Bring Books to Life with Netflix #StreamTeam

This post has been brought to you by Netflix. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I am a huge reader and I am doing my best to get my kids to be avid readers as well. Something that we all enjoy is watching our favorite books come to life on the big screen. Since Netflix is probably our main source of TV watching these days (it has been 7 years since we had cable), I love that they have a selection of movies based from books.

My youngest son is three years old and one of his favorite books is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. He has already watched the short animated film on Netflix a bunch of times and he never grows tired of it. What is especially nice is that it includes four more of Eric Carle's stories. Our twins (6) got a kick out of watching The Little Engine That Could since it is a book i have read to them countless times over the years.


For Little Kids

• Charlotte's Web
• The Velveteen Rabbit
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories
• The Magic School Bus
• The Little Engine That Could
• Stuart Little 2
• Tall Tales: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, The Snowy Day, I Stink! and Trashy Town

My oldest son (8) is sort of in that caught in the middle phase between little kid and big kid. While he still enjoys some of the "Little Kids" show, he definitely is starting to gravitate to some older movies now. We recently had a family movie night where we all watched James and the Giant Peach together. This isn't a book he has read yet, and my husband was shocked that I never read it as a child, but watching the movie has sparked is interest in the book. So it might pop up under the Christmas tree this December


For Big Kids

• Hugo
• Escape to Witch Mountain
• James and the Giant Peach
• The Baby-Sitters Club
• Goosebumps
• A Wrinkle in Time

"Read the Book, See the Movie" and then have even more family fun with themed crafts and snacks!
A crafty person I am not, but these Book-Covered Letters are simple enough for even me! If my three year old had his own room we would be all over this as we have 3 copies of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and could certainly donate one to this project. However since he shares a room with the twins and wall space is limited, I can only admire it. (Yes, I have 3 boys sharing one bedroom - feel sorry for me). These would look awesome in a baby or toddler bedroom, especially if your family enjoys Erica Carle books. Get the complete tutorial here.

Family movie night isn't complete without some tasty snacks! Now that the cold weather is here, gathering the family together to watch a movie and indulge in a warm treat sounds rather perfect. These Mini Peach Pie Pockets are inspired by the movie James and the Giant Peach. They are simple to make and the kids will love having their very own miniature pie. Get the recipe!

And while Netflix certainly has a great selection of kids movies and shows based off of books, don't forget they have them for adults too! With the release of Catching Fire quickly approaching in a week, I plan on getting comfy on my couch one night after the kids are in bed and re-watching The Hunger Games.

What book inspired movies do you and your family like to watch?

World Prematurity Day & RSV Prevention

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for MedImmune. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

November 17 is World Prematurity Day; a day where in countries around the world we raise awareness about premature birth and how it can be prevented. Each year 13 million babies are born prematurely globally, and more than one million preemies have died in 2013 alone from the serious health challenges they face. Currently, the US rate of prematurity is 12.2%- one of the highest rates of preterm birth in the world. Even more alarming is that the rates have risen by 36% over the last 25 years. Yet many parents still aren’t aware of the risks of being born too early - the leading cause of neonatal death. A recent survey found that 75% of parents don’t know the definition of prematurity (birth at or before 37 weeks gestation), and during prenatal care, most pregnant women don’t ask their healthcare provider about the risk of delivering prematurely and the potential consequences of preterm birth for their child.

As preemies often have specialized health needs, it’s important to raise awareness of the increased risks that often come with premature birth. One of those risks facing preemies is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). When my youngest son was just three weeks old, he contracted RSV, which was most likely brought home by his four year old big brother from preschool. In older babies, RSV is just a bad cold, but in newborns and especially preemies it can be life threatening. Preterm infants are born with undeveloped lungs and immature immune systems that put them at heightened risk for developing severe RSV disease, often requiring hospitalization.

While my son was not premature, he was still only weeks old and the virus took over his lungs. The five days I spent at the hospital by my baby boy's side were the most terrifying of my life. Watching his little body with oxygen monitors hooked up to him and an oxygen tube blowing into his face was heart wrenching. That is something I want to help prevent other mothers from experiencing.

Key RSV Facts RSV occurs in epidemics each year, typically from November through March, though it can vary by geography and year-to-year RSV disease is the leading cause of hospitalization for babies during their first year of life in the United States, with approximately 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 400 infant deaths each year RSV disease is responsible for one of every 13 pediatrician visits and one of every 38 trips to the ER in children under the age of five Despite being so common, many parents aren’t aware of RSV; in fact, one-third of mothers have never heard of the virus Learn the Symptoms of Severe RSV Disease Contact your child’s pediatrician immediately if your child exhibits one or more of the following: Persistent coughing or wheezing Bluish color around the mouth or fingernails Rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths Fever [especially if it is over 100.4°F (rectal) in infants under 3 months of age] How Can I Help Protect My Baby From RSV? To help minimize the spread of RSV disease, all parents should: Wash their hands and ask everyone to do the same Keep toys, clothes, blanket and sheets clean Avoid crowds and other young children during RSV season Never let anyone smoke around your baby Steer clear of people who are sick or who have recently been sick

To learn more please visit RSVProtection.com.