Personalized Time out Mat, Nanny Recommended, Parent Loved, Kid Approved

TresChicTimeOutSpotPersonalized

The SUPER NANNY, Nanny 911 and Dr. Phil all recommend the Take Time Out Mat concept for child behavior  modification. Anything Joe's Personalized Gifts for Kids Decorator styled, Kid Themed, personalized Time Out Spots provide a consistent time out spot that will also fit in with your kids room decor so that it can be left out at all times or it can be rolled up and brought out when needed. Why not take it with you or to the Grandparents for overnight trips.  Please read the entire article for useful tips on this important child disciplining concept.

To view the Personalized Time Out mat choices click here: http://www.anythingjoes.com/search-products-list.cfm?sea ...

We strongly feel that a Time Out must be balanced with a Time in.
What's a Time In??, just read further to find out!

When I was young my Mom, when extremely put out with my behavior or frustrated with me, would send me into a large walk-in storage closet where I stayed until she asked if I was ready. Not as bad as it sounds really, the door was never locked and there was plenty of room and light and I could actually enjoy it, so it probably wasn't boring enough to be effective, but I knew when I was in there that I'd better have an apology ready to present when she asked if I was ready to come out.... No apology, then I must not be ready. She didn't call it Time Out, but that's exactly what it was.

Basically the Time Out is the best discipline technique for children 2 to 5. It is a tough concept to begin with, but if you are diligent and stick to your guns it is very effective. Don't become discouraged. Focus on one behavior at a time, but be consistent, don't say it if you don't mean it! Keep it up, they'll be fine and remember it as a good thing, just as I do my closet time.

We chose this list of Time Out How To's from a leading parenting website, because it balances the Time Out with a Time In. A brief time when you show affection when you catch them being good.  Be sure to do your own research before implementing by asking other parents what has worked for them.

Some parents become discouraged with time-out. Their child repeats misbehavior immediately after release from time-out. Other children seem to improve temporarily but by the next day are repeating the behavior the parent is trying to stop. Some children refuse to go to time-out or won't stay there. None of these examples means that time-out should be abandoned. It remains the best discipline technique for 2- to 5-year-old children. If you use time-out repeatedly, consistently, and correctly, your child will eventually improve.

The following recommendations may help you fine-tune how you are using time-out.

* Give your child more physical affection each day. Be sure your child receives two time-ins for every time-out each day. A time-in is a positive, close, brief human interaction. Try to restore the positive side of your relationship with your child. Catch him being good. Try to hold your child for 1 or 2 minutes every 15 minutes when he's not in time-out or misbehaving. Play with your child more. Children who feel neglected or overly criticized don't want to please their parents.

* Use time-out every time your child engages in the behavior you are trying to change (target behavior). Use time-out more frequently. For the first 2 or 3 days you may need to use time-outs 20 or more times a day to gain a defiant toddler's attention. Brief time-outs are harmless and there is no upper limit on how many times you can use them as long as you off-set them with positive interactions.

* Use time-out. Don't just threaten to use time-out. For aggressive behaviors, give no warnings, just put your child in time-out. Better yet, intercept your child when you see her starting to raise her arm or clench her fist and before she makes others cry. For other behaviors, remind your child of the rule, count to three, and if she doesn't stop immediately, put her in time-out.

* Put your child in time-out earlier. Put your child in time-out before his behavior worsens. Your child is more likely to accept a time-out calmly if he's put in early rather than if he's put in late (and screaming). Also, putting him in early means you will be more in control of your emotions. Try to put your child in time-out before you become angry. If you are still yelling when you put your child in time-out, it will not work.

* Put your child in time-out quickly. Don't talk about it first. When your child breaks a rule, have her in time- out within 10 seconds.

* Don't talk to your child during time-out. Don't answer his questions or complaints. Don't try to lecture your child.

* Ignore tantrums in time-out. Don't insist on quietness during time-out because it makes it harder to finish the time-out.

* Return your child to time-out if he escapes. Have a back-up plan for further discipline; for example, holding a young child in the time-out chair or grounding an older child.

* Consider increasing the length of time-out. If your child is over 3 years old and needs to be placed in time-out more than 10 times each day, a longer time-out may be needed to get her attention. A preschooler with a strong-willed temperament may temporarily need a time- out that lasts 2 or 3 minutes per year of her age. Children younger than 3 years should receive only brief time-outs (1 minute per year of age) because it is difficult for them to stay in time-out any longer.

* Make the time-out place more boring. If your child doesn't seem to mind the time-outs, eliminate sources of entertainment. Move the time-out chair to a more boring location. If you use your child's bedroom, close the blinds or shades. Make sure that siblings or pets aren't visiting. Temporarily remove all toys and games from the bedroom and store them elsewhere.

* Use a portable timer for keeping track of the time. Your child is more likely to obey a timer than to obey you.

* Be kinder in your delivery of time-out. This will help reduce your child's anger. Say you're sorry he needs a time-out, but be firm about it. Try to handle your child gently when you take him to time-out.

* Praise your child for taking a good time-out. Forgive your child completely when you release her from time- out. Don't give lectures or ask for an apology. Give your child a clean slate and don't tell her father or relatives how many time-outs she needed that day.

* Don't punish your child for the normal expression of anger, such as saying angry things or looking angry. Don't try to control your child too much.

* Give your child more choices about how he takes his time-out. Ask, "Do you want to take a time-out by yourself or do you want me to hold you in your chair? It doesn't matter to me." (For older children, the choice can be, "By yourself or do you want to be grounded?")

* Give your child the option of coming out of time-out as soon as she is under control rather than taking the specified number of minutes. Some children feel overly controlled.

* Use a variety of consequences for misbehavior. Ignore harmless behaviors. Also use distraction for bad habits. Use logical consequences--such as removal of toys, other possessions, or privileges--for some misbehavior.

* Clarify with your child what you want him to do. Also clarify the house rules. Review this at a time when your child is in a good mood. This will help him be more successful.

* Use time-out with siblings when appropriate. Be sure that one sibling isn't being treated preferentially. If siblings touch the timer or tease the child in time-out, they should also be placed in time-out.

* Teach all caretakers to use time-out correctly and consistently.

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Anything Joe's

Storage of toys, plush pets, books and art supplies are a daily challenge to Moms and their kids.  When choosing storage options, it is important to select storage containers that are functional and will blend with a kids room decor and can also grow with the child.  Early organization skills can be taught to children as young as two, as long as you keep it simple....this box for toys, this box for blocks, this box for pets, etc.  You can make this learning process a game with the Clean Up Song:

Clean up, clean up.
Everybody clean up.
Clean up, clean up.
Put your things away.

We have found several great ideas for dealing with these toy storage problems, large to small  These personalized gift items are not only practical, but they are cute too with hand painted designs and personalization providing a workable level of style and usability for their rooms and play areas.

For large toy storage, we have a our Large Personalized Toy Box storage units that can be painted with their name and choice of designs.   These is perfect for the nursery right up through their Kindergarten days.  This includes a rolling toy tub that can be rollled around to pick up the toys.  Another large storage choice is the Treasure Chest. Shaped like a pirate's chest, this can be used for boy's toy storage with a Pirate Design and also makes a great Dress Up trunk for little girls with a princess or dress up clothes pattern.

A Mom favorite is our folding fabric hampers / toy bins Painted with a design to match their room decor it can begin their life as a toy storage bin and later be used as a hamper.  Available in ocean blue, fuschia pink and lime green, this large fabric box, 16" x 16" x 19"H, is a versatile choice.

Got lots of art supplies?? Our new Art Supply Tool Chest is perfect for boys and girls who love projects, but can never find all of their supplies.  This Art Box with it's outside boxes, inside divided lift out tray will get them on the road to organization.

Book storage is one of our specialties.  Tired of digging books out of the toy chest, off the floor, from under the bed?  Get them our practical personalized book rack and watch them learn to put their books in a proper place by their bed or even in the living room.  This little personalized gift has been one of our customers favorites for years!

We hope these storage ideas will inspire you and offer a solution to your storage problems.  Happy organizing!

This time of year our minds start preparing for the next upcoming Holiday, EASTER!

The Easter tradition at our house include a personal visit by Peter Rabbit who left our full to the brim Easter Basket on the front steps (bunnies don't do chimneys and can't open the door my Mom said).  Along with the basket he would scatter a trail of eggs for us to find before we began dressing in our Easter finery and heading off to church, our pockets full of chocolate that always melted before we could eat it.

We now see more and more that this holiday has become one of gift giving, but the key is still the Easter Basket.  But the basket is now larger and a container for many other gifts, along with the candy.

Our three favorites this year are our Sol Totes, a "croc bag" that is made of the same material as a croc and will serve as their purse or beach tote all summer.  So in these days of watching the budget, it is a two fold gift that will be a hit and used all spring and summer on beach, lake or pool trips.

Our next favorite is the traditional personalized wicker Easter Basket for kids with the Chambray liner.  This is a traditional gift that will bring excitement to Easter morning.  Large, deep and lightweight this basket will become part of your Easter Tradition.

Last but not least are our pesonalized Easter Basket bags that are the perfect size for filling and for the Easter Egg Hunt and when the holiday is over, "crush flat" for storage until next year.

So happy Easter Basket filling and Easter Egg Hunts to all!

Storage of toys, books and art supplies are a daily challenge to Moms and their kids.  We have several great ideas for this problem.   These personalized gift items are not only practical, but they are cute too with our designs and personalization providing a workable level of style and usability for their rooms and play areas.

For large toy storage, we have a our Rolling Toy Box, (19" x 14" x 11"D) that can be painted with their name and choice of designs.   This is perfect for the nursery right up through their Kindergarten days.  Another large storage choice is our Treasure Chest. Shaped like a pirate's chest, this can be used for toy storage and also makes a great Dress Up trunk for little girls.

Got lots of art supplies??  Our new Art Supply Tool Chest is perfect for boys and girls who love projects, but can never find all of their supplies.  This Art Box with it's outside boxes, inside divided lift out tray will get them on the road to organization.

Book storage is one of our specialties.  Tired of digging books out of the toy chest, off the floor, from under the bed?  Get them our practical personalized book rack and watch them learn to put their books in a proper place by their bed or even in the living room.  This little personalized gift has been one of our customers favorites for years!

We hope these storage ideas will inspire you and offer a solution to your storage problems.  Happy organizing!

Personalized piggy banks make wonderful gifts for every age.  In these days when we hear so much about the financial state of our country and our families it is a great way to start a child off with savings habits.

Personalized banks make the saving process more of a personal activity...this is my bank and my money.  Children, given the chance, are great savers and learn quickly about the value of the dollar if you show them how.  Our own business, Anything Joe's, was started by Joe as a teenager who was having to save money to buy his first car and started doing craft shows to accomplish his goal.  Those special tennis shoes or the latest game will gain new meaning if the child has saved to buy it with his or her own dollars!

The classic ceramic personalized piggy banks we offer come in three sizes and can be personalized not only with their name, but a theme to match their interests or room decor.  You can also give us your own ideas on a theme for adults a favorite is our beach scene with "Joe's Vacation Fund" or for newlyweds the "Honeymoon Fund."

A favorite that Grandparents love to give younger children are the Big Belly Banks that look like a dinosaur or flower and the money rolls down the neck into the belly.  You actually "feed" your bank!

We also have specialty banks like the purse bank that is perfect for a little girls room and My First Bank that makes a unique baby gift.

Whatever your style bank, we can assure you that you child will love it and be on the path to saving just as soon as they open the box.

"My hair is washed, my sneakers squeak, I'm so excited, I can hardly speak!

New things to do, new friends to meet-- Hooray! It's the first day of school!"

Is this how your kids are feeling??  Maybe not, but there is definitely excitement in the air.   First day of school activities include a new classroom, desk assignment, roll call from a new teacher, new subject matter, making new friends and of course sizing up the kids around you....who's got what, who's cute and who's not. 

The school and teachers have prepared you with a list of needed school accessories, trying to make sure everyone is prepared and on equal footing, but you know you want your child to have the edge.   Not only are you concerned with whether their personalized backpack will hold up, but is it cool enough for them to be proud of how they look heading into class?  Don't fool yourself, these things are of great importance to kids of every age from kindergarten right on through High School.

For the parent, first day of school can be very emotional.  Your little one is heading off to begin the next phase of their life.  You are not able to be there to pick them up when they fall or make sure they are understood, you always know just what they mean, but will that new teacher?    Many parents would love to get to know the teacher from the start, but sometimes you are not able to meet them for more than a second and from this chance meeting decide if this person will be the best for your child.  Scary stuff for the first timer, but it will get easier.  You've given your child the tools they need, they know how to interact, they know how to behave (hopefully) and now it's up to them.  Of course, it never hurts to "get to know the teacher" by having a special teacher gift for this person who will become such a big part of their life.

At Anything Joe's we help parents select the bags and accessories they will need for the upcoming school year.  But we also help the parents find items to help build memories.  We have Grade School Memory Books and our First Day at School Frame is one you will cherish for years.

Best of luck to all Mom's and Dad's sending their little ones off to that very first day of school this year.  Remember that we are here to help you with your child's school needs whether it's personalize lunch boxes or personalized backpacks or just hanging on to the first day of school memories.

Back to school....dreaded, exciting, feared and anticipated.  The term means different things to all of us.   Back to school means one thing to a kid and another to their parent.  At Anything Joe's this is an important time of year to us...helping parents and their kids find the right school gear.

For the kids, a new grade, new teachers, new friends, new chance to start over each year.  To Moms and Dads it means expenses.  Buying backpacks, lunchbags, fees for teams, clubs and activities.  For many choosing school backpacks and lunch boxes is a summer long process.  It seems to begin the moment school is out for the summer.    Choosing backpacks for school  is an important part of preparing for the upcoming year.   It has to fit with back to school fashions and be durable to last the entire school year.

Since the pricing of school backpacks has increased, more and more Moms and Dads are taking a very close look at the construction and durability factor.  For the boys in the family it is less about find a "cute" bag that stands out and more about a "cool" backpack that will fit in.  For the girls, it is all about "trendy", cute and making a statement, "I'm girly, I'm not girly.  For girls the backpack and school gear is a little more revealing about their personality and maybe wanting to stand out.  For the guys, they just don't want to stand out at all, they just want to be one of the guys.

Here are some important tips when shopping for backpacks.

As a Personalized Gifts for Kids store, we are exposed to every name imaginable and some very unique baby names.   And we certainly enjoy seeing all the varieties that parents can come up with for their Baby Names.    Baby names are a big issue in the process of having a new child.  Some go with family names, some use the name of a favorite entertainer, and of course some name after Grandpa or Grandma.  And some spend weeks and months looking for just  that one unique name.

According to Parents magazine section on Baby Names, Aiden was at the top of the list for  Baby Boy Names  for 2007 - 2009 along with Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel, Alexander, William and Matthew.   Baby Girl Names were Isabella, Isabel, Bella has been the top girls name for the last two years followed by Emma, Emily, Sophia, Abigail, Elizabeth and  Chloe.  All classic names that have been around for centuries.  So obviously a name is a way to pass on heritage as well as uniqueness.

If we could spot a trend besides classical names in choosing baby names, it is that parents want a name that will be unique and give their child some individuality 'from the git go'.   Lately we have had many customers choosing the phonetic spellings or changing usual letters to different ones.  For instance choosing  Rel as their daughters name, (but it was pronounced Ariel like the mermaid.)   Another example of this would be changing the name Isaiah to Issaiyah.  Different and individual to be sure. 

While we don't have have favorite baby names we do know that choosing baby boy names or baby girl names will have an impact throughout their lives.  So take your time for this important decision.

As far as keeping the baby names secret until the time of delivery, this can be fun and add some intrigue to the event.  However keep in mind the grandparetns.  It is extremely frustrating to the grandparents ready to lavish gifts upon the next generations brightest star.  It is fun to go ahead and let everyone know so they can bring personalized baby gifts to the shower and you can begin personalizing your nursery and have their little room ready when they return from the hospital.  But the choice is yours.  Secrets are fun too!

Gifts like personalized piggy banks, door signs and canvas artwork are a great way to celebrate the naming of a new baby and making their room their own personalized haven from the very beginning.  It will also help when they begin learning their letters and spelling since the name is usually the first word we teach them to spell and recognize.

Best of luck in your search for the baby names in your family.  We hope to be able to put this carefully chosen name on a personalized gift for them in the future.

Tell us your unique names. we love to see what names you have for us to personalize with!!

This is the time of year that all dance schools end their year with the infamous "spring recital". If you have ever been to one, you know the thrill of seeing that 4 year old standing out on stage in pure shock and amazement as they see an auditorium full of folks looking "just at them".

Tutus and Tap Shoes, fancy outfits and way too much makeup make this a great opportunity for photos and special memories. A great way to congratulate them and get them prepared for another year of dance would be a new Dance Bag to take to the recital or give them afterward.

Check out our extensive selection of bags and please make suggestions for other dance gifts. New this year is a "Dance Shadowbox" that gives us a place to personalize with the date and location of that special recital and room to preserve tickets, programs, etc., safely.

Click here to view some ideas.

As we near the finish line for the Easter holiday gift buying, it has been exciting to see everyone that starts a new family Tradition with the Easter Holiday, a personalized basket for a new baby or toddler that they can use every year, The Golden Egg, The Bunny House, Easter Buckets and bags. We hope you will share with us how your family celebrates Easter and how the Easter Bunny makes his delivery. When I was growing up, we actually left carrots on the front steps and that is where we would find our baskets!! The bunny would also leave a few eggs scattered around the yard so we would do our own family egg hunt before heading off to church to celebrate and then the big lunch at Grandma's!