Tag Archives: online

Mommy 101, Video

Virtual Birthday Party

Leave a comment

This year we had to adjust the birthday party to fit the times aka Coronavirus social distancing and living life on Zoom! My older son turned 8, and since his favorite pastime during the stay at home orders has been playing Roblox with his friends online, it made perfect sense to center the celebration on his favorite game.

I actually did an interview for work with Roblox and so I got some tips about hosting a virtual shin dig on their platform, things like signing up for a private VIP server and carry out that theme for the online party.

If you’re a parent to an elementary aged or middle school aged child, chances are you know all about Roblox. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the best way for me to explain it is that it’s the YouTube of online games. Just like how YouTube is a world filled with millions of user-generated videos, Roblox is filled with countless user generated games, and in my son’s case, his favorite is called Jailbreak.

Once the theme was in place, I created an invite to let all our friends know to save the date. Then, I doubled checked on securing the private VIP server, so that for the “party,” he would be able to play with just his friends. The other thing the kids love to do is also be on some type of video chat while they play the game so they can keep talking and find each other and strategize, while they play. So, I decided to use Google Meet (no time limit), as the link where we would gather to say hello and have cake. Then, I sent out his username for Roblox, asked the guests who would participate for their usernames and also sent the link to the private server!

One thing I wish I would’ve thought more out prior to the virtual party, was some group activities we could’ve done before he blew out his candles. We have now attended a few other birthdays online and the kids love some organized activities like scavenger hunts, trivia and games like pictionary or bingo! Also, if all your guests live nearby, you could put together goodie bags and distribute with “materials” for the virtual call – like balloons + decor, game pieces and cupcakes, etc… so everyone has what they need ready to go. One family dropped off a personal pizza for my son to enjoy for a virtual party! However, I do believe I scored by collecting short video greetings from our family and friends to edit together and show during the call.

All in all, it turned out great. Do be sure to decorate at home, it adds to the atmosphere and makes it more festive. I grabbed so items from the dollar store and it made for a great birthday backdrop. When it came to party time, he was all smiles and it was very heartwarming to see the greta turnout. It was super chaotic with all those kids on the virtual call, but it was all love, and I think it bothers me as an adult more than it does the kids…they are so unbothered! Hopefully next year we can get back to “normal” gatherings.

Mommy 101, News, Parenting 101, Video

Distance Learning during Coronavirus

Leave a comment

I don’t know about everyone else, but this distance learning is not easy! It was one thing to help my kids with their nightly homework assignments and try to figure out how to do “common core,” but managing their assignments, tempering emotions (theirs and mine), plus keeping them focused and on track for school, is tough to say the least!

A lot of us have questions about online learning, especially as we all learn as we go. I know one of my concerns has been making sure they stay on target as far as meeting education standards for their grade level and also keeping them sharp and prepared, as they will transition to the next grade level (hopefully this fall), without ever having gone back to the teacher they abruptly left.

At any rate, it is challenging and we could all use some support, reassurance and insight on how to not only get through this period, but also what it may look like when we come out o the other side, as well as why it’s important to embrace the digital tools available to us and spin our perspectives to the positive.

I spoke with the CEO and Co-Founder of Study.com, Adrian Ridner and he offered some tips, advice and guidance on distance learning and what we can do to help our kids as they do school from home. A few of his key points included managing expectations for ourselves and the kids, viewing this “screen time,” as a benefit where we can connect and access the resources we need and he doesn’t believe online learning will replace our traditional learning institutions.

Mommy 101

Party Invites ONLINE!

Leave a comment

Copy of ALL ACCESS PASS

I am a fan of online (event) invitations. The ease of creating an event invite, tracking responses and even updating/changing event details as needed, makes it very easy. Plus, I don’t have to worry about printing anything, envelopes, postage and getting to the post office, etc… That being said, I do also like setting the “tone” if you will for my event. I’m big on presentation and playing up a theme, and when I can flex my novice design skills + have the time, I like to see what I can whip up.

Well, it’s now the time of year when my boys will be celebrating another birthday milestone, and since they are such big basketball fans, I wanted to create an invitation that captures their enthusiasm for their favorite basketball team. I found some inspiration online and made a custom invite that looks like a ticket to a basketball game. I pondered printing them out and using snail mail, but that’s when I discovered Paperless Post has an “Upload Your Own” feature. BINGO!

The only issue was that my custom ticket design didn’t quite fit the preferred dimensions on the upload your own tool, so I thought the idea would be awash…But lo and behold, I reached out to their customer service to see if they could give me an “assist” (pun intended), and within 24 hours, they adjusted the dimensions to accommodate my design. A total SLAM DUNK!

 

 

News

PopSugar Mom Travel Tips

Leave a comment

Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 8.53.04 PM

I recently had an opportunity to collaborate with PopSugar and provide a Mom voice for a travel video they produce in a partnership with Embassy Suites by Hilton.

Screen Shot 2016-08-05 at 9.30.29 PM

It was pretty exciting to be part of this project because PopSugar has a huge following and also because the produce some pretty cool, easy to digest videos with great info and tips! For this particular video I provide the first pro tip for traveling with kids with Busy Boxes. These are perfect for road trips because kids can put them on their laps and be super creative, whether practicing numbers and letters, using it as a race track or even a blank canvas to draw pictures!

Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 8.53.23 PM

Later this month they’ll also be putting out additional tips by myself and the other Moms as single tip videos, but in the meantime if you can watch the first one below…

Mommy 101

I’m a Mom…I Shop Online!

Leave a comment

Online shopping

I’ll admit it..I’m an avid internet user. I’m never far from being online and it’s rare that I ever get to totally disconnect…and since I’ve become a Mom, the way I use the internet and it’s value to me have most definitely changed. Prior to motherhood, I would occasionally make a purchase online, usually just browse, but still physically go to a store and make my purchases. However, when I learned I was expecting, the internet sort of became my best friend… I turned to the world wide web to research things about being pregnant and what to expect, read up on all that an expecting Mom needs to know, to be “ready.” Then, comes the baby registry and figuring out what products and purchases I would need to make for my newest arrival.

Well, once that kicked into full gear, I was constantly online doing my research to determine what products would fit me best. Then I’d hunt for where I’d get the best deal, calculating shipping costs and weighing the pros and cons between similar products, but different brands. It was at this point that I truly became an online shopper. I think I had sort of resisted before because it seems like every time you buy online with a new site, you have to create and account and all that…I HATE THAT! What I do LOVE about online shopping is that I can browse at my leisure and it’s easy to see if they have the sizes and styles I want available right away, plus it all comes straight to my door. As a Mom, that certainly makes things easier.

Ebates

Okay, well this post isn’t going to tell you how to avoid creating accounts at all the places you shop online, but what I do want to talk about is how I would make sure I got a return on my purchases! I started using EBATES. It’s an online “rebate” site where, you simply log on and let them redirect you to the site where you want to shop. There’s a search box at the top right side of the page and each time I wanted to purchase an item, I’d check to see if they were affiliated with ebates, before making my purchase. Sure, it can be pennies on the dollar..but those pennies add up. I mean, you can’t expect to get a huge amount back, but when I ordered the nursery furniture and higher priced items, you get DOLLARS back!

Screen shot 2014-11-27 at 9.41.21 PM

The “rebated” money goes straight into my paypal on a quarterly basis, and it makes me to feel good to know I’m getting something back, no matter how small the amount. To date I’ve gotten more than $130 back and I’ve been a member for 2 years. I don’t know how much I spent to get that much back, but $130 IS $130… 🙂 Now that the holiday shopping season is upon us, you can bet anything I buy online will go through ebates first…and hopefully be adding more pocket change to my account! So, before you make your next online buy…make sure to EBATES first!!! Click HERE to sign up!!

 

 

Mommy 101

Yes, I’m THAT Mom

5 Comments

Screen shot 2014-04-20 at 12.00.34 PM
If you’ve ever been on the Babies “R” Us or Toys “R” Us websites and the image above looks familiar…it’s because “Yes, I’m THAT Mom.” One of the most common comments I hear these days (everyone around me is growing their family), from my circle of friends and family is that they saw me online doing a product “review,” for a Medela breast pump no doubt! 😉 Then, I am often times told “you look really familiar,” when meeting new people. Well, chances are if you have young children or have been shopping for baby shower gifts, you may’ve come across one of the hundreds of product videos I’ve done for those sites.
Screen shot 2014-04-20 at 12.02.38 PM Screen shot 2014-04-24 at 8.39.53 PM

I actually started hosting these videos in my pre-Mommy days, and it’s inadvertently proved to be a great crash course in learning and navigating all the baby stuff I’ve now needed and used when I official took on the Mom role! From playards to activity gyms, strollers, scooters, toys, tubs, breast pumps, baby monitors and more, I had a true hands on opportunity to learn all about them.

BTW, the videos are (technically) not “reviews” either…I’m really just giving the product descriptions, very similar to what you can read on the page or on the packaging. The videos are very helpful though if you’d rather have someone tell you about the items and also get an idea of the size/proportions of the products. I’m not sure how many of my videos are still in “rotation,” but if you want to press play and check some of mine out, here are a few links to visit the product pages, and you can find the video players about halfway down the page.

Medela Pump In Style
Jake and the Neverland Pirates
Baby Einstein Adventure Gym