How do you disinfect toys and such with clorox?

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Laura M

What's the mixture? How much of clorox and what else?
Do you need to rinse the toys off after the clorox?
I know these may sound like stupid questions for some people, but I honestly don't know. I have just been boiling water and sanitizing that way.

Answer
I have been a child care provider in my home for 20 years plus I organize toy cleaning sessions for the nursery, toddler, and preschool rooms at our church. If you are just wanting to keep the toys clean that typically just your child uses at your home then one of the best and easiest ways to do this is to put them on the top shelf of your dishwasher and run them through a cycle. For toys that are not dishwasher safe or too large than you can just keep them washed with warm soapy water and rinsed well afterwards. Disinfection for normal home use really isn't needed, but if your child has been ill (especially with anything stomach related) or has had a playmate over who has put toys in her mouth or showed signs of illness than you may feel better to disinfect them. This is the method I use for my daycare toys and what we do at our church: First, wash hard surfaced items in warm soapy water (we use regular dish soap - Dawn) either in a dishpan or with a cloth. Use a scrub brush for exceptionally dirty items and on toys with crevices. After washing, rinse with lots of clear water to thoroughly remove soap residue. In a large container (I use either a dishpan or a mop bucket), put 1 gallon warm tap water. Add 1 Tablespoon household bleach to the water than add the toys to cover. Allow to sit in the bleach water a few minutes than remove and let air dry at least overnight. Discard the bleach water after use. It is not toxic to drain systems and can be dumped down the sink or toilet. Many people are nervous about leaving the bleach water solution on the toys, but bleach breaks down very quickly and returns to it's original state of salt and water and the chlorine evaporates, leaving no residue. For large toys not able to be immersed, place some of the bleach water in a spray bottle and spray on then let air dry. Most infant chew toys are top rack dishwasher safe and I wash all my infant toys this way as well as bring home the infant toys from church to wash through my dishwasher. We keep an empty dishpan on the shelf in each of the rooms where infants, toddlers, and preschoolers have care and classes. After a child has used a toy or has put one in their mouth, the care givers/teachers place the toy in the dishpan. Someone comes through once a week and either takes them home to run through their dishwasher or we have the instructions and supplies to do cleaning and disinfecting with soap, water, and bleach. ETA: I would just like to add that while bleach does make a good disinfectant, as with everything, you can get too much of a good thing. Excessive use of products such as disinfectants, anti-bacterial products, and hand sanitizers has been strongly linked to the development of bacteria and viruses that are resistant to normal treatment. There are good germs and bad germs. These products do not know the difference and kill both the good and the bad. If you feel you must disinfect, do so with caution and in moderation.

How do you get a toddler to stop throwing food on the floor?

Just One G

Drives me nuts! My son is 17mos. He does it with his food and his toys. I tried to ignore it. That hasn't worked. I've tried to tell him no-no and that hasn't worked. Do I just have to wait for him to out grow it?

Answer
While this is a normal stage of development, you do not have to 'wait for him to outgrow it'. This is a really simple one if you are willing to stick to your guns and listen to a lot of crying for a few days.

Right now you may be unconsciously reinforcing this behavior by reacting strongly, or picking his toys up and giving them back to him.

When your son is in the highchair and throws food say "Okay, lunch time is over. Next time do not throw food." Do not worry it he is still hungry, you can try again in half an hour or so. Actually, the more times a day you him in the high chair, then take him out for throwing, the faster this behavior will stop.

When he throws toys out of his stroller or crib, playpen etc, then take them and do not give them back. When he starts throwing a fit, just say "Next time you have a toy, don't throw it". Again, the throwing will stop faster the more times you reinforce this lesson. You may want to take a couple of walks in the stroller for no other purpose but ti teach this lesson since if you actually have something else to do, you are very likely to give in and give him the toy back, or worse bribe him to stop crying by giving him a treat.

The best thing to do if he throws a fit is to not let him out of the stroller until he is done crying. It is important for him to see you but don't look at him or react to the crying. It is very difficult for children of this age to calm themselves down, and if you leave him to cry alone he may become afraid, but if you react then you reaffirm his feeling that something is wrong.

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Sugar glider or asus transformer prime? "Sugar gliders are legal here"?

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As the question stated above, which should I get, me and my family will be upgrading to the iPhone 5 late October-November. Right now I have an iPod touch, "Flashback", my dad told me he would get me a bike, roughly worth 300, I hesitated and asked him if I could get sugar gliders instead, after a while, he ok'd it, (a pair of 2 for 300), i was also thinking about getting the tablet for school purposes with the laptop dock I could buy later. So in your opinion, which do you think I should get. If you decide to help, please do not leave rude comments, I got the iPod mid November 2011, our phones are due upgrade, but we're waiting for next gen iPhone, and my dad was planning on getting the gift "sugar gliders or tablet for the 2 birthdays, and 2 christmas' I told him I would just rather save up for something later on in life. My birthday is in a week, so can you please help me? Sorry this is confusing, I mentioned iPhone and iPod background so you wouldn't think I'm a spoiled brat, the real question was ""(Sugar glider or asus transformer prime tablet)"" BTW, both are priced $300, thank you

Answer
Get the tablet for school. You have the right idea about getting two sugar gliders since they can't be alone, but I think you're forgetting that it usually runs about 150-300 for each glider (unless there is a special deal for buying pairs), then it'll be a couple of hundred dollars more for the necessary supplies to keep them healthy and happy. You need the appropriate housing material: a tall or wide cage good enough to house them will run you about $100 (most likely more) so that'll be $400 now, a glider safe wheel that's not too small for them will be about $20-50, a cage set that has pouches made of FLEECE can cost, depending on the set, what it comes with, the patterns, where you buy them, somewhere from $15-50 bucks, water bottle and food dishes another $10-20 bucks. They need to be on special mixed diets. There's no such thing as a healthy staple pellet diet for gliders. Anyone who tries to sell you gliders with pellet food, heat rocks, a guide, a small cage, etc. is wrong. Most of their diets can be purchased at your supermarket and/or online. To start out, you'll probably spend about $50 for all the ingredients combined, but after it should last you a few months if you buy frozen fruits and veggies rather than fresh. They need toys to keep them entertained so this could run you at the cheapest about another $20 bucks. And then treats anywhere from $10-20 bucks. I'd check out the HPW and BML diets for an idea on what a healthy staple diet is for gliders. If you don't meet their dietary needs, you can end up staining their coat, giving them a calcium deficiency which can paralyze their hind legs forever, shorten their life span and/or kill them.

A few other things about gliders: it's necessary to use fleece for pouches and bedding material. This is so that they don't get stuck on string and chew their body parts off to get free or lose circulation and need to have a leg or a tail (whatever is stuck in the string) amputated. A lone glider can risk becoming depressed, lonely, stressed out and will eventually self-mutilate and/or die. They have no bowel control so they cannot control when or where they pee and poop so there can't be potty trained. You'll be picking up after them very often. They're messy eaters so they fling and throw their food everywhere, even through the bars of their cage. And they can throw far. You'll find food in ridiculous places. Their nails need to be trimmed, depending on the glider, every 2 weeks to once a month, because they get sharp and long and it's easier for them to get stuck on things. It's very hard to trim some gliders nails because they don't like it. They'll make a fuss and if you mess up you can end up trimming too far back and hurt them. They're nocturnal so they must sleep about 20hours during the day. Too much light hurts their eyes. I have four gliders and they usually don't wake up until 1am and they are up until 7am, running around their cage, banging things and barking. If you're a light sleeper, they will probably keep you up most of the night.

Also, be sure to check that they are legal where you live as some places do not allow people to have gliders and others require that you at least have a permit. Make sure to do your research as well. They are cute animals but they are labeled exotic pets for a reason. They're very expensive and high maintenance. No exotic animal is easy to care for. They each have very strict requirements when it comes to taking care of them. It's quite like having a child you have to specially prepare meals for and clean up after all the time, that never grows up! Much harder to care for than cats and dogs. So be careful with your decision! I know many teens and kids who bought them and realized it's too much of a responsibility for them to handle and eventually the gliders feel more like a chore to them and enjoy them less. If you're patient and willing to research and provide for the gliders, in the end they are rewarding pets.

Does Babies R Us Tell You That They'll Call Back After An Interview Or Do They Hire You On The Spot?

ILoveRavio

Okay...so I had a group interview at Babies R Us. I came in an hour and a half early. After the group interview, two candidates were sent home and four of us remained. I was amongst the four who had the 1:1 interview with the manager. This was part two of the interview (made it to the big leagues). They told me that they may call me after two days (48 hours) after the date of the interview or I could call back to check the status of my application. Does this mean that I am hired? Would they have hired me on the spot if they were interested or is this how the hiring process is? Anyone with any prior experiences?

Answer
Below are a few interview experiences shared by applicatants who applied at Babies R US. Good Luck !!!

Sales Associate Babies ''R'' - InterviewbSan Francisco, CA (Jul 2012 took 3 days)
Before I start, I just want to add that this is a newly built location. It's still in the process of being built so my interview may be different from many others. I applied online then a day after I received an email stating that they had no positions available for me. 2 days after that email, I received a phone call for an interview. Like many others on here, I researched this site.
When I got there, I was expecting a group interview but instead I got a 1:1 interview with the manager. He asked 3 questions, none of them being difficult what so ever. First question was to introduce myself. Next question, he as what I did in my previous job. Third, he asked my availability. Afterwards, he did all the talking. He explained to me about their goals as a company. He talked about the sales associates job, etc.
3 days later, I got a call and I was hired.
Interview Questions
What did you do in your previous job?

Cashier at Babies ''R'' Us-Interviewed in Fresno, CA (Dec 2011 - took 1 week)
I interview for Babies R Us in December 2011. I was contacted by HR to come in for an interview. Overall I had two interviews. The first interviewer was a shift manager and only took less than 10 minutes. He asked basic questions, such as what I was currently doing (school) and my future plans for after that. He asked about my prior work experience as a cashier, and then asked about my availability. 5 days later I got a call to come in for a second interview with the store manager. He asked the same questions, along with a couple scenario ones. I was offered the job on the spot.
Interview Questions
If a customer came up to you and asked for your help, but at the same time you got a call to come to the register because it was busy, and you saw a kid spill something on the floor, what order would you put these in as most important?
Describe a time when you did something that ended out not working your way.?

Cashier and Sales Associate at Babies ''R'' Us-Austin, TX (Oct 2011 - took 3 days)
I applied, they called me back for a group interview. It was at 7am before the store opened and only 3 of the 5 scheduled actually showed up.
We first told our names and favorite cartoon character.
Then we were asked to make a toy out of mega blocks as a team and then market it back to the panel of managers. Halfway through, they "recalled" all the yellow blocks and we had to rebuild without them. The trick on this one is they dump out a certain number of blocks for you to work with, but never say you can't go back to the bin they came from and grab more.
Then we did and individual interview with the panel where they asked what game system I would recommend for a 4 year old boy. I answer 3DS which was new at the time and they LOVED my answer because it's portable, has lots of games and makes them lots of money when they sell it.
They called me back a couple days later and I was hired.
Interview Questions
Your name and favorite cartoon character?.
They dump out a pile of mega blocks and tell you, as a team, to build a toy and then come up with how it's powered, what it does, the age range and the price for it. The time limit is 5 minutes.Halfway through, they come and "recall" one color of block and you're forced to start over.
A mother comes in looking for an electronic game system as a christmas gift for her son, he is 4. What would you recommend?

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I need Christmas gift ideas?

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Tommy

My work is participating in adopt a kid for christmas this year. We got an 8 year old boy. I chose to buy him a toy but I have no idea what to get him. I need ideas on what are good toys to buy for his age range.

Answer
It of course depends on the child, LEGO is a good option, since it's timeless and they have collections aimed at slightly older kids from 6-10, like the Star Wars sets or the Lone Ranger sets. Also you can't go wrong with R/C gadgets like a helicopter or car.

There are a few good items on this list for boys in 2013 - http://www.topkidstoys.com/top-boys-christmas-toys-2013.php that would suit an 8 year old.
Good luck.

Considering selling my Xbox 360?

Miles Jame

Well, here's the thing, in 2013 I haven't touched my Xbox, And I'm wondering if I should sell it, I have a lot of things which should value at a good price, I already have a PS3 and a Samsung Galaxy S II. The reason I want to sell it is because, I want an iPhone 5/Samsung Galaxy S III or a Samsung Galaxy Note II or, a new Laptop. But I'm afraid If I sell it, I might miss it. So what should I do

Answer
Sounds like you are a little kid with a lot of tech gadgets at hand huh? Just kidding. Anyway, if you seriously consider selling your Xbox, which I think you should, given you already have a PS3, you might want to have a look at this site. It helps me sell my laptop at a really good price. Hope it helps

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Why are American people priorities out of whack and not wanting to help this country?

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Happy Vegg

People are complaining about health care reform, People have lots of money and not wanting to help those that actually need it. We are in a bad time right now and people wants game systems, ipods, new computers, laptops and other new gadgets and a new home and a new care every two years. People we have some bad times on our hands all you want to do is complain about this health reform. I don't care about the taxes now and generations a few years from now. I want to help the cause and problem now so we don't have a problem in the future.

Answer
Many do, but have been lied to, both about the need for reform and the nature of what Obama has planned to make America better.

I am always amazed how many Americans seem not to be aware about the real healthcare issues relying instead on FOX and other sources to spread lies about the healthcare system of the USA and those abroad. I mean, if healthcare in nations with universal coverage is so bad, why do they keep it?
Obama wants to make insurance more available to all and change the system so that it gives the American people value for money [1]. He also wants change so that the insurance companies find it harder to get out of paying for treatment. The system he is proposing looks similar to that which works in Taiwan where private companies are involved in providing healthcare [2].
Obama campaigned on reforming the healthcare system. He said he wanted to make insurance more available and he was elected by the American people to do this [3].
FACT - the US has higher death rates for kids both for kids aged under one and those under five than western European countries with universal health coverage [4,5].
FACT – American insurance companies push up prices and work to stop paying out claims on those they cover [6].
FACT - the USA spends more on healthcare PER PERSON than any other nation on the planet [7].
That means that a dead American four year old would have had a better chance of life if they were born in any western nation with universal health coverage.
If you do not like the policies that Obama was elected to bring in, he can always be voted out of office in 2012. But if you disagree with the facts, please let me know. I am always willing to learn, but please provide proof. None of those who disagree with me have been able to do that so far.

Will 2012 Be The Age Of Enlightenment?

Q. If the world doesn't end then I atleast want some super powers.
supposedly we might all become telepathic or something.
And supposedly it's suppose to be the end of man lead religion.
And be a return to priestess religions.
But I have a hard time seeing man lead religions going anywhere soon.

Answer
There is a total eclipse of the sun on 14th of11th-2012 ...?
The religions will crumble sooner when the women do not stand up beside the men yet until that time... my dear young Lady ... we take it brick by brick ...?
I'm already telepathic honey and I'm telling you that we are living in the future now ... as in ... Space age? = gadgets and space stations and did a rocket just blast off to mars the other day or did I just image that in my own head?
I was a kid when man walked on that moon and when I see people in public, sitting at a buss stop and pressing buttons on a device in there hand ... I think of star trek and "Beam me up Doctor Spock" ... so this is the computer age and if "video killed the radio star" ... then what has the microchip done to television?
I dunno about you but I still find it fascinating that I can communicate instantly with people from all over this planet ... it is like flying around in heaven to me!!!
Why have a hard time seeing? = laugh at the visions?
No religion = no ritual = no hell = no problem = o = peace of mind?

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What is the #1 toy christmas 2011?

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Dizzy

Answer
I think it depends on the age group and if the kid is a boy/girl, etc. Hope the links below help? In my opinion, a VTech tablet is both a fun and educational toy; I'll be getting this for my son!

What's christmas like in your country?

Q. Here in Iceland on the 1st of december they start showing on TV a kids show that is aired everyday until December 24th. The show is literally called "The Christmas Calendar" (Jóladagatalið). Normally, every episode is about 5 minutes long but it's never the same story every year, they either make a new show every year or show older episodes that have been shown some years before. The episodes they're showing this year was actually made in Denmark and is called "The Christmas Calendar 2011: The Pact. (Jóladagatalið 2011: Sáttmálinn). It's about a kid that helps some elves find a pact that will kill some evil elf queen. Well enough of that.

December 12th kids put a shoe in their window to get a present from one of the Icelandic santa clauses, called The Yule Lads (Jólasveinarnir). We have 13 santa clauses. Every night, from 12th - 24th december they put presents in the children's shoes, like candy or small toys, but if the kids behaved badly they will give them a potato, which kids don't like. That's why most kids behave well this time of year. In case you're confused it's actually their parents that give them the presents ;), but the kids don't know that.

On December 23rd, many Icelanders have a skate (a type of fish) for dinner. It's an old Icelandic tradition.

Christmas is actually celebrated on the 24th, not the 25th. All day until 6 pm on the 24th, everybody waits for christmas to start. A few minutes before 6 pm, you can hear ringing church bells ringing on the radio and on the tv. Then when they stop at exactly 6 pm, a man says "Good Icelanders, merry christmas" (góðir Íslendingar, gleðileg jól). Then kids open the present their mom and dad gave them, and then we eat. Some people eat lamb meat, some eat pork and some eat ptarmigan meat which is very popular on christmas. Then after we've washed the dishes after dinner we open the rest of the presents, from relatives and friends. We don't get any gifts from the American Santa Clause. Usually at my home my parents film us opening our presents, and I'm sure some people do too. We still have tapes older than 10 years old of me and my siblings opening presents. The presents are kept, while still in the christmas packages, under the christmas tree. Some people have a fake tree and some people have a real tree.

Christmas ends at the end of january 6th the next year. called "the 13th" (Þrettándinn), the 13th day of christmas. At that day we light a bunch of wood and stuff and make a big fire. Usually one fire in every town (towns are really small in Iceland expect for Reykjavík, which is not a really big city when you think about it. My town only has about 1000 habitants.) People stand by the fire and some some men are hired to shoot fireworks near the fire. We also have fire and fireworks on december 31st, the last day of the year.

Now i have explained almost everything about christmas in Iceland, expect for a few things like decorations and that but yeah. What's christmas like in your country? (I know you won't be able to explain it in a very long way like i did.)

Answer
It was very interesting to learn about Christmas in Iceland! Thank you! Here is how we celebrate Christmas in the USA! :
Throughout the month of December people decorate there houses and there is TV shows and movies that have to do with Christmas on TV! On December 24th it is Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve lots of people like to eat seafood. Its kind of a tradition. And before kids got to sleep they leave milk and cookies out for Santa to eat.On December 25th it is Christmas day and kids run down to the Christmas tree and open tons of presents they got! We tell the kids that Santa Clause left them there! (But its actually the parents who did). We also have stockings which are in the shape of a sock much much bigger. There is small gifts inside of them. If the child was bad they get a piece of coal inside theirs. We also have a big dinner on Christmas with turkey. We also like to sing songs around Christmas time! Here is two verses to a very popular Christmas song in our country:

You better not shout
You better not cry
You better watch out im telling you why
Santa Clause is coming too town
He sees you when your sleeping
He knows when your awake
He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake
Santa Clause is coming to town

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How do I get my toddler to listen to me?

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Snickrs367

My son wil be 3 in November and he doesn't do most of the things I ask him to. Now I know he is only a toddler and I don't expect him to listen to every thing I tell him to do, but what concerns me is that if he has the opportunity to take off on me he does. It is usually when I have my hands full of groceries and he is getting out of the car in our driveway that he will take off up the street. He thinks it is a game. I have tried giving him a time-out after collecting him. I have told him why he can't run off on me. It hasn't seemed to make any differance. He just laughs while running away from me.

Any suggestions? I'm at my wits end. I would hate to have to spend the next 10 years locked in my house.

Answer
My daughter didn't go through that but the little girl I have been taking care of for the past month was doing that.

I would grab her right away, get down to her level and have her look me in the eye. I would tell her to look at me and if she didn't I would not let her go. When she would finally look at me I would tell her that I was not playing a game with her and if she contined to run down the street or run out of the park or not come when I called her she wouldn't get to do_____. It would be not going to the park, taking away a treat or not coming with me somewhere fun.

It took a few weeks but now the most I have to call her is twice. Sometimes when she doesn't listen I say, I have asked you twice, if I have to say it again..." I have never had to finish that sentence.

Going down to their level is important and they need to see the seriousness in your face and hear it in your voice. Don't back down. Take away the toy or sit him on the step for a quiet time.

My best friend goes through this as well and her son. He almost got hit by a car. It's better to be a little stern with them rather than them running out in the street.

I hope this helps in some way. Good luck!

How to handle a toddler after twins are born?

Our toddler is acting up and getting more easily upset since our twins were born. I realize there is a regression, but not sure how to handle it correctly. Any help would be appreciated.
LOL, Martha. I don't think it is a sin......

Answer
I agree with your other poster. Get your toddler to help with bottles and diapering. Have her hold one of the babies on her lap. Praise her for being "such a good big sister".

I'm a mother of twins myself. My boys are adults now. Never buy two of the same toy. They'll leave one sit and fight over one, even though they're identical items. Lay them down to sleep in the same crib. It makes them feel more secure. My twins had separate beds but still slept together until they were 12. They are going to have that deep spiritual bond where they're glued together and you never see one without the other. They're also going to be extremely competitive and fight like cats and dogs, sometimes coming to physical blows. Don't worry. It blows off, they're best friends again and forget all about it in 5 minutes. Warn their girlfriends or boyfriends that if they date one twin, they date the other because he'll always go along. One girl told my son it was her or his twin. He said, See ya.

Always take the one who cries the loudest first and tune the other ones out. They're just going to have to wait their turn. You only have two hands. It's okay to prop bottles when you have twins. Use one feeding dish and one spoon. Go back and forth between the two babies. Saves lots of time and crying. Buy the kind of stroller where the seats face each other or you have one seat behind the other. Side by side strollers won't fit through checkout counters or narrow aisles in stores.

Don't get too discouraged when you hear rude comments about birth control or "Oh, you must be busy" for the zillionth time.

Email me if you need any pointers. Will be glad to help.

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Baby Themed birthday party ideas? HELP me please!?

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Jasmine

I am hosting a baby themed birthday party/ sleepover.

I need some party decoration & party favors for my party! I am a girl. :))

And when to start it? My birthday is on September 15th,2012. A saturday!
I will be serving Breakfast, but not dinner

Answer
Use baby colored decorations like streamers and balloons, tablecloths, etc in soft pastels with some childproofing items thrown in wherever you can think to have them. Look up baby shower games for ideas of fun games. As your prizes for your games, you can get some onesies, blankets, booties, toys...these are larger more expensive items, OR you could do smaller items like baby food and cereal, shampoo, baby oil, wipes and butt cream. As your friends win they can draw their prize from a grab bag and be surprised for a big laugh. Of course your friends can keep their prizes if they want but kids your age mostly have no use for those items, and after the joke of getting that prize...the best thing to do is donate them. If you explain things and have a box or laundry basket handy (decorated of course!) the donating will be easy...they can just drop them in the box as they win. After the party you can drop them off at the women's shelter or somewhere that helps families in need. And be sure to thank them for giving their prize back to you so you can donate it!

For your table setting, serve drinks in sippie cups. Pacifiers for napkin rings. Bibs at each place setting. If you wanted to decorate them for the occasion...and everyone can take their items home as a memento. Also put a handful of dry cheerios on each person's plate (baby's first finger food is often cheerios)...then just serve regular breakfast. You can keep it simple...some oven fried bacon and scrambled eggs (easy at the last minute), store bought croissants with a couple jellies, yogurt c cups, and orange juice. For snacks, you can place bowls of kiddie foods around the party...teddy grahams, granola bites, gummy bears, etc.

For your goody bags, get some small it's a boy or it's a girl or welcome baby or whatever gift bags...then fill with baby bottle pops candies, fruit roll ups, teddy grahams, and goldfish crackers (typical toddler foods, these all come in little pouches), and then maybe toss in some baby powders and baby wipes in locker friendly sizes for your friends...wipes are great at school for freshening up, and getting stains out of clothes, and cleaning minor spills. You could make a mix cd for each person with songs with the word baby in them...Not hard at all! They can also take home their baby themed table setting items, so make sure your goody bags have some room to spare.

For your thank you notes...get kiddie ones...write your note in crayon!

Happy birthday and enjoy your party!

Why is TV not as good as it was before?

Loki Of As

I am a late 90's kid, but my parents raised me with books and such, instead of with countless toys and hours of TV.

When I did watch TV, my parents showed me older cartoons. I grew up on Animaniacs, and other educational television. I sometimes was allowed to watch Disney and, very rarely, Spongebob, but it was usually educational.

I have noticed in the past few years, Television has gone down hill quickly. Now we have Cartoons such as:
Tak and the Power of Juju (Do they still run that?)
Dave the Barbarian
Chowder
Johnny Test
etc.

I just want to know what happened to wholesome entertainment?
Reality TV was never 'good' but it seems to have gotten worse.
I mean,
Bad Girls Club
Jersey Shore
The Bachelor and Bachelorette
My Super Sweet 16
Toddlers and Tiaras

Then there is Disney, which is really just making a whole bunch of little girls formulate false images about things and producing cheap 'comedy' shows.

What has happened? I mean, even 'Educational TV' isn't educational anymore. Animal planet tanked after Steve died, and when they made their new slogan 'Surprisingly Human'. Now it has shows that don't seem to even be about animals. History channel aren't much better either. The history channel has things about 2012 and the future, and barely lets anything on that ISN'T a conspiracy theory.

I just want to know what happened to good, clean entertainment. It seems like the kids these days are being taught education and entertainment cannot be intermingled.

Answer
I can't stand television except for a few channels.....it makes me sick to my stomach actually...

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Do Mighty Kids Meal from McDonalds bring a toy?

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Ashley'-

I know happy meal does, but does mighty kids meal bring them- and if so are the toys different from the happy meals?

Answer
I would guess yes, considering that the toy was McDonald's original marketing ploy to get kids to get their parents to take them there. Now that people have wised up to how very unhealthy McDonald's is, they started with the "healthy" stuff (peeled apples in preservatives, implying that their food is healthy, i.e., chicken nuggets because what little meat is in them is white meat, etc.)

However, you could find out by going to the McDonald's site or even going to one of the businesses.

I just wonder how others people felt on the band on toys in kids meals.?

me

I just wondering what other people thoughts are on the band on toys with the kids meals. Myself i think it's a bunch of bull!

Answer
I Think its dumb,Because they say kids just want the toy and then eat the junk food.I doubt anyone eats fast food just for the toy i eat it on occasions.

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Why are there never any kids playing out on christmas day anymore?

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johnston1

This is so sad, ive lived in my area for 20 years, and up to about 3 years ago every christmas day kids would be out on the green with their new toys, not even the snow brought them out this year.
gone are the days when children are let out to play. I do live in London so maybe that's why. computer games must be the new toy.

Answer
I'm in Manchester and it's the same here kids play out in the street I live in most of the time but at christmas you barely see them and rarely on christmas day. I think they are all too busy now with their TV's, Wii's,Play stations,Lap tops etc. You never see kids with new bikes on xmas day anymore.

Have people gone over the top with birthday parties and christmas gifts?

xtra9009

Special entertainment ,tonsof food, hundreds of dollars on each kid for christmas. Then you have so many toys you can't even store them.

Answer
yes too much.

i was raised one gift on christmas from santa and one from my parents (a few more from extended family), and one gift on my birthday...

when i turned about 13 i decided i wanted whatever money my parents planed to spend on me that year for christmas to be turned into a donation to some kind of fund(cancer research etc.)

i find kids want too much because they get so much

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What are you putting in your kids easter eggs?

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Sweetpea h

Knowing that my son will be getting a kings ransom in candy from his grandparents and 12 aunts and uncles I only got him one small chocolate lamb (mainly because it was was so cute) and am filling the plastic eeaster eggs with raisens goldfish crackers and pretzals. What are you putting in the easter eggs? Coins? Toys? Candy? My son is only two a bit young for coins.

Answer
A few pretty pastel Jordan almonds and candy-coated sunflower seeds (we have a peanut-allergic kid). They're not getting much candy, just a token amount, because they always end up with too much.

Why do people buy kids toys on easter? I understand Christmas and birthdays, but not Easter toys?

Q. I used to get an Easter basket with toys and candy when I was little also. I just don't understand the significance.

Answer
Technically for Christmas and Easter you arent meant to get gifts, but everyone likes giving them and receiving them, so why not? plus people who dont care about the actual holidays historical meaning just use it as an excuse to buy things

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Have you ever been scarred out of your socks by an electronic toy that suddenly turns on by itself?

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Signilda

My kids toys are always turning themselves on and making noises. I hear creepy sounds from behind the couch and coming from the toy box.

Answer
Yes, but the worst are those electronic flush toilets. Those things love to go off at all the wrong moments and scare the beejeebers out of a person.

Actually, my husband was away on business and I made the mistake of watching the movie "The Ring" in our dark theater room alone. On my way upstairs to go to bed I thought I heard a TV coming from my sons' room. If you've ever seen the movie you'll understand why I was scared sh-tless! I turned on every light in the house before opening the door...to discover my daughter had left her Barbie radio in their room under a bunch of toys. The vibration of me coming up the stairs must have jiggled the toys just enough to turn it on.

Have you ever broken your kids toys because you were angry?

Jenna

I have broken my sons toy. He kept leaving it out and i always would trip on it. Yesterday i got angry with him because i was carrying something and he left his medium sized toy gun on the floor and i almost fell. I put away the stuff and told him to come here. I said ive told you many times not to leave it out like this. I then started steping on it and hitting it till it broke in and was unusable. He looked upset but i think he wont leave his toys on the floor now. Any one have a story where they broke their kids toys out of anger?

Answer
I have broken my own things, but those are my own and I am not a parent.

If you break your child's toys just because you are mad that they left them out, it teaches them that it is okay to break someone else's things because they are mad and want to teach them something. If you were to take it away for a few days then sure, but breaking and destroying his things just to teach him to take better care of them will only backfire on you in the long run when he starts breaking and destroying things out of anger.

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What you say to your toddler when she keeps asking for everytoy she sees on tv?

What should I get my 15 month old for Christmas?

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itshotinjt

My kids have so many toys already, so I am really torn on what to get my 15 month old for Christmas. I have some mega blocks so far, but that is it. I want some ideas for inexpensive educational or skill building toys that will "grow with him" so that he will get a lot of use out of them. Preferably without a lot of little pieces. We want to keep mess to a minimum. Thanks!!

Answer
Get your 15 month old something colorful that has lots of things to do on it. Like a Playskool Busy Basics Ball-Tivity Center, or if your child is a boy, get him a Playskool Tonka Cushy Crusin' Fire Truck.

Does anybody remember these from the eighties?

vamp7815

They were kids building toys, pipes and square blocks that you could put together to make benches and chairs and tables, I can not remember what they are called does anybody know?
The pipes were white and they easily clicked onto the other pieces, the square pieces were blue and red I think.
No they were not leggos, or tinker toys

Answer
it could be a lego or lincon logs

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What was your favorite toy or gift you received as a child for Christmas?

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Shana

OK. It's not even October yet and I am super excited about Christmas. I am 25 and my favorite gift as a child was a pink Barbie power wheels corvette. I remember riding it around the block believing I can drive a real car, letting other kids play with it and my mother yelling at me because I would let the other kids play with it more than I did. So what was your favorite toy or gift you recieved for Christmas as a child?

Answer
Also in the 70s for me, I loved the Hot Wheels track set I recieved - those orange stips of track that you could join together to make loops, hairpin curves, jumps, and such. I spent YEARS playing with that, and now my son is passing it down to my grandson. Some things just don't leave the family!

What is the difference between old and new toys?

supeerrsta

I need answers other than 'new toys are modern'. please be specific. it's for homework
Neo please,that is hardly an answer. like MATERIALS, technology. PLEASE be more specific

Answer
Depending on how far you go back and what kind of 'toys' you are talking about, there can be many different answers. Here are a couple of examples to explain what I mean...

In electronics, video games, radios and televisions for example, many old 'toys' consisted of wooden construction with little plastic and occasionally metal for design purposes. Old televisions used tubes and transistors, while new toys use LCD technology and HD properties. Old computers used tubes and transistors as well, were the size of a standard room, had the processing power of a modern wrist watch, and made calculations on a long sheet of paper. Today's computers have motherboards, graphics cards and accelerators and network cards that can transmit information through the air without wires, and many fit in your lap.

Older video game systems had wood paneling, and if you popped them open, would maybe see a heat sink and a small motherboard to read the media. Today's video game consoles have so many boards, wires and switches that if you tried to take it apart without proper training, it could look like a crash victim's intestines.

Another example is vehicles. Older toys had all metal bodies and no safety devices. As the technology and education grew, safety belts, airbags, shatterproof windshields, and crumple zones on the bumpers made for a more reliable and safer ride.

If you are referring to the actual term of the word 'toy', older toys had absolutely no computers in them, while just about every new toy has at least some sort of computer technology somewhere inside of it. A good example of this is Woody and Buzz from Toy Story. Woody is a pull-string doll with a mechanical voice box that, if you had one of these back in the day, would actually lower the pitch if you restrained the string from going back into the voice box at it's normal speed. Buzz on the other hand is the new toy, electronics in every inch of the toy, and everything is digital to the push of a button.

Toys from the old days were usually something like a stick with a Frisbee on top of it, or going even further back, nothing but a flat piece of plastic that you throw around. A hula-hoop is nothing more than a hollow plastic tube connected in a ring. The original Mr. potato head was pieces of plastic pertaining to eyes, mouths, arms and legs that you pressed into a real potato.

Put simply, old toys used a lot more imagination, and kid's had plenty of it back then. Today, new toys could pretty much play with themselves, and have so many chips and wires and stereo speakers that you could have built E.T's phone with about a quarter of the stuff you find in them.

So the short answer is; The difference between old toys and new toys is the evolution of technology. As higher quality materials became cheaper and more accessible, they became a bigger part of the new toy line. New strides in technology allowed more interactivity such as movement and sound. In the case of television, sharper picture and color. In the case of vehicles, safety and comfort. In the case of computers, smaller sizes and higher processing speeds. And in the the case of a child's toy, More interactivity and, sometimes, less imagination.

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At what age did your parents start to give away some of your baby things?

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Guppy

My mom wants to give away some of my infant - toddler toys and possibly some clothing items, to some little kids.
WHY? They're mine. I don't play with them but they're still mine. I want to keep them all. She lets my adult uncle keep all his toys in our house though she wants to give away his. I want those toys too.

Answer
My parents didn't keep any of our toys or clothes--the clothes were handed down to the next one in line. I kept most of my children's toys and some of their clothing also.

What kind of toys do you prefer for your toddler, wooden toys or plastic toys?

harold

I'm curious to the type of toy material that parents prefer to buy for their toddlers?

Answer
Hi Harold,

I tend to have a strong liking for wood toys that are of excellent quality, but find that wooden toys are generally limited to blocks, puzzles and some very expensive hand made train sets. Some of the best wooden blocks on the market are Melissa & Doug's Standard Unit Blocks:

http://www.kids-toys-parents-love.com/standard_unit_blocks.html

They have other great wooden puzzle sets, and ImagiPlay makes an earth friendly dinosaur puzzle with non toxic paint: http://www.kids-toys-parents-love.com/Dinosaur_puzzles.html

Most of the toys we get for our kids are plastic, primarily because of selection and availability. They definitely are easier to disinfect and last just as long as the wood toys.

Most of the concerns over quality come from the massive 2007 recall from plastic toys manufactured in China containing lead and cadmium metals!! Besides keeping manufacturing jobs closer to home, companies like Little Tikes, Step 2 and Kid K'Nex keep a tight control over quality and materials. For toddlers, Little Tikes and Step 2 offer a wide variety of American made toys manufactured in Ohio, while Kid K'Nex is a great company for older kids who love creative building.

http://www.kids-toys-parents-love.com/Little_Tikes_Toys.html
http://www.kids-toys-parents-love.com/Step_2_Toys.html
http://www.kids-toys-parents-love.com/Kid_KNex.html

So in answering your questions, I prefer wooden toys, but availability and selection keeps our toy collection at 90% plastic and 10% wood.

Hopes this helps, and have fun playing with wood or plastic toys with your toddler!!

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What are some good small dog breeds to have in a house with small kids?

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High Fruct

I have a 2 year old, and although I don't plan on getting a dog right now, we may in the future. She would be older but we will have more kids so there's possibility of having smaller toddlers/babies in the house. We teach our kids to behave and be gentle around animals but I'd like to know what kind of small dog would be good in a family household?

Answer
I have 2 recommendations for you: the Rat Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier. Both dogs come in small sizes (I don't mean toy). Both dogs are tough (ie: not easily hurt like an Italian Greyhound or Chihuahua). Both breeds love to play and are good with kids. Neither breed is skittish around young children. Both breeds are remarkably good about the accidental rough play they may get from young children.

A normal-sized Westie is about the same size as a standard Rat Terrier.

1. Rat Terriers: lots of breed books and websites don't mention them because they weren't recognized as a breed by AKC until 2007. Short-haired (therefore less to shed), very smart and athletic but unlike many other terriers, they have an "off" switch. Great at tricks. All dogs love to be around people but especially ratties. A very good indoor dog as long as they get exercise during the day. Comes in 4 sizes (toy, miniature, standard and decker--which is bigger than you want). All muscle and tendon so they look athletic and are tough little dogs. Not great for cold weather climates because of their short-hair.

2. Westies: double-coat and longer hair than a rattie (some people like that, others don't). In a hot-weather climate you'd probably want to cut some of that coat off. This breed is also a bit of a "digger" so you'll need to make sure your backyard has some provisions to prevent a westie from digging under the fence or uprooting all your flowers.

What fun activities can I do with the kids that I babysit?

Zoe

I am 14 years old, so I don't have a car and I cant drive any wear. I am looking to be the best babysitter on the block. Any ideas of what I can do? The kids that I babysit for don't like board games.
The people dont have a tv or anything like that!

Answer
It depends on their age.
1-3; make healthy, fun snacks with them. Like ants on a log. (A celery stick with peanut butter & raisins) or grab a bunch of toys and play with them.
4-6; Girl- Bring out some Barbies, or give them a makeover! Maybe even have a scavenger hunt in the backyard! You can make snacks with them too(: Boy- Play with toy cars with them! Have them color a picture or finger paint! (Girls can do this too)
7-9; Ask them what they would like to do. They're now at the age where they are beginning to grow up and will want to decide on their own. You can make some crafts with them, make some snacks, (again) play with dolls (depending on how mature they are) play tag, hide and seek, etc. My sister is 8 and she still loves playing & seek, and painting!
10+; Ask them what they would like to do. Girl- You could give her a makeover, or style her hair. Or you can have a little fashion show with her. Help her pick out cute outfits and design clothes on a sheet of paper. Boy- You could play football or soccer or some sport like that with them outside. Have them engage in outdoor activity. 10 year old boys tend to be very hyper and active. Wouldn't want to keep them in the house!
GOOD LUCK! (:

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