Day 332 - 1st Birthday Ideas Part 3 - The Gift

Part 3 - The Gift - Part of the 1st Birthday Ideas Series

Today's first time parenting tip - Get your baby something fun, and something practical for their 1st birthday

Your baby is turning one, and especially if he's the first baby in the family, he's going to get spoiled. How do you keep people from going overboard and inundating your baby with gifts.

There are a couple ways you can go. When you send out the invites, you can specify that no gifts be brought. That way its all about spending time together and not about who can get the most or the biggest gifts for you baby.

But now that they're a little older, part of the fun is watching them get all excited ripping off wrapping paper. It doesn't matter what's inside, infants just seem to love ripping things apart regardless.

Another way to handle gifts is to specify that gifts are optional and limited to one fun gift, and one practical gift. This way you won't get a million plastic toys that they'll never play with.

Clothes, savings bonds and other baby necessities go a long way still. Those types of gifts will probably get a lot more use, and your baby isn't old enough to feel gypped that he got another sweater for his birthday.

And this way you also let people show their fun side and really search for that perfect fun gift.

Parenting, 1st, Birthday, Party, Gift

Day 320 - Give a Gift Made By Your Baby

Today's first time parenting tip - Have your baby paint some heart magnets and give them to family members for Valentine's Day




It's right around Valentine's Day, and grandparents are probably going to use this time as an excuse to shower your baby with more gifts. It's about time your baby gave something back! Here's a fun idea my wife came up with that gets the baby involved and everyone will love.

Heart Magnets

What You'll Need
Two dozen small wooden hearts - pick them up at a craft store
3 jars of non-toxic paint (any color works)
Two dozen small, dime sized magnets
Superglue
Camera

What to Do
Divide the hearts up into three groups.

Strip your baby down to his diaper and put him in the bathub.

Squirt a one of the colors onto his hands and let him go crazy on the wooden hearts.

Wash out the tub and him, and repeat, using a different color on each heart. Take pictures throughout the whole thing.

After your baby goes to bed, supergle the magnets to the back of the hearts.

Wrap them up with a picture of him 'painting' and give them as gifts from him. Everyone in our families thought they were a hit!


Parenting, Valentine, Gift, Paint, Idea

Day 295 - Stock Up on Savings

Today's first time parenting tip - Stock up on savings bonds

If family members or friends are looking for "the perfect gift" for your baby, turn them on to the idea of savings bonds for babies.

While not as fun as a giant plastic playhouse, a savings bond is a gift that your child will appreciate far more than a plastic toy they won't remember playing with. It sits in a safe place for 18 years, quietly doubling or tripling in value.

Then, when your child is ready for college or for his first big expense as an adult, those savings bonds will come in very handy to soften the financial blow.

And since you've got time on your side, getting a bond that will be worth around $1000 bucks after 18 years is a bargain at around $300-350 (assuming a 5-6% return).

Parenting, Savings, Bond, Investment, Gift