ML Interest Tag: questionnaire

Now You can Use Pinterest to Shop IKEA

by Erica Loop

Now you can skip paging through IKEA’s massive catalogs to shop the store. the Swedish retailer created a shoppable version on Pinterest and it’s going to make furnishing your home just that much easier.

According to Pinterest’s stats, the popular pin-board site reaches 83 percent of women 25 through 54. If you’re wondering why this is important to a company such as IKEA, 80 percent of all U.S. household buying is done by—you guessed it, women ages 25 though 54.

photo: Courtesy of IKEA

So what are these 25 through 54-year-olds using Pinterest for? Fifty-eight percent of the women surveyed (by Pinterest) report using the site for shopping and purchase decisions. With this stat in mind, it makes perfect sense IKEA would create a Pinterest-focused way for customers to find new products and shop the retailer.

IKEA’s Pinterest boards do more than just give shoppers generic ideas for room decor. Instead, users can customize their experience with a Pinterest product questionnaire. After providing info on personal preferences, IKEA will either fill in an automated Pinterest board or allow users to browse products and create their own with shoppable pins.

—Erica Loop

 

RELATED STORIES

IKEA Recreates Living Rooms of “The Simpsons,” “Friends” & “Stranger Things”

IKEA Might Rent Out Kitchens, But There’s a Catch

IKEA’s Best New Products for Kids

 

 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Family Tales: How Being a Working Mom Has Made Me a Better Parent

by Erin Lem

Our new series, Family Tales, is an honest peek into the daily lives of families across the country who are on this crazy ride we call parenthood! From divulging childcare costs to breaking down family finances to managing bedtime routines with multiple kids, we tap into the Red Tricycle army of parents to find out how they’re making it work. This series is a judgment-free zone.

Interested in telling your story? Start by filling out our questionnaire here. All stories are anonymous.

How Being a Working Mom Has Made Me a Better Parent (and Human Being)

My age and occupation: 32, executive assistant
My partner’s age and occupation: 34, engineer

Annual household income: $145,000
City: A Denver suburb

Childcare costs per year: $16,000 (we pay over the table)
How we found our childcare: We visited five different childcare centers in close proximity to work and home and went with our gut.
Our kid(s) ages: one son who will turn two in May

Despite my husband’s new job (and higher pay that comes along with it), after giving birth I knew I didn’t want to be a stay-at-home mom as much of my confidence and happiness come from my work. So, even though we live in a suburb where one parent (which I noticed almost always happens to be the mother) can stay home or work from home part-time, I knew that path wasn’t for me. And, it works for our family. As I remind myself, a happy mom is the best type of mom.

Here’s what a typical day looks like for our family:

Morning: We Play Offense Instead of Defense

My husband and I both wake up between 5 and 5:30 a.m. daily. We both like to get dressed and ready for the day before our 21-month-old wakes up. We prefer to play offense rather than defense when it comes to morning time with our son.

My husband eats before leaving for work between 6:30 and 7 a.m. My son wakes up sometime between 6 and 7 a.m. It’s a total crapshoot, but he sleeps through the night so we don’t mind. I never wake our son up, I always wait until he is awake on his own to get our day started. He eats breakfast at daycare and I eat mine at work, so I get him dressed and he heads to daycare for the day. My office arrival is flexible so I arrive between 7 and 8:30 a.m. depending on the day and how much I have going on.

Believe it or not, we started looking at childcare options when I was about 4 to 5 months along which I thought was plenty far in advance. We were 20th on a wait-list at some centers, which seems crazy. If you want to give yourself plenty of options, I’d recommend starting the childcare search as soon as you know you are expecting. We chose a center over in-house daycare or a nanny because the extra structure and professionalism at a center (plus, the state license) personally gives me peace of mind. Plus, there is always back-up care at the center if one of the teachers calls in sick.

Afternoon: You Don’t Have to Do It All to Get It All Done

My stay-at-home mom friends wonder how I can go to work and I wonder how they can stay home, but there is no right way to be a mom.

I work until 3:30 or 4:30 p.m. depending on how my day goes. I know that when I’m at work, my son is learning all kinds of things that I would have never thought of as a stay-at-home mom—songs, sign language, and more. He is learning to play with others which is important to us as he maybe will be an only child (we haven’t decided on whether to have #2 just yet). They feed him breakfast and lunch, which is a huge help.

I know that I made the right choice for myself in going back to work, but it certainly wasn’t easy and not without some disappointment. I chose to breastfeed which meant I was hauling my pump to work every day. I would have preferred to breastfeed until our son turned one, but my supply dropped and we only made it through seven months before we had to supplement with formula. I also sometimes feel bummer that I miss out on mommy-and-me classes that seem to only be offered during the week like music, dance and story time at the library which all sound like so much fun.

When I leave work I might run a few errands (fueling up my car, picking up dry cleaning, groceries, etc). A lot of these errands I cram into the after-work hours because that’s the only time I have free to get it done.

I will always work, but I think that there is value in my son seeing his mom go to work everyday and having a dad that spends a lot of 1:1 time with him. If I make it home before the boys I change out of my work clothes, wash off my make-up and pick up around the house and start dinner while listening to a podcast. My husband picks our son up after he is done working between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

Evening: Keep It Consistent, But Not Rigid

Meal planning and grocery shopping has never been something I enjoy so our game-changing routine is this: I use a meal delivery service (we switch between Hello Fresh and Plated depending on their menus that week) four nights of the week. We order pizza on Fridays so I only have two nights a week where I am thinking about what to make for dinner. Those nights I do something easy like pasta, tacos, etc. Most importantly, we all eat dinner together around 6 p.m.

photo: Hello Fresh

After dinner we have playtime and our son is always wound up, full of energy and feels his best. We run, chase, jump and dance! We always listen to music while we eat dinner and it’s fun to see which songs our son enjoys the most.

My son takes a bath every other night (he is prone to eczema on his back, knees and elbows so we try not to dry out his skin). Then at 6:45 p.m. we start the bedtime routine, which is books, songs and then lights out by 7:15 p.m. My husband mostly does this routine. I clean the kitchen and living room and make my breakfast and lunch for the next day while he is putting our son down for the night.

 

In our family we know that everyday we have to do the following: 1) work 2) take care of our son 3) feed ourselves 4) keep our house in order and 5) manage our finances. My husband and I both work so that leaves 2, 3, 4 and 5 to be divided between the two of us. We make a great team and my husband spends a lot of 1:1 time with our son so that I can manage the household duties. I like doing them and my husband is a big kid himself so he loves his playtime duties. We split the responsibility of managing our finances and found that keeping a budget that we can both access and manage online is the best way for us. All of this is probably not traditional but it works for us and plays to our strengths as parents. I make sure our son gets to appointments, has diapers, pictures of his pet to share at school, etc. My husband makes sure there is fun and play.

I cherish our time together on the weekends and we make the most of it since weekdays our time is limited. It works for us!

Nighttime: An Early Bedtime Means Time to Ourselves

After 7:15 p.m. the night is ours. An early bedtime lets us be free to do what we want as soon as our son is in his crib. Ninety percent of the time my husband will do a little work or we’ll watch a movie together. If my husband has work to catch up on, I either do a few chores around the house or read. We are both in bed around 9 p.m. and either read or mindlessly scroll through our phones with lights out by 10 p.m. if not earlier.

Our new series, Family Tales, is an honest peek into the daily lives of families across the country who are on this crazy ride we call parenthood! From divulging childcare costs to breaking down family finances to managing bedtime routines with multiple kids, we tap into the Red Tricycle army of parents to find out how they’re making it work. This series is a judgment-free zone.

Interested in telling your story? Start by filling out our questionnaire here. All stories are anonymous.

 

 

RELATED STORIES:

Family Tales: Childcare Costs & How My Partner and I Divide Responsibilities in the Bay Area

Budget Hacks to Use Every Month

17 Ways to Save $5 a Day

How Often Do You Give Your Kids an Allowance? Here’s What Other Parents Do

CVS Adds Video Visits to 7 More States, So You Can See a Doc from Your Phone

by Shahrzad Warkentin

At one time or another, every parent will experience one of those never-ending nights caring for a sick child. While caring for sick kids is never easy, you no longer have to agonize over a high fever or weird rash in the middle of the night—or those times when you just can’t get out of the house—all thanks to new virtual doctor’s appointments at CVS.

CVS MinuteClinic has introduced a new virtual care feature. Patients can now treat minor illnesses and injuries and receive wellness care without leaving the house. MinuteClinic Video Visits offer telehealth care—or care via video chat—24 hours a day, seven days a week via your mobile device.

Photo: Courtesy of CVS Health

A video visit can be used to treat anyone two years and older for a minor illness, minor injury, or a skin condition. After a short questionnaire including health history, you will be paired with a board-certified health care provider licensed in your state. The health-care provider will then assess your condition and decide on the best treatment. If that includes prescription medication, it will be sent to your preferred pharmacy. The provider will also determine if you need to be seen in-person for further treatment.

The current cost of a MinuteClinic Video visit is $59, which can be paid via credit or debit card, but CVS expects insurance coverage to be added to the service soon.

As of now the service is available in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington D.C. With the introduction of Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont, there are now 16 states where you can access teleheath care via video.

According to Chief Medical Officer, CVS MinuteClinic and Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health, Marc-David Munk, MD, MPH, MHCM,  “At CVS Health, we’re committed to delivering high-quality care when and where our patients need it and at prices they can afford. This new MinuteClinic service offers even more patients access to an innovative, on-demand health care option right from their cell phone.” CVS MinuteClinic Video Visits will roll out nationwide by the end of the year.

—Shahrzad Warkentin & Erica Loop

 

RELATED STORIES:

When Your Kid’s Doctor Is Also a Balloon Artist, Checkups Are Easy-Peezy

Now Uber Can Take You to the Doctor & You Won’t Have to Pay for the Ride

The AAP Wants Your Kids to Stay Healthy – in the Doctor’s Waiting Room

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

I Try to Be Grateful for My Family, but 3 Kids on $250,000 Just Isn’t Enough

by Erin Lem

Our new series, Family Tales, is an honest peek into the daily lives of families across the country who are on this crazy ride we call parenthood! From divulging childcare costs to breaking down family finances to managing bedtime routines with multiple kids, we tap into the Red Tricycle army of parents to find out how they’re making it work. This series is a judgment-free zone.

Interested in telling your story? Start by filling out our questionnaire here. All stories are anonymous.

I Suck at Living in the Moment: Are My 3 Kids and $30K in Childcare Costs to Blame?

 

My age and occupation: 40, grant writer
My partner’s age and occupation: 41, data analyst
Annual household income: $250,000
City: New York City

Childcare costs per year: $30,000 paid over the table
How we found our childcare: word of mouth
Our kid(s) ages: 5, 7 and 10

photo: edwardhblake via flickr

A household income of $250,000 may get you far in other places of the country, but NYC is different. It’s expensive. I mean, everything is expensive: mortgage, groceries, after-school care, you name it. This price tag for living in one of the greatest cities on earth has taken a toll of my sanity.

We have three kids who are all young enough to need supervision 24/7 so we’re financially (and emotionally) stretched thin trying to make it all work. Sometimes I feel like I get bogged down in the challenges of the day-to-day. Sometimes I feel like my kids are professional whiners, fighters and procrastinators. They seriously drive me nuts and it’s easy to get lost in the daily chaos, but they’re also adorable and they’ll never be this little again.

Even though it’s not easy I tell myself all the time, enjoy your kids because we don’t get this time back. And try to be gentle with yourself. Another thing I tell myself often. I suck at both, but I try.

Morning

With three kids, mornings are a team effort. My husband and I work together to get all three kids up. This requires multiple trips to their room and always starts from gently asking them to get up to sometimes shouting because nothing else will work.

photo: Pexels

One of us will usually carry our five year old downstairs and put him on the couch where he continues to sleep (what a life, huh?). But even though he’s still snoozing, he’s actually a step ahead because he puts his school clothes on to sleep in at bedtime (that’s one battle we don’t have to deal with in the a.m.). My girls (the older two) are a little better. They’re older so a bit more self-sufficient at this point.

Once everyone is dressed and ready, we gather the lunches and remind everyone to make sure they have their homework folder in their bags. Then we’re off to school….usually late.

Mid-day

I’m working at home and my husband is at work. We sometimes text about things related to the kids, but I try to use this kid-free time to concentrate on my job because I know once everyone is home there is no time for anything else.

photo: pexels

Afternoon

I pick the kids up at their after-school program, which we spend $30,000 a year for. They have made a lot of friends at this program, which makes me happy. There are less expensive programs, but the programming and staff at those places are kind of mediocre, which is why we enrolled all three kids in this one and pay top dollar for. I know soon my kids will be older and we won’t have to spring for such a pricey program.

photo: Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Once we get home, we finish homework but that sounds a lot easier and straightforward than it actually is. It’s a lot of repeating myself. It’s a lot of telling the kids to stop fighting. I start to think about what to make for dinner, aka my daily nightmare.

Evening

I hate cooking. My kids are so unappreciative. I throw something easy together like frozen ravioli (again), my kids complain and then I tell them to have a few more bites at least a few times. After dinner I let them watch a show on TV and they begin to fight over what show or whose turn it is to pick. 20 minutes later a show is picked and usually one of the three is whining or sulking in the corner.

photo: alanagkelly via flickr

If I had to do it all over again I might have waited a few years to have kids. I feel like we could have been a little more established financially in our careers. But you’re never really ready to be a parent.

Bedtime

Finally, it’s time to get ready for bed. Every night I can expect a ton of protesting about teeth brushing. They only shower twice a week: weekend and one mid-week. Except in the summer when they are sweaty and sticky from running around and slathered in sunscreen. Showering twice a week eliminates any further bedtime battles and musical bathtubs we end up playing with three kids.

It’s 8:30 p.m. and bedtime! I relish all the hugs and kisses I get at bedtime—it makes me momentarily forget all the bedtime shenanigans that were happening five minutes earlier. Once in their rooms, there’s a 60% chance they’ll all actually stay there. Usually they come down to tell me something they forgot to tell me before. Or they want more milk. Or to ask us what we’re watching on TV. If only I had a dollar for every time one of my kids procrastinated going to sleep.

photo: Jacqui Boland

But, by now I’m on my second glass of wine and debating if I can stay up to watch Netflix or if I should just go to bed. I decide on the latter. I head upstairs and my husband stays downstairs and falls asleep on the couch watching bad TV and will come to bed around 3 a.m.

I fall asleep thinking that we have so much to be grateful for, but I also wish I had more breathing room. We have $100K in student loans and we’re both 40 years old. I wish we could save more for our kids future and our own retirement. Raising kids in NYC is expensive. Our kids have zero for college.

I soon drift off. In just a few hours, it will all start over again…

 

Our new series, Family Tales, is an honest peek into the daily lives of families across the country who are on this crazy ride we call parenthood! From divulging childcare costs to breaking down family finances to managing bedtime routines with multiple kids, we tap into the Red Tricycle army of parents to find out how they’re making it work. This series is a judgment-free zone.

Interested in telling your story? Start by filling out our questionnaire here. All stories are anonymous.

 

featured photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

 

 

RELATED STORIES:

I’m Living My Best Life on $145,000 a Year (All without My Kid During the Day)

Childcare Costs & How My Partner and I Divide Responsibilities in the Bay Area

Usit: Atlanta’s Newest Babysitting App

by Tinybeans Team

What started as a group project in an Emory entrepreneurial class has become Atlanta newest babysitting resource. With a user-friendly app and a network of students from Emory, Georgia Tech, Agnes Scott, Oglethorpe, and Spellman, Usit—for University Sitters—makes finding a babysitter a breeze. And, there’s no membership or subscription fee. Instead, parents pay a flat 9% rate each time they complete a job and make payment through the app. It’s that easy.

How It Works

Parents download the app and complete a preliminary questionnaire, providing name, address, children’s names, and payment information. When a parent posts a babysitting job, they specify date, time, which children need care, and offered rate. Sitters in the network are able to apply to the job through the app, making a bio and prior sitting experience visible to parents. Parents then select a sitter, confirm the job (all through the app), and wait for the magic to happen. Payment information is already stored in the app but isn’t used until a babysitting job is booked and completed, and the fee is automatically calculated based on the agreed-upon rate and hours worked (all tracked by the app), plus the additional 9% user fee. Following a job, parents rate the sitter (ratings are visible to future parent employers), and the sitter rates the experience (also available to future sitters).

Whoa, That’s Cool

When a job has been booked, parents are able to geo-locate their sitters beginning 20 minutes prior to the start of the job and then track them until the job is completed—perfect for babysitting jobs that might require pick-ups of drop-offs. Parents also have the ability to FaceTime and text with sitters at any point during the job, all through the app.

A Little Background

Originally started as the brainchild of roommates whose sorority babysitting list was a prime source of college income (oh, but don’t we love college sorority babysitting lists, Atlanta?), the two saw the need for a more user-friendly platform to create, apply for, pay for, and rate a job. Fast forward two years, note an Emory entrepreneurial course in the mix, mentorship by business professors and grad students, and a well-planned technology partnership, and voila! You’ve got Usit, which debuted in Atlanta early 2017.

Whoa, Even Cooler

While 75% of all sitters in the Usit network are Emory students, the news is traveling quickly. However, to be a verified Usitter, each student must be a student of good standing at their Atlanta university (verified by Usit), and is given the option to complete a third-party background check. Sitters who have completed the background check are noted by a blue circle around their names when they apply to a job, so parents can easily discern who has and has not undergone the check. Parents can also see how many jobs each applicant has completed through Usit, and what his or her rating is.

Getting Specific

Perhaps you need a sitter several days a week for a standing job. Perhaps you’re looking for someone with reliable transportation to drive the kiddos to practices and pick up from playdates. Whatever your special need, you’re able to specify it in a comments section of the job profile that you create. Sitters who are unable to meet your need won’t apply.

Whoa, Just Whoa

On average, job posts get a response rate of 7-11 applicants. So how do you choose? Since each sitter has been rated by previous families, you could start by checking out their ratings, or by eliminating anyone from the applicant pool who hasn’t undergone an official background check. Otherwise, you are able to scan the applicant’s bio—including an image, year in school, major, and relevant childcare experience—and then decide. Referrals are also often available from families who’ve previously employed each sitter.

How to Get It

Since the concept of on-demand babysitting is steeped in real-time needs and rapid response, downloading the Usit app to your smart phone is the most important step on your way to babysitter nirvana. For more information, visit the website, or check out the Usit Facebook page.

How do you find sitters in Atlanta? Tell us in the comments section below!

—Shelley Massey

 

 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Get Busy!: Two New Coworking Options with Childcare

by Mimi O'Connor

Freelancer? Consultant? Entrepreneur? Parent who just needs to get stuff done without a child crawling all over you? Good news! The borough of Brooklyn is welcoming two new solutions to help you do your job and have someone watch the kids. Read on to get the scoop on how you can become infinitely more productive in a snap!

photo: CoHatchery

CoHatchery
Earlier this year, Wendy Xiao and Susann Friedrich launched CoHatchery, a coworking spot with on-site childcare. (Xiao, mom to a two-year-old son, was inspired by her efforts to complete an MBA at Columbia while pregnant and then being a mom to a newborn — think lugging a pump around campus, etc. Friedrich, also a Columbia MBA, is committed to empowering women in their careers at all stages of life.)

The two entrepreneurs first tested the waters with a pop-up location offering three-hours of coworking and childcare on the Upper West Side, and now, CoHatchery is putting down some roots — at least semi-permanently — for the first-ever CoHatchery Summer Program.

photo: CoHatchery

CoHatchery Summer Program
Located in the freelancer- and kid-heavy neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn, the CoHatchery Summer Program operates in two separate spaces right across the street from one another. Kids play and learn at the Union Street Kidville location, while parents work in a commercial office space equipped with desks, wifi and printers across the way.

photo: CoHatchery

More Than Just Babysitting
Providing clients and their children an enriching childcare program was of paramount importance to Xiao and Friedrich. To that end, the company’s first hire was Chief Learning Officer Jamie Krenn, who holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology: Cognitive Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University as well as three Masters Degrees.

Krenn has developed a curriculum for children ages 6-months to 4-years old, inspired by Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia philosophies. The program is designed with mixed-age classrooms and smaller age-based learning groups, supporting physical, social and emotional development, language and literacy, math and reasoning, creative development, and more.

The CoHatchery childcare experience will also involve parents, who can participate in activities at the time of drop-off or pickup to help create a seamless home-to-school transition.

Childcare slots are three-hours in duration, from 1 – 4 p.m., with optional parent integration activities from 12:45-1:00pm & 4:00-4:15pm.; you can see a sample schedule of activities here.

Coworking space photo: CoHatchery

Joining CoHatchery
Intrigued? CoHatchery is operating two, four-week blocks this summer, with the first running form July 7 to August 5, and the second from August 8 to September 2.

The minimum time requirement is 1/2 day per week, and a registration charge of $50 is credited toward your fees for the month. Rates start at $310 for one day of coworking with childcare, with discounts for additional days; five days of coworking with childcare is $1250. See full rate schedule here.

CoHatchery
Online: cohatchery.com

photo: The Workaround

The Workaround in Williamsburg
There’s more than one way to disrupt the work/childcare challenge. Launched in the spring of last year, The Workaround operated pop-up coworking spots with paid on-site childcare in East Williamsburg through 2015.

Now, The Workaround is relaunching as a babysitting co-op that also offers spots in neighborhood coworking spot Rough Draft. Founder Selena Beal adjusted The Workaround’s model after getting a deeper understanding of the community of freelancer parents in the neighborhood, and their needs. Specifically, the ebbs and flows of work and last-minute meetings or conference calls freelancers often experience, paired with a desire for a professional setting and camaraderie.

The Workaround 2.0
The new incarnation of The Workaround is composed of two, separate, but if one so chooses, complementary elements.

The first is a suite of four spots at coworking space Rough Draft; users can book a desk up outfitted with wifi and printing capabilities up to seven days a week at the space through The Workaround. Additional perks of Rought Draft include free coffee, tea, water, beer, locker space, meeting space and private phone booths.

Membership is $200 a month, covers your seat in the coworking space Rough Draft (if split evenly, for up to four hours per day, seven days per week), and, if you so choose, a network of fellow freelancers to cover the childcare piece while you work.

The childcare element of the Workaround is now operating on a co-op, or babysitting swap model — i.e. how lots of parents made things work back in the day, and many still do now. Instead of exchanging money, users “pay” in points, which are earned by watching another parent’s child. Bookings are made and tracked through a dedicated app.

So Who is Watching My Kid, Exactly?
It’s true, you might not know fellow members of the babysitting co-op when you join, but the idea is that things won’t stay that way.

Members of the babysitting co-op are required to complete a screening questionnaire as part of the signup process, and Beal plans to meet new members personally as part of the vetting process. The Workaround childcare co-op will also be holding information sessions throughout July and host monthly gatherings so members can get to know each other as individuals and families. Ultimately, the idea is that a member of your network or community, not a stranger, is helping with childcare.

The Workaround
Online: workaround.nyc

Have you tried coworking with childcare? Tell us about your experience in the comments! 

—Mimi O’Connor

 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Spark Box Toys: Cool Toys Delivered to Your Doorstep

by Erin Lem

Too many toys. How can that ever be a bad thing? While our kids may be immune to their house looking more like a toy store than an actual home, we think curtailing the sheer amount of goods would be nice, especially if it means we’ll actually be able to see our hardwood floors again. Busy parents with even busier looking living rooms say hello to Spark Box Toys, a service that delivers hand-picked toys to your doorstep. Think of it as the Netflix for the toy lover.

Why we love Spark Box Toys.
Just like the copious piles of toys in our home, there’s certainly no shortage of subscription box services available. From LEGO sets delivered to your doorstep to monthly craft boxes, we’re no stranger to the overwhelming amount of choices out there. So when it came to testing out the quality of Spark Box Toys we were impressed by this awesome service that makes scoring new and age-appropriate toys simple.

All the products sent in a Spark Box Toys delivery aims to encourage the development of skills and incite imagination. Their high quality toys are all age appropriate, meaning if you have a two year old, she won’t receive toys appropriate for a three year old. You fill out a questionnaire telling Spark Box Toys about your child and they personalize the box to fit your kid’s needs and development. It’s that easy.

What to expect.
Before signing up, browse the types of toys available or check out some sample boxes, which details the types of age appropriate toys you can expect in your first delivery. In your box, you’ll receive a return shipping label, a “How-to” letter, batteries (if needed), a mesh bag in case you want to take your toys and hit the road, and four laminated toy product cards with playtime ideas.

Let’s talk about germs.
When we think re-used toys, we think germs. So when we opened our delivery, we were pleasantly surprised to find the toys wrapped in plastic as if new. “Spot-Free, Germ-Free” is the name of the game with Spark Box Toys completely sanitizing all of their toys in a rigorous five-step cleaning process that only uses safe and sustainable cleaning materials. Plus, the goods didn’t have any dents, marks, or stains. Believe us, we checked!

The cost.
Just like Netflix, Spark Box Toys offers free shipping on both delivery and returns. Just remember to keep the box your toys were shipped in to return them. Prices for the service range from $35.95 per month for a box delivered every four weeks to $23.95 per month for a box delivered every eight weeks. There are also monthly plans available.

And, while we’ll admit that the price of signing up for a monthly delivery of toys may be expensive at first glance, the money you spend on toys every month surely exceeds the flat rate fee. Not only will you save but you’ll also eliminate the clutter piling up in your home with toys that you know are high quality and age appropriate.

Good to know.
Kids lose toys and pieces. It just happens. To accomodate your family, Spark Box Toys will allow you to return the missing pieces in your next box (provided you find the piece) for no charge. But, if the toy or piece is missing for good, you’ll be charged a missing pieces fee, which ranges from $3 to $5.

Online: sparkboxtoys.com

Will you be signing up for Spark Box Toys? Let us know whether you love it or will leave it.

Written by: Erin Lem

first photo courtesy of Charina Lumley (that’s her son Thomas playing with the toys); remainder of photos courtesy of Spark Box Toys. 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Virtual Babysitter App Is Mommy’s Little Helper

by Erin Lem

Guilty of throwing the iPad in front of your kiddos to shoot off that email to your colleague or finish whipping up dinner? Us too. If you really want some extra time to yourself to run errands, return calls, or get a manicure (gasp!), while taking advantage of your child’s love for everything iPad related, you’ll want to check out the amazing app, Virtual Babysitter, or V-Sit as it’s known on the playground.

Since it’s launch in February, V-Sit has had over 20 million downloads from the app store from parents seeking on-the-fly supervision for their kids. Simply download the app on your iPad or Tablet and fill out a short questionnaire (child’s name, age, and interests). V-Sit will then match you to one of their pre-screened sitters who are virtually ready to care for your kids from the comfort of their own home using nothing but their iPad. Yup, that means saying goodbye to straightening up or stocking up the snack cabinet for sitters

Once you’re registered, all you have to do is select the date and period of time you want your virtual sitter, flip on the iPad for your kid (let’s be honest — it’s probably already powered up), and then hallelujah — you can jet (or dance) out of the house knowing that your kids are in safe hands.

Want to hear more about V-Sit? Click here for all the details and then use coupon code REDTRI to score $25 off your first booking. 

www.virtualbabysitter.com

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement