Local Resource: Library calendars for free literary fun!

The Arlington library (main branch and Fox branch) are fantastic resources for free children groups; ranging from reading, to music, to play. Here are links to the events calendar of local libraries, make sure to check them weekly for the schedule (I've highlighted fun infant groups that appear to occur weekly at each, there are programs for older kids as well).

Arlington
Events Calendar Here
Robbins Library, 700 Mass Ave
Fox Branch, 175 Mass Ave
Tuesdays, Robbins, 10:00-10:30, Sing-a-long (get there early to sign up)
Thursdays, Fox, 10:00-10:30, Sing-a-long

Cambridge
Event Calendar Here
Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave.
O'Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave
Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St.
See addresses for other three branches through link to library above.
Mondays, O'Neill Branch, 10:30am, Toddler Time (Stories and Songs for 0-3 years old)
Tuesdays, Valente Branch, 10:30am, Toddler Time
Wednesday, Boudreau Branch, 10:30am, Toddler Sing-Along (all ages)

Lexington
Events Calendar Here
Main, 735 Mass. Ave
Thursdays, 9:30am-9:50am, Baby Laptime (0-15mo)
Thursdays, 10:30am, Toddler Time (16-24 mo)

Medford
Events Calendar Here
Main, 111 High St.
Fridays, 10am (Oct. 2, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4), Sing Alongs

Somerville
Event Calendar Here
Central Library, 79 Highland Avenue
West Branch Library, 40 College Avenue
Tuesdays, Central, 10:30-11:00, Sing-a-long
Thursdays, West, 11:00-11:45, 'Babygarten'

Tip #32: Diapering a supersoaker overnight

Our son has been soaking through every diaper we've tried on him overnight, from several kinds of cloth to several kinds of disposables. I hit up the Arlington Parent's e-mail list for some advice and had lots of great responses. Here's the summary:

Disposables

• Huggies overnight were the preferred brand by far
• Tip: Add a disposable diaper liner (they are similar to maxi pads). Buy plastic-free, biodegradable liners from gDiapers
  
• Tip: Tuck in the top of the diaper to stop overflow
• Tip: Buy a larger diaper (one mom pointed out with variation in lengths, they may grow out of a size before the upper end of the weight limit is met).
• Tip: Put a pull up diaper over a disposable.
  

Cloth

• The general thought was to add a doubler.
• Favorite disposable doubler: gDiapers
• Favorite place to look for cloth doublers: Diaper Lab
• Tip: Choose a fleece lined doubler for next to baby's skin, it will feel dryer longer.
• Tip: Use more than one doubler.
  

Tip #31: Babyproofing with plaster walls

Pre-1950 it was common for inner walls to be built using a lath and plaster process. Sometimes, to keep the plaster affixed to the wall boards, horsehair was used, and so now this is sometimes also called horsehair plaster and it's ubiquitous in Arlington (at least in east Arlington, where we live). If you've ever tried to attach a load to these walls (even a small load you know wouldn't be a problem in drywall), the plaster crumbles and leaves a large hole. This means if you want to attach furniture to the wall using straps, in order to keep it from toppling over on a baby using it to pull up, you need to find a stud. Studs are 16" apart and not necessarily in a convenient place for your furniture. Instead, you can use an L-bracket on each side of your piece of furniture and drill one side into the furniture, and the other into the baseboard. This will guarantee a solid connection to the wall without relying on studs. However, make sure to use caution when it comes to top-heavy items.

Pics and how-to's coming later. We'll be implementing this process soon!

Source: Neighbor

Local Resource: Car seat inspection

In the past, parents have been able to head to a local police department (of any neighboring town) and have their car seat installation inspected for safety. Unfortunately, budget cuts have caused stations to limit access to residents, or disband it entirely. Check out this article. The moral of the story, call your local department first. If they won't do it, then you can go to Children's Hospital in Boston and pretty soon Isis Maternity. See this handbook on inspection stations and tips. Also, this page contains local events for inspection.

Local Resource: Parents lists

Local parents lists are a phenomenal way of getting information about kid friendly activities, tips, advice on daycares and other various topics as well as for sale kid items and free stuff. Here are links for signing up on various lists in the Boston area.

Arlington Parents List

Boston Parents Network

Cambridge Families Group

Somerville Moms Email List

Local Resource: Find a daycare near you

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care is the formal body responsible for licensing daycares (family and group) in the state of Massachusetts. They have a fantastic search feature built in for all daycares they have licensed: EEC Online Daycare search feature.

When we began our family home daycare search, I asked each one a set of questions and realized I was getting a standard response back. I then realized that a lot of my questions were covered by the licensing regulations of the state of Massachusetts. Here is a non-exhaustive summary of the things your family home daycare provider (if licensed) will/should be following (but might be a common question you have):

Child to provider ratio:
Home daycares are licensed for either up to 6 children or 7-10 children. More than 10 children and it's considered a group daycare (Infants are 0-14months and toddlers are 15mos-two years).
For up to 6 children:
Case 1: One caregiver and one assistant can provide for only three children under the age of two (at least one of these three has to be a toddler)
Case 2: Two caregivers - no limits on the distribution of ages under two years old.
For 7-10 children:
Case 1: Two caregivers + one assistant, only six children under the age of two allowed, no more than three of them may be infants.
Case 2: Three caregivers: all ten kids may be under the age of two, but only seven of them may be infants.

Visiting policy:
Directly from the EEC regulations: "Parent Visits. Parents must be permitted to visit a child care home unannounced any time during the hours that their child is present. The provider must inform all parents of this policy in writing, and maintain a copy of this notification in the child's record."

Illness and Medications:
Your child will not be allowed at daycare if they have a fever of 101 degrees or higher or have active symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea. They must then be symptom free for at least 24 hours before returning to daycare. Children with common colds are allowed (as long as they don't have a fever). You'll need to fill out Medicine Authorization forms if they need to have medicine dispensed during daycare hours.

Vacation policy:
I can no longer find the document that contains the policy for provider vacation, but I believe it allows for two weeks of paid vacation for the provider. In addition to that the daycare will be closed (and paid) for typical holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas, MLK, Labor day etc. Providers are required to give you a 30 day notice for the intent of a vacation (again this is from memory, so make sure to ask your provider what their policy is). Essentially, plan on paying for 52 weeks a year and hope that you can line up your vacation with theirs. You will not be discounted tuition for anytime your child is out of daycare (once they begin) for vacation or illness.

Local Resource: Gyms with babysitting

Here are just a couple of gyms local to the Arlington/Woburn/Cambridge area that have babysitting so that mom and dad can work out without worry.

Woburn YMCA
137 Lexington Street Woburn, MA
Their website doesn't explicitly state childcare costs and availability for while you are working out, but a mom on the Arlington Parents list loves the facilities at the Woburn Y for child care. They have lots to keep kids active and a section to separate non-walkers from walkers.

Evolve Fitness
52 New Street Cambridge, MA
This gym is brand new. The website advertises monthly membership fees at $19.99. They don't have the price for babysitting services, but from an Arlington-Parents email list conversation, a parent said it is $4 for babysitting services for the duration of your workout.

Boston Sports Club
See this page for locations in the Boston area that offer babysitting services.
Rates for babysitting and membership vary from club to club, but the BSC clubs linked above all offer babysitting services for up to two hours per visit. They don't publicize babysitting fees, but I heard through the grapevine that it's about $1 per visit (probably for members). They also offer these services to non-members.

Healthworks For Women
Several in the Boston area offer child care so see link above
36 White Street, Cambridge MA
Babysitting services exist for this just-for-mom gym. Reservations for young babies are required. Enquire with Healthworks for membership and babysitting fees. I have heard great things as well about their Mommy and Me fitness classes. Apparently, bring baby to class and mom gets a very serious workout.

Work out World
200 Boston Ave Medford, MA
From a mom on the Arlington parent's list. Childcare is $1 for the first 45 minutes and an additional $1 for every half hour following. Childcare hours are roughly 8:30-12:30 and 4:30-8:00, these times are approximate, make sure to call WoW for details.

Local Resource: Consignment shops in Arlington and Belmont

Since infants grow so fast, second-hand clothes are rarely well used, and so consignment shopping is a great way to load up on infant clothes. Here are a few local places to find second hand kids clothes.

Arlington

Pink Dolly
8 Medford Street, Arlington MA
Arlington Center
This shop has great deals on very nice clothes for slightly older kids. Last time I was in looking for 6-month onesies I couldn't find anything. However, I did hit a fabulous sidewalk sale this spring here..everything you can fit in a bag for $5.

Little Fox Shop: Fox Library
175 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington MA
East Arlington
This isn't exactly a consignment shop. Donations here are resold by volunteers and the money goes to supporting the Fox Library branch of Arlington, which is a great library for children. Make sure to check the hours, since it's run by volunteers the hours aren't standard shop hours. In addition to clothes this has great deals on things like exersaucers and stroller toys.

What's Yours is Mine
1185 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington MA
Arlington Heights
I haven't visited this shop yet, but heard about it from another Arlington resident with kids. If you visit let me know if you like it!

Belmont

Growing Up
443 Common Street, Belmont MA
I heard about this place from a friend who lives in Belmont. It's a wonderful little gem packed with clothes and some games and toys. We managed to outfit our boy for 6-9months for $14. We followed that up with a pretty good lunch at the restaurant across the street called Kitchen on the Common. They had seating outside (great for kids), but the service was a little slow (not so great for kids).

Local Resource: Postpartum Support Groups

There are free drop-in postpartum support groups and/or breastfeeding support groups every day of the work week in the Arlington/Cambridge/Somerville area:

Monday

2:00pm-3:30pm Mt. Auburn Midwives Support Group .
Vineyard Church Meeting Rooms, 2nd Floor
15 Notre Dame Avenue, Cambridge, 1 block south of Rindge Ave., between Middlesex and Sargent Sts.

You don't need to have delivered with the Mt. Auburn midwives (or at Mt. Auburn at all) to join this group of women. Each week there is usually someone in addition to a midwife, a lactation consultant, a baby massage specialist, etc.

Tuesday

10:00am to 11:30am Jewish Family and Children Services: Cambridge Group
Congregation Eitz Chayim 134-136 Magazine St, Cambridge

You don't have to be Jewish to attend JFC&S groups!

10:00am to 12:00pm JFC&S Breastfeeding Support Group: Cambridge
Cambridge Health Alliance , 8 Camelia Avenue , Cambridge

Wednesday

3:00pm-4:00pm Isis Maternity Drop-in BreastFeeding Group: Arlington
397 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington

Thursday

11:00am-12:30pm JFC&S: Somerville Group
Somerville Family Network, 42 Prescott Street (Cumming School), Somerville

Friday

10:00am-12:30pm JFC&S Arlington Group
Calvary United Methodist Church
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington
I've heard great things about this informal group of women from a friend.