Looking for opportunities to stock up on Summer Boredom Busters and unique gift closet items?

Here’s something for you, then…

Our wonderful sponsors of the Scream-Free Summer Pledge + Giveaway that we ran last week have generously offered a chance to snag some cool, unique gifts at up to 40% off simply for taking the pledge! These are limited time offers, so grab them right away.

Enjoy!

1) 25% off Snowflakes Connect from Little Genius Minds

Snowflakes Connect is an educational toy that sparks imagination and lets your child exercise creativity and learn the fundamentals of engineering. It promotes spatial reasoning skills, motor skills and problem solving abilities. Endless combinations of simple ridged pieces can be connected and made into animals, birds, things and fun items. It includes over 340 colorful and attention captivating pieces. Use coupon code 8SQKAV4L to save 25% off. Valid until 6/29/15.

2) 40% off First Month’s Subscription from DoodleBug Busy Bags

DoodleBug Busy Bags from Kidable Adventures is a monthly craft subscription for kids ages 3 – 10. These crafts are fun, easy, and affordable. Each month children receive a bag of 4 – 8 curated crafts, often centered on a holiday or seasonal theme, and all the supplies needed to complete each activity. Save 40% on your first bag of a monthly subscription to the DoodleBug Busy Bag. This first bag of your subscription will not include the branded tote bag, but the second bag will. The discount applies only to the first bag. Regular pricing of $15.99/month will apply thereafter. You may cancel at anytime. Use coupon code AFP2015 at checkout. Good through 6/30/15.

3) 20% Off First Month + Free Shipping from Ivy Kids

Ivy Kids is a fun and educational monthly subscription kit for children ages 3-8. Each monthly Ivy Kids kit contains a classic children’s book, over ten fun and creative activities that are inspired by the story, and a personalized item for the child. The kit provides hours of meaningful play and hands-on activities which encourage children to develop problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking. Use code IVY20 to get 20% off your first kit when you sign up for any subscription. Also, the code IVYFREESHIP can be used for free shipping on any past kit in their online store.

4) 10% Off from iBbeautiful

iBbeautiful is founded on the belief that every girl is Beautiful just as she is. They work with a powerful monthly theme and message to help girls feel more empowered to accept themselves for who they are.  They celebrate the uniqueness of each girl and help girls to find their inner beauty through their monthly boxes containing fun lifestyle items along with their monthly message. Use code HELLO10_OFF to get 10% off their first basic box and WELCOME10_OFF to get 10% Off their first graphic tee box.

5) $5 off Your Next Subscription Box from Encourage Play

Encourage Play is dedicated to helping children learn social skills through play. The monthly subscription boxes are specially designed to make it easier for parents to help their child work on the skills they need to make social connections. Each month, the kit has a different social focus. In each kit, there are 2 ready to go play date activities and a family activity. Use code SUMMER2015 to receive $5.00 off your next subscription box. Coupon code is good until 6/30/15.

6) 25% Off Secret Agent Spy Science Kits from Mission Unboxable

What kid doesn’t love mystery and Top Secret missions? Mission Unboxable offers individual missions and monthly subscriptions of exactly that — science spy kits and top secret missions mailed to your child’s front door every month! Secret missions include spy gear, disguise kits, fingerprint analysis, decoders, get-away cars, target practice, bird watching (yes, bird watching), bouncy balls and much, much more! They are easy, organic fun guaranteed to encourage your children to expand their minds! Use coupon code HOPE25 for 25% off any purchase.

7) 20% Off First Pack from My Max Pack

My Max Pack, good healthy fun…delivered!, is the subscription box that helps turn picky eaters into pint-sized chefs! Centered around an animated character, Max On Snax®, My Max Pack™, is chock full of kid-friendly recipes and fun activities delivered to your door! Use coupon code “Scream Free Summer” to receive 20% off your first pack. Coupon valid through July 31/2015.

Enjoy!

We’re taking a bit of a break today to kick off the “Scream-Free Summer” Pledge + Giveaway (with LOTS of cool prizes). Come join us here –

“Scream-Free Summer” Pledge + Giveaway

We’ll be back with our regularly scheduled, potentially life-altering articles again next Monday 🙂

Here’s to a happy, scream-free summer everyone!

[Update:] For those of you already signed up and cannot see the list of prizes on the giveaway page anymore, here is the list. I’m sorry I couldn’t quite figure out how to modify the giveaway page directly…. 🙁

1) 3-Month Subscription to DoodleBug Busy Bags

Venessa Banks from Kidable Adventures is offering a 3-month subscription to their popular product DoodleBug Busy Bags. Kidable Adventures provides hands-on, creative products for kids that entertain, enrich, and educate. One of their products, DoodleBug Busy Bags is a monthly craft subscription for kids ages 3 – 10. These crafts are fun, easy, and affordable. Each month children receive a bag of 4 – 8 curated crafts, often centered on a holiday or seasonal theme, and all the supplies needed to complete each activity. Once completed, the crafts may be used as learning tools, decorations, toys, or given away as gifts. DoodleBug Busy Bags are great for playdates, visits to grandma’s house, or babysitter nights. Connect with Kidable Adventures on Facebook and Instagram. (A $50 value; shipping included)

2) 3-Month Subscription from Groovy Lab in a Box

Monica Canavan from Groovy Lab in a Box is offering a 3 month subscription to their awesome STEM inspired boxes. Each box from Groovy Lab in a Box offered as a single box or through monthly subscription is full of everything a child needs to learn about and do hands on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiments. Each box activates thinking, questioning, inquiring, and original creation as they guide children through the “scientific inquiry & engineering design process.” Their product features all the supplies needed to complete activities, experiments, and design challenges outlined in their custom, subject specific lab notebook. (A $78 value; shipping included)

3) 3-Month Subscription to Benko Box

Laurie Frasier from Benko Box is giving away a 3 month subscription to their super cute art kits. Benko Box is a box for little kids with big imaginations. With each box, they send 10-12 art materials carefully selected for your children’s creative ideas. This box is about creative process. They always provide a few open-ended suggestions to go with each month’s materials if a little encouragement is needed. (A $72 value; shipping included)

4) 3-Month Subscription to iBbeautiful

Cindy Lupica from iBbeautiful is offering a 3 month subscription to their monthly box of inspiration for tweens or teens. iBbeautiful is founded on the belief that every girl is Beautiful just as she is. They work with a powerful monthly theme and message to help girls feel more empowered to accept themselves for who they are.  They celebrate the uniqueness of each girl and help girls to find their inner beauty through their monthly boxes containing fun lifestyle items along with their monthly message. (A $60 value; shipping included)

5) 3-Month Subscription from Bramble Box

Morna Pollock from Bramble Box is offering a 3 month subscription to their super creative play kits. Bramble Box offers pretend play based activity kits for imaginative kids age 4 – 8. They offer a new theme every month, delivered once or as a monthly subscription. Each box is packed with fun and learning; pretend play props, activities, crafts and more! Just add a little bit of imagination. (A $75 value; shipping included)

6) 4 Secret Agent Spy Science Kits from Mission Unboxable

Lisa C from Mission Unboxable is giving away 4 of their most popular Secret Agent Spy Science Kits. What kid doesn’t love mystery and Top Secret missions? Mission Unboxable offers individual missions and monthly subscriptions of exactly that — science spy kits and top secret missions mailed to your child’s front door every month! Secret missions include spy gear, disguise kits, fingerprint analysis, decoders, get-away cars, target practice, bird watching (yes, bird watching), bouncy balls and much, much more! They are easy, organic fun guaranteed to encourage your children to expand their minds! (A $60 value; shipping included)

7) Snowflakes Connect from Little Genius Minds

Saritha Bhandarkar from Little Genius Minds is offering their popular educational toy Snowflakes Connect. Snowflakes Connect is a toy that sparks imagination and lets your child exercise creativity and learn the fundamentals of engineering. It promotes spatial reasoning skills, motor skills and problem solving abilities. Endless combinations of simple ridged pieces can be connected and made into animals, birds, things and fun items. It includes over 340 colorful and attention captivating pieces. (A $50 value; shipping included)

8) 3-Month Subscription to My Max Pack

Lori Osiecki from My Max Pack is offering a 3 month subscription to their incredibly cute and healthy subscription packs. My Max Pack, good healthy fun…delivered!, is the subscription box that helps turn picky eaters into pint-sized chefs! Centered around an animated character, Max On Snax®, My Max Pack™, is chock full of kid-friendly recipes and fun activities delivered to your door! Please visit http://www.mymaxpack.com to learn more about Max and My Max Packs!  (A $60 value; shipping included)

9) 3 of Their Popular Kits from Ivy Kids

Taseea Lainas-Cruz from Ivy Kids is giving away 3 of their most popular kits! Ivy Kids is a fun and educational monthly subscription kit for children ages 3-8. Each monthly Ivy Kids kit contains a classic children’s book, over ten fun and creative activities that are inspired by the story, and a personalized item for the child. The kit provides hours of meaningful play and hands-on activities which encourage children to develop problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking. Ivy Kids kits are a great resource for parents and caregivers looking for fun and creative ways to spend quality time with their children while also helping them build important foundational skills in math, literacy, and science. (A $117 value; shipping included)

10) 3-Month Subscription to Encourage Play

Janine Halloran from Encourage Play is offering a 3-Month subscription to her wonderful play kits. Encourage Play is dedicated to helping children learn social skills through play. The monthly subscription boxes are specially designed to make it easier for parents to help their child work on the skills they need to make social connections. Each month, the kit has a different social focus. In each kit, there are 2 ready to go play date activities and a family activity. (A $75 value; shipping included)

11) 3-Month Subscription to Kelly Kits

Kelly Hanson from Kelly Kits is offering a 3-month gift subscription to her incredibly cool and creative art kits delivered free to your home. Kelly Kits is a monthly art lesson subscription for children ages 3-12. Every month features a fun new art lesson in painting, sculpting, drawing, printmaking, or collage. Each kit contains art appreciation, technical instruction, cross curricular lesson plans for age groups 3-6 and 6-12, and art materials for two children. (A $50 value; shipping included)

Sign up here

From the surveys, your comments and your response to my emails so far, one thing is clear –

We are a community of parents who love the idea of positive parenting. And yet, many of us struggle to implement the ideas on a day-to-day basis.

What say we do something about it? Let’s end this year and start the next one with a bang. Let’s take a pledge, as a community, to be positive parents in 2015.

I’ll be taking the pledge right alongside you, and will support you in this pledge the best I can –

• All articles in 2015 will be approached from a positive parenting perspective. For instance, based on your choice in our last survey, our theme for January is “Raising kids with character”. So, every article published in Jan will look at how a positive parent would go about instilling certain character traits in kids.
• If you run into specific issues while you try to practice positive parenting, and you can’t find answers in already published articles, just send me an email. Either I or one of the members of our wonderful writer community (you can be a part of it too — details here) who has experience in that matter will put together an article for you. And, if none of us can be of help, I will reach out to some of the top positive parenting experts to find their suggestions for what we can do.

One more thing. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Laura Markham support us in this pledge. As some of you probably know she is one of my favorite parenting experts and has been pivotal in my choice to become a more positive parent. Thanks to Dr. Laura, every parent who takes the pledge will be entered into a giveaway, and one lucky parent will win access to Dr. Laura’s course Stop Punishing, Start Connecting, and Raise a Self-disciplined, Emotionally Intelligent Child.

So, are you in?

Let’s do this!

Take the the pledge here –

“I Will Be a Positive Parent in 2015” Pledge + Giveaway

Whoa, guess what? This blog celebrates it’s first anniversary next week!!!

Time sure flies when you’re having a good time, doesn’t it?

To celebrate the milestone, I’m giving away 4 books that have transformed my life and cover pretty much everything we need to know to raise happy, well-adjusted kids while staying sane, content and fulfilled! I’ll even ship it to you for FREE. 

Click here to see the list of the books and enter the giveaway –

AFineParent.Com “The Only 4 Books You Need to Become A Great Parent” Giveaway