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The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Webmother's Musings

iParenting Media Awards Honor Best Products for Family

By Elisa Ast All

Whether you are pregnant, have a new baby or are already chasing after a spirited child, you know that life will never be the same once you become a parent. The moment you learn there is a new life on the way, your world is forever transformed. The birth of a child is also the birth of a parent – a new role for you to embrace!

There are the emotional issues: so much love you think your heart will burst; so much pain you're sure it will never end; all that exhaustion you may never sleep again.

The logistical issues might be the most mind-boggling: Where will you find room for all the baby gear? How will you balance work and home? Will it ever take you less than two hours to get out of the house again?

Children can be overwhelming. The fact that they arrive without operating instructions makes it all the more confusing. We're expected to know just what to do in any given situation. Incredibly, we do very well just by following our instincts, and of course, enlisting the aid of the myriad products available to us.

The thousands of maternity, baby and children's products on the market claim to make pregnancy and parenting easier, but sorting through them all and discovering which ones really live up to their claims is a near impossible task. What do you need, what don't you need – and what can you not live without?

I vividly recall the first time I felt overwhelmed by all the choices available to me as a parent – when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child. I found myself in a large retail store attempting to register my wish list for my baby shower, and I was completely bewildered. I had no idea what I needed, nor did I know which products actually lived up to their claims. I ended up with some great items, and some I never used. Since then, I have tried to help other parents in this situation by sharing my hard-earned knowledge.

That's where the iParenting Media Awards come in. The iParenting Media Awards honor and showcase the best products in the parenting industry. Companies in the children's media and juvenile products industries submit their top products to be considered for an award. iParenting then sends the products to three qualified outside reviewers: a licensed childcare facility/school, a product expert and a parent. The reviewers evaluate the product for 45 days and then complete a thorough survey about the item. Scores are tabulated and then the iParenting Executive Committee makes a final decision on which products meet the program standards. The end result is a list of award-winning products that parents know have been reviewed by an objective source, so when they go into a retail store and see the iParenting Media Award seal, they know it's a quality product.

The winners of the iParenting Media Awards Great Holiday Products are dazzling. From toys and baby gear to books and video games, these products shine as the best in the industry and make ideal holiday gifts. For a complete list of winners, visit www.iParentingMediaAwards.com/winners/index.php.

For more information on the iParenting Media Awards, visit www.iParentingMediaAwards.com.