Sit Back, Relax, and Laugh in The Clorox Lounge

Don’t wipe your boogies on the couch!  What makes you think it is a good idea to lick the handle of the shopping cart?

Those are just a couple of the many things I have found myself saying that I never thought I would.  At least once a week I tell my children something, then chuckle to myself, amused to hear such craziness coming out of my mouth.  Were it not for the fact that my sister has children about the same age as mine, I would wonder if there was something wrong my kids.  Fortunately, I have been talking to her on the phone when I’ve heard something equally strange, disturbing or hilarious come out of her mouth. 

As parents, I think we long for that sense of camaraderie.   We want to know that we’re not alone in the trenches of parenthood.  We need to know that our kids aren’t the only ones licking shopping carts, putting carrots in their noses, and wearing their underwear on their heads to play pirate. 

As parents, we want to hear other people’s stories, successes and failures.  They make us laugh, give us hope, and make us realize we aren’t alone.  We really like to share our own stories as well.   When we have a great success we want to brag.  When we experience failure, we want to know that we’ll get through it.   Sharing is a great way to get ideas.  It provides us with a mental manual for child rearing (since my kids didn’t come with a physical one).  Sometimes the method you never thought you’d use for potty training (sleep training, 2-wheel bike riding, eating veggies, etc.) turns out to be the one that works.    I remember when my friend told me that she left her daughter naked for the day to potty train her.  I thought she was CRAZY!  Guess what worked for both of my girls?  Yep, naked potty training for one day and both girls were pretty much trained and accident free from then on. 

While there are lots of sites out there dedicated to parenting, advice, and creating connections among parents, The Clorox Lounge is a new one that is dedicated to the humor in parenting.  

About The Clorox Lounge:

The Clorox Family of Toilet Products’ on-going Ode to the Commode campaign, recognizing the toilet’s vital role in our routine, continues with the launch of The Clorox Lounge, a community hub designed to be mom’s gotta go place for comedy, which launched on January 26, 2012. Hosted by comedian, actress and mom Sherri Shepherd, the site found at TheCloroxLounge.com features hilarious anecdotes, fun contests, exciting give-a-ways, coupons and just the right amount of comic relief.

About Last Comic Sitting Competition & Sweepstakes:

The Clorox Lounge activities kick-off with Last Comic Sitting Competition and Sweepstakes, starting February 27, 2012. Over the course of eight weeks, 10 of the funniest mom and dad comics will go head-to-head in a stand-up throw-down for the chance to sit on the throne and be crowned the Last Comic Sitting. Each week, they’ll face a new challenge and based on your votes, one will be eliminated. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000. For four weeks, you will have the opportunity to vote and narrow the comics down to the top mom and top dad.

You also have an opportunity to win $10,000 in the Last Comic Sitting Sweepstakes. Simply visit The Clorox Lounge to sign-up and be automatically entered for a chance to win the top prize. You can generate up to two additional entries each day, per day, by logging in and commenting, until April 22, 2012. Fans can also enter for a chance to win cool prize packs. Ten prizes will be given each week, for twelve weeks, until April 22, 2012.

For more information visit: The Clorox Lounge

Disclaimer:  Information for this blog post came from SocialMoms.com.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox® blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Worldwide Day of Play

Who knew that there was a Worldwide Day of Play? 

Apparently September 24, 2011 is Worldwide Day of Play.  On this day, everyone is encouraged to turn off the TV and go outside to play.  While I personally find it a little odd that people have to have a specific day and be told to do this, anything that helps to get kids a bit more active is okay in my book. 

On September 24, our family just happens to be participating in a local 5K.  This is the third year that we've participated.  When the girls were 3 and 5, we just did the 1 mile family fun run.  However, last year and this year the girls are running the full race.  (I have to admit I use the word "running" loosely.  Last year we ran, walked, jogged, skipped, galloped, shuffled and stomped our way to the finish line.  What can you expect from a 4 and 6 year old though?  They get bored easily.)

This year, we've been "training" (Again, I use the word loosely.) for the 5K for much of the summer.  We started by walking around our island which just happens to be about 3 miles.  As the training progressed, we began to run more and more of our walk.  We also have been biking and scootering to mix it up a bit.  The girls just love it!  It gives them a chance to be outside and get out some of their extra energy.  They also like that they have my undivided attention.  While we're walking I don't have a computer, phone, laundry, food to prepare, etc. to distract me.  We can just walk and talk about their day, their hopes, their dreams, their friends, their worries.  It is a great opportunity to actually listen to my girls uninterrupted. 

Do you enjoy outdoor play with your kids?  What types of activities do you most like to participate in?  Personally, my girls love to play soccer, softball, bike, scooter, hula hoop, jump rope, hopscotch, and stop/go.  (Stop/Go is our version of red light green light where you pick a different way to move rather than just run.  We do crab walk, backwards, skip, bunny hop, etc.)  I'd love to hear your favorite activities too.  We're always looking for new fun ways to play.

If you already do play outside with your kiddos, then now would be a great time to possibly get rewarded for that gift you give to them.  You can go to http://clorox2play2day.com to pledge to play outside.  If you don't play outside with your kiddos yet, then you should also consider pledging.  You might just find that you enjoy it as much as they do.  

*Disclaimer:  I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Clorox Get the Dirt Sweepstakes

As much as I know it isn't good to gossip, I still love to hear the occasional juicy tidbit. Does that make me a bad person?

This Valentine’s Day, a new mobile campaign from Clorox® Regular-Bleach helps women clean up their own dirt while they enjoy their Hollywood news.

Clorox is sharing quick clean-up tips on how to keep fashionable winter whites white, keep flowers fresh longer and host a Hollywood-style party. And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, a girl can use some help. Tips like…

* Nothing says “I love you” like roses. Want to enjoy those flowers longer than a celebrity romance? Just add ¼ teaspoon of Clorox® Regular-Bleach to each quart of cold water you put in the vase.

* Got a stain from a heart-shaped chocolate on your favorite whites? It’ll come out in a snap once you add ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach to the hot water and detergent in your washing machine.

To get more tips from Clorox® Regular-Bleach and extend the Valentine’s Day romance, readers can enter the Get the Dirt, but Keep it Clean sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for 2 Hollywood, CA! To enter and view official rules, visit www.Clorox.com/GetTheDirt.

Disclaimer -  The Clorox Company sent me information about the Get the Dirt, but Keep it Clean program.  All information other than the first two sentences came directly from One2One.  I did not receive any compensation in exchange for my post.  However, I am eligible to win a one year subscription to a gossip magazine in exchange for sharing this information with you.