Mamapedia.com is like an Encyclopedia for Moms

Who do you turn to when you have questions and concerns relating to parenting? Most of us ask other parents – whether it’s our own mothers, or friends that have kids.

Now what do you do when you have a question at 4:00 am? Some us still call our moms and best friends and wake them up. Another resource to try is Mamapedia.com.

This site contains a wealth of information for moms, from moms. I tested it out recently with this question: What are good books for first graders?
Someone had recently asked that question (in April) and there were over 40 answers that I read through!
Some of the books mentioned were:
1. Cam Jansen
2. Henry & Mudge
3. Magic Treehouse series

Mamapedia.com was developed from the responses collected on Mamasource.com that were categorized and organized and made into a searchable database. Questions range from parenting questions about newborns to health-related topics, and even house and garden questions!

What I like is the range and number of responses. For medical questions, you aren’t weeding through too much medical jargon that may scare you. The most comforting thing is that it’s other moms simply sharing from their personal experiences.

Check out Mamapedia.com and then let me know what question you asked!

Janine

This post sponsored

Cross-Post: Someone thinks I'm an expert! Join me Friday 5/8 9-10pm for Mamapedia Twitter party

The original post is on Twofer Thumbs Up...

I have been asked by Resourceful Mommy to participate in a Twitter party this Friday to celebrate the launch of a new parenting resource AND as the parties twins/multiple 'expert'! (You can laugh, but not too hard. I have feelings.)

What is Mamapedia?

Mamapedia is a new parenting information site that takes the wisdom of thousands and thousands of moms and makes it searchable! You can head to the computer with that screaming infant in your arms and type,

"Why does my baby cry so much at night?"

And this is what you'll find - an article about a mom who asked a question titled "Sleepless Nights with a 13 week old" and the responses of forty-four moms.

When and how to party Twitter-style?
First, RSVP at Resourceful Mommy and check out the Momfluence network.

Then, join us on Twitter this Friday, May 8th, from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. eastern time along with mom experts (that's me) in a variety of parenting areas.

Follow me, @twincident as well as @ResourcefulMom and even the other participants to get all the tweets!

During the party go to search.twitter.com (and type in #mamapedia or just use that link) to follow along with all the partiers. When you tweet, be sure to put #mamapedia somewhere in your 140 characters so all the other people know you are part of the party!

Hope you can make it!
Janine

Try Care.com FREE this weekend!

If you haven't yet signed up for Care.com this is the weekend to do it!

What is Care.com?

Care.com is a membership site where you can review profiles, references AND background checks done for all kinds of caregivers including:
Child care
Special needs
Pet sitters
Senior care
Housekeeping

Care.com FREE Weekend

Next weekend (April 24-26 2009) Care.com will be offering you the benefits of a paid, premium membership FREE.

Starting midnight (PST) on Friday, April 24 and running through Sunday, April 26 you can post jobs, review profiles, contact care providers that match your experience and hourly rate requirements and even run a background check!

Click on the Care.com button at the top left of this blog to check it out then come back and let me know who you found to help out on your next date night.

I can't wait to see who is available in my area!
Janine

Plant a seed, grow a field of dreams **UPDATE**

**update**

Vote for the Plant a Seed Super Bowl commercial!



Click HERE to vote and look for the image with the green grass and fence.

.....Original post......
I am so proud to be chosen to help Mom Central and Kelloggs spread the word about the Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed campaign that helps communities maintain their playing fields.

Kelloggs Frosted Flakes realizes that important things happen to kids on playing fields. Kids gain self-esteem, make new friends, learn about teamwork, and stay healthy. Through the program, people can nominate a field, show support for fields around the country, and start their own "seed packs".

Visit the Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed site now and get a preview of tonight's Super Bowl commercial before it airs!

And check out Robin's success story too. It will inspire you to nominate a field in your area that needs some work.

And now I'm off to inspect the fields in my town,
Janine

Holidays are the time to be thankful, merry, and Fire Smart

Now I'm not sure if this counts as a neuroses because fire is a legitimate concern.
What makes me neurotic is that I've been known to go through periods where I lose sleep over it. I have weeks where I unplug the toaster, the coffee maker, and anything else I can get my hands on before leaving the house.

After talking with some friends it seems I'm not alone.
I remember in school, a hundred years ago, I had to go home and make a fire plan with my family. But for some reason I was a lot smarter as a kid because I haven't a clue how to do that now.

Good thing Liberty Mutual has created a Be Fire Smart website (www.BeFireSmart.com) with all kinds of cool games, check lists, and fun stuff for kids to remind everyone about fire safety.

I just played the "How fast can you spot trouble game" (look in the right column) and I didn't spot everything. I didn't know you shouldn't leave clothes on a dryer!

I also played the "Dress a fireman" game which is terrific because it explains what each piece of equipment does and reminds kids that if they ever see someone in a suit like that, it's not a monster, just a fireman inside.

I'm going to print out 2 copies of the fire fighter coloring book for the girls to work on as we drive to my mom's this week.

Then I'm going to print out the Hazards Checklist and the Fire Escape Plan and work on that during the 6-hour drive. As with everything, I'm a control freak and having a plan will simply make me feel a whole lot better.

Here's my own quick quiz for you.
Which of these is TRUE?
a) Never leave heavy objects on the bed when an electric blanket is in use
b) You should vacuum your smoke alarms every six months.
c) Exhaust vents covered with snow can cause a fire
d) Don't leave your dryer running while you are not in the house

I'm going to pass along the BeFireSmart.com website to family, friends, teachers, and everyone else I care about, including you dear reader.

Leave me a comment if you decide to do your own plan, or if you blog about this post to your own readers. I'd love to see what others are doing.

Happy planning...
and the ANSWER: all of the above.

Janine
Thank you to Mom Central and Liberty Mutual for making me
Fire Smart!

Unfinished Business

Here is a brief list of things I've started over the past 5 years, and never seem to get back to:

1. Jewelry making

2. The Twofer's baby books - not to be confused with...

3. The Twofer's scrapbooks

4. Sorting, framing or otherwise storing the BEST of the Twofer's artwork

5. Stamping a collection of gift tags (so I always have one)

Notice the craft theme here. This is the short list. The list I have in my head goes on and on. For 5 years (not a coincidence the Twofer is 5) I start projects and then never find the time to get back to any of it. Until, hopefully, now.

I was talking with a few friends of mine recently and discovered I'm not the only one with this problem. In fact, I'm not the only one with a supply of beads, tools, scrapbook paper, stamps, etc. Combined, we could fill a small garage with our "collections".

Jewelry making mess

That's when we came up with the idea of picking a monthly date when we get together and DO some of this! It would give us an excuse to get together and catch up, plus we might actually feel a sense of accomplishment.

Scrapbook/photos/artwork mess

And once we've completed our own crafts, I found a great website for suggestions so we can continue these monthly meetings til the kids are in college.

Twofer Thumbs Up to Kiddio.org, a weekly collection of ideas and links from all over the web. From crafts (mini notepads that looked easy peasy to make) to cooking (make your own toaster pastries) to fun stuff to do with the kids (bubble painting) kiddio has an ever-changing list of options.

I'm looking forward to this new excuse to visit with my friends and have a glass of wine and I can't wait get my crafty on!

Now all we have to do is pick the date. Let's hope that doesn't take another 5 years.

Committed to crafting,
ScaryMom

Free answers to all those $%&* questions

There area good days, and there are bad days.

Yesterday was one of those bad days. I was woken up at 6:00 AM with a little voice asking me...a question. I mean at 6 in the morning I don't care what the freakin question is - it's annoying and way to early to be in my room!

But what makes a really bad day is when the questions continue...all...day...long.

While I'm fumbling around the kitchen getting their lunches together, "Mommy, why are some people small and some people big?" On the walk to school, "Mommy, what makes a flower smell?" On the way to riding lessons, "Mom, how do the builders make roads?"

After a day like that I feel frustrated AND dumb. But now when I'm out of answers and feel the real Scary in me coming out, I have a resource at the tip of my fingers

I no longer have to reply with 'I don't know', or 'Ask your father' or 'That's a great question for your teacher!'

I can simply go to Chacha.com or text 242242 with the question and get an answer within minutes, if not seconds! And, it's free - text charges apply of course.

Here are two questions and the answers I received in under one minute:

Q. What is the E in 'Chuck E Cheese' for?
A. "The 'E' in Chuck E. Cheese stands for entertainment. The company that owns it is CEC Entertainment."

Q. Why is the sky blue?
A. "A cloudless sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light."

How do they do it? Chacha.com hires guides ...blah, blah, blah. I don't really care!
The fact that they give me a logical sounding answer and I don't have to use the brain power to even be creative and come up with one of my own is what is important here.

Try it next time you want to impress your friends, quiet your kids, or resolve that argument you've had going for years with your husband about the most economical temperature setting for your HVAC...you get the idea.

Twofer Thumbs Up to Chacha.com!
ScaryMom