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I'm working and working on reviews and giveaways that need done. I have a lot of stuff going on at home with the kids' and their school with meetings. Please be patient and know that I'm not gone. Please keep checking back for new stuff!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Parking Pal

Tired of having to hold your little one's hand while trying to do something else, such as find your keys, load/unload another child into a carseat, or loading up groceries? Parking Pal is the solution!
I recieved Parking Pal this week, I have to say, I was a bit skeptical about it at first. It is a magnet in a circle, with designs around the edges with a hand in the middle....how is THIS going to keep Jeffery standing next to me? Is this thin little magnet going to stay on my car? I have seen decoration magnets for cars before, and they fall right off. But, I wanted to try this, I cleaned my car off a little (kind of pointless when you live on a dirt road) put the Parking Pal on Jaylin's side of the car...it stuck...it was holding good.

Now let me explain to you how my normal routine is when taking both kids out by myself. I first get Jeffery out since he sits behind the drivers seat, I then hold his hand while we walk around to get Jaylin out, I tell him to stand next to me (it takes 2 hands to get a toddler out of a carseat so I cant hold his hand the whole time), I then unbuckle one part of Jaylins seat, notice Jeffery has run somewhere, then yell for him to come back, he comes back and I tell him AGAIN, to stand next to me....I then finish getting Jaylin out of her seat and Jeffery is on the other side of the car again! So I am then able to take Jaylin with me and go grab his hand and go where we are going. Big mess doing it this way, and I am tired before we even get to the store. The same thing happens when I am loading the kids up, I tell Jeffery to either stand next to me or go get in his side (i'll open his door for him 1st) well, he is a normal 3yr old who likes to run around, so he NEVER listens. Again, a big pain to deal with.

Ok, here is what happened yesterday using the Parking Pal. Before we left the house I showed Jeffery "his spot" and told him he needs to put his hand there when we are out of the car so I can see him. He puts his hand there to show me he knows what im talking about. So we leave to go to play group. I get him out and tell him "Jeffery, go to your spot over on Jaylins side" and he runs with me over to Jaylins side and I did have to tell him again to put his hand on the spot once or twice, but it was his 1st time doing it. So I was able to get Jaylin out of the car quicker because I didn't have to constantly look for him. So, coming out of playgroup, I told him to go to his spot and he went right there and put his hand there. I was able to put Jaylin in easy, then take him over and put him in. Fast forward to that evening. We took my mom somewhere and I wanted to show her what he had learned, so again, I got him out (this time we were on the side of a street instead of a parking lot, BIG DANGER) and I told him to go over and show Grammy how he uses "his spot" and he ran around the back of the car and put his hand right on there....of course he got applause from both me and Grammy so he was all happy. He caught on quicker than I orginally thought.

Photobucket
Check out Jeffery using his Dino Parking Pal!

So, safety is a BIG concern of mine, especially when I like to go places with the kids a lot. And looks is a BIG concern of my husband's....and you know what....even my husband likes it! It actually matches the car sort of (green vehicle, green circle lol) They have many more designs, and its got that cute little hand in the middle that children's hand fit right on!!! The cute designs keep children interested (Jeffery likes to count the dinosaurs!)

I have to say, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHID UNATTENDED WHILE USING PARKING PAL!


**Contest Ended, Winner Announced**
Want to win a Parking Pal? I have a Solar System Parking Pal I am giving away!!!

Go to Parking Pal's site and come back and tell me one of the Safety Tips or Stats in a comment!

**PLEASE LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ME TO CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!**

For added entries: (1 each)
*Post my blog button on your blog, then leave me a comment with the link
*Post about this giveaway on your blog, then leave me a comment with the link

**Giveaway ends June 18th!**

74 comments:

Nea.Leah said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.


nia_leah1130@yahoo.com

~Amanda~ said...

Teach them never to play in driveways!

~Amanda~ said...

I have your button on my side bar!

bmorin54 said...

What a great invention!!

Anonymous said...

Teach them that a car is not a plaything

carissaad said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading. Thanks for the giveaway.

carissaad at aol dot com

kygirl said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading

peg42 said...

Thank you for offering this. This is such a great idea! A great safety tip is Teach them that parked vehicles might move and teach them to stay safely away. Thanks and please enter me.

Unknown said...

wow i wish more moms knew where there kids were in the parking lot when loading. i see moms every day hanging on their cell phones loading stuff in the suv and not paying any attention to their kids who are running around in a busy parking lot

mverno said...

can't wait to win this one

Anonymous said...

All of the comments are important, but never leaving your child unattended even for a second, must be the most. My daughter with a 5 year old and very active 2 year old could use this. This is the first time I have ever found it. Great!

mom2boys said...

The best tip I have is just to them closely while in parking lots. I always have my son hold on to the bottom of my shirt or jeans while I'm loading the car. If he lets go then I know he trying to wonder off. I would love to win a parking pal for him I think it would work much better. Thanks!

agordon10 said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.
Amen to that.

Betty N said...

Teach them NEVER to play around or behind a vehicle . The parking pal seems like a really simple but workable idea.

Tonya said...

Be especially careful during Holidays or when parking lots are full

Miss Spoken said...

Teach them to never play in driveways. What a great product.
gkstratos @yahoo.com

Unknown said...

The car is not a toy! Who knew? LOL! We just taught Rory to touch the car when we are in parking lots, she will be 2 in a month. But she now tries to 'touch' in the crack by the door so her fingers get pinched, perfect! We need this!

vboackle said...

great idea.

Unknown said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading.

I've been seeing these around the blogoshpere a lot lately and i think they are an amazing invention. My son is seconds away from walking all on his own, and safety in parking lots is going to be a concern of mine very soon. Could really use one of these! Thanks!

mommyinstincts AT gmail DOT com

Jen

Anonymous said...

Michelle J:
"Teach children that vehicles can be dangerous and drivers cannot always see them"
watson(at)zerostreet(dot)net

Sundi said...

I think the stat "We do want to add, be especially careful in church parking lots" is particulary apropos for our family, since this is where I most worry my kids are going to run off!

bfox74 said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.

LN said...

I could totally use this -- so far our method is this: teach that a parking lot is like a street and he has to hold on.
I put my younger son in a stroller and attached a "handle" on to it that my toddler is not allowed to let go of. That way he is right next to mommy when there are cars around.

miller lawn service said...

Be especially careful during Holidays or when parking lots are full

Bree said...

Great product! Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading.

bethany said...

I really want one of these!! Teach your children not to play in driveways!!

AubreyB said...

Be especially careful in church parking lots.
byubabe14 at yahoo dot com

Rashmi said...

Always hold a child’s hand when walking to and from the vehicle in parking lots

Whoever thought of this is a genius and a parent for sure!

Thanks,
callmeabookworm at gmail dot com
ps - I’m having GIVEAWAYS @ A Book Blogger’s Diary & A Bookworm’s Diary.

mogrill said...

I would absoultely never leave my little one unattended but this is a great tool!

Mary512 said...

Teach them never to play in driveways. Great giveaway, thanks! hellomary018 at yahoo dot com

Mary512 said...

Blogged ya:
http://mommyland512.blogspot.com/2008/06/win-parking-pal-sticker.html
Thanks again!

Melissa Neece said...

This is a super idea! I was a nanny last year, and it took awhile to train them to stand by the wheel while I get the baby out. This would make training a whole lot faster. I guess a good tip from the website would be never leave the child unattended. I don't know about the driveway business, what child doesn't skate and ride bikes in the driveway? That one doesn't make any sense.
Thanks for the contest!
http://melissaneece.blogspot.com (lots of pregnancy and natural living links)
http://melissasreviews.blogspot.com (holistic reviews for the practical person)
http://bookretrospects.blogspot.com (new site with book reviews)

Belinda said...

Always hold a child’s hand when walking to and from the vehicle in parking lots.
belinda_streak(at)hotmail(dot)com

Michelle T said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading

The Mommy said...

Never play in driveways. That's a really important one! thanks for the giveaway!
crt4book[at]yahoo[dot]com

Kristie said...

Teach them that parked vehicles might move and teach them to stay safely away.

khmorgan_00 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Teach them NEVER to play around or behind a vehicle

doot65[at]comcast[dot]net

kristilb19 said...

Always hold a child’s hand when walking to and from the vehicle in parking lots! Great!

Anonymous said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading

windycindy said...

Hello! I especially like the safety tip "Teach children not to play in driveways!" I know more than one child that has been hurt or killed by cars in their own driveways. How terribly sad. When I am driving in a parking lot, I can't believe how many adults I see not watching their young children. It frightens me! Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

Never play near the road or driveway!!

Anonymous said...

"Always hold a child’s hand when walking to and from the vehicle in parking lots." We do this for sure!

Thanks!
Megret
meg.wilson@gmail.com

Uniquely Yours said...

Never leave a child alone!

Anonymous said...

My favourite is that you always need to hold your child's hand in the parking lot to and from your car - particularly the squirmy reluctant to hold hands toddlers!!

silverbele said...

Children need constant attention near traffic

JenO said...

Teach them that parked vehicles might move and teach them to stay safely away! (sometimes I need to remember this, too!)

Yard Sale Princess said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading.

I have been wanting one of these for so long! I just tell the kids to touch the car but it would be nice to have something in particular to touch!

Thanks!

tlcfromtn said...

Teach children that vehicles can be dangerous and drivers cannot always see them

Mozi Esme said...

Teach them never to play in driveways.

I see this so often - and kids don't evey think about it.

Uniquely Yours said...

I would really like to try one of these out to see if it will train my 3 year old. Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading. Thanks for the giveaway.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea. Hope they continue to use it and don't get bored. I could really use a lot of these. I have a new granddaughter, 2 friends , a niece, and 3 grandbabies( a set of twins) expecting this year. Trying to crochet blankets, but I'm thinking toward a basket of goodies. This Parking pal would help. Please enter me, thank you

Angela said...

I blogged you on Prize-A-Tron too!
http://www.prizeatron.com

Channah said...

Never ever leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.

sewingmema said...

Never ever leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.


This is a fantastic gift idea for anyone with little ones.

Anonymous said...

Be especially careful during Holidays or when parking lots are full

dolls123[at]gmail[dot]com

calgirl said...

Always hold a child’s hand when walking to and from the vehicle in parking lots

masonsgranny59 said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.

Brooke said...

Teach kids NEVER to play in driveways.

Anonymous said...

Never play in driveways.

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Teach kids NEVER to play around or behind a vehicle

Jinxy and Me said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds.

Crunchy Green Mom - Suzanne said...

I think the biggest thing is the 62 kids behind the vehicle that the driver couldn't see!

That's so scary!

LilithSilvermane at gmail dot com

QponMom said...

Firstly I must say that this is an excellent idea! It makes waiting fun for the kiddies.
One of the tips from parking pals:We do want to add, be especially careful in church parking lots

I think this is a very good tip. I see that a lot of kids are restless during church and afterwards look forward to running around with their friends while the parents chat. I have to get on my kids all of the time about not running out into the lot.

Miranda Ward said...

i teach my daughter to go somewhere safe when a car starts up

noreen said...

Teach them to never play in driveways.

nor_lou at hotmail dot com

mrstrooper said...

Never leave a child unattended around vehicles...whether parked or moving.

Unknown said...

Always keep your children in your buggy or hold their hand in parking lots!! It is just too dangerous to do otherwise!

Kristy said...

Be especially careful during Holidays or when parking lots are full

Anonymous said...

love to teach to stay clear of vehicles for safety/health.

Anonymous said...

If you are with your children at night in a parking lot and a strange man trys to get in the car have a whistle with you and blow the heck out of it to get attention.

Figgy said...

Know where your children are in parking lots when loading and unloading

lilyk said...

People tend to let their guard down

Tim Sternberg said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle.

Rockin' Mama said...

Never leave a child unattended around a moving vehicle, not even for a few seconds
jasonncaryn at yahoo dot com

 
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