One Chic Mama Review

Posted on July 27, 2008 by admin

OneChicMama.com

OneChicMama.com is a site devoted to mothers, because, as their slogan states, “motherhood doesn’t mean the end of style.”  But there is a lot more to this site than simply style- and beauty-related products and information, so even if you’re not feeling your most stylish as a new or experienced mother, there’s plenty of great product information here, along with giveaways and useful information for your family.

Online since May 2006, this site offers almost daily blog posts full of great products for mothers and their families.  Readers can view product reviews of everything from diaper bags to eco-friendly shopping bags, jewelry to household cleaners, baby shoes to women’s shoes, and nearly everything in between.

The “Spacialist,” a New-York based space organizer, makes regular guest appearances and offers wonderful tips for home organization projects that are innovative and simple to implement.

Many of the products reviewed here are available as giveaways; simply read the posts for the “catch” (posting a comment on the site) to be entered into drawings.  OneChicMama often offers discounts on ordering, too, and the links to the products are clear and easy to navigate.

While you’re on the site, check out the “Chic Links,” a list of other sites that offer similar services, as well as a list of sponsors that includes unique sites you may otherwise have never visited.

Readers can also sign up for the newsletter or email the site to offer tips and suggestions for other readers.
If you’re looking for a site that rounds up unique, innovative products that have been tested by other moms, this site is one to bookmark and check often.

Posted in Resources for Mothers | Tagged family information, fashion for moms, motherhood style, one chic mama, onechicmama.com, product reviews, style and beauty | Leave a comment

Homeschool Portal Review

Posted on July 17, 2008 by admin

HomeschoolPortal.com

Homeschool Portal is a wonderful resource for parents who are searching for a comprehensive list of educational materials for their children.  Containing over 2000 links, the site is a comprehensive listing of websites, businesses, and educational resources that support the homeschooling community, teachers, parents, and students. Users can rate each site they visit, providing important insights to other users.

Because the site is so vast, the easiest way to browse for materials is to go to the bottom of the homepage and choose the directory tab, which will take you to a page where information is sorted by category and presented in alphabetical order.  Scroll down the page to see main categories, and then click on a folder to view the subcategories and read a full description.

Under the directory, users can search audio, books, school subject, family and home life, homeschool information, software, toys and games, special needs, reference materials, early childhood learning, and a number of other subcategories.  Under each subcategory, users will find a list of pertinent links to follow that relate to the particular subject.

Users can sort the results, choosing to show newest or oldest first, highest rated, most votes, least votes, or to list by alphabetical order, and choose the number of results to show per page. Since there is so much material available on this one site, having the information accessible by a number of different sort features makes finding just what you’re looking for easier.

The site also offers a “search the directory” feature for quick searches, but users who have time to may find it more interesting to browse around the featured links since the site is so packed with useful information.
The “featured” link connects users to the feature of the month and offers a link to previous features; the “homeschool ecards” link allows users to send ecards with a homeschooling theme; the “links” link is a place where users can report for deletion any links that pertain to gambling or adult themes; and the “supermall” link takes users to the supermall site, full of products for homeschoolers.

Users will find a vast number of resources on the Homeschool Portal, so set aside a lot of time to check out the many, useful resources offered here.

Posted in Resources For Children, Resources for Parents, Resources for Teachers | Tagged educational materials for children, home school portal review, homeschool, homeschool portal review, homeschooling, homeschoolportal.com | Leave a comment

Practical Parenting Advice Review

Posted on July 11, 2008 by admin

practicalparent.org.uk

Practical Parenting Advice is a fun and colorful site run by Psychologist Andy Gill and contains resources for both parents and professionals regarding child behavior and development and family relationships. The company is a non-profit, but there are items for sale on the site.

On the site users can purchase an at-home 5 week parenting course applicable to children aged 2 to 7; the course includes professional support and research-based methods regarding behavioral difficulties like defiance and temper tantrums.

There are plenty of free resources on the site as well, such as parenting advice tips on topic such as understanding child behavior, building trust, and protecting self-esteem.  A free newsletter is also available to subscribers.

A parenting message and discussion board provides a forum to discuss parenting issues with other parents, and there is an extensive list of links to other sites related to parenting issues, from baby clothing to school choices to summer fun for children.  Users can rate or add links here.

Because the company is located in the UK, the section that offers information on discounted travel to family-friendly destinations may or may not prove useful, but there is also a selection of discounted family- and parenting-focused books available for order online in conjunction with Amazon UK.

Users can search the site via Google search, and the fun and colorful graphics make the site visually appealing and easy to navigate.

Posted in Professional Resources, Resources for Parents | Tagged andy gill, parenting advice, parenting course, practical parenting advice, practicalparenting.org.uk, resources for parents, resources for professionals | Leave a comment

Educational Productions Review

Posted on July 9, 2008 by admin

edpro.com

Educational Productions was started in 1982 by writers, video producers, and parents Linda Freedman and Rae Latham.  The founders’ mission is to make a difference in children’s lives by increasing “the skills and understanding of the adults who work with, teach and care for young children.”

The result of this mission is that the founders have created a vast collection of video-based early childhood training materials and have trained thousands of early childhood education, child care, pre-K, K-2, and head start students, staff, and parents.

Recently acquired by the company Teaching Strategies, EdPro’s site is still active and the company has a large selection of programs from which to choose, as well as a link to Teaching Strategies for browsers who wish to visit there.

On Educational Productions’ website users will find a comprehensive selection of materials on topics such as advocacy, birth to 4, school readiness, nurturing social-emotional skills, parent education resources, and head start training.

The Quick Links list links users right to information on their Video Training Programs , a video clip library, child care training, distance learning, special needs, and other resources, including videos in Spanish.
Users can preview video clips online and review complete transcripts from the video programs as well as see performance standards related to each video series and sample activities, discussion questions and handouts for every program by visiting the “see previews online” link.

View the featured clip from the “Understanding Difficult Behavior” video, part of the “Reframing Discipline Strategies” series, under the “View Our Featured Clip” link.  Suggested discussion questions designed to engage and challenge viewers are also on the preview page.

Users can also view the entire catalogue by selecting the Catalogue link at the top of the home page and choosing to view by topic, those programs available in Spanish, a complete list of EdPro video programs, or a complete price list.

Posted in Resources for Teachers | Tagged edpro.com, educational productions, educational productions review, parent education resources, Resources for Teachers, teacher training | Leave a comment

Teach The Children Well Review

Posted on July 7, 2008 by admin

teachthechildrenwell.com

If you’re looking for a comprehensive collection of educational websites, Teach the Children Well is a great resource.  This website is a vast collection of website amassed by a teacher, for teachers, students, and their parents.

While the sheer number of sites available here is almost overwhelming, the site is neatly divided sections that make for easy browsing, or users can search for a specific topic.  The site was designed for elementary grades, but the material will appeal to older students as well.

The teachers’ section is divided into categories:  Game of the Day; Animals; Science; Language Arts; The Arts; Math; Social Studies; Challenges; Other Topics; Technology; Early Learning; and Parents and Teachers.

Within each category users will find further sub-categories (types of animals, for instance, or geographical locations), and within those sub-categories are hundreds of links to sites that relate to the particular topic.
Users will also find Search Engines for Kids and References Links, as well as a place to suggest a link be added to the site.

Be prepared to set aside a chunk of time to browse the many, many references here, or bookmark the page as a meta-reference page for future use.

Posted in Parenting, Professional Resources, Resources For Children | Tagged educational websites, links for children, teach the children well, teachthechildrenwell.com | Leave a comment

March of Dimes Review

Posted on June 26, 2008 by admin

marchofdimes.com

The March of Dimes is a well-known and established organization devoted to education and advocacy for healthy newborns.  The March of Dimes is dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality.

Their website contains a great deal of information from which parents can benefit.  Users can review all the information or jump straight to a local chapter by entering their ZIP code in the search bar on the homepage.

The site’s homepage is packed with information for parents, including a Calling All Moms blog where parents can share and learn parenting tips, a Prematurity Campaign section that details what the March of Dimes is doing to assure healthy, full-term pregnancies, a place to Share a Story of your newborn, and a Shop to Help section where users can shop for clothing and other items to show support for the March of Dimes’ programs.

Special Features includes answers to questions about folic acid intake during pregnancy, daily pregnancy tips, what to expect during newborn development, ovulation and pregnancy calendars, and more.

There is a section on Pregnancy and Newborn loss with information about the grieving process and how it affects parents and families, a section that contains articles related to birth defects and genetic disorders, and newborn screening tests.

Fathers will appreciate the Just for Dad section that includes information on how fathers can help with breastfeeding, what to expect when baby comes home, and Dad’s first year.

The Professionals and Researchers section has medical reference fact sheets, a perinatal data resource section, and a product catalogue of March of Dimes resources.

The Ask us Now! Section provides answers to questions about pregnancy diet restrictions, preterm labor, and other common questions about a healthy pregnancy.  Readers can also sign up for a newsletter with news, stories, articles for parents, and more.

The How You Can Help section of the website makes it easy to donate to the March of Dimes and support their advocacy campaigns, or volunteer to help make a difference in the lives of newborns.

Finally, the News Desk section provides up-to-date articles and items in the news that are related to causes the March of Dimes champions.

Posted in Babies and Newborns | Tagged healthy babies, healthy baby, healthy pregnancy, march of dimes, parent information, parenting tips, pregnancy, pregnancy and newborns, questions about pregnancy | Leave a comment

Scoliosis Rehab Inc. Review

Posted on June 25, 2008 by admin

scoliosisrehab.com

Scoliosis is a condition that doesn’t get a lot of press, but if you are affected by it, you likely want to find out as much as you can about possible treatments.  Scoliosis Rehab, Inc. is an excellent resource.

Scoliosis Rehab, Inc., was founded by two mothers of adolescents with scoliosis:  Beth Janssen, with 20 years of experience as a practicing Physical Therapist, and Rhonda Campo, who has 20 years of experience in the healthcare and biotech arenas.  Beth was a Certified Schroth Therapist, who found the Schroth method a way to improve a child’s ability to accept and manage scoliosis.  Because the Schroth method worked so well to help their children improve their vital capacity, the wanted to make the method available in the US.

The Schroth Method is multidisciplinary and involves a physician referral, an evaluation, and an exercise regime directed by a physical therapist trained in the method.

Scoliosis Rehab’s website is designed to inform patients about the method and about treatment available for adults and adolescents.  Learn about training, evaluation, treatment, and goals under the Our Program tab.  The History section provides background about Janssen and Campo and the Schroth method, as well as links to other source material.

There is a FAQ section that answers general questions about scoliosis and about treatments, as well as a references section that allows to reader to find more in-depth information about these topics.

Check out the Services section for information about Scoliosis Rehab, their on-site Pilates studio, and the Klasinski Clinic, located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Readers will find an extensive list of related literature in the Resource section and a simple form to fill out under the Contact Us tab that will allow Scoliosis Rehab to contact them by phone or email.

The Testimonials page is extensive and contains first-hand accounts from adults and adolescents who have benefitted from Scoliosis Rehab’s services.  The site also provides a useful Travel Links section with maps and lodging information for out-of-state clients.

Posted in Scoliosis | Tagged adolescent scoliosis, adolescents with scoliosis, child scoliosis, children with scoliosis, scoliosis, scoliosis rehab | Leave a comment

Sage Publications Review

Posted on June 21, 2008 by admin

sagepub.com

SAGE Publications is, as their website states, “the academic and professional publisher of choice.”  An independent, international publisher, SAGE publishes books, journals, and electronic media.  A world leader in scholarly, professional, and educational markets, SAGE makes available a wide variety of materials in an easy-to-access format.

SAGE Publications’ products include journals in print and varied electronic formats, reference and academic books, teaching texts for college courses, and professional books that reflect practical approaches to new challenges.

SAGE’s website allows users to browse by type of publication (text books, journals, online journals, reference books, and data bases), subject, or course.  Users will find quick reference to a variety of subjects, including women’s studies, counseling, criminology and criminal justice, psychology, business, African-American studies, dyslexia, family studies, and gerontology.  For nearly any field of study, SAGE has reference material that is easy to search and easy to order.

Users can order a copy of a print catalogue as well, or request complimentary review titles for the upcoming academic year in a wide range of subjects.

Authors of primary research articles for biomedical journals can make their work freely available on a large number of biomedical journals through SAGE journals online on a fee per article basis.

The site’s librarian site section offers a wealth of information for maximizing use of SAGE’s services, and SAGE collaborates with a number of society and associations, large and small, to bring to users a vast variety of published material across the curriculum.

SAGE offers an easy-to-use site search feature as well as secure online ordering, so users can feel safe about purchasing materials from the site.  Faculty can request a complimentary review copy of materials, and SAGE offers a 60 day examination period for many texts as well.

Users can also sign up for journal alerts, product alerts, and a librarians’ newsletter, all available by email.

Posted in Professional Resources | Tagged academic publisher, educational materials, Professional Resources, Sage Publications, sagepublications.com | Leave a comment

Safe Kids Worldwide Review

Posted on June 19, 2008 by admin

safekids.org

usa.safekids.org

Accidental childhood injury is a leading killer of children aged 14 and younger.  Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations who have come together to prevent accidental childhood injury.

Over 450 coalitions in 16 countries participate in Safe Kids, bringing together health and safety experts, foundations, corporations, educators, governments, and volunteers whose mission is to educate and protect families.  Founded in 1987 by Children’s National Medical Center with support from Johnson & Johnson, Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization that is located in Washington, D.C.

Safe Kids Worldwide members work to empower local communities by building grassroots coalitions designed to prevent accidental injuries, to increase national awareness of accidental injuries, to encourage sound research on risks and solutions, pass and improve child safety regulations and laws, and to provide devices such as child safety seats, helmets, and smoke detectors to families in need of these items.

Safe Kids website is a terrific resource for parents.  Perhaps the most useful feature for quick reference on a number of common safety issues is the “Safety Tips” section of the website.  There, users will find safety tips regarding Airway Obstructions, Bikes, Cars, Falls  Fire and Burns, Pedestrians, Poison , and Water and Drowning

The sites “News and Facts” section contains current and past information about child safety reports, providing links to important safety tips such as the “Spot the Tot” campaign designed to avoid driveway and parking lot accidents.   Car seat safety and accidental drowning are other topics covered in this section, and each news and facts entry contains a link to a site that will provide users a more in-depth look at the topic.

Individual and corporate sponsors can find out more about supporting Safe Kids on the “Support Us” page, and users can sign up for the Safety Works newsletter, a monthly publication available by mail or email.

Posted in Child Safety | Tagged Child Safety, child safety tips, kid safety, safe kids, safe kids usa, safe kids website, safe kids worldwide, safekids.org, safety tips | Leave a comment

Parenting.com Review

Posted on June 17, 2008 by admin

Parenting.com

is a wonderful resource for parents, containing information on nearly any aspect of parenting you can think of. Sections on fertility, pregnancy, babies, toddlers, moms – as well as recipes, activities, and gear – make this site a comprehensive collection of resources for all your parenting needs.

Each of the tabbed sections on the site’s homepage is broken down into sub-categories that are easy to browse for just the right article, or allow users to link from topic to topic and read the copious amount of information available.

Parening.com knows that parents want to browse quickly for information they want and need, so the homepage is designed with brief descriptions of the links that are clear and easy to understand. Readers can link to full articles or sections after reading a concise summary of the information contained therein, or keep browsing to find just what they’re looking for.

The site’s homepage features a Parenting Post link where you can read about adventures of other parents, a clever baby photo gallery of user-submitted photographs, and a Cool Tools link where readers can find a child symptom checker, pregnancy planner, an ages and stages guide, and other links.

The Community section features forums where users can discuss topics like sibling rivalry and share “bad mommy moments.” The Top Ten list is a compendium of top ten articles on hot topics such as breastfeeding, and the site also features contests and giveaways.

Featured Stories is a quick link to the latest articles available, with a quick description of the feature and a link to the full article.

The Today section allows frequent users to link right to the latest articles and features, providing time-sensitive links and top stories.

Users can subscribe to BabyTalk and Parenting magazines online through secure ordering as well.

Money saving tips, food portion and serving size guides, travel secrets, and summer styles and trends are a few of the topics mothers may be particularly interested in, but there is plenty of information here geared to fathers, as well.

The sprit of the site is that of community; parents share their best practices here to help other parents – whether they be seasoned pros or first-timers – to plan trips and birthday parties, find activities to keep little ones busy, make a nutritious meal, foster positive adult relationships, or just figure out ways to sneak in a little “me time” while parenting.

Realistic and user-friendly information that is presented in a straightforward way makes Parenting.com a great read for all parents.

Posted in Parenting | Tagged babytalk, Parenting, parenting magazine, parenting.com, parenting.com review, resources for parents | Leave a comment