From our very first e-mail -- back when I was just starting out and she was very much established already -- Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks has always amazed me with her warmth and openness. Asha is funny and smart and clever and I just adore her; I only regret that neither of our scheduled in real life event meet ups this year have worked out. The good news is that Asha is so effective at translating her warmth and smarts online, which is what makes Parent Hacks so great (and gives me my Asha fix in absentia). I’m thrilled that today, for the eighth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Asha shares her favorite holiday hacks; a useful mantra plus tips for maintaining your merry and bright this holiday season.

+ + + + +

From Asha:

I'll put this out there right up front: I'm perplexed by "holiday stress." Stress? Because of a holiday? Now I'm not 100% Pollyanna; I get that this time of year is fraught with family politics and time/money pressures, but I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the stress caused by too many party invitations, or sub-par decorations, or last-minute shopping, or getting just the right tree, or cooking just the right food, or wearing just the right outfit. Are these things really worthy of your stress?

I submit to you my number one holiday hack: Be kind to yourself. You and your family deserve this time to rejoice. You have worked hard all year -- in your jobs, in your homes, raising your kids -- and you deserve a break. Go only to those parties filled with the people you want to see, and politely decline the rest. Keep the decor and the food simple, and let the company make it special. Do those things -- and only those things -- that make the holidays happy for you and your family. Then sit back and relax with some egg nog.

And now for some of my favorite holiday hacks, all submitted by the very smart readers of Parent Hacks:

How to buy gifts for young kids when they're always with you at the store.

How to organize a holiday gift for your kid's teacher.

Simplify shopping with kids by taking pictures for the "wish list."

Number the gifts under the tree to keep the kids guessing which ones are theirs.

On Christmas Eve, let Santa take away the old toys, too.

How to involve your kids in Christmas tree cleanup.

Skip time-consuming return lines; donate unwanted gifts instead.

Have a wonderful holiday. You've earned it!

+ + + + +

Asha Dornfest is the founder and editor of Parent Hacks, a site that has been described as "McGyver meets parenting." She's also one of the moms of Momversation -- the twice-weekly video show that brings together outspoken mom bloggers to talk about what matters most to them. You can follow Asha on Twitter at @parenthacks.

+ + + + +

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I've never completely forgotten about my blog before. Never. But yesterday -- my first day at BlogHer -- I totally forgot about my own blog. I've heard this happens to people, but I always laughed and thought that would never happen to me.

Hmm.

I wrapped up and ran out the door at five to overnight some paperwork and pick up the little angel for Nutcracker dress rehearsal -- the third one this week. We got there and they had scheduled both a wedding rehearsal and a ballroom dance class in the upper studio where the little kids were supposed to wait between scenes and use as a temporary dressing room. So there we are, trying to keep 20 little kids dressed as gingerbread cookies and white birds from trashing their costumes on the carpet because they can't run around on the dance floor. IT WAS SO FUN!

After the first 45 minutes, I went downstairs. They appeared to be still doing the opening scene. Then I heard it -- they started the music over. I'm supposed to be volunteering to run birds up and down at the actual performance, so I'd been hoping to use last night to gauge how long it takes in between when the show starts and when I need to bring the birds down. No dice.

I went back up, pulled the little angel off the carpet, showed her the dirt on her knees. Sighed.

Two and a half hours later, we were finally released into the freezing night air. The little angel was so tired she was half-crying for her bed as I stuffed her in the tub to get all the junk out of her hair. She passed out on the first book.

I, myself, didn't last long. After attempting to make myself a tuna sandwich and setting off the fire alarm, I gave up and took a bath.

And then I dreamed about them starting the tree scene over and over until we did indeed reach the edge of hell.

Though we tend to go minimal and handmade for the holidays (column on this topic forthcoming), when we do buy gifts, we shop local and/or indie as much as possible. And oh how the local and indie awesomeness abounds in Boston! Worth checking out this weekend: the Boston Bazaar Bizarre (Sunday, December 6) at the Cyclorama, Boston Handmade’s retail gallery featuring 30+ local artisans and crafters at Downtown Crossing (open now through December 24), and the Harvard Square Holiday Fair (open now through December 23).

Image credit: locally operated Murdock Design (showing at the Boston Bazaar Bizarre on Sunday).

As a designer, I can’t help but adore the amazing craftiness at Craft. So what an honor it is to be featured on their site today. In my guest post, I share the how-to for creating the fabulous photo bookmarks that I first fashioned for my family a few Christmases ago and now create for clients. How can you not love a gift that's pretty and inspires reading? Only problem? Now my family knows what my holiday token is this year.

Despite being a digital mom, I’m that mom; the one who refused to have anything but natural wooden and soft toys around Laurel as a baby, the one who has steered clear of anything battery operated since. Until recently. And while I remain a proponent of the learn through play philosophy via basic tools -- you’ll always find a plentiful supply of books, paper, paint, colored pencils, sculpting clay, dry pasta and beans + measuring cups, etc. at our house -- I now feel that it’s possible to merge certain electronics into the mix with Laurel; as a supplement, with benefits, and without taking over.

Read on for my review of LeapFrog’s Leapster and Tag learning systems, as well as to learn how to be one of two winners to receive LeapFrog products.

+ + + + +

I’ve heard about LeapFrog several times in the last couple of years but it wasn’t until BlogHer Boston that I saw the Tag reading system (briefly) at an exhibition table, and then the Leapster learning game (again, briefly) at the home of one of Laurel’s friends. But it wasn’t until a couple of months ago that I decided to introduce Laurel to LeapFrog.

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous, (probably somewhat melodramatically) envisioning Laurel opting for noisy non-volume-controllable electronic devices over good old fashioned cuddle and play time with me and Jon. But I also was intrigued, particularly given that Laurel and I were starting to explore reading. I was interested in trying out the Tag as a means to encourage Laurel's reading and independence (she tends to be a tad resistant to independent play), and the Leapster as a form of educational entertainment, particularly while we’re on the go.

And after Laurel’s initial excited frenzy (during which I was a little concerned that I would need to restrict LeapFrog hours), I was relieved to see her chill out re: usage and was thrilled to see these tools enhance her learning experience while being super fun.

The Leapster2 is a handheld unit that comes with a starter game and has a cartridge slot to accommodate any of 30 or so other learning game titles (everything ranging from Disney fairies and princesses to Dora to Star Wars). The games are structured to encourage math and language skills (e.g., via number recognition, letter recognition, counting, etc.) as well as pattern recognition (e.g., colors, shapes) through games. Since Laurel knows a bit of Spanish, she especially loves Dora’s Camping Adventure, as well as the Disney Fairies and Princess and the Frog games. Game levels adapt along with your kid’s progress (the console can track multiple players) and you also can connect the Leapster2 online for all sorts of extra perks (plus parents can get learning progress reports), though admittedly we haven’t even gotten to this phase because there’s been plenty to explore within the Leapster2 itself.

I’ve found the Leapster2 to be especially handy to bring along when I anticipate a wait (e.g., doctor’s office, grocery store); otherwise, we haven’t had to worry about over-usage at all around the house. And yes, you can adjust the volume on the device.

The Tag system is very cool and pretty much mystifies me technology-wise. Basically you have the Tag Reader stylus + books that look typical with the exception of some small icons on each page. Like the Leapster2 games, the book options span classic tales and popular characters (Laurel especially loves Olivia and Dora). Before you get going you need to connect the Tag Reader to your computer via USB, download the audio for your Tag books, then load the stories onto the Tag Reader. (Sounds like a lot of steps but it's quick and easy.) Then simply touch the icons with the stylus and the Tag Reader will read by page and engage kids in games related to the page contents (designed to help with reading comprehension, object identification, etc), or touch word by word. And as with the Leapster2, yes, the Tag Reader offers volume control.

At first, Laurel would simply use the stylus to read the entire page or she’d want me to read the book to her, but now that she's learning more and more words at home and school, it's been very cool to see her use the stylus to read word by word. And now she's at a point where she can read many words on her own and uses the stylus as a prompt to help her when she encounters an unfamiliar word. Though we still spend countless hours reading books together, the Tag allows her to have independence with books (which in turn gives me a bit of time to get dinner together, put out client fires, or whatever).

In sum, I’m really impressed with the Leapster2 and Tag systems. They offer a fun mode through which Laurel can learn and play independently, but in an enhancing, not replacing, way; the majority of our play remains offline and hands on. Also, after attempting to watch The Little Mermaid with Laurel the other day -- which essentially boiled down to me fast-forwarding through the parts that scared her...which was a lot -- it also occured to me that another benefit of the Leapster2 and Tag systems is that they offer kids a way to enjoy their favorite characters in a far more interactive and less intense way than a movie.

+ + + + +
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winners Jennifer & Jackie!
+ + + + +

Now, want to be one of two winners to receive LeapFrog goodies? Here’s how:

Visit the Leapster or Tag product pages, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘LeapFrog’ in the subject), and name a Leapster game or Tag book your child would love to play or read.

One entry permitted per person; US residents welcome to enter.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Sunday, December 6, 2009.

*Two lucky winners will be drawn using Random.org. One winner will receive the Leapster2 + Princess and the Frog game ($95 value). The second winner will receive the new Chat & Count phone ($15 value).

Marie LeBaron is a blog friend who I have yet to meet in real life, but we share a passion for crafting and food and I so admire all of the crafty awesomeness she shares on her site, Make and Takes. And though Marie and my friendship is relatively new, her enthusiasm encouraged me to sign up with her and ten other bloggers for what no doubt will be a (somewhat insane) major bonding experience: a 200-mile relay run come spring (gulp). I’m thrilled that today, for the seventh installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Marie shares easy yet engaging holiday crafts to enjoy with your kids.

+ + + + +

From Marie:

We're now officially in the holiday stretch and there are presents to buy, the house to decorate, and treats to make. Here are a few fun projects we're making and taking in the next few weeks to celebrate the holidays.

Beaded Ornaments: Decorating the tree is part of the fun of decorating the house for Christmas. And all you need to make your own ornaments are beads and pipe cleaners. Create traditional shapes as shown here, create shapes for other winter holidays (e.g., a Star of David for Hanukkah), or let your kid’s imagination run wild. These ornaments are fun to give as gifts or to make to hang on your own tree. No doubt your kids will love to look back on them when they're grown up.

+ + + + +

Fruit Loop Garland: This is a classic holiday craft that’s fun for kids while encouraging motor development. All that’s involved is threading Fruit Loop cereal (or check stores such as Whole Foods for a natural/organic alternative) onto string. We make a lot of these fruity garlands to put on our tree, even though my kids typically eat a lot of the cereal while we’re stringing! And a tip: attach a little bit of tape to the threading end of the yarn or string (to form a shoelace type end) to help little fingers thread the cereal through. (Garland shown in first image above.)

+ + + + +

Stained Glass Christmas Trees: To give your windows a festive feel, try these bright and cheery stained glass trees. Simply fold green paper triangles, cut holes in them (as you would a snowflake), then add some wrapping tissue paper to the back, letting the colors shine through. Attach a brown rectangle for the tree stump and a yellow circle of paper (or a pom-pon) at the top.

+ + + + +

Homemade Lollipops: Lollipops are the one candy that we make every December. They are fun to make and eat, and are a perfect gift to give to the neighbors. These are mostly made and poured by me, but my kids love to help set up the sticks and watch as the lollipop liquid gets poured. You can make these with metal molds, but we like to have them come out all wonky, simply pouring them over the sticks. Click here for the lollipop recipe.

+ + + + +

M&M Graphing: With so many flavors of M&Ms, this is a fun taste testing activity to do with the kids. We poured all kinds of M&Ms into our bowl, then closed our eyes and picked one out. We graphed what color it was, what flavor it was, and if we liked it. This activity is a fun one to do in a classroom setting for younger or older grades, helping them have fun as they eat and learn! If you’d prefer to use a natural alternative (for example, SunSpire Sun Drops) you could change the parameters of the game to guess and graph colors.

+ + + + +

Marie LeBaron is the owner and founder of Make and Takes, a website sharing kids crafts, home crafts, easy recipes, and parenting tips. She’s a crafter, foodie, and mother of 3. She also loves to read, run, and blog. You can follow Marie on Twitter at @makeandtakes.

The little angel's ballet school is performing The Nutcracker next week. Twice on Thursday morning, twice on Friday morning, once on Friday night, and twice on Saturday. We have dress rehearsals this week on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. She's been going in for at least an hour, sometimes two, on Saturdays since September. I've spent hours writing e-mails and press releases, trying to drum up an audience for the kids.

And I'll be honest, I was getting a little tired of the whole thing.

Until I saw this.

She's a snow bird. And when she grows up, she wants to be a star.

------------------------------------------------------

Reviews of Time's latest coffee table book and a safe to stop your kids from stealing your Oxycontin on Surrender, Dorothy: Reviews!

Today, Kate shares a skin care PSA:

“Born with various skin sensitivities and a preternatural tendency to sunburn, I have spent my fair share of time in dermatology offices. I work hard to take care of my skin with a complicated (and expensive) regimen of creams and ointments, and now pride myself on having entered my mid-30s with healthy and happy skin that rarely feels direct sun and generally rewards me by looking decent even on days when my daughter wakes in the middle of the night.
And so it was with particular alarm that I heard my dermatologist announce at my annual check-up that I had three (three!) concerning spots that she wanted to excise, biopsy, and possibly further treat. Wait, what? Skin cancer? But I'm only 36! And I wear sunblock every day, even in winter!

One minor surgery, three stitches, and four weeks of worry later, it turned out that two of the spots were normal and one only mildly abnormal, although it will require additional surgery. The whole experience was both scary and eye-opening for me - I had known neither how common melanoma is (even for young people), nor how serious if not caught and treated early - and has made me enormously grateful for my sharp-eyed dermatologist and my access to top-flight medical care.

The lessons I took from this that I wanted to share with you: Know your skin, even better than you may already think you do. Don't ignore funky looking freckles or spots that pop up or change out of nowhere. And get regularly checked by a professional dermatologist - not just your GP - who will look you up and down and address anything that seems abnormal. And wear sunblock, every day.”

For more information, visit the CDC’s section on skin cancer basics.

+ + + + +

Image credit: Wikipedia

Today I was included in a Boston Globe article about bloggers and the FTC’s new guidelines about disclosure in product reviews and endorsements. While I’ve witnessed a lot of panic and anger in the blogosphere about these guidelines (rumors of $11,000 misconduct fines will do that), they’re actually a good thing because ultimately, the goal is to protect the consumer; readers like you who read blogs and (rightfully assume) that what you’re reading is honest and objective editorial.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. I’ve seen a lot of bad practices by fellow bloggers (e.g., cut and pasted press releases passed off as original content, pay for play not disclosed, etc.) and I well remember when I started Boston Mamas in July 2006 and soon learned about advertorials (paid placements that are designed to look like real editorial). Someone wanted to buy an advertorial spot from me and I felt hugely depressed. (And of course I said no.) I wondered about all of the products I had bought in the past based on magazine or other “reviews” – how many of those placements actually were advertisements? I felt deceived and ever since have taken in product content with a super critical eye.

Since Day 1 here at Boston Mamas, I have been committed to transparency and 100% advertorial-free editorial. I can’t help but assume that my strict adherence to, and belief in, true editorial form is related to my former life as a scientist, where I used to describe all practices and cross my t’s and dot my i’s ad nauseam (submitting grants to the NIH will do that). Subsequently, when my contributing writers and I write about products, we write from the heart – about stuff we think is awesome, useful, and/or clever. Product reviews represent only a fraction of the content featured on Boston Mamas and as such I am extremely picky about what I’ll even allow in the door for evaluation (that's one of the reasons I don't include a free for all shipping address on my contact page). I’ve never sat down to figure out the numbers, but it’s probably safe to estimate that I bypass hundreds of product pitches for every one that I decide should move to the evaluation phase. And yes, even despite my rigorous screening, every now and then there are products that don’t work out for whatever reason (e.g., bad smell, breaks immediately) and I do not feature these items just because they were submitted. This is the reason products must be submitted for evaluation. "Evaluating" a hi-res JPEG just isn't going to cut it (you'd be amazed by how frequently products are pitched for editorial consideration based on hi-res JPEGs).

In short, I wanted to emphasize how strongly I feel about transparency and how important it is for me to know that you know that what you see on this site is honest and objective editorial. Your trust is more important to me than ad money (truly, I don’t rely on Boston Mamas to pay my bills…I leave that to my design work and freelance contracts). I have always maintained a steady editorial code – much like a magazine or newspaper – (see my contact and disclosure page for my possibly excessively explicit description of practices) and as such will not end each individual post with a disclosure line as you see on some blogs. The disclosure-per-post practice is recommended by the FTC for personal blogs but given that I operate Boston Mamas more like a magazine and have a clearly detailed editorial code, I'm leaving things as is (easy access button to contact/disclosure policy right in the header).

If you have questions or concerns or thoughts please feel free to comment in below or drop me a line at editor@bostonmamas.com.

And as always, thank you for reading.

+ + + + +

UPDATE 12/2/09: There are three points that I feel warrant mention in addendum:

First, as stated on my contact and disclosure page, many products featured on Boston Mamas are ones that we've discovered (i.e., purchased ourselves) on our own and loved. Obviously, in those cases there's no interaction with an agency; just us and the cash register.

Second, I am well overdue in updating my banner (at the time of this writing, it's a spring graphic...how embarrassing!). A redesign is in process and in the new banner I will separate out a disclosure button from the contact button (however, both buttons will link to the same page as I want those who are trying to contact me to also know my policies).

Third, while I understand the perspective that it's better to err on the side of over disclosure, at present I will continue on as I have been for the last three years: with a very detailed disclosure page that is easily accessed from the banner, i.e., not making an individual statement at the bottom of each post, similar to the way that magazines operate by a standard journalistic code and subsequently don't annotate every item in a product round up. However, in the future if I learn of objections from the FTC regarding this practice, I will address it here. From what I have read, and from what I discerned from the Blog With Integrity webinar with FTC Associate Director of Consumer Protection Mary Engle, I believe that the standards I set back in July 2006 comply with the FTC regulations.

+ + + + +

Image credit: Dina Rudick/Globe Staff