Savvy Toddler Mom

I’ve had a dark cloud following me for several months… the “I have this feeling I should be doing something about preschool” cloud.  Today, I made it go away.

Did you know you have to sign-up for preschool almost a year in advance?  Most preschools I’ve heard about have wait lists already for next year and the year following.

After talking to friends and neighbors about the local options, pros and cons, and calling/visiting the schools myself, I settled on one and today, finally, signed the toot up for next year.  Whew.  Blue skies ahead.

There are a lot of opinions on preschool… social skill-focus vs. academic-focus, 2 day vs. 3 day, 2 years vs. 1 year.  I’ve decided it’s one of the first “big” decisions I will make for the toot’s eduation, but let’s be realistic here.  There are a lot more decisions ahead and preschool is among the least of them, I’m sure.

I am so excited that I’ve got some preschool arrangements made.  Such a relief!  If your son or daughter will be 3 (or especially 3 1/2) by next September and you want them to go to two years of preschool, now is the time to act!  Ask your neighbors and friends what preschools are close and what they recommend.  Get online and check out the options.  Call and visit and make it happen.  Being lame enough to cite a marketing campaign, I say just do it.

I mentioned previously that some Cookie Cutters coupons had found their way to me… and I just discovered a way to get them to you!  Simply visit their web site, www.haircutsarefun.com, and click on the “Free Coupon” item in the right side bar.  Requesting a coupon will also enter you in a drawing for a free hair cut.

Also, their web site does mention that they are opening a location in Bountiful in early 2008.  Yippee!

I emailed Denise & Alan Fields, the authors of Toddler Bargains, the other night when I couldn’t find their review of the Graco Air Booster. To my surprise and delight, they replied this morning. 

To my inquiry about this seat, they said:

“The Graco Air Booster is a new product. The seat itself is the same as the Graco TurboBooster—they’ve changed the fabric to this new cushion for additional comfort. So we’d recommend it if you want to spend the extra $.”

So, folks, there you have it… straight from the expert’s mouth/email.

Thank you, Denise & Alan Fields, for your quick response and helpful information… or, for employing people to do it on your behalf. :)  I like you guys more today than ever.

Get a load of this… Have you ever seen those toy award stickers and wondered what else has won?  Check out this web site for the 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winners.  They have them divided into age categories:

• Infants
• Toddlers
• Preschool
• Early School Years
• Later School Years

I have a third birthday coming up (not for me… for the toot, of course) and I need to make that birthday budget stretch!  I got some great ideas for some toys that will give me the biggest bang for my buck.

They also have past winners categorized by toy type, so check that out as well.

The Graco Air Booster or the Graco Turbo Booster?

I’ve been researching booster seats tonight, since I discovered yesterday that the toot is 39 1/2 inches tall.  39 1/2 inches tall!  He’s going to be 3 in NOVEMBER. 

Anyway, I downloaded the latest version of Toddler Bargains, an ebook, but it didn’t review the seat I’m wondering about, the Graco Air Booster.  Anyone know anything about it?  It looks like it’s new — debuted on Amazon.com in June.  Amazon.com doesn’t even have any reviews for it yet. 

I’m intrigued by the whole “patented FLEX-Comfort suspension seat with flexible micro-adjustable material that adapts to your child’s weight and size, reducing pressure points and providing an exact fit every time. This remarkable material also lets air circulate to help your child stay comfy.”  I know I’m a sucker for marketing sometimes (yes, I’ll admit it, SavvyDad…), but the toot gets so hot in his Britax Marathon, especially in this crazy Utah summer heat, and I do want the safest thing out there.

Side note: I am still thrilled with the Britax Marathon purchase.  I love the product — would recommend it to anyone.  I also shopped around online, found an insane price, then took it to USA Baby and had them match it.  Apparently still feeling smug about it, too…

But back to the point, which is: I don’t know about the Graco Air Booster and I think I’m going to have to go with the Graco Turbo Booster, which IS the Toddler Bargains’ recommendation.  Not to mention, it’s half the price.

Alright… the toot woke up and here is my favorite book for new babies (and parents): Time for Bed.  Each page is a different animal telling their own baby it is time to go to sleep, tucking them in, and saying goodnight.  It’s one of the toot’s favorites, too.

It’s also the only book he’s ever tried to eat.  So, apparently, it’s tasty as well as good reading.

(I really need to get a new copy, the chewed-off corner can be distracting…)

My second niece of the year arrived last night - hurrah!  Baby Grace is adorable.  Congrats to her mom and dad.

And no, I haven’t quite finished her quilt yet, but I’m close!  I’ve got the top completed (that’s the hard part), so now I just need to put it together and bind it.

In my not-sewing hours this week, I wandered into All Tucked In on Bountiful’s Main Street.  What a cute place!  Like The Tutoring Toy Shoppe, this place has a lot of different books — and a few toys, not to mention random shoes and clothing.  It’s a tiny little place down the block from the post office, but worth a look in.  The toot had a great time browsing with me.

Since we are talking about book stores, my all-time favorite is The King’s English on 1500 South and 1500 East in Salt Lake.  LOVE this store.  (That’s a command, not an editorial comment. LOL)  Not just for kids (far from it, actually), The King’s English does have an extensive children’s area.  Staff there know their stuff, too.  I love to ask for recommendations.

They are celebrating their 30th year in business on Monday, September 10th.  Don’t miss the 30% off sale.

Favorite book for a newborn?  This one: … okay, I can’t remember what it’s called now, and since the toot is asleep in the room where it is, it’ll just have to wait.  It’s a must-have, though.

Aren’t you thrilled that I finally made the move to www.savvytoddlermom.com?  I am.  It’s always hard to tell people about my blog when the url is so long, you HAVE to write it down or email it to them.  Not that “savvytoddlermom” is easy to remember either, but at least there isn’t an extra “dot wordpress dot com” in there as well.

Hopefully it will now be easier for all of us.

I have two fun finds to share today — both are places I visited last Friday.  Yes, it’s taken me almost a week to sit down and blog!  

Cookie Cutters
Have you heard of Cookie Cutters hair salon — the hair salon specifically for kids?  If not, I am not surprised.  Until about a month ago, they only had one location in Utah, and that was in Draper.  The fun find I have to share is that they’ve opened a location in Brickyard (across the street to the east, actually) and I took the toot there on Friday.

Cookie Cutters is amazing… it caters to those little people in our lives that hate getting their hair cut!  Each station has a car, plane, motorcycle, firetruck, etc. that the kids get to ride while they get their hair cut.  Each station also has a television and DVD player to play your little mop-head’s movie of choice.  They have a wide selection to choose from.  On top of that, they also have toys and bubbles (!) to distract the kids from what is really going on.  After it’s all said and done, they get a balloon with a cookie cutter attached AND a lollipop.  What is not to like?

I took the toot to Cookie Cutters for his first haircut… and every one after that.  (They have a cute kit for 1st hair cuts — collect a lock of hair, take a photo, etc.)  The toot LOVES it.  After his appointment on Friday, I hauled him out of there while he wailed, “More haircut! More haircut, please, Mommy?!”  He was loving the motorcycle he got to ride… as well as the slide set up in the waiting room.

Cookie Cutters is more expensive than most for a children’s haircut - $12 - but is worth every penny.  I received a coupon in the mail for the Brickyard location (because I was a Draper customer) and my mom gave me another one she received via bulk mail.  They also mail frequent coupons to their existing customers, and if you schedule your next appointment while you are in, they will take $2 off.

Check them out…

Draper Location
1223 East Draper Parkway #B
Draper, Utah 84020
(801) 501-0386

Brickyard Location
1301 East Miller Avenue #4
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
(801) 466-4643

The Tutoring Toy Shoppe
After the toot’s haircut, I dropped him off at Grandma’s for some “me” time and I went wandering for a bit.  (Always nice to do some mindless wandering…)  My wandering took me to Foothill Village where I discovered The Tutoring Toy Shoppe.  What a fabulous toy store!  Full of unique and different toys, I was delighted to browse for quite a while.  They have a lot of educational toys, wooden train sets, and lots of other toys and games for all ages.  I was impressed by the variety and just the… uniqueness.  I spend a lot of time browsing online and in stores for new and fun things for children and this store STILL managed to surprise me.  I picked up an adorable honey bee tree game similar to Jenga, except you pull out the leaves one at a time until the bees all spill down the tree — so cute!

I spoke with one of the owners for a few minutes — they are an independent store, only one location.  They don’t have a web site yet, but are planning to launch one early next year, after the coming Christmas season.

Definitely worth a look for parents and grandparents:

The Tutoring Toy Shoppe
1400 S. Foothill Blvd.
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
(801) 581-1060

They are in Foothill Village, just north of the Basket Loft. 

Their slogan is “Toys that Spark Imagination and Growth.”  I would say that summarizes them quite nicely.

Pardon our dust while we are still getting settled.

Be sure and change your bookmark, though! http://www.savvytoddlermom.com. 

For all those people that I told about this article and meant to send them the link, here it is.  This fascinating article by Elizabeth Weil from the New York Times, “When Should a Kid Start Kindergarten?” about what the kindergarten cut-off date does for older and younger children kept me reading to the very end of page six. 

What a dilemma!  The toot’s birthday falls just a couple of months after Utah’s kindergarten deadline, August 31st.  Even still, it’s a problem that affects everyone, as children share a classroom and their interaction is part of the school experience.

I am of the opinion that Weil states on page 6: “the reality that individual children will always mature at different rates.”  However, it is terrifying to think that sending a younger child to kindergarten too early will doom the rest of their academic years.  Yikes.  They will never catch up, she says.  It’s a problem.

I was especially interested in this topic, not only as a mother with kindergarteners in my future, but also as someone that skipped kindergarten.  I’m not sure of the specifics, but I do remember taking some sort of test and then being escorted to the first grade classroom.  I was five years old and wouldn’t be six for another four months.  I did just fine… at least, I think so.  My biggest complaint was that I couldn’t drive or date until half way through my junior year of high school.  Oh, well.  I survived.  I graduated at 17, went to college, graduated again at 21 (with honors, no less), got a job and got married.

I joke now that since I skipped kindergarten, I’m still trying to catch up on nap time.

So, again, my take on it is that all children are different.  I think it is a heavy responsibility, then, for us to know our children well enough — and be educated enough about what is involved — to make an intelligent decision for them.  It could change their lives forever.

Also, reading to them every day wouldn’t hurt either.

I take the toot every week to his “jumping” class at Flip’s Gymnastics in Bountiful, Utah.  He LOVES it.  I’ve got him enrolled in their Toddler Gym class - very similar to other toddler tumbling classes I’ve tried out.  It gets him running and jumping, climbing ladders and walking balance beams… not to mention learning how to listen to a teacher and follow directions long before starting preschool.  He gets some serious active time, but he also gets to interact with other children in new and different ways.  It’s ALL good.

Flip’s has a whole bunch of classes for your tumbling child.  If you are looking for something to keep them busy (and you busier) after school, check them out.

Beyond that, though, I learned today that they are looking for some new coaches.  They are losing a bunch to the lure of higher education (read: some are going back to college in a couple of weeks) and they need to find some school-season fabulous people to coach.  Their flyer reads: “Come be a part of our incredible team!  We need coaches for all levels! Come in and pick up an application in the office or call us at Flip’s!”  Their number is 801-298-2323.

If you do decide to check out this job opportunity, let them know you heard about it from Savvy Toddler Mom.*

*As always, this is not a paid advertisement.  I love Flip’s and would love to see them get some great new people!