Though of course I had heard the phrase that it takes a village to raise a child before, I never really knew what it meant until my daughter Lily was born on August 4, 2005. When she was born, our family and friends surrounded us, and I could see the village that surrounded us. I was so happy then, and I had no idea what was to come.
Shortly after I returned to work, I could tell that there was something wrong. I was frequently breathless and I had no energy for anything. While plenty of people suggested that I was just tired from having a baby, I knew that there was something else going on. On November 21, 2005, I got the bad news.
I was diagnosed malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer caused by my accidental childhood exposure to asbestos. This news was devastating, but in my panic, I focused on my beloved family, which suddenly felt so new and fragile.
My thoughts were whirling around me, but when I looked at my daughter and my husband, my resolve firmed. I knew that I had to fight this for them, and I knew I had to fight it as hard as I could. Because this cancer is so aggressive, we decided on one of the most drastic mesothelioma treatment options. My husband and I flew to Boston, where, on February 2, I had my lung removed in a procedure known as extrapleural pneumenectomy. I had 18 days in the hospital to recover from this procedure and then, 2 months later, I started up on the round of chemotherapy and radiation.
During this time, Lily was being lovingly cared for by her grandparents, my parents. They both had fulltime jobs, but their church group came to the rescue. When they couldn’t be with her, Lily was cared for by a wide range of loving people. Some of them were girls that I had once babysat in my hometown! Even if I missed her every day, I was confident that Lily was receiving the best care that she could possibly have, given the circumstances.
The people who came through for us during this dark time truly surprised and humbled me. The people who I would have expected to be around were no where to be found, and other people, who I never would have expected to help in a million years, were right by our sides. Whether we were in Boston or our own home town, we had friends who asked after us, who helped where they could and who kept our spirits strong. It was truly humbling the reaction that we got from our local community.
Cancer taught me many things, and I realized that even on my darkest day, there was always someone there to pull me out. Life has since gotten easier, but I still occasionally look back on that time with wonder and awe. I will never forget the love and support that was so generously given to me at that time.
Stacy DeBroff is CEO of MomCentral. She’s also a highly influential blogger and author of The Mom Book. With more families driving for spring/summer travel than ever before thanks to rising airline costs and a stagnant economy, how can parents drive long distances with kids in tow, while staying sane in the process? National mom expert Stacy DeBroff offers up how to deal with sullen teens, non-stop backseat fighting, carsick toddlers, kids battling colds, more stops along the way than you had planned, DVD demands, and cries of “ARE WE THERE YET!”.
Family car trips don’t have to send you scurrying for painkillers in order to make it across a few state lines:
Busting Up Back-Seat Fights: Don’t wait until the squabbling starts in the back seat – prevent it before it takes on a life of its own. Place soft luggage or a diaper bag between kids to create boundaries:
Ø Smaller luggage works in between kids less prone to in-car duels and can double as a surface for playing cards and games.
Ø Taller luggage creates “a wall divider” that helps you avoid hearing choruses of “He keeps looking at me!”
Ø Likewise, bring along individual snack packs to avoid the tug-of-war that comes with shared snacks.
Don’t Leave Behind Mission-Critical Items: You don’t want to be entering the Turnpike when you realize you’ve left your tween’s iPod on the kitchen table or forgotten your toddler’s favorite stuffed animal, your cell phone, or soft pillows to help the kids snooze away the miles. And for those inevitable in-car messes, don’t forget to bring along multiple trash bags, as well as items such as Wet Ones to clean kids’ hands on the go. Make sure to put post-it notes on your car’s steering wheel for key reminders!
Let Us Entertain You! Ensure in-car sanity by packing up a diverse array of entertainment items. A recent Mom Central survey showed that 48% of families bring along a DVD player or video for the car, and 40% travel with a Nintendo DS. While DVDs and electronic games work wonders, make sure to bring other “all-car” activities. Get a couple of audio books that appeal to the whole family such as Harry Potter or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And don’t forget classics like the license plate game, making up stories about the people you pass, and finding all the alphabet letters in sequence based on road signs you pass (x and z can be a challenge)! Visit a small neighborhood educational toy store for some new, quiet car-related games.
Time to Hand Over Your Smartphone or iPad: Kids love the games and apps, especially on the iPhone and the iPad, and you can preload your phone with some cool ones from the app store before you go. New holders enable you to attach an iPad to the headrest of a front seat. In fact, 39% of parents plug kids into their Smartphones while on the go, and 26% of parents bring along an iPad or other tablet device.
Tune Kids in to the Scenery: Nothing proves more frustrating than a kid in an electronic game haze while the Rockies pass by unnoticed out the car window. Schedule some technology downtime so kids can observe their surroundings, spot animals along the way, or discover bridges and cool rock formations.
How young is too young to start talking to my child about dating?
A new study conducted with more 1,400 7th-graders showed that, in this robust sample, an alarmingly high number of pre-teens are not only dating, but experiencing abusive relationships and sexual harassment.
More than 75 percent reported they had been in dating relationships. Nearly one in six had experienced physical dating violence and more than half had experienced sexual harassment.
Until now, there has been very little research on this age group and, though not nationally representative, this study is one of the few and largest in-depth studies conducted on this topic to date. The implications of these findings for parents are serious and reinforce that waiting until high school to talk about dating is too late. Middle school provides a critical window of opportunity to teach children about healthy relationships and prevent dating violence before it starts.
What can parents do? Take advantage of this window of time. Educate yourself on the warning signs of teen dating abuse and learn how to start conversations with pre-teens about what behaviors should never be tolerated in a dating relationship.
Be on the watch for the subtle signs of an abusive relationship, and notice if your pre-teen:
Receives excessive text messaging, phone calling, emailing or visiting with boyfriend or girlfriend.
Stops hanging out with friends or participating in family activities.
Starts having declining grades or missing school.
Seems afraid to disagree with his or her boyfriend or girlfriend; always does what partner wants
· Has injuries he/she tries to cover up or can’t explain
If any of the above are correct, your child may be in an unhealthy relationship.
There was good news from the study as well. Nearly three-quarters of the students in the sample said they sometimes or often talk to their parents about dating and relationships. Keeping this communication open and active is key to ensuring your pre-teen or teen sets healthy boundaries in relationships.
Here are some tips:
Talk to your children about peer pressure both online and off, before they are even in a relationship.
Discuss what it means to be a good friend, laying a foundation for healthy romantic relationships later in life.
Encourage and model healthy and safe relationships.
Use popular culture and current events to make teachable moments with your children. Ask them what they think about relationship behaviors that they see, and dialogue about what’s appropriate and what’s not.
· Discuss what a healthy relationship looks like, feels like, and sounds like.
These findings come from an evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s national program, Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships, the largest initiative ever funded to prevent dating abuse among 11-14 year olds in 11 different communities across the U.S. To learn more about how to start conversations with your child, and increase your knowledge about teen dating abuse visit www.startstrongparents.org, for free parent resources available in English and Spanish.
Our home is our oasis from life’s daily demands. Nothing feels better than after coming home after a long day, slip into your pajamas and have a relaxing evening. If your home is full of clutter relaxing at home can be nearly impossible. This spring start tackling those organizational projects you’ve been putting off.
Below are suggestions and ideas that will help put your home on the right track so your home can be clean and clutter free and you can impress your partner with your newfound organizational talents.
Kitchen Cupboards – Inventory the items in the cupboards. Think about their location in your kitchen and group items that are similar together. Tip: pots/pans and plates are used when cooking so consider moving them closer to the stove. Ask yourself questions like do you need both a steamer and a rice maker? How many sets of dishes do you need? Donate, sell or throw out any items you no longer need.
Bedroom Furniture – Look around at the size of your bedroom. Having too many items (dressers, tables) can make the room feel small and jam packed Gain some space by replacing your dresser with a highboy (a tall chest of drawers on legs). A highboy holds the same number of items but has a smaller footprint. You can pick up storage containers for underneath the bed from your local hardware store. They are great for storing your seasonal clothes, shoes and other items.
Bedroom Closets – The best advice is to clean them out. Go through your clothes and donate any items that no longer fits; you haven’t worn in over a year and dated clothing. After that’s done group your clothing by type: shirts, sweaters, ties, jeans, khakis so you’ll always know what’s in your closet.
Hall Closets – Group linens according to their use: bedroom, bathroom, dining table and identify their location on the shelves (you can also make labels so everyone in the family knows what goes where). To prevent bed linens from going missing try this trick – tuck the sheets inside one of the pillow cases that way when the beds need to be changed (or when company comes) you have everything you need together. For smaller items like tea towels or face cloths put them in baskets so they don’t go missing or fall off the shelf. Any extra toiletries can be stored in baskets so you’ll always know what you have lots of or what you need to pick up.
Installing Shelving: Add shelving to your empty wall(s) to display family photos, collectables that can take up valuable table space. If you have a stellar movie collection pick up some inexpensive shelving at your local home repair store and organize and display your prized collection. Take back the garage and add shelves to store tools, Christmas decorations, rakes, bicycles, etc.
Medicine Cabinet– Would it surprise you that medicine shouldn’t be kept in the bathroom? Most medications need to be kept in a cold dry place. Only place items like your cabinet, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor etc. in your “medicine cabinet.” Store your medication in a lock box if you have young children (that way they can’t touch or accidently take your medication)
Jeremy Godfrey is a writer and do it yourself enthusiast. When he’s not working here he’s home tackling his next home improvement project.
Today is International Women’s Day when thousands of events are held to honor the achievements of women around the world. Cindy Breilh, Women of Vision national director, offers seven easy ways for women to provide for daughters, sisters and mothers — women around the world, right in our own neighborhoods and here at home. 1. Save a woman’s life in child birth:
Did you know that in countries like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Bolivia, having a baby is one of the most dangerous things a woman can do? By helping train local midwives in remote communities, you could save a life. Visit StrongWomenStrongWorld.org to learn more.
2. Mentor a girl close to home:
A growing poverty rate, poor-performing schools, and teen violence make it tough to be a girl growing up here in our own country. Reach out and influence the life of a young girl in your own community by volunteering as a tutor or mentor. Get connected at BBBS.org.
3. Use your voice to stop trafficking:
Human trafficking and sexual exploitation affects girls and women in horrific ways all around the world, but the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in the US Senate can help end the practice. Contact your Senators and ask them to renew this bill to protect women and girls, both here in the US and around the world.
4. Invest in a small business owner:
Websites like WorldVisionMicro.org or Kiva.org connect you to hardworking women entrepreneurs, waiting to realize their dream of a dressmaking business, chicken farm, or food stall that will help them provide for their family. Even better, when the loan is paid off, your donated funds are loaned out again and again to make a bigger impact.
5. Provide the ticket to education—clean water:
One of the most common reasons girls in poor communities miss schooling is the lack of clean water in their village. Millions of girls and women spend several hours each day fetching water—often dirty and dangerous to their health—instead of attending school. Give the gift of clean water, and open the door to education for a young girl.
6. Band together with like-minded women:
Whatever your passion for helping other women, you’ll do it better—and have more fun doing it—with other women excited about the same cause. National movements like Women of Vision can connect you to a network of resources while allowing you to grow your own local group of women who want to make the world better for girls and their mothers.
7. Tell the women in your life that you care:
Empowering women starts right in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Celebrate this International Women’s Day by writing a note of thanks to that teacher who encouraged you years ago, picking up coffee for that new mom in your office who’s struggling to balance it all, or telling your own sister, daughter, or mother how much you appreciate them.
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World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
Let’s just put it this way, “Facebooking” and “YouTubing” is no longer just a “cute” thing kids do for fun to pass the time. Not understanding the risks associated with the many social media outlets poses a huge potential problem to the safety and well-being of our children.
To keep them safe, it is something that needs to be monitored closely. To fully understand the potential dangers, we, as parents/teachers/child advocates need to educate ourselves and then monitor closely.
I am a psychotherapist, with a private practice in Houston, Texas, and a media expert for several networks. I co-authored a book for moms and daughters about the importance of teaching young women about their bodies and health. Since the start of the New Year, I have been interviewed by CNN on the topic of ‘Teens, Facebook and how it can lead to Depression’. I have also done other interviews around kids and internet safety.
I read the headlines daily, and see sad story after sad story about a child who was not supervised by engaged parents or children whose parents were not aware of their child’s virtual world. If you lose a child due to cyber bullying or depression due to feeling isolated and friendless it is too late to become involved and ask the questions you need to ask now. Telling yourself that your child would never be involved in dangerous activities online is denial on a parent’s part. Any parent who has parented a teen understands being proactive is wiser than trying to scramble when bad things happen.
Thus, I wanted to take some time to educate or re-educate parents about the reasons they need to be engaged in their kids’ internet activity.
Whether its browsing websites like YouTube, networking on social media, playing video or other internet-connected games, or downloading files, every activity poses potential dangers that parents should be aware of.
Before the Internet was so accessible to all children, kids could come home and we as parents, could ask them how their day was, who they hung out with or had lunch with, or how their activities went after school.
Judging by their child’s response, we could get a fairly good idea of the events and interactions of the day and, by just looking at their face or judging their reactions to our questions, understand how their day actually was.
Well, our children now have a world very different from the one we have known throughout their life.
They have an online world with real people, real events and real drama – that can easily be hidden from our view and protection.
So, let’s start with a quick quiz. Do you know:
If your child has a Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Tumblr account?
How they use each social networking site they have?
How many friends do they have? Do they know all of those friends?
If they have more than one Facebook page?
ALL of their friends and connections on each site? Do they?
How much time your child spends online in general?
What your child does on YouTube?
If the video games they play connect to the internet?
Each of these questions represents online activity by most kids on most days.
By using these social media and search vehicles and playing video games online, they can be whoever they want, talk to anyone they want, or research anything they want. And until we communicate with them about the happenings in that digital world, we are missing out on what’s going on in their entire world.
I recommend two avenues:
Daily communication of what happened online. Questions might include:
“Where did you spend your time online today – IM, Facebook, games, surfing, etc?”
“Did you make any new friends?”
“Have you noticed anyone having trouble – I read a lot about cyberbullying.”
“Did you play any new online games today.”
“Would you mind showing that (whatever it may be) to me?”
I would also suggest proper etiquette rules of Facebook and texts. I would check phone for inappropriate photos and go over those rules and consequences prior to giving them the phone (it is a privilege after all…not a necessity).
Monitor internet and computer activity using preventatives measures that work best for you:
Restricting internet use to a public space such as the kitchen or family room and allowing kids on the computer only when you are home.
Managing your computer’s own settings for password control.
Adding software-based controls to your computer.
Ensuring that privacy settings on all internet-based accounts are set to your standards. This includes sites like Facebook, but also YouTube and online photo sites like Snapfish or Picasso.
Add a service to monitor your children’s activity on sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to send you alerts based around your child’s activities.
Checking to ensure these same settings and measures are also used on cellular phones that have Internet access.
While there is no perfect solution, a combination of these measures and daily interactions will help provide your child with a safe online experience. As always, we recommend you keep the conversations around internet safety open and positive so expectations and rules are made cut and dry.
In a place where predators are present, cyber bullying is increasing, and defaming the reputations of others happens rampantly, we need to be keeping a very close eye.
As we enter 2012, I, along with my partner, TrueCare.com, will continue to help parents understand that they do need to be monitoring their kids online. There has never been a more vulnerable time in your child’s life where what you don’t know really can hurt you (and your child). We want to move the needle in raising awareness and make “monitoring kids online” the next “buckle your seatbelt.”
Society is always changing, and that tends to mean that family dynamics are changing as well. As the culture and habits around us shift gradually, we change the ways in which we interact with each other and conduct ourselves throughout our daily lives – and, interestingly enough, parenting methods are no exception to this concept. Many people think that parenting is so instinctive as to be a rather unchanging practice. In fact, however, while instinct does certainly play a large role in parenting, particularly on the side of the mother, the ways in which American parents raise their children have always changed and adapted with the times. In current times, for example, there are, most notably, a number of changes occurring regarding the roles of fathers in raising children. Here are a few major fathering trends that have become ingrained in much of modern society:
Overall, fathers are spending a great deal more time with their children. There may well be various reasons for this, but the most obvious cause of this trend is that women, and therefore mothers, are more often employed now than at any other time in history. This has changed the old family dynamic of fathers working and mothers raising children, and has caused parents to share the task of raising their children.
Accompanying this trend, it is also interesting to note that more fathers tend to be taking advantage of their workplaces’ paternity leave policies. Maternity leave has always been necessary and accepted, as mothers need time not only to bond with and raise their new children, but also to physically recover from pregnancy – however, the common use of paternity leave is more of an emerging trend, allowing fathers time to bond with new children as well.
Fathers are also finding time to do things for their children on workdays more frequently than at other points of history. Again, largely because more mothers are working and increased compromise is needed, fathers are altering their schedules to enable themselves to take their kids to school, go to after school athletic and extracurricular events, etc.
Among all of these other trends, you may have noticed that it is becoming more common to see fathers out and about with their children and without the mothers. Nobody ever thinks twice when they see mothers walking in the park alone with strollers – but seeing fathers in their places is becoming more common, again as a result of the overall increasing involvement of fathers. One-on-one dad time outside of the house is becoming a more regular thing.
About the author:
Heather Jones is a mother of three and a freelance writer for the past six years. She contributes to Care.com on family dynamics and parenting.
Tune Up: A properly tuned engine can improve fuel economy about 4 percent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Fixing a serious issue – such as faulty oxygen sensor – can boost mileage up to 40 percent. And don’t ignore a service-engine-soon light.
Pump Up: Properly inflated tires improve gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Under-inflated tires can lower fuel economy by 0.3 percent for every one pound-per-square-inch drop in the pressure of all four tires. Do not rely solely on the tire pressure monitoring system to detect an under-inflated tire – it’s best to check tires with a good gauge once a month and check your owner’s manual for more information.
Unpack: Carrying unneeded cargo makes your vehicle work harder and use more gas. The EPA says an extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy up to 2 percent – even more in smaller vehicles. A loaded roof rack cuts fuel economy by up to 5 percent. About a quarter of each gallon of gas goes toward overcoming wind resistance, so when cargo rides on top of the vehicle, fuel economy is reduced. Even empty ski/snowboard and bike racks can affect aerodynamics, so remove them when the seasons are over.
Slow Down: While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph, according to the EPA. Every 5 mph over 60 mph is like adding an additional 24 cents per gallon for gas.
Avoid Idling: A car gets 0 mpg when the engine is idling: While it does take a small amount of fuel to restart a vehicle, 15 minutes in the drive-through can burn through a quarter of a gallon of fuel. So that dollar menu is more like a $2 menu.
Chill Out: Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in city driving.
Put it in Overdrive: Using an overdrive gear on the highway reduces engine speed, saving both fuel and engine wear.
Roll ‘Em Down Around Town: Air conditioning reduces fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent. Avoid using the air conditioner by rolling down the windows at speeds below 40 mph. At speeds above 45 mph, wind drag uses more fuel than running the A/C.
Unclog: It’s hard to run if you can’t breathe. Older cars without fuel injection and computer-controlled technology can lose 14 percent of their fuel economy because of a dirt-clogged air filter, which also can damage the engine. A clean air filter improves acceleration. An air filter full of dirt makes the engine work harder and can let in impurities that damage the engine. Replacing a severely plugged filter improves fuel economy by up to 14 percent, according to the EPA. In modern cars, replacing a dirty or clogged air filter improves acceleration performance
Use the Right Oil: Because oil reduces engine friction and friction makes an engine work harder, using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of oil improves fuel economy by 1 percent to 2 percent.
Plan your Trips: Taking your kids to soccer or swim classes? Grocery shopping? Plan routes and timing to avoid heavy periods of traffic congestion.
Cap Check: Loose or poorly fitting gas gaps not only can trigger a “check engine light” warning, they send 147 million gallons of gasoline into the air as vapor every year, according to a report by the Discovery Channel. A missing or poorly fitting cap can reduce fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent.
Toy Fair 2012
By Tecca Tech Lifestyle Editor Jennifer Jolly
The ten hottest toys to inspire, educate and wow kids (and parents) over the next year.
I could get in some serious trouble at the Toy Fair. While they don’t allow children on the miles-long show room floor, big kids like me touched, tapped, poked, prodded, played with and yes, even broke, plenty of toys all on our own.
The biggest take-away this year, toymakers are betting that you and/or your kids already own (or will soon buy) an iGadget (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad). The price of admission to many of this year’s must-have toys is a touch of tech.
Here are my top ten “editor’s choice” picks:
1. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn AppTivity Monkey
Ages: 6 months+
In Stores: July 2012
Price: $30
This is a plush toy with an iPhone or iPod touch case embedded in its belly. Download the free app and then place the smart device in the monkey’s case, where it is well protected, so your child can interact with an app by squeezing the monkey’s paws to learn about numbers, letters, colors, and more. Even without an iGadget, kids can listen to songs and phrases. 2. Master Moves Mickey
Ages: 2+
In Stores: August 2012
Price: $70
Move over Elmo, Master Moves Mickey is taking it to a whole new level with his music and moves! In the latest feature plush from Fisher-Price and Disney, Mickey Mouse is dialed up in his freshest dance gear and ready to get down with a whole new set of 15 break dancing moves. With a signature handstand, Mickey’s moves are hotter and hipper than ever! He even teaches you how to bust a move on your own.
3. VTech- Switch & Go Dinos
Ages: 3-8
In Stores: Fall 2012
Cost: $16
Here’s an interesting twist on the ole’ Transformers idea. It’s a toy car that turns into a dinosaur, with a built-in LCD screen for customized animation, dinosaur and vehicle sound effects and educational dinosaur facts. In dinosaur mode, action buttons trigger interesting facts about each dinosaur as they come to life to exclaim up to 30 expressions, such as, “I’m a herbivore. I chow down on plants.” and “They call me spine-lizard because of the long spines on my back.”
4. The Nat Geo WILD ANTEATER BUG VAC by Uncle Milton
Ages: 5+
In Stores: Fall 2012
Cost: $30
I’m all about getting kids outside to explore, play and learn about the world at large. This toy is perfect for that. At the touch of a button concealed under this Baby Anteater’s “Tail”, you can quickly and safely collect and observe live ants and other small critters. Then, you can remove the Baby Anteater’s “belly” and a look at the bugs inside via built-in microscope. When you’re finished with the close-up observation, kids can safely release the critters back into their environment. No harm, no fowl, no “ew” factor for squeamish moms who aren’t so crazy about those creepy-crawlers.
5. Activision Skylander’s Giants
Ages: 6+
In Stores: October 2012
Cost: $TBD
Skylanders broke ground bringing perennial child favorite’s - action figures - into the videogaming world. So, it’s a toy and it comes to life when you put it on the “Portal of Power” and it appears in a video game. New features unveiled at the Toy Fair include bigger, better and monster-sized Skylanders’s Giants and action figures that light up when they get near the Portal.
Skylanders Giants is slated for an October 2012 release date on the PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. No price has been set as of yet, though the original Skylanders game retails for $69.99.
6. Mattel’s Digital Camera Barbie
Ages: 6+
In Stores:
Cost: $50
Barbie dolls have come a long way since the days when they were pitched mainly as wife material for a matching Ken doll (sold separately). You can buy Computer Engineer Barbie, Chef Barbie, and even Doctor Barbie. And soon … Digital Camera Barbie?
The new offering from toy giant Mattel is exactly what it sounds like — a Barbie doll that doubles as a digital camera. By pressing Barbie’s belt buckle, your child can turn on a lens hidden in Barbie’s back to take up to 100 photos. Photos can be viewed using a screen built in to Barbie’s shirt or uploaded to a computer via an included USB cord. With a retail price of $50, she may very well be the weirdest possible way to introduce your girl, aged 6 and up, to the world of digital photography.
7. Mattel’s AppTivity Line:
Ages: Varies
In Stores: May/July 2012
Cost: $20 (for different sets)
Matchbox cars are a childhood staple of boys and girls alike. But forget about playing with them on rugs and on plastic roadways. Matchbox cars are about to leap into the 21st century thanks to Mattel‘s new AppTivity line.
Once you download the required app from the app store, your child can use the AppTivity toy — in this case, a special $20 AppTivity Matchbox car — to interact with your Apple product, driving the car on a virtual roadway.
The AppTivity line hopes to appeal to kids of all ages with versions of the most popular iOS games such as Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, and Angry Birds.
8. Hasbro Nerf Lazer Tag
Ages: 8+
In Stores: August 2012
Cost: $40 (single blaster) $70 (sets of two guns)
Nerf blasters are a favorite around my house, and many a weekend you’ll find my husband, daughter and I battling it out with shrieks of laughter. Now, Hasbro is taking it to the next level, a gun with slots for your iPhone or iPod touch. The gadget becomes the player’s sight and a heads-up display. Let the full-on lazer tag begin. The on-screen display shows crosshairs, targets, and a radar of opponents’ locations within 250 feet. But what’s even better than a videogame: up to 24 people can play at once.
9. Smart Lab’s Recon 6.0 Programmable Robot
Ages: 8+
In Stores: Now!
Cost: $70
Here’s a great toy for the budding rocket scientist. The Rover is a toy, a robot, and a tool for learning. A child programs ReCon 6.0 to navigate specified courses that can deliver a treat to a pet, surprise a family member with a personalized message, carry a soda, guard a bedroom or just dance. The Rover teaches early programming, basic math and problem solving. No computer required. It also comes with a microphone, speaker, LCD screen, cargo hold, headlights and triangular track system, similar to all-terrain vehicles.
10. Regal Elite Force Flyers RC helicopters
Ages: 10+ (indoor) 14+ (outdoor)
In Stores: May 2012
Cost: $50 for indoor flyers, $100 for outside
Put in the hands of a child, this new RC helicopter than you control via power pack on the back of your hand will dazzle, wow and awe. I couldn’t stop crashing the darn thing. Still, it’s one of the coolest toys I saw all week.
The new Force Flyer is controlled, literally, by a wave of the hand. To pilot the Force Flyer, you need to first strap a wearable control pad onto the back of your hand. You use your thumb to control the speed of the helicopter’s rotors and thus the helicopter’s height (it soars up to 100 feet). Turning your hand in either direction tells the helicopter to turn in that same direction using the glove’s built-in accelerometer similar to that in a Wii remote.
The crash-resilient (I should know) helicopter comes with a battery that you can recharge via USB. Unfortunately, you only get about 10 minutes of play time out of a full 20 minute charge — enough for a child with a short attention span.
Supposedly, these little Force Flyer helicopters have been built to last. Tech journalists have been doing nothing but crashing the things all week long, and they’re still buzzing.
Note: Tecca writers Fox Van Allen, Randy Nelson and Marielle Moon also contributed to this report
Though of course I had heard the phrase that it takes a village to raise a child before, I never really knew what it meant until my daughter Lily was born on August 4, 2005. When she was born, our family and friends surrounded us, and I could see the village that surrounded us. I was so happy then, and I had no idea what was to come.
Fuel Saving Tips from Chevrolet
8. Hasbro Nerf Lazer Tag
