As a seasoned traveler, “Mr. Daddy,” a.k.a. Robert Nickell, knows how stressful it can be to voyage with small children, and during the holidays it often becomes a requirement. Don’t get caught up in the stress this year. Follow these tried and true tips for ensuring easy travel with your kids this holiday season.

Whether you’re flying or driving to your travel destination this holiday season, here are a few reminders to help you and your children get where you’re going smoothly and happily.

• Preparations Are Key:
  Make sure your family knows of this year’s holiday plans well in advance so they are able to collect their favorite movies, download their favorite music and pack up their favorite stuffed animals. Your itinerary should be solidly planned out with a little extra room for hiccups and delays. If you’re driving, purchase a road atlas for your car, print out directions from Google Maps, or program and update your GPS system, and check on road conditions and closures due to weather in advance so you know what you’re getting yourself into.
• Packing:
  When it comes to packing it’s all about being organized. And, as it turns out, one of the more difficult activities when traveling is packing in an organized fashion. You will need to decide how many suitcases you’ll be packing and who will be responsible for what bags or belongings. Don’t wait until the last-minute to pack, start early. Remember to pack up a bag full of snacks and goodies to have on-hand during your travels. Whether on a plane or in a car, getting into baggage once the journey’s begun might not be a viable option. We also stick a pair of pajamas in the on-hand bag. Most of the time, our traveling stretches into the night; changing from day clothes into pajamas while traveling at night helps kids feel more comfortable.
• Entertainment:
  Chances are your child is going to get bored and burnt-out while traveling, so, as the parent, it’s your responsibility to have a handful of tricks up your sleeve. Toys, puzzles, games and books are great sources of entertainment on the go. Stick a few surprises in your on-hand travel bag so that you can head-off your fidgety child before boredom turns into a meltdown. When you’re driving during daylight, you and your child can watch license plates, keep track of the different colors of cars you pass or listen to a book on tape. When in the airplane, booklets of mazes and coloring books can be extremely helpful when it comes to keeping kids entertained. It doesn’t hurt to have a favorite movie on your iPod or portable DVD player to pop on when your child gets sleepy.
• Keep in Mind:
  Your kids are going to be exhausted from traveling, so allow them ample time to rest. More than likely, you will be having more activity than a typical day at home would consist of, so keep a close eye on your children to see when they’ve had enough. Traveling can put stress on our bodies and immune systems, so make sure you all drink lots of water and try to eat healthy. Remember you’re on vacation with your children. Plan out some special, kid-friendly activities you know they’ll love and enjoy!

Make sure you explain everything to your children in advance so there are no surprises upon stepping onto an airplane for the first time or visiting the snow. Your child will feel more comfortable, safe and secure if they know what to expect in advance. Remember to be flexible and have a little fun – nothing ever goes quite according to plan, so be prepared for a few minor hiccups and roll with the punches.

Nickell is the writer of a weekly parenting blog where he writes on topics such as bonding with your child, and what the father should expect during pregnancy and infancy. He writes from a man’s perspective and keeps dad engaged throughout his children’s lives.

Nickell is also the founder of DaddyScrubs, a line of fashionable hospital attire for the expectant father to wear during labor and delivery. He is the father of five children, and his practiced advice has been heard on TV and radio shows around the country.

These tips may be reprinted when credited to Robert Nickell, a.k.a. “Mr. Daddy,” father of six, founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds for dads, and the Daddyscrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting and the latest baby and kids gear, all from a Dad’s perspective.

To learn more about Mr. Daddy or to read additional blogs, visit blog.daddyscrubs.com. Visit DaddyScrubs.com to view apparel and gift items.

This is a guest post.

‘MR. DADDY’ Makes Holiday Travel with the Family Stress-Free! is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

I struggle with finding the perfect gift for my husband ever since he made gave me beautifully framed photographs of our kids with a little paragraph he wrote about how great our life is in the middle of the photos, for Mother’s Day. How do you top that?  Well, I try.. every year.  This year I think I’ll feel like I’m at his level of gift giving because I’m giving him these ‘reasons I love dad collar stays‘ from RedEnvelop.com.  These are pretty cool and he will use them, 5 days a week!

The 12 stainless steel collar stays come in two sizes (2 ½” and 2 ¾”) and are tucked beautifully inside a compact travel case made of espresso bonded leather and espresso faux-suede interior.  I had the case debossed with his initials which I know he’ll love. He likes personalized things.  I think it’s because you lose your identity when you have kids so any reminder of who you are, is great!

Messages on the collar stays include “I love you because”…

• you “helped” me with my homework
• you checked under the bed for monsters
• you can “fix” almost anything
• you gave me piggy back rides
• you are my biggest fan
• and more..

Some other bestselling gifts on RedEnvelope.com are the locket cuff links, Here’s To Dad gift basket, and personalizable pocket watch.

For more unique gift ideas for dad and if you are looking for Father’s Day gifts on a budget visit RedEnvelope.com.

About RedEnvelope

• RedEnvelope website
• RedEnvelope Facebook page

Disclosure:  I received the ‘reasons I love dad collar stays‘ from RedEnvelope for review purposes.  All opinions are 100% and were not influenced by compensation.

Father’s Day Gift Idea – ‘reasons I love dad’ collar stays from RedEnvelope.com is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

If you are looking for a Father’s Day or Granduation gift that will last a lifetime, a Cross pen is it.  I spoke at a conference about five years ago and received a Cross pen as a ‘thank you’ gift and still have it and use it to this day.  Now I have two beautiful Cross pens and feel spoiled.  What’s the big deal, you ask? When you write with a Cross pen, you won’t miss a beat.  You know how sometimes you’ll be writing and your cheap pen will skip or the ink will clump up on the end of the pen?  That does not happen with a Cross pen.

The weight of Cross pens is perefectly distributed for a comfortable hold resulting in steady, smooth penmanship.  I prefer a narrow pen whereas my husband prefers a wider, heavier, more weighty pen, both of which Cross offers plenty of.  Cross pens are available in Rollerball, Fountain, and Ballpoint writing styles and they offer many different pen styles/designs including sporty, executive, classic, and retro.  I prefer the classic and retro styles.

Cross even has the perfect writing instrument for multi-tasking Moms.. the Tech 3 Frosty Pink Multi-Function pen.  This pen can switch from black ink to red ink to a pencil with the twist of the barrel and all three are sure to product superior results.  I love it! I think I need an engraved Tech 3.

Shop for a Cross pen for the Father and/or Graduation in your life on the Cross website and don’t fret.. refills are available at the Cross website also!

COUPON CODE

Visit cross.com to save 20% on regularly-priced items and get free shipping with coupon code “SHOPCROSS”. For a list of participating offline retailers, visit www.cross.com/bzz.

Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by BuzzAgent Juno on behalf of Cross and received a free Cross pen as a thank you for my participation.

A Cross Pen – The Perfect Father’s Day and/or Graduation Gift is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

If you have ever looked for a grooming device for your husband, and who hasn’t at one time or another, you can stop looking and get the best one I have found, period.

The Philips Norelco Suite has it all. A sleek power body, five cutting heads, and three hair length guides, all in a nicely designed, cleverly small display stand. The stand has a power connector that keeps the power body charged at all times, however, Norelco advises you to not charge the unit until it is almost out of juice. This is a little problem because you naturally want to put the power body in the stand. I’m not sure I get it. I suppose you could unplug the power from the outlet so no charge is getting to the power body.

The cutting edges are not the typical blades but instead a very tiny row of teeth that do the job. There is a standard 1 inch wide blade for trimming mustaches. There is a ¾ inch wide head for side burns and narrow areas, a 3/8 wide cutting head for very detailed cutting and engraving the hair into masterpieces. Certainly included is the obligatory ear and nose trimmer that nobody likes to admit to needing but are happy to have.

If you are into cutting your own hair or that of your kids there are three hair length guides that make quick work of the most demanding “customer”. The power body is equipped with slots for the hair length guides and a ratcheting device that lock it into the position you want so the result will be a consistent length and look. This is one of the greatest beard groomers I have seen and I suggest you look into the Philips Norleclo Grooming Group for a great gift idea.

Learn more about the Norelco All in 1 Grooming Kit at the Philips/Norelco website here.

Philips Norelco All-in-One Groomer is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

Be informed & be inspired by Being Dad.  Being Dad, the only DVD of its kind, offers expecting Dads more information than any book can explain and best of all it’s all from a man’s point of view.  Featuring interviews with new dads from all over the country, and easy-to-understand advice from experts, this DVD is one that expecting dads won’t mind watching time and time again. In fact, expecting dads will find Being Dad exceptionally entertaining, relieving, a
nd maybe a little shocking at times.  Relieving some fears and possibly bringing on new fears, Being Dad is an honest walk-through experience of expecting and new dad’s lives.

I was shocked that the actual birth of a baby was shown on Being Dad.  I knew the birth of my two children wasn’t the most beautiful sight in the world, but I NEVER imaged that the birth of my children was anything like the jaw dropping, mind blowing ‘action’ I saw in this movie.  Tim confirmed that indeed the birth of my two children was exactly like what is shown in Being Dad.  You definitely don’t want your kids in the room during certain parts of the movie. 

Shorter and less painful than the average labour, Being Dad is an 80 minute-DVD that will take expecting Dads through a miriad of emotions from happy to sad to ‘holy cow, what’s happening to my wife’?

Available at: Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com

Price: Approximately $26.99

Being Dad – An inspirational DVD for dads and moms-to-be. is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

What man doesn’t want a pair of Oakley’s?  When our testers put these on for the first time, I thought they all looked like spies.  It took me a while to get past the fact that they guys looked like 007 but once I did I realized that these are not only really great looking but they are also one of the coolest gadgets (for adults) that I’ve reviewed.

Oakley’s RAZRWIRE’s are the first ever eyewear to combine patented Oakley optics with Motorola wireless BLUETOOTH®  technology.  How gadgety does that sound?  A wearable link to your cellular phone, RAZRWIRE™
offers the freedom of mobile hands-free communication. The integrated
design frees you from cumbersome wires, allowing you to quickly answer
and place calls with the touch of a button.  RAZRWIRE’s detachable Motorola Bluetooth wireless headset lets active
and style conscious parents (and other consumers) experience hands-free, cable-free
communications which is a necessity when traveling to and from sports, ballet, school, and appointments. It is very important to use both hands when driving.

Our testers agreed that call clarity was not compromised nor was comfort.  RAZRWIRE sunglasses are not heavy and do not feel bulky said our testers.  The sunglasses proved to be comfortable for extended periods of time.

With RAZRWIRE™,
a hands-free link to your cellular phone is always at the ready, and
there’s no need to remove it between calls like a clumsy headset. The
technology you need is part of something you’re already wearing. RAZRWIRE™ is science wrapped in art that turns wireless mobility into fashion.

Thanks to Oakley, we are giving away a pair of RAZRWIRE’s to one lucky reader! Check back later  (April 1st 08) for details on how to enter to win.

Oakley RAZRWIRE sunglasses

Oakley RAZRWIRE sunglasses is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!