What's on Your PT Sale Shopping List?

In the weeks leading up to the Parent Talk Used Clothing, Toy and Equipment Sale, my living room and dining room become staging areas.  Donations and consignments go out the door to Sale in order to make room for purchases coming in the door from the Sale.

Once the donations have been made and the consignments have been tagged, it's time to pull together my shopping list for the day of the Sale.  I make a mental list of what each child needs in several categories, including seasonal items, toys, equipment and my favorite -- what I call "back-up" items.  I also keep my eyes open for what I call "jack-pot" items.

Seasonal Items

 At the Fall Sale, my list always includes the following items: 

• Halloween Costumes --  Last year, I was able to buy three or four costumes for each for my twins.  Even though the twins did not end up wearing any of them for Halloween, they now have a very full dress-up closet with which they play all of the time.  This year, I am on the lookout for the makings of a pirate princess costume.

"Who dressed YOU?" by Juhan Sonin

• Winter Gear  -- I almost always end up picking up a few winter gear items, whether they be back-up items for daycare (more on that later) or "new" gear for the slopes.  I always look for tried and true name brands like L.L.Bean and Lands' End.  I know that items from these brands will stand up to being used by several kids, and the companies' return policies are extremely generous in case a zipper breaks or a seam pulls after years of use. This year, I am on the hunt for snow pants for my older son.

•  Holiday Outfits -- If you think about it, it never makes sense to buy holiday outfits new when you can buy them worn once or twice for a fraction of the cost!  This fall, I am looking for a dress for my daughter and coordinating sweaters for my boys.

"Had a little Christmas session." by Tanner Smith

Toys 

This year, my family has been really focused on getting the toys out of the house and reducing our clutter, so I don't need as many toys this year.  When my kids were younger, however, I got some amazing toys from the Sale, especially toys for the newborn through toddler age range.  These toys don't get quite as much wear and tear as toys for older children. I have picked up many nearly new items, including walkers, musical toys and Tonka trucks!  This year, my list is short, but it does include some key items:

• Board Games - My kids are starting to play games cooperatively, with little support from Mom and Dad.  At the Sale, I am hoping to pick up a few new games to add to the rotation.  The Sale is always well stocked with everyone's favorite games, so if you see Apples to Apples, save it for me!

• Coloring/Activity Books - My daughter is a coloring fiend right now. If she could, she would color for hours every day.  My boys love activity books with mazes and "spot the difference" pages. I am hoping to pick up a few of these to stash in our family car so that when we go out to eat, travel, or go on car trips there will always be something for me to grab that is new entertainment.

"coloring book" by Julie Rybarczyk

• Music - Similarly, I am planning to keep an eye out for a few CDs.  We mostly listen to streaming music at home, but we do have a CD player in the playroom and in our minivan.  I love to pull out something that  we have not listened to when we are into the fifth hour of a road trip to see the in-laws!

Back-Up Items

Okay, here's the deal.  This is where you can really make out at the Sale.  Even if you prefer to buy new for your kids, you can always use a back-up of something, right?  Whether it's an extra Pack 'n Play for your mom's house, a second jogging stroller for the beach or an extra set of winter gear for daycare, why pay full price?  Your kids will use these items only a fraction of the time, and with all the great brands and quality items at the Sale, you can't go wrong!  This year my list includes:

• Winter Gear --  My kids all go to daycare and instead of schlepping boots, hats, mittens, coats and snow pants back and forth each day, I just get them a second set of everything.  This year,   I am on the lookout for a second set of winter gear for my younger son. 

• Rain Gear -- How many times have you left for school when it has been sunny and then the day takes a turn for the worse?  Again, it's easier just to have back-up rain gear that you can leave at school for the season.  My daughter needs rain boots (size 11, if you see them)!

"running in wellies and raincoats" by Sarah Offley Photography Wirral

• Baby Gear -- Just kidding! Nothing is on my list for baby gear this year. I am purging baby gear these days, but in the past when I was expecting twins, I got great deals on strollers, a second swing, and a second high-chair.  Last year, I got a great deal on not one, but two Razor scooters.  Look for Pack 'n Plays, extra sheets, a second baby carrier (adjust one for mom and one for dad, and no need to readjust ever again) and second (or third) strollers.

• Jack-Pot Items --  Last but not least are what I call the jack-pot items. This is the brand new Mini Boden shirt in your son's size for $8, or the pink Pottery Barn kitchen for a fraction of the cost, new.  While I don't put anything specific from this category on my shopping list, there is always something that catches my eye at every Sale.  At this year's Spring Sale, I picked up several brand new crew-neck tee shirts for my daughter for under fifteen dollars.  Last fall, I got a nearly new pair of pink Kamik boots for her, which she wore nearly every day from January to May!   

What's on your shopping list?

About the Author
Wendy Todd lives in Needham with her husband, Aaron, and three kids aged eight, four and four. She started volunteering for the Parent Talk Sale in 2008 and has been on the Sale Committee for the last four Sales. She plans to stay on the Committee until her very last bargain is found! She previously served on the Board of Directors of Parent Talk as both Playspace Chair and President.

Editor's note:  One of the best ways to score an item on your PT Sale shopping list (especially those jack-pot items!) is to volunteer for the Sale. Volunteers can shop early, before the start of the Sale.  Help is especially needed on Sale Day, Saturday, October 17, 2015. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up at SignUpGenius.  

Flying on Airplanes with Young Children

As an A-lister on Southwest (back when that meant taking more than 50 flights per year), I never was overly bothered by a crying child on an airplane. However, some people have a lower threshold of what they can tolerate. That threshold can be easily breached by the nearby child who is unable to perform all those things that naturally fall within a mature adult's capacity -- to sit quietly for a prolonged period in a particular seat in cramped quarters in an enclosed environment with very few things to do or see. Instead, a child may feel the need to talk loudly, engage neighboring passengers (whether or not the passengers like it), wriggle, refuse to respect the fasten-seat-belt sign, cry, yell, or otherwise be a very young person on a very boring airplane flight.

"Buckled In" by Scott Sherrill-Mix

The recent murmuring about what some people perceive as a need for child-free flights is not entirely new. There have been previous arguments for child-free zones on airplanes. Both arguments raise the issue faced by many parents of how to best travel with their children.  It's not a pleasant experience to get dirty looks from other passengers. Or despite the great love we feel for our own, parents can need a break from their childrens' airplane antics as well.

While I no longer qualify as an A-lister, having family and a house in other states resulted in my logging a fair share of flights with child in hand. From the first few flights of his infancy to the more frequent trips in his preschooler days, we have taken anywhere between 4 to 20 flights per year as a family. In that time, I have learned a few tips and tactics, both from experience and other frequent fliers.

"Toddler's first airplane" by Scott Sherill-Mix

1. Different Travel Distances for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers - Although it seems counter intuitive, travelling longer distances on an airplane can be easier with a small infant than a toddler.  Infants can nurse or bottle feed on take-off and landings, and swallowing can help relieve the air pressure building in their ears which leads to crying.  They can fly free on our laps, and may also sleep easily and often throughout the trip with a minimum of wriggling.  

Toddlers, on the other hand, may want to get up and move around more often, so shorter flights can be preferable. It can be much more of a challenge keeping a toddler happy and entertained in his seat when the "fasten-seat-belt" light comes on.  Due to his increased need for space and physical activity, buying a seat for a toddler can make a long flight more bearable, even if he still technically qualifies for free travel as a lap child.

"Seatback" by Sean Munson

Preschoolers will need their own seat if simply due to age restrictions for free travel (up to age 2). They may be able to handle longer flights in their seats than toddlers, having greater ability to entertain themselves in one place.  Overall, I find cross-country flying easiest with my preschooler. He is now happy in his seat the whole flight and is a good enough walker (and I have strong enough arms) that we don't need to lug around a stroller. I found the same trip most challenging with a toddler who had difficulty sitting in place.  Designing vacation travel around different distances for your children as they age is something to consider.

2. Mystery Bag of Goodies -- A selection of new, age-appropriate toys and books can help keep kids interested and happy in the air.  As a toddler, my son enjoyed walking around the plane and peeking around his seat more than playing with the toys we brought, but he did play a short time with his stuffed animals and sketch pad.  He was also interested in viewing (and ripping up!) the pages of the on-flight magazine and playing with the safety card instructions.  The shiny packages of in-flight snacks became toys to him. As a preschooler, he enjoys coloring at his seat with water-pens, sewing or other travel-friendly crafts, listening to music (especially The Wiggles), and reading books.

"what was in my bag" by Ariel Grimm

3.  Wholesome Meals/Snacks - Adequate food became one of my top travel worries once my little guy was eating solid meals.  Knowing that he was hungry while I was stuck in my seat without  the right foods for him (at the time, I only carried snacks and purees) was an awful feeling.  Also, airplane snacks just don't make the cut for a healthy and filling meal. Some airlines like Virgin America have decent meal-type snacks for purchase, but there is no guarantee that what you want will be available, especially for kids with allergies. 

I now have learned to pack our own food in an insulated lunch bag.  Cut-up hot dogs, cheese, cold meats, fruit and vegetables do a good job as a meal. Child-sized servings of yogurt are also a life-saver for filling a hungry belly when it is lunch-time but we are still a long time away from landing. Goldfish crackers and fortified cereal packed in small, hard, plastic containers are also good to have on hand. Boiled eggs are healthy and portable, along with sandwiches.  Instant oatmeal can also be made by travelling with an oatmeal packet (or use starter baby cereals in a plastic bag) and asking the flight attendant for a cup of hot water.  Food can be prepared either at home or purchased from a supermarket's hot/cold food bar (such as at Whole Foods) when on the go.  Be sure to bring utensils!

"064" by Kelly Polizzi

4. Layover or Direct?  This choice can be highly individual, depending on the child's energy level and cost of direct flights.  On one hand, a layover can provide opportunity for everyone (especially toddlers and preschoolers) with an opportunity to walk and stretch. On the other hand, it can be disruptive for a child who wants to sleep.  If the layover comes at nap time, noisy terminals can make it impossible to sleep, leaving the parent with a cranky, crying child.  

Compared to flying direct, each separate leg of travel increases the risk of delays which can make your child cranky and irritable. A long trip that suddenly becomes even longer can seem unbearable to a little one and result in nonstop crying when finally on the plane. We once had a 7 to 8 hour trip become a 14 hour trip due to delays from our layover. While I sympathized with the people around me who had to hear my child miserably crying, I felt even worse for him.  Anytime we can fly direct, we now try to do so.  It  can be expensive, but budget-friendly airlines like Southwest, Jet Blue, and Virgin America make it a little less painful.

"On our way to America" by Lars Plougmann

5. Time of Day for Flying - One of the greatest travel tips I received was from my executive-platinum-frequent-flying brother-in-law. Fly the first flight of the day for your route. Not only does this avoid delays caused by traffic patterns due to flights ahead of your flight, but it also means clear travelling en route to the airport. In car-heavy cities like Los Angeles, this can mean getting to the airport within 20 minutes without traffic instead of an hour-long drive in traffic.  While taking the first flight of the day can mean rising in the dark before the birds chirp, we have found that the quiet, early morning travel to the airport and plane ride to be vastly more enjoyable for our child than loud, busy mid-day travel when both traffic and chatter is high.  It makes for a calmer child, and is more conducive to helping him nap, compared to travelling at a busier time.

For many more travel tips that go far beyond these, I recommend Travels with Baby by Sherry Rivoli. This book is an incredibly thorough and helpful resource for travelling with kids. I only wish I had discovered it sooner. It is available in both hardcopy and e-reader format.

About the Author

Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently the blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

Do you have special tips for travelling with children? Please share them in the Comments section below.  

Quick Trips with Little Ones Outside Boston

Written by Betsy Miller

Now that spring is here it’s time to begin exploring again.   What better way to enjoy the gorgeous weather and inspire joy than to take a little day or overnight trip?  Parent Talk members have mentioned New York City, Mystic, CT and Portland, ME as some of their favorites. These prove to be quick trips that promise amazing experiences to be had with a little planning and a few hours on the road.If your family is interested in an overnight stay, be sure to check out deals online like Groupon Getaways.  Many of the close-by packages include dinner and kids stay free.

New York City

Only a 3 hour drive or quick train ride away, some of the most exciting andfamily-friendly fun can be found in the Big Apple.Things to do and see include:

• Central Park: I'd highly recommend the CP Zoo and a night-time carriage ride.
• Staten Island Ferry – it’s free!
• Children’s Museum of Art in SoHo.
• Times Square: Toys R Us has an indoor Ferris wheel.  Also, if you are interested in seeing a show there is the TKS stand in Times Square (across from TRU) that sells cheap tickets the day of the show.  Be aware the Times Square can be very crowded, very loud and overwhelming to some children.
• Top of the Rock: Amazing views from the 70th floor of the
• Rockefeller Center, also home to NBC Studios.

Places to Eat:

• Serendipity: delicious frozen hot chocolate is always a hit with kids.
• Restaurant Row: tons of low-key, delicious Italian places on 9th Ave (my favorite is Becco on W. 46th between 8th and 9th)

Places to Stay:

• Le Parker Meridien on W. 56th. It was great, but it was a pull out sofa and not a full wall. It also had a free in-room breakfast, which was awesome and two entrees with one side fed all of us. Also has a great roof top pool and is walking distance to Times Square (thanks, Karin Dupuis for the suggestion!)
• Jumeirah Essex House on Central Park South.  Suites and very nice amenitites.  Perfect location right on Central Park and within walking distance of FAO and Times Square.
• Doubletree Suites and Marriot Courtyard also have suites.

Mystic, CT (thank you to Susan Orr and Jen Leonard-Schaffsteinfor the info!)

Mystic is a charming New England seaport town with activities both quietand exciting.

• Mystic Aquarium – one of the best aquariums in New England wit hands-on attractions like petting stingrays and beluga whales .
• Dinosaur Place – kid-sized amusement park includes trails to explore, a playground and splashpad.
• Near Mystic on the Connecticut College campus there is a really pretty arboretum- lots of walking in the woods and gardens... a great place to let the kids explore.

Places to Eat:

• Mystic Pizza (from the 80’s movie, of course!)
• Costello’s Clam Shack – about 10 minutes down the coast in the

Noank shipyard is this very casual place known for chowders and clam bakes.Be sure to visit the website for directions as it can be hard to find.Places to Stay:

• Hilton hotel with an indoor pool. It is very close to the aquarium.
• Foxwoods is close and has many dining and hotel options. Also has a spa for treating yourself after a long, action-packed day with the kids!

Portland, ME (info also provided by Susan)

Things to do:

• Willard Beach--very scenic, neighborhood-type beach in South Portland.  You can view the islands off the coast and a lighthouse. Within walking distance is a good bakery called Scratch for lunch or treats.
• Walking trails: there are something like 40 miles of walking trails in Portland. There is one called Back Cove.
• Boat rides and tours: take the boat to various islands off the mainland and explore-Peaks Island is the one with the most on it.

Places to Eat

• Lobster Shack at Two Lights--fried seafood and home baked desserts that you sit outside eating at picnic tables overlooking a lighthouse. And I think it is BYOB. (10 min from Portland in Cape Elizabeth)
• Flatbread pizza:  good kid-friendly restaurant.

Place to stay:

• Portland Harbor Hotel
• Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth is really nice. Suites are available which is good when traveling with small kids.

Where are some of your favorite places to take a trip with your little kids? Leave a note in the comment section below.

photo credit: Selbe B via photopin cc
photo credit: oefe via photopin cc

Are we there yet? Traveling tips for flying with small children

Written by Emily Roach

Traveling with small children is no vacation.  Getting organized to get through the airport and a flight takes time and some strategic planning.  Here are some tips to help make your trips go a little smoother.  We last travelled on a flight during the Thanksgiving holidays and here is what we did to prepare.

• Pack plenty of snacks for all age groups.  Even better if they can share the same thing.  We packed lots of the new Plum Organic products, such as the Super Puffs and the Mish Mash squeezies.   The squeeze packets are awesome to spoon out just what you need for a feeding instead of packing heavier glass jars.
• Buy kid size headphones. They will not deal with the ear buds (been there, done that) and the in flight head phones are too big.  We generally fly Jet Blue to Florida and love having the TVs.  We bought the adorable Panda Bear Headphones which were a huge success this trip.     (You can purchase them via 
• Amazon)

• Pack entertainment into your Ipad/Iphone that is age appropriate.  My daughter is fluent in navigating the Iphone, so we used it to our advantage for the trip.  Her favorite new apps are the Monkey Preschool, Dr. Panda,  and the Dinosaur Train.  We also downloaded the Bubbles app, which was great for adults too! There is also a new World Atlas app from Barefoot Books that is great for both preschool and school age kids. 
• Bring a stroller.  Either for tired children or for carting your bags.
• Pack empty water bottles for everyone.  Buy the biggest water you can find in the airport to fill them up.  I find that is better than taking the mini plastic bottles during the flight, which are gone in a minute. 
• Pack some burp clothes or flannel wipes.  They clean up messes in flight when you may not have a napkin handy. We had laundry available to us on the other end so this was an easy option for us.

Little miss did great on the plane ride.  I think having her own seat made a big difference.  

For more ideas, check out these sites. 

http://frugalgranola.com/2012/03/10-tips-for-airplane-travel-with-young-children/

http://simplemom.net/how-to-travel-long-distances-with-little-ones-and-not-go-insane/
Packing Checklist for Traveling with Toddlers

Good luck if you are traveling this week.  What are some of your best travel tips?

About the Author

Parent~Foodie~Type A Organizer~Social Media Maven.  Emily lives in Needham with her husband Jim and two children.  After working in retail for 10 years, she decided to stay home with the kids and bake.  Emily is also working with Parent Talk Marketing, the Needham Farmers Market and writes a blog at Random Recycling: Modern Green Living for Busy Families.