A Yes Day made my daughter a happier kid, too

I was lucky to have an easy baby. My daughter grew up to be a great kid with a level head and patience beyond her years. But even when the cosmos are in your favor, things can go wrong. My kid has a sweet tooth like Willy Wonka and an obsession with collecting stuffed animals and art supplies.

Like most parents, I found myself saying “no,” “not now,” and “maybe some other time” more often than I liked. I caught myself slowly turning into my mother when, “We don’t need to buy an ice cream cone, we have ice cream at home!” would tumble out of my mouth.

My little lady would hang her head, sadly whisper “Okay mama,” and walk on by whatever had caught her eye. Every time I’d feel like I won a victory of responsibility while simultaneously sabotaging her happy childhood.

It’s no wonder so many adults give in to the whims of children. It’s easy to feel like a jerk.

Then one day, we decided to give an idea a trial run: Yes Day. The first of the month would be heralded as a shining beacon of possibilities and extravagance, much like a child looks forward to his or her birthday. Now instead of saying “no” all the time I could say, “Let’s save that for Yes Day.” I had no idea what to expect.

When the first day of the next month rolled around, the first request came in: chocolate chips in pancakes, with extra chocolate chips on the side. As the next dozen hours chugged along, more requests came in: extra TV time, a later bedtime, and a skipped shower. In essence, our first Yes Day had turned into a lazy Saturday.

I had mentally prepared for the worst, but in reality, the limits were only tested in quantities small enough for a child to grasp. In our case, it turned out that when you can have anything, you realize you’re okay just as you are.

A decent kid with a responsible moral compass won’t suddenly turn into a monster for 24 hours. So go ahead. Give it a try. Your kids may be amazed to spend a day hearing “Yes” all day long. Take off your responsible grown-up hat for a while and jump in the puddle, eat the extra chocolate and climb a little higher right alongside them.

Maybe we parents could use a Yes Day too.

Maggie and her family roost in the Pacific Northwest and share their travels, homeschool field trips, curriculum ideas and lifest‌yle tips from a city-based homestead. Maggie is a cooking enthusiast and avid student of history and science. She's also mother to an "old soul" tween daughter. 

There’s no doubt that any little trick we can use to simplify the juggling act of parenting is a game-changer—and that’s why we are totally on board with any and all grocery stores that deliver. Who doesn’t want to take back precious time and avoid the crowds at the supermarket? We do! We’ve rounded up several of the biggest grocery stores that deliver across the United States, so say goodbye to long lines and hello to door-to-door grocery deliveries.

Kroger & Ralphs

Kroger

Kroger and Ralphs also use Instacart for curbside and grocery delivery for over 1,200 of its locations. They also offer Kroger Ship, a website that offers more than 50,000 groceries, household, beauty and pet food products. Ship is available in the continental US. 

Whole Foods

Whole Foods is a grocery store that delivers
Courtesy of Whole Foods

Since its acquisition by Amazon, Whole Foods has become a grocery store that delivers to you. Now shoppers in over 2,000 cities can buy online and receive orders in as little as two hours, or for pick up at a Whole Foods, an hour. If you have Prime, deliveries over $35 are free. 

Walmart

For an annual fee of $98 or $12.95 a month, the Walmart+ program gives you unlimited free delivery ($35 minimum). Try the 15-day trial to see if you like it; if you aren't ready to commit, simply pay the normal fees that the regular delivery and Express Delivery (two hours or less) services charge. How do you order? Simply use the app or website to choose from over 180,000 items, and you're on your way! 

Target

Anthony Rathbun/AP Images for Target

For a lot of people, strolling the aisles of Target is like a religious experience. But for those of us with kids and no time to spare, Target's partnership with Shipt is the perfect way to get groceries, essentials and more delivered right to your door.

You can choose from thousands of items, including food, baby, bath, kitchen, pet supplies, school supplies and more. You can start with a free four-week trial, and when those four weeks are up, you have the option of an annual Shipt plan for $99 for unlimited orders of $35 or more. Or, you can pay per as you order for same-day delivery. Shipt also works with CVS, Petco, and more.

Costco

the front of a costco store for a story on costco snacks

Buying bulk is a must for big families (or any family). Costco offers delivery through Instacart, which also delivers from local stores like ShopRite, Safeway, Giant, and more based on your location. For those that use Instacart more regularly, Costco offers Instacart Express, which includes reduced service fees, free delivery on orders over $35 and more.

ALDI

ALDI

ALDI's deal with Instacart has been wildly successful, and most stores now have the option of having your groceries brought to you. In addition to delivery, Aldi has been testing curbside pickup. Customers can buy groceries online, then come to the store to pick them up where an Aldi employee will bring your grocery haul right to your car.

AmazonFresh

Amazon via YouTube

What can't Amazon do? Amazon Prime members have long known that AmazonFresh offers the convenience of grocery delivery, even without a physical grocery store. Why leave home, when you can add produce, meat, seafood, dairy, frozen items and even paper products to your digital shopping cart... and then have it delivered to your doorstep?

Amazon did away with the $14.99 Amazon Fresh fee; in most cities, the minimum order amount is $35, but in New York City, $50. Amazon Fresh is currently available in over 5,000 cities across the US, and the program expanded its in-garage delivery services for as many Prime members. 

H-E-B

Artistic Expressions via Pixabay

For those lucky to live near this popular Texas-based supermarket, you can get home delivery for as little as $5. The delivery fee varies based on location, service times or special promotions. You can get almost everything offered in-store delivered too, with the exception of large items like grills; alcohol delivery also depends on where you live. 

 

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With the new school year in full swing, now is the time to take your child to the eye doctor for an annual comprehensive eye exam. There’s nothing worse than your child not being able to learn from the classroom whiteboard or enjoy sports activities because they can’t see clearly. Odds are, your child’s routine has changed quite a bit over the past year. You may have found your family spending more time on digital devices and reading along with less time outdoors.

Studies have found that lifestyle factors such as these may have an impact on the development of myopia, whose primary symptom is blurry distance vision.¹⁻³ In addition, children often don’t know their eyesight isn’t 20/20 because it’s all that they know, so it’s up to you to take your child to the eye doctor to find out.

What is Myopia?

Myopia is a very common eye condition. On average, 42% of children age 5 to 19 have myopia.⁵ Your family history also plays a role in whether your child will develop myopia; the odds of a child developing this eye condition is increased by three times with one parent having myopia, and the odds of a child developing myopia is six times as likely if both parents have myopia. 6,7

What are the treatments for myopia?

When children are diagnosed with myopia, glasses are a common next step. While glasses will help a child with myopia see the whiteboard more clearly, they’re not able to impact the long-term progression of their myopia. As myopia worsens, the child’s glasses prescription will get higher. If left untreated, myopia can lead to sight-threatening conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts.⁸ Fortunately, now there is FDA-approved* MiSight® 1 day myopia control soft contact lenses to slow the progression of myopia in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.†4 Read on to see how MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses work, and if this product may be a fit for your age-appropriate child!

How Does MiSight® 1 day Work?

MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses feature ActivControl® Technology which utilizes an innovative concentric ring design to correct blurred distance vision while slowing the elongation of the eyeball. Children should wear the lenses for a minimum of 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for best results and should continue using the contact lenses until their eyes stop growing and the prescription stabilizes as directed by their eye care professional.⁴
You’re probably wondering whether contact lenses are right for your child. Your eye doctor will show you and your child how to care for the lenses and insert and remove them safely. Though you may not think your child will be able to use contact lenses, we can assure you that children learn how to insert contact lenses fairly quickly, with 85 percent of them finding it easy to insert after just one month!⁹

Hear Addy’s Story
Addy, an eight and a half year old who was diagnosed with myopia when she was in kindergarten, began controlling her myopia using MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses. Addy’s mom has myopia, and Addy’s myopia had progressed quickly. Putting in the contact lenses took her a little while to learn, but with a little practice, she got the hang of it and now wears her contacts almost every day to slow her myopia.⁴

“It was such an easy option,” says Addy’s mom, “and the contacts give her more freedom so she doesn’t have to deal with glasses. I love everything about it!”
Learn more about MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses by speaking to a certified Brilliant Futures™ eye care professional in your area. Click here to find a doctor.

Indications and Important Safety Information
Rx only
Results may vary.
ATTENTION: Reference the Patient Information Booklet for a complete listing of Indications and Important Safety Information.  *Indication: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters(spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal. Warnings: Problems with contact lenses could result in serious injury to the eye.  Do not expose contact lenses to water while wearing them. Under certain circumstances MiSight® lenses optical design can cause reduced image contrast/ghosting/halo/glare in some patients that may cause difficulties with certain visually-demanding tasks. PrecautionsDaily wear single use only. Patient should always dispose when lenses are removed. No overnight wear. Patients should exercise extra care if performing potentially hazardous activities. Adverse events:  Including but not limited to infection/inflammation/ulceration/abrasion of the cornea, other parts of the eye or eyelids.  Some of these adverse reactions can cause permanent or temporary loss of vision.  If you notice any of the stated in your child, immediately have your child remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.
†Compared to a single vision 1 day lens over a 3 year period.
References:
1.Gifford P, Gifford, K L. The Future of Myopia Control Contact Lenses. Opt Vis Sci. 2016;93(4):336-43.
2.Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global Trends in Myopia Management Attitudes and Strategies in ClinicalPractice. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016;39(2):106-16
3.Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in Children. Ophthalmology 2008;115(8):1279-85.
4.Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight® lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019; 96(8): 556-567.
5.Vitale S, Sperduto RD, Ferris FL 3rd. Increased prevalence of myopia in the United States between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(12):1632-1639. doi:10.1001/archophthalmol.2009.303
6.Jiang X, Tarczy-Hornoch K, Cotter SA, et al. Association of Parental Myopia With Higher Risk of Myopia Among Multiethnic Children Before School Age [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 19]. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2020;138(5):1-9.
7.Mutti DO, Mitchell GL, Moeschberger ML, Jones LA, Zadnik K. Parental myopia, near work, school achievement, and children’s refractive error. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002;43(12):3633-3640. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.0412. 
8.Flitcroft DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical and environmental factors in myopia aetiology. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2012;31(6):622-660. doi:10.1016/j.preteyeres.2012.06.004. 
9.Sulley A et al, Wearer experience and subjective responses with dual focus compared to spherical, single vision soft contact lenses in children during a 3-year clinical trial. AAO 2019 Poster Presentation.

If you’re new to the world of finding someone to watch your baby, read and bookmark these interview questions to ask a babysitter. From their experience and certifications to availability and flexibility, these nanny or babysitter interview questions will give you a better picture of whether this is the right babysitter for you. You’ll also find helpful tips on how to conduct a babysitter interview.

Personal Questions

iStock

These interview questions will help you learn more about the babysitter's personality and whether they meet your basic requirements.

1. How would you describe yourself?

2. What do you like to do in your free time?

3. Did you grow up around younger kids (siblings, cousins, neighbors)?

4. What is your availability? Do you have time constraints that would prevent you from staying later if necessary?

5. Do you have reliable transportation? What kind?

6. Do you smoke?

7. Would you be comfortable taking a drug test?

8. How much do you charge?

Experience Questions

PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

These questions can help you determine whether this babysitter has the necessary experience.

9. Describe your babysitting experience. How long were you with each family? What ages were the children?

10. What are your favorite and least favorite parts about babysitting?

11. How comfortable are you with changing diapers?

12. What are your methods for putting a baby down to sleep?

13. What was your scariest/most challenging babysitting situation? How did you respond?

14. Do you check on babies while they sleep? Why or why not? If you do, how often?

15. Do you have first aid and CPR training? If so, when were you certified? If not, would you be willing to get it?

16. Do you have references I can contact?

Scenario Questions

PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

These interview questions will give you an understanding of how well prepared this babysitter is to care for your child.

17. The baby starts choking; what do you do?

18. You are getting ready to give the baby a bath when you smell smoke; what is the first thing you do?

19. You and the baby have been playing when you notice that she starts rubbing her eyes and crying. What do you think that means, and how do you respond?

20. The baby just had a blowout in his diaper. Explain how you handle it.

Interview Tips

1. Call the references your babysitter gives you.

Ask them questions like:

  • How well do you know the sitter?
  • Has he/she worked for you specifically as a babysitter? If not, what was his/her role?
  • Is he/she punctual?
  • Is he/she dependable?
  • How did he/she handle a difficult situation while caring for your child?
  • Would you hire him/her again?
  • What three words would you use to describe him/her?

2. Check out the person on social media.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other social media sites are great ways to find out if the persona your babysitter is portraying to you is the one they portray to everyone else. Google is also a handy tool to find out the inside scoop on your prospective babysitter.

3. Discuss your expectations.
Do you expect your babysitter to perform household tasks (folding laundry, doing dishes and taking care of light housework) while working for you? Do you have a strict eat & sleep schedule you want the sitter to follow? If so, communicate that during your interview. Having crystal-clear expectations will help you both as you gauge whether this is a match.

4. Request a trial run while you're home. 
Schedule a time for the babysitter to watch your baby while you're home. You can evaluate how the babysitter interacts with your baby, if they use common sense, how their diaper-changing and feeding skills are and their general demeanor and confidence with babies. It will also help you determine if your baby responds well to the sitter.

Sarah Blight

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The beloved blue steam engine is rolling to a screen near you very soon! Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go premieres September 13 on Cartoonito, a new preschool block from Cartoon Network. And we have an exclusive new clip to get your kids even more excited. 

It’s rocket launch day and Thomas is ready to go! Of course, big days are a little more fun with friends involved. You’ll get a sneak peek at Percy, Nia, Diesel and Kana, plus the vibrant 2D animation, in this brand new clip.

 

The series follows the adventures of Thomas as he dreams of being the Number One Tank Engine. There’s plenty of trial, error and fun involved. Along the way, it showcases 26 social-emotional, cognitive and physical life lessons for young viewers. It’s produced by Mattel Television and reimagines the classic train franchise, with all the friends as kids, played by kid actors. 

“We can’t wait for the next generation of fans to meet Thomas and his friends. In Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, we aim for audiences to have fun as we expand the world of Sodor in new and exciting ways,” said Christopher Keenan, Senior Vice President, Global Content & Executive Producer, Mattel Television.

Gather the gang and get ready to watch next Monday, September 13! The Cartoonito preschool block runs from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day. After the season premiere, new episodes will come out every Monday. And if you’re looking for more fun ways to jump into the world of Thomas, check out the Thomas & Friends Storytime podcast, with 70 episodes available by the end of 2021. It can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever else families listen to podcasts.

—Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Mattel

 

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You’re so focused on being a great parent today that you are probably not thinking about what kind of grandparent you’ll be tomorrow…I get it. But busy parents like you deserve more than a little praise right now and here’s the good news. Everything you are currently pouring your heart into is going to help your family for generations to come. And if you are lucky enough to wear the Grandparent hat one day, here is why you will succeed:

1. You have us! And by us, I mean the countless Boomer age (and older) parents who are no longer clueless. How did this happen you ask? Simple longevity plus trial and error have their rewards—from the inane (if you sit too close to the TV you won’t really go blind) to the significant (there is no such thing as loving your child too much)! As a result, we know that doing even simple things with children, such as giving hugs and spending time with them, releases feel-good hormones (like oxytocin) that help a child feel content and calm. So, of course, that’s what we do with your children. Please take note it works for us, too.

2. You are already Rock Stars. Okay. At first, we weren’t sure how this parenting thing would go for you. But we’ve now seen you in action. Do you know how many times we have thanked God we are not now raising kids because of social media issues alone? Throw in the pandemic and you are by far the best parents we have ever seen! Seriously. We have watched you do everything—from homeschooling to grocery wipe downs. We’ve seen you shine with everyday successes. More importantly, we’ve seen you fail and get back up again. This “can-do” attitude, coupled with your absolute ferocity in protecting your loved ones (including us) humbles our hearts and warms our souls. We also know you will only improve with age. See point one.

3. Your kids are smarter than you. Yes, I know this may be hard to believe when your (supposedly) potty-trained toddler still asks for a diaper so she can go number two. But hang in there. Even today’s pre-teen children already care about really important issues—everything from diversity and inclusion to healthy eating and protecting the planet! There’s no way they are going to ignore the benefits of what you, as a grandparent, can bring to the table for their own kids! We already know that people who have more social support through intergenerational connections have better mental and cardiovascular health—not to mention stronger immune systems and cognitive performance. And the research will only get better. So you’re pretty much gold.

We current Grandparents will joyfully accept all kudos on this year’s Grandparents Day (hint: Sunday, Sep. 12th!) But we also must raise a glass to you parents…right now…for all the marvelous things you do, day in and day out. Your children will reap a lifetime’s worth of benefit and, to be purposefully grandiose for a moment, the nurturing you’re doing today will contribute to a healthier society in the future. So congratulations and take a well-deserved breath!

We love our grandchildren mightily…but you are the ones who originally stole our hearts!

Kate Jerome, a seasoned publishing executive and award-winning children’s book author, is co-founder of Little Bridges, an innovative company dedicated to creating products that foster enduring multi-generational experiences, including themed, intergenerational activity kits with content and activities designed to encourage interactive experiences and meaningful conversations based on family traditions and history. 

The other night I was watching one of my favorite shows, New Girl. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a hilarious show about four roommates living life as a family unit in California. In this particular episode, one of the roommates is cooking buttered bacon on the stove. An argument occurs, and he turns his back on the sizzling meat for a minute. Before the close pals know it, a grease fire starts. Chaos breaks out and one of them, thinking it will help, sprays water on the flames. That, of course, only makes things worse.

Have you ever wondered why you can’t put a grease fire out with water? The reason you can’t is that oil and water don’t mix. When water hits the grease, it causes the grease to splatter, which causes the fire to spread rapidly.

The picture of an unexpected, explosive grease fire is how I feel about parenting sometimes. I always mean well, but it doesn’t always end well. Unfortunately, my watery methods don’t always mix with my children’s sometimes oily troubles.

It reminds me of a time I was working as a Family Director at a local preschool. I opened the school at 6:30 a.m. every morning, and my children came with me. Although I worked at the preschool, my children didn’t attend this school during the day, so the bus would pick them up and take them to their public school every morning. On this particular morning, my then-seven-year-old child refused to get on the bus, and I was very frustrated. We were causing a scene in front of parents, students, and staff. I thought for sure that if I demanded and yelled that she gets on the bus, she would. Tough love, right? Wrong. It was an unexpected, explosive grease fire moment.

Amidst parents dropping their kids off at the preschool, she was crying, shouting, and stomping her feet. I was pointing at the door and was yelling for her to leave. All I kept wondering was why she wasn’t listening. I couldn’t help but feel I was a failure as a mom, and if I was a failure as a mom, I was certainly a failure as the school’s family director! Ugh. We didn’t know at that moment, but we both felt lost, embarrassed, and hurt at the same time.

Kids are resilient, and thankfully an explosive moment or fiery disagreement doesn’t mean you have ruined your children or that you’re a failure as a parent. However, after many moments like this one, I was wondering what I was doing wrong.

It wasn’t long after that a friend suggested we see a therapist. Although worry and shame filled my mind, we eventually took the advice. Guess what? It turned out my daughter wasn’t trying to spite me when she was acting up, and she wasn’t trying to cause trouble every day. After several sessions and evaluations, she was diagnosed with anxiety. (Insert mom guilt here!)

I have seen kids struggle with their mental health throughout my life, from siblings and students to my children. Each experience was unique, but there is something in common with every situation—the children always looked to adults to be the calming voice in their chaos. They are looking to caregivers to smother their fire, not increase the flames.

Laura Guarino-Youngfleisch MA, LMHC, is the clinical manager of children’s outreach health services at SalusCare, Inc. In an article, she said, “Every child deserves to be healthy both physically and mentally. You can help any child you know by ensuring that he or she gets the necessary services simply by noticing there is a problem and advocating on the child’s behalf.”

Parents—you, yes you, are your child’s most prominent advocate and best protector. So if there is more chaos than calm, and if you are having a hard time smothering fires, it’s time to reach for outside help. Help comes in all different ways. It can be a phone call to a trusted friend, an appointment with the school counselor, or a call to a professional therapist.

I know your palms may be sweating, and you may have a knot in your stomach at the thought of reaching out for help. You’d probably rather be watching New Girl than picking up the phone and make a call. Trust me, I’ve been there, but help is ok. It’s more than ok. It’s a gift to you and your child. As I learned through trial and error, outside help is the fire extinguisher solution.

This post originally appeared on www.jamieedelbrock.com.

Jamie is married to her high school sweetheart and has three beautiful daughters. Through years of experience working with children, and raising her own, she knows how difficult parenting can be. She is an advocate for children's mental health and is best known for her creativity, optimism, and kind heart.