Daly City, Pacifica and Brisbane Macaroni Kid

[ ] + = - ! It's a BIG Year for Macaroni Kid and Families across the country... We know you love to #FindYourFamilyFun with Macaroni Kid, now you can SAVE BIG on all that fun with our other 'BIG' kid, Certifikid! Moms - this is an opportunity for YOU to become a Macaroni Kid Publisher, own your own business while being home with your children. For more information, please visit: www.joinmacaronikid.com Macaroni Kid is celebrating 13 years AND we are excited to share this special announcement from our new partner, Shark Tank's "Mr. Wonderful," Kevin O'Leary

Recently being educated about the tragedy of child sex trafficking that is happening at a rapid pace right under our noses, has wrecked me. But learning about this incredible organization that is fighting every day to free these children brings me HOPE. Will you help me in giving to O.U.R. Rescue by participating in our Cards for a Cause fundraiser? They rely solely on donations to carry out these operations to free children and I can’t think of a more worthy cause to support... right now. For just $30 you can get a box of 30 beautifully embellished greeting cards where over 40% of it will be directly donated to O.U.R. Rescue. Please reach out or comment below if you’d like to support our fundraiser! #RISEUPFORCHILDREN #GETLOUD #EndHumanTrafficking

Today, I wanted to tell my story about trafficking and why this cause is important to me. A few years ago, my daughter Sierra and I went to the grocery store just like any other normal weekend but this time without my husband Jon. We began in the veggie section and proceeded to go up and down each aisle, but one thing began to be clear we were being followed/watched. Every aisle we went to, a middle aged man was there. He had no shopping cart, had no basket to place anything ...in, he had nothing in his hands and he never made eye contact with me. Maybe I was just paranoid, but I've seen enough tv shows to know something was off. I immediately grabbed Sierra's hand, placed it on the cart and didn't let go. She didn't ask questions, she noticed the man too. I've talked to her enough times about situations such as this and she knew to stay close. At this point, I decided to see if he was in fact following us, so I skipped an aisle and guess what, he was there. I decided to put Sierra in between me and the cart. I figured if this guy was going to try something he'd sure have to work for it. At one point we hid behind a fixture to see if he would go there. Luckily he had left the store. It was scary to say the least. Was he a trafficker? I do not know and I hope I never have to know. *Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to tell you my story. O.U.R. stands for Operation Underground Railroad! The name comes from the network of secret underground railroads to free slaves back in the 19th century and they strive to carry out the same mission to free modern slaves. Tim Ballard is the Founder of O.U.R. a former Special Agent for the Dept. of Homeland Security where he was assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. O.U.R. locates chid sex slaves and connects with local law enforcement to rescue the children and take them to safe havens for rehab. They then go after ringleaders and break up their organizations. O.U.R. Aftercare provides a support system for survivors by vetting and evaluating aftercare centers. They assist in providing hope, love, and opportunities for all survivors. O.U.R. is a non-profit organization that relies on one hundred percent on donations to save children and on volunteers to help spread the word! That's where our fundraiser comes in! We want to help raise awareness and make a big donation to O.U.R. Rescue!!! Our goal is $500 and40 Boxes sold!!! For just $30 you can get one one these beautiful boxes of 30 embellished greeting cards (just $1 a card) and for every box sold we get to donate $13 to O.U.R. Rescue! Check the comments below for more information about the boxes of cards! Comment below if you'd like a box or 2 or would like more info! #RISEUPFORCHILDREN #GETLOUD #EndHumanTrafficking

This week we are going to be raising awareness around this tragic reality and the difference YOU can make. I am partnering with Anna-Marie Lobo a consultant with Usborne Books & More to bring you this important information. Here are some shocking statistics: Human trafficking is the 3rd largest international crime behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year.... It's estimated that as many as 27 million people are currently enslaved around the world. Nearly half of those enslaved are children, an estimated 13 million The average age of victims forced into slavery is 12-14 years old. In some cases, children as young as eight are prostituted It's estimated that over 100,000 children are currently trapped in a human trafficking situation in the U.S. alone. Today, 2 million children worldwide live as sex slaves. 73 million children under 12 years old are forced laborers. There has been a 40% increase of trafficking cases since the start of COVID-19. This is not okay! But the good news is that there is hope. Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) is a nonprofit organization fighting back against human trafficking! And YOU can help join the fight. Stay tuned to hear how you can get involved and how Operation Underground Railroad is making a huge impact to rescue and care for victims and arrest traffickers. #RISEUPFORCHILDREN #GETLOUD #EndHumanTrafficking

! We are excited to announce that Certifikid , a Maryland-based and nationally recognized website that offers discounts on kids activities and family experiences, has acquired Macaroni Kid! This in short means that we will become one of the Nation's largest platforms for families to discover and save on kids activities and family experiences. We are so excited to become a part of the CertifiKid family! :... https://bit.ly/3giD5eE More info to come, but in the meantime, head over to the CertifiKid Website {https://www.certifikid.com } and to receive exclusive deals every day on kids’ camps and classes, products, family activities, restaurants, entertainment, birthday party activities, special needs offers, and much MORE!

Have you been overwhelmed with all the virtual resources, classes, and other offerings that have cropped up in the last month? We know we are! So we have gathered together a few of the most unique and fun at-home FREE learning experiences - you can learn to dribble like a Harlem Globetrotter or draw like a professional. Check it out: https://national.macaronikid.com//5e9740d9cbfd345e838bd470/

Make this family friendly recipe on Cinco de Mayo or any night you are craving Mexican flavors! https://eats.macaronikid.com/artic/5b96d2600ebed53165c0327f

May the Fourth Be with You! All things Star Wars: https://www.pinterest.com//star-wars-may-the-force-be-wit/

99 Walks has taken the Macaroni Kid community by storm! Thousands of moms are involved and walking for wellness, health, and weight-loss. Join the APRIL challenge today and walk to earn beautiful jewelry! https://www.99walks.fit

You’re invited to join Macaroni Kid on Instagram as we capture photo-of-the-day images of May. What’s in it for you besides all of the sharing fun? Our friends at Lifeprint will be giving away three Lifeprint Ultra Slim Printers! That's right -- there will be THREE winners! How to enter? Just post your photos on Instagram that reflect the theme of the day ... each post is one entry. ... Be sure to follow @macaronikid & @lifeprintphoto on Instagram and tag your post #MKMayContest so we'll be able to find you!

The following three exercises are great as a starting point and give you options to challenge yourself as soon as you feel you are ready. They can be done at home or in the gym, and you can even do them with your baby nearby or with your older kids trying to do them with you. https://strollertraffic.macaronikid.com//5e6a7f72fd4b5671c

Happy Earth Day! Learn the history and find some activities to enjoy. Via: https://www.almanac.com/c/earth-day-date-activities-history