ArcaMax

An extra set of hands for a mom of young kids at the hotel pool, beach or while you need to get some work done. The Babysitting Company screens, hires and trains (all are CPR trained) professional sitters who can come to you. (They operate in major cities and in Florida.)

A new style water bottle -- an insulated soft flask, the Ultra Handheld Chillfrom Camelbak that keeps water cold twice as long as a regular bottle, but without all that bulk. There's a secure zipped pocket for your phone, card or keys ($45).

A Traveling Coffee Press Espro that promises grit-free coffee or tea on the go that won't leak, stays hot and delivers the flavor coffee lovers want ($34.95, Amazon.com).

Give Mom cozy PJs, like those from Cool-jams, a company known for its top-performing collection of hi-tech smart fabric sleepwear that will wick moisture. The Lady’s Sleep Enhancing Pajama Pants. ($149.95) Available only from Hammacher Schlemmer, these are said to promote a better night's sleep using a patented technology that increases blood flow by converting released body heat into therapeutic infrared light that is re-absorbed back into the skin. (You can also get socks with this Celliant technology.) Perhaps a good bet for someone with chronic night aches made worse by travel!

Extra juice for your devices, even in the wilderness, with Venture 30, a portable charger from GoalZero.com, that is weatherproof and weighs just 8 ounces ($99.99). Try the new slim and lightweight powercell 3015 in white/grey with colorful charging cables. ($34.99) I also like the easy-to-carry USB charging hub rq600 that can charge six devices at once. ($49.99)

New socks like the SHASHI Cool Feet Socks, a patented performance grip sock originally designed as a studio sock, but now works well for travel. ($18) SmartWool now has cute, no-show Merino Wool socks that will keep your feet comfortable no matter how much you walk (starting at $12.95). There is also a variety of cushioned hiking socks too. And for those facing long flights, consider a pair of compression socks that will help circulation and reduce swelling.

Comfy shoes are a must for long travel. Sure it's hard to buy shoes for someone, but a gift certificate is always appreciated. ECCO offers stylish shoes with plenty of padding and comfort (I really like their Soft 7 sneaker). There's also podiatrist-designed Vionic. And, these days, Crocs have more to offer than just clogs and the shoes are inexpensive, lightweight bets for those long travel days.

Happy Mother's Day!

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)

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