Build-A-Bear Workshop is celebrating the holidays with a nostalgic nod to classic movie characters from some of your fave films!
Who could forget A Christmas Story’s Ralphie dressed in the Pepto-pink bunny suit or cousin Eddie in his fuzzy hat/bathrobe ensemble in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? If you’re a fan of these epic onscreen gems, then Build-A-Bear has something for you—and your kiddo too.
This holiday season BAB is bringing the holiday cheer with online exclusives. The A Christmas Story Bear Gift Set ($50.50) comes with the iconic pink bunny suit and Ralphie’s famous glasses (pre-Red Ryder incident). If you’re more of a cousin Eddie fan, the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Gift Set ($50.50) includes a robe, hat and slippers.
Along with these holiday picks, you can also nab other screen favorites, such as Snoopy, Polar Express, The Grinch, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.
Actress Kristen Bell recently shared an Instagram post featuring a situation many of us mamas know all too well—a trip to the ER.
A door vs. kiddo incident (of which the door won) landed Bell’s daughter in Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles’ emergency room with a finger injury that the actress describes as, “Smushed so hard in the door it popped like a jelly donut.”
Along with the pic, Bell gave a heartfelt shout-out to the hospital’s staff, writing, “Thank you so much to @childrensla for the amazing care.” The A-lister added, “Thank u Dr. Olsen, and Sonia our child life specialist.” Bell went on to post, “Did you know that when you enter the emergency room at @childrensla you immediately get a ‘Child Life Specialist’ trained to make sure your child knows what happening? And to make sure you understand all of what’s happening and your choices? It made us feel so safe.”
Even though you can almost see her daughter’s finger in the photo, Bell added, “Ps I’m not attaching a pic of the finger because there was literally burger popping out all over and it as pretty gross.”
While you can’t see Bell’s daughter’s face in the pic (the actress keeps her children’s identities private), the pouts make it clear that no one was having fun. The not-so-happy kiddo got plenty of well wishes from celebs and social media followers alike. Actress Evan Rachel Wood commented on the photo, writing, “Aww buddy! Feel better soon” and actor Justin Long added, “Aw pal- so sorry for her!” And we totally agree!
Even celebs have to deal with tantrum-prone kiddos. When actress Olivia Wilde’s five-year-old son Otis had a very public breakdown, the mama got some unexpected help—from two strangers!
Wilde recently took to Twitter chronicling the story of the incident, “Couple days ago my kid was having a level 10, defcon 1, couldn’t-control-his-body meltdown at a restaurant. It happens. Poor guy was hungry as hell and overwhelmed. I was holding four bags and my 2 yr old. It was chaos.”
Couple days ago my kid was having a level 10, defcon 1, couldn’t-control-his-body meltdown at a restaurant. It happens. Poor guy was hungry as hell and overwhelmed. I was holding four bags and my 2 yr old. It was chaos.
We’ve all been there. And just because Wilde has the whole celebrity thing going for her doesn’t mean she’s immune from the terrors of a public tantrum. Luckily, the mama managed to stay calm until help arrived, “The place was packed and we were very much on display. I was in way over my head. I stayed calm but I was kind of crumbling inside. In the midst of the madness, 2 strangers, a young man and woman, approached and asked if they could help.”
The couple helped Wilde to walk to her car and helped strap her two-year-old daughter into the car seat. As Wilde continued to soothe her son she thanked the pair of kind strangers, adding, on Twitter, “They said, “hey no problem. We all have days like this.” Yes we do!
All car accidents take a heavy toll on all individuals involved in the accident. However, things can be even more difficult when our children are involved in a car mishap. I sincerely hope and pray that your teens never run into such incidents. However, it really helps to know what a parent should do under such difficult situations. Always remember that when a teenager is involved in an accident, their emotional health is the most important factor to focus on. Everything else can be dealt with later on.
Enquire about Your Child’s Health: When you first come to know about the accident, your initial comments must be focused around your child’s health and others involved in the incident. Even if you are worried about the damage to your car, don’t talk about it right away. Accidents can be much more traumatic for a teenager than you think. In these circumstances, most of them feel that they have failed themselves, as well as, their parents. They also understand that the accident has its financial consequences that their parents will have to bear. Therefore, as a parent, your job is to reassure them that they are not a failure by any means.
Go to the Accident Scene: Get to the accident scene as early as possible because your presence will provide the much-needed emotional support to your kid. Your presence on the scene will also act as a buffer from other parties involved in the accident because these individuals are not likely to be understanding of a teenager’s mistake.
Moreover, you will also get an opportunity to inspect the accident scene and understand what actually happened. It is likely that your child will be in a state of shock. On his or her behalf, collect detailed information of the other parties involved in the accident, and take photos of the accident scene. Also, if the police have still not arrived at the scene, protecting crash site evidence is important. Once the police arrive, try to collect a copy of their accident report.
If your child is injured in the accident, take him or her to a nearby medical facility, and arrange proper care as early as you can. Don’t forget to collect the detailed examination report from the facility, because this will help you while filing an insurance claim.
Call the Insurance Company: Your next important task is to call the insurance company. Provide them all the details you have about the accident so that they can process your claim immediately. During this entire process, have your child nearby, so that he or she can hear everything. First, the insurer may ask questions that you may not be able to answer. Second, by being a part of this discussion, your child will understand how auto insurance policies work, which will certainly benefit them in the long run.
As time goes by, your child will gradually come out of the stressed emotional state caused by the accident. However, in the aftermath of the accident, the parents must do certain things.
Reinforce the value of responsible driving: Remind your child of the potential consequences of driving too fast, using mobile devices while driving, and distracted driving. This may end up becoming an emotional discussion, but will surely make your kid more responsible in the future while driving. It is also a good idea to have them enrolled in a local driving safety class.
Get them back to driving: After an accident, your teen may feel hesitant to start driving again. However, once the emotions settle down, try to get them back in the driving seat as soon as possible. If required, be with them for the first few times to provide a sense of comfort and security.
I love RedTri authors, publishing, and talking incessantly about them. My passion is partnering with authors to bring worthwhile content to publication. I started blog as a way to create a community of writers, both published and seeking publication.
Airports can be stressful places when you have small kids. Between the large crowds and all the lines, it can be easy to lose sight of your young travelers if you’re not careful. One mom learned that the hard way when her toddler took a ride on the airport conveyor belt.
Edith Vega was printing out her boarding passes when she looked away from her two-year-old son, Lorenzo. Her curious son quickly found his way to the luggage conveyor belt and CCTV cameras in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport captured just what happened next.
The child accessed the conveyor belt from behind the ticket counter, an unstaffed area. As the boy was whisked away, mom took notice and immediately asked for help. Once airport officials realized what happened, staff stopped the belt from the top, but the toddler was already on his way.
Airport security footage follows Lorenzo through several luggage points until his final arrival into the TSA bag room, where officials quickly jumped into action.. While they did manage to rescue him, he, unfortunately, broke his hand in the process during the five-minute ride.
Officials are looking more into the incident to ensure protocol is followed.
Tough week? We’ve got you covered, tired parents! Whether you’re limping to the finish line that is school or trying to manage too many activities, our roundup of funny tweets will give you the reprieve you need. Sit back, relax and keep scrolling!
I just tried “The ground is hot lava! Hurry! Put your shoes on or your feet will burn!” on my 3 year old and now she is in tears afraid to get off a stool -still with no shoes on.
I’ve never had a nervous breakdown, but I imagine it starts with an email like this:
“Parents we have been informed that there are multiple confirmed cases of head lice at school.”
— MomTransparenting (@momtransparent1) May 14, 2019
6. Parenting conundrum, at its finest.
I now realise the whole incident at breakfast could have been avoided if I had given girl twin the cereal she asked for – and at the same time also not given it to her
Alexa is listening—and that’s a very good thing. Amazon’s new Alexa Guard for Echo devices can keep your home safe, detecting break-ins, fires and other alarming issues.
The free feature, which is already available on newer Alexa-enabled devices, will roll out across all Echo products starting this week. All you need to do is say, “Alexa, I’m leaving” as you stroll out the door and your Echo does the rest.
photo: Courtesy of Amazon
How does Alexa Guard work? After it’s turned on the feature monitors your home for specific sounds, such as breaking glass or a smoke alarm. If it ‘hears’ these sounds, the device sends you an alert and an audio recording. Along with the audio of the break-in, fire or other incident, Echo devices with cameras can also send a live video feed to your phone. Homeowners who also have an ADT or Ring alarm system get an added perk. Alexa Guard can also automatically set off the alarm too.
To set up Alexa Guard open the Alexa app on your phone. Tap the menu button and choose “Settings.” From the “Settings” menu, choose “Guard” and tap “Set up Guard.” Next, tap “Add” to add smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors. Tap “Add” again to to detect the sound of breaking glass. You can also opt to activate smart lighting from the “Add” selector. Finish the set up by choosing “Confirm” and that’s it.
When my oldest was three months old, I flew to her grandparents feeling like I was headed to certain disaster. I was sure I hadn’t packed everything this colicky baby needed for soothing, that we would both get an incurable virus on the plane, and that I would not be able to figure out how to get the car seat in the rental. Like every new parent threshold, traveling ups the game. Going to the grocery store is hard enough, let alone crossing state lines. When I shockingly survived that first flight, a teeny tiny seed of confidence began to grow that maybe, just maybe, we were going to be ok.
Flash forward ten years, and two more children later, traveling has been embedded into the culture of our family life. We take long road trips in the summer and fly all over the country visiting extended family during school breaks. While memorable destinations have included glorious glaciers in Alaska, giant Redwood trees in California, and beautiful beaches in Mexico, it was our most recent trip to the Washington coast when I realized I had arrived at the most sacred spot yet.
It was a place within myself that was finally free: of worry, control, and expectations.
Trying to control every aspect of traveling and worrying about things going wrong never helped because inevitably, it did go wrong! We have had food poisoning in Santa Cruz, meltdowns in Disneyland, sleep strikes on 7 hour plane flights, wasp stings on islands, broken toes in the desert (not to mention the golf cart incident), and ear and eye infections in every time zone. We’ve forgotten underwear, swimsuits, favorite stuffed animals and passports. There was even the time security was called on us because our one year old was screaming so loudly. (It did not look good when the guard saw us playing cards right through it.)
I had finally reached that place that could look back at the adventures we have had and savor it all- the highs, the lows, the disasters, and the gems. In doing so, I could embrace the present adventure and truly let go.
When we work so hard and look forward to that family vacation, it can be natural to set expectations high. We think just because WE deserve it, our kids should naturally cooperate, sleep well, and shower us with gratitude. The truth is, routines get out of whack, they are overstimulated and sleep deprived, and someone is usually too hot, too cold, or too hungry.
With time on my side and experience under my belt, I started showing up to our trips with more acceptance and less striving for perfection. With this, I was able to enjoy the smaller moments: a board game with my 7 year old while the baby napped, a soak in the hot tub with my 10 year old, or a cup of coffee on the cabin porch. These moments grew in currency as much as the big tours and experiences.
I have realized that worrying and over controlling for problems that may never happen just isn’t helpful. There will be toileting accidents, sibling squabbles, and delayed flights. I can be as prepared as possible, stick to our family guidelines and some structure for routines, and I still will make sure to bring baby wipes and the medicine cabinet everywhere I go regardless of their age. Then I MUST let it go and just enjoy the ride. I only have seven more summers with my oldest and I refuse to spend them disappointed. What I will do is choose quality connection and use the inevitable traveling challenges to model flexibility, a sense of humor and solving problems with grace.
So what’s our next destination? It doesn’t matter, it’s all about the journey.
“I will not teach or love or show you anything perfectly, but I will let you see me, and I will always hold sacred the gift of seeing you. Truly deeply seeing you.” ~ Daring Greatly, Brene Brown
Julietta is a Positive Discipline Advanced Trainer, school psychologist, school counselor and mama of three. Her expertise includes early child development, autism, learning disabilities, anxiety and behavior disorders, as well as groups and classroom lessons based on positive discipline, social thinking and mindfulness. She is the co-founder of Sproutable.
In a touching Instagram post actress Jenny Mollen, wife of actor Jason Biggs, revealed that her five-year-old son recently fractured his skull. Even though her son, Sid, spent some time in the ICU, Mollen assured her IG followers that the little boy is on the mend.
So how did the five-year-old fracture his skull? In what’s pretty much every parent’s waking nightmare, Mollen accidentally dropped her child on his head. Mollen described the incident on IG, “On Saturday evening I dropped my son on his head causing him to fracture his skull and landing him in the ICU.”
Mollen also sent a major shout-out to other parents, writing, “My heart goes out to all parents who have or will ever find themselves in this kind of position. You are not alone.” Along with the other mamas and papas out there who’ve been in similar situations, the actress also sent some social media love to her devoted hubby, Biggs, adding, “Thank god for you! Thank god, thank god, thank god.”
Despite the fall, fracture and time in the ICU it looks like Sid is recovering well. Mollen wrote, “He is also eating a lot of chocolate dipped ice cream cones and plans to try cherry dipped soon.”
The well-wishing comments for the mama and her family poured in via Instagram. And like her IG followers, we also send our love to Mollen, Biggs and their brave little boy!
It looks like someone has a mini me. Serena Williams and her daughter, Olympia, hit the court together recently—and there’s video of the absolute adorable incident!
She’s a star on the court—and we’re not talking about Serena. Even though the celeb mama is one of the top athletes in the world, this time it’s not the elder Williams who’s showing off performance perfection. (And it’s not her little sister, Venus, either.)
In a “like mother, like daughter” moment, Williams’ 18-month-old daughter took off, running onto the court (followed by dad Alexis Ohanian). Williams captured the magical moment on her Instagram Story, commenting, “Look at that footwork!” as the tot lost her shoe!
photo: Serena Williams via Instagram
At one point the little girl, seeming frustrated, laid down on the ground and covered her face. Williams noted the mommy-daughter similarities, adding, “Ah sweetie, you look like mommy when she’s mad on the court” through her own giggles.
While the tot may have some time before she wins a Grand Slam of her own, if this video is any indication of what’s to come—we might see another Williams (or in this case, Ohanian) on the pro circuit someday.
