Giveaway! Mini Glider Glide Bike Set!

This is a review and giveaway of the children's Mini Glider, Helmet, and Bell set from Glide Bikes {ARV $132}. Their Mini Glider is designed for children ages 2-5 years and teaches them to balance without pedals or training wheels right from the start. The Mini Glider is a bike that is sized just right and features a truly innovative design which prepares children as young as two for biking adventures.

This is a joint giveaway with Downside Up and Outside In and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries. Glide Bikes is offering our readers a giveaway of a Mini Glider Bike, a small helmet, and a matching bell set to our readers, a value of $131.99

About the Mini Glider Glide Bike

The Mini Glider is a real bike designed for children as young as 2 years all the way up to 5 years old. The Mini Glider does not have pedals, and so it makes riding fun and easy. Instead of pedals, the child uses her legs to kick-push herself along. This design both improves motor control and balance and teaches children how to glide and how to sit on a bicycle without falling over. It features airless tires that allow children to glide long distances in between pushes, clever foot rests that are easily removable without tools, a quality hand break for safety and control, and an adjustable seat that allows you to get the perfect height for your young cyclist, as well as an included kickstand, which we chose not to install. It requires some basic assembly, which I managed in under 20 minutes with a 4.5 yo "helper."

Our Experience with the Mini Glider

The Mini Glider is a fun, lightweight, children's bicycle that makes biking an exciting, accessible activity for younger children who are not ready for the balance required by regular bicycles. We tried out the Mini Glider with our nearly five year old, who is very tall for her age, with great success. I must admit that both my partner and I were very skeptical about whether our daughter would get the hang of using the Mini Glider, or whether she was too big to use it reasonably. We are both absolutely blown away with how much fun she has on it, as well as how quickly she mastered using the bike for balancing and gliding. In addition, it fits her just fine. All of her experience with the Mini Glider and balancing happened intuitively - with no direction from either of us. I wanted her to explore at her own pace, so I refrained from giving directions (other than the standard "Wear Your Helmet!"), and she just went for it with all the enthusiasm of a child, which makes me all the more excited about this product.

The Mini Glider's Quality

There are quite a few features about the Mini Glider that I love. First of all, although you cannot tell it from looking at them or watching your child glide, the Mini Glider features airless tires. These are not the plastic-y tires that rattle when your child rolls, but they are foam tires that you will not have to refill and that give your child's ride a good deal of cushion. That's a huge plus here, because all too often once something we own has a flat, it usually takes us months to get around to repairing or replacing it (for example that jogging stroller on my porch!), and I like knowing that's not in my future, especially since she would be quite distressed if it was out of commission for any length of time. In addition, the Mini Glider's seat lowers to 11" - small enough for a tiny 2yo or younger to ride comfortably - meaning we can pass it along to a younger sibling or friend when our daughter outgrows it or is ready for a bike with pedals. I also love the hand brake on the Mini Glider - I didn't even realize it came with one until I was assembling it, but as I watch her use it I am realizing how nice it is for her to be learning now, while she also feels safe enough and in control while riding to put her feet down if she wants to stop. The Mini Glider we received (and the one being given away!) has a helmet and bell; the bell is another one of those details I am glad she is learning from the start, because it is surprisingly tricky for her to manage in terms of motor-skills. The helmet also is the first one I have found that actually fits our little one; most helmets we have purchased in the past have been clunky on her small head or way too tiny for her at this age. This helmet is comfortable, lightweight, and fits her perfectly. It is easily adjustable and has great details, like a chin pad to protect her small chin from the clasp buckle so she feels confident doing it herself.

The Mini Glider is FUN!

While in the past I had been skeptical of balance bikes, the Mini Glider has truly changed my opinion completely. I think it's amazing that my 4.5 year old can hop on a bike and glide without falling over and without any training wheels at all. My only regret with this product is that I didn't purchase one when our daughter was two; I think she would have had a blast on it even at that young age, and it would definitely have been worth every penny spent. Traditional bicycles take children years to learn to ride; the Mini Glider can teach your child the skills needed to balance without training wheels within just weeks, because they are focusing on balance and steering rather than learning to pedal. Additionally, the Mini Glider allows them to balance at speeds as low as 1.5mph, making this the safest balance bike on the market. What makes Glide Bikes even more unique is their patented foot rest that is in the same place pedals would be for your young bicyclist. As they develop the skills needed for regular bicycles, they will also develop the balance and coordination to rest their feet on the pegs. Even better, this foot rest can be easily removed in seconds with no tools required. We love seeing our little one take off, and the mobility it has afforded her is changing all of our habits to be healthier: before we were driving places that are within a mile or two because it takes too long to walk there with a 4.5yo; now we can now pull out her Mini Glider and walk or bike beside her and be there within 20 minutes. I also absolutely love that she can ride along with me as I take my regular bike out; she keeps up with me just fine! We also added a basket to ours after we received it in the mail. I wish we'd ordered one from Glide Bikes with the bike because she LOVES her pint-sized basket, but it doesn't fit perfectly, was a pain to install, and I know their basket would both fit and fit easier.
Glide Bikes also makes the Go Glider, a Glide Bike designed specifically for children ages 5-10. I think this is brilliant, so much better than giving a 5yo a bicycle they will be frustrated with for several years to come, or are not yet ready for at all. Many families don't realize Glide Bikes exist until their little ones are already too big for the Mini Glider, and this is the perfect solution. If our daughter isn't able to manage a regular bike without training wheels by the time she outgrows her Mini Glider, I will without a doubt be purchasing a Go Glider for her to use and enjoy.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own Mini Glider at Glide Bikes or at Amazon. The Mini Glider retails for $99.99 and is currently available in the United States.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a Mini Glider, Helmet, and bell set from Glide Bikes, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below. The winner will receive a Mini Glider, helmet and bell set valued at $132 in the company's choice of color. Contest is open to residents of the US only- (including Alaska and Hawaii).

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Glide Bikes and tell us one thing you have learned about the company! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. This is a joint giveaway with Downside Up and Outside In and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites! BONUS ENTRIES: See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions! for the badge is in the right sidebar on NPN posts. Leave your site URL in the Extra Info box. You don't have to do any of the bonus entries, but you do have to complete the first mandatory one. a Rafflecopter giveaway Rafflecopter will pick the winner through Random.org after the contest closes, and a representative from NPN will send an email notification. **Leave a valid email address** as you enter so we can contact you if you win. If we can't reach a winner, we'll draw a new name at random. The winner will have 48 hours to respond by email; otherwise, NPN will select another winner. Any questions, let our giveaway coordinators know: Sponsorship {at} NaturalParentsNetwork {dot} com.

Contest closes April 27, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: Our reviewer received a sample product for review purposes. Amazon links are affiliate links. We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If we don't like a product, we won't be recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.

Information About Our Reviewer Mammapie is a blogger, a mama, and a sewing fiend who enjoys staying at home unschooling with her Little Berry and exploring the great outdoors of Colorado with her partner, daughter, and their goofy dog.

DIY Sharpie Tee for kids!

We had a bag of plain white Tee Shirts sitting around that I kept meaning to do SOMETHING with, maybe kidpossible glue batik or freezer-paper stenciling? Anyway, Little Berry kept saying she wanted to "make one" for her bestie back in NC. I may have tuned her out at first, but she's persistent and asked again+again. Fortunately I finally asked what she had in mind& she informed me she wanted to draw on it. The only permanent drawing implement I could think of we're Sharpies, so I pulled them out& she went to town. Occasionally I made suggestions or clarified how to spell a word-but mostly this is all her. My friend K suggested doing this as a party-favor idea at a b-day party, and I think it would be fun to do one for all of us & have a family photo taken in them just for kicks. The benefit of letting your kids actually draw right on the shirt over glue batik and stenciling is that they can make much more detailed pictures on the item, have better control over it, and require much less supervision on your part!

In any event, all you'll need is a blank white tee shirt, sharpies- there are "fabric" sharpies available now called STAINED by Sharpie (we own 1, lol) but I recommend just using sharpies with wide+fine tips (we had more fine-tipped ones than not, and it was tricky for her to color things in fully), and clothes you don't mind your kiddo getting ink on (as well as a surface to color on that won't be ruined by the markers accidentally getting on them).
And let your little one go at it! I've been told tossing it in the dryer&/or ironing it on the highest setting with no steam helps make the design last longer, and I suggest encouraging your little one to take breaks and come back to the shirt later if they're getting frustrated or running out of inspiration. It's easily a project that could be spread out over a week.

A few dresses

I've been at my sewing machine every day for a week, making lots of fabulous new goodies for an upcoming (but still far off!) spring festival. Pretty dresses? I don't mind if I do! What have you made lately?

Colorful Colorado

We moved to Colorado this summer from north Carolina. It's so much more intense,

Summer is....

The pool.
Is there really anything better than dipping your feet or plunging yourself into the pool in the summer? I think not. Little Berry thinks not too. Where's your favorite place to go swimming?

Sunshine.
Just make sure you put on sunscreen. Pappa Starbucks never wears sunscreen and so I finally showed him research stating that African Americans can also get skin cancer. Little Berry is always needing a re-coating because she sweats it off so much. What's your favorite sunscreen?

Fresh Foods.
Tomatoes. Zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers! Cherries, watermelon, pineapple, mangoes, raw garlic, basil! I love summer foods and we go through them so so quickly. What's your favorite summer food?

The smell of summer.
Grass growing, freshly cut grass, the smell of water. The neighbor's grill, even sunscreen has a distinct smell that I can't really get enough of in the summertime.
What are your favorite summertime smells?

The "Little Tyke" Moving Co.

In a few weeks, Pappa Starbucks and I will be moving again. We'll be packing up most of our possessions and putting them in storage for several months while I spend the summer with Little berry and some wonderful family, and he spends the summer working his butt off for Teach For America.
We've done this before. We've moved some four times since we've been together- first from college into an apartment together, then into a bigger apartment where we lived when Little berry was born, and then we stored all of our things for last summer and went to Europe. Then we moved into this apartment and have been here for not quite a year. Moving is hard, especially when you have a little one underfoot. I'm not sure it will ever be easy, but I've found that there are a few things that can make it not as rough.





















(little berry shows her displeasure with our new digs on moving day)

1) Plan ahead- with lists of things that need to be sold/given away, things that need special care or to be returned to friends who've loaned them to you.
2) Try to use up all of the food you can several weeks prior to your move. We make a point to only buy fresh produce for about two weeks before we're moving, so we can use up all the other food.
3) If you can afford it, hire a cleaning crew to come behind you. This can save your deposit and a lot of frustration and energy. Tell them you will tip well if they earn you your deposit back and it will be worth it for both you and them.
4) Check Craigslist and local stores for free boxes. We were out a few weeks ago and saw a local chain restaurant unpacking new chairs and throwing the boxes away- all perfectly sized and identical. No one wants to pack into 40 different sized boxes.
5) Keep boxes handy for items you want to freecycle or take to the thrift store. No one wants to have to dig through already packed boxes for that thing that was going to be given away, nor are you going to want to keep everything.
6) Stock up on tape and markers ahead of time. You're never going to have enough!
7) Leave some boxes empty for the kid to play with while you pack. Maybe throw in a roll of tape. That's what they are going to want most and you don't want to have to keep pulling them out of yours!
8) Enlist friends to help for a few hours or to bring over food and drinks on the day of the move, because you're going to have tossed all that food and moving makes you hungry!

What are your tips for moving with a little one (or more)? I'd love to hear what you do to make moving with kids easier.

My city garden

We live in the city. In a cramped two-bedroom apartment with no yard. I wish it were bigger, but it's not, and that's not stopping me. I have- garlic, two tomatoes, a yellow squash, a spearmint, four strawberry plants and a cantelope, rhubarb, a pot of wildflowers, ten basil plants started from seed) and a few soapnut sprouts. I don't have fancy pots and I may have *pilfered* my soil- but I've got what I can.
I also have a clothesline for my clothdiapers and a kiddie pool for little berry all in the same space. Because some things, I cannot compromise for. As a side note- if I'd planned better, I would have completely planted all of these in a deeper kiddie pool. They're $15 (the biggest ones, which is twice as deep as ours) and perfect for the plants I have.

Things I'd like to have but don't, and can make do without- cucumber, bell peppers, and watermelon.
What do you just have to have no matter what? What are you willing to be cramped to hold on to, or to give up other things for?

Solo Parenting

Welcome to the April Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting advice!

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month we're writing letters to ask our readers for help with a current parenting issue. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

***

This summer I will be a single parent for 6weeks. Little berry's pappa will be training to be the next Teach For America teacher in a "gruelling six week crash course called institute" that will put him in rural Mississippi, some 12hours away from baby and me. I'm a fairly confident mamma, normally, and I do so love the job, but this...these six weeks?
They have me wrapped up on nerves studded on porcupine quills of terror.

I will need to work because he won't be, which I haven't officially done since my Little berry was born. If you've been here a while, you know I was a full time university student for three semesters after she arrived (and I was back to school full-time just 12 days post partum).

So I need advice. How do single parents handle all the responsibilities of doing things alone? What's the hardest part? What kind of job should I look for where I can be with Little berry (because child care would just eat up the money I made) and still earn rent? How do I honor my parenting philosophies without support?

Any tips or tricks? Also I would love to hear advice on how to I deal with her missing her pappa (she will be 2) for six weeks (and work and live by myself) in the city all at once? Maybe you're a single Mom or were raised by just your dad, maybe you're an army wife or your husband travels a lot...I bet you've got something brilliant to say. Please share with me your advice.

Mammapie

***

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

(This list will be updated by the end of the day April 13 with all the carnival links.)

• Replace hitting with…? — Acacia at Be Present Mama is at a loss on how to handle her three year old's hitting.
• Two Questions — Alexandra at Breastfeeding Momma would like some ideas on how to strengthen her bond with her 8-month-old daughter; she's also looking for input on an emotional topic: vaccines.
• Balancing Needs When Baby Trumps Mama — Alison at BluebirdMama wonders how her child's need for noise and energy balances out against her need for quiet and space. (@childbearing )
• The McDilemma — Annie at PhD in Parenting is on the arches of a McDilemma. (@phdinparenting)
• Where is the mutually agreeable solution? When parenting calls for blood draws — Arwyn at Raising My Boychick has a child who needs regular blood tests that are torment for him. How does a parent honor a child when his health is on the line? (@RaisingBoychick)
• When To Wait To Nurse — Cave Mother wonders what age toddlers can be asked to wait to nurse.
• I don't love you Mama! — CurlyMonkey wonders what to do with her daughter's intense feelings. (@curlymonkey_)
• Help a Mama Out — Danielle at Born.in.Japan isn't getting much sleep with her cosleeping, night nursing, cranky little guy and hopes you can help with some suggestions for shuteye. (@borninjp)
• Dear Abby: My daughter really misses her Daddy — Darcel at The Mahogany Way needs to know how to help her daddy's girl get the connection with her father she needs — and not feel left out in the process. (@MahoganyWayMama)
• What's Going on at School? — Deb at Science@home is in a quandary: how can she find out what really goes on at school without stepping on the teacher's toes? (@ScienceMum)
• April Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Advice — Dionna at Code Name: Mama wants to find volunteer work that includes her toddler. (@CodeNameMama)
• How do you deal? — Erin at Beatnik Momma does not want to engage in "mommy wars." She'd like your input on how (and how much) to discuss her natural parenting choices with curious friends and family who parent differently. (@babybeatnik)
• Dear Abby — The Grumbles at Grumbles and Grunts gave her son a banana...and no solid food since. What's the next step in baby-led weaning? (@thegrumbles)
• Excuse me, I have a poop question — Jessica at This is Worthwhile has a question for you about toddler tinkling. (@tisworthwhile)
• The Half Empty Nest Syndrome: What to do when Momma gets replaced by a cow? — Joni Rae at Kitchen Witch Momma is suffering from "half-empty nest syndrome": what do you do when your babies start growing up? (@kitchenwitch)
• Peer Pressure — Kate at Momopoly worries what message her daughter's new friend is sending — but how to break up such an infatuation? (@Momopoly)
• When I Fall Down — Katherine at Momioso.com needs your wisdom on how to be more gentle and at peace with herself. (@naturalparent)
• A question of sleep and sanity — KeepingMumSane needs your toddler cosleeping advice in order to, well, keep mum sane! (@keepingmumsane)

• April Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting advice — Lauren at Hobo Mama needs a chiropractor … or help getting her 36 lb toddler to walk up the stairs. (@Hobo_Mama)
• Driver's Ed for Mommies — Maman A Droit is a self-confessed terrible driver and is scared to drive with her baby in the car.
• Solo Parenting — Mammapie at Downside Up and Outside In needs tips for being a single working mother while her partner's away. (@mammapie)
• Itsy Bitsy Biter — Mamapoekie at Authentic Parenting needs your advice about her daughter, otherwise known as the pitbull.
• How Can I Avoid Beauty Obsession? — Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! is at a loss ever since her tomboys turned into wannabe princesses. (@bfmom)
• Seeking Stability in Chaos — Michelle at Seeking Mother is in a heart-wrenching position. She needs your input on how to make a toddler feel secure during a time of transition, the illness of a parent, and multiple (new) caregivers. (@Seekingmother)
• Mama, That's Too, Too Boring! — Michelle at The Parent Vortex started out asking how to encourage her preschooler to get dressed — and four days later, she began to without prompting! (@TheParentVortex)
• Dear Lovey Hart, I am Desperate. — Mommy Soup from Cream of Mommy Soup has several questions for you, from how you play favorites when no one's your favorite to how to tell off strangers curious about the ample size of your family. (@mommysoup)
• Diaper Duty Dilemma — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries has a simple request: talk to her about cloth! (@babydust)
• What Do You Need My Son — pchanner at A Mom's Fresh Start wishes her calm four-month-old hadn't turned into an inquisitive and dramatic six-month-old. How do you handle changes in baby's personality? (@pchanner)
• Dear Natural Parenting Community — Sarah at OneStarryNight wants to know how to respond to criticism from family and friends over breastfeeding. (@starrymom)
• Natural Parenting Carnival — Help — Sarah at Consider Eden feels like either her to-do list or her parenting is suffering, because she can't do both! (@considereden)
• To potty learn or not to potty learn — that is the question — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes wants to know whether it's time to start potty training. (@sheryljesin)
• Seeking Patience — Starr at Earth Mama looks to the collective tribal wisdom of this community to learn how to teach patience to children.
• A Dirty Girl Comes Clean — Tashmica at Mother Flippin' is struggling. How do parents deal with their inability to keep their children protected from danger? (@Mother_Flippin)
• Uli and the Pussy Cats — Thomasin at Propson Palingenesis has a toddler who likes to put kitties in headlocks and ride them like horsies. How best to separate the little beasties?
• Perceptions of Discipline — Zoey at Good Goog doesn't use conventional discipline with her child — and doesn't know how to respond around people who do. (@zoeyspeak)

not one, but two

I forgot to share this yesterday. Sunday when we went out to do our regular grocery shopping, I had just given Little Berry a bath. Around here, that's quite an undertaking because she has such dry skin and hair. It's a constant battle to keep her healthily moisturized. She LOVES washing herself in the tub but letting her use soap is problematic. I have yet to find a soap that truly moisturizes her skin, let's not even talk about her hair. If you know of one that is great for biracial skin, especially babies, preferably one that has lots of olive oil in it, please let me know!
Lately I've just been giving her the tub with water in it and a little bit of Mr.Bubbles to play in and then after she's played for a while I get her hair wet and then I rub olive oil on her scalp. About a tablespoon but she doesn't have much hair so it doesn't take much.
Anyway, Sunday right before we left she was getting out of the tub and I decided to try a new hairdo. So far she has only had enough hair for a single little pony tail.

See it there? That tiny little wisp on top of her head?


And Sunday, just when I had given up hope forever,

I was able to wrangle her into TWO piggytails.It was a proud moment for me.

Old pics

I'm raiding Pappa Starbuck's hard drive this morning for photos I took in Europe. Most of these are from Dublin, specifically from Trinity College and the Trinity College area and are from May and June this year.

July

In July I enjoyed a week with my two best nieces. They are wonderful girls, full of energy and always up for something creative. We immediately installed a blanket fort in the main bedroom


created a terrarium for random found turtles (and got a bad case of chiggers in the process)

hunted rocks (and made quite a splash!)

then painted them with elaborate scenes...(miniatures courtesy of the local thrift store)




played with buttons


admired a giant moth

and a teensy inchworm

and relaxed with some very chilly homemade blackberry icecream.


It was wonderful!

Carwash

One weekend during the summer, Pappa Starbucks informed me as we were out and about, that he was going to run by the carwash. I grew up on scrub-your-own carwashes, and thought nothing of it.
Ten minutes later, I realized we were being lathered up from beyond at an automatic carwash.

Little Berry did not like it one bit. The thumping, whacking sounds of something hitting our car? The gushing water? She immediately began flipping out.

We reassured her with lots of Trader Joe's bbq chips,

kisses,
and music.

By the time it was over, she was ready to go again.

Exercise Nine

In the summer, the house grows hot, so hot
With steaming, stewing pressurized tomatoes
Deep sea green cucumbers in their baths
slowly turning to pickles in the winter.
Okra waiting patiently in a basket for
a turn at the sink,
Green beans sitting on the porch being plucked
away at until their boiling is due.
Once it's July, the whole kitchen floods
with mason jars, clear jars
quarts, half cups, pints all stacked in boxes
My mother assigns me with millions of them
and a single sharp brillo pad in the yard
Plunging my small hands into the jars
I scrub and scrub eager to hand them off to
my mother for approval. This is the task
hated most, readying the old glass banks
for prizes I would choose to never open.
Sometimes, I sneak away and bring back feathers
or plunge my toes instead into the cold hose water.

Europe

Some pics I just found in my phone of our daily excursions in Europe. It was so, so beautiful, so liberating. Wonderful.

New rooms

We struggled very hard for a long time this past year. Though we were both intelligent college grads, the market was inundated by people who were intelligent college grads AND who had years of experience. Our hopes for TFA were deflated after Pappa Starbucks spent months, literally almost 6 of them, on a wait list. We moved on finally and took our scholarship money and explored Europe. I had never been in an airplane, my reality was skewed highly by the idyllic American mantras I had been fed for years and years. It was very, very good for me. I fell in love with London and felt my pulse finally beat as though announcing my existence to the stars as we stood for an afternoon on the side of the world in beautiful, breathtaking Howth: a coastal fisher-man's town tucked into a seemingly eternal embrace with the sea, the waves curl around and whisper sweet songs, Ireland laughs at them ever heartily and lends her beautiful birds to keep company, harmony even, with those waves. That day I saw myself actually falling in love with the culture, the people, the history of that side of the Earth, and I hope to spend a more extensive amount of time there some day.
I am so, so glad we went.

Spring toes

I swore this wasn't going to be a blog about the baby. But.....these are just TOO cute.
Isn't she a doll?