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Summer Reading: North of Beautiful

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School’s almost out. You may be looking for great summer books for your teen. I had a chance to review Justina Chen Headley’s third book, North of Beautiful. And I highly recommend it to teen girls and their mothers.

Terra Rose Cooper, has a port wine stain covering the left side of her face. She tries to cover her birthmark with heavy makeup and undergoes numerous painful procedures in an attempt to remove it. In Terra’s mind, her birthmark defines her. She works out compulsively in an attempt to maintain a perfect body since she believes her figure is the only thing her boyfriend values about her.

Babywearing: New Native Pouch Sling Review

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There are so many slings on the market, yet our friend Jen at NursingMotherSupplies.com sells only the New Native Baby Carrier. Jen’s a breastfeeding expert who recommends only the best products for nursing moms.

Teaching Preschoolers About Money

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Learning to recognize different coins and understanding their value is an essential part of the preschool and the kindergarten curriculum.

Parents can use coins to introduce math concepts like sorting and counting. You can help your child learn to identify coins and their value while teaching them to save money using Coin County: A Bank in a Book, an award-winning book by Innovative Kids.

Sun Safety: Baby Sunglasses

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Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than one million skin cancers are diagnosed annually. Protect your child by practicing sun safety. Apply sunscreen regularly and teach your baby to wear sunglasses and a sunhat while outdoors.

Children’s eyes are especially vulnerable to damage from UV rays, but it’s hard to keep those little eyes protected. If you have a young baby or even a toddler who just won’t keep glasses on, try a pair with a strap.

Fab Find: Tuffo Waterproof Outdoor Blanket

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Summer means days at the beach, picnics, playdates at the park and outdoor concerts and fireworks displays. Unless you enjoy sitting on the grass, it’s helpful to have a blanket handy. The folks at Vat19 sent me a Tuffo Outdoor Waterproof Blanket to review.

The top cover is soft enough for a baby, and the cushioned-blanket is big enough to accommodate a family of four. The waterproof nylon underside keeps you dry even when the ground is wet. It’s easy to wipe the bottom clean with a damp cloth after use. If you prefer, just toss the blanket into the laundry for a thorough wash.

Figure Fix: IsABelt

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I don’t want to wear high-waisted mom jeans, but I’m also not a fan of plumber butt. I worry about exposing my undies- or worse- when I bend over to pick up the baby. So when I heard about the IsABelt, a clear belt that keeps your pants up without the bulk of a traditional belt, I was excited.

Little Chefs Cook Chinese

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If your child is a picky eater, try preparing meals together. If your child feels some ownership over a meal, he’s more likely to eat it. Start by picking an easy-to-make recipe or by using a children’s cookbook.

I received a review sample of the Handstand Kids Chinese Cookbook, the newest book in their cookbook series for children ages 3 to 12. The Handstand Kids Cookbook series introduces children to the language and cuisine of other cultures through fun, easy-t0-make recipes. Ingredients and utensils are listed in both English and Mandarin.

Sweet Dreams

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Bedtime can be quality time rather than battle time. By establishing a consistent routine, you can make bedtime more enjoyable for the whole family.

Haydenburri Lane’s Bedtime Safari products were designed in conjunction with child development specialists to help children learn the necessary skills and activities needed to get ready for bed.

Haydenburri Lane provides advice to parents on how to establish a positive bedtime routine and why routines are important. (Click here to read their Parents’ Guide.) And they offer a series of board books for preschoolers that make learning routines fun. There are five main characters- Bubbles the Hippo, P.J. the Bear, Chomper the Crocodile, Paige the elephant, and Rory the tiger. Each character stars in a board book and teaches a different skill.

Rediscovering “The Greatest Show on Earth”

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As a child, going to the circus was an annual tradition. I loved watching the elephants, tigers, clowns, acrobats and the trapeze artists. The circus is a fantasy-world that inspires the imagination. For days afterwards, I would pretend to be an animal trainer or dress up like a clown.

As the years went by, I felt that I had outgrown the circus. I went when I was a college student, and the circus just seemed so small…so predictable…even boring. But my son’s birth had a transformative effect on me. I’m ready to relive my childhood excitement and to see the world through his innocent eyes.

The opinions expressed on Mamanista.com are based on a single consumer user testing, and are solely those of the author. Any factual claims, including but not limited to safety testing, are based on information from the manufacturer. Mamanista.com receives sample products for testing. Paid placements, such as announcements of sales or sponsored contests are clearly marked. See our disclosure policy.