One of my struggles as a mom is knowing what to buy for my son. With everything going on in the world, parents are now having to examine their child’s toys (remember the LOL Dolls controversy?) and read the labels of every product, since many that claim to be safe or healthy really aren’t.
In fact, I used a teething gel and sunscreen on my son that I later learned were both FULL of harmful things. It was like a punch in the gut. Now, I make more of an effort to get good recommendations from likeminded friends and from my own research. I thought I’d share a few things that have impressed me as my son transitioned from baby to toddler…
- DYPERS. I discovered these late in the game, but I’m glad I’m getting the benefits of Dypers now. The diapers are free of chlorine, latex, alcohol, lotions, TBT or Phthalates. They’re unprinted, unscented, soft to the touch, but-and I can attest to this– extremely durable and absorbent. They are made of Bamboo, which means they can be returned for composting!
I don’t worry about his little bottom getting irritated or breaking out into a rash from the materials his diapers are made of, and these seem to be much softer than the usual brand I was buying. Healthier all the way around, and they can be ordered to come to your home consistently. (And you can pause during potty training if need be!)
- SmartMax My First Animal Train. It’s been a challenge to find toys for a 1-2 year old that I feel totally comfortable with him playing with if I turn my back for a second. The SmartMax brand on Amazon had incredible ratings for age 1+, and my boy loves trains, so I felt confident this would be a winner. And it is! It’s a STEM toy, teaching him simple engineering with the magnetic parts. He can connect the train cars, build the animals, and learn how magnets work. You can purchase additional animals and parts to create an even bigger train circus. (Since it was deemed safe for 1+, I don’t worry about him choking on parts or encountering anything sharp.) He loves putting the animals in the train cars and adding other toys as “cargo”. We practice learning all the colors with this toy as well since they are a rainbow of them. This won Toy of the Year a few years back, so for $32, I think it’s an awesome find.
- NosiBoo. I’m not exaggerating when I say this little gadget changed the game for us when it comes to snotty, stuffed up little noses. Everyone told us to get the Nose Frida, which we did. But at the end of the day, it just wasn’t working as well as we hoped it would. For a low cost option, Frida is still your best bet. But if you are willing to invest some coin into Nosiboo, I can tell you that you won’t be disappointed. Our son is in a day school, so he brings home the little colds and viruses that kids pick up. His nose gets very snotty and stuffed, and this suctions the mucus from his nose very gently. It has control button, so the suction power can be adjusted to match the age of the child and the thickness of the mucus. And as always, safety comes first! The maximum suction power was determined by ENTs to guarantee that absolutely no harm can be done by overuse or misuse. It’s $149, but can be used for years and years as kids grow. Hands down, our best discovery as parents and we tell everyone about it!
I hope these help you…and as always, please send me YOUR recommendations, too! I’m always on the hunt for the next fun, safe, and great thing to make life better for us and our little guy.
Photography: S. Jackson
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