Cyber Security 101: 5 Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

2017/07 By Lauren B. Stevens 1 Comment

Today’s blog is a guest post contribution by Joanna Sommer, Senior Editor of InformedMag.

The rise of the internet and increased use of personal devices, even amongst children and teenagers, has created a very different landscape for parents. Even young parents are unlikely to have experienced the level of technology exposure that their children have today.

Today, most children have their own devices, including cell phones, tablets and laptops. This makes it more difficult for parents to monitor internet use and makes it more important than ever to teach your children about how to use the internet safely.

Begin with one device.

As your children get older, it is likely that they will ask to use the internet for school projects, to find something they saw on TV, or even to play online games. There are plenty of educational tools on the internet – so it is possible that you may even be the one to first introduce them to it.

At whichever point you allow them to go online, it is advisable to limit internet use to one family computer. This enables you to set up site blocking and review their online history to make sure that your rules are being respected. As they adopt safe online practices and become increasingly comfortable with the internet, you can incorporate their own devices as well.

Internet use is a privilege, not a right.

As your children begin to start to use the internet, it is important that they respect it as a tool that they only have access to by your permission. Especially in the beginning, they should ask your permission to go online.

Even with site blocking in place, you may want to restrict them to certain children-friendly sites in the beginning. Review their online history to make sure that they are adhering to your rules.

Have established guidelines for proper conduct.

Type of your internet use guidelines and post them by the computer so that your stance is clear. You may want to include some of the following items:

Express that permission is required before accessing the internet
Establish a time limit for use per day
List whichever sites are off limits (for young children these may include social media networks, for example)
State that they should never provide any personal information (full name, address, payment information) without your approval
State that they may not create a username and password for any site without your approval
State that they need your permission to enter any website that has a posted age limit
If your child is allowed to use an instant messaging service, establish guidelines around who they are allowed to talk to (classmates only, for example)

Be open about your concerns.

The internet is a great tool and source of information and should be treated as such. You do not need to scare your children away from it, but it can be helpful to have a frank conversation about what your concerns are. This may be as simple as explaining that there is content on the internet that is not suitable for young children. As they get older, you can be more specific about the nature of the content that you feel should be avoided. This will enable your children to identify what is and is not appropriate without relying on a site blocker.

Invest in internet safety software.

With the amount that children do use the internet in today’s world, and the number of devices that they have access to as they get older, it is impossible to monitor everything on your own. This is where internet safety software comes in.

Parental control software, such as Net Nanny, enables you to utilize filters to block unwanted content, such as sites related to porn, violence or hate. Full spectrum versions analyze page visits in real time, so if your child accidentally (or purposefully) stumbles upon a site with unwanted content, it will be blocked. You might also consider purchasing a ‘clean router’ to replace your usual internet router. This enables your parental control software to monitor all of the internet-using devices in the house.

Conclusion

By establishing proper use etiquette, and monitoring for adherence, from the beginning of your children’s internet use, you will establish good use habits and best safe principals that will keep your children safe. By being clear about your guidelines and concerns, and utilizing monitoring software, you can keep your children safer online.

About the author

Joanna is the Senior Editor for InformedMag and is passionate about security and tech. She has been working in the home safety and security field for 5 years. Joanna loves to travel and enjoys going to hot yoga and Barre classes. She is dedicated to creating articles that both educate and help people make informed purchasing decisions.

Natural Parenting Beyond the Baby Years

2016/10 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

Just under five years ago I was pregnant, expecting my first child, and all alone. My husband and myself had moved out of state just months earlier, for an opportunity to grow in his career. 5 years later, he’s back in the same place, just in a wholly different position, but I digress.

As I was saying, I was pregnant…and alone. Kind of like Naked and Afraid, except without all of the nakedness and wild animals. My mother wasn’t in my life, and my girlfriends were hours away — I had no village to help me. What I did have, however, was a computer with an Internet connection, so I found community online, while researching natural ways to bring my baby into this world and care for him.

I discovered the cloth diaper community, which lead to me discovering babywearing, and I soon found myself buying cloth diapers and researching different carriers. By the time my son finally arrived, I was fully immersed in the cloth diapering community, and belonged to several natural parenting groups.

I think I heard about MommyCon in 2012, shortly after my son was born. I purchased my tickets for Philadelphia MONTHS in advance, and eagerly counted-down to the day, blogging along the way. My son was just one year old when we attended MommyCon Philly, and they were in their first year of the conference, working out kinks, growing rapidly, and giving people like me (on my island) community in-person, if only for a day.

Parenting beyond the baby years means that I find lots of photos like these in my phone (despite my phone being locked!)

My son’s now four-years-old, and I’m not going to have anymore children, having decided, sometime after my third loss, that it was just too difficult to keep losing babies. These days, I don’t refer to what I do as a mother as natural parenting, because the label no longer really matters (if it ever did). I feed my son whole foods, am the annoying mom who tells her kiddo’s school that he’s sugar-sensitive and under orders from his pediatrician to bring in his own snack (well, at his last school, anyway), and generally assert my control over his diet [before I no longer have control in the teen years]. At four, my son has a solid appreciation for nature, and I encourage him to get dirty and play (discover); one of his favorite things to do is to spend time in the creek, hunting for shells and throwing rocks, a nice hike diversion.

A video posted by Lauren Stevens (@laurenbethstevens) on Mar 9, 2016 at 9:54am PST

I still care about the products I use on my son’s skin, and do the best I can to keep toxins out of our home. In essence, I don’t see myself doing anything really different from the majority of parents out there, so there really isn’t a need to categorize parenting at this stage, is there?

Whereas I was concerned about nurturing my son early on, being mindful of his needs as a baby, I now focus my efforts on nurturing his mind, and tending to his needs in a way that teaches him how to be independent. I guess you could call this age the detachment phase of attachment parenting. With my son’s needs not as great as they were when he was an infant and toddler, I now have more time to focus on my own needs and my own identity, apart from being a mother. So, what does MommyCon have to do with all of this?

Well, my friends, MommyCon is really an all-ages parenting conference, with sessions for expecting parents through seasoned parenting vets. MommyCon San Jose is offering sessions perfect for those parents of older children, such as Geek Parenting: Raising Kids on Comics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy (love it!), Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from An Oversanitized World, Mom Guilt: Why It Sucks & How to Give It the Middle Finger, and more! And then there’s this:

Yep! Not only do you get to check out all of the MommyCon San Jose awesomeness at San Jose Convention Center, but you get to take part in a COSTUME CONTEST!

If you’ve not yet purchased your tickets for MommyCon San Jose, you can save $5 from each ticket with code: LOWREN16

Okay, back to the costume contest. Costumes will be judged in THREE categories: Babywearing, Family, and Individual (adult costume). Each category winner will receive an awesome prize, with the Babywearing costume winner receiving an ORBIT CAR SEAT! So, put on your thinking caps, grab your tickets (if you haven’t already), and join in the MommyCon fun!

If you’ve attended your nearby MommyCon event, check out the 2017 event calendar! I’m signed-up to attend MommyCon NYC, but have always wanted to visit Memphis, so… Want to save $5 off of your 2017 MommyCon ticket prices? Use my code: LOWREN17

Interested in buying organics at wholesale prices? I now live in the boonies, so Thrive Market is my go-to for organics and natural products. Use my link to save 15% off of your first purchase, free shipping, and donate one membership to a low-income family through the Thrive Gives program. So many benefits, my friends!

#Workbook for him, #adultcoloringbook for me… #coloring #coloringbook #childrensworkbook #starwars meets #secretgarden @johannabasford @workmanpub

A photo posted by Lauren Stevens (@laurenbethstevens) on Aug 24, 2016 at 11:06am PDT

This post contains affiliate links.

Swap.com: Online Consignment Review

2016/03 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

From my first sale, I’ve been a children’s consignment sale junkie! So, when I discovered Swap.com (and no longer had to wait for semi-annual sales) I was immediately sold. Well, addicted may be the more appropriate term (I placed two significant orders within the first two weeks using the site!). I wanted to share Swap.com with all of you, in case you’ve not yet discovered the site.

Not only am I a fan of the recycling aspect of shopping on consignment, but the deals are hard to beat. I receive so many comments on my son’s clothing, and it’s hard to admit that I only spend around $100 per size (yes, I said size, not season). I have a go-to thrift outlet where I’m able to buy most of my son’s clothing (Gap, Polo, J. Crew, Children’s Place, etc.), and I tend to shop on their 50% off days, which means that I get Gap and J. Crew sweaters and cords for my little guy for around $2 a piece (not kidding).

The remainder of my son’s shopping I do through semi-annual consignment sales; this is where I go to find high-end shoes, sandals and inexpensive pajamas for my son (we’re still going through a pair of pjs a night). We tend to find a lot of great children’s books at these sales as well, something you can never have too much of! I keep a running list of items I need for my son in the months leading up to each sale, but it’s a little nerve-wracking to make sure that I find everything in each shopping trip [knowing that I’ll need to pay full retail price if I miss something].

Shoes are super expensive, especially when you consider how little time your kiddo is in them (my son wears a new size every 3 months or so these days). I was able to purchase top brands — pediped, See Kai Run, Robeez, Stride Rite — for a fraction of the cost new (think $5-$8 a pair). Score!

Imagine my delight when I discovered online consignment store, Swap.com, and no longer needed to trek 45 minutes to my favorite thrift outlet or wait for a semi-annual sale! I stocked up on my first Swap.com purchase, outfitting my little guy for spring with a few key pieces. I’ve put together a few outfits to show you what I found:

I love this fun and funky outfit…and so does my son (who never really cares about his clothes). In fact, he insisted on wearing this outfit for the remainder of the day, and had a blast prancing around modeling it!

picked up this outfit in preparation for summer camp — D usually runs around in sweatpant material shorts all summer (or in the buff), so I needed make sure that I had at least 5 different nice outfits (read: not bummy or for fishing salamanders out of ponds) for him to wear throughout the week.

This year is the first time my little guy is attending summer camp, which lasts 5 weeks and runs from 8:30am-3:30pm. The best part about the camp is that it is at a Friends Meeting School approximately two blocks from our house. I’m already beginning to plan all of the things I’ll be able to get done in that time!

This is a fun spring pick and will likely be the outfit he wears for Easter. We channeled my husband’s 1980s preppy look with the layered shirt and popped collar (I’m bummed that I didn’t find a pink Polo shirt this year — that would have totally made the outfit!). The blue chambray pants are long, but the rolled cuffs give the outfit a less formal look — he’ll be wearing these light and breezy pants throughout the summer. The Vineyard Vines shirt my husband scored from the store clearance rack, not from Swap.com, but the clearance price was worthy of mentioning.

The items I did purchase from Swap.com — headphones tee, space needle tee, cargo shorts, chambray pants, polo shirt — I grabbed for a grand total of $19.50. It’s not often you can find quality children’s clothing, three complete outfits, for under $20.

Swap.com’s quality standards are high, and each item came individually packaged in ‘like new’ condition. I’ve been extremely pleased with my purchases so far (my second purchase was comprised of summer shorts and tees for the little guy), and actually send two large boxes to Swap.com for consignment. All of my maternity clothing and all of my little guy’s outgrown summer clothing and shoes are waiting to be photographed as I write this. It’s a heck of a lot easier to pack those boxes than it is to tag and enter 100+ pieces for semi-annual consignment sales! I’ll let you know how my consigning experience goes with them in a future update.

So, if you’re looking to grab brand-name clothing at clearance prices (they have women’s and maternity clothing as well), then you need to check out Swap.com!

Start shopping now — use my referral link to save 20% off of your first Swap.com purchase!

*This post contains a referral link. I purchased items from Swap.com to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Sitterberry App: Never Get Left in a Lurch

2016/03 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

Fellow parents, how many times have you had to cancel plans because you couldn’t find a babysitter or your sitter canceled last minute? What if I told you that being left without a sitter was a thing of the past, as is scrambling to find cash to pay your sitter? Well, my friends, the Sitterberry app is helping parents and sitters everywhere!

My experience with sitters isn’t great. We live away from family and friends, so our network for finding good sitters is, well, nonexistent. I’m pretty laid back when it comes to parenting, but I have a difficult time trusting a complete stranger to watch my kiddo when I’m not around.

For about nine months before D. began nursery school, my solution to getting work done during the week was to hire a mother’s helper. I really just needed someone to occupy my little guy and make sure that he didn’t climb the bookshelves or draw on the walls while I worked in the next room. Using Care.com, I struggled to find anyone, and the mother’s helpers I did find and hire weren’t especially committed to the job. Womp-womp!

After speaking with Kathleen Malone, founder of the Sitterberry app, I discovered that I was going about things all wrong. Care.com findings show that it’s normal for families to go through 4-5 sitters per year. Here I was, throwing all of my eggs into one basket and then scrambling when my mother’s helpers left. My downfall? According to Malone, “it’s important to have 4-5 babystters on hand at any given time.”

What I was doing right, however, was using a service like Care.com to find and screen sitters, though word of mouth or recommendations from friends are close seconds. If you’re like me, living in an area with little to no connections, Malone suggests asking camp counselors, after school activity teachers or preschool teachers/teacher’s aids. In fact, the summer camp Malone’s children attend provides parents with a sheet of contact information for those camp counselors on staff who are also available for babysitting jobs. Genius!

So, how does the Sitterberry app fit into all of this? Once you have 4-5 sitters in your hopper, or 5+ if you’re really ~~lucky~~ good, it’s time to use Sitterberry so that you’re never left without a babysitter.

@Sitterberry helps parents book/pay babysitters at the touch of a button! Download FREE today!

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The Sitterberry app allows parents to add their pool of sitters within the app, and in turn, their sitters use Sitterberry to load their calendars of availability. Each sitter’s information is stored, allowing parents to check availability and request them at the touch of a button. No more phone tag, no more phone chains; all of your sitters in one place!

It gets better, my friends. You can pay your babysitter through the Sitterberry app, using Venmo. I can’t tell you how many times I found myself having forgotten to get cash (I never keep cash on hand) and uncomfortably asking my sitter if it was okay if I wrote her a check. Many, many times. With the Sitterberry app, you simply navigate to your sitter’s contact information and select “Pay”. The app will carry over the rate, so you need only enter the number of hours and tip to calculate your payment — brilliant!

As for me, I’m working on gathering together a pool of trusted sitters so that I’m able to use Sitterberry. Anyone have any leads on a great sitter in the Philadelphia area?

You can discover more about Sitterberry at sitterberryapp.com. To find out the latest news and information from Sitterberry, connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Download Sitterberry for free on iTunes today, and breathe new life into your social game!

Cheap Reads: Book Outlet Coupon

2016/01 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

To use an incredibly overused term, I am a voracious reader. As in, I read nightly and have been devouring 2-3 books a week lately. My reading tastes have changed a lot over the years — as a child I loved science fiction, and began reading Stephen King and Ray Bradbury in elementary school (I think I was 10 when I read King’s Pet Cemetery).

Save $5 off your first order with this Book Outlet COUPON.

My teens and twenties found me cultivating a taste for literary fiction, and then my publishing career had me reading young adult titles for work. In essence, I went from a pretty picky reader to one with extremely varied tastes. I love the beauty of Asian writing, and the rock solid elements of literary fiction, but have a soft spot for dystopian and zombie fiction (especially now that I’m a mom — I find that I prefer lighter pieces that don’t require me to navigate the intricacies of language and nuance as much). These days I’m reading a lot of science fiction, as in real deal science fiction (spaceships, galaxies, you name it!), as well as some paranormal fiction. If it’s entertaining, I’ll read it!

I firmly believe that readers make excellent writers, which means I’m working my craft even in my down time. But where am I going with this? Reading can an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t need to be! I’ve gotten creative with building my family’s library (my son has an extensive library of children’s books that goes from board books to middle grade books). I talk about some of my favorite ways to build a home library on a budget HERE.

I purchased a Kindle Paperwhite this past summer, and paired it with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, which is how I do 85% of my reading (no need to worry about running out of books…and that is a legitimate worry of mine!). The other 15% is comprised of a combination of library books, used books and new books. What if I told you that you could buy new books at just a fraction of the retail price?

I literally stumbled upon Book Outlet last month, while looking for a hard to find title for my son. I was like Alice down the rabbit hole once I came across Book Outlet’s site, and my shopping cart was quickly overflowing with titles (despite only arriving at the site to purchase ONE book)! Honest to goodness — I purchased over 20 books! Several writing books, a marketing book (Twitter Is Not A Strategy), and a lot of books for my son (these days I’m purchasing classic leveled readers).

Last week I was able to buy 20 books (for myself and my son) for only $30! I’m sharing my referral link so that you can save $5 off of your first purchase (you can thank me later)!

Posted by Lo-wren on Monday, January 11, 2016

While I purchased 20 books, I only spent around $30. THIRTY DOLLARS, my friends, for twenty books! Ah-mazing. I have to be careful though because I can quickly find myself buying books I won’t ever read, just to have…books, and because Book Outlet has an immense selection of inexpensive books. They even offer sidelines at steep discounts — journals, notebooks, baby books, photo albums and more. And, if you’re an Ebates user (it’s free to join), you can save even more, earning 5% cash back on your Book Outlet purchases! So, what are you waiting for? Click the Facebook link above, or HERE, and use this Book Outlet coupon to save $5 off of your first order.

*This post contains referral links.

2016 MommyCon Promo Code and Smart Bottoms Giveaway

2015/11 By Lauren B. Stevens 34 Comments

I had an absolute blast in DC for MommyCon this year, so much so that I’m going to do it all over again in 2016! Because I’m a MommyCon Sisterhood Journalist again this year, I have an amazing MommyCon promo code to offer a discount for you: use code LOWREN16 to save $5 off of your general admission ticket (discount changed by MommyCon, effective July 1, from $6 to $5, so that all event promoters offer the same discount, no matter their promotion results).

Being a MommyCon Sisterhood Journalist means that I will be covering [at least] one of the 2016 MommyCon event venues, and this year I’m torn between attending the DC event (AHmazing venue) again or heading down to Austin, TX just for fun (or maybe attending both).

I got to meet so many of you while “working” (it was more fun than work) at the Smart Bottoms booth in DC, and I got to discover great new products, like Re-Play dinnerware, made from recycled milk jugs. I can’t wait to see all of my cloth diapering friends again next year, both industry experts and cloth diaper users like yourself, and have wisened-up for this trip, in case I head to DC again — no family, just me.

#MommyConDC is a wrap! @chgdiapers @kim_rosas @firsttimemommn @lo-wren @MommyCon @liltulips #clothdiapers

A photo posted by Lauren Stevens (@laurenbethstevens) on Aug 22, 2015 at 1:59pm PDT

Long story short? My husband and son came along this year and my son refused to sleep, even though we were careful enough to book a suite. The French doors separating the rooms did absolutely nothing, so I headed to the convention already exhausted and my husband had to entertain my overtired kiddo for the entire day. Fun times!

Use MommyCon promo code LOWREN16 to save $5 off of your general admission ticket

Here are the locations for this year’s MommyCon events (click the links to find out more information about your venue):

Atlanta, GA

Chicago, IL

Seattle, WA

Austin, TX

Washington, D.C.

Orange County, CA

Orlando, FL

San Jose, CA

https://www.instagram.com/p/9EPHSmFBs6/

Oh, the giveaway, you ask? I have something special in store for those of you who use my 2016 MommyCon promo code (LOWREN16) to purchase your tickets. I’m giving away one Smart Bottoms Fantastic Hipster Fox Smart One cloth diaper, as well as 1 Smart Bottoms adult cloth advocacy tee and 1 Smart Bottoms baby tee at MommyCon DC.

Don’t fret if you’re attending MommyCon in another city, I’m also giving away 1 Smart Bottoms adult tee and 1 Smart Bottoms baby tee! Those of you who comment that you’re attending cities other than DC will be entered to win either an adult or baby tee.

So, here is all you need to do to enter to win a surprise from me: after you purchase your ticket with my MommyCon promo code (LOWREN16), leave a comment on this post shouting out the city where you’ll be attending MommyCon. Pretty simple, eh? The fine print is that the DC winner must be in attendance at the DC event to receive your prize (I’ll be sending the prizes to the other winners) – easy peasy! I’ll draw the winner on August 20 and announce (allowing time for me to draw another winner, if need be).

To enter, after you purchase your tickets (please don’t forget to use my promo code: LOWREN16), leave a comment on this post with the city where you’ll be attending. I will draw the winner(s) at the completion of the DC MommyCon event [that is posted in the comment section]. The fine print is that you must be a US resident, or have a US mailing address, to enter.

Please note that my promotional code does not apply to tickets purchased during the pre-sale period.

Sh*t Happens: When HUMP Day Becomes a CRAP Day

2015/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

You know those cool swag bags you get when you attend conventions and trade shows? They’re awesome, right? Full of fun goodies, gadgets and gifts, mostly things you don’t need or never wanted. Last weekend I attended a national natural parenting convention and left with a swag bag so full that they had to tie the handles to keep everything in. Coming off the road and right into my workweek, I hadn’t had the chance to explore the bag, so I left it downstairs to go through at a later time.

Last night, as I was taking a mom break to Cookie Jam before bath time, my son came up to me chewing and telling me how good [whatever was in his mouth] was. Knowing that there wasn’t any accessible food, I immediately stopped Cookie Jamming, snapped to attention, and told my son to show me what he was snacking on. You’re not even going to believe this, folks. Probiotics. My son was gobbling down probiotics like they were potato chips (or some other illicit food).

There in the room, next to the now swag bag from hell, sat a bottle of probiotics, lid off, seal and cotton packing removed. First question: how many did you eat, Declan? He raised two plump toddler fingers and responded, “Two.” Since “two” is the automatic response to every numbered question he’s asked, I asked again. This time Declan outstretched his nubby hand, proffering ALL of his fingers, “five” he said, with a proud smile on his face.

My heart dropped to my stomach and I did what any mother in that situation would do – I called my husband on his commute home. Thankfully he was right around the corner, and he promised to sort it out when he got home.

I took Declan into the bath and had a long conversation about medicine, while my husband began making phone calls downstairs. The probiotic company was kind enough to say they’d leave a message for someone to respond to tomorrow, but other than that, they had no advice. Poison control was the next call, and their advice was to give Declan a snack and a drink.

By this time, I had finished with Declan’s bath (not even a probiotic overdose can disrupt our bedtime routine), I came back down to discover that my husband, wits about him, had counted the remaining pills to see how many had actually been consumed. Are you ready for this, my friends? SIX. My son ate six probiotics in one sitting (the daily dosage is ONE for an adult). My husband gave me a look that said everything, but mostly it said, “Good luck tomorrow, dear!”

P.S. We both survived. Declan’s colon is squeaky-clean, and he’s likely a pound or so lighter, but we live to tell the tale…

MommyCon 2015: Cloth Diapering in DC

2015/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

I am finally recovering from the whirlwind weekend in DC, celebrating all things natural parenting at MommyCon 2015. I am struck by how much this amazing convention has grown since its first year! Cloth diapering, breastfeeding, babywearing, oh, MY! The vendors are better, more cloth diaper companies are present, and even more natural products are being showcased. And the babies, the babies! Everywhere I looked there were little ones nestled in their mom and dad’s carriers. Ack, the sweetness!

Save $6 on MommyCon 2015 tickets with promotional code: LOWREN15

As a Smart Bottoms Ambassador, I planned to spend most of my time at MommyCon 2015 working at the booth, talking about Jax & Jill and showing people just how amazing Smart Bottoms products are. I met Van from ‘Lil Tulips, the retailer selling Smart Bottoms at the conference, who was an amazing Smart Bottoms advocate, salesperson, and all around great guy. What I didn’t anticipate was just how popular the Smart Bottoms booth would be — we were slammed all day! Word has gotten out, my friends.

While I was unable to attend any sessions, I’d attended them before and can vouch for the abundance of information to be gleaned from them. MommyCon 2015 was really all about cloth diapers for me.

@smartbottoms is bumping! Come see @firsttimemommn & me! #smartbottomsambassador #mommycondc @mommycon

A photo posted by Lauren Stevens (@lowrenblogs) on Aug 22, 2015 at 7:12am PDT

I finally got to meet Bert, Smart Bottoms’ Marketing Coordinator Extraordinaire and the blogger behind First Time Mom, who I’d “known” for the past three years from being in the same blogging circles and working with businesses she’s worked for. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be able to spend time with people you interact with virtually all year long! Blogging and freelance writing can be incredibly lonely, so it’s a treat to be able to interact with peers at events like this.

#MommyConDC #ClothDiaper Resource Center. Maria from @chgdiapers talking to an attendee.

A photo posted by Lauren Stevens (@lowrenblogs) on Aug 25, 2015 at 5:11am PDT

While Bert and I were located right across from the MommyCon 2015 Cloth Diaper Resource Center, where Kim Rosas (Dirty Diaper Laundry) and Maria Moser (Change-Diapers.com) were talking about all things cloth diapers, I didn’t really get the opportunity to chat with them until the convention was over! We did make a point of getting a group photo, as I’ve been in a blogging group with all of them for the last three years. While I got to spend time with Kim at a blogging conference last summer (Blog University), I’d not had the chance to meet Maria, who I’ve been working with in many capacities for years. These are the things that made MommyCon 2015 incredibly fun for me.

#MommyConDC is a wrap! @chgdiapers @kim_rosas @firsttimemommn @lo-wren @MommyCon @liltulips #clothdiapers

A photo posted by Lauren Stevens (@lowrenblogs) on Aug 22, 2015 at 1:59pm PDT

I got to meet some of my amazing readers, and even “bumped” into an old colleague who is expecting her first child [in a matter of weeks!]. If you’ve not had the chance attend MommyCon, or are on the fence about it, I encourage you to jump in and grab tickets — you won’t regret it! Not only will you get to meet like-minded parents, and sit in on amazing seminars full of resources (and your favorite “personalities” in the natural parenting world), but you’ll get to talk to the people behind some of your favorite products (cloth diapers).

Save $6 on MommyCon 2015 tickets with promotional code: LOWREN15

While I’ve had experience with most of the products being showcased during the convention, I did discover a brand that I’m really excited about: Re-Play. I’m planning on sharing a little more about this company when I have more time, but I bought a few products and am loving them! All of their tableware is made from recycled milk jugs, my friends – so cool!

Who's coming to see Rachel & Gina this weekend @mommycon?We've got some awesome show specials lined up! Looking forward to meeting our D.C. mommies! #mommycondc

A photo posted by Re-Play (@replayrecycled) on Aug 18, 2015 at 12:05pm PDT

Have you attended a MommyCon event this year? What were some of your favorite takeaways from the conference?

Fun Stories For Kids

2015/08 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

I remember shopping for books when my nieces were little, navigating the children’s book section of the bookstore was like navigating a war zone without a map. I had no idea what to buy, other than books I remembered from my own childhood and the books featured prominently within the section (publishers are genius about that kind of marketing, by the way). Even when I managed merchandising for a bookstore, I hated the chaos and confusion of the children’s section, so I handed off the merch responsibilities to our resident children’s book specialist.

Then, I found myself working for one of the top (if not THE top) children’s publishers in the world, and was thrown into the world of children’s books headfirst. Educating myself on a HUGE backlist catalog was definitely a challenge, but it came in time. Eventually, I found myself serving as the go-to person for children’s book recommendations — I had come a long way!

I’ve been out of the children’s publishing world for three years now, but still have a pretty good grasp on what’s hot in the children’s book publishing world with a little help from my son. I was thrilled to get this topic from Care.com, and I knew just the people to consult for the best children’s books picks — my former colleagues and clients!

Knowing that the children’s book world can be daunting for many, I had children’s book industry experts give me their best picks — fun stories that will breathe new life into your reading routine (we all need a break from reading the same books 500 times over) and continue to instill a love of reading in your kiddo. With selections ranging from birth to grade school, there’s something here for everyone!

Click here to discover 17 Fun Stories for Kids on Care.com

Curious to know what we’re reading almost EVERY DAY right now? See below:

Healthy Baby Sleep Tips Webinar w/ Giveaway!

2015/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 27 Comments

I’m so excited to be offering this amazing opportunity to 25 of my readers! My very own “Sleep Goddess,” Jennifer Schindele, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and owner of Gift of Sleep Consulting is offering lo-wren readers a free Sleep Tips webinar. If you’re struggling to establish a healthy sleep routine for your baby (or toddler), this webinar is for you.

Jennifer Schindele is the go-to Pediatric Sleep Consultant for Philadelphia’s Main Line parents, recognized by Main Line Parent Magazine, consulting for several Care.com articles, and teaching sleep workshops across the region (if you’re in the area, check out her Facebook event listing, as she teaches several classes each month).

You can read about our sleep experience in my one year check in post: A Year of Sleep. At 3 years old, D still sleeps like a champ, with a two-hour nap mid-day (I don’t want that nap to EVER go away!).

Establishing healthy sleep habits when D was 9 months old allowed both of us to get the sleep we needed and created an excellent sleep routine for D to take with him through toddlerhood and beyond. That’s not to say that we’ve been without bumps and bobbles, as each milestone presented a sleep challenge, but for the most part, my little guy sleeps when he’s meant to sleep — no battles, no crying, just lots of Zzzzzs. Working with Jennifer meant that when sleep challenges did (and do) present themselves, I was able to calmly readjust (instead of panicking). I’m incredibly excited that Jennifer is offering this [free] opportunity for my readers to gather some healthy sleep tips and ask her their sleep questions!

Jennifer’s blog offers a wealth of advice, so if you’re unable to attend the webinar, I highly recommend checking out some of her most popular posts:

5 Ways Parents Unintentionally Sabotage Their Baby’s Sleep

Napping After Age Two: No-No or No Worries?

Help Your Newborn Sleep Longer

And a humorous one: 8 Signs You’re Ready to Transition From Co-Sleeping

Jennifer will be offering this webinar Tuesday, August 25th at 8pm EST. While the webinar is free, you must RSVP to secure your spot — only the first 25 people to RSVP will be accepted. All attendees will be entered to win one of four amazing sleep-related prizes (US only)!

Sustainable Babyish Overnight Fleece Bamboo Fitted Cloth Diaper ($28 ARV))

Onaroo OK to Wake Clock ($30 ARV)

HoMedics SoundSpa Sound Machine ($30 ARV)

Angel Dear Blankie ($15 ARV)

Remember, this webinar is limited to the first 25 people to RSVP, so please do not RSVP unless you are absolutely sure you can attend. The only entry you are required to submit is your RSVP entry, all other entries are optional.

Entry -Form