Juno Baby - Giving Babies and Toddlers a Head Start (Home)

Welcome to the Juno Baby Blog!

Hello and welcome to the very first entry of our new Juno Baby blog!  Woo hoooooooo!  We are so excited about starting a blog and think that this could be a great place for us to connect with other parents directly and to provide some helpful hints on how to foster an early appreciation for music, share helpful research on child development, and to just chat.  Most importantly though, we'd love for our blog to be a place where parents can share their own stories, thoughts, tips, and opinions about parenting, family life, and whatever else happens to be on your mind.  We've been very fortunate to have such hip and enlightened customers!  You've given us extremely insightful suggestions and feedback that have helped shape the personality, look, and quality of Juno Baby.  We look forward to continuing this conversation with you so that we are able to create the best products we can for you and your families!  Again, welcome and please feel free to chime in!! 

Using Music and Sound for Enrichment in the Early Years

Many studies show that exposing children to music early on can greatly improve cognitive skills and abilities.  Even in the womb, babies are exposed to the likes of Mozart, Brahms, and even John Coltrane.  Music can enrich your child’s life in many ways.  Use some of the following ideas to engage your child with the power of music.

Let Them Experiment with Sound

If you can handle lots of noise, try getting out various pots, pans, and storage containers.  Allow your child to use different implements such as spoons (metal and wooden), spatulas, and pens and pencils to discover different sounds.  Connections will be made in your child’s developing brain, so let them bang the afternoon away.  Earplugs are certainly optional.

Make Instruments at Home

Perhaps the idea of letting the kiddos bang on pots and pans is a little too out there for you.  If this is the case, there are other options that use common household items to make fun instruments at home.  Take empty 16 or 20 ounce plastic bottles and fill them with beans, rice, pasta, or anything else that will shake and rattle.  The different sizes, weights, and shapes of the contents will deliver distinctive sounds. 

Expose Children to Multiple Genres

While many pop tunes these days may serve to over-stimulate young ears, there are so many genres worth exploring when it comes to your child.  Classical music is obviously a good place to start and can greatly affect a child’s mood.  Jazz is also purportedly great at helping to establish neural pathways and has been shown to enhance and assist in mathematical aptitude.  Ethnic music from around the world can also deliver unique sounds that your child may not experience on a regular basis.

Affordable Instrument

If you feel like purchasing instruments for your child to experiment with, go for inexpensive versions, especially when they are very young.  Big box stores often have value-priced toy aisles that feature affordable drums, guitars, and keyboards that are usually thirty dollars or less.  Thrift stores can be great places to find bargains on actual instruments.  However, you may want to save these items until the little ones are old enough to treat them well. 

This post was contributed by Courtney Phillips, who writes about accredited homeschools

She welcomes your feedback at CourtneyPhillips80 at gmail.com

 

Recession Special! Save 30%, 75%, or 100%

Hello Juno Baby Families!

 

Save 30% Right Now

We know, times are tough, the weather has been about as bleak as the economy and you've been cooped up in the house singing one too many verses of "The Wheels on the Bus".  Here's your chance to brighten up your day with fresh original music, quirky puppet friends, and loads of interactive fun!  For a limited time, you can get your Juno Baby groove on for 30% off!  Enter code 81394 at checkout to receive 30% off your total order when you shop at JunoBaby.com (offer expires March 22). 

 

Juno Baby Customers - Save 75% or 100%

OK, now for the part that may have piqued your interest a hair more.  For all former (and future) Juno Baby customers, you are halfway home to a free CD or 75% off our Juno Baby apparel.  Simply refer a friend and have them enter your email address in "friend's email" at checkout.  You may even click the "Forward to a Friend" button at the bottom of this email.  Once your friend places an order, you'll automatically be notified about your reward.  And feel free to share the 30% coupon code with them.  Just make sure your friend uses the email address you used for your original purchase.  It's that easy!

 

All the best to you and your families,

Belinda and Adam

Juno Baby 

Free Giveaway Winner for January!

Congratulations to Tina R. of Boston, MA!  She was Juno Baby's January winner of our monthly free giveaway contest.  Each month, a new member will be randomly selected and offered a Juno Baby product of their choice. This month, Tina chose Indie's Great Teddy Bear Hunt.  If you'd like to be entered for February, all you have to do is join the club!  By joining, you'll also be the first to know about special offers and receive an instant discount.

Pregnancy: What to do about swollen feet

Being pregnant changes your body in many ways.  Some of these ways are permanent, and others are more temporary.  One change your body goes through is the build up of excess fluids.  And, since your body and everything else on this planet must obey the law of gravity, it is inevitable that a certain percentage of your body's excess fluids will sink to your feet, hence swelling. 

So what can you do about it?

Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to entirely prevent fluid from settling in your feet.  But, there are a few things one can do to help relieve some of the pressure.  Below are 6 of Juno Baby's best tips on the subject.

1. Request the assistance of a masseuse.  Have your partner, your friend, or an actual massage therapist gently rub the tension away. 

2. Nix the tight shoes.  And, while you're at it, you can put away the flip flops, high heels, medium to low heels, and anything else you may like to prance around in, and slip on something with some arch support.  Any self-respecting podiatrist will tell you that these are the kids of shoes you should wear all the time, pregnant or not.  But, those of us who aren't trained physicians understand the temptation to put fashion over function every now and then.  Just do yourself a favor and try to stick to the orthopedics while you are pregnant.

3. Amazingly enough, the more liquid you take in, the less liquid you retain.  Sounds crazy, I know.  But, the fact is that all that water (b/c it should be water you are drinking, not coffee, tea, and soda.) will actually help your body circulate better and, eventually, you will dispose of any excess via urination.

4. Keep moving!  Obviously, the more you pump your heart, the more your heart will pump your blood.  Circulating your blood is the best way to get that settled fluid up and moving around.  One of the absolute best ways to exercise your pregnant body is through water aerobics.  This is because the hydrostatic pressure is the perfect remedy for built up fluid.  Just remember not to overdo it, and consult your doctor before starting any serious exercise routine. 

5. Don't sit around.  Even if you aren't exercising, you shouldn't sit for long periods of time unless on bed rest.  Sitting in one position is just asking for trouble.  Make sure you get up occasionally to stretch, change positions, or go for a light walk around the block.

6.  Support hose isn't just for your grandmother.  Pregnant women are asked to wear many unflattering things, and full-length support hose, sadly, is one of them.  However, if you keep in mind that wearing these stockings can help prevent spider veins in your legs after childbirth, and go a long way to ease the discomfort of swollen feet, you may reconsider.  After all, you won't be pregnant forever.  If nothing else, please avoid socks with constricting bands around the calf or ankle.  These will only help trap fluid in your feet and worsen the problem altogether. 

** Please remember to always consult your doctor when feeling any kind of discomfort during pregnancy.  Swollen feet are very common among pregnant women, but in some cases they are the early signs of a serious condition known as Preeclempsia.  Be safe and talk with your doctor often about swelling, stiffness, headaches, strained vision, and any other problems you may experience while pregnant, and even after childbirth.  ** 

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker – our blog writer extraordinaire!

New Year's Resolution to Eat Better and Spend Less? Here are some tips on how!

Being a mom or dad in today's economy can be a challenge.  Parents who already have to micromanage their schedules in order to have enough quality time to spend with their families, now have to be especially mindful of their bank accounts as well.  So it's no surprise that cutbacks, in every area, are being made.  Fortunately, eating healthy, well-planned meals doesn't have to be among them!  Read on for a few helpful tips on how to keep your family eating right without breaking your budget or your schedule.

Here are a few basic changes you can make for no money at all.  In fact, making these changes might even save you money!

- Limit salt and sugar in your diet.

It's safe to say that these are two of everyone's favorite ingredients when it comes to making great tasting dishes.  But, you don't have to use alot to get the flavor you want.  Instead of salting your veggies, why not use a little low sodium vegetable stock to add that salty taste?  Or, rather than dumping large amounts of granulated white sugar into your cookie batter, you could use half the amount of brown sugar for the same rich, sweet results. 

- Take advantage of substitutes.

Often times we will pass up a perfectly good stand in because we are too afraid to try something new!  Take for example, Carob.  Carob powder, bars, chips, and more can be used to substitute chocolate as an ingredient in most desserts.  It looks like chocolate.  It tastes like chocolate.  And, what's even better, it isn't unnatural or man-made.  This and other substitutes are at least worth a try if you really want to help your family eat better, and feel better.

- Eat less junk and drink less alcohol. 

These are two things that the human body could simply do without.  And not only are they generally unhealthy for you and your family, they can be expensive! So, try just limiting your intake and watch your wallet grow and your waistline shrink.     

- Put more water in your diet.

You will be amazed at what a little more water, and a little less soda can do for your body, your budget, and (if you buy one jug or pack of water bottles to be washed and reused) your environment!  Still need another reason to stay hydrated with H2O?  Always having water on hand can eliminate the eating out of boredom bad habits.  Less snacking means fewer pounds and better skin to boot.

- Plan ahead.

Take 5 minutes before you turn out the lights and go to bed to jot down a short shopping list.  Keep it simple.  Write down only what you need without thinking about brands, prices, health, quality, etc.  Then, after the list is finished, go back through and think of replacements, substitutes, and coupons.  Ask yourself what kind of meals you can make with these ingredients, and see if you can find another use for them.  Ingredients that can make multiple, healthy meals are ideal shopping list items.  These are the items you need to buy in bulk, whenever possible.  Other, one time use items need to be reevaluated.  Ask yourself, must you have it?  Is there anything else you can use?  If not, then where can you find it cheaply?  This is when you need to use your coupons.  After a bit of practice, you may even be ready to start planning specific meals that use specific ingredients.  However, don't feel you have to plan every meal in advance.  This takes a bit more time that simply shopping for the basics and putting together tasty, healthy meals. 

- Don't be afraid of canned, frozen, or dried items.  Fresh veggies can be pricey when you need alot of them for a stir fry or soup.  Instead, read the back of the frozen bags and decide which one has the highest quality for the lowest price.  There is no rule that says all fruits and veggies must be fresh from the corner market.  Provided you pay attention to the sodium and fat levels on the packaging, prepackaged fruits and veggies are an excellent way to eat better and save money!

- Use lower quality meats for stews and casseroles.  With so many other ingredients competing for the flavor, there is no need to buy the most expensive cut of steak or pork.  Instead, purchase the lower priced items and trim the fat yourself.

- Make a little more than you need and freeze it!  This tip may or may not save you money, but it will most definitely save you time.  On nights when you are too tired to cook, don't grab fast food!!!  Stay home and heat up your very own frozen t.v. dinner. 

And remember, it isn't the time you spend, or the presentation that matters most.  Quality ingredients (fruits and veggies) are the key to healthy eating, and healthy living! 

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker – our blog writer extraordinaire!

5 Tips for Parents Who Want to Give Their Toddler a Head Start

As a parent, it is natural to want you child to reach his or her potential.  Sometimes it feels like an uphill battle, with work and other obligations in your life.  There are, however, a few simple things you can do as a parent to make sure that your child is properly equipped to reach their potential.  These things can be done right away, and will have a major positive impact on your toddler’s development. 

 

Talk About Everything

 

Starting even earlier than toddlerhood, you should talk about anything and everything when you are with your child.  Explain what you are doing as you wash the dishes, clean up the house, or drive to the store.  This will help the child to begin to understand the cadence and syntax of the language even before he or she is actually able to speak.  Talk to your child in your normal voice and avoid using baby talk; this will help your young one to develop good language skills early on.

 

Use Educational Toys

 

This may seem like a no-brainer, but making sure your child has toys that will actually help with his or her cognitive development is of paramount importance.  When your child is playing with these toys, interact with him or her and be a part of play time.  This will help to enhance your relationship and their development.

 

Read to Your Child

 

Don’t let the television be your go-to place for stories and entertainment; read stories to your children and, once they are old enough to talk, ask them questions about the stories and the characters in these stories. 

Reading

will help your child with language and cognitive development, and sets a great example for their future once they are school age.

 

Watch Educational Television

 

TV shows are not all created equal.  When you decide to let your child watch television, it should have some sort of educational merit.  While these programs are good and can really help your child to make positive connections and enhance their learning, you should also be cautious not to overuse them either.  Television should be used sparingly in your child’s upbringing.

 

Interaction with Other Children

 

This is another very important aspect of ensuring that your child is well-adjusted as he or she grows up.  It is natural to want to shelter our children, but it is very important to let them become socially aware by interacting with other kids their same age.  This interaction will build up their social skills, helping them when it comes time to go to day care or school later on down the road.

 

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of a college for licensed practical nurseShe invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

Holiday Discount Coupon for your Baby, Toddler or Child! Give the Gift of Education, Music, and Entertainment

Give the gift of music to your little one this holiday season at www.junobaby.com!  A reminder to all of our Juno Baby families out there - Juno Baby is offering a special 30% discount off our award winning line of educational and musical DVDs, CDs, trendy apparel, and plush toys.  Simply enter coupon code 6OU6M at checkout.  And skip the gift wrapping!  All of our orders come pre-wrapped in colorful wrapping tissue.  You can feel secure in knowing that you are giving a gift that has won more awards than any other children's media company in the country last year - including an Emmy Award for Best Original Music.  Live original orchestral music, interactive content, multiple language features, and adorable puppet characters are just some of the reasons Juno Baby DVDs are like no other.  Come visit us at www.junobaby.com to learn more.

What are some of the experts saying about Juno Baby?  Read below to find out more! 

"This is not your mother and father's mom and pop outfit!" - Time Magazine

 

"Juno Baby is set to become the hottest new line of children's educational entertainment" - Simply the Best Magazine 

 

"This is a model of what preschool productions should be!" - Chicago Parent

 

"What's so special about it?  Well, everything!  (Juno Baby) is a veritable chef-d'oeuvre from start to finish, and, in my opinion, the only DVDs your tot has to have!" - What's Hot for Tots

 

"...award winning (and we mean lots of award winning!)...we love their DVDs!  Actual orchestral musicians, content proven to enhance a child's expressive language production....silly gets smart!" - Tot Trends Magazine

 

"I don't even know where to begin...songs like 'My Echo' and 'Broccoli' are masterpieces...I can tell you that this is the best collection of music, art, characters that I have seen in a long time" - The Daily Stroll

Right To Play!

Declare your Right To Play!  No, not music this time.  As many of our Juno Baby families know, we feel compelled to write about something that touches us particularly when it comes to children's causes.  And Right To Play is one of them.  After winning three medals in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Games, Johann Olav Koss, long considered one of the best speed skaters in history, decided he had an even higher purpose in life.  He wanted to create something that was bigger than himself - an organization that helped the less fortunate children of the world. 

The result - Right To Play.  Right To Play is an organization which utilizes sport and play to help improve the lives of children in devloping nations.  It is an international humanitarian organization whose programs improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.  Working in both the humanitarian and development context, Right To Play trains local community leaders as coaches to deliver programs in more than 20 countries affected by war, poverty, and disease in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.   The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child guides their work. Right To Play programs target the most marginalized including girls, the disabled, children affected by HIV and AIDS, street children, former child combatants and refugees.

Now 'tis the time of year when we're supposed to be promoting ourselves for our holiday specials.  But if you're looking to give a gift that comes along with a wonderful feeling, I recommend everyone consider purchasing one of Right To Play's signature red mini balls for a donation of only $10!  The mini balls are 5" in diameter and perfect for mini hands.  We feel very strongly about the importance of this organization and encourage everyone to learn more.  Below are a couple of pictures taken by the organization....oh yes, and one of that signature red ball!

 

 

Recession Special from Juno Baby! Big Discounts on our Award Winning Products

Hello Juno Baby Families,

 

'Tis the season to be frugal!  No, not quite a $7 trillion bailout, but we're doing our part to ease the pain this holiday season.  Through December 18th, Juno Baby is offering a "Holiday Recession Special" to all our wonderful  families out there.  Enjoy 30% off on your entire purchase at Juno Baby  this holiday season!  Simply enter coupon code 6OU6M at checkout.  Juno Baby was winner of more awards than any other children's media company in the country last year - read some of the comments below to see why!

 

We hope you all enjoy the holidays and wish you and your families the very best!

 

Belinda and Adam

Juno Baby

www.junobaby.com

 

 

 

See for yourself what some of the top publications are saying about Juno Baby!

 

"This is not your mother and father's mom and pop outfit!" - Time Magazine

 

"Juno Baby is set to become the hottest new line of children's educational entertainment" - Simply the Best Magazine 

 

"This is a model of what preschool productions should be!" - Chicago Parent

 

"What's so special about it?  Well, everything!  (Juno Baby) is a veritable chef-d'oeuvre from start to finish, and, in my opinion, the only DVDs your tot has to have!" - What's Hot for Tots

 

"...award winning (and we mean lots of award winning!)...we love their DVDs!  Actual orchestral musicians, content proven to enhance a child's expressive language production....silly gets smart!" - Tot Trends Magazine

 

"I don't even know where to begin...songs like 'My Echo' and 'Broccoli' are masterpieces...I can tell you that this is the best collection of music, art, characters that I have seen in a long time" - The Daily Stroll

 

Free Giveaway Winner for December!

Congratulations to Louise M. of Sacramento, CA!  She was Juno Baby's December winner of our monthly free giveaway contest.  Each month, a new member will be randomly selected and offered a Juno Baby product of their choice. This month, Louise chose Indie's Great Teddy Bear Hunt.  If you'd like to be entered for January, all you have to do is join the club!  By joining, you'll also be the first to know about special offers and receive an instant discount.