By Stacy Brown
Living in San Diego will teach you one thing: the sun is in full effect year round. But with the extra sun exposure comes the need for sun safety for the entire family. Don’t let the upcoming “winter” weather fool you, even on a cloudy cool day the sun’s rays can be damaging your kiddos skin and eyes. Here are some sun safety tips you can’t ignore as a San Diego mom.
By Clare Radd Interactive
Check out this awesome article about Ro·Sham·Bo Baby in SDVoyager, and be sure to also check out our kids' shades, like these pink and white baby Wayfarer sunglasses!
Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Morris.
Scott, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Ro·Sham·Bo Baby is owned and operated by San Diego family Scott, Julia and their baby girls, Avery (4) and Chloe (1).
We started our little company after realizing that nobody was making high-quality baby sunglasses or stylish baby shades while at a Padres game with a friend’s four-month-old who was staring up at the bright sun with no protection. Scott put his adult sunglasses on him and lightning struck: Little People Deserve Big People Shades. that means making our stylish baby shades in Italy instead of China. That means making them safe, durable, flexible, and chewable for little mouths. And that means making them just as stylish as designer adult shades.
Two years later, after a lot of frustration and dead ends finding the perfect manufacturing partner and creating the perfect material for the shades, we had the world’s best high-quality baby sunglasses ready for your little ones and ours! scott didn’t want stop there though, he wanted to wear matching unbreakable shades with his then 2-year-old Avery, so we made kids and adult sizes so the whole family can match!
Our name Ro·Sham·Bo Baby is a reference to the nostalgic game we all grew up playing (otherwise know as “rock, paper, scissors,” it also pays tribute to our autism support mission: a special education teacher in our family told us that playing Ro·Sham·Bo can be a valuable teaching tool when kids need a quiet, calming, and personal interaction with a teacher. We have autism in our family, so giving a portion of each sale to autism charity has been and always will be a pillar of our business.
We launched in June 2013 with a crowdfunding campaign to test the market for stylish baby shades and build up needed capital to fund more inventory and build this website. The result was overwhelming and the customer support and glowing feedback we received further fueled our ambition to make this dream of producing and selling high-quality baby sunglasses a reality.
Now 5 years after launch, Julia and Scott were finally able to leave their previous full-time jobs behind to focus on the business, and we moved into our office and warehouse in the Vista/Bressi Ranch area in 2017.
We have a long way to go but are super proud of how far we have come. We now have 5 sizes for the whole family from baby to adult large, we launched our prescription fulfillment service in 2017 (like Warby Parker for kids!) to rave reviews from parents, and we are working on new products all the time!
We have distribution in over 10 countries, have sent over 100,000 pairs of shades into the world, and earned thousands of 5-star reviews from happy parents. We love what we do and love seeing the smiling faces in shades we get to see every day from our customer submitted photos.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
At first, it was a struggle just to stay afloat and keep the business going. When we launched, Scott worked as an attorney at one of San Diego’s premier law firms, Latham & Watkins in their downtown office (they have since moved to Del Mar). That job did not afford for much free time for a side hustle, so he took the big risk of leaving that ultra-competitive and lucrative career path to take an opportunity in academia.
He started a job at the University of San Diego Law School as the business was getting underway partly motivated by a desire to have a more reliable work schedule that would allow him to spend nights and weekends on the business (even lunchtimes running to the post office to drop off orders!). Julia was also working full time as a social media marketing professional at a fast-growing San Diego firm, Amobee, in Mira Mesa/Sorrento Valley area. After over 3 years of trying to make 2 full-time jobs, now 2 baby girls (Avery and Chloe, now almost 5 and 2), and a growing side business work, it was time to take the leap and go full time or give up the dream.
Not an easy decision as you might imagine. Julia took on the burden of keeping her full-time job a bit longer and Scott took the plunge to full time in 2016. With some good luck and we hope some good execution, it has proven the right decision. Julia was able to join Scott full time as COO/CWO (Chief Worry Officer) in May 2017. We now live the dream, commuting 10 minutes from our Encinitas home to our warehouse and office space in Vista (near Bressi Ranch). We love working together, love what we do, and love bringing our girls to the office once in a while to “help.”
We have grown in sales every year since we started the business, but when Scott took the plunge in 2016 to start pursuing the business full time, we could not have anticipated how fast we would grow. We did more than 5 times our sales from the previous year in 2016 and then doubled that again in 2017. Our biggest challenge has been a great one: keeping inventory in stock! Selling all of your inventory is great, but selling out in the middle of summer and leaving unhappy potential customers is not great for a small family company trying to grow!
Figuring out how to gain exposure and successfully advertise our product has also proven challenging. At first, we did really well with Facebook advertising, a skill Julia was able to capitalize on from her previous profession, but that became more expensive in mid-2017 due to changes Facebook made to their advertising algorithm. So, we decided to expand more into distribution and retail sales, which has so far gone really well. Our shades are carried in hundreds of stores in the US and over 10 countries internationally, but there is still a LONG way to go.
We even went out on a limb and tried out for Shark Tank in 2017! Believe it or not, we got all the way to final consideration for the 2018 season – we were invited to make a 10 minute video for the producers and had several audition calls with the executive producers of the show before they told us we did not make the cut, It was hard news to get because they had told us we were down to only a handful of businesses in consideration!
You can see the edited down version of that video, and more videos about our products and business on our website: https://www.roshambobaby.com/pages/see-em-bend
Please tell us about Ro·Sham·Bo Baby.
Little People Deserve Big People Shades. Our bendable kids' glasses block 100% of uva/b/c rays and are Italian made, not from China or Taiwan like our competitors. The specially formulated flexible but durable and soft material is BPA-free, lead-free, latex free, and specially designed for baby’s use and abuse. we even mold our logos into the design to avoid unnecessary paint. They are virtually indestructible. if you or your kids manage to break them, we replace them no questions asked.
We also offer a full lens replacement guarantee for lost or scratched lenses. They are ultra light (so light they can float!) and even prescription ready! In fact, in 2017 we launched our online prescription fulfillment service, kind of like Warby Parker for kids. Parents can get their kids unbreakable frames for less than $100. Plus, because of the soft material, kids can swap their prescription lenses into as many different frames colors as they want, so they can always have a pair of bendable kids' glasses to match their outfit or mood! We can do clear lenses, tinted, polarized, even Transitions lenses!
Despite all of these advantages, our price point is right in line with our major competitors that make their products in China. We are incredibly proud of the quality of our product, the fact that we do everything in-house here in our Vista office: customer service, inventory, packing, shipping, social media, all of it. We are also so proud that we can employ talented recent grads from USD and Cal State San Marcos to work with us, not to mention a young man on the autism spectrum who helps construct our packaging!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Playing baseball in Encinitas little league. Riding bikes to Blockbuster with my best friend from Flora Vista elementary who is now a Navy SEAL and was best man at our wedding in Pacific Beach 10 years ago(!). Padres games with my family at Jack Murphy stadium; playing catch in the parking lot, hot dogs, Tony Gywnn.
Working the morning shift from 6-10 am at the Potato Shack in Encinitas on summer mornings and heading to Moonlight Beach after to play volleyball and nap in the sand. La Costa Canyon Maverick football games. Late night Filibertos burritos after the game.
Pricing:
Contact Info:
Thank you to SD Voyager! Read the original article about Ro·Sham·Bo Baby in SDVoyager here: http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-scott-morris-roshambo-baby-carlsbad/
By Scott Morris
By Scott Morris
5 Screen-Free Activities for Kids
Most modern families want a little less screen-time, and we're here to help you get some ideas. But we're also here to provide you and your family with blue light filter glasses because screen time should still be safe for your eyes.
1. Go to a zoo or museum
Visiting a museum or zoo with your kids is a great way to get your children out of the house, moving their feet and learning, all while they think they’re seeing interesting animals and artifacts. Bringing your children to museums will help create a love of history and learning from a young age, and taking your kids to visit a zoo will teach them about biodiversity, animal conservation and even geography! While you can leave the tech screens at home, don't forget the most important screen: sunscreen!
2. Get creative with arts and crafts
Bring your kids to a local crafts store and let them pick out something they want to make, color, paint or draw. This will allow you an opportunity to bond with your children while they create something meaningful to them and will also improve your child’s fine motor skills, self esteem, patience and coordination, among many additional benefits that come from having a creative outlet from a young age. Arts and crafts are also ideal for families with multiple children because one child can be painting and another can be playing with Play-Doh at the same table, and Mom and Dad can spend time with both.
3. See a local sports game
Whether you live in a large city or a small town, seeing your home team’s game can be a great way to spend an afternoon or evening out with the kids. Parents and kids can bond while cheering for together, and parents get the opportunity to create a mutual interest with their kids while learning the rules of a game and the history of the team and its players. This may encourage children to try a new sport next season, or even reinvigorate a love for a sport they already play. If you live in a large city, tickets for professional teams may be easy to come by, but can also be pricey. However, if you go to a minor league or collegiate game, the outing will be less expensive, and there is a higher likelihood that your kids will be able to meet the athletes after the game! Who knows, you may even find yourself struck by inspiration. We had the idea for our baby sunglasses at a baseball game with friends when our friends' baby kept squinting at the sun!
4. Family mealtime
Frequent family meals have been proven to save families money, improve children’s social skills and relationships with their parents, and are associated with healthier body weights in children and a higher likelihood for them to try new foods. However, parents can also benefit from family meals as well. When parents socialize with their families over a meal (and away from their text messages, social media accounts and emails), they report lower body weights and reduced stress, as well. Practicing mindful eating can benefit your whole family - and you can all reap the additional benefits of family meal time detailed in this guide below.
5. Have regular game nights
For days when the weather inhibits outdoor activities, or nights when the family wants to relax together, playing games together are a way to unwind and socialize with your kids in a lighthearted setting. From board games and cards to charades and dominoes, there are countless games that will get you and your kids away from phones, computers and televisions and have everyone laughing together and connecting with each other. Make sure your home has a space perfect for these kind of family events. If needed, consider updating your family room furniture to insure it’s always comfortable and inviting.
By Dallas Stevens
by
This year I have spent all twelve months stocking our family’s entryway closet with board games and activities. In fact, we have more board games for kindergarteners in our house than we have broken crayons and spare socks combined… and that’s a lot.
Too many days in the past our family was looking for a fun, relaxing night together and we’d switch on the TV searching for a movie. It was easy, but we paid the price.
The price being time well spent making solid memories with one another.
The price being engaging learning opportunities.
The price being giving our kids screens instead of our attention.
Perusing online deals and $3 thrift shop games has become a pastime. Because I know an investment of under $5 is the cheapest entertainment around. I also know that even spending $50 on an amazing game will pay for itself by not going to the movie theaters even just once. Or not getting a tutor because gameschooling is the best schooling. Or it even pays for itself after 6 months if we decide to ditch Netflix or approximately 10 movies rented on Amazon Prime.
So we’ve invested.
And the dividends are priceless.
Our 4-year-old learned basic math. Our whole family spends time together. And introducing new learning skills (or facilitating what taught in school) isn’t a battle, it’s an enjoyable treat.
The teacher in me wants every experience to have some level of learning. And YES all games can teach something. But I love the games that are well thought out and a little more off the beaten path best. So I’ve compiled 19 of our family’s favorite games for 5-year-olds (with a range on either side) plus about 6 more common board games for early elementary kids.
And if you have any other great suggestions, be sure to share them in the comments!
Strategy, problem-solving, logic, focus & attention, math, language skills, science, movement, cooperative,
Strategy, problem-solving, logic, focus & attention, geography
Buy it on Amazon
This game was on a wish list of mine for two years and it didn’t disappoint. It really helps kids understand how to logically plan, but also to be flexible as each turn can really change how the next play plays. It’s also great for teaching kids some of the modes of transportation but also attention skills because of small details that make cards either playable or not.
Strategy, coding, focus & attention, math
Buy it on Amazon
A fun game of patterning and basic coding, this game is a favorite between my 5-year-old Jenn and my husband. In fact, it was the entry into other coding games and activities for her.
Math
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It’s a really cute game with number recognition, addition and subtraction, odds, and evens, and general early math skills.
We introduced this game to Jenn when she was 4 and it was the perfect way for her to learn basic math without even know that’s what she was actually doing. We busted out some counting cubes too to help her visualize the math until she gets better.
Vocabulary, logic, strategy, attention skills
Buy it on Amazon
Yep, it’s a classic. But a fun way to play it is to make a rule that your kids can’t ask questions like “If your person a man” or things of that nature. If you want to get really into details, maybe do an art project where you add tiny images to the pictures to force better attention to detail.
Movement and motor skills
Buy it on Amazon
This is a good game for kindergarteners because it requires hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and even some strategy as they plan when to add their marble. Now if only we could play without the music…
Strategy, focus & attention
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This is not your ordinary matching game! I honestly bought it for our almost three yeard old, Emma as a matching and color recognition game. But as we played, it had so many great concepts for both of our girls. My kindergartener was able to dive a little deeper with the strategy and memory (because even penguins that have already been claimed can be remembered in order to get another roll of the dice on your turn!)
Art, logic and problem solving
Buy it on Amazon
Based on a book (that I also highly recommend), Press Here plays with color theory. It has an interesting element of logic because while some of the answers have a cut and dry conclusion, some cards could have mulitple answers and all players have to agree upon the person’s explanation. We even play this with the younger kids in our house too!
Cooperative, strategy, geography
Buy it on Amazon
Some basic map skills and team work will get you to the treasure! This is a great game that was brought as entertainment for 13 kindergarteners at a birthday party… because cooperation was required and no one could leave sad. It’s not super complex, but still fun, especially at an age where working together is a skill that should be built.
Strategy, problem-solving
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Tic Tac Toe is kind of boring, but goblet gobblers adds a fun twist and strategy to ultimately elminate someone else’s play.
Attention, language skills
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This is a fabulous game for the entire family no matter how young, but as kids get into kindergarten, it’s great for working on reading and language skills. Of course, match the pictures, but do they know how to read the word? Add an element of fun by adding a bit of electrical tape to cover up eithe the words or pictures to really work on spelling and reading.
Movement, strategy, spatial skills, logic, focus & attention
Buy it on Amazon
We started playing this family game wit no timer as “just make the picture” and progressed from there. It really built on our kids’ spatial skills and even motor skills as they stacked blocks!
Art, math, logic
Buy it on Amazon
We orginally got this for our 2-year-old to learn colors, but it’s also a great game for young kids to play together. It focuses on patterns and making colorful snakes!
Language skills, creativity & imagination
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There are actually multiple versions and expansion sets, but the premise is the same… roll the dice and tell a story. I love this with kids of all ages both young and old because it forces creativity and builds this language and storytelling skills.
Math, art, logic & planning ahead
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This games is all about shapes, colors, and patterns. Almost like a mixture of banangrams (which by the way, kids’ banangramas is GREAT for teaching wor formation and the sounds of letters), rummy, and a bunch of colorful shapes.
It teaches kids to logically plan ahead and build patterns and sequences.
Art, language skills, creativity & imagination
Buy it on Amazon
A wonderful, and beautiful, apples-to-apples type of game that encourages your child to use their descriptive words@ It helps kids looks at art in a creative way or even literal way! Each active player has to describe their card and then everyone else choose a card from their hand they think could closely match the decription. Then everyone tries to guess which card is the “real” card being described! If you get any “scary looking” cards, just take them out before playing.
language skills, creativity & imagination
Buy it on Amazon
I found this one at a thrift store and thought I would give it a try and it turned out to be a HUGE HIT. One of the reasons that I love it as a teacher is that it focuses on the elements of a story. For instance a player has to spin in order to choose a setting, a hero, and other parts to what will then become their masterpiece of a fairytale story!
Life Skills, focus & attention, cooking
Buy it on Amazon
While it doesn’t give the quantities in the recipes, it gives a basic understanding that one must have certain ingredients to make certain recipes. It also shows that food can go bad and is a fun twist on a memory game to gather up the cards you need for your own recipe! (Though… we have lost one of our telescoping spoons).
Math, strategy
Buy it on Amazon
We picked this up at a local toystore on vacation and it was great family fun! The object is to shut all the numbers on the box! It requires some srategy if your kindergartener is going to add up the numbers (practicing their math skills) or use the individual numbers on the dice to shut as many as possible.
Just to throw a few more games out there that we enjoy playing at this age are as follows: Mystery Garden, 4 in a row, Brainiac, Busytown, Scrabble Jr., Boggle Jr.. Each have different teaching tools from spelling to strategy, etc.
And I would say Catan Jr. too since it’s pictured above, but it requires an adult team member because it’s a bit complex for kindergarteners.
But I would really love to know what YOUR family’s favorite game for this age group is!
www.roshambobaby.com
By Dallas Stevens
So, we stumbled across a Shark Tank open casting call in Las Vegas right after the new year. We live/work in San Diego, so Vegas is only about a 5 hour drive. It felt like fate. We have made a ton of strides as a business in the last couple years, but we have a LONG way to go to be the leader in kids eye wear we want to be. I thought a Shark could help, and worst case scenario, I'd have a fun experience to blog about! Check out the quick video of how it went when I went to Vegas to audition our fun sunglasses for Shark Tank! While I obviously could not film myself pitching our awesome sunglasses, like these white and teal baby sunglasses, to the producers, I included the rough text of my 1 minute pitch below so you can picture it. Hope you find it interesting, it was really fun to do! We won't know how we did for a long time, so now we just sit and wait!
Shark Tank Casting Call
Our Pitch (or close to it! Kind of a blur what exactly was said!)
Hi, I’m Scott, founder of Roshambo Baby. I am seeking a $X investment for X% of my company. Here’s the simple problem we solved: 50% of the lifetime UV damage done to your eyes occurs before the age of 10 years old. Despite that, the kids eyewear industry is full of cheap, breakable, frankly, ugly stuff largely made in China. It made me and my wife sad. We solved that by going to Italy and creating a line of matching baby, kids' and adult unbreakable sunglasses that can do this. [SHOW OFF HOW FLEXIBLE AND AWESOME THEY ARE!] Full damage and lens replacement guarantee, so light they float, certified safe for baby, BPA free, lead free, all that stuff. You can drive over these in your car and chances are they’ll be fine. Trust me, we’ve done it.
But that’s not the only reason I am here. The reason I have like permanent jazz hands about the unlocked potential of my company is because while our frames can also do this, they can also do this [PULL OUT A PAIR OF SHADES WITH A PRESCRIPTION LENS IN THEM!].... all of our frames are prescription friendly and kids can swap out their prescription lens for a new frame color every day if they want to! There is nothing quite like our product on the optometry market. We launched an affordable prescription fulfillment service on our website last year to rave reviews from parents. We are at the tip of an iceberg. Think Warby Parker for kids.
We are poised to take this innovative product to a wider audience. I want to be the market leader in children's eyewear because Little People Deserve Big People Shades. But I need a shark to get there.
By Dallas Stevens
by
Parenting is a delicate balance of knowing how to raise your kids with integrity while also preparing them for the real world.
Sometimes this means doing things that seem counter-intuitive to make sure our kids are actually hearing what we are saying and learning from situations.
Something that I learned from teaching and in the first couple of years of parenthood is that opportunities to talk to children without saying no is so important. Now as a mother of two, parenting without saying no, don’t, and stop is an important part of my every single day.
Sometimes it’s hard to admit that hearing no is really tough. And in a very real sense, I by no means want my children to grow up without having ever been told no and my kids still hear no on a daily basis. It is absolutely part of life and one I want them to hear.
However, I have drastically cut down on its use in our home by saying no without actually using the word. And in cutting down, it has made use of the word more effective for us. So why would I advocate for adopting the “parenting without saying no” approach?
Very simply… because they listen better.
The way we are hard wired as humans is to listen to the sentence structure. We sometimes hear the first part of a sentence, almost always hear the last part, but rarely hear the middle unless we have our complete attention on the person talking to us. And really, what young child is giving us their undivided attention at all times?
Beyond just the way we hear, it’s also important for all of us to have clear directions. If we are given vague instructions, it leaves a lot of gray area. This is because there are a thousand alternatives to “not” doing something, but only one course of action that should be done when told specifically what to do.
So why would we not want to adopt a system that helps our children listen to us better? Or be more obedient?
Read about and listen to my podcast episode on the power of saying MAYBE.
It’s really easy to say no… WAY too easy. So it’s not going to be a cake walk to retrain your mind to ditch negative words and actions like “no”, “stop”, “don’t”, “can’t”, etc. but it is possible. It took me a long time and I am still not perfect. It’s all about practice.
Instead of saying “I can’t talk right now” when I am waiting on hold on the phone and my daughter comes to ask me a question, I say “I am on the phone right now. I can talk to you in a little bit”. I do this because I am focusing on what she is going to hear. If she is not giving me her undivided attention, she may only hear “talk right now”. Instead, I want her to hear “on the phone” and “in a little bit”.
Related: Need help navigating your child’s behaviors?
Likewise, if my daughter is in danger and is too close to the street I am not about to yell “Don’t go in the street!” because I don’t want her to hear the last half of it. I want her to hear “Come here please!” or “Move away from the street!”
There are numerous examples I could give, but thought some of the best were in the image above. We have also replace “don’t touch” with “please keep your hands to yourself”/”please keep your hands in your pockets” (we go to antique stores a lot).
And my husband is working on not using “my ears don’t hear whining” because she has shut down too many times. Instead, we encourage her to use her words and express her emotions in a way that we can understand.
Read more from Parents with Confidence about adapting your parenting style to your child’s needs.
Yes! This has everything to do with the idea of being intentional with our words and giving clear instructions to our children. Using positive phrasing actually has the ability to set clearer boundaries than the word no itself.
Magda Gerber once said “A child who is never told “no” is a neglected child.” And I completely agree, but sometimes it’s also more about how we tell them no, rather than the word itself! We must affirm what our children need to do. Rather than discipline and teach them by telling them what not to do, it’s a lot easier to tell them exactly what we want them to do. In telling a child not to hit, maybe he thinks “Well can I kick?”
When my daughter threw a small wooden ball and it hit me in the forehead instead of saying “NO! Don’t throw that!” I simply said “Ow! That really hurt. Please keep your toys in your hands.”
In the end my parenting has become much more intentional by using negative language and “no” less and coming up with a more positive approach. It makes the power of “no” retain its meaning and has created clear boundaries for my children.
Need help reframing how you see or respond to situations with your kids? This cheat sheet will help you through some of those tough moments when you want to react with frustration instead of love. The sneak peek is below, but be sure to subscribe to download the full, printable version!
www.roshambobaby.com
By Dallas Stevens
You are a living magnet. What you attract into your life is in harmony with your dominant thoughts.
– Brian Tracy
We used this marble wand to demonstrate and explore the concept behind the quotation above.
When we surround ourselves with positive experiences, positive people and positive influences then we can be sure to have a more positive mindset.
Here are some sample discussion questions that can be used along with this activity to talk further about having a positive attitude:
Magnets, of course, can be used for many fun educational activities. Please note that they should always be used under adult supervision.
Here are some more activities to try:
4 Fun Magnet Activities for Preschoolers from Teaching Mama
9 Magnet Play Activities from What Do We Do All Day
Fun Science Experiments: Magnet Magic from Babble Dabble Do
You may also like to check out this post with 10 more activities about developing a positive attitude.
Magnetic toys and tools from Child.com.au can be found here
Thanks to Child.com.au for sponsoring this post as well as 10 readings of my storybook Mason’s Greatest Gems. The book shares how to “mine your inner gems” and develop virtues. Character building activities such the one described in this post are a great follow-up to the story.
Child.com.au has donated each institution I visit a $100 gift voucher to use on educational materials from their extensive range.
I recently enjoyed visiting a primary school in Mount Isa (outback Queensland) to do a reading. This visit was especially fun because the kids knew all about mining as their town had a huge mine in it!
After the book reading, I asked the children to name the virtue from the scenarios on the free printable found here and the child who answered correctly got to stand up in front of the group holding the gemstones I had prepared (pictured above). After all the gems on the worksheet had been covered, we went through the virtues again by asking for new examples (and the students then sat down as their virtue had a new example described).
www.roshambobaby.com
