Strollerderby : vacation

Kelly Ripa Beats Obamas for Your Family Vacation

JeanneSager — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:01:00 GMT

I've got a bone to pick with American families.

Or at least those signing up for nitwit surveys. Because apparently you would rather spend your vacation with a talk show host than the leader of the free world.

That's right, Kelly Ripa has topped the vote of who American families want to vacation with this year, outlasting the Obama family by a full seven points.

Sure, she might be able to get you a line on a really nice washer/dryer, but she's still Regis' perky partner (we're assuming she'd be leaving him home, by the way?). Given the choice of her or the president of the United States, the absolutely incredible first lady and those cute little girls, you know where I'd be.

And that's not just because I'm a liberal. If you're a Republican, you can't tell me you REALLY wouldn't like to bend the ear of the guy on top of it all? No? What if he said he'd let you stay at Camp David for free this summer? The Lincoln Bedroom?

You'd still rather make bedroom eyes at Kelly Ripa?

Sheesh, America, let's wake up here. She's cute, but she can't get your out-of-work Uncle Lenny a job.

Ripa had twenty-six percent of the vote in the Ipsos Public Affairs poll, compared to nineteen percent for Barack and co. By the way, kudos to the folks who picked the Obamas over the Jolie-Pitts. Brangelina and their brethren had just sixteen percent of the vote.

Who do you want to barbecue on the beach with this summer?

Image: People.com

Three Ways To Get to Sesame Street This Summer

JeanneSager — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:02:00 GMT

The pressure's on to plan the big family vacation? Two words. Sesame Street.

And Babble's telling you how to get, how to get there. We've checked in with Elmo and Abby Cadabby and come up with our list of the best bets for Sesame-style summering with your tot.

1. Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA. It's an old family standby, but the Forest of Fun at the popular theme park is all new and all Sesame. Gates opened in April, adding the country of characters to the park's traditional tour of Europe set-up. We let our pre-school tester loose in the park, and "let's ride it again!" was the phrase of the day. Topping her list were a nice and easy (for mom) Ernie and Bert adventure in the "lochs" of Scotland - it left her soaking wet and squealing with fun; and a mini roller-coaster courtesy of Super Grover that gave her a taste of the belly-dropping fun of the big coasters without the fear factor. Located near the entrance to the park, the Forest of Fun is just right - a great intro to the day, and something for them to look forward to getting back to when they're off with the rest of the family checking out the rest of the "gardens."

Why You Should Go: The price of a ticket affords a family admission to the whole park, making Busch Gardens the go-to for families with kids whose ages range. Sesame characters put on impromptu shows that get the whole family moving (no extra charge), and there's something for even the tiniest toddlers to do.

Good to Know: There are water attractions, but clothes are required on most rides, so throw some shorts on over their suits. Dining with the characters does not require advance reservations - price of food is not included in the ticket - but you need to check for specific meal times when you enter the park. A picture station with the characters is set up on site, and they will allow you to take your own pictures (just ask) or you can buy one of theirs. Take a stroller - even if your kid is busting out of it, it's not for them but for the cameras, bottles of water and stuffed animals won at the games along the way.

2. Sesame Place, Langhorne, PA. Owned by the same company that runs Busch Gardens (yes, the beer company), this is all Sesame, all summer long. Our little tester recommends you stop in for an in-theatre showing of Elmo's World, followed by a chance to climb around on stage where they can play Elmo's song on the piano and say "hello" to Dorothy.

Why You Should Go: This is the place for hard-core Sesame fans, but additions of a few extra roller-coasters also allow the older set to have their fun. The park is all Sesame, which means the crowd is all families and so is the staff's focus.

Good to Know: A two-day ticket costs the same as a one-day fee, so break up the day to make it easier on your kids (and hit the nearby outlets to save on kids clothes). Breakfast with the characters requires an advance reservation, but it gives your family a chance to be the first ones into the park - no lines, and the food isn't bad for theme park fare (even our daddy tester had a hankering for the little French toast sticks). The characters wander throughout the park during the day, so chances are you'll get to meet everyone. Again, you can take your own pictures (just ask) or buy the park's. Bring a swimsuit - there's plenty of water.

3. Sesame Street Live, a city near you. For families who are skipping the week-long or even extended weekend's vacation this year, a day trip to see a show can lift your kid's spirits, get you out of the house and save you a bundle. And if that show happens to offer them a chance to see their furry friend? That's just a bonus for mom or dad.

Why You Should Go: The show is always educational, and your tot will be in awe at the size of their favorite friends on-stage. Even kids who aren't ready to be taken to the movie theater yet are OK in a theater when the show is made for kids.

Good to Know: Regardless of where the show is being performed, there will be kiosks with Sesame goodies, so if you've opted for the show to save on the big vacation, you might want to make a deal with your kids BEFORE you go in. Whether it's "no extras today" or "you may pick out one toy," have a game plan because they're unavoidable, and plenty of kids will be brandishing their Sesame binoculars or Elmo balloons. The show does include an intermission for potty breaks, so your kids don't have to miss out Grover galumphing because they've got to go.

Image: Sager Scenes

The 10 Best Famous Road Trips in the U.S.

editors — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Last summer was all about the 'staycation'. This year, ditch the kiddie pool for the open road. Sure, the classic road trip usually includes a bunch of 20- somethings on a Kerouacian romp- But, hey, why wait until then for your kids to know the grandeur and diversity of this great nation? National Geographic's 10 Best of Everything: Families will take you far beyond Route 66.

1. Covered Bridges, Vermont

See five covered bridges on one drive through Vermont's Bennington County: Silk Bridge, Paper Mill, Village Bridge, Henry Bridge, and West Arlington Brigde. Autumn is the best time to go, but it's also lovely in late spring.

2. Lighthouse Tour, Maine

There are 65 lighthouses still standing in Maine. Today, about ten light stations include museums; others are bird sanctuaries, wildlife refuges, or a nature preserve; and a few house research facilities. Drive from Frazer Point Picnic Area and Winter Harbor light to Prospect harbor and Prospect Harbor Light, Maine, in one day.

3. Skyline Drive, Virginia

The 105-mile parkway along the crest of the Blue Ridge mountains starts in Fort Royal, Virginia, and winds above the Shenandoah River valley, where early American Indians lived and where Daniel Boone and settlers passed through on their way to the western frontier. The mountains here are smooth and low, and famed for the blue mist created by foliage.

4. A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway, Florida

Allow two hours to drive this byway, which lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway on a narrow barrier island. Along with breathtaking views, you'll see the Gulf Coast, flora and fauna, resorts, and art deco architecture.

5. Michigan's Peninsulas

See the iconic dunes, shoreline, waterfalls, pines, and famed cherry orchards. The road stretches from Sleeping Bear Dunes to Petoskey to St.Ignace to Sault Ste.Marie to Munsing.

6. San Juan Skyway, Colorado

Travel the "road to the sky," which offers views of the towering 14,000-foot San Juan Mountains to rolling hillsides speckled with ancient Pueblo Indian ruins. It's a 236-mile route from Durango to Ouray, through Telluride and Mancos, back to Durango.

7. Albuquerque to Taos, New Mexico

Explore the Southwest through its fabled history and figures. Drive the Turquoise Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to Taos, then back to Albuquerque to discover the culture of the Pueblo Indians, Georgia O'Keeffe, mountains, canyons, cliffs, cliff paintings, ghost towns, and artist colonies.

8. Goint-to-the-Sun Road, Montana

Lake McDonald is Glacier National Park's largest lake, at ten miles long. Driving along the McDonald Valley provides a history of the glaciers that carved the U-shaped valley. Families can park at the visitor's center at Logan Pass, the top of the Continental Divide. The road leads to the Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, at 9,642 the highest in this area of the park.

9. Pacific Coastal Highways, California

Take in the West Coast in its entierety or in manageable short jaunts.The first section begins in Portland, passing the Willamette River, early pioneer settlements, stunning waterfalls, rugged coastline, weird monoliths, and towering redwoods. The second section from San Francisco to L.A. features the Golden Gate, Big Sur, wine country, Hearst Castle, Spanish missions, Hollywood, mountains, beaches, surfing and harbors.

10. Chain of Craters, Hawaii

Chain of Craters Road, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is a 20-mile journey that showcases a natural landscape shaped by volcanoes. Whether driving or hiking, visitors can see craters, lava flows, tropical rain forests, mountains, and coastal areas.

Amy, Florida: "Out for a drive I always say that my car has better upholstery than most of the furniture in my house. No wonder we all love leisurely sightseeing drives, with time to talk, look out the window, maybe stop for ice cream..."

Reprinted with permission of the National Geographic Society from the book The 10 Best of Everything: Families by Susan Magsamen. Copyright ©2009 National Geographic Society.
Photo: Bernie McCann

Related Links: The 10 Best Carousels in the U.S., The 10 Best Children's Museums in the U.S., The 10 Best Living History Sites

The 10 Best Carousels in the U.S.

editors — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Their horses won't gallop off for a fox hunt like Mary Poppins' did, but your kids are sure to enjoy a jolly holiday nonetheless as they glide along on antique wooden ponies, lions, and bears! And you'll get a trip down memory lane (plus some great pictures). Here are the ten best carousels country-wide, courtesy of National Geographic's The Ten Best of Everything: Families:

1. Crescent Park Carousel

700 Bullocks Point Ave., Riverside, RI 02915, 401-435-7518
www.eastprovidenceri.net/boards/CrescentParkCarousel.php

Ride the flying steeds or magical chariots and capture the brass ring. Beautiful decorative panels, beveled mirrors, faceted glass jewels, and colored sandwich glass windows make this 1895 Looff carousel a masterpiece.

2. Flying Horse Merry-Go-Round

Bay St., Westerly, RI 02891, 401-348-6007
www.visitrhodeisland.com

This Watch Hill, R.I., carousel is the oldest in the country. Only children are permitted to ride these horses, which are hand-carved from a single piece of wood and feature authentic tails, manes, leather saddles, and agate eyes. Try to grab the brass ring!

3. Trimper’s Rides

South First St. & the Boardwalk, Ocean City, MD 21842, 410-289-8617
www.beach-net.com/trimpers

This is one of the oldest operating carousels in the country. Children love to choose from its menagerie of animals, including a cat, dog, frog, rooster, deer, goat, lion, tiger, ostrich, pig, and dragon.

4. Glen Echo Park

7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812, 301-634-2222
www.glenechopark.org/kids.htm

Located in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, this beautiful menagerie Dentzel carousel is a wonderful place to ride a tiger or giraffe. And, under the canopy of a thousand lights, within the circle of animals, a horse leads. Which one is it?

5. Midway Carousel

Cedar Point, One Cedar Point Dr., Sandusky, OH 44870, 419-627-2350
www.cedarpoint.com

Built in 1912, this park classic takes riders on a gentle ride up and down and around on a beautifully carved steed. The ride includes sixty horses and four chariots, four abreast.

6. Cedar Downs Racing Derby

Cedar Point, One Cedar Point Dr., Sandusky, OH 44870, 419-627-2350
www.cedarpoint.com

Who will cross the finish line first? Sixty-four horses race four abreast around the track, with each horse seeming to gallop independently. The momentum of the ride increases to reach a thrilling 15 mph.

7. Kiddy Kingdom Carousel

Cedar Point, One Cedar Point Dr. Sandusky, OH 44870, 419-627-2350
www.cedarpoint.com

For little ones only. This finely crafted Dentzel carousel boasts 16 standing and 36 jumping animals, two chariots, and a menagerie consisting of bears, rabbits, ostriches, a lion, a tiger, and a donkey.

8. 1909 Looff Carousel

Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. Spokane, WA 99201, 509-625-6600
www.spokaneriverfrontpark.com

A 1909 Looff, this beautiful and well-preserved hand-carved wooden carousel is on the National Register of Historic Places. It features 54 horses, a giraffe, a tiger, and 2 Chinese dragon chairs. A favorite horse, Miss Liberty, is adorned in red, white, and blue and has a lunging, outstretched neck, giving her the look of speed.

9. Santa Monica Pier Carousel

1600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA 9029 301-458-8900
www.santamonicapier.org

Located on the Santa Monica Pier and housed in a historic Moorish-style shelter overlooking the ocean, this beautiful 1920s-era indoor carousel is gaily painted, with prancing horses, ponies, and chariots. Gleaming brass poles, festive lights, and mirrored panels evoke an earlier time. One hundred years old in September 2009, the Pier is a classic “SoCal” destination.

10. 1911 Looff Carousel

Santa Cruz Beach, 400 Beach St. Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 831-423-5590
www.beachboardwalk.com

Designated a National Historic Landmark, this 1911 Looff carousel features a working ring dispenser and boasts 73 uniquely hand-carved wooden horses. Interestingly, some smile and show their teeth, while others are more serious. Some are flower-draped; all have real horsehair tails. Located in Santa Cruz’s Beach Boardwalk. The distinctive carousel music is produced by antique band organs, including the Boardwalk’s original (and recently restored) 1894 organ.

Photo: Kim Baker

Want Free Childcare? We Can Help

JeanneSager — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:05:00 GMT

So the economy is getting worse, and you have to work more hours . . . but you can't afford to add extra daycare for the kids? We might have the answer for you.

Host and Care was set up to link students in need of accomodations with people they can help - primarily parents who have a guest room in their house and could use eight to sixteen hours a week of someone extra watching their kids.

The free site doesn't run background checks on care seekers or care providors, nor does it determine the terms of a care/accomodations deal. It's simply a conduit - and one that's gaining attention in an economy where every little bit helps.

Daycares have been announcing enrollment drops since the economy took a turn for the worse, in part because there are more laid off parents at home to watch their kids. But the bigger reason? Parents just don't have the cash - and while some babysitters have taken paycuts to keep their jobs, most daycare costs are contractual. There's no break for parents, leaving them with options that range from bad to worse. Like reports that an increasing number of parents are simply leaving their kids home - alone.

So instead facing of a mountain of bills to pay, they'll be facing a pile of child neglect charges . . . or worse - their kids could seriously hurt themselves.

Host and Care could be an option for parents with guest rooms, rooms they already pay the mortgage on and heat, rooms that won't be filling with guests any time soon considering friends and family are hurting financially too. It's akin to having a live-in nanny - without the cost - while the students get a leg up on paying their way through school with the burden of rent off of their shoulders.

Is there a college near you where there might be students looking for a room? Check out the site - they also connect families for house swaps, a great way for bigger families to save on accomodations on the road.

Image: MilitaryMoves

10 Places To Bring the Kids

Amy Kuras — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:24:00 GMT

At some point or another, parents get the urge to load up the family truckster and go see America a la the Griswolds. I’d say most parents dream about getting to take their kids someplace spectacular at least once in their life. Our two dream family trips are driving out to Colorado to explore Rocky Mountain National Park, and heading to DC, when our kids are old enough to actually enjoy traveling but still young enough they’ll be seen in public with us.

Travel + Leisure’s September issue features “10 Places to See Before You’re 10”— a list of must-see family destinations. From the obvious – (Colonial Willamsburg, Disneyworld) – to the less so (Baltimore’s American Visionary Art Museum, LA’s Griffith Observatory), these are places the editors suggest are great places for families and things kids would really enjoy.

I visited a couple of these places before I was 10 – Niagara Falls and Disneyworld – and I have to say they are still stuck in my memory to this day. What are your dream trips with your kids? What do you think of the list? And have you braved a major family vacation yet?

Your Kids Don’t Want to Vacation With You

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Oh man, I thought when I saw the title to this article—“My Interminable Flight with a Crying Child”—yet another uptight non-parent complaining about the indignities of being subjected to strangers’ children in public places. But it turns out that Chuck Cohen has some decent points—and he’s a parent himself.

I still maintain that I have little sympathy for Cohen’s complete intolerance for crying children on his plane (“Why should kids under the age of 2 fly free on airplanes? And if they do, shouldn’t we institute a decibel charge?”), since I happen to be of the school that believes going out in public means encountering small humans—and sometimes, they’re going to cry.

But Cohen may be on to something when he argues that toddlers cry on airplanes (and in the theatre) for a reason: they don’t want to go to London, or sit still in a dark theatre for two hours. They’d much rather play on the swing set in the backyard.

Still, Cohen’s insistence that kids—and the vacationing public—will be happier if they are left at home may be logical, but it’s not necessarily practical. Are parents supposed to give up vacationing all together until their children develop a sophisticated interest in London theatre and Yosemite falls? And what about the plane flights that are to Grandma and Grandpa's house?

Photo: Mom's Buzz

When The Loud Neighbors Are Your Kids

Make Like The Griswolds

Adrienne Martini — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Some of the best conversations I have ever had with my Dad happened while we were on a road trip. This was long before the days of iPods or portable DVD players or, horrors, books-on-tape. Since I am one of those people who hurl if I try to read in a moving car, the options were staring out the windows or talking with my Dad. You may have had the same experience.

"Working Dad" Paul Nyhan knows how important those car trips can be. His essay is chock full of all sorts of goodness about how it's good to unplug from all of the other devices that distract us from each other. About how it's nice for kids to have nothing to do every now and again. About how a few simple games can make the time fly.

On the surface, I agree with him, especially since I know how much I value that time in the car with my Dad. But as a parent, I'm not sure I'm ready to unplug my kids the next time we drive to Grandma's. Is that wrong? Am I cheating them out of some cherished memories by not wanting to endure four hours of "Are we there yet?"

10 Signs You Might Need a Childfree Vacation

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:01:00 GMT

Some of us are heading to the BlogHer Conference in San Francisco this week, (and if you can't make this one, don't miss the BlogHer Reach Out Tour coming to a city near you). As I fidget with joy at the prospect of waiting for my flight which departs in 2 hours, it occurs to me that staycations notwithstanding sometimes there is absolutely nothing as delicious as kid-free vacations of one kind or another.

Here are 10 signs you might be in similar straits:

1. Grocery shopping is your alone time.

2. Going to work is the highlight of your day.

3. You and your partner discuss poop and sleep more than you discuss daily news or getting it on.

4. You no longer remember the pure joy of reading the Sunday paper front to back in bed with strong coffee.

5. The last book you read was written by Dr. Seuss.

6. Dressing up means getting out of your sweats.

7. The sound of small children talking starts to sound less like a babbling brook and more like someone pouring acid in your ear.

8. You find yourself short-tempered and negative with anyone under age 20.

9. You think you might have at one time been an extrovert, but now you're definitely an introvert.

10. When people ask you what you do for fun, you have absolutely no idea what to say.

Never fear that the costs of a kid-free vacation make it impossible. Maybe you can swap with a friend or family member to watch your kids overnight so you and your partner (or just you) can get away. Even if it's one night in a Super 8, you'll relish every minute of it.

[Photo Credit: Bellingham Herald]

Pop Quiz: Do You Need a Vacation?

Jen Chaney — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:02:00 GMT

Wondering if you need to take a break from the stresses of parenting? Take this helpful quiz and find out.

Supposedly if you answer "often" to five or more of the questions, then you are in need of an immediate, rejuvenating vacation. But honestly, I would have answered often to some of these questions before I even had a kid.

"Are you careless about the appearance of your home?"

Uh, try every freaking day.

"Are you irritable and quick-tempered?"

Yes, jerky. What's it to you?

And then my favorite, which is question no. 9: "Do you have trouble concentrating?"

Really, shouldn't that be question 1 or 2? Because if I have trouble concentrating, I lost my focus well before I got to the ninth question.

But then again I am irritable and quick-tempered. So take the quiz. Or don't. What-freaking-ever.

Staycations: 5 Ways To Go Nowhere -- For Fun!

Madeline Holler — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:39:00 GMT

Listen, family vacations are soooo 2005-6. Homes were cash machines, a recession seemed impossible. Gas was ... well, it wasn't $4 a gallon. Airlines didn't charge for checked luggage! Back then, vacations weren't a choice, they were a right ... no, a duty!

So I hope you took plenty of pictures. Since this summer is all about the housing crisis, recessions, expensive food and unimaginably high gas, you'll likely be vacationing -- or, as the travel world is calling it, "staycationing" -- in familiar surroundings this summer. Sure, it's a bad thing, but we have some ideas.

A "staycation" (or lame-cation, call it what you want) comes in many forms. The key is it takes place at or near your home -- no driving or restaurant meals needed.

1. Stores are counting on the staycation, selling backyard games, outdoor furniture and grills grills, grills (a filet-cation?)

2. For those who don't want to shell out for a weekend room at the downtown Courtyard Marriott, there are daycations to local museums, pools, beaches or the zoo.

3. The divine and thrifty could always go on a praycation -- sign up for a church retreat (just hide out in the cabin reading all weekend if devotions aren't your thing) or pack on the church bus and enjoy the group discount on theme park tickets.

4. Also an option are laycations -- beg grandma to babysit for the weekend and do something you never, ever get to -- your spouse!

5. Here are some staycation ideas for New Yorkers from last year's Timeout. This is what they're doing in Cleveland.

What are you doing at home this summer?

Photo: slickrock.com

Cribsheet: Summer Travel

editors — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Number of long distance summer trips made between Memorial Day and Labor Day (2001): 657 million
Average distance of long distance summer trip (one way): 284 miles
Percentage of travelers who are planning to visit a beach destination this summer: 52%
Percentage of household trips to beaches that include children: 41%

Percentage of travelers surveyed who are planning to visit a major metropolitan area this summer: 49%
Percentage of long-distance summer vacations that are domestic: 97%
Percentage of trips with children that are for leisure: 91%

Percentage of people who travel in the summer to sightsee or vacation: 21%
Percentage of people who travel in the summer for personal reasons or leisure: 84%
Percentage of people who travel in the summer to see relatives: 34%

Percentage of U.S. adult travelers with children that have sent their children on a trip alone in an airplane in the past three years: 16%
Percent of Americans who plan to take a full two-week summer vacation: 16%
Percentage of employed French adults who take a 3-4 week vacation during the summer holidays: 40%
Percentage of employed American adults who take a 1 week vacation during the summer: 40%

Percentage of summer trips taken in a car: 91%
Percentage of summer trips made by airplane: 7%
Percentage of summer trips made by train or bus: 2%
Amount of fuel used by a Boeing 707 during the takeoff climb: 4,000 gallons
Amount of fuel used by a car annually: 581 gallons
Percentage of Americans who have changed their vacation plans due to higher gas prices: 41%

Research by Sarah Sundberg. Cribsheet appears in Strollerderby every Wednesday.

Weekly Check-Up: Men Are Not All the Same

Kelly Mills — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Researchers from the Kinsey Institute have made this groundbreaking discovery: Men are not all from Mars. "We're probably from a whole bunch of different planets," says one of the study's authors. What the hell are we talking about? Well, men vary widely in frequency of sexual desire, in what turns them on, and in what an erection means. You mean they don't all just need a picture of Pamela Anderson in a bathing suit and ten minutes in the shower? Yeah. So I guess dads are just as diverse in their interests and the amount of hummada hummada they want as moms. This should be news to anyone who never met more than one man in their entire life.

Guess what turned on an overwhelming majority of guys? Being outdoors, like for camping or a picnic. Maybe it's time to make that family trek to Yosemite a couples-only thing. And while I'm mocking this thing a little, since the idea that all guys are simple creatures who want it all the time is completely dumb, it is good that studies like this actually quantify what many of us know, that men are as complicated and varied as women. I did recently read that male lack of sexual desire was the biggest unspoken taboo nowadays, and it's not uncommon. Oh, and the researchers say that "as many as 30 percent of women may be more easily sexually aroused than most men" so ladies, don't feel bad if you are the lusty one in your relationship.

Cribsheet: Vacation

editors — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Average number of vacation days an American parent gets: 14
Average number used: 10
Average number of vacation days French parents get: 39
Percentage of working Americans who get no vacation at all: 25
Cost of all-inclusive 5-day trip for 2 adults and 1 baby to Cozumel, Mexico over New Year's: $2,900.71
Cost of 24 hours of straight nanny service in New York City: $530

Number of letters to Santa received by town of North Pole, Alaska in 2005: 120,000
Estimated amount spent on holiday retail per American shopper this year: $1,096
Estimated U.S. holiday sales for 2006: $457.4 billion
Fraction of annual industry sales: 19.92 percent
Estimated percentage of 2006 holiday shoppers buying toys: 34.3 percent
Percentage of toy market America (North and South) was responsible for in 2003: 41
African percentage: 1
Number of Christmas cards sold each year in the United States: 2.65 billion
Number of stories high the pile would be if spread over a football field: 10
Miles of ribbon that would be saved each year if every U.S. family reused two feet of ribbon: 38,000
Times 38,000 miles of ribbon could be used to tie a giant bow around the earth: 1

Research by Sarah Sundberg. Cribsheet appears in Strollerderby every Wednesday.

My Folks Went To Vegas and All I Got Was Raw Fish

Adrienne Martini — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Get the jump on your summer trip planning. What do you want your vacation to accomplish? Do you want to hang out on the beach with the children? Do you want to tromp through Colonial Williamsburg to learn about early settlers? Or did you have something a little more saucy in mind?

Head to Vegas, where mom and dad can gamble all night while the kids learn a "cultural" skill, like how to make sushi. Because they'll need to find a job after their college fund is gone.

Loews Las Vegas Resort is offering "SushiSkool" for kids age five and older. Not only can little Susie learn to roll her own, she'll also get a crash course in chopsticks and wasabi. If Mommy's not too hung over, she can join in the fun as well.

Sadly, the resort also offers a course in learning to spell. There haven't been many takers.

Photo credit: kidcuisine.net

A Right to A Vacation?

Amy Kuras — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:02:00 GMT

Spring break is upon us (God help us all) and while some people are enjoying a spell at the Happiest Place on Earth, others of us are tied to our homes with a baby and a bank account that are both too small to allow a getaway.

According to research from the University of Nottingham's Christel De Haan Tourism an Travel Research Institute, though, those families who can least afford a vacation are the ones likely to see the most benefit from it. Dr. Scott McCabe looked at three UK charitable organizations that help send families who are dealing with stressors such as poverty or a child with health challenges on vacation, and found that when the barriers to vacations were overcome the families enjoyed the kind of benefits that most people take for granted. They included (according to Science Daily):

Stronger family connection: Working hours, disability or estrangement led to less family time for many respondents. Quality time spent together on their vacation strengthened their family ties.
A break from daily problems: Many families were facing health issues, neighborhood disputes or the loss of a family member. Going on vacation gave relief from routine, chores and stress.
Happy memories: More than 80 per cent of respondents said that the biggest benefit of the vacation was the opportunity for fun and happy memories for the children.

McCabe said the findings raised the question whether a vacation is right or a privilege, citing other European countries' funding of vacations for working families or older people.

Note to self (as I woefully note there is yet another snowfall forecast tomorrow): Move to Europe.

Camp Alternative for Budding Screenwriters

Karen Murphy — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:29:00 GMT

Okay, so you missed it this year, but maybe you can plan ahead. (People do that, right? Plan ahead?) Because this, you'll definitely want to plan for, at least if you've got a writer on board at your house who will be between the ages of 10-14 next year: a FREE camp for screenwriters. FREE! Okay, so it's in California, and maybe you don't live there, but do I smell Family Vacay? After all, it's in Venice, and Venice has a B-E-A-C-H.

The camp, or workshop really, is sponsored by the non-profit 826LA, dedicated to supporting kids with creative writing skills. Five kids in attendance this year? So maybe the screenwriting biz isn't for everyone, but c'mon, this is FREE! I've got all year to work on my kid about this; he's a pretty good writer, and why shouldn't he support the family with his talents?

Oh, here's more: the camp lasts three weeks, and in that time the students make an actual film that's screened at the end of the session in Venice. How's that for cool?

Beach Toys From Your Kitchen? Yes!

Karen Murphy — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:09:00 GMT

Heading to the beach soon? Lucky you! If you're a beachgoer, which I'm not despite living only a couple of hours from the Jersey Shore (although my kids of course love the beach; what kids don't except the unusually tidy?), then likely you have a couple of boatloads of beach toys. But me, for the one-or-at-the-most-twice-a-summer beach trips, I find it silly to store a bunch of toys for the other 364 days of the year. So what to do?

Why, raid your kitchen, of course! With the added bonus of knowing that you're repurposing things and being a little "greener" to boot.

Buckets? Yogurt tubs, cottage cheese containers, or old Tupperware work well. Shovels? How about a flour scoop? Sieve? How about a, uh, sieve? Same thing with funnels. See how easy it is? I know I've got stuff right now in my kitchen that's old enough and plastic enough that I wouldn't mind it being set aside for beach purposes. (Just don't let your kids be the ones to raid the kitchen or you may end up missing your, say, corkscrew at a crucial moment.) Ooh, and maybe I'll see what's in the bath toys, too!

Now we just have to plan a trip to the beach.

Adults Like to Play With Each Other, and Not THAT Way So Get Your Mind Out of that Gutter!

Karen Murphy — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:36:00 GMT

Where I live, the only people playing on sports fields are usually under 5 feet tall. Their parents sit on bleachers or mill around at the edge of the field, talking to one another and sporadically yelling things at their kids. Wow. What a great time (yawn). Which is why I was so amazed in my recent vacation in Vancouver to see adults actually playing at a city neighborhood park. With one another! There was a large soccer game going on, mainly 20- and 30-somethings, but also some amazingly buff-looking 50- and 60-somethings, all playing together and seemingly having a wonderful time. There was also quite a lively game of cricket going on just down the field, and the whole park would resound with a roar whenever some apparently good play was made (the whole thing was a bit mystifying to me).

But still...adults, playing. Together. And looking like they did it regularly, not just on annual beer-soaked occasions.

Is it a city thing? A pacific northwest thing? Well, no, because I sorta know a guy who plays with a frisbee, having renamed it a disk and calling the game "Ultimate", and he takes it quite seriously. Apparently. As well he should!

As do these people and their playing. Scavenger hunt? Bring it! Dodge ball? Four square? Kick ball? But of course, and why not? I've said before that parents need to play, and I think this is ideal. I am taking my kid's scooter and making my escape to the park right now. Who wants to join me for a game of four square?

Flying with Kids Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

ChagHolland — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 16:28:00 GMT

If you are brave enough to travel by plane with your children this summer, CBS's The Early Show recently profiled some products and tips to make your flight a little less crazy.

The program mentioned a vest which attaches to your seatbelt that keeps your baby on your lap and out of the overhead compartment when the plane hits a pocket of turbulence. For those of you who do not feel like dragging a toddler and a car seat through a busy airport, there is a portable restraint system available that only weighs a pound.

One of the many tips the segment provided was to keep your baby's bottle chilled by storing it in an ice-filled air-sickness bag. Here's a bonus tip from me: you can also stash your airplane bottle of vodka there until your kid finally falls asleep.

Unfortunately, the program did not state how to pack a playard, a box of diapers, pool supplies, a ton of beach towels, forty-eight changes of clothes, and all the other crap needed for a vacation with a toddler.

Stroller Derby Playdate: School's Out!!

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:23:00 GMT

School is out for Summer and the blogosphere is all aflutter with the challenges and joys of kids with free-time.

Karrie, One Weird Mother -- talks about the joys of Mommy finishing up her schooling for the year
Austineze - is off for the summer, but "off" means Mommy and Daddy are going to work harder than ever
Monster Blog - points out that for most modern families, school is out but work is not. Long gone are the days of freedom from schedules and bikerides and beach trips. Sigh.
Firedoglake reminisces about summers past and savors the continued joys of childrearing in summertime.

And how is your summer shaping up??

Strollerderby Playdate: Holiday Road

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:02:00 GMT

Ahhh, Summer. The bad news is the kids aren't in school. The good news is that it is time to go on vacation.

Beth has insanely cute pictures up of Mia on the beach.

Black Belt Mama went to Ocean City. (Cute pictures here too.)

History Mike says that his family won't be vacationing this year because of gas prices.

Mamaroo took her family to Hilton Head Island.

And Candy says that vacation has miraculously put an end to the sibling wars of her children.

I hope you have fun on your summer vacations too!

Video Game Use to Blame for Decrease in National Park Attendance?

Patti — Sat, 26 May 2007 18:25:00 GMT

If ever there were a case not only for the road trip, not only for the minivan, but for the road trip in the minivan with the built-in entertainment system, this is it: the vast increase in video gaming by children is being blamed for the decrease in attendance at national parks. Except I'm not buying it.

Come. ON. As if you can't get a freakin' PSP or Nintendo DS and just take it along, if your vehicle isn't set up with a video screen that lets you hook up your regular video game console so the kids can rock the joystick from the second or third row. As if any parent worth his or her salt would say "Oh, sure, we'll stay home and let you play Guitar Hero instead of going to Yellowstone". As if the majority of adults have suddenly decided to stop parenting up. I'm sorry, I know some parents, and I'm not buying it.

What I'm more likely to buy is that we live in a country without any sort of mandated leisure time and where families are often scattered to the four winds, so Americans are often disinclined to waste their precious and hard-earned vacation time going to look at a hole in the ground that's been there for a billion years and isn't going anywhere soon, when they could spend that time visiting family in places that don't happen to be national parks. I'm more likely to suggest that airfare is expensive, and hopping in the car to drive to a national park isn't always feasible either once you figure in the cost of gas and lodging (and the article does note the high cost of travel as another factor). I'm thinking the kind of parent who'd allow their children's busy video gaming schedule to dictate the family's summer plans are probably the kind of parent who aren't trying to organize a trip to Mammoth Cave anyway.

(via Gaming Today)

Traveling With Your Baby: A Primer

Patti — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 20:03:00 GMT

Glennia Campbell at The Silent "I" travels a lot with her kid. And by "a lot", I mean, they've been to foreign countries more times than you've gotten your kids together to go to the grocery store.

Maybe you've never taken your infant on a plane ride before. Or maybe you have, and it didn't go so well. With vacation season looming ahead, it's time to face your fears. Glennia shares some basic guidelines on her blog: first, some general considerations. Then, some logistical advice and packing tips.

Our family is close-knit and far-flung, so we hit the tarmac running very soon after our first was born. Some of Glennia's experience mirrors ours ("wait until the first round of vaccinations to travel by plane" was advice my pediatrician gave me, too), some not so much (my rule of thumb is to bring enough diapers for the plane ride plus one day. No more, no less--we've yet to go anywhere where I couldn't easily suss out a source for any diapering or bathing need on the other end). And she doesn't address the carseat question, which is a major source of angst for parents embarking on a plane ride: do you get the baby a seat of his own? If so, do you bring the carseat on board? Of such questions are parenting forum flame wars born, let me tell you.

I actually miss traveling with infants. They ultimately don't need much more than a nipple of some sort and the Skymall catalogue to gnaw on, the expectations set upon their behavior by fellow passengers are very low compared to those set upon a three-year-old, and they're incapable of asking "Are we there yet?".

LinkLove: Holiday Routine

Patti — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:00:00 GMT

Asha of Parent Hacks wrote up a great piece at Kiddley about keeping a routine during the holiday break from work and school. Very inspirational to parents like me, who tend to let everything go to hell when there's no specific demands on our time. Asha says "having a predictable sense of what to expect each day makes it so much easier for my kids to transition out of (and back into) school". Words of wisdom, people.

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Video Game Use to Blame for Decrease in National Park Attendance?

Traveling With Your Baby: A Primer

LinkLove: Holiday Routine