Now You Can Enjoy Andes Crème de Menthe in an XL Bar

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 10, 2020

It’s always tempting to grab a handful of Andes mints when paying your bill at a restaurant. Now you don’t have to leave a stack of green wrappers at your seat. With the Andes Snap Bar XL, you get 12 individual mints that are easily snapped-off for when one (or two or three) just isn’t enough.

The Andes Snap Bar XL is available at convenience stores, Dollar General, Walgreens and Walmart nationwide and retails for $1.68-$2.00 depending on location.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Tootsie Roll

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Should You Tip the Babysitter?

By Gay Cioffi

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

February 25, 2020

Photo: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

I know from my own experience as a parent with young children that the costs of a night out plus paying the sitter can sometimes make even the briefest outing… out of financial reach. So I’m not surprised when parents ask questions relating to compensation for the occasional babysitter. What is the going hourly rate? Should one tip? What about providing meals and snacks? Should you provide access to Netflix, etc…?

As it turns out, I was just in the position of hiring a babysitter for my granddaughter, so I had recently pondered some of these same queries myself.

It appears that compensation varies from community to community, and you can get a good idea about the going hourly rate by asking around. The best practice is to inquire directly with the sitter about rates before booking. Rounding up to the nearest hour seems to be a common practice, whereas tipping is not. In our case, we knew that the sitter had traveled at least 45 minutes on the NYC subway in each direction, so we factored her nearly two hours of travel time into her compensation.

Of course, if your sitter pitches in to do a major clean-up or takes on some other household tasks, or if they are called upon to stay much longer than initially planned, they deserve additional compensation beyond their hourly wage.

I can’t stand the idea of not sharing food—when it seems that I always have way more than I need—so I usually encourage sitters to help themselves. However, that is an individual thing and may depend on the hours that the sitter is in your home. For example, a caregiver who is there from four until ten should be provided with dinner.

As someone who started babysitting as soon as I hit the double digits, age-wise, I have a great appreciation for the profession.

This post originally appeared on Should You Tip The Babysitter? www.littlefolksbigquestions.com.

Gay Cioffi

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I am a parent and grandparent with over four decades of experience in early childhood education. I share my passion, wisdom and experience, with parents and the people who care for and about children at Little Folks Big Questions, where we're out to answer the questions parents face in today's world.

Thomas Rhett & Wife Lauren Welcome Third Daughter

by Karly WoodFebruary 12, 2020

Country singer Thomas Rhett and his wife Lauren are now the parents to three girls! The couple announced the arrival of Lennon Love Atkins on Feb. 10 at 8:30 a.m. in Nashville.

Lennon joins her two older sisters, Willa Gay, 4, and Ada James, 2. The 29-year-old singer announced that their family was growing back in September.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thomas Rhett Akins (@thomasrhettakins)

When Rhett announced the pregnancy, he jokingly shared that the family was adding another girl by saying, “Excited to share that I will now be paying for 3 weddings😂.”

On Tuesday, he went on candidly, “It was such a joy to watch this little angel be brought into the world. My wife is just incredible through the entire birth🙌🏼 watching our kids meet Lennon for the first time was probably the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life!”

Congrats to the new family of five!

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: Thomas Rhett via Instagram

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An Easy Way To Have Fun & Benefit Oregon Education

by Whitney C. HarrisFebruary 2, 2020

Feeling lucky? Pick up an Oregon Lottery ticket and see what happens! Whether or not you win big, you’ll be supporting local public education. Because for the past 24 years, a portion of profits have been granted to public education purposes across Oregon. (In fact, it’s a state constitutional amendment!)

How does the Oregon Lottery help public education in Oregon?
Playing Keno, Scratch-its, Video Lottery or any other Oregon Lottery games means taking a chance at an amazing and potentially life-changing jackpot. It also means supporting local schools in a really big way. A whopping 53% of Oregon Lottery profits go towards paying teachers’ salaries, building and repairing schools, and much-needed resources like textbooks, computers, equipment of all kinds and education-related services.

Just in the past two years, the Oregon Lottery has awarded $537.7 million to K-12 public education. That’s about $460 per student each year! One of the very special recipients is the Outdoor School program for Oregon’s 5th and 6th graders, which is so much more than campfires and s’mores! And funds go towards higher education too, including grants and scholarships for under-represented communities.

Have a teacher you adore? Nominate him or her!
What’s more, the Oregon Lottery has partnered with The Oregon Department of Education to celebrate great dedication and leadership in the schools and offer a Teacher of the Year program. The winning teacher receives $5,000 and a special fund to cover all travel costs for the year, plus $5,000 for his or her school. Other beneficiaries of the Oregon Lottery include state parks, veteran services, job creation and watershed enhancement. So there’s always a good reason to play and support a good cause.

Oregon is uniquely committed to public education and the well-being of all of its students — to the tune of nearly $7 billion! You can show your commitment too by playing the Lottery and knowing that some of that money is going back to Oregon, the education of its youth and its chance for a promising future.

Learn more about how your lottery dollars help support education in Oregon by visiting OregonLottery.org.

—Whitney C. Harris

This 5-Year-Old Paid Off Students’ Lunch Debt with a Hot Cocoa Stand

by Shahrzad WarkentinDecember 24, 2019

Kindergartener Katelynn Hardee at Breeze Hill Elementary School in Vista, California paid off her classmates’ lunch debt by selling hot cocoa and cookies.

Five-year-old Katelynn overheard a parent discussing the financial difficulty of paying for an after-school program and her curiosity was piqued. As Katelynn’s mom, Karina Hardee, explained to CNN, “She started asking me a lot of questions and I just tried to explain to her that sometimes people aren’t as fortunate and that we need to try to be kind and give when we can.”

photo: Courtesy of Kiki Kindness Project

On Dec. 8, Katelynn set up a stand in her front yard selling cookies, hot chocolate and cider. Her stand made a total of $80 which she donated to her school to pay off the lunch debt of over 100 students. “Everybody is just so proud and happy and other students are already talking about ways they can also make a difference,” said Breeze Hill Principal Lori Higley. “It goes to show that even one small, kind act from a 5-year-old can mean the difference for someone in their life.”

Now Katelynn has a new mission. She wants to wipe out the lunch debt of every student in her school district. This weekend on Dec. 21 she is hosting another stand to raise more funds.

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A post shared by Breeze Hill Elementary (@bh_coyotes)

The family also created a Facebook page dubbed KikiKindnessProject to continue her cause. After she reaches her goal of paying off lunch debt, Katelynn plans to use funds raised to help pay for school programs in danger of being cut.

“It’s all about kindness. Especially this holiday season, and with everything that’s going on in the world, we just need a little bit more kindness out there,” Hardee told CNN.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

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Best Bets: Score Free Kids Meals Every Day of the Week in DC

by rtguiomarDecember 24, 2019

Eating out is great, but it can get pricey when you have lots of little mouths to feed. The good news is our area if full of restaurants where kids eat free! From burgers and fries to tacos and fish, we did some digging and assembled this list of family-friendly restaurants where kids eat free in the DMV.

Photo credit: emrank via Flickr

Monday

The Daily Dish
The Daily Dish offers diners seasonally inspired, farm fresh cuisine. What’s that mean when you’re under 10? That you can chow down on well made, flavorful mac and cheese and burgers for free on Mondays!

8301 Grubb Rd.
Silver Spring, MD
301-588-6300
Online: thedailydishrestaurant.com

Surfside
Laid back food and tasty tacos. What’s there not to love? Kids can get in on the free action with a paying adult every Monday evening.

2444 Wisconsin Ave.
202-380-9353
Online: surfsidedc.com

Hard Times Cafe
Known for doling out the coziest of comfort foods (think: chili and mac and cheese), kids eat free with an adult entree every Sunday and Monday.

1404 King St.
Alexandria, VA
703-837-0050
Online: hardtimes.com

Modern Market Eatery
Modern Market Eatery is a fast casual restaurant dedicated to healthy, organic food. Kids eat free at all of their locations every Monday (and Sunday at the Bethesda location) from 5 p.m. to close. One free kids meal per adult entree.

1010 Vermont Ave NW

4930 Elm St.
Bethesda, MD
Online: modernmarket.com/

Gusto Farm to Street
Gusto Farm to Street is a healthy fast-casual restaurant chain. Kids eat free on Mondays! One free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. They even have pizza!

8512 Fenton St.
Silver Spring, MD
301-565-2800

4733 Elm St.
Bethesda, MD
240-396-6398
Online: .eatgusto.com/

Big Greek Cafe
Big Greek Cafe offers great Greek food in a fast-casual environment. Kids eat free every Monday and—bonus—on Wednesdays they have $5 Gyros. Who doesn’t love Gryros?!

8223 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD
301-907-4976
Online: biggreekcafe.com/

Photo credit: Pizzeria Orso

Tuesday

Pizzeria Orso
Pizza eaters can rejoice, and enjoy pizza on a budget at Pizzeria Orso for Kid Tuesday. They happily hook up the little diners (age 10 and under) with a free kids’ meal with the order of a traditional or specialty pizza.

400 South Maple Ave.
Falls Church, VA
703-226-3460
Online: pizzeriaorso.com

Whitlows on Wilson
You know you’re cool when Buzzfeed says you’re cool and Whitlow’s is officially cool. Offering burgers, salads, and the like, they also have a tiki bar on the roof. Probably no kids at the bar but, if they’re under 10, you can drag them along Tuesday-Sunday between 4 pm and 7 pm for a free kid’s meal. You get one free kids meal per adult meal which means shucks, you have to eat too!

2854 Wilson Blvd.
Clarendon, VA
703-276-9693
Online: whitlows.com

Brookland Pint
American casual cuisine. Kids under 12 eat free all day every Tuesday! Plus, don’t forget to ask for a balloon on Tuesdays. Limit 2 kids per adult entree.

716 Monroe St. NE
202-758-2757
Online: brooklandpint.com/

BurgerFi
This national chain has more than just beef burgers – their menu also features a veggie burger, grilled chicken sandwich, and the plant-based Beyond Burger. Kids eat free every Tuesday!

8504 Fenton St
Silver Spring, MD
301-565-2100
Online: burgerfi.com

Eggspectation
Eggspectation is an international franchise with something for everyone (their menu is gigantic!). Kids eat free every Tuesday.

923 Ellsworth Dr.
Silver Spring, MD
301-585-1700
Online: eggspectation.com

photo: Chris L. via Yelp

Wednesday

Los Toltecos
Here you’ll find straightforward, authentic Mexican food (think: chimichangas, enchiladas, and burritos). The grub is free for kids when they’re tagging along with a paying adult.

4111 Duke St.
Alexandria, VA
703-370-4111
Online: lostoltecosrestaurant.com

Qdoba Mexican Grill
Get yourself a nice plate of enchiladas and get a free meal for your kiddo but the day varies from location to location; usually it’s on Sunday or Wednesday.

Various locations around the DMV
Online: qdoba.com/

Friendly’s
Score kid’s meals for just $1.99 all day on Wednesdays. Yes, ALL DAY LONG!

412 Crain Highway SW
Glen Burnie, MD
410-768-4910
Online: friendlysrestaurants.com/

photo: Lebanese Taverna

Thursday

Duffy’s Irish Pub
Duffy’s Irish Pub is an independently owned, neighborhood pub in Washington, DC’s historic H Street NE corridor. Kids eat free every Thursday from 4pm-7pm. 1 free kids meal per adult entree & drink.

1016 H St. NE
202) 462-9464
Online: dcduffys.com/

Roofer’s Union
Roofers Union offers classic American fare and an amazing rooftop. Every Thursday from 5-8pm is Family Night and kids under 12 eat free with the purchase of an adult entree.

2446 18th St. NW
202-232-7663
Online: roofersuniondc.com/

photo: Jennifer B. via Yelp

Friday

2854 Wilson Blvd. (Clarendon, Va)
703-276-9693
Online: whitlows.com

iHop
Like kids need to be talked into free pancakes! Get ‘em piping hot and for zero dollars every night of the week at participating iHops, 4 pm-8 pm, with the purchase of an adult entrée.

3100 14th St., NW
202-939 0500
Online: ihop.com

photo: Shanes Rib Shack

Weekends

Shane’s Rib Rack
Perfect spot to enjoy finger lickin’ BBQ and on Sunday you can drag your teeny cowboys and girls along for free.

7698 Richmind Hwy.
Alexandria, VA
703-660-6288
Online: shanesribshack.com

Taqueria del Barrio
Their menu features many authentic Mexican recipes as well as some modern takes on classic Latin American dishes. Kids eat free every day with the purchase of an entree or 3+ tacos.

821 Upshur St. NW
202-723-0200
Online: taqueriadelbarrio.com/

Tastee Diner
Open since 1935, the Tastee Diner is part of the historical cultural fabric of the area and is open 24/7. Kids eat free Monday-Friday 5pm-8pm. One free kids meal per paying adult.

8601 Cameron St
Silver Spring, MD
301-589-8171
Online: tasteediner.com/

—Guiomar Ochoa, Ayren Jackson-Cannady and Amanda Rodriguez

featured photo: iStock

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This Mama’s Christmas Giving Mistake Will Make You Laugh Until You Cry

by Erica LoopDecember 16, 2019

This mama made a major blunder—and it went majorly viral when she posted it on Facebook.

Mary Katherine Backstrom was in line at her local Wawa when she decided to get into the holiday spirit and do something good for someone else. She recently shared her story on her Facebook page and the hilarious story is bound to bring you to tears––happy tears, of course.

Backstrom looked behind her and saw that the next person in line was only buying a ginger ale. Even though she admits she isn’t one of those people who go around buying pricey Starbucks drinks for others, a ginger ale wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. After paying it forward, Backstrom left the Wawa and saw what she thought was a Christmas miracle—a man was washing the windshield of her car.

Through laugh–til-you-cry giggles, Backstrom details what came next. After thanking the man for his good deed, she gave him a hug. That’s when she realized something wasn’t right. As it turns out, he wasn’t washing her car, he was washing his own!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: iStock

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This New Venmo Reward Program Gives You Cash Back at Target and More

by Shahrzad WarkentinNovember 1, 2019

You might use Venmo to pay back your room mom or donate to the bake sale, but did you know you can use it at regular stores and earn rewards while you’re at it? Venmo just introduced a new rewards program that earns you perks at your favorite store like Target.

Venmo Rewards, which is the company’s first reward program, allows users to earn automatic cash back on purchases when paying with a Venmo card at select retailers. Venmo is launching the new program with limited time five percent cash back deals at Target, Dunkin’, Wendy’s and Sam’s Club.

photo: Venmo

The cashback earned is deposited straight into your Venmo account and can be used to make payments through the Venmo app or transferred to your linked bank account. In order to sign up for the Venmo Rewards program, you will first need a Venmo debit card. The card, which is free to sign up for, allows Venmo users to shop with their Venmo balance at real-world retailers.

The new Venmo Rewards program will roll out at the beginning of November, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

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Warrick Dunn Just Donated His 173rd Home to This Single Mom

by Erica LoopOctober 18, 2019

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Warrick Dunn recently donated his 173rd home! The retired Buccaneer’s nonprofit, Warrick Dunn Charities, collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to give single mom LaToya Reedy her own fully-furnished space to live.

Dunn and her 18-year-old son, AnTrez Reedy, haven’t had their own home for the past two years. The single mother, who works as a nursing assistant and is living paycheck to paycheck, told the Tampa Bay Times, “I got tired of paying the high rent, and with renting it goes up every month.”

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A post shared by Warrick Dunn Charities (@wdcharities)

The increasing cost of housing meant that Ready and her son had to move in with her own mother. Not only were the pair forced to live in a small space, but they had to rotate sleeping on one bed and share one bathroom with five family members.

Reedy’s new two-bedroom, 2,000 square-foot, fully furnished home came courtesy of Dunn’s charity, Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties, furniture company Aaron’s and Cigna healthcare provider.

The single mom told the Tampa Bay Times, of her new home, “I can be at peace. I can bring sweet memories to my house and I can have my family and my friends over. I have a home now, and that’s something that I’ve always wanted for my son, and for myself.”

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Warrick Dunn Charities via Instagram

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Now You Can Shop On Amazon & Pay with Cash

by Erica LoopSeptember 19, 2019

One of the most high-tech ways to shop is going low-tech when it comes to making a payment. Amazon recently announced that it will roll out two new ways to pay for your purchases in cash!

Amazon PayCode, which is already an option in 19 countries globally, is coming to the United States. The online shopping giant wants to give you a way to pay in person and in cash––and PayCode is a super-simple alternative to using credit cards or PayPal.

photo: Courtesy of Amazon

So how does PayCode work? Make your purchase on Amazon, select the Amazon PayCode option at checkout and get a QR code and number. Use this special code and number to make an in-person cash payment at one of more than 15,000 participating Western Union locations across the country.

Ben Volk, Director, Payments at Amazon, said in a press release, “Customers have told us they love the convenience of paying in cash. Together with Western Union, we’re able to offer customers more shopping choices, enabling them to pay for their online purchases in a way that is convenient for them.”

Along with PayCode, online shoppers also have the option to use Amazon Cash to pay for their purchases. Visit a participating location, load anywhere from $5 to $500 in cash onto your Amazon Balance and start shopping! Visit Amazon here for more information on using Amazon Cash.

—Erica Loop

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