Mark Zuckerberg Invented a Device to Help His Wife Get More Sleep & Sign Us Up

by Shahrzad WarkentinApril 30, 2019

Motherhood can turn you into a sleep deprived mombie. Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg put his skills to work on a device that helps his wife get more sleep and you’re going to want one too.

Zuckerberg noticed that his wife Priscilla Chan, mom of their two daughters, Maxima “Max,” three, and August, one and a half, would wake up often in the middle of the night anxious that the kids were about to wake up. “Being a mom is hard, and since we’ve had kids Priscilla has had a hard time sleeping through the night,” Zuckerberg wrote of his invention. “She’ll wake up and check the time on her phone to see if the kids might wake up soon, but then knowing the time stresses her out and she can’t fall back asleep.”

To remedy the problem Zuckerberg created a device called the Sleep Box that resembles a wooden box. Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. the box emits a faint light that lets her know that it’s a decent hour for the kids to be awake. The light is dim enough that she can fall back asleep if she gets lucky and the kids are sleeping in. In the middle of the night if she wakes too early one brief glance at the box is enough to tell her she can roll over and go back to sleep.

Zuckerberg shared his new invention in a Facebook post which quickly racked up likes and comments, especially from moms. Some were quick to point out that the Sleep Box is like the mom version of the wake clock designed to keep kids from getting out of bed too early.

For moms hoping to get one of their own, there is some hope that they could eventually hit stores. “As an engineer, building a device to help my partner sleep better is one of the best ways I can think of to express my love and gratitude,” he wrote. “A bunch of my friends have told me they’d want something like this, so I’m putting this out there in case another entrepreneur wants to run with this and build sleep boxes for more people!”

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: StockSnap via Pixabay

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So It Turns Out Car Seat Covers Can Double as a Fashionable Skirt in a Pinch

by Shahrzad WarkentinFebruary 22, 2019

It’s hard enough trying to get out the door in the morning when you’re a new mom, let alone put on a decent outfit. Which is why when you find an easy look that works, you should rock it—like this mom who accidentally put on a car seat cover as a skirt and still looked amazing!

Mom Lori Farrell made an interesting discovery when she realized the cute pencil skirt she wore to work was, in fact, a car seat cover. Blogger Mary Katherine Backstrom shared Farrell’s picture on Facebook with a side-by-side comparison of the car seat cover in question. “If you feel like a failure today, just know I wore a car seat cover that a friend gave me because I thought it was a skirt,” Farrell said.

It turns out that she wasn’t the only one to make this clever mistake. Another mom quickly chimed in, sharing her own picture wearing the exact same car seat cover as a skirt.

Many car seat covers are already marketed to perform double duty as nursing wraps, shopping cart covers and infinity scarves so why not add cute pencil skirt to the mix for the perfect mom hack. Anything that makes getting dressed easier is a win-win.

Looking to add this versatile fashion workhorse to your own wardrobe? Get the Itzy Ritzy Mom Boss 4in1 Nursing Cover on Amazon or here at Target around $25 each.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Tamara Bellis via Unsplash

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Hilarious Hangry Kid Memes Every Parent Can Relate To

by Keiko ZollJuly 21, 2018

We’ve all been there: you’re stuck in a line somewhere and you realize that kiddo is overdue for lunch or dinner. You start to frantically search for something—anything—in your purse or bag to tide them over (a decent snack, for one). You watch as they go from the happy-go-lucky angel you adore to just pure, unadulterated hanger because food is just a millisecond too late for them. We see you, parents of hangry kids—and here are the memes to prove it.

Every parent makes this mistake once—and only once.

Guaranteed to happen not only when they're beyond hangry, but when you made them their favorite thing to eat for lunch, no less.

Stay strong, mama.

The table's not going to set itself, right?

It's inevitable, really.

There's never a gentle way to break the news, especially when they're already hangry.

Classic toddler logic.

Can you tag someone too young to have an IG account?

So much for going to bed early tonight... BRB, makin' the kid a sandwich at 9 p.m.

A sure sign that yes, it's time to stop what you're doing and feed them pronto.

Please just eat the flippin' raisins already.

A solid "A" for effort, Michelle. Not every kiddo can think this clearly when in the throes of hanger.

Look, sometimes we get a little hangry, too—and desperate times call for desperate measures.

In all fairness, it was never going to be the "right" spoon—not to your hangry kiddo, that is.

Or, what always happens at "insert your child's sport of choice here."

They literally had multiple opportunities to eat today.

It's all about those little victories—better take 'em where you can get 'em.

Yes, to winning with snacks like these.

—Keiko Zoll

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This 8-Year-Old’s Act of Kindness Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity

by Erica LoopJune 1, 2018

Sometimes the news can be a total drag—but sometimes, there’s actually some really sweet, decent news. One recent viral video has become a welcome breath of fresh, airy good news for a change: eight-year-old Maurice Adams Jr. helped an elderly woman up a flight of stairs while a bystander filmed the encounter. And what did the video show? To start with, pure awesomeness.

Riley Duncan did more than just watch when he saw a little boy help an older woman with a walker up a flight of outdoor stairs. Instead, he got out his phone and recorded the entire exchange for the whole world to see, too.

So what does Duncan’s video show? To start with, it shows Adams gallantly helping the woman walk up the stairs. With a walker, it’s a clear that moving from stair to stair isn’t easy—especially when the stairs are outdoors and have no railing.

After the eight-year-old steps in and helps the woman, she thanks him with a small hug. The exchange lasts mere seconds, but when he’s done Adams happily runs down the stairs, jumps the last one (of course) and gets into a car. Perhaps what’s most amazing of all is that before the exchange, Adams asked the driver of the car to stop just so he could get out and help the woman.

Now if only all eight-year-olds were this thoughtful and kind. Imagine what that kind of world would be like. We’re guessing it would be one that’s filled with all-out helpfulness and hugs!

—Erica Loop

Featured Photo: Myriams-Fotos via Pixabay

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What Happened the Day I Stopped Micromanaging My Husband’s Parenting

By Diedre Anthony

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

June 5, 2017

Photo: Jason Hurst Photography

It all started after my first child. I was breastfeeding at home and pumping while at work. She was a decent sleeper at night and my husband was wonderful to take a shift so that I could get a full 4-5 hours of sleep.

When she would cry, I would often wake up and peep around the corner to see what my husband was doing.

Why was she crying so long?

Was he moving fast enough?

Why did he wait so long to heat up the bottle?

When he caught me looking, he would ask why I wasn’t in bed resting. I told him that I just couldn’t rest until the baby settled down and stopped crying. At that point, she heard my voice and smelled me, so I just shot myself in the foot. The rest that I was supposed to have was robbed.

By me.

I didn’t realize that I was micromanaging my husband.

He’s a great dad. My husband does a lot of things that most dads don’t or won’t do. Not only does he know how to braid, he knows how to do it well.

He knows how to pick out and outfit and match bows.

Instead of focusing on what he was doing well, I was thinking of how much he wasn’t doing it just like me.

I didn’t realize that instead of allowing him to bond with our daughter in his own way, I was trying to make him recreate the moments between my daughter and I.

As she got older, the micromanaging didn’t cease.

I found ways of critisizing him when he disciplined her or fed her.

After baby #2, I found myself split in too many directions. Plauged by lack of sleep and postpartum depression, I found myself finding more wrong with my husband that right.

The joy we had together had fizzled. He felt unloved and unappreciated. I felt like he was incompetent. Yet when he wasn’t around, I longed for his presence.

I was on a crazy vicious cycle of perfectionism. I was on a crazy train to a destination that didn’t exist.

After a day of tantrums and getting stuck in a ditch in my own yard, I reached my breaking point. I realized how much I needed my husband. Having his help meant more to me that focusing on whether or not he was doing it the “right” way. I was overlooking his willingness to be present.

I could no longer complain about the way he was doing things because I had pushed him away and he no longer had a desire to help.

Thankfully, he was willing to forgive me and we moved forward with parenting together as a team.

I’ll be the first to admit that I still listen when I hear him discplining our kids. But the difference now is that I don’t intervene.

If he’s cooking dinner and attending to the kids, I leave the room. It eases my temptation to take over. It also gives me peace of mind.

Backing off my micromanaging days of terror has helped me to see my husband for who he really is–a wonderful father. A father who is building an irreplaceable bond with his children.

Diedre Anthony

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Diedre Anthony is a full time school counselor, mother and wife. In her blog Are Those Your Kids, she documents raising her biracial girls in an interracial marriage. Posts cover a variety of topics such as diversity, curly hair as well as entertaining stories, and anecdotes. Several of her posts have been published by the Huffington Post.

Sign Here, Please: How to Make a Ballpoint Feather Pen

by Amber GuetebierApril 4, 2016

If you’ve got a little writer in your house, try this easy way to transform an ordinary ballpoint into an old-fashioned quill pen worthy of scribing a masterpiece. Read on for the simple tutorial.

You will need:

A ballpoint pen (like a simple Bic pen)

A feather

Scissors

Tape

Step 1. Deconstruct.
Take your ballpoint pen apart. You shouldn’t need scissors or a knife for most pens. You need the little ballpoint pen part hiding inside that tube of plastic. (Caution: pen can leak ink so put away your white table linens).

You should choose a feather with a decent sized quill (this is the hollow part of the feather also known as the calamus) because this is where you’ll be stashing the “guts” of the ballpoint pen.

Step 2: Quill It Work?
Make a small snip at the end of the quill. Slide the thin ballpoint pen inside. If the fit is not tight enough, use a little scotch tape to secure it by wrapping the quill to bind the pen inside. It’s also a good idea to wrap the part of the pen that sticks out with scotch tape, to help avoid leaks onto tiny fingers.

Step 3: Pen It!
Voila! You’ve got a modern vintage writing implement! Now write a haiku or poem. Or your memoirs.

Tip: If your feather isn’t big enough to hold the pen, or if you prefer to use a pencil, you can just lash it to the pen using tape or yarn.

Do your kids have a penchant for pens?

—All photos and copy by Amber Guetebier

Make a Splash: 5 Family-Friendly Outdoor Community Pools

by Kristina MoyJuly 5, 2013

Even at the height of summer, Seattle weather can be fickle. But when the mercury does begin to rise or heaven forbid… a full-fledged heat wave hits the Emerald City (gasp!), Seattle families flock to local watering holes to cool off. While a trip to the beach or spray park is always fun, nothing screams “summer” more than splashing around in an outdoor pool. And even though there are just two (yup) outdoor public swimming pools in the city of Seattle, and neither is, shall we say, in a convenient location, don’t throw in the towel just yet. With just a wee bit of effort, the quintessential outdoor pool experience is just a short dive (er, drive) away.

Colman Pool in West Seattle
This setting is quintessential Seattle (unbelievably stunning) and the facility offers plenty of floaties and even a corkscrew slide. It’s a 10 – 20 minute hike to get down to the pool, literally, so make sure kiddos are wearing decent walking shoes (i.e. no flip flops). The pool underwent major renovations last year so if you haven’t been in a while you will be pleasantly surprised. Also note that Colman pool does not have a wading area for little ones. Which is great! This is an experience in which you want to fully submerge. Note: Occasionally, the pool hosts swim meets so be sure to check the online schedule before you go.

Colman Pool
8603 Fauntleroy Way Southwest
Seattle, Wa 98136
206-684-7494
Online: seattle.gov/parks/aquatics/colman.htm

Cost: $3.75 to $5.25; $1 extra for slide (under 1 free)

Lowery C. “Pop” Mounger Pool in Magnolia
The great thing about this Magnolia pool is that there are actually two pools. One smaller, warmer, shallower pool perfect for teaching little fish how to swim, and the other is a big deeper pool, fit for big kids who are ready to careen down a 50-foot slide. This is a newer facility with all the things you want and expect for a classy pool experience: clean locker rooms, decent snack bar and plenty of lounge chairs. Which all adds up to this being a super-popular place. Check the online schedule for themed family swimming nights throughout the summer.

Lowery C. “Pop” Mounger Pool
2535 32nd Avenue West
Seattle, Wa 98199
206-684-4708
Online: seattle.gov/parks/aquatics/mounger.htm

Cost: $3.75 to $5.25; $1 extra for slide (under 1 free)

Henry Moses Aquatic Center in Renton
Short of driving 45+ minutes south to Wild Waves, the Henry Moses Aquatic Center is your next best bet for a water park-type of experience. With a 9,000-square-foot leisure pool with wave machine, two 26-feet high water slides, a six-lane lap pool, and a concession area, they aim to please. Note: the higher rates for non-Renton residents. In other words, if you’re not a local, plan on paying double for admission or find a local to tag along with.

Henry Moses Aquatic Center
1719 Maple Valley Highway (Cedar River Park)
Renton, Wa 98057
425-430-6780
Online: rentonwa.gov

Cost: $4 to $14 (under 1 free)

Peter Kirk Pool in Kirkland
Ahh, Kirkland. With your kid-friendly parks and adorable lakefront shopping and district, you’re quite lovely this time of year. The pool, conveniently located in the center of town right near the library, is no frills, but that’s they way we like it. Make a day of it and stay late for one of their family swim nights (see schedule for details) filled with pool games, crafty activities and music!

Peter Kirk Pool
340 Kirkland Avenue
Kirkland, Wa
425-587-3335
Online: kirklandwa.gov/depart/parks/Aquatics/Peter_Kirk_Pool.htm

Cost: $4/person

Vashon Pool on Vashon Island
Yes, you will need to take the ferry to get there. But you won’t be disappointed. This is a fun, unfussy community pool located on a rustic, unfussy island. Swimming with your family at this pool is just one of the many destinations you’ll make when you explore Vashon Island with little ones this summer.

Vashon Pool
9600 SW 204th Street
Vashon, Wa 98070
206-463-3787
Online: vashonparks.org/section_facilities/facilities_facilities_pg6.htm

Cost: $6/person; discount punch cards available

Seattle Wading Pools
Wait – there’s more! No, actually, there isn’t. Seattle Parks and Recreations’ numerous wading pools are just that – fit for wading, not swimming. Consider them an easy and exhilarating alternative to filling up your own plastic backyard wading pool – the city actually encourages you to come as a water-saving measure. Participating wading pools are filled with water only on hot days (above 70 degrees) and only in certain parks, so check online or call the wading pool/spray park hotline to see if your neighborhood park is on the list. Tots and wee ones will have a great time splashing around, and parents need only worry about getting their ankles wet. Oh, and bathing suits or swimming diapers are required. But we didn’t need to tell you that.

Online: seattle.gov/parks/wadingpools.asp
Wading Pool Hotline: 206-684-7796

Insider Tips: On those rare hot Seattle summer days, expect outdoor pools to be crowded, so plan accordingly: Check family swim hours online, arrive early and don’t be surprised if you have to stand in line. Also: big kids who want to swim in the deep end will need to pass a swim test (varies by pool; usually two widths of crawl stroke). Most pools charge an extra dollar to use the water slides, and take cash or check only. Want the pool to yourself? Go when it’s overcast or even raining. Hey, you’re getting wet anyway!

Where will you be swimming this summer? Let us know in the comments section below.

– Kristina Moy & Allison Ellis

Photos courtesy of Kristina Moy, Lowery C. “Pop” Mounger Pool Facebook page, King County Parks Your Big via Flickr and Seattle Parks & Recreation

An Enchanted Forest in the Middle of the City

by Amber GuetebierJune 3, 2013

A forest in the heart of San Francisco? It’s hard to believe that a natural oasis could exist right under our noses. Embarking on an outdoor adventure with your city-slicker kids is as easy as parking your car and climbing a flight of stairs. With densely packed eucalyptus trees and pristine views of the city, Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve offers a quiet escape from the city and a major calf-toning workout. Throw on your trusty hiking shoes and make the trek out to San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood to explore this remarkable hidden gem.

Located behind UCSF Medical Center on Parnassus, the first saplings of this 61-acre forest were planted in 1886 by a group of schoolchildren at the behest of SF legendary tycoon Adolph Sutro (of Sutro Baths fame). Left largely untamed for years, this forested oasis, owned jointly by UCSF and the city of San Francisco, was given a major face-lift in 2011. With trails including Historical, Mystery Ridge, and Fairy Gates, there are miles of adventure throughout this lush preserve.

How to Do It
First, Check out this link for a printable map. There are multiple trails and entry points. Most of the paths aren’t particularly stroller-friendly, but with a bit of maneuvering and some major biceps, some of the shorter trails could be navigated with a decent baby jogger. Parents with babies and toddlers may find the excursion more rewarding with backpacks and front packs. (This is an awesome trek for new mommies hoping to burn off some extra calories!)

At 17^th and Stanyan, just past Grattan playground in the Cole Valley neighborhood, you can enter via stairs. This access point requires a good deal of uphill walking and the trail itself is fairly bumpy with the occasional twisted root and errant rock, but there is usually parking available in the neighborhood.

Up the hill from 17^th the Belgrave entry offers easier on-foot access, though street parking is more limited. This trail also leads more directly to the Aldea Housing area, which is a hub for other trail-head including the paths to the Native Garden.

A good bet for coming with the kiddos is the Edgewood entryway. There is usually some street parking but it is very close to public transit lines (though there is an decent incline here).

While you can’t park at the Fairy Gates trail-head, there is a paved road, Johnston Drive that you could get dropped off at, or try parking on nearby Clarendon (note this is a busy street). Fairy Gates trail is one of the rockiest so ditch the stroller for this one. You can also get to the East Ridge trail from the same spot.

The Nike Road up to the Native Garden is paved, but you cannot drive right up to it. Avoid the West Ridge and South Ridge trails with the under-five crowd. It is steep and pretty narrow. More details of hiking each trail can be found by clicking here.

What to Pack
The trails are maintained, but you won’t find many facilities in this park so pack plenty of water and snacks. There are restrooms at the Aldea Center in the UCSF Aldea Housing complex but they aren’t always open. Grattan playground has restrooms, as does the campus near the Milberry Library. Budding naturalist will benefit from a journal or sketchpad, and don’t forget your camera and binoculars. There are more than 40 species of birds living in this neck of the woods, including Great Horned Owls!

What to Wear
Layers—peel them off up when your huffing up the hill and put them back on when the fog comes creeping in. Hikers and tikes alike will require sturdy shoes as the trails can be rough and dusty or muddy depending on the time of year. There are hazards including poison oak and blackberry bushes, so longer pants are a better bet than shorts. And don’t forget to wear fairy wings, elf ears, and/or pith helmets!

Where to Eat
Hungry hunters will enjoy one of the many restaurants in the hopping 9^th and Irving area of the Inner Sunset. Try Pluto’s or Nann and Curry or check out this article for suggestions on kid-friendly digs in nearby Cole Valley.

Good to Know
Poison Oak Warning! Do not go off the path and if you take a dog, which is allowed, do not let them off their leash. It forest may look innocent and lush, but those leaves-of-three are lurking there ready to ruin your day/night/week.

Go Beyond
SF City Guides offers free, guided tours of Sutro Forest. Follow this link to find out when the next one is happening. You can also take Belgrave to nearby Tank Hill where sweeping views of the city rival those of Twin Peaks. (Note the path up is semi-steep and rocky.)

Getting There
If you are driving keep in mind the various neighborhood parking guidelines. There is no public parking in the Aldea San Miguel housing complex. You can park at the (paid) UCSF garage on Parnassus. The 6 Parnassus and 43 Masonic both run along Parnassus Avenue and the N Judah runs a block away. The 37 Corbett, which you can catch at the top of Market Street near Castro, will take you up to 17^th in Cole Valley, just two blocks from the 17^th street trail-head.

What trails have you hiked in Sutro Forest with your Little Ones?

–Amber Guetebier

Photo credit: Amber Guetebier

Explore: Northwest Trek with Kids

by drealestercontributorSeptember 22, 2010

The Wilderness at Your Back Door

Hey animal lovers, have you been to Northwest Trek? If not, now is a great time to check out this amazing resource run by Metro Parks Tacoma located just under an hour-and-a-half-drive south of Seattle. The highlight of the park is a 435-acre free-roaming area which is home to bison, moose, elk, big-horned sheep and deer. Ride the range in style, on an hour-long tram tour complete with a naturalist sharing facts about the park and its animals.

Your party will be issued a plastic token for admission to the tram, and volunteers are on hand to make sure you find the station in plenty of time to park your stroller and settle into a seat. Signs say no food on the tram, but exceptions are made for little ones who are happier with snacks in hand. And make sure you use the bathroom before heading down the trail! The only flush toilets are located just inside the admission gate.

Northwest Trek also has stroller-friendly walking trails for viewing bears, cougars, coyotes and other predators. Many of the birds of prey are rehabilitated from injury and unable to fly, so you can see them up close without even a net to block your view. Trailside Encounters are scheduled throughout the day where you can have an up-close interaction with the animal of the day.

Don’t miss the busy buzzing beehive at the Cheney Family Discovery Center. While there, you can also touch a variety of animal pelts, antlers, and maybe even a snake skin!

The park has a decent café, and an abundance of picnic areas if you brought your own food. There are few services in the area, but the town of Eatonville is about ten miles further down the road. Check out Jebinos Italian Restaurant if you want to stay in the area for dinner.

Plan ahead for special summer outings. (Yes, summer will come again!). Northwest Trek offers S’mores and Snores Family Camps on certain weekends and you can even take a vintage train to the park from Tacoma through the Train to Trek program. The downside? After watching the buffalo roam, “Home on the Range” might get stuck in your head for a few days.

Winter hours (October through March) are 9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The Park is also open on school holidays.

—Karen McHegg

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