Your creative kiddo has the coolest costume in mind for Halloween—but you have absolutely no idea how to DIY it. You could spend hours finding all kinds of Pinteresting ideas online or you could use Primary’s free Costume Concierge!
So what exactly is a Costume Concierge? Like the name implies, Primary is here to help you with all your costume needs. From ideas and inspo to bringing your child’s dream to life, the kids’ clothing website has you covered.
To use Primary’s free costume service ask for help via email at DIYEasy@primary.com or text/call at 1-833-DIY-EASY. Phone lines are open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
If back-to-school shopping makes you want to run in the other direction (or hide your wallet somewhere safe), we’ve got good news. We’ve collected our favorite first day of school outfits from some of the best clothing lines for boys and girls alike. From Target and Primary to Old Navy, scroll through and click the items your kid likes best—our gallery of carefully curated back-to-school clothes for kids is shoppable, meaning it’s truly a one-stop shop for all your back-to-school shopping needs.
From camping under the stars to exploring Disney World, the ideal family vacation is different for everyone, but age plays a major factor in choosing dream destination according to a new travel report from Vrbo.
Vacation rental site Vrbo has just released a new report “Age isn’t just a number. It reveals how you travel.” based on its U.S. travel survey. The survey found that when it comes to decisions about travel things vary a great deal between generations. When it comes to the reason for traveling, for example, 45 percent of Millennials said they travel purely for exploration, while 20 percent of Gen Xers (35 to 54-year-olds) said travel was generally in honor of a special milestone, like a birthday or anniversary.
The survey also revealed that Millennials were the most likely to go into debt in order to travel versus Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. There are some things that all generations have in common, however.
The majority of respondents, regardless of age, agreed that their dream destination was Australia. Certain amenities are also universal apparently, with 75 percent of respondents refusing to unplug for vacation and requiring that accommodations include WiFi access. The majority of Americans were also united in the desire to travel with friends and family, with 52 percent of respondents planning a family vacation this year. All participants rated relaxation as their primary reason for travel, “indicating a healthy desire to disconnect from the stress of our daily lives and reconnect with family and friends while away.”
You’re totally into social media, have an eye for all things digital and happen to live in the United Kingdom––you’re in luck! The Royal Household (a.k.a. the royal family) is hiring a “digital communications officer” and here’s what you need to know.
If you haven’t already noticed, the Royals seem to favor social media as a primary source to share their special news. From Instagram to Twitter those royal announcements need to come from somewhere, or rather from someone. And as you could probably imagine, the Queen, Meghan Markle and the rest of the royals aren’t posting pics themselves.
So how can you become the official digital communications officer of the royal family? To start with, you need to live in England. Sorry, there’s no work from home/telecommute option for this job.
The job, which pays £30,000 (which is just over $38,000 U.S. dollars), is a Monday through Friday, 37.5 hours a week gig. Along with maintaining the Queen’s social media presence, the person who scores this prime role will also help to manage the daily digital news flow and research/write feature articles for the royal website.
If you’re social media savvy, in a highly professional way, and live across the pond, get hopping. The job application window only goes through May 26.
If you haven’t already discovered the joy of filling your kids closets with colorful threads from Primary, now is your chance to score great finds at amazing prices during their big warehouse sale.
The company is expanding and moving to a bigger warehouse, hence the need to clear house on some of their discontinued colors and items. Here are our favorite picks from the Primary warehouse sale.
If you still haven’t scored all the summer threads on your summer camp list, Primary can help with that too. From May 15-Jun. 15 Primary is rolling out a service called Camp Concierge that will tailor a shopping cart for parents based on their kid’s summer camp needs. All you have to do is email your summer camp checklist to camp@primary.com and a Primary team member will quickly customize and tailor a shopping cart for you.
Make a stop in any boys clothing section and you’ll find the norm: trains, planes and superheroes in traditional primary colors. And while none of those things are wrong, the ability to find non-societally “normal” imagery and colors for boys has been near impossible thus far. Enter, Boy Wonder.
From the founders of Princess Awesome, comes a brand new line for boys that honors a full range of boys likes and interests. From diggers to unicorns and cats, Boy, Wonder celebrates all that is wonderful about little boys.
The goal of Boy, Wonder is “to take topics and colors that have been gendered by the world around us and return those topics to neutral by applying them to places where they have been absent in children’s clothing.” The boy-specific line is seeking to counteract “toxic masculinity” sentiments, where typically feminine-themed colors and objects are deemed weak and inferior and instead allow boys to embrace their interests and become holistic and well-rounded.
Currently, the company is running a 30-day pre-order crowdfunding campaign for its Debut Collection from Apr, 2 to May 1, 2019, that is raising funds to bring Boy, Wonder to life. And good news––they’ve already been fully funded!
That means that the production of five shirts and two pairs of pants with cats, unicorns, rainbows, pink, flamingoes, purple, and sparkles is not far away. With the active kiddo in mind, Boy, Wonder’s products are made with reinforced knees in the pants, deep pockets and soft fabrics to keep your littles happy and moving.
Because of the overwhelming support, its since launched a Stretch Goal Collection for three additional products. If fully funded, you’ll soon be able to add raglan T-shirts that include dragons, penguins and moon landings to your son’s wardrobe!
Funded products will begin shipping this October and if you decide to support fundraising efforts, there are some perks. When you pre-order through the campaign you can save anywhere from 10-25% on your items. Even more important, you’ll be supporting a movement to get rid of toxic masculinity for good.
Raising kids can easily be equated with growing flowers: they both require nurturing to thrive, but the type of flower also makes a big difference in what that nurturing looks like. According to an expert, the same is true for different types of kids, and he has an answer to the question what’s an “orchid” child and how do you raise one?
Dr. Thomas Boyce, an emeritus professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, is the author of a new book titled The Orchid and the Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle and How All Can Thrive. He was interviewed recently on NPR’s Fresh Air where he explains that the majority of kids can be classified as “dandelions” because they are generally able to cope with stress and challenges in a healthy way.
Orchid children, on the other hand, are more sensitive to both good and bad environments. They have biological reactions to their experiences which makes it difficult to cope with stress. Boyce conducted research in a laboratory setting to observe primary stress response systems in kids. One test measured the stress hormone cortisol and the other looked at the autonomic nervous system, otherwise known as the “fight-or-flight” system.
“We found that there were huge differences (among) children,” Boyce told NPR. “There were some children at the high end of the spectrum who had dramatic reactivity in both the cortisol system and the fight-or-flight system, and there were other children who had almost no biological response to the challenges that we presented to them.”
Boyce recommends that parents of orchid children can help their kids by being supportive and not trying to change them. They should also encourage their kids to try to move outside of their comfort zone. He told NPR, “I think that this is probably the most difficult parenting task in raising an orchid child. The parent of an orchid child needs to walk this very fine line between, on the one hand, not pushing them into circumstances that are really going to overwhelm them and make them greatly fearful, but, on the other hand, not protecting them so much that they don’t have experiences of mastery of these kinds of fearful situations.”
The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that children should visit a pediatric dentist after their first tooth erupts or no later than his or her first birthday. This initial dental visit is valuable because you will learn how to care for those erupting baby teeth and your child will become familiar with the dentist, the sounds and smells of the dental office and what it’s like to have someone looking in his or her mouth.
By exposing your little one to these experiences early, you may prevent the onset of dentophobia—otherwise known as fear of the dentist. That said, the first visit may be challenging for you and your child. Use the tips below to make the visit a bit more enjoyable for everyone.
Read books about dental care.
Read books to your child about visiting the dentist. For example, “Going to the Dentist” by Anne Civardi and Scholastic’s “Brush, Brush, Brush!” book are both good choices. Since role-playing is a great way to familiarize your child with what occurs during a dental exam, consider taking turns mimicking what is happening. Even if your child is an infant, ask to look inside his or her mouth. Then, let your child look into yours.
Stay positive when talking about the dentist.
When you are speaking to your child about going to the dentist for the first time, avoid using any words that may cause anxiety. For example, it is best to avoid words such as needles, drill, hurt, scared and pain.
Help your child practice proper oral care.
If your child is too small to brush and floss, you can purchase an oral care kit that is designed specifically for little ones. The kit should contain a variety of mouth-cleaning tools to keep your baby’s teeth sparkling and gums healthy.
If you would rather not purchase a kit, a wet washcloth or piece of gauze wrapped around your finger and rubbed along the gums works well. However, once the first tooth erupts, a toddler-safe, soft-bristled toothbrush needs to be used twice daily. Until your dentist approves toothpaste, have your child brush with plain water.
Brush and floss with enthusiasm!
You can show your little one that oral care isn’t frightening by brushing and flossing enthusiastically. Be somewhat animated about it—make faces and squint your eyes—besides getting a laugh, you will be showing your child that taking care of your teeth can be fun.
Counter your child’s fears by remaining calm.
Children can easily read their parents’ emotions. Therefore, it is necessary that your child believes you are calm and relaxed, even if you are not. If you have dentophobia, you may want to ask your child’s other parent to bring him or her to the appointment. When this isn’t possible, speak with the pediatric dentist before the appointment. This information may be helpful as the dentist prepares for your child’s first visit.
Recognize the teeth and tongue during games.
Children love learning about parts of their bodies. For years, we have been teaching them to point to their noses, eyes, ears, belly buttons, etc. While these are all important parts of the body, the teeth and tongue are also essential. Add these to your list. Then, when the dentist asks to look at your child’s tongue, he or she can boldly stick it out.
Lead by example.
Primary teeth have a thinner layer of enamel than permanent teeth, which is why baby teeth are more susceptible to decay. As such, regular dental visits are crucial to maintaining the health of your child’s teeth and gums.
You can set a good example by consistently visiting your dentist. This consistency helps your child view going to the dentist for biannual checkups and cleanings in a more positive light.
While many believe the primary teeth are not as important as the secondary teeth, this is not the case. Even though these teeth are only in the mouth for a short time, their presence has a lasting effect on your child’s future dental needs.
The premature loss of a primary tooth leads to reduced space for the adult teeth, which ultimately results in crowding. Follow the above tips and your child’s first dentist visit can set him or her up for a lifetime of good oral health.
Dr. Sheila Harris is owner of Natomas Crossing Dental Care in Sacramento, California. Dr. Harris has been a licensed dentist since 2000, after graduating from Northwestern University School of Dentistry.
How do royals get their kiddos to eat? If you’re Kate Middleton you let your littles help out in the kitchen, cooking some of their fave foods! Listen up because Kate Middleton’s tips might just get your picky eaters into food, too.
The Duchess of Cambridge recently shared what Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s enjoy eating. And their picks probably won’t surprise you. Like plenty of mac ‘n’ cheese-loving kiddos, the royals also enjoy “cheesy pasta”. Along with the ooey, gooey dairy delight, three-year-old Charlotte is also majorly into olives, according to the Duchess.
So what got Middleton to open up about her kids’ meal-time picks? During a recent visit to the Lavender Primary School (as part of Children’s Mental Health Week), the Duchess got the chance to check out one classroom’s “mood meter.” The project helps the students better understand the connection between food, body and mind.
According to Ivy Learning Trust chief executive Matthew Kleiner-Mann, during the event Middleton talked about how she gets her kids involved in the kitchen, “She was telling us how much her children love cooking and how they cook for her.” Kleiner-Mann also added, “They made cheesy pasta the other day. One stirs the flour, one puts the milk and butter in. And they make salads and stuff.”
Cheesy pasta that Prince George and Princess Charlotte whip up? Salads and stuff? Maybe the royals are just like us. At least when it comes to keeping kids busy in the kitchen.
Back-to-school shopping can be a tad overwhelming, are we right? And having the kids dress independently on a busy morning? A little daunting, for sure. Make it easier on everyone with a fashionable solution: a capsule wardrobe! We have the step-by-step guide you need to mix and match the right number of comfy, basic kids’ outfits. Scroll down to get started.
Step 1: Empty Closets and Drawers We may not be able to follow Marie Kondo’s “KonMari” method to a T, but we can definitely manage a productive start with clearing out closets and dressers and taking an honest look at ALL. THE. CLOTHES. You’ll have an easier time seeing all that the kids really don’t wear anymore or have never really worn in the first place. And you won’t want to put all of it back.
Step 2: Weed the Wardrobe Okay, it’s time to part ways with whatever isn’t going to end up in a capsule. Weed out the little worn as well as the outgrown, stained, or what can be otherwise donated, passed down or consigned. Pack it all up in respective bags, and get it out of the way. Hooray! You should now be able to see most of what you’ll be working with.
Step 3: Divide by Seasons Okay, while we want you to aspire to the capsule, we will totally let you have two—one that can cover spring and summer attire and one for fall and winter. Deal? We are also giving passes to swimming or other sportswear, winter accessories, and dress-up duds and costumes because imaginations need styling too (You’ll have plenty of space leftover to organize these remainders.)!
photo: courtesy Primary
Step 4: Conquer the Capsules Once you’ve narrowed that one massive mound down to two workable piles, it’s time for a little more math. There are various schools of thought on the ideal clothing ratio, but we think you should be able to complete an awesome everyday capsule with:
5-7 tops
4-5 bottoms
1-2 dresses/fancy duds
1-2 sweaters/hoodies
1 jacket
3-4 shoes
2-3 pajamas
Lay out your options on the bed or floor and see what works with what. Choose tops that coordinate with any bottom or vice versa. And be sure to keep your kid’s absolute favorite dress or shirt (the ones worn nearly every day anyway). Ideally, shoes will work across the board as well, be they boots, sneakers, or sandals. Add leftovers to those respective bags.
photo: courtesy Youth Independent Party
Step 5: Fill in Blanks So you’ve got it all narrowed down and realize you don’t have a sweatshirt that will fit for fall? Or there’s no way those handed-down T-shirts will make it through another season for a younger sibling? Rely on quality brands that cover the basics and shop those blanks without breaking the bank. Here are a few of our favorites:
Primary: Ideal for a capsule wardrobe, it’s committed to being free from “logos, slogans & sequins,” which is a big part of its charm and compatibility. Out of their stable of bright separates designed to be mixed and matched (and in many cases gender neutral), we particularly love their baseball tees ($16), pocket skirts ($12), and classic cardi sweaters ($24) and hoodies ($20).
Youth Independent Party: Made in Long Beach, CA of sustainable materials, this brand (nickname: YIP), is full of basics for kids ages 1 to 10 and encourages them to express their independent style. Upcycled and well made, these frocks will also go the distance, making some of these pieces suitable for growing with your kids from one capsule to the next. The gathered neck top ($12) can work as a slightly oversized dress layered over leggings before you use it as a straight top. Same goes for the kanga pocket sweatshirt ($20).
Madewell and Crewcuts:Did you hear?! Madewell teamed up with Crewcuts on a “matching mini collection” and it’s all kinds of adorable and versatile. Shop one of several looks for you and the kids online to check out the various ways its strawberry embroidered jean jacket ($69.50), for example, can be styled—surely inspiring capsule combos of your own.
photo: via Boden
Boden: If you want a similarly higher-end option for boys, too, catch a Boden sale. Its Breton collection, with bold stripes and fun color combos, is particularly capsule-friendly (the darling matching satchels their clothes come in make great storage bags too!)
Target: The price is definitely right when it comes to Target’s kids’ collections. When you stock up, you can often snag a BOGO deal, Target gift card, or extra Cartwheel discount in the process, too. And it’s a fun way to mix in a little flair with solid basics, whether it’s Junk Food Boy’s Mickey Mouse Short Sleeve T-Shirt ($12) or Cat & Jack’s Leggings Pants in rainbow stripe ($6). Target is also a great place to get a wide array of kids’ shoes for a song. So with little feet growing bigger seemingly overnight, you can make affordable seasonal sole upgrades.
photo: via Target
Step 6: Organize Leftover Space Now, take a few steps back and admire all that hard-earned negative space! Without crammed closets and over-stuffed drawers, you should be able to hang the entire capsule in one quadrant of the closet or file it away in one dresser drawer. With a smart re-use of newfound free space, you’ll also be less inclined to fill things back up with more clothes! Here are some inspiring ideas:
Store your off-season capsule within reach, should the weather throw you a curveball.
Give the linen closet room to breathe by putting kids’ bedding and towels in their own closets.
If you always intend to rotate toys out so the kids don’t get bored with what’s out and about, use closet space to do so. You won’t have to dig into storage every time you want to switch things up.
Use rod space to finally hang those dress-up clothes and costumes.
Don’t have a mudroom or entryway storage? Line the bottom drawer of the dresser and put shoes there (you only have a few pairs now, after all!). So if your dresser has three drawers, you’ll put socks and underwear in the top, the capsule in the middle, and shoes on the bottom—giving kids an easy-to-reach, one-stop shop for dressing themselves head-to-toe.
photo: via Madewell
Step 7: Maintain and Repeat Once you find a brand or two you and the kids really like, you’ll have go-tos instead of guesswork when it’s time for a capsule refresh. To make replacements a little easier on the budget, shop brand websites for end-of-season sales, which is also a great way to get that Hanna Andersson dress and other more expensive brands at reasonable price points. Now that you know exactly what you’ll need, you can search strategically for those jeans and things needed for the next capsule—or two!
