The Mom Crowd

For many moms, there comes a time when when choosing a day care is part of the parenting process.  Whatever the reason, it is not an easy decision.  It can be a very stressful time because you are choosing the place where your sweet child will spend the better part of many days.  As a former infant/toddler, twos, and preschool teacher, I have found myself giving friends and family advice when they are on their quest to find the best center for their child.  There are a few things I always stress when having this talk and I would like to share some of those things with you in this article.

One thing that shocks most new parents is the high sticker price for child care.  It is especially expensive for infants and toddlers.  It is tempting to shop around for the best price, but you may be making sacrifices that aren’t apparent when you choose a less expensive day care.  Centers that charge less have a smaller budget to run their business.  Since it is a business, after all, you will find that these facilities go to great lengths to cut costs in order to keep their business profitable.  This doesn’t mean that it is necessarily a bad place, but you will find that they are most likely striving to meet legal requirements and not much more.

For example, an infant/toddler ratio is four babies to one teacher/caregiver.  Two-year-old children have a legal ratio of one teacher to twelve students.  Depending on your experience with children, you may or may not realize that these legal requirements are quite a bare minimum.  Twelve two-year-olds are A LOT of two-year-olds! As are four infants to one caregiver.  I am not claiming it is an impossible situation, but when you consider the type of care and attention your child gets when they are one-on-one with mom and dad,  they are definitely going to get less personalized care when the ratio goes up.

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Maybe you have been trying to get pregnant for some time, maybe your pregnancy is as much a shock to you as anyone else. Either way, once you read those results on that pregnancy test, there are many things to consider. These things can start to feel overwhelming rather quickly, especially with all those baby hormones coursing through your veins!

Before you settle on a name and a nursery theme, you are going to have to get down to the business of choosing the hospital you want to deliver in and the OB/GYN you want delivering your baby. If you are already covered by medical insurance, there are a few ways to go about doing this. You can ask around amongst your girlfriends and see if anyone has an outstanding recommendation, you can call your doctor’s office and ask for a referral, or you can call the hospital in which you want to deliver and ask them for referral.

Choosing the right OB/GYN is important because ideally, this will be the person who is there during the most critical time of childbirth, when the baby actually makes his way into the world. However, your OB/GYN is sort of like the secret weapon of delivery. They are not there with you for the long haul that birthing can be, instead they bust on the scene in the last minutes of the birthing process to bring the baby out of your body. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right hospital as well.

Make sure you are comfortable with the hospital you choose. If you have your heart set on actively participating in the process, make sure you choose a hospital that caters to those needs with the appropriate amenities, like offering exercise balls or squatting bars on their beds for ease of repositioning during labor. Take the tour of the hospital and delivery unit at least a few months before your due date to get a feel for the place and the attitude of the staff.

I had no idea what an integral part our nurses would play in the delivery of our son. Looking back on the entire experience, I know how lucky I was to have some of the best care possible provided by a few key members of the delivery nursing staff. Like I said, the OB/GYN is not there the entire time. Your doctor may come in for updates along the way, but mostly, you are reliant upon the expertise of your nurse so this is another important part of choosing your hospital.

Since there is nearly no way of knowing exactly how your labor and delivery will go, it is of great importance that you make your birthing plan as a guideline for your experience. Do not be so caught up in your plan that you ignore any risks that arise, but do know what you want and what you expect out of your experience. This will help you make choices as your labor progresses. Share this plan with your doctor, see how they react, their reaction will help you determine if this is the coach you want with you on your big day.

These are merely a few examples of the choices and decisions you have ahead of you but they are some of the most important because they lay the foundation for your entire pregnancy. You have to feel comfortable with your doctor so you can ask those questions that make you feel silly to ask. If you aren’t comfortable posing a question, consider how awkward it will be when your feet are in the air and there is a baby making his way down your birth canal!

This is one of the most special times in your life. A little preparation is sure to go a long way so take these tasks seriously or you may have regrets. I guarantee you will want to look back on your delivery fondly, after all, it marks the day that your angel made his way from your belly to your arms. To ensure that you have the best experience possible, don’t stop asking questions, don’t settle for anything you aren’t comfortable with, and speak your mind no matter what. Even when you feel weak, remember, you are being strong for two!

Hi Everyone and Welcome to The Mom Crowd!

I’m Richel and I am the new Manager for the site!  I have pulled a great team of mom’s together to continue with the amazing content and theme of this site and hope that you will all enjoy learning and sharing with all of us! We want you to feel at home and part of The Mom Crowd so if you ever have a question, idea or topic you would love to see featured, please contact us at contactthemomcrowd@gmail.com.

It’s important for mom’s to have a place where they know they can get support for each other  that is non judgemental.  As mom’s you know you are judged by everyone from the second you announce your pregnant, so let’s all remember that we are in the same boat around here.  Some of our boats are pretty and pristine..others well not so much.. but we are all in the same crowd…..The Mom Crowd.

Motherhood is one of the greatest teachers in life and being a woman….well that’s a whole AP class on it’s own.  I don’t think you have to have all the answers to be a great parent, I definitely don’t think you have to be perfect either.  To be great parent you just need to have a lot of patience, a good sense of humor,  a remarkable talent for multi-tasking and the understanding that it’s not always going to be about you…..at least until they hit adulthood.

You’ll find that each of the amazing women writing for us has their own unique take on motherhood, parenting and being a woman and together we really want place for moms (and non-moms, too!) to get honest feedback, amazing support, tried and true advice, and make the very best of friends. Join today and discover thousands of women just like you…Welcome to The Mom Crowd!

Richel

While most people jump on the “back to school” frenzy in August, few realize that students need new school supplies just after the long holiday winter break. With many budgets stretched to the max from holiday shopping, replenishing school supplies often takes a backseat. Getting the right school supplies for the second half of the school school year is paramount to ensuring a productive school year.

What Will They Need for the Second Half of the Year

Items like paper, pens, erasers and crayons are at the top of the list when it comes to replenishing supplies. Students often use up these items in the first half of the school year, only to come up empty after the holiday break. Unfortunately many stores don’t offer back to school sales in December and January.

Getting the best deals on these supplies requires advance planning. Double up on school supplies in August and September while they’re cheap. Pack away half of the supplies to be used in the second half of the school year. For your student, it will be just as fun as getting school goodies at the beginning of the year.  This is true for children that are home schooled so make sure if this is your child’s mode of learning, that they have new supplies too.

While your student can use the same textbook year round, it helps to restock supplemental books that can be used to enhance school lessons. These books help your student get a head start on their second semester lessons. Music books, workbooks and coloring books will probably be filled up,  worn out, and need replacing. Add in school supplies to your holiday shopping budget and save money on the things that your child needs for school.

New Clothes for a New Season

The biggest item you will need to replenish for the school year is clothing. Your child will need new clothing for the change in season. Have the best dressed child in school with new dresses, pants, sweaters and accessories. Children can be rough on their clothes so it’s imperative that you find quality crafted clothing that will grow with your child.

Even the youngest students will need new clothing after the holiday break. Active play and activities wear out clothes quickly. Get the best skirts, jeans, slacks and shirts for your little one by shopping sales and buying well made clothing. By purchasing quality clothing that can outlast even the most enthusiastic play time, you will be getting the best value for your money.

Restocking school supplies after the holiday break is crucial for school success. Stock up on pencils, art supplies, notebooks and trendy outfits for your star student. Shop online today.

Bram Stoker had no idea what he was starting when he created the iconic Dracula. Before Dracula” was published, vampires were the stuff of nightmares and very real to certain European cultures. Afterwards, the terrifying creatures captured the imaginations of writers, filmmakers and the general Western populace.
  

The Shift from Tradition

“Nosferatu,” an early silent film released in 1922, was loosely based on Stoker’s “Dracula.” It is scary in a way that resonates with audiences even today, but the main character, Count Orlock, creates a sense of sympathy and sadness. For a long time, vampires were some combination of utterly terrifying and extremely sad. Then Anne Rice came along with “Interview with a Vampire” and changed everything.

At first, authors kept the inhuman traits intact while slowly romanticizing the vampires. As years go on, writers continually push vampires toward being extremely long-lived humans rather than monsters. Sure, the monstrous traits come out in certain situations, but there is usually a clear distinction between the “good” vampires and the “bad” ones. The “Twilight” series, the “Sookie Stackhouse” novels and “The Vampire Diaries” novels are responsible for the latest resurgence in vampire-mania.

Modern Vampires in Film and Television

If the “Twilight” books were popular, they barely compare to the popularity of their movie adaptations. “Twilight,” while meant for teenage audiences, appeals to adults too. The current vampire-themed television series are “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries.” “True Blood,” based on the “Sookie Stackhouse” books, is a very adult series. “The Vampire Diaries,” adapted from the books of the same name, is for teenagers, but it appeals to a wider audience like “Twilight” does.

To catch up on “True Blood,” HBOGo, HBO’s streaming service, has several seasons available, but you must have an active cable subscription to take advantage of it. To get the full series, you will have to rent or buy the seasons on DVD or Blu-ray. However, you can start streaming The Vampire Diaries on Netflix starting with season one. Some of the “Twilight” movies are also available on Netflix.

“Twilight” offers the mildest take on the new sexy vampires, but despite their popularity, many vampire fans find the lack of certain vampire traits unappealing. “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries” let the primal side of vampires shine through regularly, which appeals to fans of the more traditional, gory vampires typically associated with blood-sucking. Interestingly, both television series have high-budget film quality effects, the characters have more depth and the vampires appeal to men and women of all ages.