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How To Prevent Lost Items and Improve Organization With Name Labels for Kids

The daily chaos of school and extracurricular activities can turn any parent into a detective, constantly on the lookout for lost items. From backpacks to water bottles, kids have a knack for misplacing their belongings, causing frustration for both parents and little ones. In this whirlwind of confusion, high-quality name labels emerge as the unsung heroes, ensuring that lost items find their way back home and promoting a sense of organization in the midst of chaos. 

Preventing Lost Items

Every parent has experienced the sinking feeling of realizing their child has lost something valuable. It might be a favorite jacket, a school textbook, or a cherished toy. Apart from the financial burden of replacing these items, the emotional toll on both the parent and the child can be significant. Lost items can cause stress, disrupt routines, and lead to a sense of disorganization, especially during the busy school days.

High-Quality Name Labels

High-quality name labels act as tiny beacons of hope in the world of lost items. These labels, often made from durable materials like waterproof vinyl or iron-on fabric, are designed to withstand the wear and tear of a child’s daily activities. Unlike generic labels or markers that fade away after a few washes, high-quality name labels stay intact, ensuring that your child's belongings are easily identifiable.

Preventing Mix-ups and Confusion

In school settings, where multiple children might have similar items, high-quality name labels play a crucial role in preventing mix-ups and confusion. A well-labeled lunchbox or a backpack stands a much better chance of finding its way back to its rightful owner. This not only saves parents from constantly replenishing lost items but also teaches children a sense of responsibility for their belongings. 

Promoting Independence

When children know that their items are clearly labeled, they gain a sense of independence. They can confidently identify their own belongings, which is especially important in school environments where personal responsibility is encouraged. This independence not only boosts their self-esteem but also instills a sense of organization and orderliness from an early age.

Customization and Personalization

High-quality name labels, including innovative options like name stamps for clothes, provide an invaluable solution to the age-old problem of lost items. In the whirlwind of childhood activities, these labels emerge as unsung heroes, offering parents a sense of peace and assurance. The beauty of these labels lies not just in their durability and functionality but also in the myriad ways they can be customized to suit a child's unique preferences.

Cost-Effective Solutions

While high-quality name labels might seem like a small investment, they are incredibly cost-effective in the long run. Consider the cumulative cost of replacing lost items throughout a school year. From clothing to stationery, these expenses can add up significantly. High-quality name labels drastically reduce the frequency of these replacements, saving parents both money and the hassle of constantly replacing lost items.

In the whirlwind of childhood activities, high-quality name labels offer parents a sense of peace. The knowledge that their child's belongings are clearly marked and easily identifiable provides reassurance. It's a small but powerful tool that promotes organization, independence, and responsibility in children while saving parents from the frustrations of lost items. Investing in high-quality name labels is not just about preventing lost items; it's about instilling valuable life skills and fostering a sense of orderliness that will benefit children throughout their lives. So, equip your child's belongings with these tiny yet transformative labels and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a well-organized, labeled life.

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Must Have Items for Your Classroom

Teachers are always looking for ways to inspire and teach their students. There are the tried-and-true methods that teachers have used for decades; however, very often teachers look for something new and different to shake things up a bit for both themselves and their students.  Luckily, there are some amazing products out there that can help you make the classroom more interesting for all of you. Read on for some classroom products that are much better than just a pencil and paper!

A Trundle Wheel

What is a trundle wheel, you may ask? A trundle wheel is a handle attached to a wheel. Your students can push the wheel and measure a surface, with a clicking sound at each specific measurement. It’s a great way for kids to really understand measurements and find out exactly how far a meter is. It is one of those things that kids can’t wait to get their hands on, and once they do, they won’t even realize they are learning.
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Blocks That Get Them Moving

Every teacher knows that if kids have to sit at their desks and pay attention for too long, their ability to learn, think, and remember deteriorates rapidly. When they get antsy, they can’t concentrate, and some of them act out in an attempt to get rid of that energy. Get them out of their seats with a teacher-approved method, and get them moving and laughing with classroom brain-break activity dice. These big foam blocks have instructions on each side that range from encouraging activity (pretend to jump rope) to encouraging laughter (crawl like a baby for one minute). Allow a few minutes with the blocks as a reward as an end-of-the-day activity for them to look forward to or on the fly on a day when you notice they just can’t sit still.

Moon Lamp

Almost every classroom has a globe that shows the kids the earth, but how about a “globe” for the moon?  Moon lamps are a three-dimensional way to show the surface of the moon, and having one in the classroom is sure to inspire wonder, imagination, creativity, and lots of questions about astronomy. The moon lamp lights up and can even change colors.
As a teacher, you know that a variety of fun things in the classroom helps to inspire learning and fun. Make your classroom a place the kids can’t wait to come to every day!

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Rocketbook Is The Last Notebook You Will Ever Have To Buy (Giveaway)

We are deep into back-to-school season over here. Many of you might have purchased new clothes, shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, and school supplies. There is one item that I bet you didn't get. How about a notebook that will last a lifetime? The Everlast notebook by Rocketbook provides a classic pen and paper experience that is built for the digital age. Although it feels like a traditional notebook, the Everlast is endlessly reusable and connected to all of your favorite cloud services.
When you write using any pen from the Pilot Frixion line, your writing sticks to Everlast pages like regular paper. Use the Rocketbook app to scan your notes into editable documents and automatically save them to your favorite cloud services including Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote, to name a few. Rocketbook allows students to document their notes and illustrations in an efficient and environmentally-friendly way. Since it's reusable, Rocketbook will last a lifetime.

We are definitely old-fashioned pen and paper people in my home, so I was eager to test the Rocketbook out for myself. I love that I can take notes or work out math problems while helping my son with his home school math lessons. I realize that we were going through way too much scratch paper, and it was such a big waste. Now we can work out problems, and wipe clean with a damp paper towel with zero waste! The size is perfect if you are traveling or have a need for a notebook while on-the-go.

Rocketbook makes different sized notebooks and notepads, and offers pens and accessories to go along with them. This would make the perfect gift for any student, teacher, or for friends or family who are big on earth-friendly products. I mean how can you go wrong with a notebook that will last a lifetime? Check out the video below to see the Rocketbook in action.

Purchase your Rocketbook on their website or Amazon.

Giveaway: One lucky reader will win one (1) Everlast notebook from Rocketbook, and one (1) 3-pack of Pilot Frixion gel pens ($41 value).
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only and ends on Oct 14, 2018. Must follow rules in Rafflecopter. One winner will be chosen randomly. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!
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Get ready for back-to-school with Fiskars #ad

As we near the end of July, it's time to start preparing for back-to-school. This means clothing, shoes, backpacks and school supplies. My kids have always enjoyed buying school supplies even if they aren't overly enthusiastic about going back to long school days and homework. I'm a big believer in buying quality school supplies and don't mind paying a little more for items that will last longer. Fiskars school scissors have been the only brand I have purchased since the pre-school days. My youngest child had the training scissors that were so important in helping his little hands master how to cut paper. 
Fiskars makes sizes and varieties for all different needs. I love the fun bold colors they now make. The quality is the same that it has always been. I don't think my kids have ever broken a pair of Fiskars scissors before. They are just that durable.
I love the non-stick blades. They give a clean cut. 
Fiskars is currently running a giveaway on their Facebook page to win a set of Kids Scissors for the entire class! Parents or teachers can enter. Wouldn't you want your kids' class to have high-quality scissors that will last all year long? It took me less than a minute to enter.
I can't believe how many different types of cutting implements they make. I have my eye on some of the mixed-media and fabric shears. I may have to treat myself! Yes, I get excited over cutting tools! Oh and you crafting mamas would drool over the selection. You can find the Fiskars brand at many retailers nationwide and of course you will see all the kids' scissors in the back-to-school section. Now that I think about it, a new sharp pair of scissors might be a nice thing to give my little one's teacher as a gift. Check out the Fiskars website and connect on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

I received products samples from Fiskars in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 
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Start school the "write" way with BIC back-to-school product line-up (Giveaway) CLOSED

Contest Closed. Winner is Help! Mama Remote...
It's back-to-school time all over the country. We have been preparing for weeks as the kids head back next week. I was so lucky to receive the entire back-to-school line-up of products from BIC. Having one in high school and two in college (husband included), it is important to have good quality writing tools for the tremendous amount of writing they all do. BIC has so many choices for every one of your writing needs. Below are details about each product as well as my personal thoughts. 
BIC Tech 2-in-1 Stylus and Pen:
I really like this a lot. It is perfect to attach to my tablet so that I have a 2-in-1 option especially when I am on the go! The pen writes smoothly and the stylus glides across the touch screen easily. My daughters had to fight me on this one. I won though! This innovative product is available in a one-pack with a SRP of $4.99, and a two-pack with a SRP of $7.97.

BIC Automatic Mechanical Pencil:
The BIC Automatic Mechanical Pencil makes it easy to retract and protect lead with just one click of the clip at the top of the barrel, which means no more broken lead at the bottom of your new backpack!

This innovative and refillable mechanical pencil offers a modern look with a clear barrel and colorful accents, as well as a textured grip zone for comfortable and controlled writing. Perfect for standardized tests with its number two lead, the BIC Automatic Mechanical Pencil is available in 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm lead sizes and has a suggested retail price (SRP) of $3.29 for a one-pack and $5.99 for a two-pack.

Both of my daughter use them and really prefer the mechanical pencil over the traditional wooden pencil. It is a must-have for them!

BIC For Her Gel and Marker Pens:
BIC for Her Gel and Marker pens offer beautifully smooth writing that will pass any test!

• BIC for Her Gel pens have stylish accents and a beautifully designed barrel, a contoured rubber grip for comfortable writing and a floral design embossed on the tip of the pen to help her express her style.  Available in a 0.7 mm medium point in blue, black, and new pink and purple inks, BIC For Her Gel pens have a SRP of $4.69 for a two-pack. Me and my teens LOVE these! They write so smoothly and we love the very girly look of it.

• BIC for Her Marker pens feature black, pink and purple inks for precise and creative writing. With its pearlescent designed barrel and sleek metal clip, the BIC for Her Marker pen is the perfect writing instrument to help her express her style. BIC for Her Marker pens have a SRP of $4.69 for a three-pack. My high school daughter snatched these up because she said they are perfect for precise details for her honors art class projects.

BIC Brite Liner Highlighter Tape:
BIC Brite Liner tape is re-inventing the way we highlight! This fluorescent tape adds vibrant highlights without bleeding through paper.  It also erases easily, making it convenient to use on textbooks. Available in the most popular highlighter colors, fluorescent pink or yellow, the BIC Brite Liner Highlighter Tape has a SRP of $2.29 for a one-pack and $4.59 for a two-pack.Our entire family was impressed with this. It's nice to not have your highlighting destroy your actual writing. Very cool item!

BIC Round Stic Grip:
One of the favorite back-to-school standbys has a new look, and is now offered with pink, purple, turquoise and lime green fashion inks!  Perfect for everyday writing, the BIC Round Stic Grip pen is offered in both fine and medium points and has eight unique ink colors to choose from, which are indicated by the color of the pen’s cap and grip. With a SRP of $2.19 for an eight-pack, the BIC Round Stic Grip pen provides comfortable writing at an exceptional value.

BIC Z4+ Roller:
BIC Z4+ Roller pen also has a new look, offered in black, blue and assorted ink colors in .7mm fine point.  Look for the neon ink colors, which provide smooth writing and a visible ink supply. These roller pens are amazing! I love the assortment of colors we all like to write in our planners in a different color per subject/topic/category.

Fun and fashionable, the BIC Z4+ roller pens offer a unique style and precise writing. These are perfect for my husband. He has always been a big fan of fine and smooth pens. BIC Z4+ Roller has a SRP of $8.29 for a four-pack and a SRP of $9.45 for a neon ink five-pack.
Confession: My family had a nerd moment when we laid our eyes on these fabulous writing tools! 

We really love all of the products overall. I can't even pick a favorite! I think the most impressive part is the pricing. Writing utensils can be very expensive and I feel like BIC's prices are reasonable for the great quality you get. You can't go wrong with that! 

I am thrilled to be able to give away one set of the BIC back-to-school line-up to one lucky reader. Enter below: 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 26, 2013. One winner will be selected at random and contacted by email to claim prize. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received items from BIC for review purposes. All opinions are my own and no additional compensation was received.  
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Getting prepared for kindergarten

I can't believe the time is closing in on us. William starts kindergarten next month and he is so excited. He does still have some days where he tells me he thinks he will just stay home with me forever and I tell him he has to be a big boy. To say that I have been emotional is an understatement! The whole family has been pitching in to help William get prepared for going to school. Daddy has been working on reading and memory and the girls help with coloring, writing and organization. Together, all of the little things are helping to build William into being more independent and well-prepared for school.
Since William still have some issues with eating certain foods that the average kid would eat, I invested in a hot food jar for his lunch. I ordered all Spider-man themed lunchbox stuff from Amazon . I also ordered a small sized back pack from L.L.Bean with his name embroidered. I received a lot of recommendations about the brand. I love that they never charge you for shipping and stand behind their products 100%.
When William tried his back pack on for the first time, we all thought we were going to cry! I have him pack small items and take it with us each time we go anywhere in the car. I figured since he has not had the need for one before now, he needs practice with it. The same goes with his lunch items. Each day I will pack his lunch and he will get the hang of using his lunchbox and food jar. All we can do is encourage him as much as possible. It will be a big transition for all of us!

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Scotch-Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes for back-to-school


It's back-to-school time and this means new clothes, school supplies, books and of course, all those pesky germs. I think almost every school year from kindergarten all the way to middle school, one of my girls got sick during the first week back.
This year, I will be sending the teachers things like Kleenex and Scotch-Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes. These wipes kill 99.9% of household germs and can be used around kids, pets and food. They leave no residue, don't require rinsing and are made from botanically pure plant extracts. It's nice to be able to breathe easily while you clean.

You can find these wipes at most Walmart stores and other retailers as well. They are priced at around $2.99 for 35 wipes and $4.99 for 75 wipes. I did see them last week at Walmart for $1.97 for the 35 count. I bought one for my husband to keep in his desk in the event someone uses his phone or computer. You can't beat one step sanitizing. These are so convenient and I am sure your child's teachers would appreciate them in the classroom!

Stay connected with Scotch-Brite via the web, Facebook and Twitter to learn about new products and special offers. Also be sure to grab a coupon here to help you stock up.

I hope your kids have a great new school year with fewer illnesses!

I received a product sample for review and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.
Shelly, Mom Files
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Back to School Basics: Is a Tablet Necessary?

I wanted to share some interesting information with you all from Andrea Eldridge, on the subject of if your child can benefit from a tablet for school use.

As parents everywhere prepare to send sons and daughters back to school, they want to arm them with the best possible resources. For many families, computers or tech gadgets are alongside clothes, pens and paper on the list of purchases to budget for. As tablets grow in popularity, you may be wondering if your student would benefit from having an iPad or inexpensive back to school tablets like a Kindle Fire, Google Nexus or Barnes and Noble Nook in their book bag.

As I’ve explored in previous articles, tablets can play a role in our children’s education. Studies have shown that playing certain educational games can improve test scores. Access to the internet (when in range of a wireless signal) can give your student instant answers to any of her queries, or make quick work of finding ideas for a science project. Office-style programs, while limited, can even provide the ability to write reports or create presentations and email them to her teacher.

However, the overall value of a low-end tablet to pre-college level students is limited and handing your child unfettered access to the internet is a dangerous proposition. The portability of tablets makes it all too easy for Jr. to head off to his room to research that paper, only to end up somewhere you’d rather he didn’t explore on the internet. A common area computer allows you to more easily monitor his activity or better yet, install parental control software to set some limits. Parental controls on tablets are minimal, typically restricting access to certain apps, but not limiting exposure online.

It’s difficult to use a tablet for the kind of school work your pre-college age child will be focused on. Most teachers won’t allow the tablet to be used in-class, and even if they are permitted your child won’t likely have access to WiFi. While the starting price is low (beginning at around $200 for the Fire, Nexus or Nook), you’ll have to add on a Bluetooth keyboard for typing papers and a sturdy case to minimize the risk of damage from bumps and drops. Printing is a challenge and while the programs available to integrate with Word, Excel and Powerpoint give you basic document and presentation production capability, many are limited in their function, particularly when you aren’t in range of a WiFi network. For a tablet running Android, you’ll be best served by investing $20 in Quickoffice HD Pro while iPad users can install Pages, Numbers or Keynote depending on the functionality needed (iTunes app store, $9.99 each).

When it comes to your college-age student on the other hand, there may be some definite advantages to adding a tablet to their arsenal. Using a stylus with certain note taking applications converts handwritten notes to searchable text, while drawings become images that can be inserted into future reports and projects. Their ultra-portability makes them the ideal addition to a backpack and professors typically don’t limit their use in the classroom. Spring for a pricier iPad and your co-ed can utilize iTunes U, the “world’s largest online catalog of free education content from leading institutions”. Even if their specific lessons aren’t posted through the app, they can access virtual lectures, videos and books from the leading minds in education at Stanford, Yale, MIT and many more.

 Finally, many college-level courses expect work to be submitted electronically which is far easier for a tablet user to accommodate than the printouts and tangible paperwork expected of younger students. The “WiFi everywhere” atmosphere at most college campuses also leads tablet users to be more productive than when they’re unable to access the internet. While it would take some getting used to and some working around its limitations, a college student with a Bluetooth keyboard, office-style productivity suite and cloud-based backup and syncing service could definitely benefit from having a tablet at their fingertips. Some may even be able to get by without a laptop or PC.

So what do you think? Are you sending your kids to school with a tablet? 


About the Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World.

Shelly, Mom Files
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Office Depot Foundation to Donate 400,000 New Sackpacks This Year

Every day, millions of kids carry their stuff to school in plastic grocery bags because they can’t afford a backpack. One innovative way to tackle this problem is to put free backpacks or sackpacks into the hands of children who need them the most. Suddenly, they’re just like other kids. Suddenly, they have hope.

During the past 11 years, the Office Depot Foundation has provided more than 2.5 million backpacks to deserving children in local communities across North America and as far away as China through its National Backpack Program. The Foundation will mark the 12th anniversary of the program this year by giving away approximately 400,000 colorful new sackpacks containing essential school supplies – the most it has ever donated in a single year. But while these numbers are very large, the sackpacks make an impact on a singular level − one child at a time.

It is so wonderful when big corporations help out communities in need. You can learn more at the Office Depot Foundation website.




Shelly, Mom Files
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