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Strollerderby
Parents aren’t all that willing to create yet another mouth to feed during these lean economic times. So concludes the Pew Research Center after analyzing U.S. state fertility and economic data from the past few years.
The good sitters have us over a barrel. You don’t want to pay too little and risk losing the rare chunk of gold that is a responsible sitter with good references who your kids actually love.
But you don’t want to bankrupt yourself just get a date night either. And surveys like the recent “Nanny Survey” out of Park Slope, Brooklyn, don’t make life much easier with statements like “Pay rates vary considerably from family to family, depending on a wide variety of factors, including some not obvious in these statistics (e.g., how demanding the employer is, Nanny’s ability to be flexible with hours, etc).”
So how do you throw all those factors out and just get down to the dollars and cents? Turns out there are just five factors you really need to consider when it comes time to pull out your wallet – or woo a new sitter. Continue reading »
Showing up for a playdate, there was a time when you couldn’t help but notice the age progression reflected in school portraits lining the walls. That was then.
Now, the photos seem to stop around two years old, the last trip to the mall for that baby perched uncomfortably with a germy toy shot. If you’ve been missing the school shots, you’re not imagining things. According to the New York Times, the school portrait industry has suffered a huge financial blow in recent years. Continue reading »
You may not be able to send your kids jetsetting around Europe, but a Czech “toy travel agency” is offering the next best thing.
Box up their stuffed animals and send them on the trip instead. They’ll take photos of the toys in front of all the hot tourist spots, then send him home. Continue reading »
Want to know how families are faring in this economy? Ask them how much the tooth fairy is giving these days.
Researchers claim the “Tooth Fairy Index” usually mirrors the Dow Jones Industrial Average. And in 2010, there are signs of economic revitalization. Continue reading »
If you’re a parent who thinks homemade is the way to go, a new rule in New York City schools will leave you baffled.
After first banning bake sales outright, the city has compromised by agreeing to let a certain amount of pre-made foods go on the auction block for fundraisers.
Yes, you read that right – pre-made, store bought foods just got the nod over wholesome homemade goods. Continue reading »
Summer camp is a great way to keep kids entertained and out of trouble in the summer months, but in today’s economy, luxuries like camp are often the first thing to go.
Joan Brackin, a 64-year-old grandmother of nine from Grant City, MO, has come up with a solution for her family. According to the Los Angeles Times, Brackin takes in all of her grand-kids for a full week every summer and holds “Grandma Camp.”
Lori Garcia 
Joslyn Gray 
Amber Doty 
Julianna Miner 
Monica Bielanko 
Sierra Black 
Meredith Carroll 
Carolyn Castiglia 
Sunny Chanel 
Madeline Holler 
Rebecca Odes 
Danielle Smith 
Danielle Sullivan 
Katherine Stone 
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