should have used more, the other less‘ and ‘I would have liked to have known that I really didn’t know anything.‘” One blogger worried about the language: “In the interest of full disclosure (and knowing the world views of many of my readers), I’ll mention the fact there is one element of language in the book which is written in the context of “don’t say this.” I’m not mentioning it because I happen to be someone who belongs to –as the book puts it– a “certain fundamentalist religious sect,” but because I’d want you to be comfortable with that fact before buying the book for your soon-to-graduate niece.”

Indeed, it is a tough line to walk between being an authority but not being condescending or being too familiar. Writes one reviewer “All of this could come off as preachy and didactic. But Mellor’s gift is in making it light and funny. Her readers will be too busy laughing to realize that technically she’s implying that they’re heathens; her humor deftly cushions the blow to the ego they might have felt in reading about how coarse and rude they are.” Agrees yet another reviewer: “Her style is light and conversational, and her prose compelling even for those of us well outside the target demographic, both in age and experience. I couldn’t put it down.” But one blogger found the upbeat tone exhausting, “Reading an entire book of this kind of conversational, herky-jerky, exclamation-strewn style of writing was like being clobbered over the head with my own ellipsis-enamored computer monitor.”

Some bloggers had some concern about the research that went into the book. One remarked “The only thing I didn’t like about the book was that I wished in the laundry section she had actually tried out all of her suggestions because frankly anyone who’s reading that section probably isn’t going to take the time to try out a method that may or may not work.” Another wrote, “In the discussion of laundry, Mellor admits that she never irons and doesn’t think any advice she can impart will feel useful. ‘Your best bet is to ask your mom, or a friend how to iron that shirt,’ she writes. This, along with a list of hangover remedies she found on Google, struck me as rather lazy in a book all about self-sufficiency. Also? A recipe for homemade after-shave made from herbs and vinegar? Uh, for real?”

Another blogger mentioned the after-shave as well, amongst other things: “If I do have one criticism of the book, it is that it contains everything including the kitchen sink…I found a few of Mellor’s ideas a bit esoteric. For example, she spends over two pages describing how to make a hostess gift from sticks and plastic baubles. The quirkiness of this homemade Bonzai had me scratching my head in confusion. It sounded like something your crazy great-aunt might have brought for Thanksgiving dinner one year. And I’m guessing that very few men are going to take Mellor up on her suggestion that they make their own after-shave from herbs and rubbing alcohol.” Seems the crafty things weren’t necessarily the best received “Some of the tips, such as decorating a Christmas tree with Q-tip snowflakes and dental floss garland, were a little “out there” for my tastes”

The majority of the tips were well-received, though. Sums up one parent: “To anyone who wants to smack the person next to them at the gym for talking incessantly on their cell phone, who wants to learn to tie a bow-tie, poach chicken, set up a proper bar, be a good houseguest or host for that matter, this book is for you. The tips inside will help instill good will, charm and the art of being useful into your everyday life. It is witty, fun and yes, even a bit thought provoking.” Quite simply, “Even if you think you’ve mastered adulthood, this book could prove you still have a few things to learn.”

In the next couple weeks, more of our bloggers will reveal their opinions of Were You Raised by Wolves?: Clues to the Mysteries of Adulthood. I expect that like the batch so far, these will be similarly humerous to match Christie Mellor’s entertaining style:

TODAY! - Gunfighter’s View, and Mom Reviews
Tues 5/13 - Cootie Chronicles and Mrs Dub Reviews
Wed 5/14 - Pundit Mom and mothergoosemouse
Thurs 5/15 - Domestic Diva and Mama Maven
Fri 5/16 - Girl Con Queso and Her Bad Mother
Mon 5/19 - Island Review and Taste Like Crazy
Tues 5/20 - Karianna and Midwestern Mommy
Wed 5/21 - Mommy Needs Coffee and This Full House
Mon 5/26 - Round-Up review on PBN

So, we’re asking you to tell us what baby-friendly outings worked for you during your rookie year as a mom? Did you take your baby to a pub so often that you considered changing his name to Norm? Did your little one learn to snooze under the stars while you and your husband maintained a date night at the drive-in? Share your “[insert word]” outing - best, silliest, bravest (you get the idea…) - from that first year.

This week we’re collaborating with Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss, authors of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook and fellow PBN bloggers, to inspire new moms to have more fun during their first year of motherhood.

After the births of their first babies and finding that their days were embarrassingly boring, Heather and Whitney challenged each other to post their favorite activities on a shared blog (www.rookiemoms.com) until they reached one activity for each day of the baby’s first year. Now, the best of these ideas and loads of new ones are combined in an adorable handbook with whimsical illustrations.

We’ll be linking them up on our blog all weekend long, so be creative with your title!

One of two fantastic gift bags filled with more than $250 worth of goodies for moms, including the brand new BABYBJÖRN^®Baby Carrier Synergy, a child’s gardening kit from Smith & Hawken, a baby tshirt from Scout Organic Baby, and of course, a copy of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook. Two winners will be drawn at random.

Plus, Heather and Whitney will choose their three favorite posts and feature them on their website!

Check out these posts:

Adventures

A Rookie at Heart

Battling Yoda and Diaper Flaps at the Same Time

Dining in a Wine-List Restaurant with Kids

Flashback Fridays Featuring Awesome Outings

Flying With Baby Times Ten

From Target to Take Out: My Rookie Mom Year

How Not to Take Your Newborn to Florida

Hug-a-By Baby

Integrating Into a New World: Rookie Style

It’s the Breakfast Club, Baby!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Mommy Needs Out Field Trip, and a Fun Site Shout Out!

My First Year as a MOM: Restaurants, Playgroup & Hockey!

Never Too Young for Happy Hour

The One Where Julian was a Frat Boy

Outings with your kids ~ OR ~ IfWeDon’tGetOutaThisHouseRightNowI’mGoingToGoCrazy!!

Pumps to Pampers: My First Year of Motherhood

Rug Shopping with a 2 Month Old

Sand in His Butt-Crack

Strawberries and Greeks for Baby

Take Me Out to the Mall Game

This Time Last Year - First Time Eating Out

The Torturing of Charlotte

What to Wear at BlogHer 2008: A Sleeping Baby

Who Doesn’t Love a Montage?

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Here’s what our bloggers are saying about their fantastic new book:

Most seasoned mothers will tell you the secret to keeping sane and enjoying the gig is to engage in fun activities that get you outside the house. Enjoy a beautiful day and take a walk. Meet up with friends at a museum. The point is, DO NOT isolate yourself.

Whitney and Heather, authors of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook: 250 Activities to do with (and without) your baby know this. And they want to not only share this wisdom but give other moms ideas on where to go and what to do.

The moms who reviewed this book had much to say. “The Rookie Moms Handbook: 250 Activities to do with (and without) your baby is a small, easy to read guide chock full of tips on how to survive those first months of motherhood. It’s perfectly sized to fit in your diaper bag and would make a great addition to any baby shower gift. Because who doesn’t need a little more advice, right?”

This book is bound to keep a mom busy. Says one blogger, “I did love reading this book and checking out their website, Rookie Moms. With over 250 activities in the book alone, no new mom will be left with that puzzled look of bewilderment and feelings of “what now?” Plus? The Rookie Mom’s Handbook “is written in small bite-sized pieces for your convenience and organized by baby’s age. Reading can’t get any easier than this!”

The book isn’t just for new moms. “With each new child come new challenges - including how to fill those long, looooong days. You can’t just toss them all outside or down to the basement and expect them to entertain each other (like our parents did with us, right?). The Rookie Mom’s Handbook is for every mom. I’m in my third rookie year, and I got a bunch of great ideas from this handy book,” says one reviewer. Another blogger (with a second child on the way) added, “I do wish I had this book before my daughter was born but I am glad that I have it now. I’m not a rookie but I’m not an expert either and there are still some ideas I’ll put to use when baby #2 arrives in the next week or so. Wow, that’s coming fast. I better call my Nana (Tip #6 - Grandmothers are extremely useful!)”.

Speaking of tips, here’s a sneak peak at a few more of our bloggers’ favorites: #8 (write a ‘did do’ list where you jot down and check off the myriad baby care and other tasks you accomplished during the day), #150 (have a baby food puree swap party), and #247 (create an alphabet inspired DIY collage for your child). Another blogger’s favorite tip involved setting up an e-mail account for baby. “Forgo the baby book; just send them email updates of what they are doing, saying, pooping, you name it.”

The creators behind the Rookie Moms Handbook gently remind mothers of aspects they might have forgotten once baby comes along. For example, take advantage of your baby’s age and stage. “I also enjoyed the book because it validated something that I didn’t fully appreciate with my first baby - the idea that these creatures are highly portable and user-friendly in a way that toddlers very often (*cough*) are not.”

One blogger mentioned her favorite part of the book was “the mom milestones chart in the back. We all write baby’s firsts in their baby book, but how often do we stop to remember our firsts? ,” the reviewer muses. “They give prompts like “first unpregnant cocktail,” “first public diaper change,” and “mom’s most impressive new bra size.” I wish I could remember some of those details. ”

And we know you’ve heard this before, but this advice can’t be said enough: moms are in need of nurturing too. “They offer moms encouragement to take some “ME” time - something that doesn’t come naturally (or easily) for new moms. Knowing the physical and mental drain that comes with being responsible for another human being, Heather and Whitney offer some realistic suggestions to get you out of the house and reconnecting with your former self in no time,” notes the blogger. She goes on to remind us “After all, you’re not just a mom - you’re a person, too!”

But is it really about a one day extravaganza or a year full of kindnesses and consideration? Has the holiday become less about the actual recognition and more about the gift? We’ve heard from a lot of mothers over the past week about how they want to be recognized this Mother’s Day, and we want to hear from YOU too.

We’ve teamed up with Johnson’s to bring you this special extended Blog Blast to promote their new charitable giving site, Johnson’s Baby Cause, powered by Global Giving. As part of their responsibility to the global community, Johnson’s has hand-selected dozens of charities around the world that mirror their deep commitment to caring for the health and well-being of mothers and children - not just on Mother’s Day, but every day of the year.

Here’s how to participate:

Write a post on your blog anytime before midnight PDT tonight and tell us how you want to be recognized this Mother’s Day. Be sure to include links to http://www.babycause.com and http://blog.parentbloggers.com.

Then send your blog post link to parentbloggers@gmail.com and we’ll add your post to the long list of posts right here (scroll down!) - so give your post a creative title!

What can you win?

Both Johnson’s and PBN are chipping in for the prizes. Ten winners will receive a Johnson’s Mom and Baby product gift basket (thanks to Johnson’s) and $25 credit to donate to the charities of their choice at Johnson’s Baby Cause (thanks to PBN).

If you’ve got more than a few bucks to spare (or even if you don’t!), check out the celebrity-sponsored eBay auction benefiting Johnson’s Baby Cause. Bid on baby gear that’s been gently used by celebrities like Julianne Moore and Matt Damon, and their babies.

And by spreading the word about Johnson’s Baby Cause by participating in this Blog Blast, we all win. You can’t beat that!

Check out all of these fantastic posts!

All Hail the Mom! The Examples I Strive to Live Up to

All I Want for Mother’s Day

A Nice Day in May

As a Mother, My Biggest Challenge is Yet to Come…

Blog Blast: Mother’s Day Recognition

Buying My Own Mother’s Day Present

Don’t Be Alarmed by My Grandiose Mother’s Day Wish: To Be Served Coffee in Bed

Every Day is Mother’s Day: Blog Blast

Gifts They Can’t Buy You for Mother’s Day: Ask Without Guilt

The Greatest Gift…

Hallmark Strikes Again!

Honor Me by Silence

I’ll Tell You What I Want, What I Really Really Want

I May Be Cheap, but I’m Not Easy

I’m Easy to Please

I Want Your Time

Laughter, Delicious Brunch, and No Poopy Diapers!

Making It All Worthwhile

“Mama” for Mother’s Day

Mother of All Mixers

Mother’s Day? Already?

Mother’s Day Came Early

Mother’s Day Doesn’t Have to Be Another Ordinary Day

Mother’s Day is Every Day

Mother’s Day Wish List

My Ugly Feet

One Mama Blogger’s Baby Gardening Cause

On Mothers and Mother’s Day

Peace, Love and Understanding

Pregnant Women Can Celebrate Mother’s Day, Too!

The Sweetest Present

Take My Picture, Please!

Tempus Fugit, Mama

This Mother’s Day, Just Leave Me Alone

Wait, Mother’s Day Is This Weekend?!

What I Want for Mother’s Day

More Johnson’s Baby Cause publicity found here:

Better Than a Playdate - Two’s a Charm

Binkywood - Celebrity Hand Me Downs? COOL!

Celebrity Baby Blog - Johnson & Johnson to Auction Off Celebrity Baby Gear

MamaPop - Julianne Moore: Most Celebrity Do-Gooders are Attention-Grubbing Famewhores

Marketing Roadmaps - Power

MOMocrats - What Do the MOMocrats Want for Mother’s Day? Other Than a New President.

Surrender, Dorothy - Sometimes Corporations are Not So Bad

We Covet - We Covet Celebrity Hand-Me-Downs, Sort Of

With these two new toys from the Discovery Channel Store, parents can get in on the buggy action - yes, even you, squeamish moms (and dads). The Bug Net Launcher lets kids capture bugs in mid-flight by shooting a net through the air, and the Venus Fly Trap snaps shut when a motion sensor detects the presence of a bug, trapping the insect inside - just like the plant! Both of these toys are geared toward kids ages six and up.

Fourteen of our parent bloggers received either the Bug Net Launcher or the Venus Fly Trap for their kids to check out. Got a budding entomologist at home? Then read these reviews - perhaps one of these toys ought to be on your kid’s wish list!

Mon 5/12 - Ruth Dynamite
Tues 5/13 - This Full House
Wed 5/14 - Builder Mama
Thurs 5/15 - Halushki
Fri 5/16 - Midwestern Mommy
Mon 5/19 - Mayberry Mom
Tues 5/20 - Mama Maven
Wed 5/21 - Chaos Theory and Mid-Campaign Post on PBN
Thurs 5/22 - The Not Quite Crunchy Parent
Fri 5/23 - Laura Williams’ Musings
Mon 5/26 - Sarah’s Dandelions
Tues 5/27 - Lather Rinse Repeat
Wed 5/28 - Karianna
Thurs 5/29 - Lipstick to Crayons
Mon 6/2 - Round-Up Review on PBN

So far, 10 parent bloggers have reviewed Mama Rock’s Rules: Ten lessons for raising a houseful of successful children. The overwhelming consensus? Definitely worth the read!

Bloggers appreciated Mama Rock’s approach. “Many of her lessons were what I would call ‘common sense’, meaning that I would either find myself nodding in agreement for something I was already doing or shaking my head in disbelief for something obvious that I had not thought of.” Another blogger adds, “this book reads more like a friend giving advice, than a supermom touting her ways. Rose speaks from her heart and offers great advice that would benefit a family of 3 or one of 10.“

Yes, Rose (mother of comedian Chris Rock) knows what she’s talking about. She has raised more than 17 children over the years (that’s counting foster children) and is an educator specializing in early education. She’s seen it all and takes a “real world” perspective to parenting. “Nobody is trying to get me to remember to act like a grunting caveman when I talk to my toddler or shush and swaddle and jiggle  — there’s nothing here to memorize. Instead, Rose has a knack for distilling the essence of responsible parenting into easy-to-remember and time-tested rules.”

Some of the rules referenced?

 ”The title of Chapter 1 will give you a sense of where Mama Rock is coming from — I am Your Mama, Not Your Friend,” writes one reviewer. “A lot of us moms struggle with striking the right tone and balance in our mothering lives, but Mama Rock is here to tell us to let go of our worries about whether our kids will like us, and focus more on instilling the respect they should have for parents.” A second blogger also mentiones this rule stating, “Seriously, there are many parents who need to hear things like, “you’re the parent, not the friend.”

Another favorite was, Warnings may be bad for your health. “Warnings used as threats are ineffective. Kids just learn that they can ignore them until you get real mad,” says a reviewer. “Instead, Mama Rock says to lay the rules, let the kids know the rules, and enforce the rules.”

But Rose Rock’s advice is not just about rules for the “here and now.” She dispenses advice with a long-term goal in mind. “Rock outlines her formula for teaching kids what’s expected, and how structure and consequences keep kids feeling secure. Tough-love rules, that will, in the long run, make your job as a parent much easier over the long haul; especially through the teen years, ” says one reviewer. 

Another reviewer values this aspect adding, “In reading this book, I’ve been given the benefit of foresight: I can consider possible solutions before the event arises. Also, with her clear rules, many of the preventative steps have been taken: since consistency is key, the parents’ role in maintaining that order is also clearly spelled out.”  

Over the course of their parenting journey, many parents find that they’ve created a few key sayings that they repeat over and over. Mama Rock is no different. Reviewers got a kick out of this. “I firmly believe Ms. Rock should put out a t-shirt line with some of her one liners,” quips one blogger. “Because I want shirts with Roseisms on them like this: ‘Don’t Quack Like a (Gangsta) Duck - Unless You Are a (Gangsta) Duck’; ‘Feed Them and They Will Tell You Everything’; ‘If They Don’t Accept You Because of Your Hair: Don’t Be There.”

Another uniqueness bloggers adored were the writings from her children. “Peppered throughout the book are quotes from her children and foster children about things they remembered from childhood and how their parents’ love and discipline molded them into the people that they are today.” The blogger also adds, “Interestingly, although references to Chris Rock are sprinkled throughout the book, Rose Rock pays homage to all of her children and their individuality and you can sense her pride in their accomplishments.“

Bottom line is that Mama Rock has a knack for holding not only her children’s attention but parents’ as well. “This book was definitely a page turner for me,” sums up on blogger. “I couldn’t put it down.”