Featured Blog: Not-So-Blog

The Not-So-Blog began as a way to enter contests and win prizes! It has evolved into a real life blog, showcasing my little ones, product reviews and fabulous giveaways.

Best Parenting Tip: Get your little ones into a bedtime routine as early as possible. Since me daughter was born, we have followed the same routine before bed every single night. We begin by taking a bath, getting on pajamas, watching a short TV show (no more than 30 minutes), read a book, pray and sleep. It has worked wonders on her sleep habits and allowed things to remain "constant" when we were evacuated and living away from home following Hurricane Katrina.

Best Blogging Tip: I have found that Entrecard has been extremely beneficial for pulling traffic to my site. Networking and being friendly and helpful will also help gain your readership.

Find On: Partner at MomDot.com, Twitter at BridgetteLA

Baby Kid's Thoughts: Bridgette was instrumental in helping promote the new blogs-thank you! I also have an inside scoop on an exciting new feature on Not-So-Blog called the 12 Days of Christmas starting today. head on over to win some great free stuff!

Baby Kid Blogs In the News!

Happy Thanksgiving! Ask Baby Kid is thankful for a wonderful news story. On Tuesday, WNEP 16, a local TV station, ran a story about the Baby Kid Blogs! In a parenting segment by Mindi Ramsey, all three were highlighted. It was mentioned that Cool Baby Kid, the original site, helps moms find the coolest products and resources for their kids. Specifically, the post for Bella Tunno bibs, were shown in addition to Karate Kate Graphics' customized holiday stamps. They discussed Smart Baby Kid, one of the new blogs, and how the reviews there focus on educational products and resources. I was thrilled that the reporter also pointed out another of the new blogs, Ask Baby Kid, and that it is a resource not just for parent tips but for those who are getting into blogging too. Thanks WNEP for a great story and validating the leverage mom bloggers are gaining in the online world. And welcome NEPA readers...thanks for stopping by.

Cool Tip: If you're new to the sites, be sure to subscribe either by RSS or email and become a follower to get the latest updates on great tips, picks and giveaways!

My daughter pulls off the cabinet locks. What works?

We have seriously tried every cabinet lock on the market. Some ugly white ones that stick out like a sore thumb, others that match better but took my toddler about 1/2 second to get off. Sometime I feel physically ill when thinking about how much money we wasted on safety locks, only to have every single one disappoint. Out of necessity we stuck on one day and that was over a year ago. It cost a few cents, matches a lot better than any other we found, and does the job splendidly. The only drawback is that hair ties only work with knobs, so a few drawers remain off limits...as if that works. Have you found a solution for non-knob cabinets and drawers that works?

Submitted by Tina

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Featured Blog: Mom of 3 Girls

Read about family life and fun from a mom of three daughters on Mom of 3 Girls.

Parenting Tip: My 'best' tip is a simple one-listen. Listen to your kids, and to yourself and your instincts when it comes to your kids. So many times we get busy or distracted and forget to really sit down and listen to what our kids have to say.

Blogging Tip: One of the first and probably the most important thing that I found when I started blogging is that it truly is a community - of amazing people. So my tip is to get out there, find and read other blogs and get to know other bloggers. Not only will they respond by visiting your site as well, but you'll meet some awesome people and hopefully make a few new friends too.

Baby Kid's Thoughts: I consider Deb a blog friend and am grateful for her help on the launch. Her blogging tip is right on the money; I'm thrilled we've had the opportunity to connect. Be sure to check out her product review site at http://www.momstakeonthings.com/.

The Baby Girl: Sweetset Blog of All

Meet the Big Sister of the Baby Kid Blogs

A brand new blog is born! Unlike the other Baby Kid blogs, Ask Baby Kid is directed by you, the reader. The baby sister of the bunch, it grew out of the many questions from friends and Cool Baby kid readers on topics ranging from parenting tips to all about blogging. Busy moms and parents want real, quick answers about where to find packing lists for family travel or how to start and maintain a blog. You can Ask Baby Kid a question and find your answer in an simple, referenceable answer.

Also launching today is Smart Baby Kid. Like it's mama site, it concentrates on product and resource reviews for youngsters. And while cool products are fun to find, educational ones deserve their very own site. Finally I'm able to utilize my expertise as an educator to help you sift through the toys, games, books, DVDs and other educational products on the market.

So why the birthing analogy? Gisele Jaquenod, the designer of all three sites, has worked nearly as hard creating these blogs as I did giving birth to my two children! OK, maybe not so painful. But she has worked relentlessly over the last few weeks to perfect every aspect of the new blogs; I can't thank her enough for all she's done. In just the last two weeks I counted over 100 emails back and forth (no kidding) and the adorable designs you see on the new blogs and re-design of Cool Baby Kid are the result. Gisele offers spectacular free blog templates for the brand new blogger and her Birdie Says shop has the cutest original designs you've ever seen. I would be eternally grateful if you's stop by her site and tell Gisele what a wonderful job she's done!

I have a round of other thank you's for those people who helped make the Baby Kid Blog launch a success starting with my husband who dealt with the laptop in the bedroom for the last few weeks and me complaining about the lack of sleep because of it. Thanks also to my mom, sister and friends who put up with multiple frantic "please visit my blog" emails last November when I first got started and had very little idea about how to gain blog readership. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to the following launch partners who have helped get the word out today about the new Baby Kid Blogs. Blogging is a wonderful community and some of these ladies are not just blogging partners but friends as well.

• Bridgette @ The Not-So-Blog Blog
• Erin @ The Mom Buzz
• Deb @ Just a Mom's Take on Things...
• Emily @ Props & Pans
• Dawn @ Nursery Murals & More
• Kristina @ Mama Divas
• Sarah @ Sugahouse Ink
• Janelle @ Brimful Curiosities
• LaTonya @ Che’ Demi’s Boutique Blog
• Laura @ Work It: A Blog for Working Moms

Stop by all three blogs today to enter to win a unique launch prize pack on each one. Subscribe to the Baby Kid Blogs, become a Follower, grab a banner, ask a question, apply to become a featured blog, join me on Twitter or Facebook, and I promise to continue to deliver the coolest, smartest products and resources for moms, babies and kids with tips, picks, and of course giveaways!

Extra Cool Giveaway: Each of the Baby kid Blogs is giving away it's own special launch Prize Pack! Here, on Ask Baby Kid, you can enter to win one of two the "Customized Launch Prize Packs" which includes a gift certificate for a persnalized set of Goosie Cards! Click here to find out how to increase your chances. An email address is needed to contact the winner. Contest ends 12/2/08. Contest rules apply. A big thank you to the launch sponsors for supplying all of the great giveaway gifts on each blog!!

• Goosie Cards Customized Photo Flash Cards (2 winners!)
  

Baby Kid Expert Panel

Ask a Teacher

Cecelia Mecca, PhD, Editor Baby Kid Blogs & Blog Popz

A mother a toddler girl and baby boy, Cecelia has been working as an English teacher for over 10 years. With both college, middle school and junior high school experience, she specializes in Language & Literacy with a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction from Penn State University.

Cecelia create the Baby Kid Blogs to share her knowledge of education products and resources on Smart Baby Kid, her passion for finding the coolest stuff out there on Cool Baby Kid, and easy to read resources on parenting and blogging on Ask Baby Kid. Her newest venture, Blog Popz, a blogger recognition program, aims to revolutionize the way bloggers give awards and network.


Ask a Shrink

Elizabeth Donovan, M.A., Founder ParentingPink.com

Ms. Donovan is a SAHM to three little girls and a mental health therapist with over a decade of experience specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychology. She graduated from the University of Virginia and obtained her Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Marymount University. Her specialties include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Behavioral Disorders; Rape Trauma Syndrome; Depression; and Anxiety.

Ms. Donovan is also a published author and parenting expert for Parenting Magazine, Listen Magazine, and Guideposts Sweet Sixteen. She is currently the founder and editor of ParentingPink.com, a site dedicated to moms and dads raising daughters.


Ask a Gear Extraordinaire

Victoria Arya, Editor Life Starring Ellie & Eve & Founder of Ark Adventure

Victoria Arya is a SAHM to two girls, Ellie and Eve, and she also claims two furry babies in the form of cats, Nero and Necia (notice a pattern in her way of naming do you?). Arya love finding the coolest, most fun, and trendy gear for babies, kids and moms; as such her area of expertise would be anything oriented towards shopping, baby gear, kids' gear, mom gear, or anything else that might be fun, cool or trendy. She also loves to do research so throw something at her she might not know!

Now for the boring stuff: Victoria Arya graduated from the University in Virginia with a specialty in History (South African and English Legal) and Religious Studies (Philosophy of Thought). What she was planning to do with those credential, even she doesn't know. She is married and lives in Virginia, where it gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. She writes the site Life Starring Ellie and Eve and is an occasional guest writer elsewhere.


Ask a Mom of Multiples

Liz J, M.Ed., Founder Goddess in Progress & How Do You Do It?

In her pre-baby days, Liz J was a guidance counselor, college advisor, and admissions counselor with a Master's Degree in School Counseling from Boston University. When her first pregnancy turned out to be a two-fer, though, life was turned upside down. Liz is a full-time mom to boy/girl twin toddlers, and has been blogging since the very first days of her pregnancy. She has worked on multiple platforms and sometimes feels adventurous with her self-taught HTML. (Sometimes not.) And she's a nut with her DSLR camera. She loves giving advice, solicited or otherwise, about anything from blogging philosophy and writing style to homemade baby food and nap schedules. Most of all, she hopes that writing about her own experiences will help others feel less isolated and maybe even become more confident moms, bloggers, and more.

In addition to her personal blog, she founded How Do You Do It?, a site by and for moms of multiples, and the Ladies of Loserville, a weight-loss support community blog.

Ask a Family Travel Expert

CanCan, Editor Mom Most Traveled

CanCan is a globe trotting mother of two and subsequent family travel expert. She offers tips, tricks and advice about travelling with little ones at Mom Most Traveled which also has cool travel photos, sweet videos and giveaways galore!




Ask an Professional Organizer

Editor, Multi-tasking Mama and owner, Organized Life by Design, LLC

Melissa Smallwood (aka Multi-tasking Mama) has worked with seniors and families as a professional organizer for several years and is the owner of Organized Life by Design, LLC. She has an extensive human services background. She is also the mom of three active boys (one of which has special needs). She enjoys helping people get their lives, calendars and homes organized so that they have time to see and enjoy their blessings! Melissa has written many articles on organizing for various websites and organizations including Online Organizing.com, Show Mom the Money, Pink Lemonade of Life and more. Her articles have also appeared in local publications including the Winchester Star, Herald Mail and Frederick News-Post, Senior Living Edition.


Ask a Blogging Expert

Courtney, Mom Giveaways & Faith Approved

Courtney is a Christian, a wife, and stay at mom to two wonderful but exhausting children. She enjoys cooking, reading, movies, photography, scrapbooking, keeping up with technology, and most of all spending time with her kids and family. Courtney has been blogging for almost two years and is the founder of MomGiveaways, a premier contest and giveaway listing site, and Faith Approved, a Christian product review site.

potty train

1. Revise, Edit and Proofread: Every blog improvement site I've read mentions good content. Write well, and they will come. But as an English teacher and writer, one thing I can say with confidence is that the good reviser is what makes the good writer. My top revising strategy: save your posts and come back to them a bit later with a fresh perspective

2. Use Entrecard: I first read about Entrecard on Problogger and never expected when first trying it out to bring so much traffic so quickly. In a nutshell, you sign up and create a "card." You drop (click) on other Entrecards and earn credit for doing so. Using those credits to buy space on blogs, it essentially amounts to free advertising on sites you may not normally get exposure on. Look the entrecard on Cool Baby Kid for instance (left sidebar). You'll see a blog who "bought" space on my site by earning credits and "purchasing" the spot. Cool huh?

3. Read Problogger: Darren Rowse makes a living blogging. I've been reading Problogger faithfully since the first month I started out. I've learned more from his site than you can imagine. Warning...the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming. Start with his article "Blogging Tips for Beginners," subscribe to the site and learn what you can whenever you have a few extra minutes to spare.

4. Read Other Blogs: It is important to begin building blog relationships which means reading and commenting on other blogs. Though my personal blogroll isn't huge, I read those on my list regularly to get ideas, add to conversations and get to know the authors.

5. Commit to Constant Improvement: There's just no easy way to build a great blog overnight. And because there are so many different facets to blogging--SEO, design, networking--it's easy to become overwhelmed. (Notice I mentioned that twice!) I've build a list of resources I use, so set aside some time each week, get away from the daily tasks such as writing posts and sending emails, and work on improving your blog. And have fun doing it!

Submitted by Jamie

My baby refuses the bottle. Help!?

OK. I submitted my own question. But the bottle battle (as it affectionately become known in our house) is the reason I started this blog. I couldn't believe how difficult it was to find information on how to get my daughter to accept the bottle that actually worked. After talking to our doctor, lactation consultant, friends, and fellow parents on message boards, my husband finally found an answer in a Babycenter archive of articles. I assume you've tried to usual suspects: different people, positions, nipples, bottles, temperatures, not waiting until baby is starved etc. On a side note, we tried every bottle sold at Babies R Us and she did eventually take Dr. Brown's bottles which we swear by. Full disclosure- the following method worked for us though it may not work for you. After weeks of taking the bottle just fine, my four month old breastfed baby who needed to also take a bottle because I was returning to work, would scream bloody murder when tried to give one to her. Our trick? We fed her in the tub. Yes, you read correctly, in the tub. The advice was to feed the baby during an activity he/she loves. We tried during Baby Einstein without success and gave the bathtub a shot as our second option. While distracted by splashing we gave it to her and...done. She took a bottle in the tub for nearly a week until we were confident enough to take her out. Who would have thought?

Submitted by Cecelia

Another question? Here's an answer...

Do you know of a toliet lock that actually works?

This is an interesting question because there's a running joke at our house about the quality of child safety products we've tried. After collecting a basket full of locks for the toilets, drawers, etc. that didn't work (one actually broke our toilet lid!) here's what we've found. The Mommy's Helper toilet lock actually works, doesn't look ridiculously terrible and is easy to open. As for cabinets, we now use hair ties. They don't need to be "installed," my daughter can't get them off (which we couldn't say about some of the others) and we can match them to the decor of the house. Also, can you say cheap! All joke's aside, child safety is important, so if you're a visual learner and are looking for more child safety information, check out this baby product safety alert...neat site.

Submitted by Laura.

Another question? Here's an answer...

Technorati Profile

Blogging Resources

So many Baby kid readers ask about blogging basics I created a list of the resources I used when first getting started and continue to use to improve my blog. After creating the blog and writing quality content, your best bet is to spend some time looking at blogs in your niche, explore their links, and comment when you have something valuable to add to the conversation. Enjoy and feel free to comment with questions; I'll be glad to answer!

Blog Platform & Support (Start Here!)

• Blogger
• Blogger Support
• Dummies Guide to Blogger

Technical & "How-To"

• Create Thumbnail Albums
• Create Forms
• Favicon Generator
• Feedburner
• Google Analytics
• HTML Color Code Chart
• Make Pics Clickable
• Newsletter Creator
• Social Scan

Blog Improvement

• Blog Coach
• Crazy Egg (Analytics)
• Daily Blog Tips
• Dosh Dosh
• Problogger
• Google Analytics

Networking

• BlogHer
• Entrecard
• Kirtsy
• Facebook Pages
• Mom Bloggers Club
• Technorati
• Twitter

Making Money: Affiliates & Advertising

• Affiliate Future
• Blog Ads
• Chitika
• Commission Junction
• Finding Advertisers: The Ultime Guide
• Google Adsense