Shop Strong!

As the parent you have an important job of providing your kiddos with healthy food options and that job starts at the grocery store.  We have all probably done this before, you are running around and realize you need food for dinner, you are overly hungry and run to the store...uh oh!!!  This is a recipe for a disaster!

While it may not always be avoidable we want to encourage all parents to go to the grocery store at times when they are feeling strong and healthy so they will then in turn choose healthy options for their family.

Also, be prepared when you go to the store.  Think about the days ahead, determine which days you will be able to cook and go to the store with a shopping list in hand of the items you need.  Stick to that list because once you start going off the list next thing you know you will look down to a cart of snacks that come in a box (the healthy snack options don't come from a box) and sugary or salty "extras".

Finally, most grocery stores are designed with the essentials and healthier options around the perimeter of the store so keep that in mind as you go up and down those interior aisles.  Stay around the edges as much as possible and don't even bother taking a trip down the snack/cookie aisle!

I have found that if I can Shop Strong that I offer healthier options through out the week.  If I Shop Weak, then I spend the entire week fighting my will power at home.  Make it easier on yourself and Shop Strong!!

How to Shop STRONG!
1. Avoid shopping while hungry
2. Make a list and plan the coming days meals
3. Shop around the edges of the store

THINK PINK - Parents Introducing Nutrition to Kids

*This post is written by Megan Reilly a registered dietitian and co-owner of Tippi Toes Dance Company.

CD #3 On the Way

We are so excited to begin the writing process for Tippi Toes 3rd CD!  The writing process is so much fun as we  get to pull so much inspiration from all of the wonderful Tippi Toes students!  A child's mind is so full of wonder, imagination and dreams so we keep these concepts at the forefront as we start to write the songs.
We have only written a few songs so far for the CD and lyrics are coming along and we will soon be preparing for working with our music producer, Joey Davila.  So far the songs all incorporate some sort of prop for the kids to use as they dance and sing along!  In Tippi Toes dance classes sometimes props like bean bags, little turtle, rhythm sticks, etc are used to enhance the dance class experience.  This CD will help engage the children as they dance, sing and use a fun object to bring the song to life!
We are thinking wands, scarves, Tippi Turtles would all be exciting props to use during class!  CD #3 is un-named and will be released in 2012!  We will keep you posted!

CD #1 Tippi's Tunes 

CD#2 Tippi Toes Let's Boogie!

Mommy & Me!

We are so lucky to get to teach so many amazing kids. One of our favorite classes we offer is our mommy and me class for 18 months - 3 year olds. It brings parents and children together in a fun and healthy environment. Our classes start this coming week! If you haven't enrolled yet log onto our website and find a class that fits best with your family! We look forward to an amazing year!

Leslie and Libby singing about Tippi the Turtle

Jennie & Ella with Tiny Tim

 A full class of dancers and parents always fun!

 Tippi Toes teachers in training! Great staff in all areas this year!

 Jenny & Johanna singing and snuggling the best combination

 These 3 cuties left their mommy's and started dancing on their own!

Profile: Tara Cassmann Franchise Owner Rochester, MN

The Cassmann Family

My name is Tara Cassmann and I am the proud owner of Tippi Toes of Rochester, Minnesota.  Together with my husband, Jim of 16 years and our 3 year old daughter Elianna, we are blessed to be part of the Tippi Toes family.  

In 2009, my work temporarily brought my family to Corpus Christi, Texas.  Being new to the area, we researched enrichment opportunities for our then 2 year old daughter Elianna.  Tippi Toes stood out and she started attending baby ballet class. Each session of teaching, building self-confidence, music and body awareness and just being plain silly made us feel that we made right choice for our daughter.  Then it was time to make the right choice for our family.  Shortly after Elianna began classes we met with Sarah and Adam Nuse to discuss Tippi Toes as a business. After that meeting we knew that we wanted to do everything possible to bring Tippi Toes to our home in Minnesota.  Tippi Toes was the perfect combination of my elementary education background and my husband’s music education degree. 

Elianna - A Tippi Toes Star!

Since our classes began in Rochester in the Fall of 2010, we have no doubt about our decision to be part of the Tippi Toes family.  Each day, I get to experience the pure joy each child exudes during and after class, as well as the knowledge that I am making a positive impact of that child’s life.  Teaching, dancing, being silly and working with kids – What could be better?  

Together as a family, we look forward to the day that people across the globe know Tippi Toes by name. 

Profile: Tracy Genheimer Franchise Owner OKC

Tracy & Alex Genheimer

My name is Tracy Genheimer and I am the Oklahoma City and surrounding area franchise owner. I started out as a dance teacher for Tippi Toes in my senior year of college and immediately fell in love with it! I love the story-telling we use in class, our awesome music, and our great dancers! After working with Tippi Toes for two years, I had the opportunity to become a franchise owner. What an amazing blessing it has been owning my own business! Having danced since I was three years old, this is an absolute dream come true! I love that I get to dance and teach dance every day! I love what Tippi Toes stands for and that we are able to reach so many children around the country! My husband, Alex, who I married this past May, has been such a wonderful supporter of Tippi Toes. He helps in every way he can and I am so thankful!

Miss Tracy the Ballerina

Tracy and Alex on an adventure

PINK - Quick Tips and ADA

Helpful Healthy Quick Ideas
~Never go to the store hungry
~Go on a "nature walk" outside rather than being sedentary inside! Bring a basket and let them find treasures! Free, easy and convenient!
~Encourage your child to pick out any fruit or veggie to try while shopping with you. They will feel ownership from this and will love the control of getting to look around and pick out anything! Also, you both can learn about fruit and veggie options.
~Make a fruit shake with your kids! Ice, skim milk, dash of vanilla and some berries or bananas will make a healthy and delicious snack! Remember portion size when you serve them - start will a small glass and if they ask for seconds go ahead!

American Dietetic Association - Eatright.org
The ADA website is a great resource for parents. Here is an excerpt from their website that explains the importance of physical activity:

"Being active at an early age can lead to a lifelong habit of physical activity and promote a healthy weight throughout adolescence and adulthood. Children who participate in exercise can develop a variety of physical, mental and social skills in fun, playful ways like team sports, bike riding or just playing tag.
Children and teenagers should be physically active for 60 minutes every day, or most days. Parents can help teach these skills and reinforce the importance of the physical activity part of the equation by being good role models. According to a study by the American Dietetic Association Foundation, children chose parents — not celebrities or sports figures — as their number one role model, regardless of the child's age. Parents can model healthy habits by finding ways to be active in their daily routines and making activity a household priority."

Let's Boogie Inside Look

Creating a CD is such a major project, but we thought we would share some of the fun behind the scenes details!

So Sarah and I write all of the lyrics to the songs which is such a funny process!!! For a children's CD there really are no rules and your lyrics can be off the walls silly and in fact that normally appeals more to the kids!! So whether it is a song about dreaming of blue bunnies or a song about ants in my pants, we know the kids will love it!
We spend 1 to 2 months creating the lyrics and helping each other fine tune them, then the most excruciating part comes next (at least for me)! We have to record ourselves singing the song as we have written it and then send that to Joey Davila the music producer! I can only imagine the belly laughs Joey gets as he sits there listening to my horrifying singing (I won't throw Sarah under the bus too, but let's just say singing doesn't run in our family)!!
Then Joey creates all the music, beats, etc to go with the CD. We have a friend Leslie Fiscus who comes in to the studio for 3-5 days and whips out her incredible pipes which make the songs come alive!
And just like that we have a CD!!!
Then comes the CD case design! Sarah and I decide what type of jewel case to use for the CD.  We receive samples of several different types and then choose!  The Tippi Toes Lets Boogie CD cover was a breeze for us because we had the talented Kate McElroy design the entire jacket which took her only about a week!!! When you see the cover you will be amazed she created it in only a week!
The final step is sending the music and artwork off to be mastered and duplicated. After 4-12 weeks, the day the delivery arrives with our CDs is better than Christmas! We open the box with such excitement and a sense of pride for everyone involved in the creative process! Then we cannot wait to get it in the hands of our dancers and supporters!

Now wasn't that just like watching a Sesame Street special about how to make crayons :)

Tippi Toes Let's Boogie CD
Available from your local Tippi Toes Franchise Owner,
our Tippi Toes Boutique or on iTunes

Profile: Andrea Dangel Franchise Owner Cincinnati - the first franchise owner!

My name is Andrea Dangel and I am the franchise owner of Tippi Toes in Cincinnati, Ohio.  From ages 4-18, I was enrolled in dance classes such as ballet, tap, and jazz.  After graduating college, I became a high school teacher and coached cheerleading in my free time. 

After having 4 beautiful children with my husband and being a teacher for 20 years, I started realizing I missed dancing and performing.  I was surfing the Internet and came across Tippi Toes Dance Company.  I fell in love with the franchisor’s philosophy of teaching dance to children and so wanted to be a part of this team.

In the spring of May 2009, I became a proud franchise owner of Tippi Toes.  I have never been happier in my life because I am providing the joy of dance to my students and running a successful business.

The best part of my day at Tippi Toes is when I see the beautiful smiles of our dance students before, during, and after class.   

PINK - You are the Model for Your Kids!

You are the Model for Your Kids
"Your preschooler is capable of observing what you eat, and being influenced by that. Don't forget that you are being perceived as this all-knowing person, and if you eat green beans, it must be the thing to do. You don't have to say another word. All you have to do is enjoy your green beans. Observing that, your child will make the assumption that he, too, will eat green beans. If not today, then someday. It is just a matter of time."

This passage is from How to get Your Kid to Eat...But Not Too Much by Ellyn Satter. This book is a wonderful resource for parents of kids from newborns to teenagers.

Sometime as parents it is easy to forget that we are our children's number one role model. Next time you are thinking about skipping your walk/workout or driving through the drive through for dinner think about the message that is sending to your kids. Let your kids be your inspiration to be the best model of health for them!

Let's Boogie

We have completed production on our 2nd Tippi Toes CD, Tippi Toes Let's Boogie!! We have moved up the release date for this CD and you can now purchase it from your local Tippi Toes Franchise Owner, from our Tippi Toes Boutique or on iTunes.

Of course anyone with kids would love the CD!!  Preschool teachers, grandparents or the "cool" aunt would also make a big splash with their favorite kiddos if this CD was in the boom box! Actually if there are any people out there who struggle with their own dance moves at weddings or parties, we do have a hilarious song called, "Tippi Tippi Jam" which helps teach the Shopping Cart, The Lawnmower and The Sprinkler - can you tell this CD is all about FUN!!!



One of the coolest things about this CD for us was the the designer of the cover and CD jacket was one of our life long friends, Kate (Ormsby) McElroy of Kate McElroy Design, who is clearly a talented graphic designer. We gave her a very general and broad topic and then she created this eye candy that we absolutely adore! If you are looking for any type of graphic design - Kate is your go to!!
Also the music producer is another great friend, Joey Davila of Davila Music Production.  He takes the skeleton of a song that Sarah and I create then turns it into incredible music that is always cooler than we even imagined! He is fun and easy to work with and has been a wonderful champion for Tippi Toes!
We hope you and the children in your life enjoy this CD for hours dancing around the house or jammin in the car!!  Either way we would love to hear from you about your favorite songs or maybe even see your little dancer rocking out to the much!

Loving the Press

We feel so blessed that Tippi Toes is being mentioned around the Country.

Tippi Toes Dance Company

Gayle King is "pulling for Tippi Toes!!"

Gayle King: Interviews - Predicting the Next Big Business Idea on 'Shark Tank'

gaylekingshow.com

The Official Site of the Gayle King Show

Access Hollywood Live: Mark Cuban - ‘I’m A Big Time Bully’ On ‘Shark Tank’ | Access Hollywood - Cele

www.accesshollywood.com

Mark Cuban admits to being a “big time bully” towards the other “sharks” (business owners) on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” but why does he try to be supportive of the entrepreneurs that come on the show? View celebrity

Tippi Ballerina

Mark Cuban on TheHerd on ESPN today!

Mark Cuban, Mavericks Owner

Mark Cuban is one of the entrepreneurs involved with ABC's Shark Tank and talks about some of the best ideas to come his way. Cuban would still be interested in buying an MLB team at the right price and talks about why baseball is great.

Franchise Owner Brittany Friske - OSU alum tip-toes toward the future

By Kristen McConnaughey

Foundation and Alumni Association Reporter

Published: Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Updated: Thursday, March 24, 2011 04:03

Sometimes attending Oklahoma State University can have a larger impact on students.
OSU alumna Brittany Friske graduated with an accounting degree in December of 2007, but said she has always had a passion for dancing.
"I started dancing when I was 3 years old and danced all my life really," Friske said.
After answering a classified ad while she was a student in 2006, Friske began teaching dance classes for the Tippi Toes dance company in Stillwater. This part-time job soon became a full-time career for Friske. Since July of 2010, Friske has been the franchise owner of the Stillwater and Tulsa area dance company Tippi Toes.
She said finally realized her true calling when she started at Tippi Toes.
"I was an accounting major but probably should have been an early childhood major," Friske said. "I just realized that was not for me."
Early childhood education would have been a useful major for Friske, but she said that as a franchise owner, earning a business degree was a smart move.
"I'm having to do all of the business side for everything," Friske said. "All of the business classes at OSU definitely prepared me to own my own business. Definitely the background helps me now."
Tippi Toes travels to preschools and community centers to offer dance classes to children ranging from ages 18 months to 12 years old. Most classes in Stillwater are at the Stillwater Community Center, where they will also have their recital in May, Friske said.
"We focus on bringing dance to the kids," Friske said.
Although Friske lives in Tulsa, she still returns to Stillwater frequently.
"I get to come back and visit dance classes over there periodically," Friske said. "It's kind of cool that I still have a connection to OSU. We've been in Stillwater from almost the beginning. We can watch the company grow."
Tippi Toes also has locations in Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Texas.
On Sunday evening, creators of Tippi Toes Sarah Nuse and Megan Reilly appeared on ABC's reality business show Shark Tank.
"They sent an e-mail to the show to see what would happen," Friske said. "They were contacted back in August to see about being on the show."
More information about Tippi Toes can be found on their website at tippitoesdance.com, or by contacting Brittany Friske at 918-361-4134.
Although Friske is no longer a college student, she said she will always have that connection to OSU.
"My whole experience there, I loved every minute of it," Friske said. "I just love that I have an excuse to come back. Stillwater is a great little town."

The Day of the Shark Tank Pitch in LA

A LOOK BACK:

Megan and I were so excited about today. This was the day we had been waiting for to pitch to the Sharks - Mark Cuban owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Daymon John owner of FUBU, Kevin O'Leary internet king, Barbara Corcoran real-estate queen, Robert Herjeveck internet guy. It was fun getting to go to hair and make up, getting our mics set and being shuffled from set to set. This has been an experience we will never ever forget!

Megan, Julie, Sarah & Jonathan - we practiced together quizzing each other the night before we met the Sharks

Shawn, the Ship Burger King from Franklin TN. So nice but No deal for him (it was very early in the morning...can you tell?)

Made it to the lot and trying to entertain the kids...they were great!

Now this was some fun!

Here Megan and I are getting our hair and makeup done.

Aysa - 3yrs

Robert - 5 yrs

Deanna - 5 years

Sarah Nuse CEO of Tippi Toes Dance Company

  

My name is Sarah Nuse and I am the founder and president of Tippi Toes Dance Company. It seems as if Tippi Toes has always been apart of my life. I have danced since I was a little girl and I remember when we would have career days in grade school I would always dress up as either a dance teacher or a schoolteacher. I know God designed me to run Tippi Toes, I just had not idea how much he would bless my life through it. 

I have been married to my husband Adam since 2004 and we have 2 children Lucy (2 ½) and Lola (1) and a baby on the way due in July. We live in Corpus Christi, Texas where Adam works as the Vice President of the Corpus Christi Hooks, a minor league team of the Houston Astros.  We are blessed by the simple things in life and get our greatest joy comes from our family. Adam and I began dating a year after I started Tippi Toes. He has been a solid rock helping me dream and reach goals the whole way through. He is such a contributor and an outside the box thinker and I contribute so much of our success to him and his wild ideas!

I remember on my 3rd year of running Tippi Toes in Norman, Oklahoma Adam and I made a goal sheet that I stuck on my bathroom mirror. The goal was to for me to teach, 25 kids, then being crazy we had another goal of me teaching 50 kids. Now looking at Tippi Toes as a whole we have close to 1000 students enrolled in our program. It is amazing the work God will do, when we put in the determination and dedication.

I get the most joy with Tippi Toes when I am in class teaching. I love seeing the excitement in the children’s faces, I love helping build their imaginations and I love watching them just get the chance to be silly. I have gotten to see Tippi Toes in a whole new light from being a dance teacher to a parent. I get to see my company through the eyes of my children. There is so much joy in that!

Miss Lucy

Miss Lola

Another one of my favorite things about Tippi Toes is when we have an outside the box idea and go with it. When we take big leaps by creating a new CD, new dances and new material. I love that we have franchised Tippi Toes. We have the best people on board with us. The women that work with Tippi Toes all see our vision and together we work as a team. We root each other on and hope for the best. We can share ideas, struggles and victories. It is so refreshing to see so many determined wives, mothers and business owners wrapped up in one. Another one of God’s many blessings to Tippi Toes.

My life at this point is a true balancing act: wife, mother, and business owner. I have to choose carefully the tasks for the day and make sure that what I am doing is worth it. I owe it first to my husband and my girls to be the best to them. I remember when I had my first daughter people always told me “it goes so fast.” I have held onto that and have chosen that I want to stay at home with my girls for the short time before they go off to school. It is amazing and good for me but sometimes hard to balance.

Our vision is unshaken and we know exactly where we are headed. We know how we want Tippi Toes to impact the children we teach and the families we service. My dream is that Tippi Toes continues to bless families around the globe. 

Profile: Megan Reilly COO of Tippi Toes

Chris and me at my best
friend's wedding

My name is Megan Reilly and I am the Chief Operating Officer of Tippi Toes. I remember working on the original Tippi Toes logo in my bedroom at my parents house when I was still in high school and Sarah was starting classes in Norman, OK. I started teaching classes at 17 and once I finished college started full time!

Chris coaching in 2006

I am married to Chris and we have a dog name Camden. Chris is an incredible college baseball coach so around our house we are talking about breaking balls, bat speed, tutus and Tippi Toes non-stop!  Chris is hard working, supportive, thoughtful, hilarious and just awesome! He has worked several Tippi Toes recitals over the years and supports my dreams everyday!  We enjoy bike rides to the beach, visiting family and friends and watching any type of sporting event. I'm so lucky! 
I work from my home in Ormond Beach, Florida and do something different every day at work! I may be doing anything from IT, to writing a new song, to working with parents, to on one of my multiple daily calls with my business partner/sister, Sarah, to making up choreography, to emails, emails, emails, to conference calls with franchise owners, I usually get a taste of everything! My favorite part of Tippi Toes is probably a tie between talking shop with franchise owners, making up new lyrics for songs or clearing out my inbox!

A fun day of golfing!

 There is no doubt though that the best thing about my job is working with my best friend and sister, Sarah!  She is just the greatest!

  In the future I dream and believe that Tippi Toes will be a household name, we dream to have a children's TV show and an international tour complete with our characters Tippi, Buzz, Bopa and Freddy and of course continue expanding franchises all across the globe!!  How cool would that be?!  

My first time to Wrigley!

As Tippi Toes has grown into the franchising world I have fallen in love with our business all over again because by franchising Tippi Toes we found the way to reach more children around the country.  The major bonus is that we have met incredibly smart, warm, savvy, driven women who have taken their destiny into their own hands, started a franchise and created a Tippi Toes dream world in their own home town.




 

 

No More Pantyhose!

This was a quote from a Tippi Toes franchise owner that we just love! After working in the corporate world for years this wife and mom of 1 little girl joined the Tippi Toes World less than a year ago. During the crazy snow storm that swept the nation in January she was cooped up for days and decided to clean her closet. After the purging of all her pantyhose she emailed Sarah and I to celebrate the fact that she happily is pantyhose free!! Throwing out the pantyhose seemed like a rite of passage from working for someone else and within someone else's schedule and parameters to being a self-employed business owner who sets her own schedule and routine while spending more time with her family!
So it is safe to say that one of the perks of owning a Tippi Toes franchise is that pantyhose are not needed and you can swap those out for jeans as you work out of your home!!
To find out more about owning a Tippi Toes Franchise visit, our Tippi Toes Website!

Miss Tracy's Top 10 List

Tracy Genheimer is the OKC/Edmond Tippi Toes Franchise owner.  We wanted to share something she wrote about 8 months ago about her experience in the first few weeks of owning her own Tippi Toes Franchise.  She also has developed her own Top 10 for Reason's she loves Tippi Toes!

"What a whirlwind of a week! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to be a part of Tippi Toes Edmond/Oklahoma City!!! Sarah, one of the owners and creators, came down with her family earlier this week to help me sell to daycares/community centers and to train me and boy did we have a great time!!! Edmond/OKC and Tippi Toes are going to soon be best friends! I will be super busy setting up the class schedule and hiring an assistant teacher!  It's crazy how life does a complete 360*. I mean this time last year, I was freshly out of college, engaged, and working 4 jobs and now I am married with my own business?! I feel absolutely and completely blessed!"

Top 10 11 Reasons I Love My Job by Miss Tracy!

10. I get to wear pink t-shirts all the time.

9. I go somewhere different each day of the week.

8. I get to "sell" my product to all sorts of neat people! At first this seemed scary, but I'm getting more comfortable with it each day.

7. If I'm having a bad day, going to work usually makes it better (as opposed to escaping from work).

6. I get to act silly and sing about bubblegum without being questioned about my sanity.

5. My clients are mainly 3- and 4-year-olds--all they ask is that I dance with them.

4. I share my love of dance with kids and see it grow within them throughout the year.

3. I am the holder of stickers- believe me this position holds a lot of power!

2. I get to hear things like "I love you, Mrs. Tracy" every week.

1.5 I am able to contribute to my family's income doing something I love

1. I get to exercise and dance...everyday :)

Business Soulmate = Sisters

In the green room at Sony Productions
before jumping in the Shark Tank

I feel so fortunate to have found my business soul mate who, also happens to by my little sister, Megan. She and I are 4 years apart and have worked together on Tippi Toes since 2002. When she moved to college she began teaching classes. From the beginning we saw the same vision, and got along so great. To this day we love working together, we see eye to eye, and when we don’t we push through to figure out why we don’t because we both know we have the best interest of Tippi Toes at heart. She and I dream so much together but what has been the greatest is Megan and I are, pushing forward together to make those dreams true. We are seeing that things are paying off and we are right where we want to be.

Couldn't resist an NBA
 game while in LA

Megan and I talk on a daily some days hourly basis. While she is working on one task I am working on another. We can’t even imagine the thought of working in the same office – oh the joy that would be. It is fun how Megan and I can separate sister time and business time. When we have a business call, we talk business, but then when either of us wants to talk about anything else that is easy to do too. Megan and I balance each other so well, we know where the other is strong and weak. I can’t imagine working this closely with anyone else. She has been one of the few people that has not been shaken with me. She and I are on target, with one task in mind. We will not stop until we reach our goals. I am so thankful for the person she is in my life. Megan and I will be business teammates, co-owners, and creators forever and I relish that!

Our rental car!  We
loved the Smart Convertible!

After a day of meetings time
to enjoy and be grateful!

PINK - Party the Right Way!

So we all love a good party, right?! I love celebrating the last day of school or a holiday!! The problem that we have created is that it seems that parties for kids have become connected with cupcakes, juice boxes, candy and basically junk!

We have asked those parents who bring things to Tippi Toes parties to not bring junk food and actually if possible don't bring food, but instead a bracelets, pencils, or a game.

This is what we asked our Tippi Toes Community...

Help Tippi Toes Help your children! We ask that if there is ever a time to bring snacks to class whether it is for birthdays, dance parties or other events, please bring healthy options. We have to live the life we want out children to live and we must be positive role models for them. Celebrating a good dance performance with cupcakes shows children that if they do a good thing they should get rewarded with junk food. What if we celebrate with stickers, cool pencils, or special glitter? That would show the kids that food is not a reward and is not something that should be used to celebrate an accomplishment. Will you please help us with this? Pass it on!

So now we ask our blog readers to try the same. Let's re-think how we celebrate and try a family day at the park or a fun new music CD that encourages them to dance! Let's at least give it a shot and see what happens!

Profile: Katie Williams Franchise Owner Kansas City

Hi…My name is Katie Williams and I am co-owner of the Kansas City Franchise with my sister in law, Teri. I am a mom of four (Max, Parker, Mallory and Ty) and feel thankful for my wonderful family and amazing husband, Mitch.
People would laugh at first when they heard I was starting my own business since my kids are still young and keep me busy but I must say that when you are passionate about something it doesn’t feel like work. There is such joy in knowing you are giving the children around town something to look forward to each and every week. Also, knowing they are in the car or at their house singing and dancing along to our songs makes me have a permanent smile!
While I have loved every minute of staying home full time with my kids I am thoroughly enjoying running our business. My sister in law, who also has four kids, and I naturally were able to divide of duties based on our strong suits which is what makes it work so nicely. There is so much excitement in building our business! I like the example I am to my kids and honestly after not working for 10 years bringing home a pay check feels good in more ways than one.
When I told my kids about Tippi Toes KC my oldest son said, “Mom, are you not a stay at home Mom anymore?” I loved the answer I was able to give him, “Sweetie, I am my own boss. I won’t miss a thing!” Not only that, I work from home! When I do venture out to sell or teach my older two are at school and the younger two are at their cousins for a play date or spending the day with grandparents. Needless to say, we are all very happy! Life is good!!
I have such gratitude for this opportunity and can hardly wait to see how many kids we are inspiring, how many schools, community centers, etc we are a part of and all the people I will be meeting along the way in the years to come!

PINK - Ideas to Get Movin'!

Here are some ideas for opportunities you can help your child be more active and therefore more healthy!

~Make an obstacle course for your kids in the backyard! Your kids will love racing across the monkey bars, jumping over the hose, doing a somersault on the grass and sprinting around the patio set! You get quality time, exercise and fun with your kids!

~Go for a walk around the block after a family dinner! It beats sitting on the coach and zoning out!

~Just go outside! Being outside presents so many opportunities to be active as opposed to sitting inside! Especially as the weather begins to warm up this time of year it is a great chance to take the kids outside and see what happens!

~After Tippi Toes Dance Class go home and ask your kiddo to teach you some dances! This will empower your child plus keep both of you moving and laughing!

~Play FREEZE DANCE with your kids! Turn up the music and dance around until you hit pause then everyone has to stop and freeze! This is such a fun activity for kids and will definitely get everyone's heart rate pumpin!!

~Check out your local community center for fun children's activities

~Try a picnic at a park for lunch so right after eating the kids can run around for a while before heading back home for a nap!

Shark Tank on ABC

Megan & Sarah in their green room

We can hardly wait for April 15th this year! At 8 CST Sarah and I, the creators of Tippi Toes, will be featured on Shark Tank and it will air on ABC! We have watch parties planned all over the country which we are incredibly grateful to our friends and family for supporting us in this way!!
Just as a warning to those of you who love and value Tippi Toes - the Shark Tank is an intense place where the main focus is money. The Sharks were hard-hitting, aggressive and even having 3 adorable little children there with us in the Tank for a few minutes didn't soften their approach!!
Although we know the outcome we are anxious to see how it all comes together on a TV show and will be watching for the first time along with everyone else!! Before you watch our episode you should check out some clips from last season on Shark Tank! The Sharks we pitched to included Daymond John (created FUBU), Barbara Corcoran (real estate mogul), Kevin O'Leary (software mogul), Robert Herjavec (technology mogul) and celebrity guest Shark, Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks and business mogul).During the week leading up to the episode we will be posting some more details about the experience which led us to LA for a week and what our time in LA was like!  

Outside of the Shark Tank stage

The Best Job!

One of the most rewarding days of my job was when a mom stopped me after class and with tears in her eyes said, "I have never seen my daughter act the way she does in Tippi Toes. When she is in class she has confidence, she isn't shy and she seems carefree. As her mom I can see what Tippi Toes has done for her!"
This was after a few weeks of class and it blew my mind! So many times when we are used to our job whether it is teaching dance class or any other job in the world we don't think about the impact we have on others. For us at Tippi Toes we become accustom to going to class, doing our thing and we don't think about it again. Then moms like this share such a meaningful experience and it makes me feel so blessed to be able to elicit this type of response from kids just by giving kids a place to be silly, have fun, learn and express themselves.

Some inspiration from Sesame Street Live!

I had the great experience of taking my 2 daughters to see Sesame Street Live this week! I loved so much seeing their faces light up when they saw the characters & heard the music. I have to admit my face was all smiles too. Every time I go to these live kids shows it gets me so excited about the future for Tippi Toes. As we continue to work towards our goal of a children's television show I can't help but get excited when I see a show in action. I know that with a children's television show often there also comes LIVE shows across the country. Sharing our love of dance, laughter and smiles with children all over the world, nothing could be better. The show was called Elmo's Healthy Hero's. As many of you know the root of Tippi Toes is teaching children about healthy living, so when I saw the dancing fruit and veggies come onto the stage I had to snap pictures! Before you know it Tippi Toes will be doing the same thing!

PINK

Anytime you see a post title that is PINK you can count on the post being about ways parents can help their family become more healthy. PINK is a term created by Tippi Toes and stands for Parent's Introducing Nutrition to Kids! All PINK posts will be written by me, Megan Reilly; I am registered dietitian with my Masters in Nutrition. My master's degree was focused on the Nutrition and children.

Quick Tips for adding steps in your day!

1) Take a walk around the block with your child when you go to pick up your mail.
2) Make as many trips as possible up and down the stairs as you and your family do household chores
3) Make up a dance with your child instead of watching TV together. Include bunny hops, turns and marching.
4) Take the stairs as often as possible throughout the day!

How to increase Veggie Intake for your Kiddos

In the warm winter months a veggie soup can be the perfect meal to prepare especially for your family!
As the chef try to please the picky ones in the house by creating a soup with all your their favorite vegetables.
Even if you start with only carrots and some chicken you can work your way to adding different veggies in once it has been accepted.
Fresh or frozen veggies will do the trick!
Want to add some meat? Try: Ground Turkey (no one will know), chicken or lean ground beef. Cook meat and throw in the stock pot with the veggies.

If this sounds like it will still be denied by your little one then don't offer it has the main meal, but maybe just as a little side cup of soup. Offer the soup in a coffee cup or a small bowl to intrigue your kids. Little tricks like this might be what you have to do to spark their interest and it is worth if they end up coming around and increase the veggie intake!

What is Tippi Toes?

So maybe you have heard of Tippi Toes from Facebook or a friend, but aren't really sure what we do. Well, here you go...
Tippi Toes is a children's dance company that started in 1999. Tippi Toes travels to various locations and offers dance classes to children 18 months and older.
We travel to locations like preschools, daycares, elementary schools, community centers and fitness centers which is an added convenience for parents because they have one less stop to make for their family's activities!
We offer Mommy & Me classes for the youngest kiddos, we offer ballet, tap and jazz combo classes for kids 2 and older and then we offer hip hop classes to kiddos 5 and older!
Our main focus in any Tippi Toes class is to be positive, encouraging, loving while helping the children learn and love how to dance! We encourage the kids to be active and be healthy and our goal is for Tippi Toes to be one of the brightest parts of your child's life!
Tippi Toes started franchising in 2009 and now there are multiple franchises around the country! We are continuing to grow every day and have dreams of becoming a house hold name!
Tippi Toes also creates children's CDs which are used in class and are so fun to jam out to in the car! Tippi Toes Dance Company has created their own characters which we sing and tell stories about in our music and classes! There is Tippi the Turtle, Buzz the Bee, Bopa the Butterfly and Freddy the Frog - they are all young friends and go on types of crazy adventures together!

We hope this blog will entertain, humor and inform you about Tippi Toes! Thank you so much for taking the time to check in on us! We love to hear from you so feel free to comment on the blog or contact us anytime!