What do a game, a book, an app and a ride-on cow have in common? Well, they are all parent obsessions this month. Read on for more about each item and why it is parent-approved.
And if you have an obsession of your own, tell us about it. If we love your obsession as much as you do, you could win yourself $25 and a spot in an issue of Metro Parent!
Who Wins? Game
You get two historical figures with a short bio and some head-to-head attributes. Flip to a random battle and argue who you think will win. Even the 5-year-old twins got into this and had fun – and had good reasons for picking their favorite. We only played a few rounds today to keep it fresh and do a little bit each day. I feel like it teaches them about rhetoric, history, critical thinking and speech at the same time. But forget all that. It’s fun as heck! Case in point: We gave the hot-dog eating contest to Joan of Arc unanimously. While Eleanor Roosevelt may be very creative and smart, we felt her intelligence and her wealth (aka a bit fancy) worked against her, but we were worried about her competitive side with her field hockey past. But Joan was younger, fearless – and honestly, less intelligence sounds like a benefit to cramming hot dogs in your face. “Hang in there, Joan!” It’s $14.95 from Workman Publishing.
– Mary Barnes, mom of four in Ray Township
Hedstrom Cow Bouncer Ride-On
My 2 1/2-year-old loves her “moo moo.” We had recently moved and I needed something new to keep her interest while I was cleaning the new house and unpacking. These hoppers are really cute and fun. And best of all she was able to jump around an empty house and get really tired, which made for an easier nap time! They’re $34.99 at Target.
– Jenelle Dellario, mom of one in Grosse Pointe Woods
Life! By Design
I am completely obsessed with one book that I have read over and over again – and I know most new parents would agree that after having children and reading Life! By Design: 6 Steps to an Extraordinary You by Tom Ferry, it puts a lot of things into perspective. It also has helped me with remembering to maintain that passion and purpose in my life while also being a mother. Buy a copy for $20 at tomferry.com.
– Christen Jones, mom of one in Harrison Township
EWG’s Healthy Living App
I love the free Environmental Working Group app for my phone. I use it to look up healthy and safe baby products, shampoo and soaps, safe sunscreen, lowest pesticide foods, etc. I don’t have time to do this research myself so having a trusted source of information at my fingertips is so helpful! The website is also full of helpful guides from household cleaning products to water filters. Find the app at ewg.org/apps.
– Kelsey Ferrucci, mom of one in Novi
Is there something that your are nuts about? Tell us all about it. If we select your obsession, you could win $25 and a spot in an issue of Metro Parent!
