As a child I was really raised to have what is referred to as “common sense” when it comes to most of my social interactions. My parents taught by example, but now there are wonderful companies like Social Skill Builder who provide real world examples of all kinds of tools children need to interact in day to day life.

The social skills software we reviewed is called My Community and was very interesting to go through with my first grader. Several different components make up the cd-rom including video scenarios, questions, and picture matching focusing on a wide array of social interactions and safety concerns. While this software was developed to assist children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder it really is a wonderful tool to open dialog and conversation between parent and child on a variety of issues. The most important part of this program was that not only were different situations presented - the cause and effect of choices made was highlighted in a clear way for children of all ages to comprehend. My first grader has Sensory Integration Dysfunction and while occupational therapy has taught him coping techniques for many of his sensitivities he definitely learns well by being shown concrete cause and effect. He has told me several specific examples of scenarios from My Community showing up in his day at school and he was happy to have an immediate response instead of wondering what to do.

Life skills presented in My Community can be helpful to a wide variety of children and I applaud the clear and easy to follow format the information on the CD-Rom is presented. While common sense may not be as common as it was in the past, My Community opens the door for you and your child to learn and explore important facets of social interaction to build important life skills to last into adulthood. Be sure to check out the demo on the website if you’d like to learn more about this wonderful tool.

Review sponsored by the Parent Bloggers Network

Peanut butter has always been one of my favorite things.  Ever since having children I’ve become more aware of the ingredients in prejarred peanut butter and have been shocked to find just how many are laden with hydrogenated oils, sodium, sugar, and several other ingredients I have no interest in my children ingesting.  Thankfully Maranatha Nut Butters has offered a peanut butter that’s not only nutritious but also organic- ensuring the best in nutrition and health for your children.

I typically buy organic natural peanut butter but have always been a bit irritated by the typical layer of peanut oil sitting above the layer of actual peanut butter.  Mixing it together can be a chore, and sometimes by the time you reach the bottom of the jar the oils are long gone leaving for super dry hunks of peanut butter which are difficult to spread.  Not only are Maranatha butters premixed but they stay mixed together even sitting on your grocer’s shelf!  No more fighting and spilling oil just to try to whip together a sandwich or snack.

ETot, my 4 year old, was my official assistant in trying out this peanut butter.  He is my peanut butter fan and could happily eat it every day for lunch if allowed. ETot’s opinion was that the peanut butter tasted “very good.”  I agreed with his assessment- creamy with great flavor and none of the extra supersweetness from ingredients I don’t care for.  Because it was premixed it was also very easy for him to spread on top of crackers or bread.

Maranatha  peanut butter has no preservatives so it defnitely had a freshness you simply can’t taste in the more shelf stabilized versions .  I definitely recommend trying Maranatha nut butters for an organic, low salt, low sugar, healthy form of protein for your child’s day or even your own.

Review courtesy of:

We’ve finally reached a state of sibling nirvana- the Eboys are now sharing a room together.  They love doing storytime at night and spend time playing together in the morning but both have one issue we’ve been working to resolve.  Neither really likes a fully dark room while they sleep and even though we’ve had multiple nightlights, bought flashlights galore, and left the closet light on at times we continually searched for a more energy effecient solution.

SYLVANIA PalPODzzz are wonderful rechargeable nightlights which will light the way for a great night of sleep for your little ones.  PalPODzzz have led lights which are extremely energy efficient, cool to the touch, and quite “green” for parents who are looking for an inexpesive environmentally friendly option for their children.  No more replacing flashlight batteries or dealing with lightbulbs going out, just recharge the uniquely designed PalPODzzz and your child has light to last the night.

Both EBoys were thrilled with the rocket design of their PalPODzzz.  They imagine blasting off into space each night as they drift to sleep.  And as a mother of two very energetic children I’m pleased to say the PalPODzzz are very very durable.  Our 4 year old ETot has taken the rocket ship with him throughout our house on many adventures (many loud, banging, smashing adventures which typically leave his flashlights in pieces) and it still works great without any scratches or damage.

If your child needs a nightlight and you are tired of replacing batteries, leaving closet or bathroom lights on to waste energy, or hoping bulbs don’t randomly go out the the Syvania PalPODzzz are a very durable, energy efficient, and fun solution to provide a great night of lighted sleep.  Our sincere gratitude to the Parent Bloggers Network for providing a wonderful option for a peaceful night of sleep.

Math is a passion for our family.  My boys literally come from 3 generations of engineers, physicists, and scientists so i was more than a little bit stressed out when I realized just how differently EBoy learns math compared to my own experiences. Thankfully Dreambox.com has come to the rescue with an amazing interactive math website which is well tailored for teaching math in a way that he not only understands but thirsts to learn more.

Dreambox focuses on assessing and teaching math skills from kindergarten to 2nd grade.  The initial portal has a dual entry- where either the parent can sign in to evaluate the math lessons, check their child’s progress, and manage the overall account.  The child’s account is neat because they have their own “password” which is a picture they select to remember each and every time they sign on.  Dreambox is not only filled with eye popping colorful animations and graphics but it also has great sound directed instructions so that a child can easily work the math problems even if they are unable to read.

A dear friend of ours (whose daughter is also in the 1st grade like EBoy) is a very talented math teacher.  She is no longer teaching in schools but has helped develop curriculums and provides in depth tutoring for homeschoolers.  While we were discussing a future math camp we’re planning with our kids, she explained to me that an important part of teaching math basics to visual learners (which is definitely EBoy’s learning style) is using an abacus to really develop initial math skills.  Imagine my surprise when DreamBox seems to be utilizing this concept with multiple abacus like illustrations, and EBoy immediately caught on to the visual and audio instructions in the math adventures.

A key DreamBox component that will be helpful to parents is that after your child completes lessons you are immediately emailed an assessment of their performance, specific skills developed,  and key areas that may need more development.  While EBoy had a blast taking math adventures to new places with pirates, dinosaurs, and fairies I was able to learn ways to help him in his educational progress.

If your kindergartener to second grader is in need of new ways to build their math muscles DreamBox.com is an exceptional way to really develop skills while teaching a love of math.  The curriculum adapts to focus on the specific needs of your child, allowing for maximum advancement in skills and techniques. Right now you can go to their website for a free trial of this exciting math program.  Be sure to read through the detailed reports from how children develop mathematical thinking to leading your own child to math success and try out some of the lessons to see just how colorful and interactive this site truly is.

This review courtesy of the Parent Bloggers Network

Hot Wheels Power Loop Stunt Zone

As a child some of my favorite toys weren’t exactly my own.  I still remember my brother and I having so much fun putting together his hot wheels race tracks and racing them (or trying to get the cars to crash).  Hot Wheels has continued to offer reliable and sturdy products including two new racing sets the Trick Tracks Triple Stunt Starter Set and the Power Loop.

EBoy coud not wait to start putting together the Triple Stunt Starter Set and with a little direction from the instructions he was easily able to help assemble this cool interactive toy.  Not only was it fun to see the car race around and try to figure out new ways of making it zoom through the loops but he also was able to fine tune his motor skills as he learned to gently place track pieces together.  He created his own imaginitive scenarios incorporating the crane and loops, enjoying creating new games and races along the way.

Both sets were well made and the cars have continued to run very well even with daily useage.  ETot has gotten in on some of the racing action and the tracks have even held up to him trying to “help” his brother assemble everything together.  ETot’s favorite thing about these racetracks was the fact that we were able to use the plethora of hot wheels cars we already have to race on the tracks as well.

For an interactive toy which will get your child’s imagination and engineering skills racing you can’t go wrong with Hot Wheels.  This is an awesome gift idea for the holidays and be sure to check out each one on Amazon which is currently offering free shipping.

This review is courtesy of the Parent Bloggers Network

In celebration of World Egg Day which is on this Friday, October 10, 2008 the ebony family decided to get in the kitchen to create something great with eggs.  EDad is our dessert expert so he and the boys chose to do an a Fruity Oil Ice Cream recipe by one of our favorite tv personalities Alton Brown.  The name isn’t nearly as appealing as the flavor of this rich and creamy ice cream, helped in its smooth creamy texture by the addition of 6 egg yolks.

The ingredients:

We seperated the eggs and added all of the ingredients to a sauce pan in order to cook the base together.  If you look closely you’ll notice we chose Roasted Hazelnut Oil as our fruity oil:

And EDad had vanilla bean sugar he used to add an extra bit of flavor to base.  The boys had a blast using our food processor to chop up the roasted almonds to add into the recipe which gently soaked as the base cooked.  We then cooled the base and added it to our ice cream machine:

Which turned our incredible egg base into a creamy flavorful confection!  While this is definitely more of a special occasion treat, we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate World Egg Day than with our delicious roasted almond ice cream.

Here’s the full recipe in case you’d like to try it:

Thanks to the Parent Bloggers Network for our egg-cellent adventure in ice cream!

Car seats are a crucial item for any parent that must travel in a car. There’s a myriad of car seat options on the market but Britax has been the pinnacle of comfort and safety in child car seats for years now, making their products top choice for many. When we were contacted by Britax to try out their newest car seat the Britax Boulevard CS we jumped at the opportunity to try out their latest innovation.

First of all the Britax Boulevard is very well constructed. I love the way you can literally see the interior padding wrap around your child for an absolute snug and comfy fit. ETot might have found the seat a little too comfortable considering that he fell asleep immediately the first two times we placed him in it. The seat is made to be adjustable without forcing you to completely uninstall the seat to change it’s fit. The headrest is easily maneuvered up and down just with the click of a knob- but the knob is placed far enough back so that while parents can easily reach it busy little toddler hands can not.

The tangle free harness is made for the utmost of safety while making it easier to get your child in and out of the car. For those with little Hodinis that like to unlatch their own harness, most likely your child is going to have a difficult time getting out of the 5 point latch system. The harness height is also easily changed with the same knob used to adjust the headrest, and a good fit of the harness is crucial for the emergency performance of carseats of any type. The side impact protection built into this carseat is an innovation that every parent can appreciate- elevating the protection of your child in the event of a side collision accident.

While the style and comfort of the Britax Boulevard were highly appreciated- what’s most important is having a seat that can withstand even the most difficult safety issues. For style and safety the Britax Boulevard CS is a definite winner taking your child from infancy all the way through childhood (up to 65 pounds) with ease and reliability.

V-Tech games on the V-Smile system were the very first video games my sons were ever exposed to. Both EBoy and ETot have been thrilled to learn a variety of math, reading, and learning skills all while playing and having a great time. V-Motion has taken the fun and mind building to a whole new level.

Instead of typical sit and move a joystick play, the V-Motion has finally added physical movement to the mental strength building their products have provided for years. The system comes with the Action-Mania smartridge which is packed full of learning adventures. The wireless joystick has multiple modes so that if your child is not quite ready to incorporate motion you can let them get adjusted to working in the standard joystick mode. Both of my boys enjoyed the moving portion of the game.

My favorite part of this system is that it is truly a multi sensory academic experience. Not all children learn by simply sitting and reading things. This systems requires using their fine motor skills to move the joystick while navigating motion with gross motor skills, impacting different areas of the brain at once. In any classroom with young children you are apt to find a child who learns better while moving around or tapping a foot. Motion can truly reinforce learning for some children, helping them focus more than most could ever conceptualize. This system utilizes this important concept in a unique way.

The game system is also expandable in that as your child completes different tasks you can take the included USB V-Link and connect online for bonus game packs and updates. The V-Link will also track your child’s progress online, so you can find ways to encourage and strengthen their academic performance. My boys were also very excited to learn that the V-Motion is backwards compatible and works with all of the smartridges from their old V-Smile system. The motion capability only works with the newest smartridges of course, but it is nice to know that the investment in their previous games is not wasted and can now be enjoyed wirelessly.

V-Tech has hit yet another home run. The action packed learning adventures of the V-Motion will keep your 3-7 year old excited about expanding their minds. Gaming, movement, and mind enrichment have never been quite so entertaining- V-Motion is an excellent idea for a gift which will be healthy for their bodies and their minds.

Review courtesy of the Parent Bloggers Network.

Both of my children have unique tastes when it comes to food. My oldest would take a huge salad over a hamburger anyday, the youngest eats fresh fruit like its candy (we have to literally do a limited fruit bowl each day or he’d eat through every piece of fruit in our house), and for most of their little lives neither had any interest whatsoever in drinking milk of any kind. Since my oldest has never cared for cheese or much else dairy yogurt has been our one dependable source of dairy in their diets.

Yoplait kids provides healthy kid friendly yogurts with a great variety of flavors. Their products use real sugar instead of the horrible high fructose corn syrup which we try to avoid in our diet as much as possible. I also love the use of natural coloring ingredients like turmeric and beet juice instead of the questionable high octane colors used in other products.

The Yoplait Kids website is currently offering a great coupon for $1.50 off their products. Check my main website for a giveaway from Yoplait Kids. Review and giveaway courtesy of the Parent Bloggers network.

Ready for the Day from Freespirit Books

Most parents of small children can agree that the ages of 2 and 3 years old can be a bit trying at times. Part of your child’s development is forming their own opinions and their own voice in all facets of their lives.  There are many schools of parenting education and disciplining techniques and Freespirit books offers some wonderful options to helping your child adjust as they evolve emotionally and mentally.

Ready for Bed and Ready for the Day are two books which follow the conversation between a young child and one of their parents as they go through their daily routine. Each book provides specific examples of how the parents validate feelings, offer choices, and provide encouraging words to assist their child in getting focused and ready to accomplish their daily tasks.

The appendix of the book then gives detailed explanation of these tenants of positive disciplining and ways of integrating them into your daily life as well as how important they are to your child’s development. Each book is beautifully illustrated and held the attention of my 3 year old quite nicely. These books would be very helpful for new parents as well as those in throws of two year old development.

I’ll never forget when I finally figured out the importance of offering choices. My then 2 year old oldest son didn’t believe in naps at all but being pregnant with my youngest at the time made them a much required necessity. I finally asked him one day “Would you like to take your nap in mommy and daddy’s room? Or in your own room?” He carefully thought it over and chose mommy and daddy’s room. My non-napping son calmly went to lay down and took his first willing 2 hour nap that I’d ever experienced. I then praised him for his great choices and was able to rest at a time when my body needed to more than ever.

Language is so important in interacting with your children and Ready for the Day and Ready for the Bed provide guidance on exact discussion for encouraging your child’s emotional health and intelligence. At the same time the tips, which are all very straightforward and well explained, will expand your parenting skills to hopefully reduce the tantrums and meltdowns which can frustrate even the calmest moments of life. If you would like a cultural diverse parenting tool to positively impact your child’s learning and your own parenting skills definitely give these books a try.

Thanks to the Parent Bloggers Network for the opportunity to review these very helpful books.