Money Boxes - Spend Save Share

We just VERY recently got in the Moonjars which were unfortunately caught up in the Canada Post Strike. I was waiting for them for over a MONTH. That's right I said MONTH.

I was not a happy camper.

But now, the clouds have cleared because they are here...sigh....smile...

So what the what is a "Moonjar"?? Good question grasshopper! A moonjar is a money box, or piggy bank, for kids that helps teach them about money.

There are three separate compartments to the Moonjar: Save, Spend and Share. So lets say little Johnny (who is my cousin's gorgeous child) gets $6 for his allowance (not really, he's only 3) he can put $2 in Save, $2 in Spend and $2 in Share. It's the piggy bank that shows kids how to save, but also how to share.

One mom I was talking to uses this principal in her house. The kids pick the charity ( I believe it's to do with animals) and when they've saved up all their "sharing" money, they donate it to their charity. It's so smart.

And to prove that it's so darn smart, the Moonjar has won several awards including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, FOUR Creative Child Magazine Awards, the Global Learning Initiative award, and a tonne of others....

So go ahead, give your kids a tonne of money! OK, don't really do that. BUT if you know that when you're giving them "allowance" or Granddad is "emptying his change" from his pocket into your 5 year olds hands, this is a learning opportunity to teach kids about money, not just another kids piggy bank.

It's almost...ahem...school time!

I know it's barely summer, but it's already the middle of July, and once August 1st hits, every store in the western hemisphere is talking "back to school." Granted the Staples commerical "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" will be how I'm feeling come September 1, I'm also a little apprehensive.  This is going to be my first year buying back to school stuff for my little Sprogs...for realz. 

What's got my knickers in a twist? Specifically? The lunchbox.

Yup, I should be stressing about how my anxious little man who is going into grade one will fair, but I'm not. I'm totally stressing about school lunches.

I think the problem is exasperated by the fact that I own a children's store. I see all the different types of products by all these really cool companies and lots of "green" options!

For example, the Goodbyn. They have two different types, the Original Goodbyn, and it's smaller sibling the Bynto:

Lots of space for lots of food right! PLUS you won't need any reusable or plastic sandwich bags because the "ribs" keep the food in place when the lid is on properly.

Next is the Yubo. This is a favourite of my friend Sarah over at ChilDISH. They are like the old school lunch boxes, but come with little compartments for you to separate food, as well as an ice pack! Sarah can also personalize your "plates" that are on the front of the lunch box.

Lastly is the type of lunchbox that I had. It's pretty low tech, no ribs no compartmentalization, BUT it is insulated, and can be used as an over the shoulder type of bag.

See what I mean! They're all so different, and functional in their own way....deeep breaths Nicola.

So I need your help.

Which lunch box do you use, or do you intend on getting for September?

Which ones would you like seeing at www.sprogs.ca??

Please let me know - or my head will indeed explode.

It's bath time baby!

So you'll remember a while ago (because you all read the blog all the time RIGHT) I wrote a post trying to figure out what the hype with organic shampoo, organic body wash, organic conditioner and organic bubble bath was all about.

Well after finding out about all the ingredients that they put in these products I become a little obsessed with trying to figure out if there were "pure" products for infants and children.

Well I hit the mother load with Coco & Tini!!

What is Coco & Tini? Well let me tell you... Coco and Tini is owned and operated by a dad, Jason out of Vancouver, BC. All products are made from natural sourced ingredients, and made in Canada! I got chatting with Jason on twitter one day, and he sent me some products to try out. So I did.

First let me tell you about the smell. They smell GOOOD! Think Aveda kinda smell. That. But, it's not an obnoxious heavy smell. Just enough. The packaging is cute with little characters on each one that my two year old really liked. I wanted to see if it worked. I have three kids 5 and under, I wanted a shampoo that was natural, and easy to use. When I saw the conditioner I was like "whaaa" - but honestly the conditioner is fantastic. Works as good as a spray on hair detangler, and really it's just one more rinse which in the scheme of things is no biggie.

BUT, before I could get on board I wanted to check out all their ingredients. Jason was very open to discussing this with me, and sent me a link from yoyomama that shows all the ingredients, and how they fair up to environmental standards. Yoyomama did an INCREDIBLE job.

So lets get down to business, the price. The price is a little more than I would normally pay, especially before I did any research into this. But it's important to know that you get what you pay for with this product. A little really does go a long way. Also, I'm guessing sulfates are cheap?? Natural ingredients are not. So yes, it may only cost you $7 at the local Shoppers Drug Mart, BUT what you are paying for are ingredients that are full of sulfates, phalates and synthetic scents. All of Coco and Tini's products are from natural ingredients for your wee ones and babies.

BUT I'm not here to fear monger here. Lets get back to the fun stuff. These are great products for children, babies and newborn infants, and have to be some of the best baby bath organic products I've come across.

The line includes Shampoo, Conditioner (great for a hair detangler), Body Wash and Bubble Bath. (I must say that the bubble bath doesn't create a tonne of bubbles, but on the plus side it produces enough, AND doesn't have any chemicals in it; win-win.) Coco and Tini recently included travel packs into their line, so for $24 you can try out all these great bath products for your baby and kiddies and decide for yourself!

Come and visit us at Sprogs to see the entire line!