Don't Lose It!

If you're a parent you know how frustrating it can be to keep track of kids 'stuff'. I am the proud, and usually exhausted, mother of a 6 and 8 year old - both boys. I am always amazed at how many things get 'lost' - toys, books, water bottles, hats, jackets, shoes, and even a pair of snow pants last winter!

Anytime my eight year old walks out the door I can almost predict what will be left at school, camp, Dad's house, the park or wherever else his travels take him. My six year old is slightly more on top of his 'stuff', but I'm guessing he will follow suit as the novelty of being responsible for his things wears off. It's not just that it's an annoying thing, I know they don't mean to forget stuff, but all the 'losing' can get pretty expensive!

So I put names on their things - we all have a permanent marker at home and no doubt you've tried this. But have you noticed that those markers aren't actually as permanent or as visible as they need to be? This is where labels comes in!

I recently tried out a number of personalized labels from Stuck on You Labels. For each of my boys I tested Shoe Labels, Bag Tags and Vinyl Labels. Each pack had an assortment of colours including silver which was the favorite with my eight year old - apparently 'cooler' than some of the bright primary colours.

The Shoe Labels are shaped to fit the inside heel of the shoe. They come with two pieces - first the label with your childs name, then a clear protective label to go on top to 'protect ink from reacting with perspiration' – my kids don't 'perspire', they sweat like crazy - so this is a great idea for them and seems to be working well!

The Vinyl Labels I received are the stick anywhere type of label. They come in multiple colours and stick to pretty much any hard surface. This is the label you use on the water bottle, baby bottles, sippy cups, the DS, the Leapster... you get the idea. The labels really are vinyl, they are very sturdy and pretty much impossible to tear. They stay on in the dishwasher and the microwave and don't fade at all. The bright colours are very visible, which is great for young kids (and forgetful 8 years olds) because they are easy to spot.

The Bag Tags are so cute! We received two, each shaped like animals - one a frog the other a dinosaur. Ok, my eight year old was not impressed, but my six year old loved his. These are large, very sturdy, and visible, plastic tags. Perfect for a school bag, camp bag or luggage. If you have a little one I would highly recommend them. For older kids - grade two and up I think the Dog Tags are probably a better choice and achieve the same goal. They also have some very cool black and white glow in the dark Bag Tags with skeletons that would appeal to most ages.

I like that you can completely customize these labels if you want to. You, or your child, can choose the shape and colour of the labels, add a picture icon, a nickname, or whatever they like. For kids with allergies Stuck on You Labels offers a no-peanuts icon, or no-eggs icon. Perfect for the lunch box and sippy cup!

Labels are the best solution to keep your kids stuff coming home, and will save you alot of grief and money in the long run. All of these labels, plus many other great products, are available online at: www.stuckonyou.com

Written by Justine Orr Mohan of Child's Life. Not to be published without permission.