Favor ...

to spare you from hearing about more food, cravings and all that jazz ... I am instead sharing something from a friend ...

"For the last 13 years, I ran a non-profit that I helped found that brought children with and without disabilities together in play. Through this experience I learned a lot about the importance of play that I want to share with other parents.
After watching how difficult it was for parents (and others) to purchase toys for their kids this holiday, I thought that I could create a personal shopping business where I could help parents and grandparents find the best toys for their kids. I would love to know your thoughts about this.
One of my ideas is listed below along with a link to a really short survey to help me figure out if the idea will work. I would love if you would let me know what you think and pass it along to others. I really am passionate about children playing and having the right tools and I want to determine if this is a vehicle that would work.
Do you find yourself rushing out the day of a birthday party and settling for whatever’s at hand, rather than the quality gift you really wanted to buy? My plan is to create a “Gift Closet” for you to own. The “gift closet” would be 10 birthday party gifts for children 1 to 6 years old. No more having to run out for a gift at the last minute, all your gifts for the year will be waiting for you right at your home. Just grab the one you want to give, and off you go to the party.
When you purchase your “Gift Closet” you would specify the age range you wanted. The toys would all be safe (no lead), creative and interesting. These will be toys that you feel good about giving, and the children receiving them will love them (and so will the parents). The “Gift Closet” would include gift bags, tissue paper and tape. There would also be a card-making-kit so your child can make a card for the birthday child, or to use as thank you notes for his/her own birthday.
I am now doing market research on the “Gift Closet” concept. I have created a simple 14 question survey that I am asking people to complete. You can find it at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=u29qqw4MP01ERLlgw9T0Lw_3d_3d. I am also asking you to forward this email along to as many friends as possible so that I can get an idea whether this will work or not. If you have already passed through the stage of being on the birthday party circuit
- congratulations for surviving, no need to complete the survey -just forward it along and ask your friends, social networks, work colleagues, etc. children, who are have young children. They will spend no more than 2 minutes completing the survey.
Thank you all very much for your help as I move on this journey"

(her original post appears over at the TheMotherhood here if you want to leave her a note there as well!)

Thanks so much =)