Tag: Bargains

Baby Talk: How to Encourage a Reluctant Older Sibling

 

Having a new baby is always so exciting, especially for the parents and grandparents. However, some kids are not quite as eager to meet their new tiny sibling.

I am currently pregnant with baby number 3, and I certainly remember how my oldest first reacted to the fact that we were going to have a new baby in the house – Let’s just say it didn’t go well. Since I have already lived through that experience, I am hoping that this one will be more smooth. Some new baby anger is inevitable, though the degree depends on the ages of the two (or three!) children, whether or not their personalities are similar, and quite a few other factors that may or may not apply in your own personal case.

Children over age three or four usually welcome a new baby into the home, and sometimes these children, at least on the surface, don’t seem to be jealous. For instance, my daughter just turned four, and she is very excited to meet the new baby, and she even said that she would change diapers! Being verbal helps them deal with the changes. However, it’s not unusual for kids younger than three to be upset for a while.

One of the best ways that I have found to “soften” the blow of having a new baby intruding into the household is to give both of my older kids more responsibilities and freedom. One of my daughter’s favorite things is jewelry, and I decided that it was about time she had a grown-up jewelry box. I was actually lucky enough to win a beautiful jewelry armoire  on DealDash. They have them up for auction every so often, and I was very happy to win the one in the white finish to match her bedroom furniture. If you’re interested in furniture of any type check out the Home, Garden, & Tools section on DealDash.

Acme Didi Jewelry Armoire, White FinishLinon Grace 4-Drawer Jewelry Armoire

 

My son will be 8 when my new baby is born, and I have already started giving him extra chores as an opportunity to prove how “grown up” he is, and he loves being able to earn extra ipad time in exchange for loading laundry or bringing in the garbage bins for me. If you’re looking for an ipad, try DealDash. They seem to have them up for auction almost daily.

Apple iPad mini 4 64GB Wi-Fi, Space Gray

Besides these small suggestions, the biggest one that I have is to try and spend the most time with your older kids as possible, before and after the baby arrives. Before the newbie is born tell your kids about when they were a baby. Even if they have heard the stories a million times before they still enjoy them. Look through old baby pictures, and if you have any of their old favorite outfits or toys bring them out and exclaim about how tiny and cute they were when they were babies…And how they are still cute, but so grown up now! When the baby is napping or with another family member try and take that time to spend some 1-on-1 time with your other children. Kids thrive on attention, so try to give them as much positive attention as you can on your limited time schedule.

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of how to deal with sibling rivalry with a new baby. If you’re looking for any baby or kid supplies check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to find some awesome products. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash

DealDash Loves Dogs

Did you know that 70-80 million dogs are owned in the United States, and that 37-47% of American households have a dog? It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.

With all of these canines in the US it’s really a great bonus for us that DealDash has pet supplies! They have so many different options that come up for bid that are dog related. DealDash frequently offers dog food, pet washing tubs, dog houses, dog beds, dog toys & chewies, pet trackers, pet bowls, and more.

Suncast Large Dog House Oscar Orthopedic Dog Bed, Large (36 x 48in.), CrimsonBooster Bath Dog Wash Tub Large

Of course, you don’t need to get all of those things when you first bring a new puppy or dog home, you can win or BIN them gradually. Dogs are relatively simple in their needs inside the home. Here’s a quick list of things that you will need for you new pet as well as a few bonus options.

  • Food & water bowl
  • Food
  • Collar, leash, name tag with phone number
  • Toys (optional)
  • Brush (optional)
  • Dog bed (optional)
  • Dog shampoo (optional, you can use baby shampoo)

As any dog owner knows, though, it’s hard not to treat your “baby” with some fun things in addition to the bare essentials. However, don’t forget that owning a dog also means visits to the vet for a check-up, shots, and spaying or neutering. Also, I would recommend that you sign up for obedience classes at your local pet store. No one enjoys being around a naughty dog – but most people love to see a well-behaved dog. Train your dog well and become an ambassador for the other doggies out there.

 

If your dog is a star in obedience class, they might have the right temperament to train to be a therapy dog. If you were looking for an activity that you and your dog could do together, being a therapy dog to go visit the sick or elderly could be a great experience for everyone involved.

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about what is involved in owning a puppy or dog. If you are in the market for dog beds, dog toys, a pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Home, Garden, & Tools” section and see what they have up for bid today. If you see something that you are interested in that DealDash is not currently offering up to bid, go ahead and click the “Alert Me” button and DealDash will send you a quick email when that particular item is going to be offered in the next few days. Simply follow the link and load up your bids into your BidBuddy! Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyFBbQrNLjA

 

Baby Talk: What Should Parents Have Waiting for the New Baby?

 

Having a baby is such a joyous occasion, sometimes new parents (or parents of older kids) forget what they should have waiting for the new baby when they come home from the hospital.

There are many things that you are going to need to make a new baby feel comfortable when they get home from the hospital. I’ve compiled a list of some of the things that I have found essential when I’ve brought my babies home. You might not need or want all of these items, but I found each and every one useful.

 

 

 

The very first thing you are going to need is non-negotiable. If you live in America and you are going to be driving your new baby home you absolutely need an infant car seat. There are some car seats made for just infants, and there are “convertible” car seats that can go from infant to baby to big kid. It just depends what you prefer. Be sure that you are buying a NEW car seat, used car seats are just not safe, especially if they have ever been in any kind of car crash. Also, car seats have expiration dates on them that you really need to pay attention and heed the warning sticker. When you are picking out your car seat make sure that you also pay attention to the weight limits on the seat. Make sure that you get a seat that will keep a baby as small as 6 pounds safe, you never know what the weight of your baby will be!

 

I’m sure that if you are expecting a baby you are probably well stocked with baby clothes, baby blankets, diapers, wipes, and bottles, and a crib, but have you picked up a bassinet or play yard that has a bassinet attachment yet? These items are extremely handy when the baby is 0-3 months, especially if the new Mommy plans on breast feeding. My daughter slept next to me in the bassinet for the first 3 months of her life, and it made it so much easier to tend to her needs during the night rather than have to go into her room down the hall. It might sound lazy to you, but she was a very bad sleeper, waking up 9+ times every night. As with the weight of your baby, you never know if you will have a good or bad sleeper, and it’s better to be prepared. If you choose the play yard with bassinet attachment then when the baby has outgrown sleeping in the attachment then you can take it off and you have a great playpen to stick the baby in while you are showering or cooking.

 

 

Another item that I found very useful was a baby swing. My kids only liked it up until about 6 months or so, but it was really very handy for calming them down when they were upset, or entertaining them for a bit so I could eat or get housework done. There are a few different styles, but they all have the same basic functions of swinging as well as playing music. Some are battery powered and others use a wall cord. If possible I would go with the wall cord option, my old swing took 4 D batteries at a time, and they really didn’t last very long when powering the swing, especially as my kids gained weight.

 

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what types of things that new parents should have waiting at home for their newborn. How about getting some of these essentials on DealDash? They have all types of items in many different categories there, check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to find some awesome products. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash

12 Weeks Until Thanksgiving, Time to Get Ready

It’s only 12 weeks until Thanksgiving! As a first-time Thanksgiving host for my family I have already started my prep, and I have learned a few tips along the way.

The first thing that I noticed when I began my Thanksgiving prep was that I just didn’t have the right tools to get the job done. I definitely needed to get a roasting pan for the turkey itself, but I was also in need of a selection of different sized casserole dishes to put all of my sides in to bake and serve. After all, what’s Thanksgiving without the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes? Luckily for me, DealDash has a great selection of kitchen items.

 

Speaking of delicious casseroles, here are a few recipes that you might like to try if you are going to be hosting your family’s Thanksgiving this year.

 

Classic Green Bean Casserole – This is probably the exact recipe that your Mother or Grandmother got off of a soup can 40 years ago.

Ingredients:

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk 
1 teaspoon soy sauce 
1 dash black pepper 
4 cups cooked cut green beans 
1 1/3 cups French’s® French Fried Onions 

Directions:

1- Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

2- Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

3- Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

You’re done! Even people who don’t normally like green beans usually enjoy this casserole.

Another favorite around the Thanksgiving table is another seasonal casserole, the Sweet Potato Casserole. If you aren’t familiar with Sweet Potato Casserole, it’s based on sweet potato pie, a favorite in the South. This famous Thanksgiving side dish has a delicious history. The marshmallows were added by Janet McKenzie Hill, the founder of the Boston Cooking-School Magazine, in 1917, when the marshmallow evolved from a specialty confection into an everyday treat. If you’ve never had it you should definitely give it a try this year. Here is a quick and easy recipe.

Ingredients:

4 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes 

2 tablespoons butter 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooking spray 

3 cups miniature marshmallows 

Directions:

1- Preheat oven to 425°.

2- Place sweet potatoes in a shallow baking pan lined with foil. Bake at 425° for 1 hour or until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

3- Peel sweet potatoes; place in a large bowl. Add butter and next 3 ingredients (through cinnamon); mash with a potato masher until pureed. Spoon potato mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

4- Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Top with marshmallows; bake an additional 10 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned.

That’s it! If you don’t tell the kids what it’s made of they will be sure to tear into the marshmellowy goodness.

If you are going to be hosting your family’s Thanksgiving this year be sure to check out DealDash. There are so many things there that you will be able to use for Thanksgiving dinner, but also be able to incorporate into your everyday use as well. Some examples of things you might want to look for in the kitchen section are: knife sets, pot & pan sets, cutlery, baking items, and much more. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

 

That’s My Pet: Cat

Did you know that over 60 million cats are owned in the United States, and that 30-37% of American households have a cat? It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.

In this DealDash Blog series we are highlighting different pets, give some basic facts about pet ownership, and hopefully help you make informed decisions about your new furry, feathered, or finned family member.

Today’s pet is the cat. Unlike some more unusual pets, everyone has owned or at least know someone who has owned a cat. However, it’s said that you never own a cat, you just share a home with them, feed them, empty their litter box, and if you’re lucky, occasionally get some affection from them.

I was just joking above, but it’s no laughing matter that a house cat needs it’s owner to survive.  Indoor cats are totally dependent on their owners for all their needs — food, water, medical attention, exercise, shelter, and even companionship. For many people the benefits of cat ownership outweigh the daily grind of chores, but for others, their lifestyles make it impossible, especially for people who like to travel for more than a long weekend.

Before you make the commitment to bringing home a new cat or kitten please keep in mind that they will not only need to be spayed or neutered, they will also need a variety of shots, the suggested core vaccines are feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies. In addition to shots it’s also advised that you apply a flea medication to them monthly. If your cat doesn’t ever leave the house or associate with other animals (such as a dog that goes outside to potty) then you might be able to get away with skipping the flea treatments.

Cats are relatively simple in their needs inside the home. Here’s a quick list of things that you will need for you new pet as well as a few bonus options.

  • Food & water bowl
  • Food
  • Litter box, litter, litter scooper
  • Scratching post (optional)
  • Toys (optional)
  • Brush (optional)
  • Cat bed (optional)

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about what is involved in owning a cat or kitten. If you are in the market for cat beds, cat toys, a pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Other” section and see what they have up for bid today. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!