Site helps parents “pause, parent, play” this summer

This summer, Pause Parent Play is providing busy parents and grandparents the latest ratings, reviews and other content information so they can easily decide what movies, TV shows, video games and music is best for their families. Pause Parent Play’s School’s Out campaign aims to educate parents and caregivers in time for the rush of summer entertainment and increased free time for children.

Easy-to-use reviews and resources are available at www.pauseparentplay.org, a website that combines materials from both industry and independent sources. “Summer can be a great time to enjoy media as a family from movie night to car trip sing-a-longs,” said Cynthia Merifield Tripodi, executive director. “Pause Parent Play helps parents make quick, informed decisions about what is appropriate for their family by connecting them with essential resources from video game content to movie reviews by kids for kids.” The campaign officially kicks off Memorial Day weekend and concludes Labor Day weekend with focused outreach activities each month.

Canned Food Alliance makes mealtime easier for moms

To help parents please all of the diverse tastes of their hungry hoard without spending all night in the kitchen, Mealtime.org has devised an intriguing dinnertime idea that easily creates four dinners out of one. With One Recipe, Four Ways, moms and dads can start by preparing a basic kid-friendly recipe that makes enough for the whole family. Then, while the food is cooking, they whip up small amounts of simple stir-ins or add-ons from easy-to-use ingredients, like canned foods. In the time it takes to prepare an everyday dinner, they can transform portions of the basic recipe into up to three additional dinners that have a little more zest.  One Recipe, Four Ways is just one of the many mealtime solutions from the Canned Food Alliance.

Moms in the “sandwich generation” are feeling the most stress

Mothers in the “sandwich generation,” ages 35-54, feel more stress than any other age group as they balance the demanding, delicate acts of caring for growing children and their aging parents, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2007 Stress in America survey. And while nearly two-in-five men and women in this age group feel overextended, the survey reveals that more women than men report experiencing extreme stress and say they manage their stress poorly. This stress takes a toll not only on personal relationships – 83% say relationships with their spouse, children and family is the top source of their stress — but also on their own well-being as they struggle to take better care of themselves.  “It’s not surprising that so many people in that age group are experiencing stress,” says psychologist Katherine Nordal, Ph.D., executive director for professional practice, American Psychological Association. “The worry of your parents’ health, and your children’s well-being as well as the financial concern of putting kids through college and saving for your own retirement is a lot to handle.”

The Motherhood moves to television

“In The Motherhood”, the popular online video series created by Mindshare Entertainment for Suave and Sprint, is about to take the leap to the bigger screen of TV.  After positive advertiser response during its upfront presentation of the show, Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment feels the show may be ready to go by midseason.  While marketing partnerships are not new to the world of television (think Proctor & Gamble’s soap opera creations), there has been little success with turning popular online features into popular full-length television programs.  According to a recent New York Times article, MindShare and ABC are developing separate scripts and storylines for the television series in an effort to “avoid the problems that plagued ‘Quarterlife,’ a show about Web-savvy twenty-somethings that debuted online before being picked up and rebroadcast by NBC.” 

For more information visit:

“ABC Bets ‘Motherhood’ Can Make a Leap from the Computer Screen”, The New York Times, May 19, 2008

Moms-to-be get sweet treat from Baskin Robbins

With approximately six million pregnancies reported annually in the United States, there are a lot of women craving ice cream for two! To celebrate its introduction of soft serve, Baskin-Robbins turned Wednesday, May 21 into Bump Day, by offering one free 3 oz. serving of soft serve to expectant mothers who visited participating stores. To kick-off the event, actress and mom-to-be for the second time, Tori Spelling, was on hand at Baskin-Robbins in Los Angeles providing expectant moms with the first swirls of soft serve. Whether newly pregnant or nine months along, anticipating the arrival of a new bundle of joy is a sweet journey. Baskin-Robbins is excited to celebrate this special time with all moms-to-be with its own delicious newbie: a free cone of soft serve.

Boston Globe Media designs site for local moms

Boston Globe Media has announced the launch of BoMoms, a new website designed by moms for moms. BoMoms provides original and highly relevant information for busy mothers in an engaging format that is fun, easy to navigate and practical. It is also a friendly place for Boston area mothers to connect and seek out parenting advice and opinions from their peers, or to share stories of their own.  The site can be accessed at BoMoms.com or through the Lifestyle section of Boston.com.  Alexandra Hall, editor of the site, said, “The goal of BoMoms is to be the ultimate local resource for busy moms – because all of its recommendations come straight from the mouths of real moms who have tried and tested them. It’s a fun group of diverse personalities and voices, all of them helping each other to be the best moms they can be.”

Leslie Morgan Steiner partners with MommyTrackd.com

Leslie Morgan Steiner, author of Mommy Wars, Washington Post’s On Balance columnist and popular M2Moms® speaker, has a new weekly online column on MommyTrackd.com.  “Leslie Morgan Steiner’s Two Cents on Working Motherhood” will explore the personal struggles and victories of working moms giving readers the opportunity to know “we are all fighting the same inner battles.”  You can reach Leslie’s first article at http://www.mommytrackd.com/features/lesliemorgansteiner.

Stonyfield Farms chooses 360 Public Relations

Following a national review, Stonyfield Farm has selected 360 Public Relations for a series of online campaigns to support its YoBaby, YoMommy and Oikos brands.  “360PR’s combined focus on moms and social media is helping us to deepen our connection with consumers and extending the important efforts of our in-house communications team,” said Alice Markowitz, vice president of communications, Stonyfield Farm.  The initiatives are designed to support the launch of new products: YoMommy, the first yogurt for pre-natal women, YoBaby Simply Plain, and Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt new blueberry and honey flavors.  “Stonyfield Farm’s organic yogurts are right in step with the healthy choices moms are making every day for themselves and their families,” said Laura Tomasetti, managing director and founder, 360 Public Relations. “We’re brand-fans and excited to help Stonyfield reach consumers online.”

Safeway launches new line of baby products

Safeway Inc. has announced the launch of mom to mom™, a new line of baby products developed with the input and guidance of real moms based on what they need and want most in products to care for their babies. The mom to mom™ family of products includes over 80 items, including diapers, baby wipes, toiletries, lotions and even infant formula developed from a mother’s point of view.

“The mom to mom™ line reflects the truth of the adage ‘Mother Knows Best’,” said James White, senior vice president of consumer brands. White said the products not only meet the needs of moms and their babies, but exceed them. Along with the input that helped develop the line, parenting tips from experienced moms will be used on store displays and shelf talkers near the mom to mom™ products. Tips include “Read to your little one every day. It’s great bonding time, and it will help prepare her for school.”

Whirlpool celebrates moms’ ingenuity

Moms have been creating solutions to everyday problems for centuries — from eliminating the monster under the bed to creating the perfect dish that highlights all five food groups to inventions like the disposable diaper. To celebrate moms’ ingenuity, Whirlpool brand is kicked off the fourth annual Mother of Invention Grant competition. Started on May 11, the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day, and running through July 31, moms may submit their unique business, service or product ideas for consideration at http://www.whirlpool.com/moms . In addition, Whirlpool brand recognizes that consumers are becoming more eco-conscious and are looking for easy, cost-effective solutions for their homes. To recognize moms who develop an environmentally-friendly product/service or use natural/recycled materials to create their invention, the company has added a green category for the first time. Five winners will be announced in September and will receive grant money (up to $20,000), home appliance prizes and an invitation to a business boot camp at Whirlpool headquarters.