The DeBroff DeBrief

Laundry Mishaps!

When my mind goes a mile-a-minute with all I have to get done around the house, it’s easy to make a laundry mistake, and I have had my fair share of rather dramatic laundry mishaps over the years. Absentmindedly throwing my daughter’s pink tee in the washer with my son’s white t-shirts, throwing a wool sweater swept in with the darks into the dryer only to have it come out the other side perfect for a toddler has happened on too many painful occasions in the past than I care to recount. Forgetting to check the pockets of my teenagers’ jeans proves to be my most foolish mistake, as a forgotten lipgloss left a disgusting residue all over the clothes. My new (and did I mention how much I love their bright red colors!) Frigidaire washer and dryer come with some clever features to prevent these and other laundry mishaps. The dryer has 12 different options, including Shrink Guard Ultra, so no more tiny sweaters! With Advanced Rinse Technology, the final wash cycle uses fresh water, so the whites stay white and no one’s shirts look like they were tie-dyed at Woodstock. Knowing that my washer and dryer have my back, that one little slip up won’t ruin an entire wardrobe, puts me at ease.

 

Cherry Jones – Goddess on the Train!

In person, Cherry Jones is disarmingly charming, down to earth, and completely lovely. She’s someone who reminds you of your best friend in college to whom you vowed to always stay close. Cherry emanates warmth and intelligence, and takes what she declares as her “minor celebrity” in stride as strangers (like me and like the two Supreme Court justices who recently had her to tea in their chambers to discuss her role in the play Doubt) strike up conversations feeling like we absolutely know her. Make that rather major celebrity for the over 10 million viewers who tune in every week to 24 as terrorists threaten our country.

She shared her laptop pictures of her recent Emmy win as Best Supporting Actress for her role for her role on 24- here taking a twirl with Keifer Sutherland and there posing in her empowered President of the United States actress stance- and how her friends from the make-up team at 24 jumped in and came over her house to help on hair and makeup. “I am so simple and without an entourage. In fact, I really want to stop having to wear foundation on the show! I never wear it on stage. Powder’s alright, I guess. I’ll have to work it into my next TV show contract. I was not even going to do my hair- but then I realized it was hanging all limp and needed some sort of rescue!” So off Cherry went looking both glamorous and foundation-free to the blistering hot afternoon Emmy ceremonies, where she nabbed top honors.

So what’s she doing on Amtrak- heading back to New York City after visiting with dear friends from her days at American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA. Her shooting schedule on 24 enables her frequent trips home to Paris, Tennessee, just south of the Kentucky border, where her aging and ailing parents live along with her only sibling, Susan, a sister to whom she’s incredibly close. Cherry comes home to offer some caretaking relief for Susan, and to soak in the relaxing down home, and counter-Hollywood, atmosphere by the Tennessee River.

Cherry’s busy learning her lines for an upcoming shoot for a 24 episode. The actors get their scripts only two weeks before the shoot. “It’s like getting handed up chapters in a thriller- we all read along to find out what happens next!” she shares, as she ponders her role in the multi-layered, complex plot. I see over her shoulder a script line:
 
“JACK BAUER: I am sorry for losing…”
 
Losing what?! Not again! Guess we’ll have to tune in when 24 returns with its new season in January to both find out and cheer Cherry on as she coolly dispenses Presidential directives and saves the country for no doubt what will prove a gripping terrorist plot that has Jack on the run.  

Picky Eater? Imprinting Your Child on the Right Foods!

Horizon Organic just held a blogger briefing with Dr. Alan Greene, a nationally known pediatrician and author of Raising Baby Green, to speak about how to effectively “sneak” a daily amount of fruits and veggies into any child’s diet, making eating healthier less of a struggle.

Dr. Greene engaged my interest as he spoke about increasing “nutritional intelligence” in our families and our important jobs as parents in helping our kids recognize and eat a healthy amount of food. He explained the fascinating phenomenon of human children imprinting on food, elaborating on the time he once saw a baby put a rock in its mouth, completely satisfied because the baby imprinted on the rock as a food object. Or another time when he witnessed a different baby disgusted by a ripe peach, rich with nutrients and flavor, because the baby already imprinted on another food.

Sadly, 1 in 3 kids have zero servings of fruit per day, most toddlers get zero servings of whole grains and the most popular “vegetable” among children is French fries. As parents, Dr. Greene says we tend to placate our fussy eaters by giving in to natural preferences for salty or fatty foods, which leads to poor food choices down the line as they grow into teens. Most parents believe healthy foods should be introduced when a child begins grade school, but with taste preferences forming as young as 2-years-old, the time to start is early! Once toddlers settle on a group of textures and flavors they enjoy, it becomes extremely difficult to introduce any new foods until puberty hormones start to stir, making toddler-age the ideal time to develop lifelong love affairs with healthy foods.

Dr. Greene offered 4 insightful (at least I found them to be!) tips for dealing with a fussy toddler eater:

• Relax! On average, even extremely picky eaters get plenty of the 900 calories they need per day. Don’t turn to junk food in the hopes to get your toddler to eat SOMETHING.

• Have a clear picture in your mind of the right amount foods and critical nutrients you want your kids to eat. Aim for the right amount of foods and the correct nutrients, such as 2oz of protein, a cup of fruits and veggies and whole grains, and 2 cups of milk. Kids tend to miss out on fiber, omega 3’s, and other important vitamins. Dr Greene also recommends a multi vitamin shield with DHA.

• Tailor options to your child’s stage of development, especially foods they can eat with their fingers. Invest in simple tools like an apple slicer or cut food into cubes so kids can easily pick up foods. Use the “treasure tray” technique by putting a few different finger foods in a muffin tray or an ice cube tray so kids can explore for themselves. You can also put in different dips, such as Horizon’s Little Blends, a new fruit and veggie mixture, which gives parents a natural snack option for toddlers. Flavors such as Banana Sweet Potato, Strawberry Carrot, and Apple Butternut Squash provide an interesting twist for getting healthy foods into your child’s diet.

• Create a family setting where it becomes natural for your child to imprint upon the foods they should be eating.

Now could someone pass the peaches?

Paint Your Life

I recently got offered a free portrait from www.PaintYourLife.com worth $350. The premise sounded both simple and wondrous: send them a photo you love and an artist will create an oil painting from the photo to either hang in your home or give as a gift. Okay then! I picked a recent family portrait from our backyard and waited about a couple weeks in eager anticipation. Here’s the photo I picked:

 

And here’s what came back:

Whoa! I expected it to look like a replica of the painting, not an interpreted version, which I found to be both cartoonish and highly unflattering. But wait- all is not lost! The PR person representing Paint Your Life when I shared the painting jpeg and my reaction to it said, “I totally understand and I completely agree with you! Let’s test the system- and share your totally candid feedback with them as would any other customer.” And so I did via their online email form. To which I got this response:

“We received your rejection and would like to let you know that the artist who received your comments is very hurt by your words. Since it is a free gift, we decided to stop it here and not continue like we usually do until the client is 100% satisfy. It is common that the client will ask for modifications, and if we understand that the style of a specific painter is not good for a particular client, we will even start a new painting by another artist that matches better the style the client is interested in, but, you need to remember that there is a person behind, that spent many hours in painting your picture.”

 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I guess we will just have to let this one speak for itself, along with my encouragement for you not to use their site.

 

 

 

Cyber Crime on the Rise

Every 3 seconds an online identity is stolen. It comes down to this: my entire net worth on the Internet can be bought for $34.62 by a hacker. That’s how easy it proves for a hacker to steal your identity and start making purchases, charges and transfers from your accounts and credit cards. After touring Symantec’s innovative “CyperCrime Exposed” exhibit in New York City last week, I feel both naïve and anxious at the ease with which not very sophisticated hackers can violate both our privacy and financial security.

 

And they go about it in the sneakiest ways. For instance, they’ll find the most popular celebrity story of the day and offer up pictures, which actually carry behind them powerful viruses. The statistics showing the increase in cyber crimes prove completely startling:

~ 1 in 5 online consumers become victims of cyber crime

~ 1 in 7 youths (ages 10 to 17) receive a sexual solicitation over the internet

~ Fake emails will cost consumers more than $140 billion in 2009

~ In 2008, credit card information accounted for 32% of all goods advertised on the underground economy

~ Malicious code that can export your personal data accounted for 78% of threats to confidential information in 2008

~ If you are a victim of cybercrime you will spend an average of 58 hours recovering losses

~ 7 million people were tricked into giving personal info to cybercriminals over the past two years

 

Whether it’s a rogue 38-year-old operating in his mother’s basement or an entire office full of computer hackers, cyber criminals make their living from us unsuspecting internet users.

 

Hence the new Symantec Norton Antivirus 2010 which makes your computer virtually (pun intended) impenetrable by spyware, malware, and all other wares determined to attack it. The software constantly scans your computer and updates its own protection information, blocking hacker attempted intrusions. Over 18 million members of the Norton Community Watch help each other out by sending in intelligence of infected sites to the developers. Even when your family uses search engines, Norton knows which offer threats, and will prevent opening with a strong warning message. The Identity Safe feature protects my information while I shop, bank, and browse online. With all the Parental Controls, I can feel safe letting my teens have free reign on the computer, without any threats or viruses getting through.

The internet can be a dangerous and scary place, and having strong protection software proves the best line of defense. The stats clearly show a growing trend in criminal behavior, but with Norton 2010 patrolling my computer I feel a bit more at ease.

Blogger 5Qs: Meet Jill of The Diaper Diaries

Jill is a SAHM to 2 girls, aged 3 and 6 and is currently awaiting the birth of a boy due in October. She has been married 8 years to a wonderful husband and father who graciously puts up with the amount of time she spends on the computer. In exchange, she puts up with his fanatical love of hockey, the longest sports season on the planet. When she isn’t busy spending time with her family, she can be found writing on her blog, The Diaper Diaries, or networking away on Facebook and Twitter (@DiaperDiaries).

MC: Why did you first get into blogging?

Jill: I started blogging about 2 years ago. I began reading some blogs I had heard about from friends and parenting magazines and really enjoyed reading what other moms were doing. The blogs were a mix of storytelling blogs and practical blogs and I kept adding to the list of what I was reading. One day I thought, “I think I can do this” and so it began. I have never been much of a writer, but I just thought it would be a fun way to document my life as a mom and offer tips to other moms. I never really thought anyone would read it except for my mom and husband but soon I started getting comments from people I didn’t know and suddenly I was a “real” blogger.

MC: What has been most meaningful to you about writing a blog?

Jill: The most meaningful part of blogging for me is the relationships I have developed within the blogging community. I had no idea this would happen when I started writing. I thought you just wrote stuff, posted it and people commented, but it is so much more. I have developed amazing friendships with people right in my local community I would have never met had the blogosphere brought us together. And I feel like I now have friends all over the country – people who “get” the part of me that writes, is on Twitter way too much, and occasionally gets stuff for free to review. Most of my real life friends don’t quite know what to make of all of that. Last year I went to Blissdom and BlogHer (2 blogging conferences) and I was amazed at how quickly I clicked with people who I felt like I had known for years despite never having met them in person. When you are home all day taking care of little people, being able to log onto Twitter or read a blog post from someone else who is having a rough go at it is an incredible source of comfort to me. It is like a big sorority of sisters from across the country.

MC: Tell us about your family and how they feel about your blog

Jill: My family all knows about my blog and are very supportive. Well, mostly J. I think they all wish I spend a tad less time stuck behind a screen, but I think they are proud that I have become somewhat successful and that I have a creative outlet that I really enjoy. And let’s be honest, they have all benefited from the free stuff I pass on from time to time so when they complain I just remind them of the last goody they received.

MC: How do you tackle writing about your kids on your blog?

Jill: I probably err on the side of freakishly cautious when it comes to blogging about my kids. Obviously I talk about my kids and my husband a lot because this is a blog where I document my life as a mom. But, I don’t ever use pictures of my family and don’t even use real names. I realize there are a lot of very successful and highly public bloggers who have tons of pictures and use their kid’s real identity, but for us that just isn’t comfortable. My husband, in general, is a much more private person than I am so as my readership has grown I try and clear any subject matter with him that might make him uncomfortable. And though my kids are really young, I try and keep in mind that what gets put out on the internet, in a sense, lives forever. So I do my best to tell funny stories without telling anything that they would find highly embarrassing. It is a fine line to walk.

MC: Within the blogging community, what sub community do you consider yourself a part of (mommy blogger, tech blogger?)

Jill: I completely categorize myself as a mommy blogger. It makes me really sad to see that somehow, lately, that has become a four letter word (with controversies about monetizing, Pr campaigns, etc). I recognize not everyone will agree on putting ads up, doing sponsored reviews, etc, but I feel really strongly that everyone should run their blog the way they feel comfortable and that there are a lot of areas where we can respectfully disagree. I have met tons of these women in real life and they don’t have an unscrupulous bone in their body. Most of us are getting by on one income and putting a lot of time and energy into writing quality blogs. So if there is a way to make a small (and I emphasize small, very few moms are getting rich off blogging) bit of money in exchange, I say go for it. My strongest identity in my off line life comes from being a wife and a mother and my on line life is no different.

MC: What is the best campaign or product review you’ve been involved with?

Jill: I have gotten to be part of some really fun PR campaigns as a blogger. It is so funny because when I started blogging I had no idea that there was a PR element to the mommy blog world. I started talking about products I loved every week in a weekly “Things I Love Thursday” post which has since turned into a carnival with about 25 participants every week. I had no idea companies actually would care what I had to say, I just wanted other moms to know about products that made my life easier. So I will fully admit when the PR firms first started contacting me I took the free stuff and ran with it. I never was dishonest in my posts, but I reviewed things that weren’t a good fit for me or my blog which I regret. Now I have established relationships with a few organizations I really trust, I feel like I am much more selective about what I will review. And I am much bolder about speaking up and saying that I just plain didn’t like the product and that I don’t feel comfortable writing about it. I think it is a normal evolution anyone goes through as you begin to navigate the PR side of blogging. I am also much more willing to contact a company I am passionate about and ask them if they would like to form a relationship so that we can both serve each other. I have an ongoing relationship with Ebeanstalk, a great online toy company that has provided my family with some really cool and innovative toys that have become some of my kid’s favorites. I really believe in their company and their mission so it has been a great fit for me.

MC: How would your best friend describe you? 

Jill: I think my personality comes across pretty well in my blog. I think my friends would describe me as very talkative, social, outgoing and funny. I have had many friends read my blog and tell me I write just like I talk. My posts definitely have a big long run on sentence kind of feel to them. And I love it when readers say I am funny because my sense of humor and ability to laugh through life is one of my favorite qualities about myself. I think when you meet a blogger in real life there shouldn’t be a big shock about who you are meeting. Your blog should reflect who you are so people shouldn’t meet you and say, “Wow, you are totally different in real life than on your blog.” Anyone who knows me knows that my family and my faith are a big part of who I am so that is what I write about. And I have always been someone who loves to be “in the know” about what products and trends are hot, so the PR side of blogging is a great fit for me.

MC: On a daily/weekly basis, what are your strategies for managing your Social Media life? 

Jill: It is very easy to let blogging and other social media take over your life. And it is really hard to find balance I think. To really grow your blog, you have to cultivate relationships and build readership by commenting and reading other people’s blogs. I have about 30-40 blogs I read regularly and this used to be really, really time consuming. I started putting them all in Google Reader and that has really cut down on how much time reading takes. Then when I come across a new blog I really like I just add it to the reader. I regularly add and delete feeds off my reader so it doesn’t get overwhelming. I spend a lot of time on Twitter networking, socializing and generally wasting time. But as I meet more bloggers, Twitter is a place to chat with friends and get support. I try and do most of my online work at night and naptime so my kids get my time and attention, but it is a constant struggle for balance. If anyone knows the answer to the balance question, I would love to be let in on the secret. To blog well takes time and energy and unless you have a gigantic readership by default, you are going to have to keep up the effort to keep your readers from jumping ship.

MC: What advice would you give to PR/marketing teams and brands when it comes to approaching Mom Bloggers to enlist their help in promoting brands and products to the Mom public?

Jill: Moms, whether they blog or not, are a great asset to spreading the word about products. Typically when we like something we are very vocal because we love sharing things that make our lives easier with other moms. Add blogging into the mix and you have the perfect platform for highly networked moms to work with you to get your message to other moms. But we feel like we have a lot to offer so it is important that you (PR/marketing teams) treat us as partners and not just a mouthpiece. Take the time to read a little about me and my blog. I hate getting PR pitches for free museum days in New York or things that are great for tweens. Once I even got a pitch addressed to (insert blog name here). I want to create relationship with the PR people I work with, not just regurgitate a pitch I am given. I take pride in my reviews and work hard to make them different than other reviews I write so I really want a PR firm that respects what I offer them and values what I provide.

IKEA 2010 Catalog

The country of Sweden has given America many important things: a delicious type of meatball, ABBA, and Volvo automobiles, just to name a select few. Since the late 1980s, IKEA, everyone’s favorite do-it-yourself furniture conglomerate, has served as the benchmark for Swedish imports. Beyond the vast warehouse of a store and the quirky names for the products, IKEA has become a brick-and-mortar companion that accompanies families through many different stages of life. Whether you are looking for adorable accents for your baby’s bedroom, furnishing your first apartment after college, or searching for the perfect kitchen appliances for your new retirement condo in Florida, IKEA makes it possible. IKEA has weaved its brand into the very fabric of our home lives, and as consumers we attach memories and feel fondness towards many of the IKEA products we own.

Plus, visiting an IKEA store becomes an adventure in itself! The store sports gargantuan square footing and thousands of home furniture and other appliances to try. I need to block off an entire afternoon when I visit the local IKEA, and the model rooms they have on display there inspire me to improve my own home’s décor.

I haven’t even mentioned the most important factor: PRICE! The “do-it-yourself” philosophy of IKEA unexpectedly leads to many consumer benefits. With no production costs, and a warehouse-like sales strategy, IKEA can offer extremely low prices for high quality furniture. Most any family member can build an IKEA product (baby or toddler notwithstanding), but laying all of the parts out and completing the project together creates feelings of accomplishment and family pride. Scolding my kids for not using a coaster on the table that we all built together is so much more rewarding then if it were a pre-made table!

After looking at the 2010 IKEA catalog, I can safely say that the product innovations just keep on coming. My daughter is going off to college next year, so we are trying to get a jumpstart on the dorm design process, and IKEA is a great place to look. Especially in this down economy, shopping at IKEA proves to be a savvy money-saving move. When we are all cutting back on spending, small changes can make a big difference! Instead of re-doing my entire kitchen or dining room, I can buy a new lamp or accent rug. A few fancy throw pillows or scented candles can transform the feel of any room, and that strategy is a cheaper and easier alternative to a complete refurnishing. The room appears fresh and unique, and I save myself a lot of money by purchasing small items from IKEA instead of breaking the bank on entirely new items.

Swedish IKEA has become an American institution that is drastically changing the market of home décor.  When I need new home appliances or just want a small home accent, I always head to IKEA. But don’t be surprised if you leave with more items and decorating ideas than you came for – I always do! 

The Power of Connectivity!

At Mom Central, we value connectivity. As Moms, whether we strike up friendships with other women, online or off, or use our influence and passion to make a difference with brands, our lives revolve around our ability to connect. Both personally and professionally, the power of connectivity never fails!

 

Through Mom Central Consulting, I am fortunate enough to work with a number of really incredible brands that feel the same way and a recent experience with Electrolux served as a great example. About a week ago, a Mom Central member reached out to me to help her get in touch with the brand.  Electrolux works with us often to feature appliance reviews and giveaways on our website, so when Kimberly Kaindl found herself having trouble reaching their customer service center, she turned to Mom Central.  We forwarded her request on to our Electrolux brand contacts, who quickly and professionally handled the situation – on a weekend, no less! 

 

Kimberly was kind enough to send me the below note thanking Mom Central and Electrolux for stepping up and helping resolve her situation.  Electrolux went above and beyond the call of duty to show how much they care about connecting with their customers. Like Moms, they truly value connectivity – not to mention great service. So, with that said, I would like to give a standing ovation to the Electrolux brand, and also thank Kimberly for taking the time to write me such a thoughtful note about her experience connecting with Mom Central!

 

Dear Stacy,
 
I wanted to follow up with you on the wonderful results that I had because I joined Mom Central and sent you an email. First I received an email about my dryer from the Launch Manager at Electrolux.  By Sunday, she had called another Manager over warranties and product. By Monday we spoke on the phone. They are replacing my dryer no questions asked. He talked about how they are all about customer service. He was not exactly sure how this got to his level so quickly, thinking it was the customer service route. I then told him I did not get far with that route, but proceeded to tell him my story about contacting Mom Central- CEO and founder via email. He appreciated this feedback.  He wants the dryer back in his possession so he can make sure that this is an isolated problem, and they can examine exactly what is wrong. I am glad they are taking this approach.
 
So in the end, your attention to my email was the most effective way for me to resolve this issue.
 
Thank you so much for caring, I have sent out an announcement to my friends via my Facebook about this and how great I was treated by Mom Central. I had posted what happened before my email to you and the responses were incredible. I have many thanking me for calling attention to your website!!! I don’t know your story or how you came to create Mom Central, but great job!!
 
Very Sincerely,
Kimberly Kaindl

Suave: A Night of Up-Dos

Who can resist the red carpet arrival of awards shows watching glamorous stars stop to pose in their unique sexy designer gowns and fabulous hairstyles. Of course, we all realize that they’ve had a team helping prep them, including an array of hair stylists, make-up artists, trainers, fashion consultants, designers, jewelers, and personal chefs whipping up slimming concoctions.  For most of us Moms, we have our hairdryers! And that’s on a day with the luxury to time to actually dry our hair! So when the Sauve team offered me the chance to host an intimate pre-Emmy’s party at my house, I promptly emailed back, “COUNT ME IN!” 

Last Sunday night, I had fifteen women come to my house for appetizers, cocktails and wonderful updos, twists, and curls. The suave team had arranged for my talented local hair stylist , Cathleen Forster, from Boston’s Newbury Street, to recreate the hottest of this year’s red carpet hairstyles:

Much laughter and delight ensued: forget babysitters- we need did stylists!! All dressed up and ready for the couch to catch the Emmy’s on TV! At the end of the party my guests got a take away bag of their picked of Sauve hair products so they could try them at home for their own everyday styles:

The next morning we learned that Kate Walsh won the best hairstyle of the night, done by Sauve’s celebrity stylist Luke (an incredibly and warm guy I met at this year’s BlogHer conference when he spent 15 minutes blowing out my hair- and of course, I looked like Kate Walsh’s twin!?) Here’s how Luke created her look and the Suave products he used on Kate:

Kates’ Modern Bob – How to Get Look:

- Begin with Vibrant Shine shampoo and conditioner from Suave Professionals to restore shine and luster to dull hair.
- Next, blow dry hair in sections with a large round brush.
- For the side-swept bangs, take the front section and blow-dry back with a large round brush, swooping to the side.
- Finally, apply a dollop of Suave Professionals Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream.  Apple first to ends and work your way up to control fly-aways.
- Finish the look with Suave Professionals Extra Hold Hairspray.

Best of all? Suave products can be found at about a fifth of the price of salon goods, and clearly still deliver the glam!                  

Disclosure: In conjunction with this blog post, the Suave team sent me a variety of their hair products to share with my guests, a stylist to create the fabulous hairstyles, as well as a stipend to cover appetizers and party spread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hostess 90th Anniversary Giveaway

Happy 90th! Who knew?! For 90 years and  nearly four generations, Hostess Cupcakes have provided a delicious, decadent snack with their chocolate frosting, vanilla cream filling, and moist chocolate cake. It’s hard imagine that my grandmother could have been noshing on these in 1920! With the world having vastly changed since then, apparently our snacking taste buds have not. I remember alternating between the Cupcakes and HoHo’s as my desserts of choice in fourth grade- way before the days when their new 100-calorie snack packs showed up with more allure. So join me in a standing ovation to Hostess for creating a treat that could have reached so many millions of us spanning two centuries. To help, Hostess provided coupons for free Hostess snacks for Mom Central to share with you! Comment here by October 7 and we’ll pick some winners to have a chocolate feast of their own with their families.