BumpNews

These 25 Blogs Have Great Family Spring & Easter Vacation Ideas

Posted on February 20, 2016

Because it is that time of the year again to start figuring out what to do with the kids during Easter and Spring Break, we are sharing a old post featuring 25 blogs with ideas for what to do and were to go!

Enjoy!

Camping

Getting away for a while and hanging out in nature can be very

relaxing for kids and parents alike. You don’t even have to go very far

from home to enjoy this experience. Getting the kids outside to play,

get some exercise and spend time away from the television and other

electronics can be great for some family bonding. Here are five blog

posts with family-friendly camping ideas.

Cruises

Cruise lines have opened up a world of opportunities for vacationing

with your kids. What was once considered a more adult-only vacation has

branched off and now includes many kid-friendly activities, making it

the perfect family-friendly vacation. There are also some cruises, like

the Disney cruises, that are geared almost entirely at the kids in the

family. Check out these five blog articles about cruising options for

the family.

Warm Destinations

If you are living in a region where there is a lot of snow and

temperatures fall below zero, you might be thinking that enjoying Spring

Break on the beach sounds pretty good. Which beach do you choose?

Beaches and other warm destinations to enjoy during Spring Break are

included in these next five blog entries.

Cold Destinations

Spring Break is often the last chance to get some skiing in if you

want to head north or travel into the mountains. If you aren’t a skier,

there are plenty of cold destinations that offer fun activities for

families during Spring Break as well, such as taking in a play on

Broadway or checking out historic locations in New England. These five

blog posts will point out some Spring Break destinations that will allow

you to take advantage of cooler temperatures before summer hits.

Kids with Working Parents

If you can’t take time off this year to go on a family trip and you

are looking for something interesting for the kids to do all week, here

are some ideas that might inspire your youngsters to have a blast on

their break at home. If you don’t live near any of these places, but

still want to take advantage of these ideas, keep in mind that your

child might be able to stay with family in another city and attend some

of the day camps. Other ideas to keep kids from getting bored over

Spring Break are also noted. For ideas check out these five blog

articles.

0 comments

News

Verdict: Revenge Couple that Planted Weed in PTA Prez’s Car must Pay her $4M

Posted on February 20, 2016

When I heard there was a reality TV show about an Atlanta PTA, I thought, really? There is that much drama in PTAs?

Apparently!

A now-divorced California couple will have to pay a $5.7 million dollar civil verdict to anothe parent whose car they planting with drugs inside the car of the

It was the end of a sinister revenge plot over a school drop off and pick up line!?!

Um…

In 2010, Jill Easter was waiting for her 6-year old son to arrive in the school pick up line following an after-school tennis practice at the Plaza Vista School in Irvine after school. Another parent Kelli Peters remarked to Easter that her son was “too slow” to come outside.

Easter regarded the retort as an insult to her son’s intelligence & vowed revenge

First, Jill and her husband Kent Easter, both lawyers, attempted to get Peters removed as the PTA president. When that endeavor ended with the school finding no just cause to remove Peters, the Easters came up with a more sinister plot.

Kent planted drugs into Peters’ car and called the police from a hotel room stating he was a concerned parent who suspected Peters was on drugs.

When police went to Peters and searched her vehicle, they discovered marijuana in the car and arrested Peters in front of her daughter even.

Though Peters was never charged, she still said the ordeal was humiliating.

“I was crying and begging for him to not put the drugs on the car, because people would see it,” Peters said during her trial. “Everybody was looking at me and I felt very humiliated.”

Eventually, Jill got a plea deal and testified against her husband, who she eventually divorced. He admitted the crime.

When asked in court if he planted the drugs on Peters, he replied: “Very stupidly, and unfortunately, yes.”

He has since filed for bankruptcy & says he is unable to pay.

It’s a high price to be petty.

“This was really not about money, this was about standing up to people that pick on other people and telling them it’s not OK to do this,” she said in court after the verdict. “I feel like justice has been served.”

Wow!

H/t ABC News

0 comments

BumpNews

Here are 4 Working Mom’s Solid Tips for Getting Out the House On Time

Posted on February 19, 2016

Mornings can be the most difficult part of the day for many working moms. Trying to get the kids and themselves ready and out the door on time seems to always take much longer than expected. With these 10 tips, working moms can make their mornings much more manageable and make their family’s morning departure one that is on time and not late.

Wake up 30 minutes before everyone else. If you don’t first care for your own needs, you won’t be able to care for the needs of others in your family. Waking up before everyone else allows you to get ready to start your day without interruption. Enjoy your coffee and paper in peace, prior to waking up the others.
Lay out clothes the night before. The older children get, the more say they want to have in their wardrobe choices. Provide children with two or three acceptable choices and let them choose what to wear. Hanging a plastic shoe organizer over the back of their door and filling each pocket with a matched outfit can make choosing an outfit easier for preschoolers.
Always repack your diaper bag once you return home. Resist the urge to drop it and forget about it. Once you are home, repack your diaper bag with spare clothing, diapers, snacks, and any other necessities you may need and then leave it by the door so it’s ready to go when you are.
Keep a tote filled with necessities in the car. Keeping a tote filled with spare clothes, nonperishable snacks and bottled water, diapers, a package of wipes, sun screen, and any other essentials can come in handy if you’re out longer than originally planned or if you forget your diaper bag.

Good luck Moms!

0 comments

BumpNews

Eco-Friday: 10 Must-Reads for Having a Vegan-Pregnancy like these Celeb moms

Posted on February 19, 2016

A few year ago, actress Emily Deschanel got some heat by continuing with her vegan diet while pregnant last year. However, despite concerns, remaining vegan while pregnant can be done safely with the consultation of a doctor and nutritionist and maybe also by reading up on some recommended books on having a well-rounded vegan diet.

She is not the only celebrity to stick with her vegan diet even while pregnant. Alicia Silverstone even wrote about her vegan pregnancy diet. Carrie Underwood, Natalie Portman and Allyson Hannigan are vegans who softened up and switched to vegetarianism during pregancy.

The Happy Herbivore put together a post that includes a list of recommended books for having a safe vegan diet and pregnancy. Check them out:

The Kind Life
Our Vegan Pregnancy
Being Pregnant
Kid Tested, Fire Fighter Approved
Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide by Sayward Rebhal
The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book by Reed Mangels
Disease-Proof Your Child by Joel Fuhrman
Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven by Rory Freedman
Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi
Feeding Baby Green by Alan Greene

Happy Healthy Pregnancy!

0 comments

BumpNews

12 Tips For Parenting Your Introvert Child (AND 12 for Extroverts)

Posted on February 18, 2016

I have one child who is an introvert and every once in a while, I need a reminder of how to parent an introvert. Because I am brushing up on my knowledge, I figure I’d share the tips here with you all as well. (Also, following these tips are the tips for caring for an extrovert.)

Here is the sage old advice from an often circulated article, reblogged, and reshared so many times the original author is unknown. I also like the 15 tips I found here!

HOW TO CARE FOR AN INTROVERT CHILD

1. Respect their need for privacy

2. Never embarrass them in public

3. Let them observe first in new situations

4. Give them time to think. Don’t demand instant answers.

5. Don’t interrupt them.

6. Give them advanced notice of expected changes in their lives

7. Give them 15 minutes warnings to finish whatever they are doing before calling them to dinner or moving on to the next activity.

8. Reprimand them privately.

9. Teach them new skills privately, rather than in public

10. Enable him to find one friend who has similar interests and abilities. Encourage this relationship even if the friend moves.

11. Do not push them to make lots of friends.

12. Respect their Introversion. Don’t try to make them Extroverts.

From the Tumblr, The Daily Huff, that posted the above came this post for Extroverts:

Respect their need to share, to ‘talk it out.’ They get their energy from other people.
Just as with introverts, never embarrass them in public. If you do embarrass them in public, go along as much as is reasonable if they play it off like a joke.
Don’t be surprised if they dive into a new situation headfirst. Don’t freak out either if they flounder a little. They’ll find their way.
Extroverts blurt. It’s the nature of the beast. Most try to leaven it with charm, but try to be patient when they don’t.
Expect interruptions that may seem rude, to some. Most of the time, they mean well.
Build surprise into your lives together. Most extroverts love the thrill of not knowing what’s up – as long as it’s positive.
Be prepared for what looks like ADD. The organically outgoing among us feed off the environment around them. They are often the best multi-taskers around, so understand that they are often paying much more attention to you than you think they are.
A flashover temper goes with the extroverted personality. The bad thing is it can look like a much more severe storm than it is. The good thing is it’s over quickly.
Many extroverts live for the intuitive leap. They reach for it. If teaching an extrovert something new, have patience with them jumping ahead of you.
They will always have lots of friends. But most extroverts have a core of best friends, and their loyalty can be fierce and aggressive if they feel the need to defend those friends. As with so many aspects of the extroverted personality, you may have to be patient with this.
They love compliments, but can usually see right through insincere flattery. Well-timed encouragement, though, can help an extrovert soar.
Respect their extroversion. Don’t try to pin them to your board or cage them. And do them a favor, if you are not yourself outgoing, extroverted – gently but persistently remind them to read something like this as often as possible. They probably will need the reminders.

Share |

0 comments

Celebrity

Kandi Burruss’ 2-Month Old Son Has 100k More Instagram Followers than You

Posted on February 18, 2016

We have blogged in the past about celebrities branding their children in social media in the form of hashtags.

Well Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss in an Instagram competition, wins the game.

Her and hubby Todd Tucker’s 2 month old son Ace Wells Tucker already boasts his very own active Instagram account with over 100,000 followers.

Most of the photos are of him being held by different family members, having a bath, being breastfed by mom (who is doing a phenomenal job as a breastfeed advocate and normalizing nursing) or at a pediatrician appointment.

Cute !

0 comments

BumpNews

4 Home Security Measures for Single Parents

Posted on February 18, 2016

Your home is a haven where you and your children should feel safe and secure. As a single parent, you may feel worried about the sole responsibility you carry to ensure the safety of your home. There are a number of ways you can increase your home security, with the inclusion of essential tools, security systems, safety practices and preparedness. Here are the best ways you should empower yourself to handle any security situation within your home:

Lighting

Brighten the outdoor perimeter of your house with motion detection flood lights. The lights will sense movement of any sort and illuminate any visitors or intruders, in the dark night. Make sure you place lights on all sides of your house, rather than just near the entrances. You can also illuminate the paths around your house or your gardens with lights. This is a nice landscape design touch and will also create more visibility around the exterior of your home. The addition of outdoor lighting will deter intruders and will provide you with visible reassurance. If you have a two-story home, purchase light timers for both stories. A light timer will make it look as though someone is actively in your house and will deter any burglars.

Cameras

Equip your home with security cameras, so you can see everything that occurs in and around your home. Place cameras near the exterior entrances and within the main rooms in your home. For extra assurance that your little one has eyes on them, at all times, place a camera in his or her nursery or room. The Lorex WiFi security cameras connect the monitoring system to a wireless network, which lets you watch security footage of your house from your smartphone. The cameras are weather durable, vandal resistant, equipped with night vision and record 25 frames-per-second.

Security Standards

Make sure you always keep your doors and windows locked, even when you are home. Also keep your blinds and curtains shut for privacy and protection. Utilize a home security system, while you are asleep or out of the house. Ackerman can help provide customized home security systems that will give you peace of mind. You can control your home from your smartphone or web-enabled device, which allows you to lock your doors, arm your security system and receive security notifications in the event of an intrusion. Create a neighborhood watch, within your community, so you have security support. Neighborhood watch programs deter criminal activity and keep everyone aware of safety threats.

Emergency Training

Create a break-in plan, for yourself, so you can quickly respond to a home intrusion. Lay out the safest spots in the house and the measures you could take to protect yourself from an intruder. You could make your child’s room the safekeep of the home, where you keep an emergency telephone, gear for protection and tablet that will help you set off your security alarm. Also, equip yourself with self defense knowledge. Take a self defense class that will teach you how you can effectively defend yourself from an attacker. Classes are generally offered through community centers or at a local martial arts instruction center.

Be safe!

0 comments

News

Death Row Inmate impregnates Herself with Sperm Purchased from fellow Prisoner

Posted on February 18, 2016

You can’t make this stuff up.

A death row inmate in Vietnam was able to escape her death sentence by getting pregnant with sperm of a fellow prisoner that she later inseminated into herself.

Nguyen Thi Hue was sentenced to death in 2014 after losing an appeal to a 2012 conviction for drug trafficking.

The 42-year old convict convinced a 27-year old fellow inmate at her Quang Ninh province prison to sell his sperm to her for $2,300 (£1,600), the state-owned Thanh Nien newspaper reported.

The male prisoner passed over syringes twice to Hue in August 2015 and as a result of successful insemination, Hue is now due this April.

Now, her sentence is expected to be converted to life imprisonment because she has a child under three years old.

Vietnamese law prohibits execution of mothers with children under 3 years of age. Under the law, Hue’s sentence will get commuted to life imprisonment.

Hue probably got the idea after reading up on another case back in 2007 where two prison guards in the northern province of Hoa Binh were jailed after they allowed a female inmate on death row to get pregnant with a male inmate, the paper said.

So many questions. Where did she get all that money from? Are female and male prisoners in the same facility? How did they exchange money for product?

The answers probably lie with the four guards suspended for negligence after Hue pulling this amazing stunt off.

The Chutzpah, eh!? Wow!

H/t BBC

0 comments

BumpNews

Tyra Banks introduces her Son York to the World

Posted on February 17, 2016

So sweet! TV personality, former Supermodel and brand new mom Tyra Banks shared a first photo of her newborn son, York, on her Instagram account for Valentine’s Day.

“This is the Happiest Valentine’s Day of my life,” the America’s Next Top Model franchise creator captioned a photo of herself cradling her sleeping son on her chest. “York, Daddy @erikasla and I send you so much love.”

Baby York was born via surrogate on January 27, 2016. His dad is beau photographer Erik Asla.

“The best present we worked and prayed so hard for is finally here,” she captioned the initial birth announcement. “He’s got my fingers and big eyes and his daddy Erik’s mouth and chin. As we thank the angel of a woman that carried our miracle baby boy for us, we pray for everyone who struggles to reach this joyous milestone. York Banks Asla, welcome to the world.”

So sweet!

0 comments

Here are 7 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy & Entertained in the Winter

Posted on February 17, 2016

Bellyitch Rewind

Winter doesn’t have to be a dreary and dreadful time. We are stuck in doors and may be sidelined but delays and cancellations when the weather gets bad. Finding things to do with the children that doesn’t involve electronics can be a challenge but our friends at summernanny.com offer the following tips for you to make winter months easier to deal with:

1. Bundle up and enjoy your favorite activities. Cold temperatures and snowy roads don’t mean you can’t get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Sure, it takes a lot more time and effort to get ready to go outside, but it’s worth it. Once you get putting on the snowsuit, boots, hats and gloves down to a routine, you’ll practically whiz right through it. And when you’re all bundled up and outdoors, kids can enjoy many of the same things they do in other seasons. You can go for a walk, play on the swings, run around the backyard or hit the slide. You can enjoy being together and being active, even when the thermometer dips.

2. Get back to basic outdoor fun. There’s no beating basic winter fun like sledding down a favorite hill, building a snowman complete with carrot nose and button eyes, having a snowball fight with siblings or neighborhood friends or ice skating on the local frozen pond. This is the stuff childhood memories are made of. Instead of watching from the sidelines, be an active part of the memory making. Jump on the sled for your own ride down the hill. It’s just as fun as an adult as it was as a child.

3. Create new winter games. There’s no end to the creative ways you can have fun outside during the winter months. Make colored icicles, paint in the snow with colored water, add fun shapes to the iced sensory table or set up a snowball target game. You can create a fun, engaging outdoor environment that your kids will enjoy and learn from. Get kids involved in developing new, fun things to do outside. Kids have amazing imaginations, and with a few simple household supplies they’ll create games and play spaces that will keep them occupied for long stretches of time.

4. Take advantage of local indoor play spaces. Many community centers offer indoor play spaces during the winter months. These spaces usually offer a free play area where kids can run, jump, twirl and bounce. Tumbling mats and cushioned climbing squares allow kids to release their pent up energy in a safe environment. Indoor spaces also offer riding toys like tricycles, scooters and kid sized cars. Some even provide kid sized props like stop signs, gas pumps and police stations; encouraging kids to create their own cities and towns. This type of imaginary play can keep your child busy for hours on end.

5. Head to the pool. It’s seems like an odd time to go swimming, but the winter months are the perfect time to enroll your child in lessons or reinforce his current swimming skills. It’s a perfect way to get some exercise into his weekly schedule and it’s lots of fun to boot. When summer rolls around, he won’t be spending his time learning to swim or getting reacquainted with the water. He’ll be ready to enjoy the local pool, lake or beach.

6. Find a local playgroup. If you have to be inside, it’s always more fun with friends. Connect with other parents or caregivers in your area through online sites or local parenting groups. Some groups have a multiple age make-up, which is a great fit if you have more than one child. Other groups focus on one age range, which is perfect if you have one child or are looking for a social outlet for a particular child. These weekly groups give your child a fun activity to look forward to and they provide you with social connections, resources and support.

7. Do some of the things you don’t have time for in the busy summer months. When the weather’s nice, chances are you’re too busy to take on some of the projects your kids would like to do. Wintertime is your chance to catch up. Spend an afternoon baking cookies for the local fire department. Pull out all the arts and crafts supplies and create new art pieces for your child’s bedroom wall. Long, dark afternoons can be the perfect excuse for tackling those put off projects.

Good luck parents!

0 comments

Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt

Lighting

Cameras

Security Standards

Emergency Training