It’s that time of year! Either you or someone you know is pregnant, due any day, or just had a baby. Want to get them something a little different than a diaper cake or a onsie? We hit our favorite website, Etsy, to find some one-of-a-kind baby gifts that are sure to be a hit with new parents and newborns alike. And we added a few items in for the older siblings as well.

1. Baby boy monogrammed boxer and bib set. These adorable Baby Boys Boxers are the latest trend in diaper covers for boys.

2. A perfect gift for a new baby, monogrammed (do you see a trend here?) terrycloth bibs and burp cloths.

3. Continuing our love for all things monogrammed (and while keeping an eye on toxins), we love these monogrammed BPA-free sippy and snack cups.

4. We went gaga for these mini pinwheel hair bows! They come in a rainbow of colors and are great for babies, toddlers, and even bigger girls.

5. We “dyed” for these tie-dyed onesies as they’re each unique and in soft colors like baby pink, lilac and we’re seen combinations in light blue and sea green. This Etsy seller also has tie-dyed burp clothes and headbands, so be sure to click around her online store.

6. Carseats and traditional carseat cover designs are getting better, but nothing beats the ones we found in this Etsy store. Yes, they are pricey, but adorable, soft, and all machine-washable. We’re digging this elephant one, too.

7. Minky blankets are a must-have. These Minkys soft as silk and are perfect for newborns, babies, toddlers, and up. This Etsy store has them at a great price and they also make Minky burps and bibs. Items can also be monogramed if you wish.

8. Newborn hats. Is there anything cuter? Or better? (We’re suckers for anything that keeps that “new baby” scent locked in) 😉

9. Personalized placements for kids are a great idea for home, or to bring to a restaurant or even grandma and grandpa’s house!

10. A truly whimsical splurge (and we do mean a splurge), but we fell head-over-heels for these dream-like teepees and tents. Forget the kids, we want one for ourselves!

Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls

Actress Amy Poehler started the web series, Smart Girls, which features her and her friends producer Meredith Walker and musician Amy Miles interviewing young girls with a wide variety of interests. The Smart Girls motto, “Change the world by being yourself”, sets the tone for this smart show and accompanying website/online network. Direct from Smart Girls: “we believe that the cultivation of the authentic self is very important. We also believe that guidance is helpful as we try to find our way to ourselves. We hope to be of help in the exploration and discovery process.

This is where you might learn about something you would like to experience. You might learn about a woman you’d like to emulate. You might learn a new perspective or an unfamiliar custom or a new way to talk to yourself about something. It is our hope that you will learn more about your truest self.” Check out one of our recent favorite episodes with violinist/composer/dancer and Smart Girl Lindsey Stirling.

Rookie Magazine

Mix tapes. Pen pals. Polaroids. ‘zines. There are some things from our young adulthood that we miss terribly and hate that today’s YAs don’t get to experience. However, ‘zine are making a comeback … on the internet. We attribute a lot of this surge to 16 year old Tavi Gevinson, who, at age 12 started a blog called Style Rookie, which (by the time she was 15) launched into Rookie Magazine, an online ‘zine focused primarily for teenage girls.

Rookie covers everything from fashion and pop culture to teen and social issues. Each month is focused around a different theme (April 2013 is “The Age of Innocence”), with a variety of contributors that range from teens to 20 and 30-somethings and even celebrities. The site updates three times a day: after school, dinner time and during the evening “crunch time” during the last minute homework/paper writing hours of the night.

We at JoFrost.com love Rookie because it features smart advice from girls and women of all ages with a feminist slant, sass, and lots of puns. On the serious side, Rookie also serves up dating advice, helps instill confidence in young women with personal essays and first-hand accounts, and reminds us why Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys, and Courtney Love still rock (and should be discovered by) a whole new generation of double x-ers.

In honor of Black History Month, we at JoFrost.com put together a list of fun activities that will teach children of all ages about African-American history, the civil rights movement, and how “anything is possible.”

Watch

Disney Channel celebrates Black History Month with this music video premiere of “Anything Is Possible,” an inspiring original rap song performed by Roshon Fegan of Disney Channel’s new hit  (Via Time Magazine for Kids)

Listen

Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech is practically required viewing for the entire family. So, after you listen to King’s words, make it a family activity by having everyone in your house come up with their own “speech” to perform with dreams for themselves, their family, and future.

Do

BrainPop is spotlighting Black History month with these fun (and free) online educational games, trivia and videos for kids ages eight & up.

This month, we turned to Kids.gov for their top ten favorite holiday tips for kids. Here’s what they have to say about how to get kids prepared for, and involved in, the holiday season:

1. Learn the Mysteries of Winter Weather
Holiday weather can be the most fun part of the season. Whether it’s snowing,
raining, or sleeting, you can have fun while you learn about winter weather.
Discover the combination of ingredients that’s necessary for a winter storm to
develop.

2. Choose Tradition Over Material Things
Make this holiday season more about your family and less about material
things. Instead of creating a wish list of gifts you would like, try to help your
family understand the spirit of giving by focusing on family traditions.

3. Give Gifts From the Heart
Do you need gift ideas? Don’t feel pressure to spend a lot of money. The best
gifts show the person that you know them well and like them a lot. Visit this
cool Gift Giving Guide for a list of low-cost ways to give great gifts.

4. Eat and Stay Healthy During the Holidays
During the holidays, yummy food and tasty treats are everywhere. It would be
easy to let healthy eating habits slide, but holidays can still be healthy. Visit
Kids.gov for some tips to help you and your family stay on track with good
eating habits. And don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water for 20
seconds. This will help you from spreading germs.

5. Track Santa
With Santa Tracker you can follow Santa on his Christmas Eve journey in
Google Maps or Google Earth. Explore YouTube videos and photos from each
place Santa visits and track his route to watch him fly around the world.

6. Be a Smart Shopper
During the holiday season there are lots of great sales, but just because you
see it doesn’t mean you have to buy it. Following the crowd can be expensive.
Instead, invent your own style. You don’t have to always own the same things
as everybody else.There are ways of getting what you want without paying a
lot for it. Find out what kind of spender you are and get more tips on how to
shop smart.

7. Keep Your Pets Safe During the Holidays
There are lots of fun things going on during the holiday season. You may have
decorations, plants, and foods that usually are not around the rest of the year.
Some of these holiday items can be harmful to your pets.

8. Go Green and Help Save Our Planet
The holidays are a time of celebration but that doesn’t mean we have to be
wasteful. Green can be your holiday color and you can help save our planet.
Visit the Green Holidays Program to get smart ideas on how you and your
family can go green this season.

9. Help Others by Donating to a Charity
The holidays are a time of giving and receiving. Talk to your parents or teachers
about giving a donation to a charity. Yes, you can give money but there are
lots of ways you can help others. By giving your time and energy, you could
help raise money or become a volunteer. No matter what you are interested in,
there’s probably a charity that helps support something you think is important.

10. Have More Fun Making Dinner
Dinner with your family during the holidays is always fun, but helping get
everything ready for the big meal can be a lot of fun too. You can help plan the
menu, set the table, and lend a hand in the kitchen.

In the wake of the massive hurricane that affected most of the east coast of the United States, it got us thinking about how parents and caretakers can best prepare kids for natural disasters and states of emergency (and keep them occupied throughout the event).

Pre-Event

Hurricanes

Sesame Street put together an episode that explains what hurricanes are and how kids and their families can work together to prepare for them. It also talks about the importance of banding together as a neighborhood/community to help each other in times of need.

You can watch Sesame Street’s Hurricane episode here. 

Big Bird also has some suggestions for post-hurricane activities here.

Earthquakes

First and foremost, in any disaster, it is important to explain to your child what the event is and what they can except to feel, see and hear. Most children like to know how things “work” so they feel they have a sense of understanding and power over it. Explaining an earthquake’s causes while help them process what will happen and allow their knowledge to kick into gear during the actual event. Use your judgment over how detailed to get depending on their age and level of questions and engagement. Involve your children in your earthquake preparedness plan. Let them help prepare your emergency supply kits for the house, car, school, and office. Practice “drop, cover, and hold on.” It might also be helpful to spend a rainy afternoon simulating post-earthquake conditions by turning the power off and playing board games and doing activities and having a meal by flash/candlelight.

The United States Government has a website for kids to teach them emergency skills and response through a variety of games. Click here to explore their site for kids and being playing.

During the Event

It is most important that you remember to stay calm. Children can see and sense an adult’s feelings and stresses. Keep the safety and well being of your family first in your mind (this includes their mental well-being). Make sure everyone is in a safe and secure place. For longer events like a hurricane, make sure to have indoor activities planned that you can do both with and without power. You can find some ideas for indoor activities by clicking here.

Post-Hurricane/Earthquake

It is important to remember that children will be under great stress. They might be scared and their routine will probably be disrupted for several days or even weeks. This is the time when it is essential for a child’s parent or caretaker to stay close (if possible) and give them extra attention and support. Talk about their feelings and yours as well (as appropriate). Include children in the recovery process in both your own home (replanting, repairing) and in your great community (volunteering to bring meals to the homebound or dropping supplies off at a local relief center).

When co-parenting, sometimes we tend to fall into patterns or roles, everything from which parent gets breakfast ready to who reads the bedtime stories. While its great to stick to routines, there are some aspects of parenting where both parental units need to be equally present. Many mums and dads fall into the role of who is the “good cop” parent and who is the “bad cop” parent — the pushover, the softee,  vs. the disciplinarian, the strict one. We’ve talked to a lot of parents about this issue over the years and a lot of you have added your own questions and voiced trouble with this issue on our forums. Though there isn’t always a perfect solution, here are some ideas that may help keep you out of a “police state.”

1. Communication: If you find yourself trapped in the role of disciplinarian to your partner’s “fun parent,” talk to them about it first. Tell them how it makes you feel and let them know that your roles as co-parents need to be equal and supportive of each other’s actions and decisions.

2. A game plan: When it comes to discipline and punishments  no one really wants to be the enforcer, but whenever possible, come to a decision about what the consequence is for what your child’s bad behavior or actions. Some consequences can be determined in advance, while others might be decided upon immediately after the negative behavior. Both parents must be the enforcers and, if only one parent is present at the time of the bad behavior, the other parent must support the punishment that has been decided upon.

3. Follow through: After decided on a game plan and being supportive of each other, the biggest hurtle is the follow through. Make sure you stick with whatever consequence you doled out. Whether it’s a few minutes, hours or days, you must be a united front as parents. In addition to supporting each other, this also supports your child as they learn correct and appropriate behavior. Rules, restrictions, and consequences make kids feel safe and learn boundaries that help make them functional adults.

4. Switch roles: Make sure it isn’t just one parents doing all of the disciplining in your family. It’s important that you switch it up and stick together. Parents should be on equal fotting both with each other and to show their kids a united, stable response to bad behavior.

No one likes to be the strict parent, but it’s even less fair to make one parent take on that role every time. Make sure you’re keeping in constant communication with your partner about this, revise your game plan when necessary, follow through on consequences, and support each other along the way. Each growing stage will bring a new set of challenges, so get going on your communication skills early to help make the best decisions for both your child and your parenting partnership. Go team!

In the latest issue of The Atlantic magazine, Anne-Marie Slaughter writes about how difficult it is for women to maintain a work-life balance amid super demanding 10+ hour work days. We recap the piece for you and ask us to give us your take on it in the forums … (Click through to read more)

This month, those in the U.K. will be celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  The Diamond Jubilee marks the 60 years of the Queen’s reign. The only other British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897! In honor of the Jubilee, we've put together a bunch of ideas, activities, crafts, facts, and fun events to help get you in the celebratory spirit!