Kristen Bell just inspired a new line of diapers! That is, the actress’s The World Needs More Purple People book is the real inspiration behind Hello Bello’s newest diaper style.
Bell’s best-selling children’s book celebrates what makes people special. According to the publisher Penguin Random House, Bell and co-author Benjamin Hurt’s The World Needs More Purple People is, “A hilarious and joyous read-aloud that offers a wonderful message about embracing the things that bring us together as humans. This book will inspire a whole generation to paint the world purple!”
Now you can do more than just page through the book. Bell recently posted her own reading of The World Needs More Purple People on Instagram! Watch the clip on HelloBello’s Instagram page here. As if that’s not enough, you can also outfit your littlest The World Needs More Purple People fan in diapers with the purple-y book theme.
Along with the IG clip and diapers, you can also do some good with Hello Bello’s “Purple People Challenge.” Bell’s IG post explains, “In the spirit of feeling Purple, we’d like to introduce the Purple People Challenge. Throughout the month of March, post a pic in your feed of your kiddo in their Purple People diapers with the hashtag #HBPurplePeople. Every photo submission = a donation of $1 to the Children’s Reading Foundation. Help us support @reading_foundation, a national nonprofit with community-based reading foundation chapters and early childhood education programs across the country.”
Find Hello Bello’s new diapers on the brand’s website here. Simply select a bundle type (diapers, training pants, or both) and pick a size!
We all know how it is, kids outgrow their bikes in what seems like an instant and you are shopping for the next size. We wanted to spread the word to Bay Area parents about Community Bikes in Santa Rosa as they are currently inundated with kids bikes that need to go now. You can get a barely-used ride at a great price. Read on for the full scoop!
Community Bikes is a reuse and repair training program that takes donated bikes, tunes them up and sells them to parents like you. Because of the pandemic, parents have been donating lots of bikes when they went up in size. Community Bikes currently has an overstock of kids bikes from balance bikes all the way up to 20-inch big kid bikes (and adult sizes, too!).
If these bikes aren’t sold, they have to be donate for scrap to make room for new donations.
Their current stock includes brands like Trek, Schwinn, Navarro, Magna and Specialized. Prices range from $30-120 (with deals to be made!) so you can get a sweet deal on a sweet bike.
At Let Mommy Sleep we’ve counseled thousands of parents on sleep; sleep hacks, safe sleep, getting twins to sleep in the same room and of course sleeping through the night. While we’ve been privileged to teach our families, we’ve learned from them as well. For example, in our culture there’s waaaay too much emphasis on sleep training techniques and not enough on all the small steps that lead up to independent sleep or what we’ve come to call “sleep helping.”
Let me save you a read of about 500 books by breaking down every sleep training method here:
Method #1: Visit your baby every few minutes while s/he cries.
Method #2: Stay in baby’s room while s/he cries.
Method #3: Stay in your own room while baby cries (curling up in fetal position, cursing self optional)
I’m sure you see a common theme here. The fact is that these are all variations of crying it out and while CIO doesn’t harm babies who are old enough to sleep through the night, it cuts right into our souls as parents making us clamor for another option.
So here’s another way-
Sleep training should not mean a stand-off between parent and child. It means that baby is fed properly, allowed to have stimulating activities and then a nice wind-down routine to switch gears from wakeful to sleepy every day. It also means being absolutely sure, by getting your pediatrician’s blessing, that your baby doesn’t need to feed for 6, 8 and eventually 12 hours. This understanding of baby’s physical needs is much more important than any technique, because when it is time for bed, baby will feel secure and receptive to sleep. (And you won’t keep asking yourself, “what if she’s hungry?”)
That’s nice, you might be saying, but I really need this kid to sleep through the night, so just tell me which method really works.
The answer is that they all work. And they all don’t work. For example, a breastfed 6 month old will likely find a stay-in-the-room method very frustrating because Mom is RIGHT THERE and not breastfeeding. Twins sharing a room will most certainly find Ferber confusing. So the right method is the one you and your pediatrician agree on when baby is developmentally able to sleep through the night.
Maybe we can help ourselves stay sane and our little ones sleep through the night by shifting our thinking from “sleep training” to “sleep helping.” Allowing baby to be as comfortable, secure and well fed as possible all day long is something you’ve been doing since your first day on the job so it shouldn’t surprise you that you don’t need a book to accomplish this!
With twin girls and a boy born 17 months apart, I'm the owner of the world's most ironically named business, Let Mommy Sleep. Let Mommy Sleep provides nurturing postpartum care to newborns and evidence based education to parents by Registered Nurses and Newborn Care Providers.
The LEGO Group and Chronicle Books are adding to their lineup this year. The book company plans to release 13 new products, including a new book that shows the inside of the famed LEGO House.
The 2021 releases will include a LEGO wall calendar, activity book for adults, a guided notebook for Master Builders-in-training, and four new books! Keep scrolling to get a sneak peak at some the goodies coming out this year.
LEGO 2022 Wall Calendar
Enjoy 12 months of fun LEGO art in this special wall calendar that's perfect for your home or office.
Head to the a LEGO fan's dream come true, the LEGO House! Jesus Diaz gives an insider’s tour of the “home of the brick" and a peek at the amazing design and experiences within the destination near the LEGO headquarters in Denmark.
Chronicle Books Senior Editor Brittany McInerney shares “We are thrilled to announce this year’s line-up and our continued collaboration with The LEGO Group.During this challenging time, when so many of our lives look different, more people of all ages are turning to building with LEGO bricks. We want to offer them new ways of finding joy and creativity with the LEGO brand…”
You can head to lego.chroniclebooks.com to purchase or get preorder information for all the upcoming 2021 products.
Adopting a child into your family is an incredibly emotional process that requires a great deal of time. There will undoubtedly be days where you question your aptitude, which is yet another reason why the proceedings are so extensive. The truth is, adoption is not black and white. Many grey areas can play into each situation that can easily take a toll on adoptive parents if they have not done their due diligence. While it will be well worth the effort once you have a baby in your arms, it is essential to prepare yourself for what’s to come. Here are a few ways you can develop your mindset and get your life ready for adoption.
Research Agencies
The first step in adopting a child is to find an agency in your area that aligns with your needs. There are many options to choose from, all of which do things a little differently. Take your time in discovering the distinctions between your possibilities to help narrow down your list. You may even make a list of pros and cons to tangibly see what you are working with and what each alternative offers. This is a huge decision, so it doesn’t hurt to speak with all of your final choices to get a better understanding of what to expect.
Take Advantage of Resources
Once you have finalized a decision about your adoption agency, they should provide you with many resources to assist you in coming to terms with the next steps. These resources may include information about financial assistance, adoption training and more about the approval process. Because you took your time in finding a trustworthy agency that works well with your family, it will be a no-brainer to follow up with every recommendation that will encourage a smooth transition.
Talk with Your Family
It can be nerve-wracking to talk with your close friends and family about your decision to adopt, but it is crucial to have a strong support system while you endure this process. It takes a village to adopt a child. Everyone from the birth mother to the friends of the adoptive parents plays a role in the process, and you will need to have someone (or a whole group of someones) to depend on and trust with your emotions. If you already have kids at home, it is imperative to talk with them about what adoption means and how it may differ from their expectations of getting a sibling—adoption is unique because it gives you the means to gain a child overnight!
Practice Patience
Before you walk into an adoption situation, you know it will be time-consuming. Still, it is hard to fathom how much a setback along the way can affect you until you are in the moment. There is no shame in seeking pre-adoption counseling (actually, it’s recommended) to guide you through the process. It is also beneficial to join an adoption support group to talk with other families who can relate to your feelings. This type of support gives you a place to freely speak about your troubles with people who can provide sound advice based on experience. It is challenging to manage your emotions during such a volatile time. Having individuals to rely on who have felt your pain is a great way to deal with the difficult days and keep an optimistic mindset.
Ready the Home
As a part of your home study, a social worker will visit your place to ensure a suitable living situation for the adoptive child. As you move further along in the process, you will need to start thinking about sleeping arrangements, clothing, and food preparation for your newest addition. Some situations can provide more information in terms of the sex of the child and other needs, but you don’t want to be worried about making these changes as the delivery date approaches. Your agency will also help you with things around your home and offer remedies for any challenges that arise.
Hire a Lawyer
It is recommended to hire an adoption attorney to help finalize the adoption and handle the legal side of things with the courts. You are better off letting a professional take the reigns on the legality of your adoption to ensure everything is completed in a timely manner and to avoid any major issues going forward. It is smart to take every avenue possible to make certain every detail is handled by the book and in the best interest of your child.
Families who choose to adopt are giving a second chance to a child who may not have gotten the best first try. While adoption is by no means an easy undertaking, there is nothing quite like the feeling of expanding your family in such an honorable way. You may be surprised by how your choice to adopt will give you a fresh perspective on life, even more so when you take the steps to make it easier on your family.
I am a mom of three children and I love to write in my free time. I have loved to write about my trials and success of being a mom as well as the different tips, tricks and hacks I've learned for raising kids.
When your child needs emergency care, you want the best care possible. Luckily for Bay Area parents, world-class care is available 24/7 at the pediatric emergency department at Stanford Medicine.
The Pediatric Emergency Department is located on the Stanford campus and is connected to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. It provides comprehensive 24-hour emergency care and is the only emergency department in the area uniquely prepared for pediatric emergencies—with technology and innovative treatment designed specifically with kids in mind.
The emergency department can be stressful for anyone, but the pediatric ED staff at Stanford are specially trained in caring for children, providing an environment and atmosphere that’s calming to tiny humans. Plus, the pediatric ED is connected to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, so your little patient can access world-class Stanford specialists and experts, if needed.
We spoke with Dr. Jason Lowe, DO, from the pediatric ED to learn more about how the pediatric emergency department at Stanford Medicine is different from a regular emergency department and why it matters.
Unlike other emergency departments, the pediatric emergency department at Stanford Medicine is completely separate from the adult ED and the only department in the area solely focused on pediatric emergency care. The pediatric ED at Stanford is designed just for kids, with specially trained staff, child-specific equipment and a kid-friendly environment with colorful, kid-approved artwork.
In addition to physicians and nurses who are certified in pediatric emergency medicine, the department also includes Child Life specialists, who are trained to communicate with children in age-specific ways. They take the "ouch" out of care with developmentally appropriate distraction, non-pharmacological pain management techniques and provide entertainment and comfort during your family's visit.
Care for Kids by Kid Experts
While Dr. Lowe attests to the excellent work traditional ED's do for kids and adults alike, he shares that there are differences in training:
"Someone who wants to work specifically in a pediatric emergency department like Stanford has decided to go through another two to three years of additional pediatric emergency medicine training."
And it's not just the doctors; it's the nurses, too. They also go through additional training to obtain a pediatric emergency nursing certification. This training is essential, since nurses are forward-facing with their young patients even more so than the doctors.
"Nurses are the main point of contact between the hospital and emergency department and the patients and their parents. And so it's super important to have well-trained nurses who are comfortable seeing pediatric patients all day and every day."
Why it Matters
Because the staff is specifically trained and working with children around the clock, they are more comfortable with them. Dr. Lowe shares that research has found someone with less experience with children is more likely to order additional tests, such as blood work or X-rays. This matters, even more, when it comes to unnecessary radiation and your child.
"Community hospitals will order more CT scans than a pediatric emergency department, between 30 to 40 percent more. The (use of) radiation is serious because it can increase the risk of cancer, so we try to minimize radiation use," says Dr. Lowe.
"We do an MRI for head injuries, which has no radiation. We are one of the first pediatric emergency departments in the nation that has studied this and results have shown that it's just as conclusive as CT scans are without the use of radiation."
When your child is sick or has an injury, it's important to not delay care and to get in touch with a healthcare provider as soon as possible. Dr. Lowe mentions that calling your pediatrician before coming into the ED is a good idea in many cases:
"I think the biggest thing we would ask (prior to coming into the ED) is talking to your doctor. Talk to your pediatrician, give them a call. Most pediatricians' offices have an advice line, and you can get their recommendation."
"If the patient is in an extreme amount of pain, if they're having trouble breathing or vomiting a lot, or they're just kind of mentally out of it or super sleepy, then you should come to the emergency department right away."
Safety
The pediatric ED at Stanford Medicine is dedicated to providing safe emergency care for kids, especially during COVID. Here are some of the ways they're ensuring safe and quality care:
Adult and pediatric patients are in separate buildings, with separate entrances for staff.
Screening all staff, patients, and family members for COVID-19 symptoms prior to entering.
Designated waiting areas with social distancing.
Universal masking.
Care teams with personal protective equipment (PPE).
Infection control protocols are in place, including robust air filtration and disinfecting exam rooms after each patient.
Use of telemedicine devices, when clinically appropriate, to reduce direct staff and patient contact
Learn more about the Pediatric Emergency Department at Standford Medicine here.
As a first responder, I’ve come across my fair share of heartbreaking scenes: people losing homes to fires, teenage suicides, messy car accidents, and elderly patients who have had to go to the hospital alone because of COVID restrictions. As a father I count myself lucky I haven’t had to come across any pediatric patients yet, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.
As an Emergency Medical Technician in training, we learn to prepare for the worst, and that includes treating children whose lives are in danger. So when any of my friends ask for first time parenting advice, I always tell them the same thing:
The best thing you can do as a new parent is to take an infant and child first aid and CPR course.
My wife and I took one offered by the local community college once before my daughter was born and again right before my son was born. We were fortunate enough with my daughter to never need the skills that we learned, but my son was another story.
As a tactile child, he very much liked to explore his world by putting everything and anything in his mouth. He’s also one of those kids who likes to chipmunk food in their cheeks while they play.
First, it was a piece of leaf. Then it was part of a cracker, a chunk of chicken, a crispy piece of kale, and—just a few weeks ago—a piece of half-chewed sandwich.
Every time our first aid training kicked in. Five quick back slaps and the food came right out. And if that didn’t work, I knew exactly what I’d need to do next—five abdominal thrusts—to keep my son breathing and safe. 911 is a wonderful invention of modern civilization but when minutes count the best thing you can rely on is being prepared for the worst.
If you’re in the US, the American Red Cross and American Heart Association (AHA) both offer Infant and Child First Aid and CPR classes in just about every town and sometimes even online. They can generally be completed in about 6-to-8 hours.
You can find Red Cross classes here and AHA classes here.
As a parent, you already know how wonderful—and stressful—kids can be. Take the time to reduce some of that stress by learning how to help save them from their wonderfully curious selves.
By day I'm a father of two wonderful young kids as well as a software developer with a regular mid-life crisis. By night I'm a volunteer firefighter and EMT-in-training. As a former philosopher I'm particularly passionate about helping others lead a happy and healthy life through self-reflection.
I’d like to start out by saying that giving birth was not what I expected. I expected a lot of screaming (by me) and a lot of nurses running around. What I got was the opposite. The staff was calm and surprisingly so was I and my fiance. I was in labor was six hours. The worst part? The contractions. Which I was also surprised by. I had invisioned pushing to be the worst part. Pushing was the easy part and actually was a relief! I did not notice the stitches that my doctor was doing or anything else for that matter once my baby was on my chest.
Boy was I exhausted but I was running on pure adrenaline. My body had just pushed out an actual human being! My fiance and I were in awe of the beauty of our little girl and the giving birth process. Once our little girl was here, the nurses asked if I wanted to breastfeed. I said yes and was shocked (still am) at how hard breastfeeding is! Everyone says it’s a natural process. In my only experience, ladies, I am sorry it is not. It is a lot of work! After the breastfeeding training, I was able to take a nap and enjoy my baby. Thankfully, we were able to leave the very next day and so excited.
We were home and totally excited! We were now a little family of three! What I didn’t know was that this was about to turn into the hardest month of my life. Once we got home, my body finally came to the reality of what it had done. I was exhausted, in pain, and wanting to feel like myself. I wanted to be a super mom! Instead, I felt weak and scared. The pain of using the bathroom was terrifying and intense. I cried every time. I would like to say I found relief but I never did. It took a whole month for my pain and blood to go away. My emotions were on a rollercoaster ride and I was exhausted at trying to understand myself and wanted a quick fix. Within a week, I realized that I was supermom and eventually I would return to being myself. I would be a stronger and better verion of myself.
During the first month after birth, you have to be patient with yourself. You are a superwoman who just did an amazing thing. For me, the hospital was easy, however, once we were outside the hospital, for a month was awful. Whether it is all awful or all awesome, it is so worth it! I cannot wait to do it all over again.
Hi! I'm Carolyn Erickson! I am from Wisconsin and mother of a beautiful baby girl. I'm a new stay at home mom and I am loving it. I also am beginning my career as a freelance writer and blogger!
You may know them for their diapers and wipes bundles (and their famous parent co-founders, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard), but did you know that Hello Bello just released a handful of brand-new products just in time for the holidays? From new winter-themed diaper patterns to a brand-new diaper line for older kiddos, read on for three new and cool releases from Hello Bello to put in your shopping cart now.
Training Pants
Hello Bello just released their line of training pants. Like their regular diapers, these pull-on training pants are made without lotion, fragrance, phthalates and latex, and feature premium leg cuffs to prevent leakage and a core liner that's absorbent and plant-derived. They're stretchy, comfy and perfect for kiddos starting the potty training journey (or may not be night-trained). Bundle to mix and match your designs.
It's not just baby that Hello Bello has in mind. Their Everywhere Balm and Lip Balm can be used for both kiddo and you. They make great stocking stuffers or gifts and will leave your lips, their cap and everyone's skin ultra nourished, even if this extra dry winter weather.
They may not know what Santa Claus is yet, but they can still get in the holiday spirit with Hello Bello's new winter diaper patterns. Choose from cute designs like Santa's jolly reindeer helpers to arctic whale and seal polar pals to dancing polar bears. You'll love the colorful and festive designs, which may make the multiple diaper changes per day just a tad bit more bearable.
Reebok has just unveiled its second Reebok x WONDER WOMAN collection and its the collab we need to finish out 2020. The collection is between Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC and follows the Reebok x WONDER WOMAN 1984 line that debuted in September.
The second collection is all about the real life superheroes who are getting us through this year: education professionals and teachers. The campaign features four women who share their stories of navigating Covid-19 as teachers as well as being parents themselves.
Courtney Gould (Art Teacher), Jennifer Rutland (EVP of Realizing Children’s Strengths), Rachael Kinnealey (P.E./Health Teacher and BOKS Trainer) and Keisha Lewis (Paraprofessional and Teacher) share their stories in an inspiring film put together by the collab. Grab your tissues!
