Ollie the Purple Elephant by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Daddy Clay talks with Jarret J. Krosoczka, one of DadLabs favorite children's book authors. Jarrett is the author of the popular Lunch Lady series and also has several picture books. His latest picture book is titled "Ollie the Purple Elephant." Not only does create them, he loves to read them to his daughter. A few of their favorites are "Nursery Rhyme Comics," "I Want My Hat Back," "Bake Sale," "My Name is Elizabeth," and "Say What?"

Episode 836 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

BabyCenter's Top Baby Names for 2011

Daddy Clay talks with Linda Murray of BabyCenter.com to find out the top baby names for 2011. She tells us about the annual Top 10 Baby Name list and reveals what the popular names for girls and boys are. Learn what pop culture, television shows, and which of "The Royals" have influenced parents and their choice of names. Politics and sports stars also lead to trends, though the families of politicians more than than the politicians themselves. For a list of names, visit BabyCenter and check out their section on baby names with meanings. DadLabs Ep. 835 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

Consignment Gifts for Preggers

Daddy Brad visits, Little Green Beans, a consignment store for maternity and baby gear in Austin, Texas. He and owner, Sharon Munroe talk about the savings that can be had by shopping at consignment stores vs. buying new at retail outlets. With a special appearance by our own Preggers, Danny and Miranda!

Maternity and baby clothes aren't used for long periods of time. The use cycle of a lot of baby and maternity gear is often much much shorter than it's actual lifespan. When gently used (if at all used) items find their way to consignment stores, you can usually save at least 40% off new retail. It's not only a great savings to the buyer, but parents can also make money! Little Green Beans for example, prices items at a fair market value, and then when an item sells, they only keep 50%, the other 50% goes to the consignee.

Little Green Beans also offers personal monogramming for any item in the store. And because children come in all shapes and sizes, and clothes that fit properly are sometimes hard to find, they also offer affordable alterations.

Reduce, reuse, recycle and being otherwise green and eco-friendly means keeping items out of landfills whenever possible. Shopping, or participating in a consignment store for the items your family needs for your children is an easy way to help the environment, as well as help yourself and other local families save money.

Episode 834 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

Bed Transitions

Parents will freak out about a lot of things, but transitioning from a crib to their own bed doesn't have to be one of them. Most kids make the jump at 1.5 to 3.5 years old, but they will make the transition much easier "when they are ready." So how do you know when they're ready? Size is a great indicator, as well as whether or not they can (and will) climb out of the crib. If they are talking about a 'big kid' bed, they're ready. And night time potty training isn't going to work in a crib either.

The next question is what size bed? Again, it depends on the child. Some will move right into a twin bed, some will prefer a smaller "toddler" bed. There are lots of choices in bed styles. There are themes like princess, boat or racecar beds, or simply small versions of larger beds. Convertible cribs/beds can be pricey up front, but the value is in years of use. Gro Furniture has a great model that starts as a crib, transforms easily into a toddler day bed, and finally a nice work desk, all without tools or complicated instructions.

Allowing your child to help pick out the bed and the linens will help give them some ownership, and help with the transition process. Safety is still an issue of course. If your child chooses to go with a regular twin bed, rails on BOTH sides of the bed are important, even if it's against the wall. Without that wall rail, they could wedge themselves between the wall and the bed whilst squirming in their sleep. It's also important to take down the crib once the new bed is in place, to eliminate any confusion.

Patience is key. Your child WILL wake up and get up in the middle of the night. They may just play in their room, but more than likely they're going to wander to your bed. Helping them back to their own bed each time will be challenging, but eventually, they'll understand and the transition to their own bed will be complete.

Episode 833 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

How to Keep Your Kids Safe on the Web

We live in a digital world. Gemalto is an international company for digital security based in Austin, Texas striving to make that world safe for everyone. They have developed technology that secures digital interactions, be it with a mobile phone, bank cards, or even electronic passports, virtually every device you use that has your identity attached to it.

In addition to that technology Gemalto goes even further by giving parents resources to learn and understand how their children are acting online and what they can do to help safeguard those interactions. How to limit your child's access, as well as what to do to limit others access to your child's information and personal communications. Gemalto gives parents tips on how to talk to kids about the benefits and dangers associated with the online world, how to safeguard your information, and how to secure certain aspects of the online experience, so your kids are safe using rules that you put in place. At http://www.JustaskGemalto.com, you can post a question that will be reviewed and answered by security experts. Similar questions and concerns are compiled into their tips where answers are posted, along with links to other sites that may have even more information on a particular topic. One of the best things you can do is simply talk to your kids. Open that line of communication, go to the sites theta they are going to, and let your children navigate through the site and show you their online experience. That will allow you to make an informed judgement on whether that is an appropriate site. Be sure to let them know there are consequences to online behavior. Let them know you can see their viewing history. It's important to explain that you do not want to be spying on them, instead, as a concerned parent you want them to be safe and make sure they aren't putting themselves in jeopardy. Gemalto partners with parents to help ensure that social media, social networking, and online interactions are a positive and safe experience.

Episode 832 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

2012 Chevy Volt Review

Daddy Clay reviews the 2012 Chevy Volt. Episode 831 is brought to you by BabyBjorn.

Volt is unique among electric vehicles because you have two sources of energy. You have an electric source–a battery–that allows you to drive gas free. And there's also an onboard generator that produces electricity so you can go further, though you will need gas to power the generator. While more expensive than other electric vehicles, there are still government incentives as well as gas savings to consider when examining the Volt. Other cheaper electric vehicles will get you around town just the same, but the Volt can get you as far as 375 miles away from home with a full charge and a full tank of gas for the generator. Like the other electrics, an all electric gas-free range is only about 35 miles.

With a comfortable interior and buckets seats for everyone, along with video game-like gauges and screens, the Volt is simply fun to drive. Acceleration is quick and without hesitation. However, regenerative braking has a much different and unresponsive feel compared to traditional disc or pad brake systems. This takes some getting used to.

It's kid toting friendly as the 2 back seats are LATCH equipped, but it's not exactly a big family vehicle. Because of the placement of the large ion battery, the Volt is only a 4 seater. That heavy battery also gives the Volt a low center of gravity that prevents body roll through corners and really seems to hold the car to the road.

 If you have a green family of 4 (or fewer), you should definitely check out the 2012 Chevy Volt.

Mobile Phone Safety with Famigo

The smart phone has become an integral part of today's family life. Famigo has developed an easy, safe, and helpful app management tool for your Android called, Sandbox.

There are thousands of applications available that have options for in-game purchases and chargeable downloads. Sandbox imports apps already on your phone into a safe kid friendly space. Once inside the Sandbox, children cannot make in-game purchases or send out texts or make inadvertent phone calls to your contacts list, nor can they download other items. You can allow your child to use their apps without fear of them wreaking havoc on your phone setup or running up the phone bill.

The Sandbox does not only place apps in a kid-friendly playspace. At Famigo.com, apps are reviewed and rated. Apps are filtered from your phone into the Sandbox based upon Famigo.com approval, and what other Sandbox users have included in their Sandbox. Apps are rated and categorized by by many factors including, age group, educational, family-friendly games, books for kids, tablet friendly, and even if they're good for road trips.

Here at DadLabs, we understand that technology is reaching further and further into family life. Keeping kids safe, and parents sane is important and we applaud Famigo for helping to do both.

Episode 830 is sponsored by BabyBjorn.

Happy Thanksgiving from DadLabs

Happy Thanksgiving from DadLabs. Ep 829 is brought to you by BabyBjorn. Daddy Clay and Daddy Brad share thanks from the heart. We appreciate all of our viewers, Dads and Moms alike and hope to meet you all on the forums at DadLabs.com. Thank you to our premiere DadLabs sponsor for over 4 years, BabyBjorn. And the biggest THANKS to our families. To our wives and children for allowing us to pursue this dream of helping educate parents around the world on the gear, experiences, patience, and knowledge needed to raise a family. Thank you everyone! Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Baby's & Kid's 1st Furniture Spotlight

Baby's & Kid's 1st Furniture is an independent family owned retailer located in Houston, Texas. They carry a huge variety of baby gear, bedding, furniture, apparel, accessories, strollers, and car seats. Thoughtful, well-trained, and experienced employees listen to parents to discover what they need for their new family. From shower registry to parent classes such as Baby101, infant CPR, and car seat safety and installation taught by certified technicians, Baby's & Kid's 1st Furniture has it all. Huge selection, Dad friendly, and Mom approved. Visit www.babys1st.com. Episode #828 is sponsored by BabyBjorn. Please visit DadLabs.com and join the conversations in the community forums.

DadLabs Supports Movember

DadLabs Supports Movember. Every November, men across the country and around the world put their upper lips to work in order to raise awareness and money for diagnosis and treatment of men's cancers. The movement began Down Under, where a mustache is known as a "Mo" -- hence Movember. Our own Brad Powell is doing his part by teaming up with the men of Dad 2.0 to grow a wicked trucker 'stache all in the name of charity. Brad has as his guest one Burt Boles -- redneck mustache and fitness guru. Please support Brad's mustache, cancer research, and dudes worldwide by making a contribution to Movember today. Ask your doctor about screening for prostate and testicular cancer, and lead a healthy lifestyle. Movember is also about prevention of cancer. Movember is also a project of the Livestrong Foundation, based right here in Austin, Texas. Episode 827 is brought to you by Baby Bjorn. Hosted by Brad Powell.