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Baby Talk: How to Encourage a Reluctant Older Sibling

Having a new baby is always so exciting, especially for the parents and grandparents. However, some kids are not quite as eager to meet their new tiny sibling.

I am currently pregnant with baby number 3, and I certainly remember how my oldest first reacted to the fact that we were going to have a new baby in the house – Let’s just say it didn’t go well. Since I have already lived through that experience, I am hoping that this one will be more smooth. Some new baby anger is inevitable, though the degree depends on the ages of the two (or three!) children, whether or not their personalities are similar, and quite a few other factors that may or may not apply in your own personal case.

Children over age three or four usually welcome a new baby into the home, and sometimes these children, at least on the surface, don’t seem to be jealous. For instance, my daughter just turned four, and she is very excited to meet the new baby, and she even said that she would change diapers! Being verbal helps them deal with the changes. However, it’s not unusual for kids younger than three to be upset for a while.

One of the best ways that I have found to “soften” the blow of having a new baby intruding into the household is to give both of my older kids more responsibilities and freedom. One of my daughter’s favorite things is jewelry, and I decided that it was about time she had a grown-up jewelry box. I was actually lucky enough to win a beautiful jewelry armoire on DealDash. They have them up for auction every so often, and I was very happy to win the one in the white finish to match her bedroom furniture. If you’re interested in furniture of any type check out the Home, Garden, & Tools section on DealDash.

Acme Didi Jewelry Armoire, White Finish Linon Grace 4-Drawer Jewelry Armoire

My son will be 8 when my new baby is born, and I have already started giving him extra chores as an opportunity to prove how “grown up” he is, and he loves being able to earn extra ipad time in exchange for loading laundry or bringing in the garbage bins for me. If you’re looking for an ipad, try DealDash. They seem to have them up for auction almost daily.

Apple iPad mini 4 64GB Wi-Fi, Space Gray

Besides these small suggestions, the biggest one that I have is to try and spend the most time with your older kids as possible, before and after the baby arrives. Before the newbie is born tell your kids about when they were a baby. Even if they have heard the stories a million times before they still enjoy them. Look through old baby pictures, and if you have any of their old favorite outfits or toys bring them out and exclaim about how tiny and cute they were when they were babies…And how they are still cute, but so grown up now! When the baby is napping or with another family member try and take that time to spend some 1-on-1 time with your other children. Kids thrive on attention, so try to give them as much positive attention as you can on your limited time schedule.

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of how to deal with sibling rivalry with a new baby. If you’re looking for any baby or kid supplies check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section to find some awesome products. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Basketball Fans! The Season is Ready to Start

It’s October now and the 2015-2016 NBA season is about to begin! Let’s learn a little about basketball, then I’ll show you how you can get your own equipment to play at home on DealDash.

This upcoming 2015–16 NBA season is the 70th season of the National Basketball Association, isn’t that amazing? This year’s regular season will begin on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at the United Center, which is the home of the Chicago Bulls, who will be hosting a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the early game. Later on in the night game the 2015 NBA champions Golden State Warriors will be hosting the New Orleans Pelicans. Who’s your favorite team? I live in Boston, so everyone here is wild about the Celtics, but in my heart I will always be a North Carolina girl, so the Charlotte Hornets are my top pick. Speaking of North Carolina and basketball, my fun trivia question for you is: What high school did Michael Jordan attend? If you answered Emsley A. Laney High you would be correct! I also attended Laney, but quite a few years after Michael.

Even though the NBA was established in 1946, the actual game of basketball was invented in 1891 in Springfield, Mass. The inventor of the game was a Phys Ed teacher named James Naismith, he invented basketball as a less injury-prone sport than football. After spreading around the fun of his new game, The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.

If you enjoy watching basketball, then you might agree that playing basketball is even more fun! However, not everyone has easy access to a basketball court, so the next best thing is to set up your own basketball hoop in your driveway at home. DealDash has quite a few different basketball hoops that you can choose from, there are freestanding basketball hoops in both adult and youth sized, as well as stationary hoops that need to be mounted. Of course, if you’re setting up a basketball hoop you’re going to need a ball! DealDash has you covered on that one, too. They offer both official and youth sized basketballs.

Lifetime 90022 32-inch Youth/Indoor Portable Basketball System Voit Lite 80 Junior Basketball Lifetime 44-Inch Court Height-Adjustable Basketball Hoop Official NBA Zi/O Excel Basketball, Size 7

If the outdoors aren’t really your thing, I totally understand. Up here in New England it’s absolutely too cold to be hanging out outside anytime after November, but don’t worry. DealDash has a solution for that, too. They occasionally offer an arcade-style basketball game up for auction. It’s just like the kind you might find at a family fun center, and it’s a great edition for your basement or playroom. You can get your basketball fix no matter what the weather!

MD Sports Medal 2-Player Basketball Game

I hope this article has got you excited about basketball! If you’re interested in getting some items to get you started head on over to DealDash. DealDash has all of the pieces of equipment that we talked about, as well as water bottles, sports watches, and plenty of other items that you can use to start yourself off right. Check out the Hobbies, Toys, Outdoors, & Games category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you just love. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Lessons on Coffee With DealDash

Every age group from teens to seniors love coffee. However, a lot of people go through life not knowing much about it. Let’s change that.

Most people know that coffee is prepared from roasted coffee beans, but do you know how they get the beans in the first place? Coffee beans as you know them actually come from the seeds of berries from the Coffea plant. Coffee plants are cultivated (almost) all over the world, but primarily in the equatorial regions of the Americas, Southeast Asia, India and Africa. You won’t find any coffee plants growing in Antarctica, though, they need a temperature of about 59 and 75 °F to grow and thrive. The two most commonly grown coffee plants are arabica, which coffee connoisseurs tend to love, and the slightly lower regarded but stronger robusta.

You might be wondering how you get the coffee beans from plant seeds. Well, it’s a long time-consuming process starting with the picking of the berries. After the berries have been picked (some places do it by HAND!) then they are sorted by ripeness and color and then the flesh of the berry is removed, usually by machine, then the seeds are fermented to remove the slimy layer of berry flesh still on the seed. After this process is finished, the seeds are washed with fresh water to remove the fermentation residue. Finally, the seeds are dried. After the drying is done the beans are called “green coffee.” The final step before being shipped off to your local supermarket or cafe is roasting the beans. After they have been roasted then they are the nice brown yummy-smelling beans that we are all used to.

There are many different ways to enjoy the coffee beans – espresso, cafe Americano, Turkish, cold brewed, or even the most humble instant coffee. When you think of having a coffee at home most people probably either think of the “regular” coffee maker that’s found in most homes or offices, and coming in a close second would probably be the newer “one cup” coffee makers that use the individually portioned “pods”. No matter which type you prefer you can get the machines themselves and also the re-fills from DealDash. Getting items such as coffee from DealDash makes so much sense – If you don’t win the item and end up having to Buy It Now (BIN), you will get all of your bids back, and a great product that you would have bought anyway.

Mr.Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker,Stainless Steel/Black Starbucks Colombia Ground Coffee, 12 oz Keurig Platinum Mini Brewer Keurig Donut Shop Sweet & Creamy Iced Coffee K-Cups (16-Pack)

I hope this article has furthered your knowledge about coffee and how it goes from plant to your cup. If you’re interested in getting some items to enjoy your coffee at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has everything you need to have a nice hot cup of coffee at home. Check out the Kitchen & Dining category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make your perfect cup of coffee. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash Helps Put the Scare Into Your Halloween Party

Most people really enjoy Halloween, and what could be more fun than a Halloween party? Let DealDash help!

If you’ve ever had a Halloween party for your kids, or even for yourself you know that there are ton and tons of great ideas out there to make your party special. From outdoor decorations to indoor food preparation DealDash has you covered. Let’s take a look at a few ideas to help make your Halloween party a smash.

Airblown Inflatables Large Ghost Rider Halloween Decoration Gemmy Halloween Airblown Pumpkins Stack on Each Other Jumbo Spider Lawn Bag Halloween Prop Gemmy Halloween Energy Efficient LED Purple Light Spider

First, you should definitely decorate your house. Not just a few pumpkins (though you should definitely have those), but how about some awesomely scary lawn decorations? If you check out the Home, Garden, and Tools section on DealDash you can find a great selection of different scary items for the outside of your house such as a ghostly rider on a horse, an inflatable stack of giant Jack o’lanterns, and spiders galore! Some of the spider decorations are functional, such as the spider lawn & leaf bag holds your yard waste, while the over-sized LED spider can give you a little extra light on a dim pathway. Decorating your lawn for your party is not only very festive, but it can also help your guests identify exactly where the party is just in case they have never been to your house to visit.

Cupcake Liners and Picks Halloween Decoration Gory Gelatin Brain Mold Kit Dancing Skeletons Party Pack

Every single party that I have ever been to has always offered food of some sort, from snacks to a full meal. If you need any new food prep items check out DealDash’s Kitchen & Dining section. If you’re planning on making a cake for your party, how about cupcakes instead? DealDash has an adorable Halloween cupcake making set that would be just perfect for a kid’s party. If you’re looking for more of a scary themed party for adults then you should check out the gelatin mold in the shape of a brain! It’s super scary. DealDash also has other items that would be great for any age such as not-too-scary skeleton plates.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Halloween (DVD) Happy Halloween, Daniel Tiger!

If you’re hosting a party for kids, how about some entertainment playing in the background in case the kids have had enough partying a need a little downtime? DealDash has some great DVD and Blu-Ray titles that would fit in with the theme such as Spongebob Halloween. If your little guests are more into books than videos, then Daniel Tiger’s Halloween book will keep them occupied.

I hope that you have a great time planning your Halloween party and that it’s a great and scary success. Always remember, before you shop anywhere else for party supplies check out DealDash first, you might be surprised at all of the awesome party things that you can win or BIN. Good luck and happy bidding everyone.

Baking in Your DealDash Kitchen

Do you love to bake? No matter if you are a beginner or advanced, DealDash has you covered with things to help you bake.

One of my favorite ways to spend time with family from young to elderly is to bake things together. From birthday cakes to Christmas cookies once you start a baking project with a treasured family member you can’t help but reminisce about birthdays and holidays gone by. Baking by yourself can be fun too, as long as you have the tools that you need. My favorite way to jazz up my kitchen is fun-colored kitchen supplies . There are a few popular brands that make an awesome array of different colored small appliances to appease anyone looking for something a little “different.”

KitchenAid Artisan Series Persimmon 5-Quart Stand Mixer KitchenAid Tilt-Head Stand Mixer Raspberry Ice KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, Cobalt Blue KitchenAid Artisan Series Canopy Green 5 Quart Stand Mixer

If you don’t normally bake (or even cook very much!) the first thing that you probably need to get started is a good set of bake ware. DealDash has quite a few selections for you. The main things that you want to look for in my opinion are to make sure that the bake ware is rated up to the temperatures that you will use, that it’s non-stick, and that it has common sizes that you think that you will use on a regular basis.

If you are really going to get serious about baking, I suggest that you get a scale that you can measure your ingredients with. They are usually called “Digital Kitchen Scales,” and they are actually useful for other things besides baking such as weighing letters and small packages so you don’t have to go to the post office.

Taylor Digital Kitchen Scale American Weigh Scales Digital 11-lb. Kitchen Food Scale Taylor Stainless Steel Electronic Kitchen Scale

A handy tip that might make your life a little easier as a beginning baker is to remember to bring refrigerated items like butter, eggs, and cream cheese to room temperature before you start to put together your recipes. A good idea is to take your cold ingredients out of the fridge at least a of couple hours before you are planning on baking. If you forgot to take the eggs out, and you need to use them right away, take the chill out by dipping them in a bowl of warm water. For butter, cut into chunks, and at room temperature, it will soften in about 15 minutes.

I hope this article has encouraged you to bid on some baking supplies and get started making something delicious. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to the Kitchen & Dining section on DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!