Get a Kick-Start on Kindergarten

August will be a BIG month at the house of Midwestern Mommy. In four short months, "the boy" will be skipping off to Kindergarten. He can't wait to go. (I plan to celebrate the day by doing a little happy dance. But I'll likely cry my fool head off.)

While Seth is ready socially and emotionally, I wasn't sure if he was academically. That is, until I was sent a cool little book called Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten by educator/mom Stacey Kannenberg.

Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten touches on everything from letter and number identification to learning to tell time and identifying the seasons. The book is a great tool for gauging your preschooler's strong and weak points -- something most moms really appreciate.

What I liked:

The pages are brightly colored and visually appeal to kids. Seth dove into the book right away and got quite a kick out of "Mrs. Good and the Cedar Valley Kids". Lately, we've been using the book at night before bed. We curl up and go through a few pages. Its a good way to get him to sit and slow his little boy body down. But he's not the only one who's a big fan.

At one point, I introduced the book during one of Seth's playdates. It was a big hit with that child as well. In fact, Seth and his friend fought over the book!

Also, one of the coolest features of the book is that kids can use dry erase markers to practice writing their letters, numbers and contact information. And when you wipe the marker stuff off, it actually comes off! YEAY! Oh and if your child has sticky, dirty, chocolatey fingers? That stuff comes off too.

What I didn't like:

Unfortunately the pages rip easily. The pages aren't fragile but I thought they'd be a bit more durable.

This book is perfect for:

This is a great book to have on hand this summer. Are you going on a summer vacation? Take the book with you in the car or on the flight. Do you have time to kill in between your children's sporting events? Here's something to do. Its also a great book for grandparents and daycare providers to keep on hand.

And when your kindergartner graduates, there's a Let's Get Ready For First Grade edition as well.

TO WIN COPIES OF BOTH BOOKS GO TO http://www.parentbloggers.com/. Post a comment (on the entry about this product) as to why you'd like these books. A winner will be picked once the campaign is finished.

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network. If you have a product you'd like PBN to review, click on this link for more info.

Teach your child Spanish the Boca Beth way!

It started on our family jaunt to Mexico -- our son's interest in the Spanish language. And ever since, he takes great delight in asking a daily barrage of questions like, "What's 'dog' in Spanish?" or "How do I say, 'booty-butt tormado' in Spanish?"

So when the opportunity to review the Boca Beth program arose, I jumped at the chance.

To give you some background: The Boca Beth program uses puppets (like the one shown in this photo), music and movement to teach Spanish to kids of varying ages. The founder, Beth Butler, has spent more than 10 years in preschool and elementary school classrooms and has even lived in Mexico. She's produced two bilingual educational movies and speaks nationally with parents and educators on how to make learning a second language fun. So yes, she does know what she's talking about.

I decided the best way for Seth to start off the program was to act as if he "owned" it. When the package came, I told him it was a surprise for him. After opening and explaining the contents, he begged to watch the video. We watched it together, ate popcorn and snuggled. When it was finished, he begged to watch it again. (We bypassed the second part of the DVD -- the interactive class the first time.) We were off to a fabulous start!

What I thought:

The videos are cheerful and enthusiastic. Butler's passion for the project is very apparent. She does make it easy for children (and even numbskull adults like me!) to quickly pick up various Spanish phrases. And I like how she mixes Spanish phrases into popular children's songs. In fact, I was astonished -- Seth started singing the Spanish words to "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" after watching the video just three times.

Children play an active part throughout the video. They sing, they dance, they have fun. And they speak Spanish too! For my son, seeing the bigger kids speaking Spanish was a big sell.

The puppet, shaker, and bilingual coloring book that came in the package are terrific additions. In fact, Seth has proudly shown off the shaker and puppet to his best friend, cousins and grandparents when they've visited. And being that he loves books, we often go through the coloring book at night before bed.

What "the boy" thought:

At five, Seth is a self-proclaimed "big kid". He realized during the second viewing that alot of the kids in the video are younger than he is -- in his words, "babies." He was put off. And when he saw the interactive spot? He complained about the children being babies. The video I received is targeted to toddler-aged kiddos. I think he would have been much more interested if there would have been more kids ages six to nine.When he heard the first few songs on the Boca Beth CD, he promptly labeled them "baby songs". So he fussed up a storm until I stopped the CD. But I do plan to keep reintroduce the CD again soon.

Frankly, he would have also been more interested if Boca Beth came out with a 'How to Speak Spanish Potty Talk' edition. But its a good thing she hasn't because I really don't want to hear him say, "poopy-diaper bed head butt" in Spanish 100 times a day. Its bad enough hearing it so often in English. (But that's a post for another day.)

Overall:

I don't think the younger children's appearance in the video is a shortcoming. But I do wish the video and CD would have been available a few years ago. I KNOW that if I would have introduced the program to Seth when he was 18-24 months, he would have LOVED it as much as his Baby Einstein vids.

While watching the video, don't expect the editing, shooting and graphics to be as "slick" as the Disney's Baby Einstein movies. They aren't. But that's OK. I don't think little ones will notice. Plus? Boca Beth has got to start somewhere. And I think she's on to something big.

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network. If you have a product you'd like PBN to review, click on this link for more info.

Good Night (and how to sleep tight)

Most people who read this blog, at some point, have caught a post where I whine and moan about my sleep issues and the resulting migraines.

Typically, I slog through the day with a mind that feels as fuzzy as a mohair sweater. But when 9 p.m. comes around, I have enough energy to run a marathon.

I’ve researched this topic many a time. I’ve even been to a sleep doctor who got testy when I told him I’d rather not go on various prescription sleep medicines. So when an opportunity to review “Good Night” came up, I was jumping for joy -- with visions of being alert and energetic dancing in my head. I was hoping Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D. – the superhero of sleep -- would be the answer to my prayers.

What I liked:
Dr. Breus has a very approachable and friendly writing style. He goes into great detail as to WHY sleep is important and HOW it can help you look younger, lose weight, give you energy and avoid future health problems. And when it comes down to the business of improving the quality of your sleep? He offers practical solutions – even mentioning products you may not have known existed to assist in your endeavor. But he also emphasizes in the beginning that if you want to succeed? You must commit and make the quest for a good night’s sleep a priority.
As you advance in your reading, you can put various tips you pick up into practice. A better night’s sleep? Is merely a flip of a page away.

I found the “Sleep Hygiene” information very insightful. The doctor gives some great advice on how to transform your bedroom into a heaven – a place you associate relaxation and sleep. While I know we need our bedroom to be dark and quiet to ensure the best sleep, I never thought about how temperatures, smells or general clutter could affect my rest.

Once I followed his “bedroom makeover” tips, I did feel more at ease in our sleeping space. After I bought new pillows (based on his recommendations), and an air purifier, I noticed even my husband (a man who rarely has sleep issues) was sleeping better.

Dr. Breus also talks about the people who “steal” your sleep. My husband? Champion sleep stealer. For years, I’ve thought the only way I’d ever get a good night’s sleep on a consistent basis would be if I: a.) died or b.) divorced him. And like many couples, we’ve tried separate bedrooms but stopped after feeling the intimacy in our relationship wane. “Good Night” offers some wonderful ideas on how to deal with these kind of spouses. For example, I had no clue there are alarm clocks out there that vibrate to wake someone – no more awful screeching sound at 5 a.m. (Which is great when you can't seem to fall asleep until 2 a.m.) And sound machines to drown out extreme snoring? Best. Invention. Ever.There’s even tips on how to deal with those little slumber-swiping critters we call children!I also found the "smart napping techniques" extremely useful as well as information on exercise times based on whether a person is a “morning person” or a “night owl.”

He even discusses the best foods to eat, the best times for sex and has a plethora of relaxation methods to employ to gain a restorative night’s sleep.Also, according to the good doctor, you don’t have to give up caffeine or alcohol. He gives some very smart advice on how to balance your “love” of both and STILL get a good night’s rest.

What I didn’t like: I tried to keep a journal to figure out how many hours of sleep I need in order to feel “well rested.” I found this difficult. What do you do when you typically wake up each morning with an achy noggin due to sinus problems or migraines? How do you calculate your sleep when you’ve got a child who’s now in bed with you because he’s had a bad dream and repeatedly kicks you in the face throughout a night? What about those times when you've been up so many times you've lost count?

This book is PERFECT for:
There are many who will benefit from this book -- mainly anyone who's tired on a regular basis. Even people who sleep well at home but not on the road can use the travel sleep tips listed. I’ve mentioned this book to several women I know who have sleep issues. I’ve got three people who are dying to get their hot little hands on my copy of this book.

But if you can’t get the book just yet, the doctor has two great websites: http://www.yourbeautysleep.com/ and http://www.theinsomniablog.com/.

In short?
The book offers a plethora of solid advice. I started reading the book at the beginning of what ended up being a long period of stress and upheaval within my family. (Illnesses, a time change, many migraines, a family vacation, husband’s travel, back problems, and our son's trip to the emergency room.) So it was difficult to be consistent to the sleep boot camp schedule. But I still got a lot out of the program. And for the record? I plan to return to the boot camp schedule in a few days.

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network. If you have a product you'd like PBN to review, click on this link for more info.

Let's talk about books...

There are many, many times throughout a child's life a parent laments, "I wish someone would create an 'owners manual' for these little people." Well, fear not -- Pediatrician Jennifer Trachtenberg has."Good Kids, Bad Habits: The Real Age Guide to Raising Healthy Children" covers it all -- from stressing the benefits of healthy eating, good hygiene and lots of exercise to the virtues of establishing effective homework habits and safety-proofing your home.

The premise of the book? To raise children with healthy habits so they grow into ADULTS with established, healthy habits. The book begins with a test to gauge your child's activity level, social/emotional health and eating as well as safety habits.

Soon after, Trachtenberg introduces the 4 I's -- Identify, Inform, Instruct, and Instill.For me, much of the information covered was no huge surprise. But, it did serve as a great reminder in areas where I need to do some fine-tuning. The book offers information on/tips for children in every age range, so it was insightful to learn exactly how some needs change with age.

What I liked:
Jennifer's writing style is matter-of-fact and the overall tone is warm. The font-size is easy on the eyes, and vocabulary simple, making for a fast read. I also like that you could stop in the middle of a page, attend to a child or answer the phone, then easily pick up where you left off.

There are tons of tips scattered throughout the book. The author uses a lot of common sense and practical solutions when dealing with age-old parenting dilemmas. (A germ-containing strategy she shared that I found valuable is to teach your children to cough into a tissue or the crook of their elbow --NOT THEIR HANDS -- to minimize the risk. This is very important to me since one of Seth's teachers has cancer and is undergoing chemo treatments.)

The "five second rule" is an often debated subject at our house. (My hubby being for, me being against.) I highlighted a few topics, like this one, so the next time my hubby rolls his eyes and insinuates I'm a paranoid, worry-wart, I have the good doctor's advice on my side.

Trachtenberg also reminds us that we, as parents, don't have to make EVERY change she proposes. She recommends small changes and encourages a parent to keep improving -- small changes add up to big benefits for your child's health.

I particularly liked the section about building a child's self-esteem. She reminds parents how crucial our support and encouragement is in nurturing a child's interests. She also reminds us that children aren't born knowing how to make friends. (I was very happy to see this -- many parents forget making friends is a skill that needs to be learned and practiced.) Then, she presents a few ideas on how to help children socialize and how to choose healthy friendships.

What I didn't like:
Sometimes the advice is so basic it may offend. An example: "When you begin noticing that your son or daughter has a different sort of odor after returning from soccer practice, it is time to introduce deodorant." (This may sound condescending to a reader. I assume she intents to educate as broad an audience as possible -- including people with little education and those who might not be aware of mainstream American hygienic practices.)

While the author did mention a host of the health problems children can have such as ADHD, Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma, childhood cancer, Depression and Eczema, I would like to have seen a few paragraphs on Sensory Integration Dysfunction -- a diagnosed condition that's increasingly common but unfortunately not widely publicized.

The book is PERFECT for:
This book best benefits people who are new to parenthood and don't have time (or don't want) to read a plethora of childcare books. This book (especially the chapter on safety, since guidelines have changed much over the years) would serve as a great refresher for new grandparents or others who aren't in the practice of addressing childcare needs.

This review was written for The Parent Bloggers Network. If you have a product you'd like PBN to review, click on this link for more info.