Parenting
Gift Ideas
Every so often, parents ask other parents, "How did you...?" or "What do you do when...?" This section of the website is a compilation of FAQs, journalistic endeavors, and "hey, this is what worked for us." Note that each family, child, and situation is unique... so what worked for us may not work for you. But we're happy to share some things that helped us along the way.
Gift Ideas
Gifts at Various Ages
Here are a few of the gifts that we've enjoyed giving (and receiving)...
For Babies
Indestructible book (Baby Animals) - made of Tyvek, so kids can chew on it, drool, wrinkle, etc., and you can even stick it in the dishwasher
Naspira snot sucker - transparent, one-way filter, and clear squeeze bulb lets you squeeze out the snot; you can also take it apart and clean thoroughly, and/or microwave to sterilize
Philips Avent soothie pacifiers - our kids tended to love these, because you can stick an adult finger through the hole and kind of wiggle it around so the kiddo gets interested in this squishy thing
For Two-Year-Olds
Book: ABC & 123 Learning Songs: Interactive Children's Sound Book - press one of 11 buttons and play a song -- oodles of entertainment, and catchy - but not annoying - tunes
Bao Bao Learns Chinese (blue) - features a soothing voice that sings nursery rhymes in Chinese, with classic children's songs from America and China
For Three-Year-Olds
Bao Bao Learns Chinese (blue) - features a soothing voice that sings nursery rhymes in Chinese, with classic children's songs from America and China
Book: The Story Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals - press the button and the first 5-10 seconds of the song plays
Book: The Story Orchestra: Nutcracker - press the button and the first 5-10 seconds of the song plays
Marble Run - this one is translucent, so you can see the marbles going through the pipes, and comes with glowing and glow-in-the-dark marbles
For Four-Year-Olds
Legos
For Six-Year-Olds
Scratch and Sketch: All About Me - lets you scratch away the black part to draw in glittery patterns underneath
For Seven-Year-Olds
Harry Potter Training Wand - also enables socially distanced tag