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Friday, November 25, 2016

Oh, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas—What to do with Unrealistic Christmas Wish Lists by Trisha Roberts




A Christmas Hippo
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

A Hippopotamus under the Christmas Tree



One of my daughter’s favorite Christmas tunes is, “Oh, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”.  You’ve probably heard it if you listen to the radio in the month of December. The first line is, “Oh I want a hippopotamus for Christmas. Only a hippopotamus will do”. You may not have a child asking for a Hippo, but many children have a wish list a mile long or containing toys that are totally inappropriate for their age or their parent’s budget. We’ve probably all known a child (or been that child!) who throws a tantrum because they did not get what they wanted, or their distorted expectations were not met.

Tantrums at Christmas
Christmas Temper Tantrums


We love to give our children special gifts for Christmas, Birthday, Chanukah or other special occasions.  Our children come to expect gifts and then to request (read, “demand”) gifts, often prompted by adults asking, “What do you want for Christmas?” 

Take the focus off of receiving gifts. I recommend having a discussion several months before a holiday about the reason we give gifts.  Things like:  this is a token of our love, to celebrate or commemorate a special event, to make a person feel special.  We sometimes give a gift to stimulate growth (like a book). We give because God first gave to us—the gift of Life, of Health, of Salvation.  We give to bring joy to others.  We want to encourage a spirit of giving and thankfulness. This discussion can help children develop a better understanding of gift giving. It is not an exhaustive list of demands. It is a demonstration of love and should be appreciated as such whatever the gift might be. A simple, loving gift is more precious than a mountain of packages under the tree.


Simple Gift
Too many Christmas gifts



Changing the emphasis to giving rather than receiving can be helpful. Make a list of people your child would like to give gifts to; discuss what things that person likes and note what type of gift you could give. Try to add someone to the list who will probably not give you a gift in return—maybe your mail carrier or bus driver.

Kids make cookies as a Gift for ChristmasCoupon Book for ChristmasChildren can be given extra chores to earn money to purchase gifts, but I think a gift that is created by the child is more meaningful and takes the emphasis off the “commercial”.  A special card, a book of coupons for hugs/kisses/special help around the house, a framed picture, a video montage, homemade cookies or flavored Chex Mix. 


Make a story book for Christmas as a gift



Write a creative story, have it typed, illustrate it, and give it as a book.  Read a favorite story to a grandparent.  Perform a puppet show.  If your children are musical they could play or sing a song for a loved one; if the person lives far away, it could be video-taped and e-mailed or performed on Skype. Whenever possible, the child should wrap the gift and deliver it in person.  Watching a person open their gift and seeing the joy that it brings will help your little ones gain a better understanding of gift-giving and will begin to develop a spirit of generosity. Make sure that your children see and hear your gratefulness when you open a gift. Model thankfulness by your words and actions—a phone call or hand written note to the giver is always appreciated.



Children should not be encouraged to make a long list of “wants”.  An attentive parent usually knows what a child likes and what they have been looking at in stores. If a child comes to you with a list you should take the list but say to the child, “Remember our conversation about gifts.  We love you. Just because you have made a list does not mean that we are obliged to get you the things on that list.”  You will have a great Christmas/Birthday/Chanukah whether or not you get the things on your list.



Unrealistic Christmas List





Blog Administrator:  Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com


Copyright © 2016 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.


Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Helping in the Kitchen by Trisha Roberts




Teaching Cooking Skills to children



Teaching cooking and baking skills can be especially pleasurable now that the Fall and Winter Holidays are upon us. Working together to make a wonderful meal or snack is a great way to spend time together, build relationships, and learn the life skills of food preparation and clean up.

Your child can have an opportunity to work on every area of development while enjoying an entertaining activity.

Speech and Language Skills can be augmented with new vocabulary words like “cream”, “simmer”, or “fold”.  There will be plenty of time for talking and sharing. As conversation flows, you will learn things that might never have surfaced in day-to-day routine intercourse.




Fine Motor Skills can be enhanced while opening a package, beating a mixture, lining a cup cake pan, using a rolling pin or cookie cutter, frosting a cupcake, greasing and flouring a pan, washing and rinsing dishes, cracking/peeling/separating an egg, inserting beaters into a hand mixer…..the list goes on and on.

Cognitive Skills come naturally when baking and cooking, as a child reads a recipe, follows instructions, measures ingredients or performs the math skills necessary to double a recipe.  One can also talk about solids, liquids and gases as well as measure, fractions, and volume.



Gross Motor Skills such as balance and postural control can be developed as a child stands, moves, and plans motor movements in the relatively smaller space of a kitchen.

Tips for Parents:

Put on some fun background music to liven the atmosphere.  Who knows?  Maybe your child will be the next “Singing Chef”!

Always stress safety.  Talk about the potential danger of boiling liquids, sharp knives, and stovetops and ovens that stay hot even after they are turned off.

Look for activities on par with a child’s ability so that the experience will be positive and successful. 

Demonstrate an activity and provide hand-over-hand assistance when needed.


For younger children, it can be a challenge to get them to the right working height without risking their safety.  ProEducationalToys offers a great Kitchen Helper that is perfect for providing a stable place to work at the same height as the kitchen counters or sink.  Bringing a child-sized table and chair into the kitchen could also be a solution.





















When making pie dough, it’s always enjoyable to allow your child to make their own small tartlet.  Put a dab of butter on it and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon before baking to a golden brown. Or place the dough in a small, greased ramekin or baking cup to bake and fill with fruit or jam when cooled.



Kids making a tartletKids making a tartlet




Have realistic expectations. Expecting perfection the first time a child cracks an egg is not realistic.  Have them crack the egg into a large, flat bowl and then fish out any shells that might remain on the egg.



Let kids “dress the part” by wearing a child-sized apron that will help confine the splatters and smears. You might also consider purchasing small cooking utensils that are more easily held and manipulated by a child’s hand.




Remember to make it gratifying and pleasant for both of you.  Relax.  A kitchen floor can always be cleaned, a crushed cookie can be still be eaten, but a broken heart can only be mended, at best.



Blog Administrator:  Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com


Copyright © 2016 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.


Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.


Friday, November 11, 2016

How to De-clutter before Christmas and Chanukah (Hanukkah)—and Encourage the Spirit of Giving! by Trisha Roberts


Too many Toys


Does your child’s room look like a used toy store? Do you dread what it will look like after the influx of new toys at Chanukah or Christmas?  Here are my suggestions for de-cluttering now. 



The initial process should be started by a parent alone (child not present) so that the decisions can be made rationally rather than emotionally.

Pick up each toy and have a critical look at it.    
Examine each toy

First, look at the toys your child plays with consistently and which toys no longer hold her interest.

Of what educational or entertainment value is each toy? What sentimental value does it hold?

Is this a toy that should be stored and used again when your family expands?

Does the toy still function, or are parts missing/broken?


Toys that are broken should be discarded
Do you have duplicate toys or toys that serve the same educational purpose?  For example, two different types of stacking toys or a variety of shape puzzles.
Sorting and organizing toys

Get rid of any broken or incomplete toys.  Put duplicates and toys that have been outgrown into a basket to take to Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or another local charity.




Donating used toys

Take toys to Goodwill or Thrift Store

Your church, child’s daycare or preschool might be interested in a toy that is in good condition. Toys that you want to keep for any future children should be cleaned, sanitized and batteries removed before storing away in a labeled tub or box.




Child giving a toy away
This is a wonderful time to get the toy room organized as well. Check out our previous blog article entitled, “Organize the Toy Room” for some suggestions on how to make a toy room more orderly and teach children the important life skill of “everything in its place”.  

If your child is of an age to understand, you might want to take the basket of toys that they have outgrown and discuss with them how they could bring joy to someone else by gifting them a toy.



Sort Toys to donate



Help your child think of a neighbor, friend, acquaintance, cousin, etc.  that might enjoy the toy. Someone you know may be taking a trip to an impoverished country and could take some of the smaller toys with them to give to less fortunate children.   Reminding your child that they will probably be getting new toys as gifts very soon may lessen any grief they might have at saying good-bye. They might enjoy wrapping the toy and delivering it in person, if possible.  They might want to draw a picture of themselves playing with the toy as well to give to the recipient.



Developing generosity
Giving toys to those less fortunateIt is always good to lead by example, so you might consider sorting some of your own clothes, dishes, games, or home decorations to give away at the same time.  Your children will see graciousness and generosity in you and will be inclined to imitate the same.






Blog Administrator:  Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com


Copyright © 2016 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.


Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

How to De-clutter before Christmas and Chanukah (Hanukkah)—and Encourage the Spirit of Giving! by Trisha Roberts


Too many Toys


Does your child’s room look like a used toy store? Do you dread what it will look like after the influx of new toys at Chanukah or Christmas?  Here are my suggestions for de-cluttering now. 

The initial process should be started by a parent alone (child not present) so that the decisions can be made rationally rather than emotionally.

Pick up each toy and have a critical look at it.    
Examine each toy

First, look at the toys your child plays with consistently and which toys no longer hold her interest.

Of what educational or entertainment value is each toy? What sentimental value does it hold?

Is this a toy that should be stored and used again when your family expands?

Does the toy still function, or are parts missing/broken?

Toys that are broken should be discarded
Do you have duplicate toys or toys that serve the same educational purpose?  For example, two different types of stacking toys or a variety of shape puzzles.
Sorting and organizing toys

Get rid of any broken or incomplete toys.  Put duplicates and toys that have been outgrown into a basket to take to Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or another local charity.







Take toys to Goodwill or Thrift Store

Donating used toys
Your church, child’s daycare or preschool might be interested in a toy that is in good condition. Toys that you want to keep for any future children should be cleaned, sanitized and batteries removed before storing away in a labeled tub or box.




Child giving a toy away
This is a wonderful time to get the toy room organized as well. Check out our previous blog article entitled, “Organize the Toy Room” for some suggestions on how to make a toy room more orderly and teach children the important life skill of “everything in its place”.  





If your child is of an age to understand, you might want to take the basket of toys that they have outgrown and discuss with them how they could bring joy to someone else by gifting them a toy. 



Sort Toys to donate



Help your child think of a neighbor, friend, acquaintance, cousin, etc.  that might enjoy the toy. Someone you know may be taking a trip to an impoverished country and could take some of the smaller toys with them to give to less fortunate children.   Reminding your child that they will probably be getting new toys as gifts very soon may lessen any grief they might have at saying good-bye. They might enjoy wrapping the toy and delivering it in person, if possible.  They might want to draw a picture of themselves playing with the toy as well to give to the recipient.


Developing generosity
Giving toys to those less fortunateIt is always good to lead by example, so you might consider sorting some of your own clothes, dishes, games, or home decorations to give away at the same time.  Your children will see graciousness and generosity in you and will be inclined to imitate the same.






Blog Administrator:  Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com


Copyright © 2016 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.


Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

Friday, November 4, 2016

An Interview of Shannon Dixon and Simply Merino by Trisha Roberts




I love to feature anything about play.  The following interview highlights a great company with a passion for creating comfortable sleepwear, thermals and play-clothes for babies and children up to age 12.

Interview with Shannon Dixon, Co-Owner of Simply Merino

Simply Merino Wool Play Clothes for Kids
ProEd Toys: Tell us about yourself

Simply Merino: I am a mom of a toddler (Jack), teacher and business owner.  I am extremely busy, but I love what I do.

ProEd Toys: What was the inspiration behind starting Simply Merino?

Simply Merino: We essentially wanted to make kids pajamas that were 100% organic without using a fire retardant chemical.  It is mandatory to have some kind of chemical to resist fires in kids pajamas up to age 14.  These chemicals are not regulated, and therefore could possibly harm your child without you knowing it.  Merino wool is naturally fire retardant, so there is no need for any chemicals, which helps both parents and kids sleep better.

Simply Merino for Babies

ProEd Toys: What makes you laugh?

Simply Merino: Jack  for sure….he is so funny!

ProEd Toys: What makes you cry?

Simply Merino: I am quite the cry baby, and can cry at about anything.  What really hurts my soul is whenever my family cries.

ProEd Toys: What is your passion?

Simply Merino: Since I was a little girl my passion has always been travelling.  I find it incredibly fulfilling learning about different cultures and seeing life outside of our Canadian bubble.  I also really love eating, and love eating my way through countries.

ProEd Toys: What would you like etched on your tombstone?

Simply Merino: A loving mom, wife and person.  She made everyone smile, and was always passionate about life.

ProEd Toys: Which products do you love to promote?

Simply Merino: Anything local, sustainable, and is essential in one’s life.  I am not a huge fan of trendy companies.  I am a fan of companies who try to give back, and have a strong message behind their product.

ProEd Toys: What is the best compliment you have ever received?

Simply Merino: Who doesn’t like getting a compliment?  I think the best compliment is when I receive a review of our product that touches my heart.  I love when customers write that their child never takes their Simply Merino clothes off, and therefore must have a few different colors of the same product. 

ProEd Toys: What inspires you on a daily basis?

Simply Merino: My son Jack and my husband.  My husband works incredibly hard to try to make our life comfortable.  My son inspires me to work hard and be successful for him.  I am also inspired by all of the mom bosses I know who juggle numerous kids while running a business.

ProEd Toys: How does your product help children and families?  
Thermals by Simply Merino


Simply Merino: Great question! Simply Merino specializes in sleep and play wear for babies and kids up to age 12.  We use 100% New Zealand merino wool, which is sustainable, organic, and biodegradable.  Our environmental footprint is very small as we manufacture everything locally in Vancouver, Canada.  Studies have shown that Merino wool enhances sleep, and therefore helps the whole family feel more rested. 

ProEd Toys: What is the one accomplishment of which you are most proud?

Simply Merino: Owning a successful business that I am proud of.  Life as a mom, wife and business owner is incredibly busy, but I am incredibly passionate about educating others about the importance of Merino wool. 

ProEd Toys: What unique talents do you think you have?

Simply Merino: I think that I am funny and I can move my ears.

ProEd Toys: What matters to you?

Simply Merino: Honesty and empathy. 

ProEd Toys: If you had one word or phrase to describe yourself, what would it be?

Simply Merino: Grateful!

ProEd Toys: What is it about your business that makes you the most excited?

Simply Merino: Our products.  We have such beautiful colors, and they are all made incredibly well. I just love wrapping my arms around my toddler who is always wearing Simply Merino, as it is so incredibly soft and huggable.

ProEd Toys: What is the best decision you have ever made?

Simply Merino: To quit my job and sail the South Pacific for 5 months.  It was an experience that I thought I would never have, and it has changed my life forever.

ProEd Toys: What are some of the benefits of Merino Wool?

Simply Merino:

Temperature regulation: Merino wool is breathable and moisture-wicking, creating a temperature-controlled cocoon around your child.
Reduce incidence of SIDS: The moisture absorption and temperature regulating properties of merino wool has been shown to decrease the potential of SIDS in sleeping babies.
Naturally fire-resistant: Merino wool fibers are not treated with chemical flame retardants and instead, merino wool has natural fire-resistant properties to prevent risk of injury.
Hypoallergenic: Merino wool is static-resistant, attracting fewer dust particles and lint, making it ideal for babies and children with allergies.
Naturally durable: Merino wool fibers can be bent up to 30,000 times without breaking, standing up to repeat washings without looking faded or worn out.
Odorless and stain-resistant: Merino wool is naturally odor-free and stain-resistant for easy clean up when things get a bit messy.
Non-itchy and super soft: The true comfort of Merino wool is due to the small diameter of Merino fibers. This eliminates itchiness or prickling sensations against sensitive young skin.
Chemical-free and eco-friendly: Merino wool is renewable and requires zero pesticides because sheep are able to graze on a variety of grasses and other plants. The growing is fully sustainable and fair trade, and no chemicals are used before, after or during the manufacturing process.

ProEd Toys: How can people find out more about your products?  



Simply Merino: By visiting our website at:  http://www.simplymerino.com/



Blog Administrator:  Trisha Roberts
proeducationaltoys@gmail.com


Copyright © 2016 TNT Inspired Enterprise, LLC, All rights reserved.


Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.