Let them fly!

The best job in the world!

Such a sweet video and had to share.  If you haven't already seen it... this is in honor of all the athletes and the amazing Moms behind them...

Being a mom is the hardest job in the world. But it's also the best.

This Procter & Gamble commercial honors everything that all moms do to help their children succeed by showcasing the amazing moms behind Olympic athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The hardest job in the world is truly the best job in the world.

- Posted by Procter & Gamble on April 17, 2012.
 

Ted Talks

What an exciting day!  We had to share...

We are so absolutely honored that our we little company (but growing strong!), Peekaboo Beans, was recently mentioned with the likes of Lululemon in a TEDxEdmonton talk by Darrell Kopke from Institute B.  Darrell is someone we at Peekaboo Beans respect and admire for his mission to create Abundance through Generosity in business.  This is an amazing organization accomplishing amazing things in a corporate world in a not-so-corporate way and to be mentioned in an actual Ted Talk couldn't be more rewarding!  Again, what an exciting day. 

Watch Darrell Kopke's Ted Talk and find out what he has to say about Peekaboo Beans!

Coloring Fun!

Who doesn't love to color?  In a many travels across the Pinterest Universe we stumbled upon some really amazing coloring pages and would love to share them with you.  Here's our favorites....

 

  

Monkey around with Lilah Bean!  For you to print and color.  Click here to download your copy.

Find more of our favorites on the Peekaboo Beans Pinterest Boards

Do something today...

This is something we should say every morning to ourselves. Whether it's a grand gesture or tiny one, think of how enriched your life would soon become!

I remember when...

I remember the cold snowy days in Saskatchewan. Our backyard would have buckets full of snow and my brother and I would pile up the snow on the deck and created a snow jump, and would climb on the roof of our house, put on our skiis and launch ourselves off and ski in our backyard winter paradise. Those were the days of magic.

Our Play Expert

Exploring the Wonder and Value of Playing with Your Child

When you are dealing with a child, keep all your wits about you, and sit on the floor. ~Austin O’Malley, 1915

Play is a child’s way of learning about self and others and then communicating these life experiences. For children, play is the primary form of communicating before the age of ten. Play is how children show adults what they think and how they feel. When parents engage in play it allows them to enter into their child’s world on the child’s terms. It offers them a window into their child’s life, how he or she makes sense of new experiences and recovers from life’s upsets. The benefits of playing with children are both reassuring and exciting. Play fosters closeness, confidence and connection between parents and children. Play helps children think for themselves and then gives them the confidence that you believe in them too. Play is a way to be close to your child and to reconnect after closeness has been lost. 

Parents have varying perspectives on what play is, how important it is to development and what a parent’s role is in playing their child. There seems to be a general misconception amongst adults that play is an activity meant only for children. Maybe this idea comes from our own childhood experiences, rarely experiencing play with our own parents or other meaningful adults. Or maybe it is the result of play not being given significant value in a society where learning and productivity take center stage. With so little experience to draw from, many parents find the experience of floor play particularly, to be awkward and uncomfortable in the beginning. It can be difficult to slow down, refocus and enter into your child’s world of play. However, once you get the hang of it you will wonder why it took you so long to discover the wonder of play with your child. Understanding the benefits of play and finding the time and energy to enter a child’s world in this way creates meaningful parent-child relationships.

Here are a few suggestions to help you get started. Get down on the floor with your child so you are at eye level, facing them. Try to loosen up and relax. Remember you are getting ready to have a good time and your child is watching how you respond to playing with them. Join in your child’s play but let them lead the way (even if its play you would rather ignore). Listen carefully to your child’s words, watch their facial expressions and wonder about what they might be thinking or feeling. Enjoy yourself and this wonderful new way of connecting with your child.

Andrea Chatwin, MA, CCC

A Child’s Song Consultant, Educator and Therapist

www.achildssong.ca

10 questions that have parents scratching their heads

The mysteries of the universe are many:

How was Stonehenge built?  Is there extraterrestrial life?  What happened to Amelia Earhart?  Has nobody ever told Donald Trump he needs a better haircut?  And yet, the everyday head-scratchers that crop up once you become a parent can be every bit as perplexing as these biggies (and some days, even more so). Ever asked yourself any of these questions?

1. Just what exactly is the allure of Thomas the Tank? Yeah, he's a train and kids love them some trains. Still, he and his pals have zero personality and the storylines are a yawn. Thomas becomes a transvestite: Now that would be awesome.

2. Why isn't mac 'n cheese a food group?
It's mysteriously missing from the food pyramid. Alert the authorities!

3. How come kids mistake moms for human tissues?
News flash: My sleeve is part of my clothing; it is not your snot rag.

4. Is my kid someday gonna realize I'm not completely sure of what I'm doing?
Perhaps, but hopefully she'll be 37 at that point. Until then I'll just keep right on repeating, "Because I'm the mom and I said so!"

5. Is it so bad to let your child skip bathtime (again) because you're exhausted?
A diaper-wipes cleanup is even more sanitary than sitting around in icky bath water, the Surgeon General has determined. (In my dreams.)

6. Is Sophie the Giraffe secretly flavored with crack?
I've never actually licked her myself, but I'm gonna try and see if I get high.

7. Why hasn't anybody yet invented a self-cleaning playroom?
Come on, IKEA!

8. Is it OK to still desperately want the birthday cake slice with a flower?
I personally think so, unless you pummel a toddler to snag it.

9. Where do kids get their fashion sense from?
And wouldn't it be awesome if you didn't have to bother matching outfits?

10. Why can't the kids to leave you alone while you're in the shower?
OMG, I won't even condition my hair! Just let me soap up in peace!

We thought this was a really cute article and had to share!  It was originally posted July 3, 2012 and written by Ellen Seidman for Babble.com.

Our Me Time Mode Contest Winner!

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting our lucky Me Tim Mode Contest winner, Lexia Nash at the Playground.  She was lovely.  And came in tow with her two young beans and patient hubby.  We were more than happy to give her a brief tour of our "warehouse" and playroom before we got down to some serious business of shopping, chatting and cake eating!  After a couple hours, she left a happy mama with her boys completely outfitted from head to toe in brand new Peekaboo Beans. 

Congratulations Lexia. We hope you and your boys are enjoying your new beans! 

And thank you to all the Mamas who took the time video-ing themselves and participating in our "Best Contest Ever!".  We wish we could give you all the grand prize, there certainly was some fabulous videos that had us giggling, sobbing and almost peeing our pants!  

Our favorite things!

Reading is fun!  And it's one of the most important things you can do with your child (besides play of course!) while they are young.  Aside from the chance to enter magical and entertaining worlds and far off places, the benefits from reading to your kids from a young age are plenty... you give them the opportunity to build a stronger relationship with you, learn basic speech skills, better communication skills, learn logical thinking skills and achieve enhanced concentration and discipline and by reading to your young ones early on, children are taught that reading is a indulgence and not a chore.  So with that, give your children a chance to let their imaginations run wild and explore all that books have to offer! 

Here is a collection of wonderful books hand picked just for your by the staff from the Peekaboo Beans Playground.  We have created our own little must read list from a collection of our favorites while we were growing up and some that have become favorites from reading to our own children. 

From the top:  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, The Monster at the end of this Book by Jon Stone, For Just one Day by Laura Leuck, Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney, Smart-Opedia Junior by Maple Tree Press, Smely Socks by Robert Munsch, Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor, Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, Curious George by H.A.& Margaret Rey

Bean there done that

Who Are You, Really?

I was watching Oprah conduct an interview the other day, and she asked her guest the question, "Who are you, really?" That's a strange question, I thought. How does anyone answer a question like that? I have no idea who I am "really". Like everyone else, there is a lot of "Me's" in there. There is the mother me, the wife me, the sister and daughter me. I am a mother first, and foremost, but the biggest me aside from that is the Nurse me. After 45 years of being an ER/ICU nurse, that me is pretty well developed. That is the me that runs towards chaos, instead of away from it. The one that puts aside her emotions to deal with whatever has to be dealt with and falls apart later. This is the me that bleeds into all the others and appropriately enough, looks after everyone. (Can you say "Sybil'?) I have been doing a lot of thinking about that lately and decided that it's time for the nurse me to retire. I will just be really me, as soon as I can figure out who that is, and damn the consequences. This I fear is not going to be easy. Having kept a tight rein on the crazy for all these years, it is all apt to just fall out and land in a big pile at my feet, and that would just be uncomfortable for everyone. I will do it slowly.

So, the other day when I was doing my Work day at Peekaboo Beans, an opportunity opened. Derrick told me I could listen to any radio station I wanted. Okay, I thought, here is a chance to display the real me. Dare I admit that I want to listen to country music? I blurted out "How about some Country music" and then I began to have doubts, but Derrick didn't bat an eyelash, he just dialed in JRFM. (Thank you Derrick) I had a moment of concern....Oh my Lord, please do not let "My Truck Got Stuck" be playing. Or worse, "I Want to Check You for Tics'" I would never live down the humiliation! But no, it was "Red Neck Woman"....a little embarrassing, but not too too bad. A million times better than "I'm Just a Bug on the Windshield of My Life". In any case, I ended up line dancing up and down the aisles, happy as a clam, filling my orders and rocking (well square dancing anyway) to my tunes. Later, Julie and Lisa both admitted to being Country Girls! My dirty little secret was out and I wasn't alone.

So take a little time to think about this question...who are you really? Just be who you are! Fly your freak flag and let 'er rip. I would write more, but I have to go because my favorite song is on the radio. "I Want You to Love Me Like My Dog Does Baby" is playing and I couldn't be happier. 

Bean there done that, its all good.

Your friends from the Playground

Curious to where all the magic beans happen? We are opening our doors and giving you a glimpse into the world of Peekaboo Beans. Come see the center of our tire swing, the bars of our monkey cage, the bumps on our slide, the pebbles in our sandbox... come join us at our Playground!

How long have you been with Peekaboo Beans?

Though I don't know the "official" amount of time, I believe its been around 3-4 months. I started just coming in here and there, when an extra set of hands were needed.

 

Whats your role?

I am now the peekaboo beans stunt double. Meaning I sub in for invoicing, charging and warehouse help.

 

Whats your favorite things about being on the PB’s team?

The atmosphere. I love how I get genuinely excited to come to work. It's a happy place to be.

 

Whats the craziest thing that’s happened at the playground?

I don't think I've been around long enough to witness anything truly "crazy".

 

What inspires you?

Everyday random acts of kindness. I try my best to make someone smile everyday, and it's always nice to see someone else doing it too.

 

What do you do in your spare time?

Read, write, doodle, or curl up on the couch with some tea and watch a movie :)

 

What were you like as a child?

I was a major Tomboy. I was also one of those kids that if I sat still too long I'd get antsy. I was very active.

 

What’s one thing that people may not know about you?

I love writing. Especially poetry. I've gone downtown on occasion and performed in slam poetry nights. I've also been a finalist in several short story contests.

 

What does PLAY mean to you?

Play to me means, expression through activity. Whether it's something creative, imaginitive or even through sports. I think you can learn a lot about a person by how they play.

 

 

What's your calling?

Do you take as STAND for:

• Unstructured free play
• Empowering independence in children
• Sharing with others
• Taking time for you
• Building a business legacy

If so, we think you ROCK and we want you!  Join the play forces and be part of our inspiring team of Bean-trepreneurs.

Growing as a Play Stylist with Peekaboo Beans lets you:

• create your own destiny
• be your own boss
• love what you do
• create your own work schedule
• outfit your children in amazing clothes
• be part of something revolutionary
• receive professional and life coaching
• find your work/life balance
• earn an income on your terms
• work with a dynamic, inspiring group of talented women (and one man) like you!

What is a Beans Soiree?

The Beans Soiree is a unique home shopping experience.  We bring the vine to you, providing you with the exclusive opportunity to see and purchase the entire Peekaboo Bean playwear collection.  Hosting or attending a Soiree makes life easier for you and your beans with shopping that fits your schedule. 

If you are curious how it all works, here's our Compensation at a glance:

And just to make it all super easy for you... here's a peek at our Kick Start Kit to get you and your business growing (available until July15th only!):

  

If you are interested or would like more information about becoming a Peekaboo Beans Play Stylist please email our Cheer Captain Becky at the Peekaboo Beans Playground. 

Take it from Me Blog - review & giveaway

Wow!  We are getting popular!  Check out our latest Peekaboo Beans review and giveaway from the very cool blog... Take it From Me.  

The ladies at Take it From Me reviewed 2 of our super cute boy items and of course we were thrilled to hear that they are now a little "obsessed"!  We invite you to read on, see what they are obsessed with and enter their Peekaboo Beans giveaway.  Their contest closes July 9th so be sure to enter right away.   Oh and we do have to mention... what a cutie this little one is in his Peekaboo Beans duds! 

Thank you Take it from Me blog for the fantastic and honest review!