Being scared of the dark is no longer an excuse for putting off bedtime.

Meet the Glo Nightlight, a bedside lamp with removable glowing balls that act as portable nightlights. The phosphorescent balls aren’t electronic and don’t get hot, so they are safe to snuggle with when the room goes dark.

The balls’ light will fade 30 minutes after they’ve been removed from the base, and you can select one tone, or have a rotating array of colours. We suggest you choose the colour that will best ward off any monsters lurking in the closet.

Boon Glo Nightlight, $84.99 from Saf & Benjamin, 1081 Marinaside Cres., Vancouver, 778-328-8194 and online at www.safandbenjamin.com  —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

If Suri Cruise taught us anything in 2011, it’s that stylish pre-school attire is just as important as learning to tie your shoes.

Inspired by shopping trips to Paris and, of course, les chic petits enfants, Canada’s Dote Baby was born, a brand-new online baby boutique for fashionable parents with a discerning eye.

The store’s extensive international brand selection (shipping to: everywhere) includes adorable, trendy pieces from Sweden’s Cheap Monday, Bébé by Australia’s Minihaha, as well as the must-have, celebrity-adored Minnetonka Moccasins.

For those who appreciate the finer things in life, for the little ones in your life, yourdoting hours are about to go into overdrive. —Caroline Gault

www.dotebaby.ca

If the kind of pee your princess is sleeping on is not the stuff of fairy tales, you need a mattress protector.

Bonus points for guarding against dust mites and allergens, the non-toxic, BC-made NOVOshield covers are 100 per cent waterproof and hold up to numerous washings.

Now if our 2-year-old princess would actually sleep in her own bed, we’d be living happily ever after. —Sarah Bancroft

Twin size mattress protector, from $69.99, www.novotextilesco.com. Find retailers here.

Tired of the bright colours, weird characters, and hideous graphics on most children’s homewear? We are, and that’s why we love this wooden alphabet by Toronto-based husband-and-wife design duo Bookhou.

The A to Z birch wall hanging is in Courier New, which is the font they used for their logo. It wasn’t intended for children’s rooms, but has proven popular with some design-savvy parents.

So when our kids grow up and want Justin Bieber posters on their walls, we can move this piece in our home office. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Wood alphabet, $50 from Bookhou, www.bookhou.com

Intimidated by cloth diapering? It is easier than you think (this Editor is fully committed to doing it part time!) Here are some of the myths dispelled.

Myth 1: All the parts are too complicated. If you buy an all-in-one cloth diaper, then there are no covers or inserts to deal with. On, off, and straight into the washing machine. Bamboo Baby All-in-One diaper, $21.50 from Hip Baby, www.hipbaby.com

Myth 2: One size fits all. Teeny newborns need a smaller diaper than bigger babies, so go for the wallet-friendly pre-folds, as you’ll only use them for a few months. Editor’s tip: the cotton inserts can be used as cleaning rags for the next 20 years. Bummis Organic Prefold 6 pack, $18 and Bummis Super Snap cover, $13.50 each, both from Hip Baby, www.hipbaby.com

Myth 3: They aren’t as absorbent as disposable. Oh Katy’s pocket diaper comes with two microfiber inserts, which you can double up at night. Plus, they can be worn as training pants during potty training. Definitely this editor’s favourite. Oh Katy pocket diaper, $21.95 each and 6 for the price of 5 from Sea to Sky Baby, www.seatoskybabies.vpweb.ca

Myth 4: It is messy. Bio liners mean there’s no scraping or mess, the liner goes straight into the toilet and your hands stay clean. Bio-soft liners, $6 from Sea to Sky Baby, www.seatoskybabies.vpweb.ca

Myth 5: I can’t do it on the go. A wet bag will hold all your dirty diapers when you are out. Fabulous Wet Bag, $16 from Hip Baby, www.hipbaby.com  —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Tip: Make sure to use a detergent made for cloth diapers, we love Rockin’ Green detergent, $20.95 from Sea to Sky baby, www.seatoskybabies.vpweb.ca

Not all young girls want to dress like princesses, rock stars, or look like they are going to a nightclub. So what do they wear?

That’s the question that prompted two Alberta-based moms to found Triple Flip, a company that makes fun, pretty active and casualwear for tween girls. The line, which recently opened a location in Park Royal, features clothing, outerwear, and accessories specifically designed for that age group (they measured 400 girls to figure out the best possible fit.) Our picks? The Valley T, $35-$39 (its SO Flashdance) and the Minky Lounge Pant, $39.

Of course we know what you are thinking, and the answer is yes, they go all the way up to a women’s size 8. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Available at www.tripleflip.ca, or at the following locations in BC and Alberta.

A little variation on an old classic:

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the condo
Not a creature was sleeping…so get to bed pronto!
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
Ok, so it’s a gas fireplace, but the Whole Foods cookies were there.

The children were nestled in their Ikea bunk beds
While visions of iPhones danced in their heads
And Mamma in her La Perla and Pa in his Jockeys
Were “discussing” (again) appropriate times to watch hockey

When out on the sidewalk there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my Eames rocker to see what was the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
No shutters to open because we don’t have the cash

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday to the objects below
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a Fiat 500 and 8 guys chugging beer.

Merry Christmas from everyone at Vitamin Daily!

You can always count on the Swedes to come up with a product that is more functional and better looking than its predecessors.

Say goodbye to the nose aspirator and say hello to the Nose Frida. This highly effective snot sucker works by allowing you to suck it straight out of your little one’s nose. Don’t worry, the mucus won’t come anywhere near your mouth, but it will come shooting straight out of their blocked passages. Not the most fun of tools, but you won’t complain once you’ve seen how well it works.

And after all, we want our turkeys and our stockings to be stuffed, but certainly not our kids’ noses. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

$22.99 at Whole Foods, 510 W. 8th Ave., Vancouver, www.wholefoods.com

Festive fun for families in Seattle.

Stay
With free milk and cookies from room service, a Teddy Bear suite, gingerbread displays and glitter galore, your kids will be wide-eyed with wonder at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Snuggle them up in their miniature bathrobes while you slurp oysters sent up from Shuckers. Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St., Seattle, WA, 206-621-1700, www.fairmont.com

Eat
Escape for some adult time at the new RN74, named for the Route Nationale that runs through Burgundy. Choose a pinot noir off the wine list displayed on a French-style train board, and watch the selections flip and refresh throughout your meal. The service is extraordinary (as are the house-made doughnuts to cap off your night). Reserve. RN74, 1433 Fourth Ave. (at Pike St.), Seattle, WA, 206-456-7474, www.michaelmina.net

Do
Space Centre
Take the monorail (half the fun) to the Space Needle whose observation deck currently features free photos with Santa in a spaceship and cosmic cookie decorating, plus priceless souvenir family photos like this one! www.spaceneedle.com

Play
The Holiday Carousel at Westlake Park in the middle of downtown is a classic, while giant toy sculptures lit up along Waterfront Park will bring out the kid in everyone. www.downtownholidays.com —Sarah Bancroft

We’ve got the perfect solution for kids who like to make tents out of our sofas, cushions, throws, and furniture.

Dexton’s canvas teepee is not only the perfect hideaway for the little ones, it is also the most stylish alternative to a fort. And don’t worry if they decide to draw all over it, the canvas is made to be decorated with oil-based paint. We found it on Hip Baby’s new online store, which sells a whole bunch of other good looking kids’ gear. In fact, we’ll be needing two teepees to store all our cool new stuff. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Dexton teepee, $148 from Hip Baby.

www.hipbaby.com