I’m the first to admit that I can be fussy when it comes to traveling on flights. Comfort and cleanliness are my no 1 priorities but sometimes I’d rather sacrifice comfort for the sake of hygiene. One such example is when I refrain from using the pillows which are available during the flights. I dread the thought of germs being passed around through these pillows! Ewww….

If you’re like me, you would be as delighted with these Jetheads Disposable Airplane Travel Pillowcases. These pillowcases are made of soft and comfortable, non-woven fabric and because they are lightweight, they are so easy to carry along. Just slip one over the airplane pillow and you and your love ones no longer have to worry about germs, dirt and drools from the pillow. Best of all, being disposable, you can just toss it away after you’re done using it.

BUY THEM : You can purchase them in packs of 2 for $5.95 or packs of 8 at $19.99. If you travel often, I’d recommend you to get the bigger pack which is definitely value for money. Visit www.travel-with-me.com to get them now!

Here at Travel With Me, we’ve learned that most airlines do not change the pillowcases between flights. Pillows often end up on the floor, and are loaded with dirt, germs and drool. Next time you travel, play it safe and slip a soft and comfortable JetHeads™ Disposable Pillow Case over your airplane pillow and rest easy knowing you and your children aren’t napping where the last passenger just sneezed!

Here are more reviews from other moms:

Cheeks to Cheeks – Why compromise with yours and your love ones health? When traveling, take JetHeads Disposable Pillowcases with you.  It is super light, fits into any handcarry bag and the best part of it:  Disposable! That way, you are guaranteed with no contact of germs left behind by previous passengers.

Mommy Goggles – I love the JetHeads because they are disposable pillow cases for those airline pillows. Don’t worry with laying your head on someone else’s dirty pillow – cover it up with your OWN cover and toss away when you are done. It is that easy.

Three Different Directions – I would recommend these if you are planning on airline travel with your family. This is an extremely functional travel accessory. While it may seem a little pricey at $5.95 for a package of two (available at Travel With Me), look at it as cheap insurance from a ruined vacation due to sickness or infestation or from a heyday of doctors visits when you return home.

One House Schoolroom Reviews – I was wonderfully surprised with the softness and strength of the JetHeads™ Disposable Airplane Pillowcases. I was worried that they might be stiff or scratchy, but did not find either of these to be true. I tried one of the pillowcases on a little pillow my daughter has and she was so excited that she wanted to take a nap with it. She slept well and had no problems with it at all.

Connie’s View – I’m scared of germs and lice and micro-organisms, oh my! And with being able to carry on one piece of luggage per person, I can’t take our own pillows on board. So we’ll be taking JetHeads with us. They are made of a soft, comfortable, non-woven fabric. Now we can snuggle and nap and feel comfy without fear.

Blogmania – If you are on a flight with an airline that still offers the travel pillows, are flying internationally or are flying first class, the JetHeads Pillow Cases are a great solution.

Rockin Mama – For $5.95, you can purchase a pack of two disposable pillowcases and rest assured that you and your family are germ-free. The pillowcases are made of a soft, non-woven fabric but they’re still disposable and not as comfy as your own pillowcase. Nonetheless, I like the fact that they’re compactly packaged and I don’t have to keep up with a pillowcase (I can just toss it after the flight).

Mom of 2 Dancers - The pillowcases are very nice quality for a disposable product. They almost remind me of those allergy cases you put under your pillowcase on regular pillows. You can get a 2 pack for $5.95 or 8 for $19.99. They are geared for children, but seriously if you ever use an airplane pillow, I’d use one of these regardless of being a child or adult!

The Power of Housewife Word Of Mouth – An easy way to protect you and your family when you travel this year is just to pack along your very own set of disposable pillowcases. These would be especially nice on those overseas trips. I need to let Luann know I am ready to start saving for a nice week away with her in some exotic location, and luckily I can be assured of being germ free from the airline pillows with these handy little disposable pillowcases.

Katydid and Kid – I could see stowing these in the car for a long trip, since kids often spill stuff on pillows in the car, and at if you are headed to a destination without laundry facilities, JetHeads would be helpful.

Crumley Family Blog – I would probably mention it, but with the diminishing need for the product (if airlines are phasing out their provision of pillows) it might not be needed as much. I would recommend it for camping or car trips (since I have a kid who drools in his sleep), especially if laundry facilities are not readily available.

Bargain Briana - I don’t usually use the airline pillows for this reason so with this product I may do that. Plus, it doesn’t involve you hauling around anything more than what looks like a folded up paper towel. For just $5.95 for a pack of two, you can have a layer of protection between you and the um, icky airline pillow.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Growing up, I was never really good at Maths. Until, I had the benefit of getting to know an excellent Maths teacher, who showed me the good side of Maths. It was astounding. I never thought Maths could be so interesting and from then on, each time I found a pattern or a sequence, Maths got easier and easier. I have to say, by the time I ended High School, the only thing I really excelled in, was Maths (and English ~ but that didn’t count somehow).

Now, as a parent, I have to admit, I really suck at teaching Maths. Perhaps I’m too impatient with my kids and think ahead of myself. The easy stuff like Addition and Subtraction was taught with much frustration, on my part, and much dismay, on my kids’ part.  I dreaded the idea of teaching Multiplication and Division! When the book “Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables, Fun, Fast and Easy with Dazzling Patterns, Grids and Tricks“, arrived, I looked at the front cover with much skepticism. How “fun” could it be?

I completely forgot how amazing it is, when the brain opens up, finds a pattern and starts working furiously at the numbers. Until this book arrived. My 7 year old saw this book and immediately wanted to work on it. I knew he learnt some multiplications at school, but I wasn’t sure how much.

He attacked the first grid….working all the multiplication numbers from 1 to 10. Just like that. I was amazed. He had read and glossed over the book, (I assumed he was just looking at the pictures) earlier…and when he started doing the numbers, he seemed to understand the underlying patterns under each multiplication.

And here I thought I would have a hard time teaching him the Multiplication!

About : The book starts with a story about a Circus in mayhem. The Ringmaster needs the child’s help in counting his animals, but it would take too long to count them, one by one. One needs the magic of multiplication to help him account for all his animals!

Eugenia Francis created this fun, colorful and imaginative way of working with numbers. She spent 15 years developing creative teaching materials. She taught both high school and university students (University of California at Irvine) and mentored other teachers. She received a B.A. and an M.A. in literature from Southern Methodist University and has done graduate work at UCI. Faced with the challenge of teaching her son the multiplication tables, she developed her own innovative method, discovering patterns and tricks to the multiplication tables.

This book also works very well for children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Patterns provide structure.  Children with ADD/ADHD need structure. These children have a difficulty memorizing the times tables.  The visual-spatial method of patterns and grids works better.  Patterns also help dyslexic children as they strictly order number sequence.  Special needs children can better visualize and recall where a number is placed if they see a pattern.  Do check out her blog for any updates or tips!

Buy It : There are also other versions, the Teacher’s version and the Spanish version. Wipe-off Learning Aids are also available. The books are available on Amazon, while the books and the Learning Aids are available at Eugenia’s website.

Win It : Goody! Here’s the fun part : 7 very lucky readers will have a chance in winning this. All you have to do is :

TO THE WINNERS OF

Great Russian Water Circus

Laureen – #45

Agoo Bamboo Leg Huggers

Valerie2356 – #26

Winners are required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 25th July 2009, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

cforms contact form by delicious:days

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Story Fort has just published an interactive book just for kids, about a cyclops called Carl who has a big dilemma. In this story, kids follow Carl, while he tries to resolve his problems, kids also get to learn in a really fun and interactive way.

The first thing that struck me about this interactive book was the music! We love fun, upbeat music, so this is definitely a plus point. The other thing was, the very colorful illustrations that caught my 4 year old. He wasn’t too sure about the cyclops, and seemed to prefer the monsters more! There are many other lil gems in there, that would keep any kid entertain for some time. One of which, is when you click on a highlighted word, an image would pop out and it would be read aloud. What a great way for kids to learn and build their vocabulary.

There is even a bonus memory game, which all kids love! My son was truly entertained by this book and it is great for kids between the ages of 3-5. It is currently available for PC users only.

Check out the music video!

What is Bothering Carl from Andy Hull on Vimeo.

What is Bothering Carl from Andy Hull on Vimeo.

About Story Fort :

Story Fort is a digital publishing company specializing in interactive books for kids. Story Fort’s products provide fun story telling for children, while developing their reading skills and engaging their imaginations. Founded in 2009 by Andy Hull, who graduated from Brown University in 2003 with a degree in computer science. He then spent five years as a designer at leading toy company, Melissa and Doug, where he created several award-winning, best-selling toys. Andy is also the author, illustrator and programmer of Story Fort’s first title, What Is Bothering Carl?.

Buy It : It’s now retailing at $9.99, right now and you’re able to download a free trial here.

Win It : We’re so pleased that Story Fort is giving away TWO free digital books to 2 lucky readers and here’s what you have to do..

• One compulsory entry – Visit www.storyfort.com and tell us one cool item you can find in the fun stuff!
• One additional entry – Tweet this giveaway
• Three additional entries – Stumble this giveaway (please leave your SU id)
• Giveaway is open to everyone and closes on 28th July 2009.  The winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

I’m Having Twins is based upon the real-life experiences of a little girl named Paris living in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Written by 9 year old author, Paris Morris, it comes in paperback and serves as a wonderful way to introduce older siblings to new baby twins!

I’m Having Twins is an inspirational children’s book about a 3-year-old girl named Paris who comes to terms with her parents adding twin siblings to their family mix. The story begins as Paris learns that she will soon have twin siblings and ends as the family leaves for the hospital to have “her twins”. The book takes Paris through the trials and tribulations of a twin pregnancy from the big sister’s perspective and shows her how they are really hers, too, easing her transition to Big Sisterhood.

BUY IT : I’m Having Twins is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.

Let’s have a look at what our reviewers had to say:

Pookie and The Boys – The illustrations are full page color which makes it nice to study the page while you are reading to see the details. It isn’t too elaborate so it does keep your attention without being long and drawn out. I would recommend it to chidren who are at least 7 or older, younger children would like the pictures only.

Maria’s Space – The book is really cute. They are written by a 9 year old girl named Paris. The photos are adorable, colorful and full of detail. I love the idea behind the story from the prospective of a child who has been the center of her parents universe. What a great book idea for children no matter what age about to welcome siblings, especially twins.

Blogmania – The book is light, humorous and simple so young children can relate to and understand the story line. Paris accurately captured the psychological roller coaster that small children experience when their immediate family structure will soon drastically change.

Cheeks to Cheeks – My daughter absolutely loves this book because she could relate to all the events that are mentioned in the book. She would glee in delight about the Fourth of July Fireworks and Halloween Trick-or-Treating. A whole lot of it has to do with her experiences in these events and being in San Francisco Bay Area helps a bit. We share the same hood as Paris Morris–we also live near San Francisco, California.

Mommy Brain Reports – I’d definitely recommend this book to any parent for their children who are expecting more than one special blessing in their family! I think seeing another child around their age going through the same thoughts and feelings would help put their minds at ease a little more before their twins arrive.

Connie’s Views – The questions Paris asks, the wonderment she experiences and her way of describing them makes this book just adorable. The illustrations are colorful and kid-friendly.

Just A Mom’s Take On Things – I’m Having Twins is a cute, engaging story that kids can relate to – especially if they are about to become a big sister (or brother) themselves. And unlike a lot of other children’s books, this is one that I don’t mind reading (over and over and over…) as well. The text and the illustrations work together to make you feel like you are actually a part of the story and I’m looking forward to checking out the other books in the series with my daughter.

The Mud Bug – I loved the bright colors and the wonderful illustrations. My girls (4 and 6) had me read them this book at least a dozen times in the first few days since receiving it in the mail. I highly recommend this book for any child that is in a similar situation as Paris.

TO THE WINNERS OF:

Trebellina and Friends DVD Giveaway

Belinda M

NameYourTune Personalized CD Giveaway

CandG~Jill W

Bib-A-Roo Giveaway

Linda (our5bunch)

Winners are required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted. 
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 18th July 2009, we will do a second draw. 

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

cforms contact form by delicious:days

By Andrew Gibson, Ph.D.,

author “ Got An Angry Kid? Parenting Spike-A Seriously Difficult Child”

On the web at DrAGibson.com

We spend most of our time trying to control anger in children by giving them what they are giving us: Anger for anger. Does it work? Not often. And, not for long either. If your intention is to teach a child that anger is bad, you will never teach him or her with anger. Can’t be done.

“Spike! “ Mom says, “You do that one more time and I’m gonna smack you?”

The only thing you may teach Spike is that you, his parent, shouldn’t be the target of a his anger. That’s different. He still understands that anger is basically okay. Getting the child to respect you and direct his anger elsewhere depends on how angry the child is. You may teach the occasionally angry child that he is best advised to direct angry any place but at you. It means he shouldn’t threaten authority and that you have some. But this can be a problem. His options are to direct his anger either side ways ( those his age) or downward ( those younger). Is this what you really want?

“Momma! Momma! Spike’s hitting me again…make him stop ….PLEASE!!”

If you have a child who is angry all the time and as a result makes you angry all the time, then he is likely to spread his feelings all over the landscape: upwards, downwards and sideways. Now you’ve got problems because he doesn’t care who gets his anger. It is this child who needs a different parental anger strategy. The best one? No anger display from you. Period.

“Well, aren’t you gonna do anything?”

What should she do that will make a difference? If she has Spike, a child who is angry all the time, then she has few or no choices. If Spike or anyone else comes at you snorting steam, will you take it with indifference? Probably not. If that person’s anger with you is intended to get you to change, it is a wasted gesture: all it does it make you angry. So now we have two angry people. Great. Where is all this going to end? It is no different with a kid. For the most part, adult anger, when directed to an angry child, is an adult tantrum, no matter how justified the adult thinks it is. Adult tantrums do not produce the change adults want: respect. Respect is vital in child control. Self-control is how you get it.

“I am so disgusted with you I could SCREAM!!

Sound familiar? Ever observe a dysfunctional family? Did you notice all the anger? Did you notice, too, that kids take anger out on other kids in the family? Older kids beat up younger kids cause they are easy prey. Younger sibs are weak and vulnerable. This is nothing more than the lion looking for the slowest wildebeest. Some parents assume that older kids will always be lions; that somehow it is all a part of a normal childhood for them to eat younger siblings. Those parents are wrong. There is nothing natural about sibling fighting. It is learned.. Things that are learned can be unlearned. There shouldn’t be any of the oldest beating up the youngest in your house. It can all go away. You, the parent, are the key. But you can’t turn the key with anger.

“Momma! DO SOMETHING!”

If Momma could, she would. But the fact of the matter is, there isn’t much of anything that is effective that she can do with Spike. He is beyond the normal redirecting or channeling.

The cure to an angry family lies first in a parent examining the dynamics of anger in their house. Question Number (1): is the anger displayed in your house normal or abnormal? This is hard to answer but if what you see is normal ( no matter of awful it may seem to an outsider) then you aren’t likely to budge. You may need to compare your self with other families. Go find several and observe: How do the Dads talk to the Moms and vice versa? How to either of them talk with their kids? How does your family stack up against what you’ve seen. Does the comparison make you wince?

“You should see those people in the supermarket! You just wouldn’t believe how they let those kids carry on . And the way that they talk to each other? Its disgraceful. Its no wonder…..”

Question Number (two) What is the purpose of your anger? Is it to give your self a soap box and show how badly you’ve been treated or is to create change in someone. You can’t have both.

Since all anger has to go somewhere, the alternative is to have none. That’s right. You have a choice in the matter. Skip the anger entirely.

Many assume anger is this biological thing that simply happens. That’s wrong. If someone gets upset with you, what do you do about it? Just accept it? Probably not. You bat it right back unless the person who gave it to you is bigger, stronger and/ or meaner than you are. All of these are decisions. You make a split second judgment about how and where you are to be angry based on the person in front of you. . In that case it is unlikely that the anger you got delivered to you just goes up in a puff of smoke, although it could. You do something within.

If you have a depression problem, you keep anger to yourself and you corrode from the inside out. If you don’t’ have a depression problem, you find someone to give anger to. Anger is the gift that keeps on giving. Could be your spouse. The clerk in the grocery store. The jerk cutting you off on the highway. Your victim could be someone completely unrelated to the situation.

Alternatively, you can make a decision that you don’t need to react. So you don’t. You channel your feelings with something else more productive, say, working in the garden or making a loaf of bread. You simply make up your mind that there’s nothing the kid (or anyone else, for that matter) can do to you to get you upset. Channeling your feelings into the weeds around a tomato plant is a lot easier than trying to channel your angry kids feelings. You always can control you. You rarely can control someone else.

What are you likely to learn by this exercise: that not only does your anger go away, so does your kids. Turns out he needs you more than either you or he thought. Turns out if you set the model he will follow. This isn’t something you talk about; this is something you do. You can talk later when everything settles down. You just think that because he gets upset at you all the time, says bad things, hits, swears and all the rest that he will always be upset and will always take his upset out on you and or the younger kids in the family. It isn’t true.

But the only way you will find this out if this is true, is to do it. Do you have the courage to drop anger for eight (8) weeks to find out? Eight weeks of the No Anger Display Diet will show you enough change in your child to convince yourself that this diet should be a way of life. The sooner you get started the better.

About The Author

Dr. Andrew Gibson was born in Detroit at the close of WWII. He grew up in the midst of farming country in central Michigan. Both parents were teachers. He keeps a picture of his childhood companion, Wags, to this day (you had to see the tail to appreciate the name). After discharge from the Navy after the Viet Name war, he graduated with a BA and MA from San Diego State University and earned his Ph. D from the University of Connecticut. He has taught at Portland State University, n Portland Oregon, at the University of Maine, Presque Isle and at SUNY New Paltz. He resides in Eastern Connecticut, with his wife of 41 years, where he conducts a private practice in parenting seriously difficult children. His book “Got An Angry Kid? Parenting Spike-A Seriously Difficult Child’ is the first of a series examining seriously difficult children at various age and emotional disturbance levels. He invites you to find him on the web at DrAGibson.com.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

I had the wonderful opportunity of reviewing the Agoo Bamboo Leg Huggers and they are definitely the accessories for legs!

I am quite lucky, as it has been turning quite chilly lately, even though it’s Autumn, I must say, it feels a lot like Winter. (“Again”, she whispers…”I’m in Australia“) My lil one still on exploration mode, so these wonderful Agoo Bamboo Leg Huggers came in a very timely manner.

ABOUT : Agoo Bamboo Leg Huggers are made of 100% sustainable Bamboo Fibres, which are very comfortable, soft and protective at the same time! They also wick away moisture, which is great for circulation and those with sensitive skins. One fantastic upside to this leg huggers are that they have a UV rating of 50+! In my country, where the sun is practically our neighbor, I found it, a fantastic plus point! Oh..there are so many details in these leg huggers, it’s amazing, they look so simple!

They have a blog, so do check it out because that’s where you’ll find more about their latest arrivals and of course, giveaways!

Initially, I had thought that these were only for girls, but guess what? They have a really nice range for boys too!!! Check out the range of colours they have here!

I felt that these were great, as the fabric provided a good grip, which helped in his crawling. Most of the time, when he’s wearing his pants, he’d be splayed on the floor, if he crawled too fast. Either that or, his pants would somehow slip out, leaving him bottomless and cold!

WIN IT : They currently provide free shipping for any orders above $50, but guess what? The people at Agoo are giving you, the opportunity in receiving  a pair of wonderful leg huggers for your lil one’s chubby legs and here’s how you can do it:

• Visit Agoo Bamboo Leg Huggers and tell us one fact about these wonderful leg huggers.
• Also, include which leg huggers you’d like to win.
• Three additional entries if you 
• Three additional entries if you subscribe to our feed.
• If you qualify for additional entries, please comment separately and let us know which option you’ve used.
• Giveaway is open to Continental US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway closes on 20th July 2009 and a winner will be picked using Random.Org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe or check back here so that you do not miss the announcement of winners.

IMPORTANT : We have just been informed by the Producers of The Great Russian Water Circus that due to some serious technical issue, the show must be postponed until 2010. The problem revolves around the pool, which they must replace by building a whole new performance pool (basically starting from scratch). Once completed, they would then have to re-register all permits and inspections of the new pool and submit them to the building department for approval. With the best time frame scenario (which doesn’t include cargo shipping), they would not come close to making opening night (September 18th) a reality. That being said, the show will resurface in 2010.

WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED. 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

First time ever in New York! A one of a kind international sensation! THE GREAT RUSSIAN WATER CIRCUS. The world’s only touring water circus has come to New York after 35 countries and countless standing “Bravo” ovations.

A water spectacle with 50 extraordinary acrobats, jugglers, magicians, clowns and synchronized swimmers, 350 spectacular costumes, sensational sets with stunning special effects and 75,000 gallons of water that will dazzle and amaze you. DON’T MISS THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME SPLASH EXTRAVAGANZA!

SPECIAL 20% SAVINGS- ACT TODAY

HOW TO ORDER YOUR DISCOUNT TICKETS

1. Call 212-307-4100 and mention code WCSI
2. Click here or visit Ticketmaster.com and enter code WCSI

RESTRICTIONS- Offer is subject to change and may be revoked any time. If you experience problems with the links above, please use this direct link. http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/6ix73k

WIN TICKETS : We’re giving away four tickets to the Russian Water Circus and it’s sooooo easy to win. All you need to do is:

• One mandatory entry – Let us know in our comment section here, why you want to win these tickets
• Two additional entries – If you tweet or add this giveaway link to your FB account(please provide id). You can do this daily and earn two entries each day until the contest closes.
• If you qualify for additional entries, please comment separately and let us know which option you’ve used
• Do note that the performance is in New York, so this giveaway is only open to those who are residing in US.
• Giveaway closes on 20th July 2009. A winner will be drawn using the Random.org number generator.
• We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Here’s our winners for the month of June:

Aruni Gunasegaram is the….

Grand Prize winner for the Grand Prize Pack including:
Wii Video Game ‘Ultimate I SPY’
Board Game ‘I SPY Memory Game’
I SPY A to Z: A Book of Picture Riddles
I SPY Treasure Hunt 

Grand Prize Pack valued at $85.99

Four (4) runner-up winners receive a copy of the new book
I SPY A to Z: A Book of Picture Riddles

Each book valued at $13.99

1. Brandy Arivett

2. Sarah Harvey

3. Cindi Hoppes

4. Jenine Herrell

For the month of July 2009, we have two prizes to pamper our readers:

1. Votre Vu’s Cheveux Heureux Shampoo Riche

The shampoo hydrates, restores, balances and protects adding a boost in volume and shine.  The shampoo is an effective yet gentle cleanser which eliminates build up, impurities and toxins without stripping your hair’s natural oils. It does not contain sodium laurel sulfates. Cheveux Heureux Shampoo Riche leaves your hair more manageable and soft to the touch.  For more information please visit: www.VotreVu.com

2. LashFood

LashFood is an all natural eyelash and eyebrow conditioning stimulator that provides you with fuller, longer, darker, and stronger lashes. LashFood is formulated using the highest grade natural ingredients including Biotin, an essential vitamin, Arginine, a natural amino acid, and root and herbal extracts. The newest innovation of JB Cosmetics, LashFood is created by Jane Kim. JB Cosmetics is a well known cosmetic manufacturer that specializes in eyelash products and stands for sophistication and beauty.  For more information please visit: www.lashfood.com

If you’re new to Parent Reviewers, our subscribe button is on the top right side bar. Just sign up and you’ll be entered into a monthly giveaway draw. IT’S THAT EASY!

* Most prize ships to US only unless specified otherwise.