Mommy Has to Work

Holiday Gift Guide 2019

November 28, 2019 By Marijean

Welcome to Mommy Has To Work’s 2019 Holiday Gift Guide! This year we are focusing on fun gifts for children. Check out our tops picks below for the holiday season.

Feature Talking Dobby

Now you can take home your very own Talking Dobby plush from Wow! Stuff. Standing at 40cm tall, simply press on Dobby’s belly and hear as he recites 6 classic phrases from the Harry Potter films. Complete with poseable arms and legs, Dobby can sit or stand in any position.
Age: 3+

MSRP: $34.99
Availability: Fall 2019 on Amazon

Tom Riddle’s Diary Notebook

Tom Riddle used his diary notebook to invisibly store all of his secrets and memories. Now you can do the same! This all new diary set allows Harry Potter fans to leave mysterious notes and messages, just like the ones seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The Slytherin House pen included is filled with invisible ink, which can only be seen under the glowing wand’s UV light. The wand is designed to be attached to any of your favorite keyrings (keyring or key fob not included), so keeping it safe and hidden from Muggles should be no problem.

Age: 8+
MSRP: $17.99
Availability: Fall 2019 on Amazon

Rubik’s Cage

Rubik’s Cage is a fast-paced game of strategy and competition you can enjoy at your next family game night over the holidays. You can twist, flip and turn the Cage to knock your opponent’s Cubes out of place to win the game! Will you be the first to get three of the same color in a row before your opponent’s shake up the game?

Available: Walmart

MSRP: $16.99

Splashlings Princesses

Splashlings© is a Splashlastic world of collectible characters filled with tiny mermaids and ocean friends who love to discover new underwater realms! The newest Princesses Collection offers all-new realms and royal Princesses along with new sea creatures and friends to collect.

Age: 5+
Approximate Retail Price: $13.99 Availability: Specialty Stores and Amazon

The Giant Color Morph Bubble Ball

The Giant Color Morph Bubble Ball is your answer to stress relief. Squeeze this giant ball and watch the bubbles and watch the bubbles burst through the netting to reveal the bright green color inside.

Age: 8+
MSRP: $19.99
Availability: Specialty Stores and Amazon

Foam Alive Make ‘n’ Melt Ice Cream Kit

Melt your worries away with the satisfying new addition to the Foam Alive collection! The Foam Alive Make ‘n’ Melt ice cream kit is the latest compound toy that will make any regular ice cream cone flow as if there is something magical flowing within in! Includes three different colors, cones and scoops. Fill the cones with Foam Alive and watch them melt!

Age: 5+

MSRP: $19.99

Availability: Specialty Stores and Amazon

13 Dead End Drive Board Game

13 Dead End Drive first hit the scene in 1994. Now this fan favorite is back, by popular demand, to entertain a whole new generation. Your goal is to be the last surviving heir and inherit Aunt Agatha’s fortune. Which one of her motley crew of friends and employees will it be?

Age: 8+

MSRP: $30.95

Availability: Winning Moves

Scattergories

The game of Scattergories took the country by storm when it was first launched in 1989. This classic reproduction features the components and categories found in that original Scattergories game. The mechanical timer has 3 different settings so players can set it for more time (for an easier round) roles time when they want more of challenge.

Age: 12+

MSRP: $40.95

Availability: Winning Moves

No Stress Chess

Unlike any other Chess teacher, No Stress Chess teaches you how to play using illustrated cards and an illustrated 2-sided board.

Age: 7+

MSRP: $18.95

Availability: Winning Moves

Adventure Force Max Morpher

The Adventure Force Max Morpher by Buzz Bee Toys is a 4-in-1 dart blaster that will transform right before your eyes! Fold out the stock or fold out the barrel to use the blaster in either pistol or rifle position. With blasting power up to 100 feet, you can easily keep the competition away!

Ages 8+

MSRP $19.97

Available exclusively at Walmart

Air Warriors Mutator

The Mutator by Buzz Bee Toys offers unparalleled versatility that allows users to expand the barrel, transform the blaster and select distance blasting up to 100 feet or extreme accuracy with PrecisePro darts.

Ages 6+

MSRP $34.99

Available exclusively at Target

Baby Secrets Series 3 and Merbabies Series 2

These cute babies have a secret for you to discover in the Baby Secrets Series 3 Mystery Tubs! Dip the diaper in the water filled bathtub and it will change color to pink or blue to reveal the baby’s gender. Once the secret is out, you can name your baby on the birth certificate. Will you find all 50 new babies?

Now you can also discover the secrets of the Merbabies! Dip and reveal to see if your Merbaby is a boy or a girl. You can even make them swim in the water! There are 24 Merbabies to collect!

MSRP: $2.99 and $5.99

Series 3 Available at: Walgreens, HY-Vee Inc, KVAT Food Stores, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Sheetz Distribution Services, HEB, Amazon, Blain Supply, Toy Wiz, Nexcom.

Merbabies Series 2 available at: Target, Cracker Barrel, Party City, Joanns, Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon, The Paper Store, Scheelds All Sports, Matty’s Toy Stop, Kalahari Resorts, Toy Wiz.

Hairdooz- Minidooz

The Hairdooz are now mini! Collect Pixie, Sparkle, Crystal, Lilly, Skye and Candy in their mini versions with their new fuzzidooz! Spin the super cute nail polish capsule to reveal your Minidooz doll and hairstyle. Stick your Minidoo on the suction cup or stick her on the end of your pencil! Create your own Hairdooz salon and give yourself a manicure with the cheeky mark nail stickers!

MSRP: $5.00

Available at: Five Below & Toy Wiz

Which toys are you going to get for your kids? They are all so great!!

* I was given some of these items in exchange for this holiday guide. All opinions are my own

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

The Scary Parts Of Being A New Parent

November 23, 2019 By Anne

Becoming a new parent is an exciting time in your life, but it’s also quite a scary and worrying one. You’ve got a new life who is entirely dependant on you to take care of, and you feel like there’s so much you could get wrong already! You’ve got doubts in your mind about how good a parent you’re going to be, and you don’t know where to turn to lay these kind of fears to rest.

But first thing’s first: even just having those kinds of worries proves just how much you care about the baby you’re about to bring into the world! That parental instinct is already kicking up inside of you, and even though you feel nothing but a bit of dread during moments like these, this can be seen as a very good sign!

Of course, don’t let these fears go on forever – it’s not good for your mental or physical health right now. You don’t need to be constantly fearful over what the future is going to bring, and there are always going to be sources of comfort you can turn to when you’re at your most down.

And with that in mind, we’ve decided to compile a list of some of the scariest parts of becoming a new parent, to make sure you don’t feel alone with your doubts right now. If you can pinpoint the source of the fear, you’ll be able to tackle them with precision and efficiency, just like the kick-ass parent you’re about to be!

A little hand reaching out to grab onto yours is always going to be a magical moment – don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of them throughout your parenthood journey! (Pexels Image – CC0 Licence)

Keeping Them Warm Enough

Babies aren’t too great at regulating their own body temperature, unlike us adults. When we get a bit too cold, we can just throw another layer on, or turn the heating up a notch more. But a baby can do nothing but cry, to alert you to the fact that something is wrong, and that’s something every parent to be worries about. Not to mention, if baby is asleep when the temperature dip, you might even worry they won’t be able to alert you at all.

But keeping a baby warm is easier than you might think, especially during the winter months of the year. Whilst at home, you’ll want your baby’s room or nursery to be kept at a constant temperature, oft quoted at about 18 degrees centigrade – it should be warm enough for you, with just a light pair of trousers and a light shirt on.

And in the cot, you’ll want to make use of light, cotton material blankets, rather than anything heavy like a mini duvet or comforter. You might even want to invest in a sleeping bag for them – this will ensure they stay covered up the entire night through.

If you’re taking them outside, during the colder months particularly, you might want to make use of a snowsuit. Otherwise you might want to bundle them up in three layers at the least, and make a liberal use of gloves, hats, and snow socks/booties.

And if you’re worried you’re overheating your little one, you can always check by gently touching their belly; this is where a baby tends to project the most heat. You can always adjust the amount of layers they’re wearing or covered in if they seem a bit too warm to you.

Getting Your Baby to Sleep at Night

You feel like you already know what you’re in for. A few months of little to no sleep, alongside plenty of midnight and early morning feeds. You think you’re going to turn into a grouchy mess, and you and your partner are going to have to come up with a rota of whose turn it is to comfort the little one this time. All in all, you’re a bit doubtful over how you’re going to cope during those first 3 to 6 crucial months, and you have no idea how you’re going to implement a routine to make sure the baby learns to sleep the whole night through.

You’re not the only one to feel this way. Plenty of new parents await the busy nights with a mix of anticipation and dread, but in truth, it’s just a part of being a parent, and of your baby growing up. And if you’re strict enough with the routine here, you’re going to get your baby to take to night time sleeps like a duck to water! And remember, every baby out there has a different temperament, and not all of them like to cry and wail!

Of course, how you treat your baby during this time is going to affect just how receptive they are to the night time routine. The time you put them to sleep at, the amount you feed them, how you dress them etc., are all elements that factor in how much your baby will like to sleep.

Taking the time now to do a bit of research into the best ways to get your baby to drop off will save you a lot of time and energy later on; you might want to start with How To Swaddle A Baby: The Complete Guide For Parents, if you’re most worried about constricting your baby too much during the night, or dressing them up too warm and not realising it.

Giving Them Enough Care and Attention

It’s probably the number one thing you’re worried about at the moment. You’re worried you’re not going to give your child the care and attention they really need. But at the same time, you’re worried about smothering them in it; you’re worried you’re not going to give them too much, and you’re a little worried about giving them too much and potentially stifling them. You just can’t win!

But there’s some good news on the horizon for you – there’s no such thing as giving a baby too much attention, no matter what news outlets and older people in your family will tell you! And if you’re worried you won’t always be there to give them what they need, it’s just another sign you’re about to become one of the best parents out there.

A loving home with parents that are around to answer their every need makes sure a child forms a secure and healthy attachment to the world around them. They’re curious about what’s going on, and they approach life with a smile on their face and happiness in their heart. And all because they’ve been taught, since the moment they were born, that the world is filled with good people and happy experiences to be had. So feel free to keep on cuddling your baby!

And remember, as a new parent, you’ll be hard wired to respond to every single one of their physiological needs. When they cry, you’ll hear them, even if you’re in a deep sleep. You’ll learn what it sounds like when they want to be fed. You’ll learn how they sound when they’re too cold or a bit too warm. You’ll be able to make them smile and laugh in between bouts of inevitable crying, and you’ll be able to snap that perfect shot of the first time they fall asleep on your partner’s chest.

Being a new parent is an exciting time, and it’s important to hold on to that. Use that kind of energy to guide the way you act; you already love your little one and they’re not even here yet, and you know you’d do anything for them! And that means you’re going to love and care for them in just the right way; you’re nervous right now, that’s all, but make sure you work on those feelings.

It’s important you talk to someone about them, and get the comfort you’re looking for, even if it’s just from a stranger on the internet!

So, To Finish Up

Every person about to become a parent for the first time is going to worry about being a parent. Even when you’ve done it two or three times before, there’s always going to be a seed of doubt in the back of your mind over what this new child will bring your way. What are you going to experience with them in your life now?

But being a parent is often quite a natural part of life, as long as you want to be one, and you’re allowed to revel in that. Let yourself feel your worries, because it’s the only way you’ll be able to work through them. You have to feel your feelings to make sure they’re laid to rest, and that you can move on, and that’s what your child needs from you right now!

Going in search of answers to your emotional problems makes you a very responsible person, which is just another sign that you’re going to be a great parent.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Tips For Surviving the Sandwich Generation

November 17, 2019 By Anne

If you are currently responsible for caring for your elderly parents while trying to look after your own children, you’re officially a part of the sandwich generation. This is a time in almost every adult’s life that can be challenging, emotional, and frustrating. You are being pulled in all directions, are carrying the responsibility of two (if not more) people. You might not have time to catch your breath.

Here are some tips to help you get through it.

Plan ahead

If you are not quite in the sandwich generation period of your life, but you can see it looming on the horizon, start planning now.

Save up money for childcare or home care. You can find quality assistance throughout the contrary, from assisted living in California, to home care in League City. There is no doubt that you are going to need a helping hand, so you might as well ask for assistance in advance.

It may sound bleak, but it is also worthwhile speaking to your parents about their estate planning needs and their wishes for their care in case they become mentally or physically incapacitated.

Communicate with your employer

The worst thing that you can do is try to conceal your home-life situation from your boss. Be upfront and honest regarding your responsibilities. In this way, you are almost certain to have his or her support if ever you need to leave work early in an emergency.

Seek out support

Taking care of your children in conjunction with an elderly loved one can take a lot out of you. It is mentally and physically exhausting, and definitely isn’t something that you should do alone.

Luckily, there are multiple support groups out there specifically for individuals that are trying to survive the sandwich generation. These support groups are either in-person or online. You are likely to be surprised at just how big of a difference talking to others in similar situations will have on your overall mood and outlook!

Anne

Effective Ways to Save on Your Energy Bills

November 16, 2019 By Anne

Image Credit

Keeping the home at a comfortable temperature is a common priority for many homeowners. However, they often want to keep their energy bills as low as possible at the same time. If this sounds familiar, there are several ways you can reduce the money spent on energy bills without making dramatic changes to your lifestyle.

Lower Your Thermostat

Have you ever stopped to think about how you might be keeping your home too warm when you’re not even in it? Statistics indicate that you could save approximately 10% on annual heating and cooling costs by turning your thermostat down by 10-15 degrees for at least eight hours per day. Think about doing that when the house is empty or when you’re asleep. That way, it’s easier to make the adjustment.

Check for Leaky Seals

Doors, refrigerators, and freezers are some of the things around your home that may have improper seals. In that case, air could leak out or come in, causing unwanted temperature changes in your home.

For example, if your front door has an extremely leaky seal, there could be a cool draft that comes in even when the door seems tightly shut. It’s easy to take care of poor seals yourself by buying replacement sealing material from a home improvement store. Also, if you notice air entering a room from underneath the door, think about using a draft stopper.

Switch Energy Providers

Sometimes the best answer to a problem is the most obvious. If you are trying to save money on your energy bills, then you might want to think about switching energy providers. TXU energy rates and rates of similar companies could cost a fraction of what you’re paying right now and will still deliver a reliable service. It’s a buyers market and you need to take advantage.

Use a Smart Thermostat

Many households want to make their homes “smarter” by investing in intelligent gadgets like smart speakers, smart security cameras, and smart plugs. Those things typically connect to apps and let users control items in their abodes without being in the same room. If having smart stuff in your residence sounds appealing, smart thermostats could help you save money, along with offering other benefits.

For example, some have a special display that shows you the optimal thermostat temperature for achieving the best energy savings. Others can track trends over time and show you if you’re keeping the home cooler or warmer than usual from month to month. Other smart thermostats have sensors that detect whether a room is occupied or not. They respond accordingly so that you’re not wasting energy in an empty room.

Upgrade Your Windows

Installing new, Energy Efficient windows can have more positive effects on an energy bill than many people think. This is because they are specially designed to minimize heat loss in the winter and reduce heat gain in the summer, ensuring your home remains comfortable with less energy consumption. For example, choosing a window with an ENERGY STAR energy rating could save you several hundred dollars per year. Additionally, choosing particular kinds of glazing for the new windows can affect heat transfer and insulation.

If some areas of your home receive substantial amounts of direct sunlight during the day, consider adding shades to your new windows. Then, you can take advantage of the natural heat source during the colder months of the year and use the shades to avoid excessive warmth when summer arrives.

These tips will get you off to a great start if you’re thinking seriously about simple ways to save on your energy costs. It’s also smart to consult with a professional and let them know that cutting your energy bill is a priority. They may have ideas you haven’t thought of yet.

Anne

Money Miracles – 3 Amazing “Last Resort” Options That Can Save You From Digging Deeper Into Debt

November 16, 2019 By Anne

Image by Alexander Mils on Pexels.com

Consumer debt has been mounting over the last few decades. Getting a handle on your debt and being able to pay down what you owe can be a hard process. Stripping your budget back, reducing spending, and finding better interest rates can only take you so far. Check out these three last resort options for when everything you have tried to reduce your debt hasn’t panned out.

No Interest Loans

Many so-called solutions can put you into deeper debt than when you first started out. One low-risk way to get on top of your payments is to use money loans with no interest. These loans are made for people wanting to pay down multiple sources of debt. By securing such a loan, you can eliminate multiple sources of debt and roll them into one monthly payment, with no crippling interest to worry about.

Getting a break from interest rates allows you to get a handle on your debt without exorbitant fees piling up. Places that offer these types of loans sometimes also offer free financial counseling to help you create a better plan for staying out of debt.

Payment Plans

One of the first things you should do if you are taking drastic measures to fix your debt is to talk to your creditors. This can be a daunting task, so if you don’t feel up to it, you may wish to have a credit counseling agency be your advocate.

You or your credit counselor can negotiate with your creditors to set up a payment plan that will take the strain off your budget. This kind of plan should allow you to consolidate all of your payments into one. Usually, these payment plans will also reduce your interest rate and protect you from other fees being tacked onto your debt because of repayment issues.

Sell Your Assets

If you need to come up with a large sum of money to put down on your consolidated debt, a good way to manage it is by looking at your collective assets and selling what you can. 401ks and retirement plans can be cashed out early for a nominal fee if the need is urgent. Though please note, this should only be done when you have exhausted all your other last-resort options.

Some viable alternatives include looking into tenable assets, such as your house, car, or other big items, and selling those for cash if you have equity in them. Then, you should consider downsizing your living and driving arrangements. If you have your own business, you may need to look at selling off any assets that aren’t essential to your day-to-day operations. Or, you may consider selling your business altogether.

If you have stocks or other investments, these can also be sold to give you more money towards paying off your current debt. Any property you have can be sold or rented out to generate some passive income while you work on downsizing.

Whichever of these options you choose to go ahead with, it is highly advisable to seek out a credit counselor or debt solutions advisor to help you make a plan and provide strategies to stick to it. Being stuck with payments that are throttling your life isn’t sustainable. Making a concerted effort to pay down your debt before filing for bankruptcy is your best choice.