Push Presents

Something a ot of you may not know about is the "Push Present". This is a gift new dads will get for new moms to show their appreciation for carrying their baby for the last 10 months and going through the x number of hours of labour she just went through. Hard work doesn't really seem to cover it, does it? I orginally heard about it through hollywood gossip when Britney Spears got a $10,000 something present from K-Fed for having baby number 1. I thought, "wouldn't that be nice?" But then I realized that this doesn't have to be a thing only for the Uber rich. Anyone can do this!

A push present is not about money, it is about thought and adoration. It could be anything from a $10,000 ring to a potted plant. It can signify a thank you, or something to grow or stay with your child. It could be a gift certificate for a pedicure so mom can just get away for 30 - 60 minutes, or it could be an in-home massage. My husband got me a cute locket after our second son was born and he put a picture of each of my boys in it. It was thoughtful and inexpensive. That is the point of a push present. It is to let her know that you appreciate what she just went thought, and what she is about to go through by being a full time mom (even if you work, you are still a mom first), and thanking her for her role in the creation of your new child. *bonus to the men who admit they could never do it themselves!*

For 10 months all focus is on the pregnant woman, once the baby comes out, everyone forgets about the woman they were admiring, and focus on the new baby. Take time to love her too because you might be the only one who notices how tired, frazzled, or overwhelmed she is.

Easy gift ideas: You don't have to go anywhere, and they ship direct. http://www.ice.com/ and http://www.spafinder.com

*Let us know what your husband/partner got for you to express their gratitude for the baby you produced!

Teach your child to build for FREE!

With everything these days being geared towards mommy and me, there has to be something out there for the dads. The Home Depot has a great program that happens once per month called the "Kids workshop". This is a way for dads to give mom a break on a Saturday morning for an hour or so. It is for girls and boys age 5-12 (but we bring both our boys since the ages of 2 and 3 and no one blinks an eye.). They include all the tools necessary, glue, hammers, nails, etc. Each month is a different project like a sled for December, a flower box for May (for Mother's Day), etc. Kids get to build and experiment with tools in a safe environment and bring home a masterpeice they can show off! Or, if you aren't very handy, dad (or mom) can learn with their kids how to use tools.

In Canada, these workshops are on the second Saturday of every month from 10am to 12pm at most Home Depot stores. In the US, the workshops are on the first Saturday of every month from 10am to 12pm. Call your local Home Depot store to confirm. We've gone a few times and so far we've built a birdhouse, race car, book ends, bean bag game, message board, tiny foozeball, flower pots, etc. Kids get their very own Home Depot smock - like what the employees wear - and a pin for each piece completed. You can use smocks later for your own art projects at home.

If you are usually busy on Saturdays, try to go to the May or February ones and surprise mom with something "home made".

Extra idea: If you want to paint your project (they all come in plain wood colour), you can go to the paint section and choose any paint colour (Let your child pick one of the Disney colours. They have fun names like "Mickey's Pants" or "Ariel's Fin") and get a sample container. They cost only $4.99 each container, and you can get foam paint brushes from Michael's craft store 10 for $1.00. This is a way to make your project last a little longer. First you build and then you decorate!

This is the US link - so if you are in Canada, it will have the incorrect date!! But it will tell you what project is upcoming.
Click here to find out what's coming up next in Canada

Complete this project every month for under $15!