Tag Archives: Kids

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Your Best Story Time

Greetings, all!

Having a good book to read during story time is no longer a chore to find. Thanks to Lucie’s List, we have an impressive list of children’s books to bring to your little one(s) of all ages.

So, dust off that rocking chair in the corner and scoop up one of these great books below for your next bed time read!

Toddlers

1. Hi (Animal Words) by Ethan Long
2. Maisy’s Digger by Lucy Cousins
3. What This Book Needs Is a Pig in a Wig by Emma J. Virjan
4. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman
5. Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa by Anna Dewdney

Preschoolers

1. Who Done It? by Olivier Tallec
2. It’s Only Stanley by Jon Agee
3. Goodnight Already! by Jory John

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

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Hotel and TravelSitter for the New Year

Greetings, all!

Did you know we book HotelSitters for our families in NYC, Brooklyn, Westchester, Connecticut, Chicago, Los Angeles or Miami?

If you have a family trip coming up, we also book TravelSitters to accompany your family, making it a real vacation for you and not just a re-location of your normal day-to-day! Our sitters have traveled with member families throughout the Caribbean, Florida, Europe, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and most of the Rockies Ski resorts! We provide excellent vacation and holiday coverage so you and your family can have all the extra care and support needed for a restful vacation.

Bell Family’s Hospitality Program allows guests to participate in our trusted family care services!

We Offer In-Room/On-Site Care

We’ll come to your hotel to keep your children entertained!
– Make crafts and work on fun art projects
– Learn to sing and play guitar
– Play games, enjoy the on-site hotel services, or enjoy personal story time

Ask About Exploring the City and Mini-Day Camps

Our sitters will show up with an itinerary for the day!
– Organize shopping trips
– Plan destination visits
– Assist in pick-up/drop-offs
– Run last minute errands
– Lend an extra hand at local family events (weddings, parties, business functions, etc.)
– Refer the best places to go for kids

To download our release for your families click here! And to book a HotelSitter, e-mail
[email protected] or call 212.265.3354.

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

Family

Village for Parents – Q&A with Chris Winn

Greetings, all!

To continue with our recent Q&A blog posts, we are bringing you Chris Winn, Founder and President of Village for Parents, who works with a team on a mission to help parents live happier, simpler lives.

Q: What influential people or events in your life led you to the vision behind Village for Parents (providing ways to help parents live simpler lives)?

 A: I was first inspired to build Village in 2012 when my wife and I were expecting boy/girl twins. Like all moms and dads to-be, we wanted to learn as much as we could about how to be great parents, so we spent a lot of time researching products and how-to’s online. With so much information out there and so little factual or scientific data to support anyone’s opinion, it was really difficult to fully trust anything we read.

After months of research and dozens of design sessions, Faye (Head of Product) and I came up with a solution to the problem – a platform for moms and dads to get advice ONLY from other parents who are (or just were) in the same stage of life. This way, all of the advice is empathetic and genuine. A little later, we realized that some of the tougher questions required an answer from an expert, so we now have a growing network of child development therapists, sleep consultants, lactation consultants and more.

Q: With three little ones of your own (3 1/2-year old twins, 1-year old), what advice would you give to first time parents on how to be as stress-free as possible?

A: First, give yourself and your kids a lot of grace. Life isn’t scripted and often times you’re just going to have to roll with it. Second, trust your gut. Village is a great place to get advice, guidance towards making a decision but at the end of the day you’re the only one who knows what’s best for your values and your family. Lastly, make a point to stop and smell the roses. There are so many special moments in parenthood that you have to appreciate and hold close in order to get through the tougher times.

Q: What is the most frequent question you’ve received on your app? How did you reply?

A: The most common questions we get relate to the most stressful milestones for parents: breastfeeding, sleeplessness, teething, potty training and the like. In the six short months since we launched, we’ve aggregated hundreds of answers to these questions and made them all searchable in our app. That’s actually the hidden beauty of Village for Parents – as more and more questions are asked and answered, the app has become a living, breathing guidebook on how to raise kids. Whatever challenge you’re facing, Village can provide you with a few thoughtful answers that are just right for your parenting style, your values and your baby.

Q: For those who do not use the app, what would you say to convince them that Village for Parents is the best resource?

 A: As I mentioned above, parents should always trust their instincts when making decisions for their family. The problem most of us have is that parenthood often puts us in situations where we have little, if any, personal experience to fall back on. Village bridges that gap by presenting only the information that you need to solve a problem or make a decision. Our goal is to minimize the amount of time you have to spend on the app to get the information or validation you need to take action and then move on with your day.

Download the Village for Parents app on your iPhone by clicking here!

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!
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Hello Sitter. Hello Peace of Mind.

Greetings, all!

Do you want an app that’s changing what it means to find the right sitter and fast? Well, behold, because Hello Sitter is here, and they are taking the stress out of finding quality childcare at you finger tips.

Lauren Mansell, CEO of Hello Sitter, was kind enough to share a Q&A with us, and here are some of the things we learned.

Q: What is Hello Sitter, and how does it work?

A: Hello Sitter is an on-demand sitter app that provides parents a way to schedule fully vetted, carefully curated, and highly experienced sitters in a quick and stress-free way. We connect you with the best matched sitters available for your time and date, so you never have to wait for them to get back to you again.

After signing up and telling us a little bit about your children and what you want in a sitter, you can select the date and time you need and our very clever technology matches you with the perfect fit. You can view each sitter’s profile, read reviews from fellow parents, and even watch a short video.

Q: How do you choose your sitters?

A: Hello Sitter was started by a mom named, Lauren, and when creating the platform, she chose a partner based on her personal experience. All the sitters on the platform are part of a boutique agency that has been around for over 10 years, specifically chosen, because Lauren had used them time and time again and had an amazing experience. New sitters can only join Hello Sitter if they are referred by a current sitter, this is then followed by a vigorous vetting process.

Q: How quickly can I book a sitter, and how soon can they show up?

A: You can book a sitter in minutes! All it involves is selecting the date and time you need a sitter (looking at their profiles if you want), and hitting book. All of our sitters have their own app, so their availability is up to date to the minute. Therefore, it can be as little as 1 hour.

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

Events

1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children

Greetings, all!

In a recent seminar hosted by BFC, we had the privilege of listening in on Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D., author of 1-2-3 Magic Effective Discipline for Children 2-12. He taught us that 1-2-3 Magic is simple, but not always easy. The easy part is the basic structure of the program. The hard part is the fact that the first step in disciplining kids is to discipline yourself.

Below you will find further tips that we pulled away from the seminar.

Tip 1: Think of parenting as a three step process:

Step 1: Controlling Obnoxious (Stop) Behavior
Step 2: Encouraging Good (Start) Behavior
Step 3: Strengthening Your Relationship with Your Child

Tip 2: There are two basic kinds of behavior problems:

STOP BEHAVIOR: arguing, whining, fighting, teasing, tantrums, yelling, etc. For this minor obnoxious behavior you will use the 1-2-3, or “counting,” method.
START BEHAVIOR: eating, going to bed, getting up in the morning, homework, cleaning rooms, practicing, etc. To encourage good behavior you will have seven tactics. You may use one or more of them simultaneously.

Tip 3: Controlling Obnoxious (Stop) Behavior

The “counting” method: two brief warnings (“That’s 1,” “That’s 2”) followed by a “rest period” or time-out alternative if the child hits three. No talking, no emotion. No explanations afterwards unless absolutely necessary.
What to do in public? Get 1-2-3 rolling at home first, then use it in the grocery store the same as at home. Beware of the threat of public embarrassment!

Tip 4: Strengthening Your Relationship with Your Child

Try these four things: shared one-on-one fun, avoiding over-parenting, sympathetic listening, and solving problems together

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

Events

Holiday Party Kid Zone

Greetings, all!

If you take a look at your schedule this month, there is most likely a  holiday party that you need to attend. You then face the struggle as to what to do with your child, in order for you to bust out that ugly holiday sweater.  With that, I introduce you to a great offering from the BFC team, a holiday party kid zone!

Members of the BFC team will get to the party early to set up the area (make sure it’s clean, safe for kids, etc.). While you and your friends are enjoying the eggnog, your kids will be partaking in fun craft activities, including popsicle stick snowmen, clothespin reindeer, and a take home bag to put all of their goodies in. We also have fun games on standby incase their attention span is not in our favor.

This is just one of the many things that the BFC team can help organize – so this year, make your holiday season a breeze! To book your kid zone, e-mail us at [email protected].

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

Family

Thanksgiving Fun for Kids

Greetings, all!

It’s the week that many people love, but turkeys could deal without. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you Thanksgiving! Since the Thanksgiving holiday often involves little ones running around, we thought we’d provide some fun activities to keep the kids entertained, and to keep you sane. So, take some of the ideas below and enjoy all that this family-filled holiday has to offer.

1. Craft Time: How about some jazzy Thanksgiving-themed hats? Try out a turkey, or a classic pilgrim style hat.

2. B-I-N-G-O: Who doesn’t love a quality game of bingo? Try out one themed for this holiday.

3. Coloring = Classic: Print out these fall festive images and bust out the crayons!

4. Snacks: The kids can even help put this turkey snack tray together, and then nibble. The adults will probably want to nibble, too.

5. Mad Libs/Word Search: Print these ones out for the kids, too. Maybe you can even give a treat to the one who solves all the riddles!

 

I hope all of our readers have a great Thanksgiving with their loved ones – from all of the girls in the Bell family.

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

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Village OB – Pregnancy at Ease

Greetings, all!

Village Obstetrics blends vast clinical expertise with a strong passion for helping you have your best birth. Our founder and president, Lindsay Bell, had the pleasure of sitting down over coffee and croissants with Dr. George Mussalli and Dr. Jaqueline Worth, to learn more about their mission. Their happy demeanor and wide experience is your guide throughout pregnancy, bringing you a deep sense of ease knowing that you are in the best of hands. Read Lindsay’s first hand experience below, and fall in love with Village OB just like we did!

I first learned of Village OB through a client, and became curious. A few weeks later, another client mentioned them to me. As an expecting first time mom, the birthing process completely terrifies me. Village OB provides a level of medical care I haven’t come across before. Their two doctor practice is a combination of of a 24/7 concierge with your own pseudo mom and dad available. They are always available to answer your questions on items regarding expecting and the birthing process.

My favorite aspect is the 24/7 concierge. I understand firsthand how hard running a 24/7 service can be! For a company or practice to offer that level of care and service, you know they are passionate, dedicated, and love what they do – they are ready to answer your questions at any time!

The uniqueness of each family is taken into account in order to cater your specific needs. Their philosophy is based on trust, joy, care, dependability, excellence and fun! Your doctor will guide you smoothly through each milestone appointment with ease. They provide a simple calendar for you to follow throughout your pregnancy, so that you know your appointments upfront and can plan in advance. As a fellow planner, this immediately takes away some of the anxiety of pregnancy.

Village OB delivers at Mount Sinai Hospital, where birth plans are supported. The practice has a high vaginal birth rate, including moms who have had a prior C-section. Village OB strongly support doulas as an important personnel, especially for those who desire unmedicated birth.  They can also help facilitate a number of techniques such as hydrotherapy, meditation, and hypnosis. It’s unhurried, safe birth, and a low c-section rate.

If you are interested in speaking with a member of their team or would like to speak with one of their past clients on their experience, please feel free to contact: [email protected].

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Written by our Founder & President, Lindsay Bell!

Family

Fresh Organic Sleep

Greetings, all!

Yes, you read that title right – fresh organic sleep. It seems like everything these days is going organic – from foods, to dry cleaning, salons, and now even your mattress! Today’s post dives into the idea of the organic mattress, and what it brings for you and your family.

Your baby or toddler spends over one-half of his/her life sleeping, which many adults also wish could be the case. During this time, your toddler is in close contact with the mattress and the chemicals within it. It’s because of this, that many parents are opting for an organic mattresses.

Lucie’s List put together a great, short list of organic mattresses, and we are loving them!

1– Lullaby Earth (Naturepedic): Manufactured without the use of known allergens found in many other mattresses, such as latex, wool, soy, and without polyurethane foam of any kind.

2– Naturepedic (Naturepedic): This mattress is made with organic cotton fabric and fill, as well as steel innerspring.

3– Pebble Pure/Pebble Lite (Nook Sleep Systems): The “Pure” boasts a certified organic coconut core layered with 1” of natural latex foam.

4– CocoMat/Spring Mat (Naturalmat):  Uses 100% renewable and sustainable sources such as organic lambs wool, coir (coconut), mohair, and latex.

To read more information on the mattresses listed above, click here.

Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

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Expecting Mom vs. Baby Brain

Greetings, all!

We recently checked in with one of our moms who just found out she is expecting her first child this spring! She was able to share her build up to receiving the exciting news, and some of the things she has done to prep for the newest addition to her family. Here is what she had to say…

“Baby Brain” to many expecting mothers is a term to define a block in your ability to think clearly. To me, it means trying to cram my brain with as much knowledge and awareness about becoming a new mom. I think it is important for moms to be, to not set unattainable expectations on themselves. For many, this is a once in a lifetime experience, and if you think like me, everything will fall into place accordingly. So, sit back and enjoy the ride!

As soon as I found out that I was pregnant, I was overjoyed. My husband and I have been trying for several months, and resorted to a form of fertility treatments. I am in my late 20’s, but the dreaded biological clock seems to be knocking on my door, even though technically there is still plenty of time. I took a couple of weeks to enjoy the news fully and not think about how I should start preparing. That time soon came to an end, as I could no longer keep all of the baby thoughts outside of my brain. Luckily for me, my husband is in the healthcare field, so together we started doing a lot of research online. I made copies of text from his medical books and printed probably 265 lists of things to do/get. Not to mention, I will be a working mom, so I immediately visited my company’s HR site to review and print maternity leave forms. My binder is beginning to resemble a copy of the Old Testament.

At the end of the day, my husband and I are competent people with an amazing support system. I know several expecting moms, and that brings me a sense of solace. Though, it is great to have a reference book with colored tabs and highlighted areas, the most important thing is to enjoy the experience. Don’t be afraid to ask other moms and resources questions along the way. I find other moms to be the “holy grail” of baby knowledge and a great support system.

Also remember ladies, there is always wine at the end of this journey!

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!