I just returned from a family cruise vacation.  Cruising with a preschooler, toddler, and a baby was a blast, really.  My kids loved the constant buzz of ship activity.  My toddler (slash on the verge of becoming a preschooler) especially loved looking for Spiderman among the waves.  Betcha didn’t know Spidey hangs out in the Ocean when he’s not in the city saving people?  Don’t worry if you didn’t know that.  I didn’t either, until I intercepted a throw of my toddler’s baseball hat destined for the water far, far below the deck.  My toddler explained, “Spidey will save my hat.”

Spidey has become a permanent fixture in my little guy’s brain–to the point of obsession which doesn’t even compare to my preschooler’s former love of Dora.  My house is even overflowing with Spiderman.  Spiderman band-aids, plates, utensils, cups, towels, clothing, slippers, sneakers, pencils.  Thank goodness, I haven’t yet stumbled upon a Spidey car seat or Britax superhero replacement cover.  But it’s probably only a matter of time until one makes its way into my household.  After all, Graco already makes a Dora booster. 

Curious about superhero obsession, I undertook a bit of online research on the subject.  Is this normal almost preschooler behavior?  Here’s what I learned, thanks to an informative Superhero case study:

* Superhero or pretend play (a.k.a. ”good guy vs. bad guy”) is normal and important in social development.  Dramatic play rules!  

* It’s normal for preschoolers to show intense interest in superheroes, usually around age four or five

* Superhero imitation helps children form their own identity, figure out differences between good and undesired behavior, and understand rules

* Superhero play helps children learn empathy

* Children can gain confidence through superhero play

Gee, I had absolutely no idea how important or healthy superhero obsession could be for kids’ social and moral (even physical) development!  I just might now need to start setting a place for Spidey at the dinner table.     

Has your child fallen for a superhero, too?  If so, who?        

Earlier this week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of Rinnai Direct-Vent Wall Furnaces, due to the potential for carbon monoxide leaks. Approximately, 52,000 furnaces are involved in the recall. You can check out the news release here.

Given that it’s still winter–especially in New England–and many families rely on Rinnai generated heating (I’ve known several families who have a Rinnai Direct-Vent Furnace), this recall seems quite relevant here at blog.baby-wise.com. It’s also a reminder of the importance of having a properly functioning Carbon Monoxide Detector in your home. Even if you don’t have a Rinnai Furnace, a Carbon Monoxide detector is a home essential–right up there next to smoke detectors.

When it comes to taking care of your family, you can never be too careful.

This evening while walking with my children through an airport terminal to catch a flight, I overheard a woman making much ado about the assortment of restaurants at the airport. She was truly ecstatic about the variety. I can still see her waving her hands at the eatery display board and hear her voice reciting the list to her child. Subway. Pizza Hut. McDonalds. Starbucks. Yada Yada…. I couldn’t help but wonder “what’s the big deal?” Even my two year old wouldn’t get this worked up about these places–okay, I admit most of them are old hat–especially Starbucks.

Then while on the plane, I found myself thinking again about that woman’s reaction. Maybe she simply never eats out–with or without her child. I know there are plenty of families who don’t eat out much, if at all, due to finances or food allergies, among other reasons. Maybe I just eat out way too much. After all, my preschooler already recognizes the differences between Caribou’s cocoa and Starbuck’s, and the differences in sub preparation at Quiznos and Subway. My toddler even knows what restaurant tables work best with the Phil & Teds Me Too Chair.

So, now I’m really curious. How often do you eat out with your children? And…what’s “normal”?

Feeling lucky?  If you’re a fan of Chicco products, you might want to try your luck at winning a You & Me Soft Infant Carrier.  Chicco is giving away an Infant Carrier a day.

I vividly remember my first Chicco purchase.  When I was pregnant with my third child and could no longer carry my toddler comfortably on short errands (like into the post office), I decided I needed a lightweight umbrella stroller.  Thinking that I’d use one only for a couple of months, until the baby arrived–at which point I’d whip out my Joovy Caboose–I zipped over to a big box retailer to buy a cheapo ”disposable” stroller. 

My plan quickly changed.  Once there, I immediately fell in love with a lightweight, stylish (retro!) Chicco.  The price seemed reasonable for the quality and incredible ease of use.  Plus, it’s oh, so  smooth!  

My “disposable” tune also changed.  Chicco’s products are far from disposable.  Not only did I end up using the Chicco longer than I expected, but my Chicco stroller ranks at the top of my favorite stroller purchases–and gee, I’ve made far too many of those (looking for “the one”) over the years.

Chicco makes more than strollers, too.  Like ”smart” baby toys, such as Super Rocking Rings, travel seats, and colorful activity tables.  If style is your thing, Chicco tends to use fashionable colors and patterns with its products, too–check out this high chair print.

Are you a Chicco fan, too?     

The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of 12-Volt Electric Cinderella Ride-On Vehicles made by Dumar International USA.

According to CPSC, “The wires under the hood of the car and/or in the battery compartment under the seat can short circuit, posing a fire and burn hazard to children riding in the car.”

The recall affects approximately 64,000 units.

Several incidents of overheating have been reported, but no injuries have been reported. 

For more information, check out the CPSC News Release.

Yesterday, I took my children to one of the coolest playgrounds on the planet.  The scene reminded me of a mall on Black Friday.  It was packed.  Children everywhere.  Moms.  Dads. Grandparents.  Nannies.  

Besides people, there were a ton of strollers–and lots of bulky ones that made navigating through the crowd visibly challenging. 

Although I didn’t wheel a stroller to the playground, I did arrive with one of my favorite loves, the Ergo.  As I stood (with baby happily and comfortably nestled in the Ergo) watching my preschooler play on playground equipment, a mother pushing the coolest double buggy approached me. 

“It looks like we’re the smart ones,” she said pointing to my Ergo and her Phil & Teds Stroller Buggy.  I quickly agreed.  There is nothing quite like having baby gear that gives you incredible maneuvering power, comfort, and convenience.

Had I brought my old WIDE double jogging stroller (like so many parents at the park had done), it would have been impossible to keep up with my child at the playground.  Phil & Teds Sport Stroller Buggy actually gives you seating for two–but only takes up the space of a single stroller.  If this product had been on the market just a bit earlier, I would have put it on my own baby shower gift list.  Buying it would have been a no brainer.

Plus, if you add that the stroller comes in a variety of colors, including the shade of green that is perfectly sporty and hip, there’s no doubt in my mind that Phil & Teds makes the coolest double buggy on the planet.

If you’re looking for a little extra incentive to buy your dream buggy today, check out baby-Wise.com, which has teamed up with Phil & Teds to offer you an amazing deal–a free doubles kit with the purchase of a special sport stroller, PLUS free shipping.      

Have you ever wondered about the differences between humidifiers, dehumidifiers and vaporizers?  Or tried to figure out why other parents get so pumped up when they talk about their child’s adorable animal or Thomas the Train character humidifier?

Until the pediatrician suggested I pick up a humidifier a couple of years ago to relieve my child’s congestion, I didn’t really understand the value of a humidifier.  In fact, I didn’t even think they were safe, especially around children.  That’s when I did a little homework to figure out what I didn’t know.

I learned that humidifiers and vaporizers add moisture to the air.  Dehumidifiers do the opposite.  They take moisture out. When your little one is congested due to a cold and has trouble sleeping comfortably, infusing moisture into the air can be a good thing.  Moisture even helps ward off dry skin and chapped lips.   

The notable difference between humidifiers and vaporizers is the temperature of the released mist.  Humidifiers tend to release cool or warm mist, but vaporizers (i.e. steam vaporizers) release hot mist. 

Hot mist poses a burn danger to children.  That’s why cool mist humidifiers are the choice for children’s rooms or when children are around the house.      

Cool mist humidifiers can provide instant relief from stuffiness and are often useful throughout the year–they can even eliminate those static electricity zaps!  Given the number of colds children will likely have in just the first few years alone, a cool mist humidifier is practically an essential.       

Wondering what to look for in a humidifier?  Here are a few features to look for:

–cool mist

–variable humidity control

 –quiet motor

–auto shut-off

–energy efficiency

–if special filters are required, ease in finding “replacements”

It’s that time of year.  Preschool registration.  Whether you’ve had your child on a waitlist for months (or years!) at a particular preschool or you’re just warming up to the idea of sending your child to preschool this fall, there’s a lot to think about. 

Choosing the right preschool program for your child can be tough.  I lost many hours of sleep agonizing over the “right” program for my first born, only to move right before she started the program–agony again! 

Preschools have unique philosophies (e.g., play-based, Montessori), which may or may not mesh with your own views or ideals, or even be compatible with your child’s personality.  Schools are as unique as people.  Some offer highly structured programs and orderly classrooms.  Others are chaotic at every step–from the administration to carpool pick up. 

When it comes to picking a preschool there are so many considerations it’s really easy to become overwhelmed or even discouraged, especially if you find out that you’re “late” in the application game. 

I’m not kidding.  Selecting a preschool ranks near the top of my ”most effort needed” mom projects–definitely tons more work than finding sock mates in the morning in the mad rush to get to preschool on time (and finding matching socks in my household is no easy chore).  If you’re in the preschool application boat right about now, Wondertime has a feature which is worth a read. It’s a preschool checklist, which goes over the basic things you need to think about in selecting a program for your child.

Thankfully, my firstborn’s preschool also seems like a great fit for my rising preschooler, so I get to skip a lot of the hard work this time around.  And…I just learned today that he’s been accepted into the fall preschool class.  Now, that’s icing on the cake.

What advice do you have for parents of rising preschoolers who are thinking about preschool? 

How do you plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Eating chocolate? Shopping?  Giving gifts?  I’ll be baking for part of the day.  According to my preschooler, Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year reserved for baking a heart cake.  Since preschoolers know everything, so they think, a heart cake is my number one priority on Valentine’s Day–along with exchanging a ton of love, laughter and giggles with my kids, of course.

What’s your Valentine’s plan? 

Have you ever thought about signing your child up for yoga?  Hmmm…Let me guess, you’re thinking right about now, “if anyone needs a yoga class (think, relaxation), it’s me, not my kid.”  

Children’s yoga programs are catching on throughout the country. Why? Yoga is about strengthening the mind/body connection and creating balance.  For children, yoga means learning relaxation techniques, increasing flexibility, developing body awareness, and enhancing self-esteem.  In our fast-paced world, yoga gives children a chance to slow down, to focus on the moment, and think quietly–sounds like the benefits yoga offers grown-ups, too, don’t you think?  And, for children with ADD/ADHD, sensory integration dysfunction,  or autism, yoga is also thought to offer meaningful health benefits.

Beyond children-only classes, many yoga studios offer “mommy and me” yoga classes and family yoga classes.  Even baby can tag along with mom!  For moms and families, yoga classes make a nice complement to stroller walks and jogs–that’s good news, given that there’s no such thing as too much quality family time.

Does your child take yoga classes?  If so, do you recommend yoga for children and/or new moms?