Mobile phones for children: Do we want them?

Eight-year-old kids with mobile phones might sound like a crazy idea, but according to a report carried out last year, that is the average age of a child owning their first mobile phone. The age is expected to drop to five years old this year -- but why are we buying mobile phones for our young children? The answer is peace of mind, according to the report, which was carried out by the Dhaliwalbrown consultancy.

One company that has picked up on the concerns of parents is Disney Mobile. Disney Mobile was set up in the US this June and provides families with mobile phones specifically designed for "tweens, young teens and parents who want to keep an eye on them", according to the Disney Mobile Web site. Unlike standard mobile phones, these handsets feature software that allows parents to limit texts, calls and downloads, restrict phone usage and even locate their children via GPS.

Their latest phone, pictured on PhoneArena, is the Disney D100 (pictured), which features a Mickey Mouse-style keypad and a picture of Winnie the Pooh on the casing -- Disney Mobile seems to be marketing itself as a family solution, aimed at concerned parents, and not directly at children. At the moment Disney Mobile only provides mobile content in the UK, but it may sell mobile phones in the future.

You can already buy similar products in the UK, from companies like EazyTrak. There's no doubt that the service is useful, but by making the phones look like toys means they might well create competition among children for who has the coolest new gadget. This will undoubtedly lead to more children asking their parents to buy them a phone.

So what's the problem? The jury is still out on whether or not mobile phone radiation is harmful to children and Sir William Stewart from the National Radiological Protection Board recommends that children do not use mobile phones for prolonged periods of time.

The other issue is privacy, something that should be respected no matter how old you are. Of course you want to know where your child is at all times, but there are times when not feeling like you're being watched is important. Everyone will remember when they snuck off to the corner shop or park with friends in the knowledge that their parents had no idea about it. It wasn't particularly safe, but then again life isn't, and developing some sense of independence at an early age is important.

Finally, do we really want our children picking up bad mobile habits? Spelling gr8 instead of great and developing RSIs at the age of 14? There's no denying that we live in a dangerous world and that children are overwhelmingly important, but so is learning to deal with life's hardships. Some day your mobile phone will turn off or will lose a signal, but fortunately for you there was a time when you didn't have one so you won't completely freak out. What about the next generation? -AL

How to Choose a Child Carrier

You've recently had a baby, and congratulations are in order! But now you're itching to get out of the house, hit the trail or even go on vacation. One of the easiest ways to carry your child and keep your hands free is by using a child carrier. Here's how to shop.
The Basics of Child Carriers

Your first option for a newborn is an infant carrier. This is a simple, frameless pack that snuggles your baby right in front of you. Most can hold an infant plus some baby gear to a total weight of up to 25 or 30 lbs. Infant carriers are wonderfully convenient for around-town use and air travel.

A child carrier typically has a frame and is designed to carry a larger child behind you. To use a child carrier, a child must be capable of sitting upright without assistance. The smallest child appropriate for a child carrier is about 16 lbs., which typically means a child about 6 or 8 months old. If unsure about your child's readiness, check with your pediatrician before heading out. The largest child appropriate to ride in a carrier is about 40 lbs., with some models supporting greater weight to accommodate gear, too.

Child carriers are a great choice for travel, hiking and use around town. Because the added weight and movement of your child could cause you to lose your balance, child carriers aren't recommended for hiking on loose rock, climbing, skiing, inline skating, biking or other high-speed activities.
Compare Features


Most child carriers share basic features such as adjustable shoulder and waist straps, adjustable child harness, a foldout kickstand and an external frame. Fit is paramount. Megan Nelson, REI Seattle inventory specialist, offers this advice: "The fit is just like a backpack, except the weight rides higher. However, the weight really is not much of an issue if the child carrier fits you right."

Here are some of the variables to consider:

Suspension system: This is the key to parental comfort. Most child carriers feature an easy-to-adjust ladder suspension, just like the ones found in many backpacks. A child carrier's adjustability is measured by the torso range (listed under the Specs tab on REI.com product pages). Read more about how to measure your torso size. Torso adjustments are simple: If you're on the tall side, move the suspension setting up higher on the back (or, if you're a shorter adult, move it to a lower setting). A few models feature a fixed suspension, which limits adjustability, but offer weight savings.

Kickstand: This bar provides a stable platform for loading and unloading your child. Most can be manually extended and retracted to the loading position with a simple tug. Other models feature a fixed-position kickstand (which saves a bit of weight) or a spring-loaded kickstand (which extends and retracts automatically—a nice feature). These all accomplish the same goal, so personal preference is the deciding factor here.

Frame: As noted earlier, frameless carriers are intended only for infants and gear totaling up to 30 lbs. or so. Most child carriers feature an external frame of tubular aluminum. A few models use an aluminum stay for support, much like those used in internal-frame backpacks, and may offer a daypack option.

Accessories: If you plan on using a child carrier only occasionally, you might not be interested in all the features of the deluxe models. However, if you plan to head off-road or carry lots of gear, consider models with the following extras:
Gear-storage capacity, including removable diaper bags or day packs
More adjustability options for a better fit
Diaper-changing pad
Hydration-system compatibility
Removable rain/sun hood (sometimes sold separately)
Removable bug netting (usually sold separately)
Fit the Child Carrier to You

First, adjust the child carrier to fit you. This is the main factor for your comfort. When making your initial adjustments, use books to weight the pack instead of your child.

Adjust the suspension system to fit your torso, so that the hipbelt rests on your hip bones (not your waist) and the shoulder straps rest on your shoulders.
Tighten the hipbelt so roughly 80% of the weight is on your hips.
Tighten the shoulder straps so the child carrier is stabilized and the remaining 20% or so of the weight is on your shoulders.
Adjust the sternum strap across your chest so that it doesn't interfere with your breathing.
Fit the Child Carrier to Your Child

Before putting your child in the carrier, adjust the height of the child seat. Make sure the child's straps are loosened and the kickstand is fully extended.
Now put your child in the carrier, and make sure his or her feet come through the leg openings.
Buckle and tighten all straps, including the hipbelt, shoulder straps, leg strap adjustments and sternum strap. Note: Not all child carriers have all of these strap options.
Tighten the side compression straps, if available.
Check to make sure the child's shoulder straps fit smoothly over his or her shoulders and that the leg straps are comfortable.
Tips on Using a Child Carrier

Lifting an occupied child carrier is similar to hoisting a heavy backpack (see our pack-hoisting video for instructions). The first few times you do so, have someone help you put it on your back. The steps: Lift the child carrier by the top handles, slip on the shoulder straps and buckle the hipbelt. When removing the carrier, loosen the shoulder straps and unbuckle the hipbelt. Grabbing the handle behind your head, bring the carrier around to your front, and grasp the second handle to help you set the child carrier on the ground.

Some additional pointers:
Don't leave your child unattended while he or she is in the child carrier.
Children tend to fall asleep in child carriers; occasionally check your child's position and comfort.
Child carriers aren't adequately stable to be used as a chair, nor should they ever be placed on elevated surfaces such as a bench, table or bed.
Do not use a child carrier if the frame or fasteners are damaged.
Make sure your child is protected from the weather.
Consider wearing a hat so your child can't grab your hair.

Kids Beds from Top Childrens Beds Brands

Buy top brand childrens beds from our online UK shop, including children's beds from leading European kids bed maufacturers

Looking to buy kids beds online? We've a wide range of top brand children's beds for boys and girls of all ages inside our UK online store. All of our beds are supplied from leading UK and European manufacturers, each specialising in the design and production of beds for kids and offering flexible, practical bed solutions often with fun and funky designs. You can shop for any child's bed, from small junior sized toddler beds specifically sized for toddlers and young kids, up to full size conventional single divans. If you're looking for space saving solutions take a look at our kids bunk beds and children's cabin beds. Available in a wide range of designs many of our midsleepers and highsleepers offer great space saving solutions for studios or smaller bedrooms. Clever designs provide valuable space below the top bunk for a work/study desk, play area, relaxing chairs or additional sleeping space for guests. Great when floor space is limited. For a little more adventure take a look at our fun theme beds for children including racing car, train, pirate, fairy and football designs for boys and girls. Some of the children's bed brands available include Silentnight childrens beds and Airsprung beds for children, perhaps two of the UK's best known brands, Stompa Furniture and Thuka bunk beds, one of Europe's leading manufacturers. Look too for children's mattresses.

You can buy online here for delivery direct to your home, with many available immediately from stock at great prices. All children's beds are backed by a "no-quibble" money back guarantee.

Please click here to browse our range of children's beds

presto decor

Welcome to Presto Chango Decor. Your source for unique self adhesive removable wall stickers. Most of our childrens wall stickers are hand drawn by artist Tracy Jones. Her Soccer Girl removable wall decals were featured in the Fall 2007 edition of Kids Storage Magazine by Better Homes and Garden. Her artwork is transformed into giant wall stickers to wall decals that are designed in themes to create colorful Children's Wall Murals that are sure to excite your child's imagination and make it easy for you to decorate your child's room or playroom.

This is a fun and exciting way to decorate your childrens room and create your own unique Kid's Wall Murals in a matter of minutes with wall stickers.

This is the perfect alternative to hand painted murals for those of us who move frequently or simply like to change your childrens decor every few years without the hassle of repainting over a previous kids mural.

Quick and easy to apply to any smooth surface. No paint, No tools, and No wallpaper paste necessary when using our wall stickers. To create your very own child wall mural, just peel and stick these wall decals to most any smooth surface: painted walls, furniture, windows, doors, mirrors, ceramic tiles,… even cars.

These removable wall stickers are made of a Matte finish vinyl with low tack removable adhesive and can be easily removed and repositioned if you want to change them around without leaving a sticky residue or harming surfaces.

Our wall stickers are printed using high quality inks, that are resistant to fading and water.

Each vinyl sticker mural contains individually cut out characters, just peel and stick these wall decals in any arrangement you like to make your own unique kid wall decor.



Many Giant Removable Wall Stickers and Kid Wall Murals, designed to help you create childrens wall murals that have the look of a hand painted mural. We have two sports murals, a baseball wall sticker mural and a football mural. We have a Dinosaur Wall Sticker set for the children who love Dinosaur Murals. There's a Safari Mural that contains all the wild Animal Wall Stickers you need to create a Safari Mural adventure. We have a Farm Animal Mural that contains a large array of cute friendly farm animal wall stickers. We have Bug Mural that has enough colorful insect stick ups for a bug mural that will make you feel like you just stepped into our backyard here in Florida. With our Outer Space Mural you can create the most colorful and unique outer space mural around. There is a Pirate Mural wall stickers that can be used to turn an entire room into a giant pirate mural treasure map. With our Under the Sea Friends Decal set you can create the most unique Underwater Tropical Wall Mural around.

These removable wall stickers and child wall murals are our own original hand drawn art converted into wall stick ups. You can literally change the look of your child wall decor in a bedroom, daycare, classroom, or doctor's office in minutes. We also have smaller sticker sets that are accent wall murals that you can create baby nursery murals, playroom murals,or even the bathroom mural. You can apply the Butterfly Wall Stickers to poster board and cut out creating three dimensional wall appliques that can be used on curtain valances, or a headboard. Be creative, you can change the dressers, lamp shades, doors, windows, or bathroom tiles. You can apply our daisy flower wall stickers to poster board and cut around each of the flower decals to create daisy flower appliques, a daisy flower mural that stands out, or curtain valance, that will add a different dimension to your childrens decor. Now you can create that fantasy children's room you have always dreamt of. Having the flexibility to place these wall stickers in any arrangement, allows you to add your own personal flare to your child wall decor. There is no right or wrong way to use our removable wall stickers. You simply peel, position and press the vinyl wall decals to any smooth surface. "Ta Dah" like magic you can create new wall murals in minutes using our removable wall stickers.

Each month we add new childrens wall stickers and child wall murals to our growing selection. So if you don't see the Wall Stickers you like today, make sure you visit us again in the future to see our latest Wall Decal designs. We also welcome any suggestions or ideas for future kids wall stickers or themed Wall Murals. Just send us an email.

Please note the following terms are interchangable when describing our products. Wall Stickers, Wall decals, Removable Wall Stickers, Kids Wall Stickers, Childrens Wall Stickers, Wall Stick ups, Wall Appliques, and Stick Ups

kids decor

Kid's Decor has beautiful baby and children's furniture, kids' bedding, baby crib linensand features over 2000 kids wall art designs, kid's lamps, fun furniture,children's rugs, kids bath accessories, a baby gift shop, and other accessories for nurseries and kid's rooms.

Childrens Furniture.Browse through our store and see our extraordinary selection of baby furniture, and kid's furnitureby brands such as Stanley Young America. Our Stanley Young America collection for girls include the stylish designs of Isabella, Caroline, Ma Marie as well as others that are Built to Grow. For boys, our Young America collections include Harbor Town, Serenity, GenAmerica and Surfer's Chase. All Stanley Young America collections include cribs and several beds with a variety of case goods. The collections are Built to Grow because you can add pieces to your set as your child grows.

NEW Kid's Bath Decor!! Your kids will flip with our new collection of kids bath decor. Our kids bath accessories include fun themes like Fish and Sea Life bath decor, Animals and Safari themed bath decor, Coastal Cottage theme bath decor, Sea Breeze theme bath decor, Duck theme bath decor and many others.

Each collection is available with a shower curtain, shower hooks, toothbrush holder, tumbler, accent rug, and other decorative accessories. Most of the bath decor themes are also available with a coordinating wall border to transform the room in to a fun place for your kids and the whole family. We also feature a variety of wall stick-ups in the same themes to coordinate with the accessories. If you want to be creative, we've even had customers use the theme on our bath accessories and actually paint them on the bathroom wall!
Kid's Fun Furniture. Our kids' fun furniture is our most popular and includes a broad selection of items for children's rooms. This category includes kids' table and chair sets, kids' toy chests, kids drawer pulls/kid knobs, kid's rocking chairs, bean bag chairs, and a host of fun decor for kids.

Baby Room Decor, Nursery Decor. Kid's Decor has an extensive collection of nursery decor and accessories. Our collection of baby room decor includes bassinets, crib linens, wall clocks, framed wall art, hanging wall letters, and many other decorative accessories. You will also find the classic Old World Cradle by Green Frog Art.

Baby Crib Linens. At Kid's Decor, you'll find a broad selection of baby crib bedding and designer baby linens in a variety of themes. Our baby bedding designs include the collections by Maddie Boo, Doodlefish and Nava's Designs. Most of the designs are available with coordinating accessories such as a musical mobile, diaper stacker and other items.

Kid's Bedding / Childrens Bedding. Our kid's bedding collections include a variety of themes for boys and girls. You can choose from a transportation or race car theme for boys or a princess or floral theme for girls. Each bedding design can then be coordinated with 1000's of wall art designs and hundreds of rugs to complete the room.

Kids Lamp, Childrens Lamp. Our children's lamps feature a broad variety of themes and styles. We have nearly 500 lamps that will coordinate with almost any nursery or child's room. You can choose a castle lamp, a bunny lamp or a ballerina lamp for girls. For boys, choose a sports lamp, a variety of baseball lamps, space lamps, cowboy or race car lamps. Or if you want something whimsical or sophisticated, we feature the collection of Maura Daniel lamps.

Kids Wall Art, Kids Wall Decor. Our kid's wall art is our most popular and most extensive collection of room decor for infants and children. You can choose from custom prints on a glass-free wooden board or framed prints. We also feature a large selection of kid's giclee prints or canvas reproductions and original wall hangings, including the ever popular collection by Shelly Kennedy's Drooz Studio. The Drooz Studio art collection is one of our most popular and makes the perfect gift for a child or the baby's room.

Kids Rugs, Childrens Rugs. Our children's rugs have been a huge sensation for parents wanting to complete a child's room or the new nursery. Our collection of children's rugs include shaped rugs, themed rugs, acrylic reugs, cotton and wool rugs, Many of our rugs will coordinate with a variety of themes, such as sports rugs, princess rugs, cowboy rugs and many other themes. Visit our children's rug gallery to find that perfect rug for your child's room. Enjoy and have fun - after all your kids are only young once.

10 Must Have Baby Items for New Fathers

10 Must Have Baby Items for New Fathers

May 18th, 2009 | Author: admin

With our baby’s due date approaching at blindingly fast speed, we had our baby shower this Sunday. It made me start to think about my first baby and the items that I found most useful. Following are ten baby items that I could not live without as a father. I highly recommend them to all new fathers to make their journey into father hood easier.

	Baby Carrier: I highly recommend this for new fathers. It’s important that you not entirely restructure your life to fit around the new addition. Find ways to implement your baby into your life. A baby carrier is a great start. My wife and I are involved in theater. It is a love we share and it brings us together. However, having a baby can present a problem with us both staying involved. We found our solution with a baby carrier. It allowed me to rehearse and perform in the musical “Seussical the Musical” with our baby strapped firmly to my chest. We made it through the musical as a family with neither of us having to stay home. No, I didn’t play the sour Kangaroo, though Aubreigh would have made a wonderful baby kangaroo. Baby Bjorn makes a great baby carrier. There are also more affordable variations that work just as well such as Snugli.
	Jogging Stroller: Once the baby is here, it’s time to work off that baby weight you have gained with the pregnancy…yes, guys gain it too. A jogging stroller is a great way to lose that weight and for the baby, it provides a joyful stroll. After all, you need to start taking care of yourself so you can be around for all the grandchildren and great grandchildren you will one day have. There are many variations out there. My advice is to research on the internet to find the best combination of price and functionality to meet your needs.
	Suitable Television: Babies are highly impressionable. Though they don’t understand all they see or hear, it still influences them. Remember: A baby can only dream about what it knows. Make sure they have good dreams. There will be times you are sitting up late at night with your baby and though it may be tempting to turn on “Superbad” and have a laugh or pop in the latest thriller, resist the urge. Avoid violence and harsh language. Instead find a happy median: Entertainment you can enjoy that will positively influence your child. I highly recommend Fraggle Rock. It has great characters, great stories, great fun and best of all, great music. All four seasons are available in a box set from Amazon or your local DVD dealer.
	Baby Wipes Warmer: A no-brainer. Cold and backsides go together like orange juice and toothpaste. If you have ever touched a cold wipe to a baby’s bottom, you know what I mean. A wiper warmer spares your baby from the discomfort of experiencing a cold chill on their tush. Not to mention it saves you from having a “sword in the stone” moment. This happens when you use a cold wipe and your babies cheeks clench down like the jaws of life. It’s impossible to unearth the wipe from the depths of East Cheek and West Cheek without leaving behind bits and pieces of paper which you must later fish out. Be kind to the behind. Prince Lionheart makes a wonderful wipes warmer and it is available at most baby retailers.
	Diaper Bag: Aka, the survivor kit for being a father. This will host everything you need to care for your baby while out and about. Don’t leave home without it! Diapers, check. Wipes, check. Blanket, check. Toys, check. Bottles, check. Now you need a way to carry them. Don’t be ashamed to posses one in public, it’s a badge of honor announcing your dad status to others, not a purse. For a more discreet papa, there are book bag style diaper bags. Diaper Dude Diaper Bag is a great bag and Skip Hop makes great bags as well. I personally carry a Vera Bradley Mod Floral Pink diaper bag and yes, I have gotten many nice compliments about it from women.
	Good Computer: Now that your new life has started, it’s time to save those memories. Investing in a new computer is an excellent start in documenting your child’s path from diapers to drivers-ed. Not only does it allow you to print and store digital images, but it allows you to easily create videos using home movie footage, still images and music. As far as quality, ease of use, stability, and value of software out of the box, you can’t go wrong with a Mac computer. Both the MacBook and iMac are affordable, professional computers for image and video creation.
	Bouncer Seat: An affordable solution to calm your new baby. I recommend a bouncer seat that includes a rumble motion. This often has a calming effect. A good bouncer seat is a comforting and welcome seat for your newborn. Not only is it great for playtime, but often it can lead to a nap. Find one with bright colors, music, toys and rumble motion. Boppy makes a great bouncer I recommend that is extremely soft and comes in colors for both girls and boys.
	Infant Gowns: Trust me on this one: Snapping the countless snaps of a one piece sleeper of a crying baby with a dirty diaper in the middle of the night is about as fun as licking a porcupine. Often you will end up with a leg through a hole that is no hole at all or extra snaps that have no opposite snap to buddy up with with the only option being a restart to to porcupine licking contest. Infant Gowns eliminate this frustrating trial. Don’t worry, their for boys too. If it makes you feel better, think of it as a kilt. Gowns allow for easy diaper changing when a child is young and diaper changes are frequent.
	Baby Toys: As a work at home father, the right toys helped me to grab a few minutes of work time while keeping my baby entertained with educational and stimulating activity. For newborns, I recommend a play mat/baby gym. They provide endless hours of entertainment with varying actives for young children. The one I personally recommend is Bright Starts Baby’s Play Place Play Mat. It’s a Swiss Army Knife of baby play. Starting out, it has sides that fold up to provide a safe environment for your child to lay on their back and stare up at flashing lights and mirrors and listen to colorful music. As they grow, the sides fold down to expand the play mat and provide quality tummy time. A play mat allows your child to be entertained and give you a much needed and deserved break. As your baby grows and starts to stand, I recommend an excersaucer for the same purpose.
	Most Importantly: Love. Love your new baby and your significant other and your entire family. The love you show and display for your child is the love they will share as they grow. Provide a warm, nurturing environment for your child and watch them bloom into amazing human beings.

Evening babysitters with professional childcare experience...

Sitters babysitting agency allows you to reclaim your social life!

Now you can find friendly and experienced evening babysitters, even at short notice. For your reassurance we interview each and every child minder in person and check all references thoroughly. At Sitters all our child carers have years of professional childcare experience and most are OFSTED registered childminders or professionally qualified nannies or nursery nurses.

So how does Sitters' Babysitting service work?

Once you have joined Sitters babysitting service you can book evening childcare with the convenience of a single free phone call to 0800 38 900 38 or online through your secure member's account on this website. We then contact professional child minders who have passed our selection process and are local to your home. We always try to book a babysitter you have met before and will always try your preferred babysitter first

As soon as we have arranged for a child minder to attend we confirm your booking to let you know who will be your babysitter and give you some information on their previous experience. You'll find your babysitting bookings are quickly and conveniently confirmed by text message, usually within a few hours. We then ensure that both you and the child minder receive a text message reminder on the day of your babysitting booking just to ensure no appointment is missed.

When you travel, Sitters babysitting service travels with you.

Sitters babysitting agency has approved babysitters right across the country in all but the most remote locations, as a Sitters member you can give us two permananent "home" addresses anywhere in mainland UK. If you need us to find you a child minder when you're staying in a hotel or visiting family or friends away from home - just give us a ring.

Sitters Babysitting Agency Trusted since 1967

Sitters has more experience than anyone in selecting suitable childcarers and arranging your babysitting appointments. The service Sitters provides today started out as Childminders in 1967 and has operated continuously for over 40 years. We have childcarers who have been with us for many years and who have baby sat for hundreds of families. Today Sitters Childcare Agency is able to find a suitable approved childcarer for over 95% of the babysitting requests we receive. We look forward to helping you make your evening childcare arrangements too.

Evening babysitting and daytime child care too

Although most families choose to use Sitters babysitters firstly for evening childcare we can also provide a short term or temporary nanny service. Many of our experienced childcarers are available during the day and can provide daycare for your children when required - even at short notice.

For further information about Sitters babysitting agency...

Please click on your questions answered to read answers to some of the questions parents most frequently ask us. Or call us on freephone 08003890038. The office is open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturday, at all other times our answering service will ensure that any urgent enquiries are attended to promptly.

Join Sitters today

Simply click Parents join here to enjoy the benefit of experienced childcare whenever you need it - simply and conveniently. Join now and we guarantee there is no cost until you use the service.