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My four year old (Xander) and I got a chance to try out a cool toy called “Felt Tales” this past week! I personally love toys that make kids use their imagination – I’m old school in that sense. So I really liked the fact that this toy requires no batteries – just a healthy imagination and some finger play!

Felt Tales are safe, soft, colorful and tactile felt storyboards that give kids the chance to tell stories, learn about things (in our case – zoo animals!) and even problem solve. They are recommended for kids over age three – but I think that if your two-year old isn’t into ‘chewing everything in sight’ they would benefit from this toy also (just keep your eyes on them while they play).

The “Busy Day at the Zoo” set that we received features different sets of animals including an Elephant, Tiger, Gorilla, Panda and Giraffe along with their respective babies. So not only could I have my son name each animal – I could also have him name what each baby was called. He could play a ‘match the animals’ game also and we also talked about zoo trips we’ve taken together and what other animals could be found at the zoo.

Another cool thing about Felt Tales is that it’s completely portable (even has a handle!) so it can be a great car toy! We’re going to be taking a car trip this weekend and you can be sure that our Felt Tales board is coming along (especially since we’re not bringing our DVD along!)

The Babalu, Inc. was launched in 2006 and has a lot of different imagination-moving toys for kids. My son and I had a good time looking through their catalogue and hope to get some more toys soon! More information about the company can be found at Babaluinc.com or WJFantasy.com!

Buy It: You can find Felt Tales at specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and RoundTableToys.com.

Win It: Thanks to the kind folks at Babalu Inc., one lucky reader will win a set of Busy Day At The Zoo Felt Tales! To enter for a chance to win, this is what you have to do:

• One mandatory entry – Head over to Babalu Inc. and pick another FeltTales design that may appeal to your child (besides Busy Day At The Zoo)
• Three additional entries- if you have our badge up on your blog or you can grab our Mega Giveaway badge from our sidebar. Please leave your blog url to qualify.
• Three additional entries – Tweet this giveaway (please leave your twitter id)
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only and closes on 9th December 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.

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by Andrew D. Gibson, Ph.D.

Spike, a ten year old out of control boy, has friends. We all have friends. But his friends aren’t the kind you want him around. They surely aren’t the kind you want him to bring home, not that he cares.

He will bring his friends home if he wants to but generally he doesn’t want to because home is boring and he spends a lot of time trying to escape it anyway. Since home is the scene of much of his anger, Spike isn’t around it any more than he has to.

Instead, he hangs with the bottom feeders any place else. That’s what the cops call them. The bottom feeders are a motley bunch of misfits and losers. There are girls and boys. Some are older. Some younger. There is the adopted kid and the foster kid and the kid who got thrown out of his house and kid who lives with his grandparents because his parents are such jerks, etc.

There are a bunch of kids. They all hate their parents, they all hate school and they all hate anyone who looks remotely successful. So they huddle together in some run down house which belongs to one of these kid’s Moms. The Mom isn’t in much better shape than the kids. She probably has a history of depression, alcohol abuse and difficulty holding down a job.

The one thing she does really well is, she accepts them. She thinks these kids are hers and she loves everyone one of them. Her compassion for these rejects is really remarkable. The kids act very differently around her than they do in front of their own parents. It tells you something about their potential. Remove the threat and watch them relax.

What this lady does is show acceptance by never criticizing, by listening and by obvious caring. Do you think you could co-exist with Spike and not criticize? Listen? Care? Sure, her skill is probably an extension of her own unfulfilled need for love. It is likely that she has a desperate history of her own. But so what?

This sort of thing happens in every town in America. But this Mom isn’t going to be invited over anywhere for tea. In fact, she will probably end up getting herself arrested for supplying booze to minors. But in the meanwhile, she plugs a hole in these kid’s lives. Their parents could learn from her if they would.

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!

My 20 month old loves it because he loves giving hugs and receiving them. Ah! Such simple needs! My 4 year old particularly loves the “Bone Search” and “Magic Body Painting” touch-play activity. It does get a bit boisterous but, we always have a soft rhyme/song which immediately calms him down and ready for bed. I think my 7 year old enjoys it the most, because we’ve been doing similiar bed-time activities for the longest time. And I think it reminds him of how it used to be when he was very young. Seen here, in this pic, is our all time favourite. I’ve been singing this song forever, but with the touch-techniques provided, makes it a more meaningful activity.

A native of Holland, Martine has over 12 years of experience in traditional and alternative health care, with five years  teaching baby and child massage. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters, where she runs her company My Mini Massage.

“The parent-child relationship is a child’s first experience with relationships. It affects their self-confidence and self-esteem forever and creates the foundation for their future relationships with friends and partners.”  Martine derives much joy from watching the parent-child interactions in her baby and child massage classes. “When a parent and child interact through eye contact, loving voice and touch, the closeness in that moment is indescribable — it expresses more love and joy then a thousand I-love-you’s.”

Her book ‘Mommy, Draw Stars on My Tummy’ (0-6y) combines nurturing touch, storytelling and beautiful illustrations in a way that allows parents and children to slow down, focus on each other and enjoy a deeply personal relationship with love and laughter.

TO THE WINNERS OF

Ozone Socks

 Jessica #187

Keitha #135

AND

MA! Magnets

Larry (cakeblast) #23

The winner is 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 28th November 2009, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED!

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 GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

AUTHOR: Steven Hornby

PUBLISHER: Ecky Thump Books, Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-9815883-0-8

READING LEVEL: 8-12

Synopsis :

In the secret world of the Christmas ‘Tree-Dwellers’, Larry, a glass snowman, wakes up from the long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother missing from the tree. With friends, he escapes into the house to search for him, and embarks on a series of fantastical adventures.

Though I have a fondness for fantasy books, I wasn’t really as enthusiastic to review Secrets Of A Christmas Box when it arrived at my doorstep. I mean, how exciting can a Christmas themed story book be? Truth be told, it was the gorgeous cover and the fact that the book came in hardcover (I’m a sucker for hardbacks) which prompted me to read it. The first few chapters were a little draggy for me but when I read pass Chapter 8, I was hooked! The excitement and suspense began when The Tree-Dwellers made the fateful decision to defy the Tree Lord by breaking the ultimate rule : NEVER LEAVE THE TREE. I was eager to find out how Larry, together with his girlfriend Debbie, his dog Tinsel and Splint, the newest addition to the Ferguson’s tree ornaments, were going to fare in their journey to find Terrence.

You know how it is when you were little and despite what your parents said, you ABSOLUTELY believed that toys can come to life when humans are asleep? Well, this book feeds on that imagination and belief. I was drawn into the magical world of these Tree-Dwellers and enthralled by their charming characters. Secrets of A Christmas Box  has certainly brought out the child in me.

Just a note of caution though, if your child is into happily- ever-after Disney style story endings, this might not be the book for him/her. The ending may leave a bittersweet taste for some readers but I thought it was a rather creative way to make the story stand out from the usual Christmas themed books.

The author, Steven Hornby, actually recommends readers to start reading one chapter a day. There are 24 chapters, so if you start on Dec 1st, you’ll be able to finish it by Christmas Eve ~ a fantastic idea to build up the mood to usher in Christmas.

BUY IT : A story about love, friendship and  courage, Secrets of A Christmas Box is not for the timid child but would make a delightful bedtime story for those who are more adventurous. You can purchase the book online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

WIN IT : We’re giving away a GIFT SACK containing a SIGNED copy of this fantasy novel and other goodies to TWO readers. Other goodies include a set of limited edition stickers, ‘Secrets of a Christmas Box’ balloons, ‘Secrets of a Christmas Box’ postcards and ‘Secrets of a Christmas Box’ pencils.

To participate, here are the requirements:

• One mandatory entry – Visit www.secretsofachristmasbox.com and tell us one fact about the author, Stephen Hornby.
• Three additional entries – Just place our Mega Xmas Giveaway badge on your site and leave your url.
• Five additional entries – If you blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post. ***
• Entry is open to US and Canada shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway closes on 2nd December 2009 and winners 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.

***Requirements were recently changed but for those who had tried the Technorati option, your entry is still valid.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

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You can ask anyone who knows me – I am super duper UN-organized! So, when I heard that I had the opportunity to review two products by BusyBodyBook, I absolutely jumped at the chance.

BusyBodyBook calendars were created for people like me – people who need to get organized and keep track of different schedules in one handy place. I might not have a large family – but we all have many different things going on. So, it all needs to be easy to track and in my hands so I can keep it on track (yes, leave it up to the UN-organized one to keep everyone else organized!)

The BusyBodyBook organizers (I received a wall calendar and a smaller organizer) have 5 columns in the pocket organizer and 7 columns in the wall calendar to track either different family members schedules, school or work schedules or anything else you can think up (meal planning perhaps?) I am tracking my schedule (including my school schedule), my husband’s schedule, my son’s schedule and my internet schedule (I freelance work online).

The wall calendar can be hung so you see either one week or two weeks and has lots of room to write. The pocket planner fits perfectly in my bag and  comes with heavy protective plastic covers to keep it safe from spills, splashes and the normal wear and tear of busy moms. The planner also has tear-out ‘shopping list’ pages and a bookmark that can be pulled out and placed as needed.

Buy It : Simple, yet easy to use, the calendar and organizer are both very nicely priced and are available on Amazon or the BusyBodyBook website.

Win It : Thanks to BusyBodyBook, ONE of our loyal reader will be better organized this holiday. We will be giving away an organizer of choice & a wall calendar. To enter for a chance to win these great products, here’s the what-to-dos:

• Check out BusyBodyBook and pick your favourite design of organizer.
• Three additional entries – Grab our Mega Xmas Giveaway badge on our sidebar and place it on your site. Leave your site url in the comment section here.
• Five additional entries - If you blog about this giveaway and link back to this post. Please leave your post url in the comment section.
• Entry is open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway closes on  27th November 2009 and a 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.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

By Jay Tucker

Potty training can be one of the most stressful times in a parent’s life. We want so badly for our little ones to experience success with everything they do that sometimes we put too much pressure on them. Potty training is a process that doesn’t have to be remembered with tears and fear.

If you are going through the trials and tribulations of training your own child to use the toilet remember one thing; they will get the hang of it! My wife and I can speak from experience. Our potty training experience with our son was a frustrating one. But, thankfully, we came out on the dry side eventually. Here are some things we learned:

1. Punishment does not work- We were convinced that our son simply wasn’t trying. We tried all of the advice that we could handle from friends, family, the internet, and doctors. When we tried those things and failed, we resorted to taking things away from him. What we learned is that he simply wasn’t ready to use the toilet!

2. Children are often afraid of new things- We found out that our son was afraid of the sound the toilet made when it flushed! He was convinced that sitting on that contraption would result in horrible things. When we addressed his fears and showed him that the potty wouldn’t hurt him, he began to have success.

3. Size isn’t everything- Our son is head and shoulders taller than everyone else in his class. We discovered that sometimes the adults in his life expected more from him developmentally because of this. Just because your four year old is the size of a 6 year old doesn’t mean that everything else has caught up.

4. Children get stressed out too- You know how it feels to be stressed out. Some people work better under great stress, but most do not. Children need to know that they have your support! Save the stress for later in life when they are equipped to handle it. Putting stress on your little one during the potty training process will NOT result in positive results.

Our journey with our son inspired me to write a potty training book called, “Ferdinand Uses the Potty.” The story is about a young frog named Ferdinand who wakes up one morning in a wet bed. He has no idea what caused it, but fortunately, he has a supportive friend who has been there before to offer him encouragement and advice. “Ferdinand Uses the Potty,” is written in rhyme so that children and adults will enjoy one of life’s earliest lessons. The book is illustrated by award winning artist, D.E. West.

“Ferdinand Uses the Potty” is available through www.amazon.com and through the publisher Loving Healing Press. www.lhpress.com

 About The Author

Jay Tucker is the author of the new book, Ferdinand Uses the Potty, published by Loving Healing Press. Jay has contributed several articles to Parent Reviewers and is the author of the book The Whole Youth Worker; Advice on Professional, Personal, and Physical Wellness from the Trenches. You can learn more about Ferdinand the Frog and get more toilet training advice at www.ferdiethefrog.com

TO THE WINNERS OF

Earth Science & Physical Science DVD Giveaway

Susan Heim #7

Janice #147

AND

Organic Sleepy Wrap

Sherry #57

The winner is 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 23rd November 2009, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED!

TO THE WINNERS OF

Texas Treats Giveaway

Jen V #206

Adventures At Walnut Grove Giveaway

cheryl pasquier #147

Julie cutshaw #7

The winner is 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 21st November 2009, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED!

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Why is it that kids are so sensitive to seams/tags and anything that itches the body? Ok, I’ll admit that, when I was a little girl, I honestly hated wearing dresses, not because I was a tomboy, but I hated the stiffness of new dresses. Even if it’s been washed, the stiff fabric somehow just irritated my skin! When my 4 year old son, told me how his socks were ‘hurting’ him, I really did not take any notice. But, it came to a point, where he started taking off his shoes, in the middle of a shopping mall, and scratching his foot, that I knew I had to find something. At first, I did the lazy-parenting way, and turned the socks inside out, which gave him immediate comfort.

Tired of hearing her son scream “these sock seams keep bugging me,” a mom decided something needed to be done.  Every “seamless” sock her son tried had seams in it; there was not a truly seamless sock available.  After explaining the frustrating morning routine to countless friends of her son’s struggles with socks, she was finally given the name of Knit-Rite, a textile manufacturer, and contacted them with her request for a seamless kids sock.

After several requests for seamless socks from “desperate” parents, SmartKnitKIDS socks were created.  Knit the same way a caterpillar spins its cocoon, SmartKnitKIDS socks are started at the toe and worked up toward the ankle.  This process insures a 100% seamless sock, so there are no seams to bug ya!  A form-fitting design also keeps those annoying lumps and bumps out of the socks.

Since its launch in 2003, SmartKnitKIDS continues to find new markets and grow every year.  Super soft material and a seam free design make it the most comfortable kid’s sock on the market.