Tag: parenting

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Thoughtful Gifts for the Expectant Dad: Celebrating His Journey

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While The Stork Bag caters to pregnancy and the wellbeing of mama and baby, we know that  expectant fathers play a significant role in the journey to parenthood, and it’s important to recognize and celebrate their involvement. Thoughtful gifts for expectant dads can show appreciation, support, and excitement for the upcoming arrival. In this guide, we present a list of meaningful and practical gift ideas that celebrate the expectant dad’s journey into fatherhood.

Meaningful Books or Resources on Fatherhood: Consider gifting books or resources that provide guidance and support for new dads. Choose titles that cover various aspects of fatherhood, from practical parenting advice to emotional support and personal stories. These books can be a source of inspiration and knowledge as the dad prepares for his new role.

Personalized Accessories or Keepsakes: Personalized gifts add a special touch and create lasting memories. Consider items such as engraved keychains, cufflinks, or a customized wallet. Personalized keepsakes like picture frames, baby handprint kits, or engraved jewelry can also be cherished mementos of this special time.

DIY Tools or Gadgets for Baby-Proofing or Nursery Setup: Help the expectant dad prepare for the arrival of the baby by gifting him DIY tools or gadgets for baby-proofing the house or setting up the nursery. This can include items like baby gates, cabinet locks, outlet covers, or even a toolkit with essential tools for assembling furniture or making small adjustments.

Dad-Themed Clothing or Accessories: Show off the dad’s pride with dad-themed clothing or accessories. Consider gifting a “Dad-to-be” T-shirt, a hat or cap with a playful dad slogan, or a stylish diaper bag designed specifically for dads. These items can make the dad feel recognized and involved in the parenting journey.

Relaxation and Self-Care Gifts for Downtime: Parenthood can be demanding, so gifts that promote relaxation and self-care are always appreciated. Consider items such as a massage gift certificate, a subscription to a relaxation app, a comfortable bathrobe or slippers, or a grooming kit for some pampering time.

Date Night or Couples’ Experiences: Support the bond between the expectant parents by giving experiences for them to enjoy together. Consider a date night package with dinner reservations and movie tickets or a couples’ spa day. These experiences allow the couple to spend quality time together before the baby arrives.

Practical Parenting Resources and Classes: Help the dad build his parenting skills by gifting practical resources or enrolling him in parenting classes. Consider books or online courses that cover topics like baby care, infant CPR, or baby massage. These resources provide valuable knowledge and boost the dad’s confidence.

Unique Hobby-Related Gifts: Consider the expectant dad’s hobbies and interests when selecting a gift. Whether it’s golf, photography, cooking, or woodworking, find a gift related to his favorite pastime. This shows that you recognize his individuality and support his hobbies even after becoming a father.

Quality Time Experiences with the Baby: Encourage bonding between the expectant dad and the baby by giving experiences that allow them to spend quality time together. This can include items like a baby carrier or sling, a baby photo shoot session, or a father-child activity class. These gifts promote a strong father-child relationship from the start.

Thoughtful gifts for expectant dads celebrate their journey into fatherhood and show appreciation for their role. Whether it’s meaningful books on fatherhood, personalized accessories, practical tools, or experiences that create lasting memories, these gifts demonstrate support and excitement for the expectant dad’s new chapter in life. 

We recommend checking out these following websites that have caught our eye while shopping for mom and baby.

www.shopjacksonandwyatt.com  www.lovery.com  

We hope the expecting dads will enjoy the parenting experience together with loved ones.

Love,

The Stork Bag Team

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Creating a Baby Registry: Essential Items for New Parents

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 As new parents, preparing for the arrival of your baby can feel overwhelming. One helpful tool to ensure you have all the necessary items is creating a baby registry. A well-curated registry not only helps you stay organized but also allows your loved ones to contribute to your baby’s needs. In this guide, we will provide guidance on creating a comprehensive baby registry, featuring essential items and practical recommendations to help you navigate this exciting phase of your life with confidence.

Nursery Essentials:

  • Crib or bassinet: Choose a safe and comfortable sleeping space for your baby.
  • Changing table or dresser with a changing pad: Make diaper changes convenient and organized.
  • Rocking chair or glider: Create a cozy spot for feeding and soothing your baby.

Diapering essentials:

  • Diapers: Stock up on disposable or cloth diapers, depending on your preference.
  • Diaper pail: Consider a pail with odor-locking features for convenient diaper disposal.
  • Wipes and diaper rash cream: Keep your baby’s skin clean and protected.

Feeding Essentials:

  • Breast pump: If breastfeeding, a quality breast pump can be invaluable for milk supply and convenience.
  • Bottles and nipples: Have a variety of bottles and nipples for feeding, even if breastfeeding.
  • Burp cloths and bibs: Keep messes to a minimum during feeding time.
  • Nursing pillow: Provide support and comfort during breastfeeding.

Clothing and Bedding:

  • Onesies, sleepers, and bodysuits: Stock up on comfortable and easy-to-dress clothing for your baby.
  • Swaddling blankets: Help your baby feel secure and promote better sleep.
  • Crib sheets and mattress protectors: Keep the crib clean and cozy for your little one.

Bathing and Grooming:

  • Baby bathtub: Ensure a safe and convenient bathing experience.
  • Hooded towels and washcloths: Keep your baby warm and cozy after bath time.
  • Baby shampoo, body wash, and lotion: Use gentle and baby-friendly products for your baby’s delicate skin.

Safety and Health:

  • Baby monitor: Stay connected and monitor your baby’s well-being from another room.
  • Baby gates: Create safe spaces within your home to prevent accidents.
  • Thermometer and healthcare kit: Keep essential healthcare items on hand for regular check-ups and emergencies.

Travel Essentials:

  • Stroller: Choose a reliable and comfortable stroller for outings with your baby.
  • Car seat: Ensure your baby’s safety while traveling in a car.
  • Diaper bag: Have a spacious and organized bag to carry all your baby’s essentials on the go.

Playtime and Developmental Toys:

  • Activity gym or playmat: Encourage sensory exploration and development.
  • Rattles, teethers, and soft toys: Provide stimulation and comfort for your baby.

Baby Care and Hygiene:

  • Baby nail clippers or files: Keep your baby’s nails trimmed safely.
  • Nasal aspirator and saline drops: Help alleviate congestion and clear your baby’s nasal passages.
  • Books and Educational Materials:
  • Board books and interactive toys: Stimulate early learning and language development.

 Creating a baby registry is an exciting and practical way to prepare for your baby’s arrival. By including essential items like nursery furniture, diapering supplies, feeding essentials, clothing, safety items, and toys, you can ensure that you’re well-equipped for the journey of parenthood. Remember to personalize your registry based on your preferences and lifestyle. Sharing your registry with family and friends will not only help you gather the necessary items but also allow them to be a part of this special chapter in your life.

Our website provides the chance for anyone in your life to offer a gift that will be cherished for years to come. From pampering the Mama to be, dressing up a newborn, or even thinking about the older siblings, we offer the chance to do it all in one place.

Our Baby Gift Boxes come with everything you need for a newborn, including items from www.rosetextiles.com, www.oldsoulsoapcompany.com and so many more.

We hope everyone will enjoy this wonderful time in your life!

The Stork Bag Team

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Four Reasons To Drop The Mom-Guilt NOW!

A new mom that can’t breastfeed, a young mother of two who will miss her son’s first soccer game, and an older mother who can’t be with her sick daughter who lives across the country.  What do all these things have in common? MOM GUILT!!  I’ve been told that no matter how old children get, their mothers never stop worrying about them and I’m of the opinion that the same goes for the dreaded mom guilt. It never goes away. The truth of the matter is being a mom is hard and we need to give ourselves a break and here’s why:

  1. You aren’t perfect: No mom is!  You shouldn’t feel let down if you aren’t able to be in ten places at once and anticipate everyone’s needs and every sickness your child is going to have.  You are not a robot with endless energy. You are human and are doing your best.  And your best is good enough. In fact, it’s perfect. Trust us.
  2. Your guilt doesn’t help: If you are beating yourself up about coming up short all the time, you are never going to be able to enjoy the moment and what you do have.  Sure, guilt from coming up short might motivate you temporarily, but carrying guilt for too long will only make you feel worse in the long run  Let it go and move on.
  3. Your kids love you: It’s true, they really do!  They will be fine even if you forgot to dress them in pajamas for pajama day.  I promise, your child will survive. And chances are, if you are beating yourself up about something, they will feed off that energy and make you feel worse than your already do.  Are all their basic needs met? If the answer is yes, your kids love you.  If the answer is no, your kids love you. Twenty years from now your kids will not even remember.
  4. You can give yourself a break: True story time. I’m missing my daughter’s first softball game of the season this week because I have concert tickets with my best friend who I haven’t seen in 6 months.  When I told my daughter, she gave me a little grief and for a brief minute I thought about cancelling plans (sorry Amy!) I made 7 months before my daughter even decided she wanted to play softball.  Then, I told her that her daddy and brother would be there and I would make it to the next one.  She gave a whiney “OK” and then moved on to talking about something else.  The point is that I gave myself a break and you can too.  Your life does not have to be all about the kids, all the time.  Just be sure to cheer extra loud at the next game. Do your best, be present and remember you are human too.

What is your best reason for letting go of the dreaded Mom-Guilt?  Let us know in the comments below!

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Love vs Discipline: Toddler Parenting

The Stork Bag - Love vs Discipline Toddler Parenting

*This guest blog was contributed by Dee Styles*

I noticed my daughter was becoming more difficult to deal with. It seemed like she was intentionally being naughty, and when I’d had enough of it, I told her to stay in the naughty corner.

The funny thing is, every time this happened she would apologize immediately with tears in her eyes. She would be quick with the hugs and to tell me that she loves me. But sure enough, it doesn’t take long before she gets right back to being naughty again. My hubby also noticed the trend so we talked about it and decided to do something different. Disciplining her was obviously not working, shouting (me basically screaming my head off all the time) was just wrong because she screamed right back and this wasn’t the example that I wanted to set with my child, or the relationship that I wanted to have with her.

When my hubby and I decided to do what we agreed on, there was a turn around almost immediately! Positive parenting for the win! So, how did we go about this?

Obviously a lot had changed; with her brother now in the picture she has to share her mom and dad. Not only that, but a new school term began with a new class, a new teacher, and new kids. My Princess had a lot to deal with and she definitely needed my help – more attention, extra patience, more love and positive words.

So this is where I revea the big secret. It’s all about using praise to get your kid to do the right thing.

Every child loves to be praised, and no child loves to be scolded. Praising your child more will make your child try harder at pleasing you.

While this method actually requires you to have some extra patience, trust me when I say that the reward at the end is worth it.

So if you see your older kid throwing more tantrums than usual, instead of giving more privileges or gifts and unnecessary attention (or worse intensified discipline or shouting like I initially did) try this instead: show more love by using praise. And when they do the right things, shower them with even more praise.

This isn’t as easy as it sounds, so you’ll want to exercise patience with them. Remember, this is your child, and you need to invest the time in helping them to grow up to be great adults. with patience and the right approach, you can begin to help them to make the right decisions for themselves.

xoxo Dee Styles

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Being Honest About What It’s Really Like To Bring Home Baby

The Stork Bag - Being Honest About What It’s Really Like To Bring Home Baby

Parenting doesn’t come with a handbook — and even if it did, there would inevitably be things left out. This wouldn’t be an oversight or a lack of transparency, because every child — and parent — is different…

Click here to continue reading this article on Chicago Tribune. 

Original Story by Emily Perschbacher –Chicago Tribune

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5 Secrets To Becoming A Successful Mompreneur … #3 Is Perfect

5 Secrets To Becoming A Successful ‘Mompreneur’ - Hustle Like a Mom

Welcome! This marks our first blog entry for thestorkbag.com – we’re super excited to share this with you! We always enjoy sharing learning tips and resources, especially so far as being an entrepreneur and a mom, so we’ve put together a few tips on becoming a successful mompreneur. You might currently be a mompreneur, or aspiring to be one; you may just be looking to improve transition careers and transform your family’s life.

As mothers, we face all sorts of demands on our time, along with family obligations. Adding the work of being an entrepreneur on top of all of this can seem overhwleming. It means facing many challenges, but the rewards can be well worth it!

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Write Those Goals Down! Would you hop in the car and go on a road trip to a place you’ve never been without a GPS or map? No, so why would you venture into such a huge life decision without direction? Launching a business is a significant undertaking. Writing down your short and long term goals can make it much easier to decide on the strategy to take to achieve those goals. This may not be a BIG secret to some of you but just simply writing a list is the easy part: sticking with it, strategizing correctly to get to your goals and pivoting as needed is key.

Persistence! Firmly continue, even when you encounter difficulty. No explanation nis eeded for this one. The secret is to find out what your driving force is. What will keep you going when sales stop coming in consistently? What will keep you going when everything seems to be going wrong? If you’re driven solely by the money, you should pause and take some time to reconsider your motivations. Find your inspiration and recall that each time you want to quit – but always be sure to temper this with a realistic view about the risks of failure.

Share. There’s more than enough for you, your competitor and your community. The secret? Being an entrepreneur is NOT all about me, me, me. It is about connections, genuine connections. Share without oversharing.

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work! The secret: not everyone will make a good teammate: find the ones that you can trust and who aren’t afraid to use their voice.  You need go-getters on your team, especially in the beginning. You’ll encounter enough “yes men” as your success progresses.

Be Different. If social media is saturated with a plethora entrepreneurs in a particular field you want venture into, what are you going to do to stand out? What makes your brand more unique than theirs? The secret: have a unique story. Perfect your value proposition and illustrate it as best you can to your audience. Take it and own it.

This list certainly isn’t exhaustive, but we’re sure that it can help you get started. And remember, you don’t have to go it alone! There are many great learning resources for female entrepreneurs. The Stork Bag members are eligible for exclusive perks on female leadership courses from our learning partners at Sylibi.com.

Do you have questions or comments? Simply e-mail hello@thestorkbag.com.

-The Stork Bag Team