Ask Haley, Austin, TX (2026)

02/13/2017

Yeah..that’s it for Haley. As some of you may already know we are working on a new chapter with a new bot that’s not aiming for consumers but more for the businesses. Unfortunately this means we need to put our beloved Haley on the shelf for now. It has been a crazy ride with Haley, with her experts who are such an amazing group of angels and her audience - you guys.

As our new venture is still in the making, you’d just gonna have to wait a week or two to see it in action but I can tell you now - it kicks robot’s ass. If you are in our area you can come over for a short demo if you buy the coffee.

I want to thank you all for being there for Haley: Liking us, using us, testing us, using inappropriate language with us (with Haley) and listening to me talk about it in meetups, summits and coffee breaks. You guys gave us the strength to win prizes, develop and succeed like we did.

Personal thank you has to go to all the people who spent hours a week with us on Haley: Anat Shapiro Adriana Cantu Mary Tran Nicole-Cornelis Janse Van Rensburg Yoav Barel Meni Lavie Omer Yarkowich Sharon Bone Omri Yacubovich Udi Ledergor Yarden Leshem Assaf Wahrhaft Tal Siach Dotan Galron Haggai Shachar Elad David Ilker Köksal Netalie Linden Ron Sasson and most importantly Yaron Abramovich & Miki Dimenshtein

11/11/2016

Meet Nicole Janse Van Rensburg from Houston. Nicole is a certified sleeping consultant and a mother of two who just joined our experts’ team. Nicole loves helping young parents. Click on this link and start a free chat with Nicole about your baby or toddler needs.
askhaley.com/messenger?ref=chatwithnicole

10/21/2016

“I’m not one of those Pinterest moms.”, my neighbor told me recently. The good news is, in a town like Austin, you can find creative, go-getter moms to help you plan your kids’ birthdays, make their Halloween costumes and magically produce all of those finishing details that will get you that Mom of the Year award (well, in your mind anyway. ;) ).

Rachel Schnaiter is one of those moms. While juggling a nursing career, two kids and a household, she is also the genius behind It’s My Party , a local business specializing in custom, handcrafted party decor. Her work is meticulous and made with great care. Her tools include family heirlooms passed down from her husband’s Mee Maw. In her office, you’ll find photos of her daily inspiration - her family, along with an impressive craft organization wall. Working with fabric, paper and paint, she can custom create costumes, banners, cupcake toppers, highchair skirts, monthly birthday photo banners and party favors. My favorite parties that she’s done so far are the pink and gold first birthday (that crown is just beautiful!) and the 21st birthday (cake smash and all!). It’s My Party also offers antique high chair rentals for the perfect cake smash photo.

If you’re interested in creating things yourself, but just need some guidance and tools, Rachel will be teaching seasonal classes at Imagine That - Art Space, where she will do all of the prep work, while you and your friends can come and create your own custom decor and gifts for the season.
This weekend (October 22nd), you’ll see her work at Boofest Halloween Benefit and Celebration at in.gredients in Central Austin. Come early and bring your kids in costume, to get a free goody bag that includes a custom sewn mask from It’s My Party. Wanna ask a question about making a custom or a whole event? Click here and ask her anything
http://m.me/ask.haley.today

10/20/2016

Are you ready for pumpkin season? Time to get those little sweethearts dressed up and your cameras ready. Not sure where to go? The Austin area has quite a few options to choose from. There are small local churches and spacious farms with activities galore. Barton Hill Farms is of the latter variety. They offer a very well thought out venue for a day out with the family.
40 minutes west of Austin, just 10 minutes before getting to Bastrop, the planners behind Barton Hill Farms Pumpkin Patch make sure that the trip is worth your while. Included in the multiple activities are tractor train rides, tube slides, rolling relays, a giant ship sandbox, “the pillow” (a large bouncing surface) and a space to feed goats and little pigs. Bands play live music on stage daily. Concession stands, food trucks and seating areas are situated throughout the farm space. For the younger family, they even offer a lovely nursing and diaper changing station in a tiny building by the front.
Staff are available to help you with those photo opportunities and getting around the space. The pumpkin patch integrates antique farm equipment and hay bales to create multiple places to take photos without having to wait for other families to finish their photos. This year, they’ve also positioned tractors for additional photo ops. I do recommend either getting there right at 10am or later in the afternoon to beat the lines (for photos, activities and concessions). If you arrive right at opening time, you also won’t have to maneuver around people in the back of your photos.
Admission is $14 per person, and $1 off if you buy your tickets off of their website (link in comments). 0-2 year olds get in for free. The price of admission covers the cost of all activities, except for face painting and the purchase of pumpkins. For all that’s included, it really is worth it. Be sure to bring sunblock and plenty of water, as this Central Texas weather can be quite unpredictable. A cool autumn morning could quickly turn into a sweltering day, as we found out this year.
The pumpkin patch is open on weekends until November 13th.
Saturdays 10am-8pm. Sundays 10am-6pm.
They are also open on Columbus Day from 10am-6pm.

10/19/2016

Excited to share - starting today, parents can chat with our experts LIVE for free. Sleeping consultants, nutritionists, childcare and more. Message the Ask Haley page (just say ‘hi’), and we’ll connect you with experts.
http://m.me/ask.haley.today

We’d love to know what you think. Try it out or tag anyone with a baby or a toddler and give him the option to ask us anything about parenting for free.

10/05/2016

It's starting! Lori Strong from Strong Little Sleepers is chatting 1 on 1 about any child sleeping issue or question you have. Click and start chatting with Haley. Say 'hi' now and Haley will connect you to a free session

10/04/2016

“Wow”. The first time I walked around Catch Air Austin in Northwest Austin, that was what my brain kept repeating. I had heard plenty of moms say, “Oh my gosh. You have to check this place out.”. I wondered what could be so great about it.

What sets Catch Air Austin apart from other play spaces is that they certainly cater to the younger set of kids, while still having enough to interest older children. Usually, little ones have to be kept away from the big kid fun, but here, they are free to explore, climb, run and take chances. Be free little one! At one point, the lights turned off, disco lights turned on and the stereo was playing “Move It, Move It”, from the Madagascar movie. It was a full on dance party. I could just hear my little one’s brain saying, “This is my jam!” ;)

There are two areas sectioned off for children 3 feet and smaller. The kicker is, that this wasn’t lame baby equipment. There were a variety of large play structures that I thought were pretty cool and unique. In addition to the toddler areas, there’s a ball air cannon room where, yes, you can shoot balls around without hurting anyone. Across the entire complex, there are soft, vinyl covered foam climbing structures in the shape of animals, slides, buildings, etc. that are great for small climbers. The giant climbing structure was pretty safe - I should know...my child made me climb through the entire thing with my giant diaper bag. Note to self: do not bring anything bulky on your person.

In terms of party rooms, this place had a good layout. At other venues, I’ve experienced many a cramped room with no windows or air flow. Total misery for a bunch of sweaty kids and their parents. Catch Air Austin has 3 bright and clean open rooms with plenty of space.

I would definitely bring the kids back here. Last time, we came on a Friday and found out that after 4pm, you have to pay weekend prices, so be aware of that. Parents do get in free though.

For the month of October, they’re doing a Catch Air Cares: Diaper Drive with the Austin Diaper Bank.
If you bring a package of diapers (Monday-Thursday), you’ll receive $2 off the admission of each child.

Admission Pricing:
Infants: Free (with paid child's admission)
Children Ages 1-2: Weekday $7 Weekend $10
Children Ages 3-16: Weekday $11 Weekend $14
Two 17+ Adults: Free (with 1 paid child admission)
Additional Adults: Weekday $5 Weekend $7

A new Catch Air is slated to open in Round Rock later this year. (Catch Air Round Rock, TX)

09/29/2016

As the parent of a toddler, you realize that playdates with other parents should allow for you to actually have conversations with other parents, not spend your time helicopter parenting and running around to ensure the safety of your kids. in.gredients in East Austin is one of the perfect spots for hanging with friends, drinking a cup of joe (or kombucha, tea, wine, etc.) and maybe even a nice nosh, all while your little ones are happily playing on the enclosed playground, checking out the garden and enjoying a healthy meal or snack from the store.
Some days, I’ll just send out a random text to mama friends to meet up after naptime. The kids get out of the house, and mama gets some time to unwind. The staff here are all very nice, and fellow patrons are friendly. They are all happy to oblige my little one when she wants to bestow them with hugs (I think she senses the good in them ♥). The food here is diet friendly. They have vegan, gluten free, local, eco-friendly, etc. You can imagine my surprise and delight when my picky eater started chowing down on the prosciutto panini - I had to get a picture of that! She also happily devoured the vegan mac n’ cheese. The white blueberry tea was quite delicious on this day as well. Insider tip: there’s an offer for “1 free soda, hot coffee or ice tea” when you check-in on the Yelp App.
in.gredients hosts many great events with local performers and vendors. They also offer a storytime every second Saturday of the month. Not only is in.gredients a great business, they are a proud community partner, hosting benefits and fun events to raise awareness and funds for local non-profits and great causes around town. So for everything you buy at the store, you know that money is going to support many wonderful ventures and good people. This is such a great place to have in our community.

09/26/2016

Many of us have grown up hearing about the fear of going to the dentist. You might as well rank it up there with the fear of getting immunizations. Central Park Pediatric Dentistry, in Central Austin, makes all of those fears seem like a dream. Nothing to fear here.

Personally, I have had some bad experiences with dentists. When I was younger, I didn’t know any better, so when they suggested that I “needed” all of these procedures, I trusted them and agreed to dental work that, as it turns out, I really didn’t need at all. Some of these places had some really poor business practices, and were all about making money, not doing what’s best for their patients. I was so thankful when I found my current dentist, and even more happy to have found Dr. Johnson at Central Park Pediatric Dentistry for my toddler. He takes a conservative approach with suggesting dental procedures. He totally understands how difficult it can be for kids (and their parents) to get put on anesthesia and have all of this work done on their teeth. He also understands how with growth, something like a crown won’t last very long on a toddler, so it really isn’t worth all of that work and trauma for something that can be controlled with consistent flossing and brushing. Do I really need to spend thousands of dollars on a tiny cavity on a baby tooth that’s going to fall out in 2 years? No. You can imagine my relief to know that I had found a place that wasn’t going to bombard me with unnecessary procedures and put my child through that experience.

Now let’s talk about wiggly kids. When you walk into the office, it’s a very serene environment. There are toys and books in the waiting room to keep the little ones occupied. A widescreen tv is positioned above every exam table so that kids can zone out and stay calm. To determine familiarity with brushing, the dental hygienist gives the little patient a new toothbrush and asks them to show her how they brush. She is gentle and engaging with the patient while she is cleaning their teeth. When Dr. Johnson comes in, he is very kind and happy to answer questions. They provide fun sunglasses for the kids, in case the exam light glare is too bright. When they are finished, the patients get to choose a prize from the treasure chest to add to their bag of goodies from the dental office. Everything went so smoothly and we were done in no time at all. It was easier than a trip to the grocery store!

Central Park Pediatric Dentistry offers a New Patient Special for $69.99. This includes a pediatric exam, x-rays and cleaning (or a free Oral-B electric toothbrush after the first visit).

09/20/2016

Baby’s First Haircut. It can be a fun, quick experience or a wild, wiggly struggle. I decided to go with K.A.O.S. Children's Salon in Northwest Austin off of Anderson Mill, and I’m glad that I did.

So far, my little one has been getting bang trims, courtesy of her mom and dad. Were they always even? Ha! No. We let the rest of her hair go long, because I didn’t have the heart to cut off those adorable baby curls. Fast forward to now. The hot, Texas summer and a sweaty toddler with tangly hair. It was time, and I didn’t want to mess it up.

Most places that provide kids’ haircuts are under $20 a cut. KAOS is moderately priced at $15. They have an added bonus of providing cute riding toys for the younger kids to sit on, more adult chairs for the older kids, movies and video games on individual tvs and books. The waiting area is also stocked with toys, a full sized dollhouse and a tv screen. We had Barbara for our first cut, and true to what we had heard, she was gentle and great at her job. That haircut was done in less than 15 minutes and looked great! My little one also got to choose a hair bow from their basket, and they give parents the option of giving their child a piece of candy (being sure to whisper, “There’s C.A.N.D.Y. if you’re okay with giving it to your child.”). Barbara also saved us a lock of hair and a certificate for our first haircut. Baby girl didn’t want to leave, and Barbara told her that she could stay and ride on the toys and play with the toys in the waiting area, if she wanted to. Such a welcoming environment.

Side note: They are very busy on Fridays and weekends and are usually booked every 15 minutes. Thanks to Friday traffic, we were horribly late for our appointment, and Barbara was able to easily accommodate us, since her last client arrived and finished early. If you’re coming from the far side of Austin, 3-4pm on a Friday is not a good time. Go for early weekdays and mornings, when possible.

09/15/2016

The best Moms’ Night Outs are the ones where you get to do something memorable and unique together. Make It Sweet is my go-to for a fun night out. We’ve all heard of Painting with a Twist, where you go home with the exact same painting with a slight variation, but imagine how much more fun it would be if it were edible art. Make It Sweet provides just that.

They’re a unique bake shop located in north Austin, conveniently off of 183 N and Burnet Rd. You will meet the sweetest (pun intended) people at these classes. Each class is 3 hours long. They provide all of the supplies needed for class, do all of the prep work and clean up. Imagine that - baking without having to clean up! There’s a camera and screens set up so that you can watch the instruction close up. Classes range from baking scones to making cake pops and decorating multi-tiered cakes. There’s fun for all skill levels, and many students leave excited to try out their new skills at home. Now, you may be thinking, “I’m not a baker”, and that’s okay. Instruction is step by step. There are even BYOB classes here, and if the instructors can get a group of royally sauced patrons to make macarons (MACARONS!), anything’s possible. The goal is to have fun and to go home with your own box of goodies from class. They also have classes for kids too. For the price of classes, which is normally around $45-50, that’s not a bad deal. They even sweeten the deal by offering 50% off Groupons on occasion and a seasonal discount for newsletter subscribers. Whenever that seasonal discount comes out with the schedule of new classes, you better bet that customers load up on classes for the season. $25 for a fun 3-hour experience with your friends and a whole box of goodies at the end - that’s a steal!

In addition to classes, Make It Sweet is one of the best bake shops in Central Texas, providing unique baking supplies year round. They are also the host of the That Takes the Cake Sugar Art Show & Cake Competition (aka The Austin Cake Show), with the Capital Confectioners. I’ve heard from multiple international exhibitors and baking instructors that the Austin Cake Show is one of the best cake shows in the world. How lucky are we to be in a town where we can access such talent and organization, and to get to take these classes at a fraction of the price that they otherwise would be in other parts of the world. I’m signed up to take the Cocktail Cupcakes class with some girlfriends in November. Cocktails + Cupcakes + Moms Night Out = Fun Times. Maybe we’ll see you there!

09/12/2016

Looking for a pediatrician for your first child can be quite a daunting task. Our little family thinks we’ve found a wonderful office in Central Austin that just takes the cake. Pediatric Associates of Austin has so many benefits for a young family, and they’ve had over 40 years to perfect it.

We primarily see Dr. Ashley Gonzalez, who is such a kind and knowledgeable doctor. She always takes such care with our little girl, engaging with her and letter her “help” with little things, like holding her stethoscope in place. I feel so spoiled by getting to bring my daughter here. With 7 available doctors, she’ll still be able to get an appointment at the last minute, with a quality doctor. I don’t have to wait for days until her primary doctor is available. They also provide an After Hours Kids Clinic from 6:30-10:30pm, which is great considering we usually don’t see symptoms until the evening hours, when other offices are closed. What parent wants to take their child to the emergency room where they’ll be exposed to even more illness, not to mention the wait time? I love that we can just make a quick appointment and come into the same doctor’s office that we’d go to during the day. And it’s just a $30 convenience fee on top of the usual co-pay. Say goodbye to $500 emergency room visits! On top of that, there’s a 24 hour nurse line, and every single staff member is wonderful. We’re so spoiled, right?

With little ones, wait time can become an issue anywhere, and we’ve never had a long wait at Pediatric Associates. I love the waiting room feature where the room is divided into a play area for well patients and sick patients. No worrying about my child getting sick from playing with toys here! I also don’t have to be that parent that feels bad about my sick child spreading germs either, since she’ll have a play area too. During cold and flu season, I have seen that they’ll switch the signs, so that there’s more room for the sick families. It’s those little details that really make this practice shine. Each visiting room is personalized too. If you like the uniqueness that makes Austin, you’ll love this feature. There are a couple of Star Wars rooms, Princess rooms, Legos… it’s such a fun diversion for the kids to look at, and it also brings personality to the place too. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m a little comforted by the fact that there’s a Star Wars collector in the house, and he isn’t afraid to show it.

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