Protection from the Sun for Babies

Physicians and researchers now believe that the more a child is exposed to sun early in life, the higher the chances are that skin cancer develops at an older age. The best way to minimize this risk is to provide protection from the sun for babies at all times. Here are some ideas that you can use…

• Whenever possible avoid taking you child outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is the time that the sun's rays are the strongest.
• Sun rays can go through clouds and can cause damage even on cloudy days. In the shade, the sun's rays can bounce from sand, concrete or snow, so keep that in mind as well.
• Sunglasses with UVA/B protection are also recommended.
• Young babies under the age of six months should be kept out of direct sunlight. When outside with young babies, dress the baby in clothing that covers all of the body. That means long sleeves, long pants and a hat. Also, tightly woven clothes offer better protection, than clothes with a wider weave.
• Hats should be worn outdoors. Look for a hat with a bill, like a baseball cap, in order to protect the face.
• Infants can start wearing sunscreen at six months. But they should be kept out of direct sunlight, with sunscreen used only as extra insurance in case the sun can’t be avoided.
• Sunscreens are designed to basically block the sun's rays. The "Sun Protection Factor" (SPF) is a measure of how much protection the sunscreen offers. For example, an SPF of 30 means that a child can stay out in the sun 30 times longer than without the sunscreen. The recommended SPF is 15 (at the very least) and the sunscreen should be "broad-spectrum" (protects against both UV-A and UV-B light rays).
• Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure because it takes some time for them to work on the skin.
• Remember that even "waterproof" sunscreens need to be reapplied every two hours.
• Make sure that all potentially exposed areas are covered with sunscreen, including the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears and the shoulders. While putting sunscreen on the face, avoid the eyes. If the sunscreen burns the eyes, try a new type or one that can be applied with a stick applicator.
• When outside it is good advice for all of us and even more so for your baby to keep your baby in the shade, such as in their stroller with a sun canopy or under a tree.
• Never use suntan oil, as it offers no protection and causes the skin to burn quicker. In addition, sunscreens that contain PABA should be avoided.

For more information about protecting your child from harmful rays of the sun and helpful baby travel tips visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/articles/

Click the links to read about Sun Hats and Sun Protection Clothing and about baby strollers that provide full sun protection for your baby.

JoPa at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/

Save on Family Vacations

All of us at www.BabyTravelPlanet.com love to travel, and we are always looking for ways to save on family travel when planning a vacation. Below are some of our ideas.

For more ideas about travelling with babies get our free E-books at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ebook_register/

1. Plan ahead. The highest cost for travel is when you make last-minute airline tickets and hotel reservations. Plan ahead two or three months and then start searching the internet for bargains.
2. Travel in off peak periods. Whenever possible, travel outside the main vacation periods. You can book a package, including airfare and hotel at Disney World, for a pittance in September, for example, when the kids are going back to school. The best deals in the Caribbean and Mexico are from the end of May through November.
3. Travel on less costly days. Many airlines offer lower prices on off-peak days, like Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, which can be a boon for you if you plan in advance.
4. Become a internet vacation pro. Here are a list of sites that you can access to get air fares, hotel rates, cruise rates, and so on.
   Travel umbrella sites. These can save you time by searching more than 100 travel sites at once — including sites for trip consolidators, hotels, and airlines, as well as umbrella travel sites like the ones below. But they don't search every travel site, so it's still worth your while to look elsewhere.
   www.expedia.com
   www.Travelocity.com
   www.CheapTickets.com
   www.Cheapfares.com
   www.Orbitz.com
   Airline sites. What I often do is search for airfares using Expedia. When I find a fare that is to my liking I then go direct the airline’s site and quite often find the same flight for less money. Here are some of the most commonly used airline sites.
   www.delta.com
   www.southwest.com
   www.northwest.com
   www.united.com
   www.aa.com
   www.continental.com
   www.aircanada.com
   www.jetblue.com
   www.westjet.com
   www.usairways.com
   Hotel sites. Similar to booking an air flight, what I often do is search for hotel rates using Expedia. When I find a hotel and rate that is to my liking I then go direct the hotel’s site and quite often find the same hotel room for less money. Here are some of the most commonly used hotel sites.
   www.mariott.com for Mariott Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard Hotels, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites, and Springhill Suites.
   www.choicehotels.com for Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion Hotels, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn
   www.hilton.com for Hilton Hotels, Doubletree Hotels, Embassy Suites, Hampton Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, and Conrad Hotels.
   www.lq.com for LaQuinta Hotels.
   www.holidayinn.com for Holiday Inns and Holiday Inn Express Hotels.
   Cruise Sites. Cruising with your family is a great way to enjoy a vacation and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. For example a 7 day cruise out of Florida on a well known cruise line in early December 2007 costs $1,132 US for 2 adults and a baby. That includes cabin, three wonderful meals a day, entertainment, its all included. We have never had any luck getting good fares direct from the cruise lines so we always go to cruise discount sites to get great rates. Here are the cruise sites that we recommend you check for the best cruise fares.
   www.cruisevalue.com
   www.cruisecompete.com . This is our favourite. See our article Where and how to get the best cruise rates for your family to learn how to save money using this site.
   www.ecruisestore.com
5. Take a risk. I have often been able to save a lot of money on hotel rooms by booking a hotel room using the hotel’s Net Direct rate. This rate is usually at least 25% less than the hotels’ lowest rate. The catch is that you the rate requires full payment in advance, and it is nonrefundable. This rate is not always available, but when it is it will be part of their on line rate structure.
6. Do a room check. Before you book accommodation, read independent traveler reviews. Our favourite is www.TripAdvisor.com
7. Take advantage of e-mail offers. Many airlines, such as Southwest and Delta, send frequent e-mails announcing Internet specials. So do umbrella travel sites like Expedia. These are a great way to find out when deals are available. It requires registering on the Web sites, but the payoff is an early alert to low prices on airfare, hotel, and rental cars for your destination of choice.
8. Become one of the locals. It's often tempting to book a room with a major hotel chain. And once you're there, if you don't know where to eat in the city, you're likely to end up at an overpriced chain restaurant. Don't do it! Locally owned and operated hotels are often much nicer and less expensive. And you'll learn more about the place you're visiting if you eat at the local hangout. For each spot you plan to visit, start with the Chamber of Commerce Web site, then follow the links to local hotels and B&Bs as well as to popular restaurants and attractions. These sites often list local parks and recreation areas, as well. Here are some web sites to check for small hotels and bed-and-breakfast accommodations...
   • www.TravelBB.com
   • www.BedandBreakfast.com
   • www.TripAdvisor.com . What I like about TripAdvisor is that users to rate their experiences at specific hotels and B&Bs, so you can see what others thought about a place before you choose it.
9. Hit the road. Cut the cost of plane tickets out of your travel budget and your money will go a lot further. No matter where you live, there's probably a wonderful family destination within a day's drive. Why not start with a national park? Nearly every state and province boasts a gorgeous national park, from Acadia in Maine to Zion in Utah to Algonquin in Ontario. Go to the National Park Service's site and click on your state or province to find the nearest park. National monuments, parks, and historic and cultural attractions also make great travel destinations. Each state and province has a Web site listing its parks, and you can often book campground and cabin reservations online.
10. Always ask about discounts. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Is that your best price?” Whether you’re booking flights, rental cars or accommodations, that little phrase can reap rewards. Whether you're booking airline tickets, hotel rooms, a car rental, event tickets, or even dinner reservations, always ask the reservation agent if the company is offering any deals. Don't forget to mention your kids. You may be surprised to learn that kids stay free or that you can get coupons for $10 off admission to the local aquarium or amusement park. Hotels sometimes have discounted tickets available that cover multiple local attractions, resulting in substantial savings. Some airlines offer discounts on seats for children, but these are becoming rare. Still, bring it up, as the reservation agent might not think to check into it unless you do. It doesn't hurt to explain that you're trying to save money and ask the agent for help in finding the best deal. One new mother who did this found that her Costco membership got her a bigger discount on a weekly car rental than AAA.
    If you're an automobile club member, work it. You can get much more than hotel discounts with AAA. Use your membership to get breaks on rental cars, tickets to tourist attractions, and much more. Next time you plan a trip, stop by or call your local AAA office and ask what deals they offer for your chosen destination. And don't forget to pick up some of their free top-quality maps.
11. Don’t pay for insurance you don’t need. Before you fork out the big bucks for trip cancellation and interruption insurance, rental car insurance or out-of-country medical insurance, check to see if you’re already covered through your credit card. Some cards provide such coverage automatically as long as you use the card to book your flight, accommodation or rental car.
12. Do some research. Once you have decided where you will be traveling on your journey, check out the local area’s online visitor’s bureau for tips on what to see, how to get around and any special offers on food and accommodation that may be available. A fast way to research this information is to go to Google and type in the name of your destination a plus sign and the word visitor bureau (example: Orlando+ visitor bureau).
    
    Get our free E-books at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ebook_register/
    
    JoPa at www.BabyTravelPlanet.com

Holdin Holden

Our website business www.BabyTravelPlanet.com was started as a result of Holden Stoddart being born into our family. Here is a little story from Holden's grandpa (JoPa) about Holden and JoPa a week or so after Holden was born.

I could hardly wait to see Holden a second time. I love him so much, and I was also curious to find out how every one reacted to his ability to speak at such an early age.

My next visit was with Holden at his house. I held him tight and kissed him gently and whispered in his ear, “Holden, its your grandpa, and I love you very much.”

Holden’s eyes popped open and he said, “of course you love me—what’s their not to love. But your name isn’t grandpa—we decided—well OK I decided that it is JoPa.”

“OK” I said, “it’s JoPa and I love you very much.”

Holden sighed, ‘that’s better.”

I was dying to ask Holden if he had spoken with anyone else, “so, Holden have you had a little chat with mom and dad yet?’

“JoPa” he replied, “I told you the last time that this talking thing is just between you and me, so ix-ne on the talking-eh thing—have you got it?

I replied back “OK, OK, I get it—its just between us guys—Holden and JoPa. Holden, let me ask you a question. I love your name Holden Brock, what do you think of it?”

“Well JoPa” he said, “I’m glad that you like it because it was my idea.”

“Your idea” I questioned back, “it was your mom and dad’s idea.”

Holden scoffed, “I am letting them think that for now—but here is how it really happened. Before you and I met I used to live in my mom’s belly. It was great. It was beautiful, I swam all day in this warm water and ate all my food through this belly button thing—see down here.”

I nodded as he pointed his little finger at his tiny, little belly button.

“JoPa” Holden continued, “life was great—and the best part was the fact that I didn’t have to do anything—just lie there, swim, eat and go wherever my mom took me. I just loved being held by mom in her belly. So every once in a while just for fun I would give my mom a little kick with my feet—and as I kicked I would say as loud as I could ‘I love you holdin’ me’. Now you have to understand JoPa that I have trouble saying the hard ‘g’ letter. What I was really trying to say was ‘I love you holding’ me’, but what my mom heard was ‘I love you holdin’ me.’

“I kicked her so often when I was living in her belly, and every time I would say the same darn thing, ‘I love you holdin’ me’. I knew that pretty soon I was ‘coming out’ as they say in the maternity ward, and I didn’t want her to forget how much I loved her holding me, so every night when she went to sleep I whispered to her ‘my name is holding, my name is holding. When I came out they changed the spelling and dropped the hard letter ‘g’—I think they had trouble saying the hard ‘g’ just like me—and they called me, actually I called me Holden.

“As far as my middle name there is some confusion. I thought that I was going to named after my Aunt Brooke, and that my middle name would be Brooke. When I first heard my name Holden Brook I really liked it. Then I heard mom and dad tell everyone that my middle name was Brock because that was the university where they met each other.”

“My reaction to that was pleeease!!! If I knew I was going to be named after a University I would have whispered to my mom each night my middle name is Waterloo, my middle name is Waterloo”.

“Overall though the name thing has worked out very well. Everyone likes holdin’ Holden. I even had one of my aunts make a joke that I will never learn to walk because everyone is always holdin’ Holden.

“Fine with me” said holdin Holden as he fell asleep.

Please visit us at www.BabyTravelPlanet.com

JoPa from www.BabyTravelPlanet.com

5 Cruising Tips Saving You Time and Money on Cruise Fares

Our family at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ frequently goes on cruises and Holden's grandfather JoPa is a master at getting low cruise fares. Here are the 5 steps that he goes through to get great deals on cruise fares...

1. Be flexible. Always book well in advance, try to cruise in periods other than Christmas, New Years, March breaks and so on.
2. Start at http://CruiseValue.com and search for fares and jot down two or three cruises that you are interested in.
3. With this information go to http://www.CruiseCompete.com and fill out their form for your desired cruises. If you are not yet registered with Cruise Compete you can register for free.
4. Within minutes you will receive competitive quotes sent to you by email from a wide range of cruise travel companies and cruise wholesalers.
5. Contact the company with the lowest fare and ask them if there is a charge for cancelling later and if they say no then I proceed to 'book' the cruise with them.

Visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/

JoPa from http://www.babytravelplanet.com/

5 Air Travel Tips Saving You Time and Money

Everyone at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ travels a lot and I am pretty good at finding ways to save on airfare. Here are the 5 air travel tips that I follow saving time and money on airfare...

1. Be flexible. Always book well in advance, try to stay over a Saturday night and be prepared to have one stop on your trip.


2. Start at http://www.expedia.com/ and search for fares and jot down the two airlines for your trip.


3. Check for fares at http://www.sidestep.com/ and jot down the two airlines for your trip.


4. Based on what you learned at Expedia and Sidestep go the airline site for the airlines that seem to have the lowest fare for your trip. Links for airline sites www.babytravelplanet.com/airline_links/


5. Check for fares at their site. Their fares will usually be slightly less than the fares shown at Expedia and Sidestep.
   
   Visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/
   
   JoPa from http://www.babytravelplanet.com/

USA Passport for your baby

At http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ we regularly get asked how do I get a USA passport for my baby. Here are the steps...

It is recommended that anyone traveling outside of the United States have a valid passport, and this is even true for your baby. A passport is required in many countries and you should check with your travel destinations if you do not plan on having a passport for your baby.

1. In order to get a valid American passport for your child you must fill out and print an on-line form at http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html
2. Do not sign the form until you are at the passport application office
3. Submit proof of U.S. citizenship for the baby (e.g. Certified U.S. birth certificate)
4. Submit evidence of child's relationship to parents/guardians (e.g. Certified U.S. birth certificate)
5. Provide Parental Identification (e.g. Valid driver's license)
6. Present Parental application permission document-both parents must appear together at the passport office, or one parent appears and submits a notarized statement of consent authorizing passport issuance for the child
7. Have 2 identical passport photos of the child. It is often difficult to have passport photos taken of children under 1 year old. A full front view of the babies’ head and shoulders is required and parent’s hands or arms may not be seen in the picture. I would call ahead to the photo studio where you are planning on having your child’s photo taken and ask if they routinely take baby passport photos. If they do not you should not go there, as you do not want to go through the work of having the picture taken, standing in line at the passport office to be told that the picture is not acceptable. If you have a low chair that helps your child to sit up (e.g. Bumbo chair) this may help at the photo studio. The chair cannot be visible in the picture
8. Submit the form, ID, photos and payments at one of over 9000 passport acceptance facilities http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/
9. The fee for a US passport for children under the age of sixteen is $82

Visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ .

JoPa at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/

Canadian Passport for Your Baby

At www.BabyTravelPlanet.com we get asked regularly how do I get a Canadian Passport for a baby. Here are the steps.

It is recommended that anyone travelling outside of Canada have a valid passport, and this is even true for your baby. A passport is required in many countries and you should check with your travel destinations if you do not plan on having a passport for your baby.

In order to get a valid passport for your child you must:

1. Obtain and complete a form for children under 16 years of age (available at www.ppt.gc.ca )
2. Have proof of Canadian citizenship for the baby (e.g. Birth certificate)
3. Have 2 identical passport photos of the child taken by a commercial photographer. It is often difficult to have passport photos taken of children under 1 year old. A full front view of the babies’ head and shoulders is required and parent’s hands or arms may not be seen in the picture. Passport Canada states that they are lenient about the expression of a newborn.
   www.BabyTravelPlanet.com Proven Tip—Baby Passport Photo
   Call ahead to the photo studio where you are planning on having your child’s photo taken and ask if they routinely take baby passport photos. If they do not you should not go there. You do not want to go through the work of having the picture taken, and then standing in line at the passport office to be told that the picture is not acceptable.
4. If you have a low chair that helps your child to sit up (e.g. Bumbo chair) this may help at the photo studio. The chair cannot be visible in the picture.
5. Have a guarantor sign the form and one of the photos.
   · A guarantor must be a Canadian Citizen who has known you (the parent/guardian) for at least 2 years.
   · They must also be in a profession meeting certain criteria set out by the government of Canada which includes such professions as medical doctor, dentist, lawyer and mayor (a full list is included on the passport form).
6. Submit the form, ID, photos and payments at a passport office or mail it in to the address on the form.
7. The fee for a 3 year Canadian passport for children under the age of three is $22.

Tomorrow's blog 'Get a US Passport for your baby.

Visit us at www.BabyTravelPlanet.com

JoPa

www.BabyTravelPlanet.com

Grandpa buys a new baby stroller Part 2

So we started our search for a baby stroller that had the flexibility of providing shade to the baby no matter what direction we were walking or what direction the sun was shining.

We figured that if we wanted it for our babies then there must be other people that wanted the same for their babies.

Everyone is so concerned, and rightly so about the damaging effects of the sun rays, and we want to do whatever we can to protect our babies from direct sunlight.

We sent away for literature about different stroller designs and browse the internet looking for a baby stroller that was quality built and had the capability to easily change the positioning of the stroller cover so that the baby would never be in direct sunshine.

After much searching we came across a series of strollers made by a company called Dreamer Design.

The Dreamer Design series of strollers all come equipped with a ‘patented’ sun canopy that swivels 360 degrees when desired to protect the baby from the sun.

All you have to do to change the angle is pull on a strip of Velcro and then tilt the sun canopy in another direction. It can be done in a second or less. It is so easy.

The Dreamer Design strollers are quality built. They have a 5 year warranty on the frame—and some of their models even have a 20 year warranty.

They are also affordable—the last expensive single stroller is only $229 freight included and the most expensive single stroller is $339 freight included.

They have double strollers as well—the last expensive double stroller is only $379 freight included and the most expensive double stroller is $449 freight included.

Further details can be found at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/product_strollers .

We have the Manhattan Lite for Holden and we have already purchased the Manhattan deluxe for our new yet-to-be-born granddaughter.

Visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com

JoPa

Grandpa buys a new baby stroller

I am JoPa and I am the grandfather to Holden. Taking Holden for a walk in his stroller has always been one of my favourite things to do with him. I have been doing it since he was only one week old. Cathy (my wife) and I in fact had bought an Eddie Bauer stroller for him and his mom and dad before he was born.

One day, a few months back I was taking a Holden for a walk in his Eddie Bauer stroller. It was a long walk, and it was a beautiful sunny day. Holden had fallen asleep in the stroller.

As I turned the corner on one of the streets the sun shone into the stroller and directly on Holden’s face. The sun’s intensity immediately woke Holden up. I continued walking but Holden became frustrated with the sun being in his face.

I stopped to examine the stroller to see if there was some way to adjust the sun hood so that I could block the sun from being in Holden’s face. The adjustment could not be made.

So, I continued walking but I turned the stroller so that I was dragging it behind me so that the sun would no longer be in Holden’s face.

It was a pain walking this way but Holden settled down and fell back to sleep.

When I got home I mentioned the sun issue to my daughter Jen who told me that it was a regular problem for her, and that she hangs a sheet over the stroller when it happens.

My response was that was fine but that on our baby gear website http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ we need to look for and find a stroller that has the capability to block the sun rays from a baby’s face when out for a walk on a sunny day.

Tomorrow… the solution

Visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/
JoePa

Grandpa gets a new name

I am new this concept of 'blogging' but I am going to make an effort to write down my thoughts about being a grandfather, and about building an online business with my adult children. Our new business venture http://www.babytravelplanet.com/ is helping people to travel with a baby by providing people with useful baby travel tips and baby gear that is good quality and affordable.

My grandson's name is Holden and he is just over 9 months old. Here is my story about how I first met Holden.

First Encounters of the Loving Kind

I first met Holden on the day he was born. Now I am a first time grandpa, so I may be a bit biased here, but he was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen.

I am sure every grandparent feels that way when they first see their new grandchild—but here is where our story—the story of Holden and JoPa—becomes different, very different.

When I first held Holden his eyes were closed and he was happily sound asleep.

Then all of a sudden his eyes popped open and he said—yes he talked—“are you the guy that takes people to football games and tailgate parties?”

I was astounded, “you can talk?”

Holden responded, “of course I can—but only you and I know that—and don’t tell my mom and dad—because then my crying wouldn’t work with them.”

“But can’t they hear you talking?” I asked.

“No, I just told you only you can hear me. So, whatever your name is—answer my question— are you the guy that takes people to football games and tailgate parties?”

“Well, yes I am.” I replied. “Why do you ask?”

Holden then said, “Because I want to go to a game, and I am ready to tail gate party!!! Oh, oh, oh, I heard that there is this really, really old guy who coaches one of the football teams, and his name is Joe something or other. Do you know who that is?”

“Yes, Holden”, I said, “I know who you are talking about—his name is Joe Paterno, but people call him JoePa. He coaches the Penn State football team.”

Holden almost shouted back, “ya, ya that’s the guy, that’s the team I want to go see play at our first game together.”

I was delighted to have a new partner to go to football games with and I beamed back to Holden, “I sure will take you to see Penn State and JoPa play football.”

Holden started to nod off—it was as if all the talking was making him tired. Before he fell asleep, he dreamily had one last thing to say, “Hey, mister what’s your name so I’ll know what to call you the next time we get together?”

I said, “I’m your grandpa—so you can call me grandpa.”

Holden looked at me with a puzzled look and replied back, “hey, like you are really old like that JoPa guy, so instead of calling you grandpa, I am going to call you JoePa.”

And then he fell sound asleep, and my whole life changed.

My name is now JoePa.

Visit us at http://www.babytravelplanet.com/

JoPa