Suburban Reviews

We’ve all heard the news reports- kids who are taught a second language at a very early age pick it up faster and more thoroughly than those who wait until middle school, and those who learn a second language in general are more creative and better at problem solving. However, the majority of adults are not bilingual, so giving our kids those benefits seems more like an ideal than a real possibility. Aside from the occasional ‘taco’ and fajita’, the most exposure to a foreign language my kids get is via Dora the Explorer. (I have my doubts about Dora’s morals, she goes on wayyyy too much about ‘playing with the magic stick’ if ya know what I mean!)

What’s a single-language parent to do? This parent got a copy of the Kids Love Spanish dvd set from the Parent Bloggers Network and gave it a try.

I have to say, I was unimpressed with this company before I ever got the dvd’s. Mainly because I never got them. Twice we were told they were sent out, and I have yet to see a package from the company. I double-checked the address PBN has on file, so I know the problem is not on this end. As far as I know I was the only reviewer on this campaign to have this problem, so I’m writing this off as a fluke, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give my full experience. Luckily a fellow reviewer came to my rescue and loaned me her copy(which arrived quickly and without issue!), so here we are.

The dvds are at first glance rather cheesy looking. I could barely keep a straight face as the creators of the video, sisters Julie and Krisse Brock, started singing and dancing against an amateurishly done background. When they started introducing to the words, I was this-close to turning the movie off. The words are repeated over, and over, and over, and over. My 4 year old gave a disgusted look and turned back to his video game. Then I looked at my 2 1/2 year old and listened as he repeated the words. Toddlers thrive on order and repetition, and in that, the Brock sisters have nailed it. What they lack in production knowledge, they make up for in their understanding of small children. My youngest son sat there laughing at the videos, oohing and ahhhing over the pictures, and practicing the words along with the children on the video. Even as his interest in sitting still during the movies waned, I could hear him behind the couch playing with his cars and saying the words along with the video.

For all the repetition, they still manage to pack a surprising amount of material into each 30 minute dvd. I didn’t count, but I would estimate each episode covered between 20-30 words. I like how each disc covers a particular category of words, and the topics range from colors to numbers to animals to alphabets to family words, moving on to simple phrases in disc 7.  Such a broad base of words will  give your kids an excellent  base vocabulary to build on as they continue to learn.

Despite the rocky start, I would very highly recommend these videos to those looking to teach their 4 and under kids a second language. (Over 4 and I’m not sure the cheesiness will be quite as appealing.) The movies are packed with words and the repetition along with the incredibly cute videos will captivate your little one’s attention, and unlike Dora, there are no naked monkeys or magic sticks to be found.

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I have found a great new product designed to make giving medicine to your baby easier.  It’s called ReliaDose and it’s a bottle/syringe/medicine dropper combination.  It’s meant to be used as a medicine delivery system for babies who fight taking medicine or for medicines that don’t taste good. 

Even when I first looked at the design, I knew it was a terrific idea.  ReliaDose is a bottle with a syringe in the middle.  To give your child a liquid medicine, you simply fill the syringe and place it in an opening in the middle of the bottle.  When the baby sucks, you slowly press the syringe, administering the medicine.

I attempted to use ReliaDose to give my daughter her Prevacid solutabs.  Unfortunately, Prevacid solutabs do not completely disintegrate and it’s granules became stuck in the nipple of the bottle.  However, when I used a liquid medicine in the syringe, it worked like a charm. 

I was really impressed with the design of this product.  It was extremely easy to use, is dishwasher safe, and was invented by a Mom.  ReliaDose retails between $8.99 and $11.99.  This medicine delivery system can be purchased online at cvs.com.  For retailers, visit the ReliaDose website at reliadose.com.

I was asked to pitch Vocalpoint through the Parent Bloggers Network, and I have no qualms about telling you that.

Why?

Because I am already a Vocalpoint member, and have been for roughly a year. I can honestly say I LOVE this service.

I love getting free samples. Nothing pisses me off more than buying a new product, only to get it home and find out it sucks. Getting to try before you buy is the way to go. I joined Vocalpoint because they give you the opportunity to do just that. Each time they launch a new product campaign, you get either a product sample, or a coupon for a free full-size product. In addition, they usually include quite a few dollar-off coupons to give to your friends if you decide you like it. They then put up surveys on their website where you can let them know exactly what you liked, or didn’t like, about what you received. Companies benefit from the word-of-mouth marketing, and we benefit from getting to try the latest and greatest home products, and knowing our voices are being heard. Total win-win!

Want to try it out? Join Vocalpoint now!

What’s better than free? Educational and free! And so begins the beginning of a new addiction in our house- Word World, a new educational program aimed at preschoolers on PBS.

We love PBS here. I grew up on Sesame Street and have introduced it to my own children, and the hubby and I enjoyed watching the Frontier House and Pioneer House series.  They are such a great resource for educational tv, and in a time where Barney and Spongebob rules for the under-5 set, a channel I don’t feel guilty about letting the kids watch.

Word World is a new show focusing on teaching children letters and how they are put together to make words. Every character and many of their surroundings are made up of letters. Yes, everything is spelled with letters, but visually, they really are made up of letters. Confused? Check this out-

I swear they are not nearly as creepy as they look. Far from it, they are very warm and inviting thanks to some of the best voice acting to come along in a PBS show in quite some time. The storylines are simple but engaging, and the episodes are just short enough to keep the kids from getting bored. The letters are repeated subtly to help encourage recognition, and words are spelled out to help emphasize the relationship between the letters and using them to build words.

Best of all? This enchanting series is available to everyone, free of charge on your local PBS station. The show was developed as part of the Ready to Learn initiative and funded by the Department of Education to help lower income children with reading readiness. That’s right, quality educational programs with no dvd’s to buy!

Check your guide and set your Tivo’s, this is one show you don’t have to feel guilty about letting your kids watch! Thanks so much to Parent Bloggers Network for introducing us to this new favorite, and  Word World for giving us something the kids will turn off Spongebob for. Really, my sanity thanks you.