Parents Can Right The Wrongs of The Past

My mother was the oldest of thirteen siblings living in difficult circumstances in Germany. She had too many responsibilities too early in life, and her busy parents were unable to meet some of her most important needs. Many years later, while she was raising five children of her own in America, she talked about how much she had always missed the love of her own mother. “How can I love when I never was loved?” And the pattern repeated.

As a young girl, I missed her love and warmth, and recoiled against her harsh parenting style. I vowed that I would raise my children differently. Doing better for my own children became my life’s mission. I had to unlearn what I didn’t want, and figure out how to become a loving, positive, and playful mom.

If there were negative patterns in your family-perhaps involving addictions, abuse or neglect-you can do better for your kids. Old childhood wounds propel you to do better for your own children. Instead of repeating the old mistakes, you can learn from them. Instead of wounding your children, you can heal yourself.

In my parenting workshop Maria confessed that she spanked her child’s bare bottom; then she saw her red handprint and heard the heartbreaking sobs. It stunned her. She signed up for my class and bought my book, The Winning Family, to learn better ways to discipline her youngsters. That event helped change her parenting style and her life.

Childhood wounds propel us to be positive parents. Positive parenting practices, such as teaching, comforting, uplifting and playing, have great benefits for your family. Good parenting promotes positive connections. It also can prevent unwanted negative behaviors.

Raising children gives you an opportunity to create more joy and love in your life. It also gives you the chance to develop desirable personal qualities (such as patience), to understand and appreciate yourself at deeper levels, and to learn new skills. Your children may become your best teachers.

Changing family patterns is hard work. It takes courage and commitment. It is the work of heroes. Doing better for your kids is a personal triumph. You will thank yourself knowing that you have saved them from pain. I continue to reap the benefits many years later and enjoy loving connections with my grown children and my grandchildren. One of my greatest joys in my life is seeing the positive parenting patterns I initiated continue into the next generation.

Sign up for her free Positive Parenting Newsletter at http://www.drlouisehart.com.

Louise Hart is a community educator, and author of two books. The Winning Family and On the Wings of Self-Esteem have been translated into half a dozen languages. A professional speaker, she currently teaches Positive Psychology as it applies to parenting. Dr. Hart has a Doctorate of Education in Community Psychology, which deals with the relationships of the individual to family, communities and the wider society.

Copyright 2010 Dr. Louise Hart is a Community Psychologist, author, and Grandmother.

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Review & Giveaway : Crayon Rompers From The Baby Bunch

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

I know quite a few people who are “expecting” (babies that is) right now. So, it’s certainly the season of baby showers! I received an “early shower gift”  from The Baby Bunch and have the opportunity to review a super-cute set of  crayon rompers!

The crayon box contains three rompers, one red, one green and one orange  and would work for boys and girls. It’s the perfect gift for someone who doesn’t want all the baby colored outfits or doesn’t know what they are having yet! The onesies are made from 100% cotton and fit infants up to 16lbs.

I love gift sets,  and The Baby Bunch has a ton of adorable different types. One of my favorites from the website was the Winter Bunch set with looks like a bouquet of red and white flowers and contains one bib, one hat, one pair of mitts, a long sleeve romper, two pairs of socks and one long sleeve one-piece. I also saw gift sets that looked like cupcakes and lollipops! Very imaginative!

Buy It : The Baby Bunch website is broken down by category ? you can shop by gender, product or price range which makes finding the perfect gift super easy! You can even get free shipping on orders of $50 or more by using promo code SUMMER at checkout!

Win It : The good people at The Baby Bunch has generously donated a box of Crayon Rompers to giveaway to one lucky reader. Here’s how you can enter for a chance to win:

  • One mandatory entry – Visit the Baby Bunch website and pick your favourite item (besides Crayon Rompers)
  • Two additional entry – Follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway “Win cute Crayon Rompers at Parentreviewers.com” with a link back to this post. Please leave an additional comment including your twitter id and your tweet url. You can do this daily until the giveaway closes.
  • Two Additional Entries- Post this on FB and share this piece of good news with your friends!!!! Let us know if you’re a fan too!
  • Giveaway is open to US  shipping addresses only.
  • Giveaway ends October 4th (11:59pm) 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.

 

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christinesiggy

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Prizes for September Email Subscriber Draw

Sorry I’m a little late with the announcement this month. Things have been pretty hectic lately. Anyway, we’ve got our winners for the three DVDs. The following subscriber will be receiving a copy of Chicken Soup For The Soul DVD each:

1. Laura Philips
2. Kay Heitfeld
3. Lauren Scandurro

6 copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul : A Book of Miracles to be given away this month! For a chance to win, all you need to do is subscribe to our feed via email (top right side bar).

101 True Stories of Healing, Faith, Divine Intervention, and Answered Prayers

Everyone loves a good miracle story, and this book provides 101 true stories of healing, divine intervention, and answered prayers. These amazing stories prove that God is alive and very active in the world today, working miracles on our behalf. Regular people share their personal stories of God’s Divine intervention and healing power as He makes the impossible possible! The incredible accounts shared by people from all walks of life show His awesome love and involvement in our lives. This book of miracles will encourage, uplift, and recharge the faith of Christian readers.

 
 
*Prizes will be shipped within US only.
 

 

 

 

Disclosure : Giveaway copies of the above book are proudly sponsored by www.chickensoup.com.

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Blog Tour : AVG Internet Security 9.0 Software

It goes without say that bloggers like us, who spend half (or more) of our time online every day, are highly at risk of having our laptops or desktops exposed to spam mails, adware, malware and virus attacks. These threats not only can  ruin our computers, they can also pose a high security risk for those  who shop online. Given the prevalence of these online threats, an antivirus program is undeniably the best safeguard measure to minimize such dangers. However, choosing the right software can be a tough decision as there are so many softwares by different vendors that claims to be the best. Thus, when approached by AVG Technologies to review their AVG Internet Security 9.0 Software, we quickly jumped at the chance.  As AVG  Free is the #1 download on CNET at 277 million, it was a wonderful opportunity to test drive their premium version of the software.

About  AVG Internet Security 9.0:

AVG Internet Security 9.0 is a security suite intended to provide comprehensive threat protection and prevention for home and small business computer users. It addresses traditional threats such as viruses, spam, spyware, and Trojans as well as newer threats including identity stealing malware, web exploits, drive-by phishing, and rootkits. AVG Internet Security 9.0 guards the major connection points into your computer: web browsing, instant messaging, and local area networks.

Since its first introduction in the fall of 2006, AVG Internet Security has won accolades from users and reviewers alike for its low resource requirements, excellent security protection and unobtrusive operation. AVG Internet Security 8.5 took these benefits a major step further by adding identity theft prevention in the form of AVG Identity Protection, using the behavioral technology AVG acquired with the Sana Security acquisition in November 2008. AVG Internet Security 9.0 features tighter integration for more enhanced security. Designed for novice and experienced users alike, AVG provides great protection out of the box for less-experienced users without the need for any configuration while also providing extensive granular configuration options for more advanced users.

About AVG Technologies :

Founded in 1991, AVG Technologieshas corporate offices in Europe, the US and the UK and over 80 million active users in 167countries. The company is focused on protecting computer users at home and in small businesses against disruption and loss causedby a wide range of security threats. AVG’s award-winning products are distributed globally through resellers and over the Internet aswell as via third-party use of the company’s Software Development Kits. AVG supports all major operating systems and platforms.

If you are on the lookout for a premium security software to protect your computer, why not check out what our reviewers had to say about AVG Internet Security 9.0 before making that purchase! To read their full reviews, just click on the respective links below:

3 Boys And A Dog – My favorite part is the ease of use. Some virus programs make it nearly impossible to access ANYTHING on the web, connected to your computer, etc. With a simple click, I can save the settings to allow something (like my HP printer) to make changes. Plus, it is all in terms even I can understand!

Nugglemama’s Handful - After playing around with it a bit I discovered how very easy it was to use. Installation was quick and painless and within minutes my system was protected. On set up it runs an optimization scan which helps future scans be faster after this you have the option to run a virus scan. Always a must when installing new Antivirus.

Brain Foggles – Once you set up AVG, you’re good to go. It updates automatically, warns you of threats and scans on schedule. AVG does not take away from the speed of your computer while scanning. It can save you a great deal of money by keeping your computer safe.

This Little Family - After getting all of the software installed – which was remarkable easy – it started up and I then started playing around with it.  The very first thing I noticed was how user it friendly it is. There’s no guessing and wondering if you are in the right spot. Everything is very clear, concise, and easy to find.

Fab Find Foodie – I can honestly say, I am incredibly happy with AVG Internet Security Software 9.0. There is nothing confusing or complicated about using the software. Knowing that I no longer have to worry about identity theft, spam or viruses truly makes my life a heck of a lot less stressful! Now I can feel secure logging into my bank account and not have to worry about being vulnerable. Plus, having such a public email address leaves me open to hundreds of suspicious emails every day. Not one thing (or person!) has been able to sneak into my computer since getting AVG! Wonderful software, from a trusted name.

To Be Thode – Since installing the AVG Internet Security 9.0 on my netbook, I have had no problems. The installation was very easy and there were clear steps to follow. My computer is running fast but is still catching some issues before they become real problems. LinkScanner® is checking web pages when it is most important – right before I click on them. Knowing I am protected before I even get to the page is a huge relief to me.

The Sewing Mom – I do recommend AVG intenet security for all your home computers. It is a solid, easy to use software that can protect my home network from outside attacks. Remember, it doesn’t just scan your email, AVG also scans the sites your visiting on the web to prevent your private information and your computer from being hacked.

Acting Balanced – Several things that impressed me about AVG Security 9.0 were the speed with which it scanned for viruses – I’ve used both Norton and McAfee software and have found their full scans to be disruptive and slow when trying to use the computer, particularly the internet – but not so with AVG. I also like that it scans links before you click on them, not after the damage is done!

Thanks, Mail Carrier – I love how easy it is to use AVG software and how it not only keeps you informed of the security of your computer but that it doesn’t slow things down one bit. Any updates are done automatically, you receive warnings for any suspicious threats and you can even schedule it to scan at a particular time that is convenient. At any point you can browse their window of options to make sure that your computer world is safe and sound.

Bless Their Hearts Mom – And it keeps doing it’s job- everytime you search or run a program, it let’s you know if there is a problem. The pop-up screen tells you to be cautious, to run the other way or go ahead and click enter (if box is all in green). The program is VERY simple to use and it is almost too easy! You think with it being so simple to use, it doesn’t work, but it works GREAT!!

For those interested, you can also get the FREE trial download here.

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Ice Box Bakery and Belly 9 Giveaway Winners

congratulations

 

TO THE WINNER OF

Cookie Dough From Ice Box Bakery

Steph #12

 

AND

 

Belly 9 Maternity Tee

Angie #4

trixx #13 (via replacement draw)

 

 

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 25th September 2010, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED

Winner's Submission Form
  1. (required)
  2. (valid email required)
  3. (required)
  4. (required)
 

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Review & Giveaway : The OrganWiseGuys Summer Kit

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

As a homeschooling parent, I love finding great new tools that make my job easy and fun. The great minds behind The OrganWise Guys have done just that. From plush toys to activity books to exciting and fun DVD’s, The OrganWise Guys have everything needed to get children excited about learning about… their own amazing bodies. With names like Hardy Heart, Windy the Lungs, Peter Pancreas, the Kidney Brothers and more, The OrganWise Guys sing, dance and teach their way into little ones hearts and minds.

About The OrganWise Guys:

Since 1993, The OrganWise Guys Inc. has partnered with a variety of public and private entities to bring science-based nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle behavior messages to children. Their specialty is combining a depth of knowledge of the research on nutrition and preventive health care practices with creative, attention-getting, curriculum-linked resources that challenge listeners to change their behavior.

Beyond simply teaching children about nutrition, proper exercise and other beneficial practices, our purpose is to instill a healthy habit mindset early on which they continue to build on throughout life. These habits include:

  • Maintaining a low fat diet
  • Consuming high fiber foods
  • Drinking plenty of water
  • Performing regular physical activity

As a result, through extensive research, we are pleased to present actively engaging, age-appropriate programs and products that are as appealing to the adults who facilitate the education as they are to the children.

We were thrilled when we recently received a great Summer Fun Kit from The OrganWise Guys- chock full of fun items including: The Kidney Brothers and Hardy Heart soft plush toys, 2 great Educational DVD’s, a hardback book, activity book, and a great assortment of OrganWise Guys tattoos. My daughter immediately claimed the Kidney Brothers and Hardy Heart as hers- my son didn’t object because they were “girl toys”. After my little guy realized that the Kidney Brothers and Hardy Heart were parts of our bodies- they went from “girl toys” to “really cool” very quickly.

The best part of The OrganWise Guys assortment we received were the great DVD’s- “H2Oooooooo!” and “Extreme Couch Potato”. They are fun and interactive but they are also chock full of great educational information about how our bodies work and the things we can do to keep them healthy. It was an entire week of health and science lessons for us!! They are so engaging that they have almost replaced “Arthur” in our weekly line up of TV time- and that’s an amazing feat!!
There are so many amazing items included in The OrganWise Guys collection that there truly is something for everyone. From very young children to older elementary there are great books, activity pages, teacher resources, DVD’s, plush toys, and so much more. They are a great resource for homeschooling families as well as any family wanting to encourage their children to take an active role in staying healthy.

For even more OrganWise Guys fun- check out their great website which includes printable activity pages, teacher resources, online shopping, and a great Kids section. You can also join the all new Foods of the Month club and check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Buy It: All of the great OrganWise Guys products are available through their website- OrganWiseGuys.com

Win It: The OrganWise Guys have generously donated a Summer Fun Kit to one of our lucky readers. Here’s how to enter:
  • One Mandatory Entry- Go to The OrganWise Guys website and check out all the great items they have available. Then come back here and share one great product you found that was not mentioned in this review.
  • Two Additional Entries- Follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway “Win a OrganWise Guys Kit at Parentreviewers.com“. Then leave us an additional comment including your twitter id and the tweet url.
  • Three Additional Entries- Blog about this giveaway including a link back to this post. Then come back and leave us an additional comment including the post url.
  • Giveaway ends on September 27th, 2010.
  • Giveaway is open to US and Canada shipping addresses only.
Good Luck!!

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

 

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Review & Giveaway : Lance® Sandwiches Cracker

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Lance® sandwich crackers have been a staple food around our house for years. My children have always been a fan of the Toastee Cheese and Peanut Butter crackers. I was thrilled when I recently received a large box of yummy Lance Crackers in the mail. These were not the usual Lance® Crackers, however, these were the brand new Whole Grain Lance Crackers and 100 Calorie Pack Crackers. Yes, it’s true… Lance® Crackers has now made it even better to share their great products with our families.
The new Lance® Whole Grain Crackers come in Cheese on Whole Grain, Peanut Butter on Whole Grain and Sharp Cheddar on Whole Grain. All of these really delicious crackers have all the great ingredients that Lance® has always committed to putting in their products but now with delicious whole grain crackers. My children truly cannot get enough. This is one box of goodies that we have yet to share outside of our little family- we just love them too much!!
The new Lance® 100 Calorie Packs are a great snack for anyone in the calorie counting grind. They offer a great yummy treat with none of the guilt. They are also made with zero grams of trans fats, no preservatives and no high frutose corn syrup as are all of Lance’s products. They come in these yummy flavors: Toastchee Peanut Butter, Toasty Peanut Butter, and Nip Chee Cheddar Cheese.  They are truly a delicious and guilt free snack option.

About Lance®:

For nearly 100 years Lance® sandwich crackers and snacks have been satisfying the cravings of millions of hungry individuals and families. Every Lance® sandwich cracker is baked fresh with real peanut butter or cheese, and no preservatives, trans fat or high-fructose corn syrup. These are just some of the little things Lance does to make good-tasting snacks that kids like to eat and you can feel good about offering to your family.

Buy It! : Lance® Crackers will remain a favorite of our family and now I have the satisfaction of knowing with the addition of whole grain they are an even better choice for my children. Lance® Crackers can be purchased at most major grocery store and gas station chains.  Check out their online product locator to find some near you!!

Win It! : Lance® Crackers has generously donated a pack of “Lance® Sandwich Crackers on Whole Grain and Lance® Sandwich Crackers 100 Calorie”  each  to one of our lucky readers. To enter:

  • One Mandatory Entry: Visit the Lance sandwich cracker website and check out their yummy selection of goodies. Then come back and leave us a comment including your favorite flavor.
  • Two Additional Entries: Follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway “Win a pack of Lance Sandwich Crackers – Whole Grain and 100 Calorie at Parentreviewers.com” on a daily basis. Leave us additional comments including your twitter id and the tweet url. One tweet per day.
  • Three Additional Entries: Be our fan and share our link on Facebook. Leave your FB id in the comment section as well.
  • Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only.
  • Giveaway ends on September 20th, 2010   (11:59pm) 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.

Good Luck!!

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

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Review & Giveaway : Belly 9 Maternity Tee

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Christine in her “Second Baby” Tee

When I heard that I was getting an opportunity to review a maternity shirt from Belly 9 I was extremely excited at first  but then I remembered, I can never ever get stuff online that fits. So, I figured I’d pick out a shirt and review the look and quality but probably never get to wear it. I was absolutely thrilled when I received my “Second Baby” tank top and it was not only adorable but it absolutely FIT me! I ordered a medium/large (their biggest size for that shirt) and it looks awesome (as shown in the photo above).  The chocolate brown tank is made from thermal cotton and feels incredibly comfortable too.

Belly9 has really cool maternity tank tops, tshirts and long sleeve maternity shirts. My second pick was the “push it, push it real good? tshirt (that totally made me laugh out loud) but I decided on “second baby” because this IS my second baby! They also have cute stuff for babies as well as  “after babu” clothes (“MILF” panties anyone?).

Buy It: You can find Belly9 online at their website as well as on Facebook.

Win ItWe’re giving away a Tee of your choice from Belly 9 Maternity & Baby. There will only be ONE lucky winner. To enter for your chance to win, just follow the requirements below:

  • One mandatory entry – Visit the  Belly 9 Maternity & Baby website, pick your favourite Tee and let us know your choice in our comment section here.
  • Two additional entry – Follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway “Win a cool Tee from Belly 9 Maternity & Baby with Parentreviewers.com” with a link back to this post. Please leave an additional comment including your twitter id and your tweet url. You can do this daily until the giveaway closes.
  • Two Additional Entries- Post this on FB and share this piece of good news with your friends!!!! Let us know if you’re a fan too!
  • Giveaway is open to US  shipping addresses only.
  • Giveaway ends September 13th (11:59pm) 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/2

 

christinesiggy

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Giveaway Winners : Squinkies and I Can Do It From Walnut Grove Series

congratulations

TO THE WINNERS OF

Squinkies Giveaway

Grand Prize of a deluxe playset of the winner’s choice plus a collection of dolls and accessories:

Jessica #93

5 runner up prizes of blister pack of 16 dolls:

1.  Karine Traverse #105

2. Steph #4

3. CailinMarie #42

4. Angi #27

5.  Soha Molina #108

AND

I Can Do It From Walnut Grove Series

Debbie Welchert #14

anthy #55

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 8th September 2010, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED

Winner's Submission Form
  1. (required)
  2. (valid email required)
  3. (required)
  4. (required)
 

cforms contact form by delicious:days

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