Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Cheap Ways to Childproof a Condominium

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Childproof a Condominium

When baby starts crawling and walking, you may feel like you don’t have enough eyes to keep track of him. Babies this age love getting into cabinets and putting things into their mouths. They love to explore. While these traits are good for babies’ growing knowledge, it can also put them in danger, sometimes mortal danger. However, there are cheap ways to childproof a condominium that will help keep your baby safe and help you maintain some control over his environment.

Cheap Ways to Childproof a Condominium

If you’re trying to save money or be frugal when childproofing, you’ll be happy to know you can start with the free fixes first.

Free Ways to Childproof

Consider Baby Safety Before You Buy

Childproof a Condominium

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

If you even remotely are considering having a child when you are condo shopping, the best thing you can do is find a child-friendly condo layout. That means finding a condo that doesn’t have a large balcony that over looks the living space. (Trying to childproof an upstairs railing can be a nightmare!) Likewise, open concept plans may be more difficult to childproof because you can use doorways to separate off areas.

Rearrange Your Cupboards

Once your child starts becoming more mobile, it’s time to rearrange your cupboards. In the lower cabinets, put things like pots and pans. If baby gets into these items, no harm done. You’ll want to move any glass containers or lids to higher shelves.

Put Up Dangerous Items

Many people keep cleaning chemicals under their kitchen sink. A better place for these might be in a higher cupboard so you don’t risk your child getting into them and accidentally getting poisoned. Automatic lighters and other potentially dangerous items should all be put up. Out of sight, out of mind.

Keep Furniture Away from Windows

The next free thing you can do is keep furniture away from high windows. If your child’s bedroom is on the second floor or higher, be sure to keep the bed and dresser away from the window. This step makes it harder for your child to inadvertently fall from the window since she has nothing to climb.

Tie Up Window Blind Cords

Window blind cords create a real danger for young children. In a study by The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, researchers “found that over 26 years emergency departments treated almost 17,000 children for strangulation from window covering cords.  Of those cases, 271 children died” (Today.com).

Sure, you can buy expensive cord binders, but check out Pinterest for a way to make a free cord binder. All you need is a light piece of plastic that you probably were going to throw in recycling anyway and a pair of scissors. This idea is ingenious!

Bath Seat

Don’t feel the need to buy a special bath seat for when your little one takes a bath. Instead, place your child in a laundry basket in the tub when giving her a bath. She can stay seated in a smaller area, so there is less chance of slipping or falling.

Low-Cost Options

After you exhaust the free options, there are several low-cost ways to childproof your condo.

Tennis Balls on Sharp Corners

Little ones can often lose their balance when just learning to walk, so cut the side of a tennis ball and stick it on the sharp corners of tables and other items like the hearth of the fireplace.

Elastic on Handles

To keep cabinets with handles closed, put rubber bands around the handles. Double twist to make sure the doors stay securely closed.

If you have cabinets without handles, either install handles or you can buy inner door latches. These run about $1 a piece.

Plastic Container Around Power Cords

If you have a power strip you want to babyproof, you can take a cheap plastic tub, put the power strip inside, and cut a hole on the side for the cords. See full instructions and image on Pinterest.

Hairband Around the Toilet Paper Roll

Childproof a Condominium

Remember the fun age when toddlers delight in unrolling ALL the toilet paper on the roll? End that habit with a rubber band around the toilet paper roll.

Band-aids over Electrical Outlets

If it will be a few days before you can get to the store, you can cover electrical outlets with band-aids. However, your baby will likely figure this one out quickly, so eventually you’ll want to buy electrical outlet plug covers. These are very affordable at only $6 per 24 pack.

Door Knob Covers

There may be some rooms and closets that you just don’t want your child to get into unattended. For those rooms, consider door knob covers. These are easy for parents to use, but little ones usually can’t figure them out until at least the preschool years.

DIY Baby Gate

If there is a doorway you want to keep baby from going through, you can create a DIY baby gate. You’ll need two tension rods and fabric. True, you’ll have to invest some money into this project, but the overall cost is much cheaper than metal, store-bought baby gates. Plus, these are softer.

Air Vent Protection

If you have air vents on the floor, your child may be unable to resist dropping items down the slats. Prevent this by putting fabric tulle under or over the air vent. Air can still flow through unobstructed, but your child will no longer be able to put things through the cracks.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the cheap ways to childproof a condominium. While you won’t have to spend a fortune childproofing, you will likely need to buy some supplies. There are free childproofing fixes, but you’ll also probably have to buy some of the low-cost supplies to truly keep your child safe. But don’t worry, in a few years, childproofing will be a distant memory as your child gains more independence and learns what’s safe and what isn’t.

Read More

Childproofing Your Home Reduces Risk by 70%

Is It Worth Buying Expensive Car Seats

Did You Know Your Preschooler’s Apps Are Full of Ads?

Is It Worth Buying Expensive Car Seats?

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Buying Expensive Car Seats

As a new parent, you’ll likely feel pressured to buy many things.  After all, loving parents want the best for their children and should be willing to pay for that, right?  While there are areas where you won’t want to go the cheapest route, there are other areas where you can save money.  One area where you don’t need to spend the most money is when buying car seats.  Buying expensive car seats isn’t necessary for your child’s safety, but there are other standards you’ll want to consider.

What to Consider Instead of Buying Expensive Car Seats

Rather than just looking at the price of the car seat when deciding which one to buy, you should instead consider several other factors.

Installation

The most important factor in protecting your child in case of a crash is installing the car seat properly.  Yet, many, many parents unknowingly install the car seat improperly.

If you live in the United States, you can go to any local fire station, and the fire fighter will check to make sure the car seat is properly installed.  If it’s not, the fire fighter can help you install it properly.

Safety

Before making your purchase, consider the safety record of the car seat you want to buy.  An excellent place to look is Consumer Report’s Car Seat ratings.  You’ll find that buying an expensive car seat isn’t necessary.  There are many cheaper car seats that offer your child all the safety he needs.

Length of Use

Some of the cheapest car seats have lower weight and height restrictions, which means you’ll need to buy the next size up more quickly.  Sometimes, buying a mid-price range car seat is actually more affordable than the cheapest brand because you’ll be able to use it longer.

What to Avoid When Buying Car Seats

Buying Expensive Car Seats

Photo by Clark Van Der Beken on Unsplash

Even if money is tight, please avoid buying used car seats.  Some people don’t know this, but car seats actually have an expiration date.  That date is typically six to ten years after the seats are manufactured.  Why an expiration on car seats?  The general idea is that the plastic and seat belts can degrade after years of exposure to the sun and heat.  Also, safety standards are constantly changing, so new car seats may offer your child more protection than used seats you buy from someone else.

In addition, if you buy a used car seat, you have no way to know if that car seat survived a car crash.  If it did survive a crash, there may be small cracks in the plastic that you do not know about, which can make the seat less safe for your child should you be involved in an accident.

Final Thoughts

Car seats are necessary, but can be pricey.  However, don’t feel pressured into buying expensive car seats.  Instead, consider the car seat’s safety record and make sure to install the seat properly.  Finally, choosing seats that have higher weight and height limits may save you the most money over the time your child will need car seats.

Read More

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Is Gabb Wireless a Good First Cell Phone?

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Though we put it off as long as we felt we could, this summer, we decided to get our child a cell phone for his birthday.  We had specific requirements for a cell phone.  Namely, we didn’t want it to have internet access, yet we wanted it to look like the phones his friends use.  We did a lot of research before we finally bought a phone from Gabb Wireless.

Is Gabb Wireless a Good First Cell Phone for Kids?

Features of a Gabb Wireless Cell Phone

While a Gabb Wireless cell phone doesn’t have all the features a typical cell phone has, it does have several important ones:

  • A 5” display,
  • 2 MP front and 5 MP rear camera,
  • 5 mm Earphone Port for headphones,
  • Battery that lasts up to three days,
  • 2GB RAM/16GB ROM,
  • Coverage on a nationwide 4G LTE network, and
  • 12 essential apps including phone, messaging, contacts, camera, video, gallery, calendar, calculator, clock, voice recorder, FM radio, and file manager.

In addition, Gabb Wireless doesn’t require a long-term contract.  You pay month by month (billed on the 15th of the month with payment on the 17th), and you can cancel at any time.

You can go to the Gabb Wireless website to see if coverage is available in your area.

Is Gabb Wireless a Good First Cell Phone?

Honestly, the answer depends on what you’re looking for.  However, there are several reasons why Gabb Wireless is a good first cell phone for our child.

Unlimited Text and Calling

We use Ting for our own cell phone service, so we were pretty sure we didn’t want to add him to our plan.  (With Ting you pay as you use, so you pay for each individual call and text, which we didn’t want to do with a teen.)

Our teen isn’t particularly chatty, but he uses his new Gabb Wireless cell phone a lot.  He is working on a political campaign, and part of his work is calling registered voters for about six to eight hours a week.  That translates to A LOT of cell phone calls.  We’re so glad he has unlimited calling!

He also likes to text his friends, so he uses that feature frequently.

No Internet Access

We specifically wanted a phone that didn’t have internet access and all of the trouble that could potentially go with the internet such as viewing inappropriate content, spending too much time playing games or using social media, or just fueling a cell phone addiction, which is so easy to do.

We wanted our teen to have a cell phone, but we didn’t want to give him too much device that he wouldn’t handle responsibly.  In a few years, he can upgrade to a regular smart phone.

Appearance

If you’ve spent any time looking for cell phones that don’t have internet access, you know that many of them look like relics from 15 years ago.  We really appreciated that the Gabb Wireless cell phone looks like any other regular smart phone.  That was an important feature for our teen.

Low Cost

Our child is forgetful and not the most gentle with his possessions, so we wanted a phone that was reasonably priced.  We bought the cell phone from Gabb Wireless for $69 on sale.  (Sometimes they have sales where the price of the phone goes as low as $49!)

Gabb Wireless has their own network, so we pay approximately $24 a month for the service, but as I mentioned, there is unlimited text and calling.  So, the total outlay between buying the phone and paying for service for a year is $357 ($69 for the phone and $288 for a year of coverage).

Basic Apps

Is Gabb Wireless a Good First Cell Phone for Kids?

Photo by Lance Anderson on Unsplash

The phone does have basic apps and features that our teen enjoys.  He listens to music on his phone when he takes walks, and he uses the alarm feature frequently.

Downsides to the Gabb Wireless as a Good First Cell Phone

If you’re a parent who wants a simpler phone for your kids that keeps away many of the dangers of a traditional smart phone, Gabb Wireless may be a good first cell phone for you.  However, there are definitely some drawbacks to this phone.

No Ability to Track

The majority of smartphones give you the ability to track your child.  You can quickly check and see exactly where they are.  This gives parents reassurance that children are where they’re supposed to be when they say they are.  In the unlikely chance that your child gets kidnapped (or if he simply gets lost), the tracking feature can also help the police find him.

Unfortunately, Gabb Wireless does not have this ability.  For some parents, that alone is a reason to not buy this phone.  I do hope that this is something Gabb Wireless is able to remedy in the future.

Can’t Send or Receive Images

While a Gabb Wireless phone does have a camera, you can’t use the camera to send photos in your texts.  Texts can only send text messages.

I completely understand why Gabb Wireless did this, but still, sometimes this feature can be annoying.  Within the first week of getting his phone, my son was chatting with his aunt who sent over some pictures of her dogs, but my son did not receive the images.  He was a bit embarrassed to tell her that his new phone doesn’t let him view images.

No Way to Monitor Texts

Since there is no Internet on this phone, there is no way to install monitoring software to monitor your child’s texts.  This seems to be a flaw in an otherwise extremely safe phone.  I would hope in future models that Gabb Wireless could address this issue.

Final Thoughts

For our family, Gabb Wireless is a good first cell phone.  It looks like other smart phones with more capabilities, and it offers basic features that are necessary for younger children.  Yet, it takes away one of the greatest sources of addiction as well as mischief—the Internet.

There are some drawbacks to this phone, but overall, Gabb Wireless is the best “safe” cell phone we found on the market.

Owlet Smart Sock 2 Review: Is the Owlet Worth It?

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is the owlet worth itBringing home your baby from the hospital is a joyous occasion, but it’s also scary, especially for first-time parents. You may be even more scared if your child has health issues. For this reason, many parents turn to baby monitors for help. The Owlet Smart Sock 2 is the most unique type of baby monitor on the market. Created by Kurt Workman, Zack Bomsta, and Jordan Monroe, the Smart Sock is getting rave reviews after just a few years on the market. Is the Owlet worth it? Here’s what you should know.

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Top Car Safety Features To Look For When Buying A New Car

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Keeping your kids safe is the number one thing you do as a parent. Your job is to protect your children and make sure that when they go from point A to B in life that they do it safely. When it comes to buying a new car, you want that car to be the safest environment for your children. But what kind of safety features should you make a total priority when it comes to your new car? Below are some great safety features, that most car packages offer as options when you’re looking for a new car to keep your kids as safe as possible.

According to www.cars.com, “Safety isn’t just about airbags and crash tests. Crash avoidance technology has taken center stage as automakers offer features that can warn you before an accident or intervene with automatic steering or braking systems.” Cars.com actually offers a wealth of safety information for new buyers looking to really amp up the safety features on their new vehicle. If you’re buying with kids in mind, it’s a great website to compare everything you want in a vehicle so you get exactly what you want in a safe car. The safety features you should consider include seatbelt features, as well as transmission and crash test features.

Why LATCH Is So Important

All new cars, manufactured after 2002, now come equipped with a safety feature called Low Anchors and Tethers for children or LATCH. This cool feature simply makes it easier to install a car seat without using the seatbelts. This system is just as important as the safety features of seatbelts, so if you’re looking for a new or used vehicle you can rest easy if you purchase one manufactured after 2002.

What You Need To Know About Airbags

While airbags are designed with safety in mind, there are some features that you should know about. When it comes to “side-impact airbags” it’s important to know if the car you are looking at has passed “out of position” tests. While side-impact airbags are designed to protect children they can injure a passenger who is “out of position” in their seat. That includes small children, as they can move around a lot at young ages. If you have teenagers that ride up front in your car, look into “active head restraints”. These airbags are designed to minimize movement in the event of an accident because they inflate in the headrest and absorb shock to the head as well.

Brake Transmission Safety Locks

Some parent’s biggest fear is accidentally locking their keys in the car with their child. Knowing a friend who did this – it can be terrifying. You’re at the grocery store, you turn around to take the buggy back. You walk to the car and your child hits the lock button, and your keys are sitting in the front seat right next to your purse and your smartphone. Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. That’s why the new brake transmission technology is so important when looking to buy a new car. What does it do? It simply keeps your child from being able to shift the car out of park without hitting the brake first. It’s pretty impossible for your child to put the car in reverse, drive, or neutral because they simply cannot push the pedal down. While brake transmission technology isn’t one of the most obvious safety features to consider, it’s comforting to know it’s available for the parent with mischievous kids in mind.

5 Quality Baby Items That Are Worth the Investment

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If you want to know what quality baby items are worth the money, I definitely recommend this list!In 2014, my husband and I had two in two years. We also lived on less than $2,000 per month. Having a lot of baby things simply wasn’t an option during that season of life. However, we did save up for a number of quality baby items, and I’m glad we did.

We may not have had new living room furniture or all new kitchen appliances, but if there was something costly that got its money’s worth for our kids, then it was money well spent.

5 Quality Baby Items Worth the Investment

Hear me out. One thing we did not do is go into debt to purchase these items. Nor did we dip into our emergency fund. Either option would have been so much easier. Instead, we opened a checking account with no minimum balance required and labeled it our “Baby” account.

Each month, we’d budget an allotted amount into the account. Having it separate from our primary checking helped protect that money from being mishandled.

We saved up, used coupons, used gift cards, or we said no to the purchase.

There are so many different brands of these products, but here are the ones we chose and that I recommend.

1. Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper

We kept our babies in this Rock N’ Play throughout their entire newborn stage. It was so nice to have them right next to our bed at night, elevated so they could probably breathe when congested. Another perk was how lightweight the product was. After I had an unexpected c-section with my second child, I had a major weight restriction during the first several weeks. The Rock N’ Play was easy to fold and transfer from room to room.

2. Medela Advanced Breast Pump

I made the choice before my first child was born to breastfeed. I was still employed at my banking job during that time, so have a reliable and efficient breast pump was crucial. Since that time, the government has made it much easier to obtain breast pumps for free or to receive reimbursement on a purchase. Definitely look into that. If you can’t get one (a QUALITY one) for free, then I highly recommend this product. It hasn’t given me any problems and I was able to breastfeed both of my children for at least 12 months.

3. Aden + Anaias Swaddle Blankets

The features I love most about these swaddling blankets is that they’re sheer which reduces the risk of suffocation, and they’re large enough to do a full swaddle on a baby throughout the first six months to a year. My 2-year-old son still chooses his Aden and Anaias blankets to sleep with over any other bedding.

4. Braun Ear Thermometer

If you’re up at 2:30 AM with a screaming, feverish baby, you need a reliable thermometer that will tell you exactly what’s going on, every time. I tried the cheap route at first, using a knock-off thermometer under the baby’s armpit (try getting a fussy baby to keep his arm down long enough to get a consistent reading). Finally, I realized it wasn’t worth the risk of misdiagnosing. High fevers can spike at any time. I’ve caught each of them in time with my Braun ear thermometer.

5. Wooden Toys

What I love about wooden toys is that they’re made well. My parents grew up in the era of wooden or metal toys. I was raised throughout the dawn of plastic. To see the difference in toys like Melissa & Doug and many others is very refreshing. I head straight to that aisle every time I buy a gift for a baby shower or child’s birthday party.

What quality baby items are you grateful you purchased? Share in the comments below!

This post contains affiliate links.

Image Credit: Gaelle Marcel (UnSplash)

Skateboarding for Kids: Safety Tips for Parents

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skateboarding for kidsSome parents dread the day that their little boy or girl asks for a skateboard or leaves the house in their older sibling’s BMX. There are some sports that some – or many – parents aren’t so keen to encourage, but whether our little monkeys decide to be a ballet dancer or a parkour runner, we have to be supportive in every way we can.

Skateboarding has become extremely popular in the last few decades, so it would be no surprise for our little ones to show an interest even from a young age. Off-shoot sports such as longboarding and mountain-boarding are also growing in popularity. So if your son or daughter decides that they want to give an extreme sport a go, and you’re fully supportive of it, here are some safety tips to make sure they stay as safe as possible.

Safety Gear Should be Mandatory

It should always be mandatory for kids to wear safety gear when they are taking part in sports such as skateboarding or mountain biking. This should be encouraged from the beginning, with serious discussions about the consequences that they could experience if they were not to follow safety rules. Safety gear should include a helmet, safety pads (elbows, knees and wrists), the right skateboard shoes and mouth guards for beginners. Padded jackets are also available if you worry about your child falling over. 

Take Part in Skateboarding Too

The best way to encourage safety in sport is to get involved too and show your little ones how it’s done. Show them that you take an interest in what they love to do by taking part and you can learn the sport together. You can  also lead by example and show them the importance of wearing safety gear.

Buy from Trusted Brands

If you are shopping around for skateboards and safety gear, make sure you research the different brands out there. Price isn’t everything but some of the better brands have been around for many years, and are trusted by many extreme sports stars. Brands such as Santa Cruz, Sk8 Mafia, Enuff, Bullet, Baker Skateboards, Element, Flip, Plan B, Real Skateboards, and Heroin Skateboards are all available from reputable retailers such as Skatehut.

Know Where Your Child Is Riding

This is extremely important. If your child is old enough to go riding with his friends, it’s not always easy to keep a track of exactly where he or she is at all times. Research the skate parks and bike trails in your local area and make sure you check out each of these spots before you allow your teenager to ride there. Don’t be afraid to set rules about where he/she can go and always tell your child to keep their skateboarding within designated skate parks. To locate the nearest skate parks anywhere in the world, use this locator from Thrasher Magazine.

What to Do If Your Family is Involved In a Car Accident

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car accident familyIt’s the time of the year when car accidents are prevalent. The snow is quickly accumulating in most areas and vehicles tend to slip and slide on the road.

As careful as you might be you can’t control other drivers on the road and a car accident can come out of nowhere. If your family is involved in a car accident here’s what to do.

Stay Calm and Call for Help

It’s important to stay calm if you’re in an accident and it’s even more important if your children are with you.

If you haven’t sustained any injuries check on all of the members of your family and the passengers in any other vehicles involved. Quickly assess the situation and call for help.

Even if no one has been injured it’s still important to call the authorities and file an accident report.

The calmer you remain the better you’ll be able to help your children. Even if they haven’t been injured they’re most likely very scared.

Contact Your Insurance Agent

After the authorities have been contacted and medical treatment has been provided for any injured passengers, you should contact your insurance agent.

If the accident was your fault your agent can take necessary information from you and file a claim with your insurance company. If the accident was caused by another driver your agent can file a claim with the at fault party’s insurance company on your behalf. If you don’t have the insurance information from the other drivers involved your agent should be able to get this from the accident report.

Your insurance agent will be able to walk you through the claims filing process and assist you with any questions you have.

Seek Legal Counsel if Needed

If a serious injury was sustained by a member of your family you may need to contact a disability or personal injury lawyer.

A disability lawyer such as Preszler Law Firm or an accident law firm like can assess your situation and help you determine what kind of damages are owed to you by the insurance company. It’s especially important that you contact the best personal injury lawyer in your area if you or one of your family members have sustained long term injuries.

Since personal injury lawyers work with insurance companies on a daily basis they’ll be able to look at your situation and evaluate what type of compensation you should receive for your injuries. You might be entitled to payment for your long or short term medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of wages.  If you to learn more about costs, see this.   Its the webpage for Obrien and Ford, a solid accident firm in Buffalo, New York.  They have some solid information for people who need legal counsel.

If you aren’t sure whether the insurance company is treating you fairly a personal injury lawyer can help.

Talk to Your Children

As parents we want to shield our children from everything bad in the world. Unfortunately, accidents happen.

Being in a car accident can heavily impact a child. Talk to your child about what she is feeling and do your best to comfort her. In some cases a child may need to talk to a professional counselor to help deal with her feelings.

Car accidents happen.  Do you have any other advice?

How to Keep an Eye on Your Kids All the Time

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watchful momSomeone once said, “When you have a child, it’s like wearing your heart outside your body.”  Most parents can probably relate.  You’d likely do anything to keep your child safe.

While you may want to keep an eye on your kids all the time, realistically, you can’t.  Of course, there are some steps you take to protect your child such as checking your babysitter’s credentials and calling references.  You likely put sunscreen on your child if you’ll have him outdoors for an hour or more.

You take the precautions to protect your child outside the home, but do you take the proper precautions inside the home?

 

Keeping an Eye Inside the Home

Home is where we feel safest, but there is danger lurking.  Even the staircase can be dangerous if you or your child slips and falls.  To keep an eye on your child at all times and keep them protected, you’ll want to see all the quality safety equipment for around the home that is available.  You’ll be amazed. . .and reassured.

You can install a nanny cam to make sure your sitter is taking good care of your child.  What you will see will likely reassure you and help you feel even more confident in your sitter, but if something is amiss, you can take the proper steps immediately.

 

Remember Key Safety Features

However, there are other things you should consider.  Do you have a smoke detector on each floor of the home?  Ideally, you might want at least two per floor, depending on the size of your home.

What about a fire extinguisher?  There should be one within easy reach of the stove in case a fire starts there.

Some people feel safer with a home security system to protect them while they sleep at night.    Use a trusted supplier such as PureSafety who can help you make your home as safe as possible for your family.

You’ll never be able to remove every danger that may face your child, just as you won’t be able to keep an eye on him 24/7, no matter how much you want to.  However, you can take the proper precautions to make him as safe as possible inside the home and out.  As parents, that’s our job, and one most of us will gladly do.

What other safety precautions do you take?