We had so much fun two weeks ago with our first ever field trip at Pretend City. Our fun playdate took  place on Way to Play Fridays which happen every second Friday of the month.  Way to play Fridays are sponsored by the Good to Go from Head to Toe. The special program is a child-development initiative designed to educate the community, parents and caretakers about the importance of having children (birth through 5-years-old) receive regular developmental checkups as part of routine, well-child visits. Good To Go From Head To Toe is delivered by Pretend City Children’s Museum

Way to play Fridays are part of the initiative. There are also classes and parenting classes that are offered to the community free of charge! The classes  help parents and educators prepare children for preschool, learn to
better handle challenging behavior and uncover developmental milestones through play.

This is an excellent program and I would encourage you to check out the classes that are offered at no cost to you and your family. Below is the list of classes for December and January.

December
Friday, December 10: Way to Play Day: Thinking & Problem Solving Winter Wonderland
How does ice melt? How and what do we pack for cold weather? Come learn how to better understand your child’s thinking and problem solving skills on this special Way to Play day.
Time: Way to Play days occur on the second Friday of every month and last all day.
Who is it for? Parents/caregivers and children ages birth to 5 years.
Is there a fee? Way to Play day activities are included in museum admission.

Monday, December 13 – Brain-Friendly Toys
Just in time for the holidays, learn the appropriate toys to purchase for the little ones in your life that will help develop their brains while they play. Be one of the first 10 participants to RSVP and get a FREE brain-friendly toy from Lakeshore Learning .
Class Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Who is it for? Anyone who may be getting gifts for young children this holiday season (and beyond).
How do I sign up and by when? Register online at http://pretendcity.org/g2g/event-calendar/ by Dec. 10, 2010.
There is no cost to attend. Museum admission not required nor included.
This demonstration is presented by Good To Go From Head To Toe and is facilitated by Regina Lamourelle, Ph.D. (frequent guest on PBS’ A Place of Our Own and founder of Brain Based Solutions & Strategies . Brett L. Patterson, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist with CUIDAR .

Thursday, December 16 – Connect With Your Child Through Play: Thinking & Problem Solving
Children learn best by connecting and interacting through play. This interactive class will teach parents and caregivers how important play is and how to effectively play with their children to uncover developmental, language and social skills. Parents are introduced to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), which places an emphasis on improving the quality of the parent-child relationship and changing parent-child interaction patterns.
Class Time: 9 – 10 a.m.
Who is it for? Parents/caregivers and infants/toddlers.
How do I sign up and by when? Register online at http://pretendcity.org/g2g/event-calendar/ by December 10, 2010. Reservations are required; 15 family maximum.
There is no cost to attend. Museum admission not required nor included.
This class is facilitated by the Child Guidance Center.

January 2011
Tuesdays, January 4, 11, 18 – Toddler Talk with Dr. Ann Corwin, The Parenting Doctor
During this parent-toddler interactive class, parents can share their concerns and challenges and get some answers to common issues such as: with everything ranging from:
·     Why does my child throw tantrums and how can I prevent them?
·     Why doesn’t my child listen?
·     Is my child the only one who…?
Class Series: Tuesdays, January 4, 11, 18
Class Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Who is it for? Parents/caregivers and their toddlers (1-3 years of age, preferably walking)
How do I sign up and by when? Register online at http://pretendcity.org/g2g/event-calendar/ by December 29, 2010. Reservations are required; 15 family maximum.
There is no cost to attend the class. Pretend City museum admission not required nor included.
This series is facilitated by Dr. Ann Corwin, The Parenting Doctor (http://theparentingdoctor.com) and presented by Pretend City’s Child Development Initiative, Good to Go From Head To Toe.

Wednesday, January 5, 12, 19 – Parenting with Courage: Following directions, understanding language development and your child’s behavior
Learn to create the most supportive ways to ensure that children understand what is being asked of them and increase the likelihood that they will want to follow directions. One of the first 10 parents/caretakers to register will get a free developmental screening for their child.
Class Series:
Wednesday, January 5th: Increasing your child’s ability to follow directions
Wednesday, January 12th: Enhancing your child’s language development
Wednesday, January 19th: “Use your words”-What your child’s behavior is telling you
Class Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Who is it for? Parents/caregivers and their children (age 3-6)
How do I sign up and by when? Register online at http://pretendcity.org/g2g/event-calendar/ by Jan. 3. 2011. Reservations are required; 15 family maximum.
There is no cost to attend the class. Pretend City museum admission not required nor included.
This series is facilitated by Erica Holding, Ph.D., BCBA-D, early childhood specialist and parent coach www.ocbuildingblocks.com . Contributing author to New Mommy Oasis www.newmommyoasis.com
and presented by Pretend City’s Child Development Initiative, Good to Go From Head To Toe.

Friday, January 14: Way to Play Day: Communication Curiosity
Learn to better understand your child’s communication and related developmental milestones by engaging in skill-building activity stations including:
·     Writing on the wall: How our prehistoric ancestors kept their records
·     Simple Sign Language: Use your body to express yourself without words
·     The Game of Telephone: How easily the message can change
·     What color is my music? Let the music inspire your expression
Plus, FREE speech, language, and hearing screenings provided by Speech Pathology Associates (screenings available from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Time: Way to Play days occur on the second Friday of every month and last all day. Members only hours: 9 -10 a.m.
Who is it for? Parents/caregivers and children ages birth to 5 years.
Is there a fee? Way to Play day activities are included in museum admission.

Thursday, January 20 – Connect With Your Child Through Play: Communication Activities
Children learn best by connecting and interacting through play. This interactive class will teach parents and caregivers how important play is and how to effectively play with their children to uncover developmental, language and social skills. Parents are introduced to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), which places an emphasis on improving the quality of the parent-child relationship and changing parent-child interaction patterns.
Class Time: 9 – 10 a.m.
Who is it for? Parents/caregivers and infants/toddlers.
How do I sign up and by when? Register online at http://pretendcity.org/g2g/event-calendar/ by Jan. 18, 2011. Reservations are required; 15 family maximum.
There is no cost to attend. Museum admission not required nor included.
This class is facilitated by the Child Guidance Center.

Happy Monday!

I wanted to start of the week by announcing our Big C movie fun flick  winner.  The winner is  Elizabeth says

Netflix is our movie night out as a family. It is an expensive night out for a family of 5. I would however would like to take my 11 year old to see the new Harry Potter movie. She is a Harry Potter fan and she is almost finished with the last book of the series. It would be a nice surprise to treat her to see it at the movies instead of waiting for it to come out on Netflix

Congrats Elizabeth! Email me at mom@daytrippingmom.com with your info. Thanks for entering and stay tuned for more fun giveaways!

Happy Thanksgiving and good luck to all of you Black Friday shoppers!

Thanksgiving is next week and I like to send out my Christmas/holiday cards the day after. I usually address them Thanksgiving night and mail them off Friday morning. This year I’m extra ambitious and plan on assembling and stamping my own cards. This year I will also  be adding personalized stamps to my cards.  It gives them that special touch and they are very reasonable and easy to make/order.

A few days ago I had the opportunity to experience making PictureItPerfect postage. It took only 3 steps and were in my mailbox in only a few days.

1st step – head over to PictureItPostage

2nd step- upload your picture

3rd step- add color and place your order.

That’s it! It took less than 5 minutes and I had the stamps delivered in less than a week.

Here is the finished product.

I love the finished product and can’t wait to send off my cards this year.

The folks at PictureItPostage have provided a great discount coupon/promo off your order. Enter the code MOTHERHOOD at checkout for $4.00 off your order. Coupon expires on Jan 31st, 2011.

Discloure- This post is part of a paid campaign with TheMotherhood and PictureItPostage.

Hooray! The weekend is here!

Lets start out the weekend by selecting some winners.

The winner of the Turkey Dinner for 10 is…

Linda P who wrote

I am grateful for all the blessings that God has given our family this year. In a year when so many people have lost their jobs my hubby has been employed and all our bills have been paid. I am thankful for my two healthy, sweet kids and for my wonderful husband that loves me so much. I am also so very grateful to my sweet Mom who is always there to listen to me and help in all that she can. The list goes on and on…..

The winner of the LA Auto Show Family 4 pack is…

Sarah Doyle who posted:

We would love to go to the auto show because we’re in need for a bigger car. My little SUV isn’t quite big enough for all the kid stuff & 3 car seats….it’s maxed out at 2 right now.

Congratulations! Thank you all for entering and stay tuned for some fun giveaways which include disney on ice four pack of tickets, movie tickets and much more!