Let me guess: as a busy new parent, you don’t have time to get take a shower every day, let alone get to the store for diapers, wipes, ointments, bottles, bibs and other supplies.

Not to mention, you obviously want the best price possible on this stuff.

To the rescue: Diapers.com. I’ve been using them since Konan was born 19 months ago, and I’m always happy with their prices and selection. I’ve purchased large boxes of diapers at his various stages of development, as well as other diapering necessities, nursing supplies, bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, a baby food mill, and even shoes.

Get $10 off

your first order of diapers

use code HEAT4834$49 min. total order

Believe it or not, they also deliver furniture, strollers, toys and a lot more… almost anything you could think of that a parent of a baby or toddler would need.

They carry the big brands, but also some hard-to-find products, and unique items invented by other parents.

Their prices are usually the best online, but if you find it better elsewhere, they’ll match what you find. Shipping is free if you order at least $49 worth of supplies (which is why I always stock up, and get at least one large box of diapers when I order) and it’s delivered very quickly by courier.

Even better… you can get a total of $15 off your first two orders with the discount code HEAT4834.

Here’s how it works: If you’ve never used Diapers.com before, you get $10 off your first order of $49 or more, and a $5 credit for your second order which will be added to your account within 14 days — that’s $15 over two orders (and if you’re a new parent, you’ll be using these guys more than once!)

To get your total of $15 off at Diapers.com, just enter the Promotional Code HEAT4834 when you check out.

If you go there now, while you’re thinking of it, you won’t end up being down to your last two diapers and suddenly panicking — or being forced to pay more at the local store.

So… you’re welcome!

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

For Mother’s Day today, Barry took Konan and I to the park for a walk. Part of the outing included going down to the river’s edge to see the families of geese that always hang out there.

I always smile at the fact that the local goose is the Canada goose. It’s cool to know that other Canadians, besides myself, are living down here!

But today I noticed something unusual about them:

Every family of Canada geese had not only the two parents and a gaggle of fuzzy little babies… but either a white or grey goose hanging out with the clan.

It looked like the regular geese were being bodyguards — or maybe nannies, or even guardian angels — helping mama goose with her family for Mother’s Day.

I tried to find out if this is a common phenomenon. Both Ducks.ca (Ducks Unlimited) and ItsNature.org talk about how Canada geese mate for life, and both take part in raising the goslings for a year… but I couldn’t find anything about white or grey geese joining the family.

In fact, according to ItsNature.org:

“Once the goslings are hatched they are often seen with the parents. The female usually leads while the other is behind the goslings, and they will react very violently to any approach, whether it be from human or even something so small as a blackbird.”

Hmm… maybe our geese didn’t get the memo, because none of them were being violent or aggressive towards the big white geese.

After some more searching, though, I did find a picture by Bill Allen (shown above) of the same phenomenon in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, and another picture from a guy somewhere in the southern U.S… so they do it all over the continent, despite what “official” goose facts say.

So Happy Mother’s Day to all the geese families out there who choose to buck the trends, break the rules, and do things their own way.

And Happy Mother’s Day to the human moms, too. May you also feel confident in writing your own rules, and maybe even have your own real-life guardian angel to watch over your family.

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

How fulfilling is parenthood? How happy is it supposed to make you?

My latest article for the online magazine, Life As A Human, explores the research, myths and realities.

Some of that research says:

“numerous scholars have found some evidence that, on aggregate, parents often report statistically significantly lower levels of happiness (Alesina et al., 2004), life satisfaction (Di Tella et al., 2003), marital satisfaction (Twenge et al., 2003), and mental well-being (Clark & Oswald, 2002) compared with non-parents.”

What does that mean for you? Finish reading the article here: The Joys — And Disappointments — of Parenthood.

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

Okay, look… I like Parents magazine. And Parenting, and BabyTalk… they’re some of my favorite reading materials for getting tips, ideas and advice on raising Konan.

But sometimes I’m just amazed at what makes it into the magazines under the guise of balanced journalism. The fact that they really toe the “company line” (i.e. promote what the establishment tells them to) becomes really evident at times.

Last month, it was an article called “Chiropractors for Kids?” which seemed like it was going to be a fair examination until the author started slamming chiropractic as possible quackery, mainly based on the fact that a lot of chiropractors (and other holistic health practitioners) don’t believe that giving kids a ton of vaccinations during their first few years of life — more than ever in the history of the world — is safe.

Yes, I accept the fact that these mainstream magazines are going to be pro-vaccination, for the same reason that Konan’s pediatrician HAS TO ask about shots every time we go in for a visit. They’re strongly regulated in these areas, and we have to take it all with a grain of salt.

But I can’t believe the blurb I just read in this month’s issue:

“Dental News Flash: It’s safe for kids ages 6 and up to get metal fillings when they have cavities, finds a review of more than 200 studies by the FDA. Known as dental amalgam, the metal mixture contains a small amount of mercury, but research shows that the amount of mercury vapor that’s released during the filling process isn’t high enough to be harmful.”

WHAT??? One of the most toxic substances in the world is OKAY to put in my child’s mouth? I DON’T THINK SO!

It goes on to say that the study couldn’t confirm safety for children under 6 years old.

So first they tell us that it’s okay to inject our kids with toxins and chemicals through the form of vaccines, and now it’s okay to put it in their mouths… because only a LITTLE BIT is going to leach out and get swallowed?

I yi yi… that’s just nuts. Hopefully Konan won’t get cavities (when he ever gets around to growing teeth, that is) but if he does, he’ll be getting non-metal composite fillings.

If you’re a pro-vaccination parent who’s getting riled up over what I just wrote, consider this from Diana Fatayerji, M.S., Ph.D., in Inspired Parenting Magazine‘s Spring 2004 issue: “Adverse reactions are believed to be a result of contaminants contained in the vaccines, including viruses, bacterial toxins and chemicals used in the preparation or preserving of the vaccine.”

I just wrote an article on Vaccine Side Effects in Infants for LiveStrong.com which goes into this topic deeper. It’s a balanced and heavily-researched piece, and though the focus is infants, the same is true for all kids… and there may be some evidence there that you hadn’t considered before.

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

Ya know, when the little one’s growing like a weed, it’s hard for me to think about dressing him fashionably. After all, if he’s just going to outgrow a new outfit in a couple of months… why spend very much money on it?

Just for the photo op?

I used to bartend with a girl about 15 years ago or so, who was the first person my age I knew who got pregnant. She was a real fashion snob, and when she had her child, of course she said, “My daughter only wears Baby Gap!”

I remember smirking at the time. Hey, I’m the girl who doesn’t even get a thrill from shopping for shoes (no, really, it’s true!)

But Konan got some Baby Gap stuff at his baby shower that he’s just now growing into, and it’s pretty darned cute! Little sweat pants and collegiate-looking long-sleeve shirts… they make him look like a mini man, unlike the onesies I’ve been putting him in for the past 10 months (which his daddy calls his “fruity little dance outfits”).

I just bought Konan some similar styles to the Baby Gap collection at Wal-Mart. Hey, value always wins out over label. I also noticed they’ve got some really adorable and affordable stuff at Gap’s sister store, Old Navy, that I’ve got my eye on.

But then TwitterMoms comes along with a Gap Outlet partnership that can save you an additional 10% from Sept. 11 to 24.

Not only that, but if you write a blog post about affordable fashions for the under-5 set, you can win a $20 gift card.

So I think Konan might be getting some more Baby Gap clothes soon!

Happy shopping… and happy writing!

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

We almost take brainstorming for granted sometimes, but for kids it’s brand new. Beyond that, it’s an effective way to look beyond the obvious and find creative solutions.

This year as school begins, give your child another tool for success; discover How To Jumpstart Your Child’s Mind with Brainstorming in my article on Education.com

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

I think it’s really sad that kids don’t get taught the basic of personal development in school, and adults who discover it often act like kids — not doing what they know needs to be done, refusing to take personal responsibility, and sabotaging themselves.

If every child could learn some of the basics early on, they’d grow up to be a lot better off; more accomplished, more confident, and more emotionally intelligent; and adults wouldn’t sabotage their personal development efforts, because it would be second hat by then.

Start this new school year out right. Find out how to Teach Your Child Personal Development in my article on Education.com

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

It can be difficult to find games for your kids that are both fun and educational… or figure out how to help them enjoy school more… or find crafts that you can make with a young child.

And what about fundraising ideas that don’t involve standing out on a street corner trying to convince people to stop for a car wash — or making a bunch of baked goods that will be gone in a few days — but actually stand the test of time?

But I’ve written a few articles recently for eHow that show you how to do all those things:

Arts & Crafts Ideas for a Young Child

Fun Stuff for School

Fun Educational Games for Kids

Kids’ Fundraising Ideas

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

If you want to teach your child how to use a computer, there are a few simple steps you can take.

Konan’s not old enough yet — all he wants to do is bang on the keyboard — but if your child is, my articles for eHow outline it for you. Start with the first link before moving on to the second, which builds on the lessons:

Computer Tutorial for Kids

Computer Lessons for Children

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When your child is young, it’s the best time to teach him a new language. Their minds are like sponges, ready to learn as much as they can.

I’d actually like to teach Konan two languages, besides English… Spanish and French.

Here’s how you can teach your child Spanish or Korean, from my articles for eHow:

Teach Yourself Spanish for Children

Learning Korean for Kids

And, if he’s having trouble with English but seems creative, maybe he’d learn better with right brain phonics:

How to Teach Right Brain Phonics to Children

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!