SnoofyBee Clean Hands Changing Pad New Year’s Giveaway

01/05/2016 R.C. Liley 10 Comments

It’s the start of a new year, and the kind folks over at SnoofyBee are feeling generous enough to allow me to host a giveaway. One lucky reader will win a brand new SnoofyBee Clean Hands Changing Pad in the color/design of their choice.

I wrote a review of their changing pad a few months ago and have included it below for all to see again. We are still happy with the changing pad when we’re traveling as it truly does help to avoid…ummm, messy situations. Apparently, as toddlers get older, they get increasingly curious, even about….well, you know where’ I’m going. 🙂

Anyway, why not start the New Year with your little ones on “clean” slate and enter to win a Clean Hands Changing Pad today? The giveaway will end next Wednesday, 01/13/16. I will contact the winner for design choice and mailing info. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’ve come to terms with the fact that our little girl is not quite ready for serious potty training. Any parent, I’m sure, understands the allure of not having to change diapers anymore, but it’s something we all must accept. Thanks to the Clean Hands Changing Pad from SnoofyBee, accepting this fundamental part of parenting is much easier!

SnoofyBee recently sent me one of their Clean Hands Changing Pads to use and review, and I must say, diaper changes have become ~~quite pleasant~~ less messy. At first glance, it looked like a modern day sun reflector used to tan your face years ago.

But, this changing pad actually helps parents keep their cool by keeping their kids’ and their own hands free of pee or poo. I don’t know about your kids, but Avery’s curious little grabby hands seem to gravitate directly to the mess before us when changing her diaper. This leads to to us quickly trying to correct her movement only to end up with both of our hands tainted by poo.

Unless you’re one of the lucky ones with a kid that patiently remains idle as you clean and change them, you know what I’m talking about. I was skeptical of the Clean Hands Changing Pad at first, so I just kept it in the car to use when on the go. Well, one day as we were on the go, she went, meaning t it was time to put the SnoofyBee to the test.

The result? Easy-peasy! The velcro attachment for the barrier to keep her hands mess-free was simply to put on and worked like a charm. Plus, the high quality material folds up easily after using and conveniently holds diapers and wipes inside.

Just toss it in a purse or diaper bag and you’re good to go! SnoofyBee’s instructions help ease any reservations you have about how to use their changing pad, and even have a video to watch.

Easy, right? My only issue was the concern that Avery would absolutely hate having a cone around her head, but, with the exception of the first two times, this was not a problem. We even play peek-a-boo during changes where I hide behind the cone which yields sweet giggles every time. Raise your hand if you’d like to hear your adorable child’s giggles instead of whines as you clean their behinds?

I was going for a semi-rhyme there, just work with me. And I hope you raised your hands!

Now I confidently go out to run errands or to a trampoline park with the SnoofyBee in tow for any diaper changes. Before, I used to fear having to use whatever was available to the public for changing her, but now we have a safe, clean, and dependable changing pad. Here are the key features:

Sides attach to create a barrier that keeps your baby’s hands away from diaper mess
Waterproof wipe-clean surface
Portable hassle-free diaper changing anywhere
Folds small for parents on the go
Fits diapers, wipes and a change of clothes inside folded pad
Padding keeps baby comfortable on any surface
Baby’s hands remain free to play
Barrier adjusts to fit growing baby
Certified safe and PVC free

I wish we had the SnoofyBee many months ago when Avery learned to squirm and wriggle about, but even now, at almost 2 years old, it’s an awesome investment in a parent’s mental state and everyone’s hygiene.

Fear no poo or pee with the SnoofyBee!

SnoofyBee started with a goal of $15,000 on Kickstarter and now have almost $119k pledged as a result of happy parents all over. They will be funded today, 09/06/15 and you can get your own or give one as a gift (or both) now!

Check them out and see what’s “changing” on Facebook, Twitter, and their website.

Guest Post

Are There Different “Styles” Of Homeschooling?

01/04/2016 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

At just over 2 years old, we don’t plan on starting our daughter with any kind of homeschooling for a while, but it’s a topic we frequently discuss. Hey, it’s always good to prepare when it comes to education!

Going Mom and I both agree homeschool is the best option for us, but we are unsure of the type or “style to utilize when the time comes. Thankfully, Andrew Burgess, my guest poster today, can help clear up the differences and make choosing your ideal homeschooling method less of a hassle.

I’ll share more of my thoughts on what we’ll do in our home as the time gets closer, but for now, enjoy Andrew’s short but precise post on homeschooling styles. Once finished, be sure to head over to his site, Future School, to learn more and see what home education services would best suit your family. Thank you, Andrew!

When it comes to homeschooling, there is no set-in-stone way to get things done. Granted, there are certain subjects you should be sure to at the very least touch on, there is no specific way in which you are “required” to teach them. All in all, it is whatever works best for your child. You should conform your teaching style to match what methods allow them to learn best. Maybe it is online homeschooling, a less structured curriculum or a more structured curriculum – whatever it may be, if it works, use it!

5 Common Homeschooling Teaching Styles

Here are the 5 most common homeschooling teaching styles.

Classic

The Classic style of homeschooling is based on the idea that you teach your child in three stages: the grammar stage – age 6 to 10, the dialectic stage – age 10 to 12 and the rhetoric stage – age 13 to 18.

Traditional

Traditional homeschooling is very much that of what in-schooling is like. Each subject has independent texts, of which you read and then complete assignments based upon the readings.

Unschooling

“Unschooling” is not the official term for this type of homeschooling, but it is what it is commonly referred to as. With this type of schooling there is no set curriculum. No books designated for particular subjects and no structured syllabus. Instead, you learn about whatever your child is interested in until they are satisfied.

Charlotte Mason

This style of homeschooling involves the natural way in which children learn and tends to focus heavily on subjects such as art, literature, music, reading, etc.

Unit studies

Unit studies involve taking one particular unit of study, say Ancient Egypt, and molding each subject to fit with the unit. So, maybe you make salt dough scarabs, learn about Ancient Egyptian history, architecture, scribe, etc.

For the best services in home education, visit www.FutureSchool.com for more.

Life, Parenting

Baby’s Firsts are Fun, But What About Their Lasts?

01/02/2016 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

You have approximately 940 weeks from when your baby is born to when they (usually) head off to college. It’s true, Google’s calculator says so…

940 might seem like a lot, but how many have you already used with your kid or kids? And as they grow older, they will be spending less time with you and more time at school and with friends. Before you know it, the weeks will become a blur and you’ll have less than 100 left to cherish. Then, you’re helping them pack to leave and saying your goodbyes.

I know this isn’t the case for every family, but for many, it is. Avery is only 9.5 months, and I get emotional just thinking of that day she leaves Going Mom and me. Although we’ve been parents for less than a year, time truly is flying by, and the little squirmy baby that easily fit in our hands, is now a bigger squirmy baby we need to firmly hold with both arms!

Lately, as I’m sitting with Avery in her dark nursery and feeding her a bottle for nap time, I have been thinking more and more of how little time we really have. Getting her to actually fall asleep while holding her has become a rare event, and I usually resort to just laying her in her crib to where she’ll move all over the place until finally giving in to sleep.

But, it doesn’t seem that long ago when she’d fall asleep on the bottle, and I could hold her on my chest and just rock with her before laying her in her crib….still sleeping. Now my wife and I both look back on those days and tell each other if we are ever so lucky to have that chance again. Kelley is able to experience this more because of that damn comforting boob, but it’s still a rare occurrence.

This quickly fading part of our parenthood makes me think how excited we get about every “first” we experience with Avery, but we don’t always consider there will be a last. Even as she’s sitting on the floor crying for no reason, there will be a last time we come over to pick her up and hold her.

Soon, crawling will be a thing of the past and we won’t have to stoop so low to pick her up. And then *gasp* she’ll grow up to where picking her up and holding her is simply unacceptable!

It’s sad to think, but there will be a last time you pick up your baby.

As this thought entered my mind, many more “lasts” soon followed. I remember my delight when I fed Avery her first bottle, but now I’m thinking of how one day, I’ll be feeding her the bottle one last time. It’s bittersweet, really, because obviously that means she’s moving on to bigger and better things with food and I can’t wait to show her the wonderful assortment of fresh produce to enjoy, but still sad to think about.

Even things like diaper changes; there will a last change of diapers before she wears big girl undies. Using a swaddle for the first and last time has already happened, and I can barely remember those days. As a new parent who still has a lot of firsts to enjoy, I know there will be many lasts to endure as well.

Eventually, I will have to stop wearing her in our baby carrier which is a huge part of our lives. Every day, I make it a point to wear her and go for a walk. Luckily, the Onya can support up to 75 pounds, but I imagine I won’t be wearing her at that point! And blowing raspberries? Sadly, this is already fading fast.

At least not every first will mean there’s a daunting last in the future. When she walk for the first time, I expect she’ll be walking for her entire life. When she gives the first real hug, I can only hope she’ll give us hugs for eternity. But there are also many firsts we have yet to encounter that will be accompanied by lasts.

One day, after we are through with bottles, we’ll give her a sippy cup for the first time, but then, we’ll get rid of it as she upgrades to bigger and better drink ware. Same for plates and bowls; the colorful cartoon-decorated items will eventually be used for the last time when she is ready for bigger things.

She will develop a deep love for that special toy and we’ll get used to seeing her bring it with her everywhere (update: that toy is Lamby as of January 2016), but there will be a last day she wants to carry it with her and it will be put up and forgotten.

This is not because I have negative view about everything, rather, it allows (or at least helps) me to enjoy every day for what it is and to not take it for granted. Because once today is over, it becomes a thing of the past and will only live as a memory. Would you prefer worrying over petty things every day and letting them disturb your thoughts, or does enjoying the life around you and shrugging off the small stuff sound better?

I choose the latter, and need to remind myself of this every day as I am what some call a “worry wart”. As I spend my time with Avery, watching her learn and grow, I want to make sure to enjoy her now, just how she is in the present. Because, while she has many firsts yet to come, she also has many lasts.

Do you have grown children that have already had many “lasts”?

Any thoughts or stories to share of your own?