365 Days of Reading: Tip #5 - Stocking Your Baby's Bookshelf, Part 1

When you are expecting a baby, it's easy to go crazy spending thousands of dollars on 'stuff'. But once baby arrives, you will soon realize how the money and the clutter can add up!

To save your sanity, create a wishlist on a website such as Amazon and fill it with classic and contemporary children's books. Then, when caring friends & family ask what kind of things baby needs or would like, you can send them a link & let them choose. It will cut down on toy clutter, help with noise reduction (imagine a play room filled with VTech toys - egads!) and you can save your money for the college fund.

Also, don't forget - books are the gifts that keep on giving! Many books that appeal to babies continue to be favorites all the way up through early elementary school. Here are some examples: