Budget Travel Magazine recently reported on The National Transportation Safety Board’s recommendation that all passengers, including children under the age of two, have their own seats on planes. This means infants would no longer be allowed to sit in their parents laps, and they would no longer fly for free.
Here is an excerpt from the story:

The NTSB released its official recommendation to FAA earlier this week, listing numerous occasions when airplane passenger injuries and fatalities could have been minimized by the use of restraint devices (i.e. seatbelts). Oddly enough, many of the examples listed involve passengers over the age of 2, who would not qualify as lapchildren.

What do you think?

• For the safety of everyone, should the lapchild be banned?  Yes or no?
• Should parents be required to buy seats for infants and toddlers, and secure them either in car seats (which often don’t fit in a cramped plane), or in an over-the-shoulder CARES restraint device (which are designed for kids weighing 22 to 44 pounds)?
• Should the airlines be forced to make some provisions for the safety of kids, perhaps even by offering special seatbelts for tiny travelers?

View more on this story here on Budget Travel Magazine.

My thoughts on the Lapchild

I prefer to have Madelyn in a car seat when flying.  I feel like she’s safer being strapped in via a 5-point harness than on my lap.  I’m not confident that I would be able to hold on to Madelyn and keep her from flying out of my arms, hitting her head, or falling, in the case that we hit severe turbulence.. or worse.  I’d rather save up and pay for an extra airplane ticket/seat than take the risk of Madelyn not being as safe as I think she could be during a flight.

Thank you to Lisa from Budget Travel Magazine for the heads up on this story.

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Wow!  What a great call!

During the interview Selena and Joey told me what the most daring thing they’ve ever done was, what Selena does in her downtime, and I learned when Selena’s next album is going to be released.
The girls were so sweet and took time to talk even though they are attending the Premios Juventud Awards Show in Miami tonight.  I will post some Q&A here as I transcribe them a bit later.

Joey King is the cutest thing.  I couldn’t help but to smile and giggle a lot during the interview as she’s so enthusiastic and energetic.

Selena Gomez and Joey King from Ramona and Beezus movie

Selena Gomez and Joey King Interview Q & A:

Q: What is your favorite thing to do in your down time?

Selena’s Answer: I love my family.. being with my family. I like to hang out with my family and friends, have fun, and eat junk food.

Q: What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done?

Joey King’s answer: “I went indoor skydiving!  It was so fun!”
Selena Gomez’s answer: “I think my job is pretty daring.  Don’t you think getting up on stage in front of thousands of people and performing is daring?”, she said.  As a matter of fact, I do!

Q: What was your favorite scene to film for Ramona and Beezus?

Both girls said that the ‘bedroom scene’ was their favorite. I guess you’ll have to see the movie to know what the bedroom scene is!

Q: Do you get nervous before going on stage?  How do you deal with nervous feelings?

Selena Gomez’s answer: “I get nervous all of the time.”  Selena’s Mom taught her to use the feeling of nervousness.  Selena likes to talk about her nervous feelings before a show or shoot.

Q: Is the movie based on one Ramona and Beezus book?

Both girls answered: The movie is based on key moments in 7 Ramona and Beezus books of which there are thousands.

More interview details coming soon.

I just got off the phone with Selena Gomez and Joey King! 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!

Live in Atlanta?  Find an Atlanta summer camp for your child on our local site, AtlantaMoms.com.

There are lots of  options when it comes to choosing a summer camp making the selection process potentially tedious. The most important thing to consider when choosing a summer camp is your child’s personality and interests. She is the one who’s going to the camp so it is only logical that she choose what camp she attends, however don’t forget about the safety of your child.. always visit the camps your child is interested in before signing up.

Parents should keep in mind the security and safety of their child. It is important to know where the camp will be held, the hours of the camp, if the counselors/teachers are CPR and first aid certified (not always necessary.. important for sports camps though) and what activities the kids will be participating in.   And always consider if the camp will fit your child’s personality. Once you are 100% sure that the summer camp your child has chosen to attend fits her personality and is safe, then she is good to go!

What types of summer camps are available?

Academic camps are the most popular type of summer camp. From math camps to science camps, academic summer camps are sure to boost your child’s confidence, social skills, all the while prepping her for her next year at school.  Technology and computer camps are the very popular among kids these days as well.

If your child is selecting a summer camp based on her interests, it is important to consider what kind of activities she would like to engage to ensure that her time at camp is enjoyable, educational, and socially beneficial. It is important that your child will learn new things and meet new people with similar interests.

If your child loves sports, a lot of camps offer lessons in different kinds of sports like football, basketball, swimming, and tennis, among others. Moreover, there are also summer camp classes for beginner martial arts, and also for those who have previously learned the art.

If your child enjoys music, you’ll want to look in to music and band camps which teach children to play various instruments and some work with campers to develop their singing talent. Acting and dancing summer camps are also popular among kids.

Arts and crafts, and theatre summer camps are great confidence boosting summer camps as kids feel are able to show their talent in drawing, painting, sculpting, and making crafts. At art and theatre camps kids are given the opportunity to improve on what they believe they are good at which boosts kids’ confidence.

Choosing a summer camp should be taken seriously and parents and their child should meet the camp counselors and/or teachers before camp begins to make sure that everyone is comfortable and confident in their summer camp choice.

Find summer camps on AtlantaMoms.com.

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Enter to win a beautiful Crystal & Silver bracelet from Mommy Bracelets valued at $69.

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Click here to open the contest entry form in a new window.

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Here is a list of things my kids use everyday or almost everyday:

• Nalgene Sippy cups (my 3 year old, not my 10 year old!) – See this
• The kids wear mostly Old Navy, Gap, and Children’s Place clothes
• My 10 year old uses a Philips Sonicare toothbrush made for kids – See this
• My son uses a Compaq or Toshiba laptop, whichever he prefers that day. They are both old. He’s not that spoiled!
• tatutina dishware – See this

• Zoocchini dishware – See this
• Tots and Tails Designs baby blanket – My 3 year old carries these everywhere.. literally
• Britax car seat – See this
• Nurf guns – See this

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Getting a puppy is a huge decision and one to not be taken lightly.  This is the time of year when a lot of parents decide to get a puppy and a site to visit pre and post puppy purchase/adoption is Puppy Training Guide.  This site covers all types of puppy training topics including socializing and housebreaking a new puppy. If you are going to get a puppy, especially if you have kids, it is extremely important to understand the ins and outs of owning and caring for a puppy. 

Here is a snippet from the “An Introduction to Training Your Puppy” article on Puppy Training Guide:

When you first get a new puppy, aside from the excitement of taking home a cute and loveable new friend, one of the things that you must consider is how you are going to deal with puppy training. There are a lot of different ways that you can approach puppy training, and whichever one you decide to use, it’s important to remember that training your puppy is one of the most valuable and rewarding things that you can do to build the greatest possible relationship with your new best friend.

Puppy training isn’t just about teaching your dog to go outside to go to the toilet. It’s also about teaching your dog about acceptable behaviors, and how to respond to you as its master. This means that when you are training your puppy you will be teaching it to learn some basic commands, such as sit and stay, and also having fun by learning how to walk on a leash and play fetch with a favorite toy.

As far as puppy training website’s go Puppy Training Guide is definetely one of the best and is one to bookmark.  I’m sure the author will keep adding new, useful articles often.
Puppy Training Guide is an information packed website great for new and experienced puppy owners.  The site’s uncluttered design, great puppy training articles, and the author’s personable writing style make it easy to navigate and to remember.. you’ll remember what website to go to for advice the next time your puppy has an accident!  I recommend turning to Puppy Training Guide for information both pre and post puppy purchase/adoption so you familiarize yourself with the reality of owning a puppy.

If you have an older child, age 10+, and are considering getting a puppy it would be great to print a few of the articles and have your child read them so you are sure he/she has is aware of the time and responsibility involved in owning a puppy, whether theirs or yours.  Puppy Training Guide will provide both you and your kids with knowledge and confidence when it comes to your new puppy!

Puppy Training Guide – a website review just in time for those Christmas puppies! 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!