Month: August 2021

The best potty training tips and how to know when your child is ready

Potty training can be stressful, overwhelming, and messy for parents.  To add to it parents can also face pressure from other parents to potty train children at an early age. What is the right age for potty training and how do you know when your child is ready for potty training? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a child starts to be able to control his/her bladder between 24-36 months. What are common potty training mistakes to avoid? I’ve been potty training children since 2001 and one of the most common mistakes I see is that parents try to potty train their children too young.  Trying to potty train a child before 30 months old can lead to more frustration because a child may not have fully developed the muscles to hold his/her bladder and the body isn’t ready....

Deals: Labor Day events in Denver, peach recipes, Broncos deals and more

It is peach time. I recently bought a box of peaches from my neighbor Boy Scout (there are also area cheer teams that do this as a fundraiser as well). I am always so excited to receive my box. But I seem to always forget just how many peaches are in one box. I have eaten them plain, made smoothies, sandwiches, salads, cobbler, and pie (don’t miss our Grandma’s fresh peach pie recipe!) But what shall I keep doing with them now? Suggestions welcomed. Labor Day weekend is upon us. Don’t miss our guide to Labor Day weekend in Denver and see these events below. A Taste of Colorado. A Taste of Colorado returns to Civic Center Park September 4-6. The event features food, music (stages), market and more. The event is free to attend. Cherry Creek Arts Festival. The Cher...

Vail Resorts opening dates (plus, lock in your lowest pass prices before Labor Day)

After a smoky and hot summer, who else is thrilled for the prospect of a snowy bluebird winter?! Vail Resorts today announced the opening dates of its 34 North American resorts, offering guests one of the longest ski seasons in the country with a focus on safety and the guest experience. The action kicks off at Keystone this October (fingers crossed), with the resort set to open as early as possible thanks to recent investments in a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient snowmaking system. And with enterprise-wide investments in snowmaking technology in recent years, 15 of the company’s North American resorts – including Breckenridge, Vail, Whistler Blackcomb and Okemo – are set to open for skiing and riding in November. Rockies & West planned opening dates, which are subject to change: Oc...

Colorado family travel: Breckenridge’s best kid-friendly resort

Breckenridge. Land of Colorado’s 14,000-foot rooftop, world-class skiing and its authentic Victorian storefronts that dot Main Street, a nod to its gold mining camp days. This bustling Colorado mountain town has long been a family favorite and we have stayed in a variety of properties that included a beautiful mountain home, B&Bs and condos. However, it wasn’t until I walked on the property of the Grand Colorado on Peak 8  that I felt like I had finally arrived. “Why have we never stayed here before?” I lamented. We planned our back-to-school Breckenridge staycation to showcase the best of Colorado to our Swiss exchange student, Maelle and The Grand delivered. This Breckenridge property is one of the most family-friendly in all of Colorado (a bold claim, in...

Five ways you can help Afghan women and children

A bipartisan group of 46 senators has called on the Biden Administration to take immediate action to protect Afghan women leaders who are at “unparalleled danger following the Taliban’s violent sweep across Afghanistan and seizure of Kabul.” In a sign-on letter, the senators wrote: “We and our staff are receiving regular reports regarding the targeting, threatening, kidnapping, torturing, and assassinations of women for their work defending and promoting democracy, equality, higher education, and human rights.” They added that many of these high-profile Afghan women are now being “hunted by Taliban fighters who are going house-to-house with their names.” To help prevent these highly vulnerable women from falling “through the cracks” of the go...

Frisco, Colorado: The ultimate summer playground for families

As we strolled down the Frisco Pedestrian Promenade, I paused to take it all in: Exuberant flowers in a riot of colors spilled out of planters, globe lights twinkled against the alpenglow evening as live music crooned down the street against a backdrop of enthusiastic chatter from the al-fresco diners. Once an afterthought to its more famous mountain town counterparts, Frisco boasts a laid-back mountain vibe coupled with a vibrant Main Street and world-class outdoor recreation. The glorious Tenmile Range. The Frisco Bay Marina, one of the world’s highest deep-water marinas. The foodie finds (scroll down for my recommendations). The Frisco Adventure Park with frisbee golf and a full bike park in the summer and epic snowshoeing and sledding in the winter. Frisco is at the heart of many...

Local Mom Learns the Importance of Early Intervention for Speech Delays

The prevalence of a speech and language developmental delay in children is between 2%-19%   When seven-year-old Bennett Cooper was two years old, his mother, Lainie, realized that while she could understand what he was saying, most people could not. Deeply concerned, she immediately scheduled an appointment with Bennett’s pediatrician. First Visit to Pediatrician Bennett’s pediatrician didn’t express much concern during the initial visit, opting for the “wait and see” approach. He conveyed to her that Bennett is still growing and his speech would soon follow. Lainie still felt unsure about the diagnosis, but she trusted Bennett’s pediatrician.  “I left the pediatrician’s office thinking Bennett’s speech would clear up on his own as he got older. He did become easier to unde...

Cherry Creek Arts Festival: 8 activities Denver kids will love

It’s one of Denver’s most beloved Labor Day traditions! The 2021 Cherry Creek Arts Festival takes place Sept. 4 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Sept. 5 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Sept. 6 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), creekside at CCSC, featuring 220 national and international artists, 16 performing artists, Creation Station with children’s activities, food and interactive experiences. The event begins on Sept. 2 with a ticketed 30th Anniversary Kickoff event featuring a pop-up preview of select artists from the juried festival, live entertainment, passed hors d’oeuvres and drinks in a relaxed outdoor setting. Festival Nights take place Sept. 4 and 5 at the CherryArts stage in the Beer Garden from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Here is the family fun you can expect to see at the Cherr...

Denver Children’s Consignment Sale Schedule: Fall 2021

Denver Children’s Consignment Sale Fall 2021 schedule is here! Twice a year, Mile High Mamas does a round-up detailing Colorado’s popular children’s consignment sales. Thousands of shoppers find bargains on kids’ clothing for newborn-preteen, toys, strollers, furniture, baby equipment, books, shoes, maternity items and more…all at 50-90% below retail. Be sure to check out the following fabulous sales. Always double-check the website for times and details and any changes due to COVID-19. Denver Children’s Consignment Sales August 19-22 Just Between Friends of Aurora Thursday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. $2 admission; Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (25% off sale); Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (50% off) Where: Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, 25690 East Quincy Avenue, Aurora, ...

Girl Scout’s new cookie is the chocolate caramel dose of hope we all need

It’s the hope we need during this pandemic! The Girl Scouts are to the rescue with their new Adventurefuls indulgent brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt. Adventurefuls cookie will join the nationwide lineup for the 2022 Girl Scout Cookie season. Girl Scouts in Colorado and across the United States will offer the Adventurefuls cookie next season alongside favorites like Thin Mints® and Samoas®/Caramel deLites. Every purchase of Adventurefuls, and the whole portfolio of iconic cookies, during cookie season, fuels local Girl Scouts’ adventures throughout the year: exploring what interests them, discovering their passions, and taking action on issues they care about. Whether they’re using their STEM skills to solve a problem, changing a la...

How to talk to your kids about porn

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. While clicking these links won’t cost you extra money, they help us keep this site up and running. See our disclosure policy.  Our kids are spending more time online than ever these days and between social isolation, sexuality, curiosity, and then added to that, the fact that porn is just a click away. Delaney Ruston MD is the author of Parenting in the Screen Age: A Guide for Calm Conversations. She shares these ideas about how to broach this uncomfortable conversation with your kids and teens. How do I talk to my kids about porn?  Wouldn’t it be great to have some easy, foolproof of knowing exactly when and how to talk about it? You don’t need me to remind you that there are no easy, one-size-fits-all answers. But tha...

Denver Deals: Don’t miss the Hello Kitty truck, free yoga and more

Coming back from vacation I have to go through a ton of emails from work and from home stuff and mail too. But I’m SUPER excited that I got Opopop starter kit to try. It is microwave popcorn to the MAX. Flavored popcorn with these amazingly delicious flavors like Maui Heat and Vanilla Cake as simple as pouring the packet in the silicone bowl and pop in the microwave for just a few minutes. Plus – it’s a Colorado company!    Hello Kitty Truck. Hello Kitty is back on the road and back to Park Meadows (where it was a couple years ago) on Saturday, August 21. The pink van will be parked from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. across from Cheesecake Factory.  Yoga at Union Station First there was Yoga on the Rocks now there is yoga downtown at Denver Union Station. The free yoga is...