Summer Sanity Savers: Three Tools of Trade For Parents
Posted: December 23rd, 2010Post written by Angela
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I love the summer holidays. I hanker for them all day long with their endless blue skies, warm air and lazy barefoot days free from the hustle-bustle of the rest of the year.
If you’re off on a resort holiday then no doubt you’ll have lots of exciting activites at your disposal, but if you’re holidaying at home this year, like we are, then you’ll need to get a little bit organised to keep everyone happy and catered for over the next couple of months.
Here are three devices that have become my absolute sanity savers, particularly during the holidays when extra snacks and mess can reach fever pitch. There are other brands and models of the items below, but these are the ones we have at our house that I can vouch for – shop around to find items that suit you, and always supervise your kids when using these applicances.
1. We purchased this Sunbeam Avalanche – Ice Cube Shaver (aka Sno Cone maker) in August this year and have used it at least twice a week ever since. It is easy and fun to use – just pop the ice in the chamber, push down and watch the powdery snow being made. All you need to make refreshing snow cones or slushies is some ice (I buy it in bags from the shop) an everyday cup, a splash of juice of water and a spoon. I find these to be somehow much more refreshing than conventional icy poles and you don’t need to wait hours for them to be ready.
- Buy from Fishpond.com.au for RRP $54.99 $39.97 including postage Australia wide until 24 December 2010.
2. My kids were given this Mistral Movie Fun Popcorn maker as a joint birthday present three years ago and it’s still going strong. Besides being cute it’s fun to watch and makes great popcorn – a healthy snack that kids love – in minutes. All you do is switch the machine on, put a scoop of corn kernals in the top and wait two minutes for them to start popping. Plain popped corn is our favourite, but you can sprinkle on icing sugar or stir through some butter once your corn is bowled up.
- Buy from Deals Direct for $34.95 $26.95 + postage.
3. I cannot say enough good things about my iRobot Roomba 530 robotic vacuum cleaner: I couldn’t live without it now! ‘Zoomer’, as my kids call it, is a most efficient little sucker, and happily bops around the house taking care of crumbs and dust bunnies like a pro. Roomba works on a complex algorithm to ensure every corner is vacuumed to perfection. It gets under couches and beds much better than I do and allows me to get on with things much more fun and important than vaccuming. If you’re sceptical about the job it does, don’t be: you won’t be disappointed! I bought my parents one for Christmas last year and they haven’t used their regular vac since; they then bought my sister one, and my Aunt was so impressed she purchased one, too!! \
- I purchased iRobot Roomba 530 in-store at Harvey Norman, where it retails for $599.95. You need not pay RRP though, just ask the salesperson “Is this the best price you can do for me?” and expect a decent discount – I paid $499.95 last Christmas.
