New Book Helps Moms with Transition to Big Bed

As a busy mom, I have oftened turned to books written by moms, web sites for moms and other moms for advice on a variety of things ranging from everyday challenges like getting kids to eat veggies to big transitions like moving into a big bed from a crib.

A new book by first-time author Rita Bergstein, “Your Own Big Bed,” is a delightful story that shares encouragement about an important milestone in a child's life -- transitioning to their own big bed. Published by Viking, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group in New York, this delightful story shares encouragement about an important milestone in a child’s life - transitioning to their own big bed. Published by Viking, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, the book has been receiving very positive reviews from book clubs and parenting blogs nationwide.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area, a book signing is scheduled for Thursday, May 29 4:00-7:00 and Saturday, May 31, 11:00-2:00 at Cia’s, A Gallery of Fine Jewelry, Gifts and Art. Cia’s is located one mile west of the Turnpike on Route 30, in Irwin Plaza, across from Irwin Bank. The beautifully illustrated, hard cover book is available for sale at Cia’s for $15.99.

Good luck and let me know how you like the book.

Who Influences What You Wear?

I've talked recently with several companies that sell women's clothes. Seems like the dynamics in apparel are changing, just like in many other product categories. Busy women seem to be turning away from celebrities, models and an ideal of fashion to more realistic images and what makes them look best.

Who or what do you turn to for fashion advice or an opinion on what to buy? Is your sister a fav web site serving as your short-cut to buying that next pair of jeans or shoes? Who holds the most sway?

Take the poll at the right-hand side of this blog or e-mail me and let me know what you are doing to determine what to wear and where to shop.

Hope It Was a Great Mother's Day

It was a rainy, cold day here for Mother's Day, the perfect weather for staying inside and making a fort, or a boat (as we did), out of couch cushions. No e-mail, no travel, just a slow-paced, whole day with my family. Perfect!

Hope your Mother's Day was everything you wanted.

I am wondering about Mother's Day gifts -- what did you get for your mother and why did you decide to get her that particular item? Where did you get your idea or recommendation? Where did you shop? What did you get and where did your husband or child get their idea?

Let me know about your Mother's Day gifts.

A Multi-Minding Cab Ride

As a working and traveling mom, I spend a good deal of time in cabs. It's usually a time to make and return phone calls and organize receipts. Down time is simply not an option!

In New York, yesterday, I stepped into a cab that actually helped my multi-tasking and multi-minding. A video screen in the cab provided some news and feature stories of interest to women. The touch screen enabled the rider to control the volume and to pick options of items to view. There was even a banner ad for a "great two-bedroom in Chelsea for under $1M with storage and outdoor space."

In a cab, you are certainly a captive audience with relatively low expectations about the ride. This ride enabled me to learn a bit about autistic kids through a news feature and even hear two movie reviews.

Now, if I only had time to go see a movie!

Any interesting tools you have seen that help us make more of our busy day?

Blogs Provide Short-Cuts to Purchases

We busy women are always looking for short-cuts in researching purchases. Many times, we turn to friends and family for recommendations on a variety of categories.

Many of you have told me that mommy blogs are playing an increasing role in serving as a resource for recommendations. I've also noticed more and more blogs dedicating more time and space to product reviews.

How many of you are using blogs as a source for recommendations? Do the product reviews drive you to purchase?

Let me know. I'd love to hear.

Too Busy to Blog

Sorry for the delay in creating this latest post. I've been too busy to blog.

I've heard from a number of you about how and when you CROP, or look for CRedible OPinions as a short cut to purchase because we are all too busy to to do all of the research ourselves. Many women turn to friends and family -- sisters, moms, close friends -- online and offline to get recommendations.

For example, my sister knows everyone in the world and can quickly recommend anything from a the quickest place to get X-rays to the best place to get prepared salad.

Who do you turn to and for what? Let me know. I'd love to include examples in my book, Too Busy to Shop, which will be published in spring of 2009.

Who Do You Turn to for Recommendations?

When you are a woman who is too busy to shop, it helps to get opinions and recomendations from people or places you trust as a short cut to researching what you want to buy.

Need someone new to cut your hair? Buying a new camera? Researching pre-schools? In my experience, busy women usually do not start from scratch. They simply do not have time. They turn to friends, family, media, colleagues, web sites or somewhere that gives them information they feel they can trust. Women are searching for CRedible OPinions as a short cut to a purchase decision. I call it CROPing.

How do you CROP? Who do you go to for recommendations and for what? I'd love to know more and plan to include the general themes and some good examples in my upcoming book, Too Busy to Shop: Marketing to Multi-Minding Women, which will be published in spring of 2009 by Praeger Publishers.

Let me know how you CROP.