Archive for October, 2007

Baby Slings - Good For Both Mom And Baby

October 23, 2007 at 10:59 am · Filed under Children, Moms, Toronto shopping

The arrival of motherhood can be as much a wonderful as an overwhelming time. You are falling in love with your baby while at the same time trying to learn how to breastfeed, take care of your newborn while sleep deprived and balance your baby’s needs with your own (will I be able to sneak in a quick shower today??). As all this is going on you are also trying to figure out which toys will actually stimulate your baby at the right time in their development –will those Baby Einstein tapes actually make my child a genius or are they mainly a distraction to give mom a break so she can, say, take a shower! (I suspect the latter which by no means diminishes their usefulness!) You are also faced with the task of picking from a myriad of tools that are available to ease your life as a parent. You talk to friends, read consumer reports, shop around, trying to select just enough to make your life easier but not too much that your home will turn into a baby gear shop!

Of all the baby gear I either purchased, inherited or received as presents, my favourite so far has been my baby sling. I received a Pippalily sling as a gift and I don’t know what I would do without it. Slings free your hands to get stuff done around the house when your baby just wants to be held. Holding your baby this close to you is a great way to bond with her; I’ve discovered this is also the best time to cut my baby’s nails, as it’s one of the few times when she is holding still and is close enough to me that I can actually get to her 10 fingers! Also, did you know that the motion that babies are in while being carried in slings is believed to help them develop motor skills faster by stimulating the vestibular system in their brains, the part of our brains responsible for our balance and essential to orientation and movement? (Apparently a possible explanation for why babies of non-industrialized nations tend to walk sooner than those in industrialized ones.)

slingBased in Toronto, Pippalily slings are designed to sit comfortably on your hip. They have a great selection of beautiful designs in silk and cotton and all their slings are machine washable. Well worth the $75 they retail for on their website! You can also find them at the Toronto Children’s Trunk Show.

This article was posted by Veronica

PerryWinkles Kids - Fine Children’s Clothing

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Trunk Show Season - Time to shop for the holidays!

October 18, 2007 at 8:47 pm · Filed under Children, Toronto, Moms, Toronto shopping

A trunk show is a special sale in which vendors present merchandise directly to select customers at a retail location, a private home or another unique venue. In many cases it allows retailers to preview and/or purchase merchandise before it is made available to the public. It is also particularly desirable for the vendor to be face to face with potential customers - it is a great market research tool for the vendor. It is so valuable to be face to face with a customer and get their feedback straight on. You can find out the things they like and dislike about your product, what things your product is missing (certain sizes, styles, material, etc.), and what they think about your price points.

Toronto’s Trunk Show circuit for “Mompreneur”-made products really gets going in early November. If you are looking for great holiday gifts, these shows are a great way to find unique gifts for everyone (not just kids) and support local entrepreneurs. The events are usually also a great fun outing, with speakers and activities for everyone. Most trunk shows usually also sponsor a charity so this is also a great way to support a local group (Sick Kids Hospital, Jesse’s Foundation, among others).
Also, if you are someone in the process of launching a new product that targets moms and families in particular, these shows are a great chance to be in front of your potential customer. The costs are reasonable and the market research is of huge value.
Two of the bigger shows we are participating in as vendors in Toronto are the Children’s Trunk Show at the Distillery District and the Mom2Mom Toronto Show at the CNIB Building in Toronto. We will also take part in a number of shows in Toronto’s private schools, but these types of shows take place all over the GTA (another one we know of is the Mommies Lounge, with shows in Vaughn and Richmond Hill).

Finally, one useful tip if you are thinking of attending one of these shows, is to bring cash as some of these businesses are in their early stages and do not accept credit or debit.

Have fun and come support local mompreneurs!

Maria

Perrywinkles Kids

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Favourite After School Activities

October 8, 2007 at 1:31 pm · Filed under Children, Toronto, Moms

The 2007/08 school year is now well under way and it’s been a very busy few weeks trying to get settled into the life of a mom of a school-aged child. My eldest, Keira, is only 4 years old, but her first year of every-day school has started with Junior Kindergarten. Luckily she is a very out-going little girl and she loves going to school every day so the transition has not been a big deal. She can’t wait to get to school every day and squeeze in a few minutes of playing in the playground before starting her day in JK.

After a half-day in school, I then have her signed up in a number of organized activities in order to keep her occupied and introduce her to new things (I chose this over the option of all-day school).  In looking for things for her to do, I found an amazing array of after-school activities for kids in Toronto.  I settled for things close by to my home as to avoid driving around too much during rush hour.

She practices gymnastics on Tuesday afternoons at CFCC in Leaside. CFCC has an assortment of program for little kids (starting at toddlers) and the staff are extremely dedicated and friendly (Frank, the Director, is an ex-East York Gymnastics staff). This is Keira’s second year at CFCC and I highly recommend the centre.  On Thursday afternoons she attends the Avenue Road Arts School.  From the minute she stepped into the classroom, she was hooked.  The room is just the most inspiring place for a little kid, up on the third floor of an old Toronto house (she calls it a castle), with lots of windows and a tree made of paper in the middle of the room that kids have painted.  This is another program that I highly recommend, despite its steep price and poor parking facilities.  Aside from these things, Keira is busy swimming and skating at a local club, and of course, playing with her neighbours and favourite classmates.

I can’t wait to see what I’ll find for the Winter months.  The selection of programs in Toronto is amazing!

Maria

www.perrywinkleskids.com 

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