Cynical Parent

More than ever, parents have been looking for ways to keep their kids entertained at home.  We’ve already covered several other options (the Nugget couch, play kitchens, snow day activities, etc.) but today we’re going to focus on the best indoor bounce house for home. 

When I was growing up, a bounce house was one of those rare things you only got to experience if some kid’s parents really splurged for a birthday party.  I certainly would never have dreamed of having one at my own house.

Times have changed. Now, you can own a bounce house, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Of course, like anything else, you get what you pay for and there are a wide range of bounce houses that vary in quality based on price.

We took a look through some of the best indoor bounces houses for home and selected ones from across the spectrum.  Ones with huge slides, ones that are smaller and less expensive, and a few in between.

Let’s go!

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As a seasoned mom, I am about to share with you the single, most important nursery purchase you should consider:

The nursery chair (or, as some call it, a nursery glider).  You definitely want the best nursery glider you can get.

From sleepless newborn nights to story time with my toddler, my nursery chair has many miles. For me, when shopping for a nursing chair, I want something that is supportive, reclines, and glides smoothly and quietly. The chair is more for us as parents than the baby, but it has to be great for both!

Let my hours of searching save you some time – if you want to score the best nursery chair/glider for your back and budget, keep on reading!

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We’ve written about Nugget alternatives before, but now we’re going to take a look at a new Nugget alternative contender: The Figgy.  In a comparison of the Figgy vs. Nugget, which play couch should you buy?

If you haven’t heard of the Figgy, it’s newer to the rapidly growing play couch scene (within the last year or two).  Play couches to a certain extent have been around forever, but when much of the world experienced a “stay at home” order in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, play couches (and the Nugget in particular) exploded in popularity.  Kids are playing at home more, and the Nugget ended up being a great solution for parents.

But with the popularity of the Nugget, the demand far exceeded supply and parents everywhere were left fighting for Nuggets.  Whenever they would restock, they would sell out within seconds.  They’ve since increased production capacity and have begun selling more again, but the increased demand has opened the door to new options such as the Figgy.

Let’s compare the two and see what’s right for you.

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Fall is definitely one of my favorite seasons.  The leaves change colors, you get out of the dreadful heat of summer (depending on where you live), and move into some nice, cool weather before it gets too cold.

It’s an exciting time for kids too.  Halloween is around the corner, and before you know it, the holidays are here.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

We thought it might be fun to look at some activities for kids, and specifically look at fall leaf activities for preschoolers.  

Plenty of great stuff here to keep them busy! Let’s get into it.

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I don’t know if you noticed, but the Nugget (that little play couch for kids) has been super popular lately, especially during these times where we find ourselves at home more often.

There was a time when they were perpetually sold out.  And when they did come back in stock, they sold out within a couple minutes. Or, you had to sit and wait to win a lottery.  It was crazy.

So, you might find yourself wondering, “what else is out there? There must be something else like it, right?” 

You’re in luck.

While there’s nothing exactly the same as the the Nugget, there are several good alternatives and knockoffs that may be easier to get your hands on and will still provide tons of fun for your little ones.

Let’s dive in and check out the best Nugget alternative (we have a few options).

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As a parent, summer time can be a challenge. Whether you’re a stay-at-home or working parent, the reality is, summer time is “fun time.” (big time air quotes there)

And fun time means…you need to find stuff for your kids to do.

Even if your kid is young enough to still be in daycare or you’re sending him or her to a summer camp, you will still undoubtedly find yourself with hours in the afternoon or on weekends where you need to find stuff for them to do.

And as much as I’d love to be running around after a long day or week of work (correction: NOT), sometimes it’s much less stressful and much more enjoyable to find some fun activities that your kids can do at home.

And let’s not forget another important factor: it’s a hell of a lot cheaper too.

So, without further ado, we’ve put together an amazing list of 12 super fun summer activities for kids at home.  Keep your kids busy, keep your own sanity, and keep your wallet from going empty.

These are the goals.

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Spring has arrived! That means more time outdoors enjoying the warmer weather on sunny days, and more time trying to keep your preschoolers occupied indoors when spring storms hit. Fortunately, there are plenty of spring activities for preschool kids that are fun and totally engaging!

Even better, there are tons of spring activities for preschoolers that require little to no planning and minimal supplies (yay!). In fact, many of the supplies you can find in your pantry or outdoors in nature.

Plus, most spring activities can be completed outdoors so you can embrace the beauty of the season (and keep your home clean).

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Whether you’ve been able to grab an actual Nugget or one of the Nugget alternatives, you’re probably wondering what the best Nugget couch accessories are.  You know, the things that can really take Nugget play to the next level.

Aside from buying more pillows, Nugget (the company) themselves don’t actually sell any accessories.  And let’s be honest: if they did, they would probably be sold out right now given how hot this play couch is.  

We did some digging around though – looking through Pinterest, Instagram, etc. to see what other people are using to maximize playtime with the Nugget, and compiled it all in a nice little list.  There’s a lot of great stuff out there.

Let’s get to it! 

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You potty trained your kid at age 3.  You still kept them in a diaper while sleeping at night because you weren’t sure if they would be able to hold it overnight. Totally normal.  And you were right too, because they would wake up every morning with a wet diaper. But then, as they turned 4 or even 5 years old, you started to wonder, “should my kid still be wearing diapers at night?”

How can I get them to stop?

It’s something a lot of parents deal with.  It’s normal.  Just because your child is potty trained doesn’t mean they’re developed enough to go 10 hours without using the potty. 

This is something we dealt with as our 4 year old turned the corner to age 5, and in some ways, it’s harder than daytime potty training for certain kids.

We did our research to figure out some effective strategies.  Here’s what we found.

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You think you’ve done all the right things. You’ve taken the dog to obedience class.

You’ve read up on how to introduce a dog to a baby.

But then, just as you dreaded, it happens.

grrrrrrrrrr

Your dog growls at the baby.  The baby starts crying.  

Now what?  

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