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	<title>Mummy&#039;s Reviews &#187; education</title>
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	<description>Reviews &#38; Tips for Smart Parents with Babies &#38; Toddlers</description>
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		<title>Learn how to teach your child math, science, language &amp; more [Giveaway #22: Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program]</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2012/02/01/review-karen-tyler-montessori-teacher-training-program/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2012/02/01/review-karen-tyler-montessori-teacher-training-program/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[giveaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homeschooling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Karen Tyler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Montessori]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Exciting news! Today, I&#8217;m reviewing the fantastic Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program, and 1 lucky Mummy (or Daddy) stands to win a seat in her online class, worth USD150! I&#8217;ve been attending the program since 1 December 2011. It complements The Shichida Method that we&#8217;re using very well, provides a comprehensive homeschooling curriculum, saves me [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2012/02/01/review-karen-tyler-montessori-teacher-training-program/">Learn how to teach your child math, science, language &#038; more [Giveaway #22: Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program]</a>.
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<p>Exciting news! Today, I&#8217;m reviewing the fantastic <strong>Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program</strong>, and 1 lucky Mummy (or Daddy) stands to win a seat in her online class, worth USD150!</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been attending the program since 1 December 2011. It complements <a title="Mummy's Reviews The Shichida Method" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/tag/shichida-method">The Shichida Method</a> that we&#8217;re using very well, provides a comprehensive homeschooling curriculum, saves me TONNES of time researching, and Vee&#8217;s enjoying the activities every day.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re passionate about teaching your child at home, do check this program out&#8230;</p>
<h2>What&#8217;s the Montessori Method?</h2>
<p>The Montessori Method is popular among many preschools and parents nowadays. The method is <em>&#8220;characterised by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development, as well as technological advancements in society.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em></em>Read more <a title="Montessori education Wikipedia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education" rel="nofollow">Montessori education at Wikipedia here</a>.</p>
<h2><strong>About Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program</strong></h2>
<p>These are the main features of the program:</p>
<ul>
<li>Instructor is Karen Tyler, who is AMS-certified and has been teaching for over 30 years</li>
<li>Suitable for homeschooling families and existing Montessori educators</li>
<li>Learn the Montessori Method to teach children aged 2 to 6 years old</li>
<li>Receive a 12-volume set of Montessori Albums covering Astronomy, Botany, Ecology, Geography, Geology, History, Language, Mathematics, Physical Science, Practical Life, Sensorial, and Zoology.</li>
<li>Entirely online, with no tests, assignments, and time limit</li>
<li>May make comments or ask questions by posting to the class Yahoo Group or contacting Karen</li>
<li>Choice of Standard Program (24 months) or Fast Track (12 months)</li>
</ul>
<p>For more details, visit the <a title="Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program course specifics" href="http://worldwidemontessorionline.com/course-specifics.html" rel="nofollow">course specifics here</a>. You may download the <a title="Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program Albums" href="http://worldwidemontessorionline.com/montessori-albums.html" rel="nofollow">Table of Contents for the albums here</a>.</p>
<h2><strong>Our Detailed Review</strong></h2>
<p><strong>Rating Guide: </strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">★</span> Oh no!     <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★</span> Poor     <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★★</span> Fair     <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★★★</span> Good     <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★★★★</span> Excellent!</p>
<p><strong>(a) Program Contents:</strong> <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★★★★</span> I signed up as a Fast Track student to complete the course within 12 months. Vee&#8217;s almost 3 years old and learning like a sponge. I need to make full use of this &#8220;sensitive period&#8221;. If your child is younger (say less than 1 year old), you may choose to complete the course over 24 months.</p>
<p>The 12 albums contain <strong>thousands of pages of activities</strong>, all in PDF files. I like that they&#8217;re very comprehensive, even covering subjects such as Astronomy. This way, I can choose the activities based on Vee&#8217;s interest at that point in time.</p>
<p>Even on the Fast Track route, I find the readings <strong>very manageable</strong>. I usually spend 15 to 30 minutes a week on the assigned readings (mainly presentations of activities in 1 to 2 albums). I prefer to read them using my iPad anytime, anywhere, instead of printing them. Once I identify suitable activities, I&#8217;d proceed to prepare or buy the needed materials.</p>
<p>I love the <strong>many FAQs</strong> that Karen has uploaded at the beginning of the course. These gave me a good idea on implementing the Montessori Method at home.</p>
<p><strong>(b) Effectiveness:</strong> <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★★★★</span> These few months, Vee&#8217;s very interested in imitating adult activities such as pouring, sweeping the floor, and using locks and keys. The ideas in the Practical Life album are perfect for us now.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve effectively taught him how to cover his nose when he sneezes, stand up properly, walk in a straight line, etc. Before using the Montessori Method, it could be frustrating teaching him these seemingly simple things.</p>
<p>Our homeschool organisation system has been revamped using the Montessori way. Now, I lay many activities on the shelves using trays. Then when I need to attend to baby Jae, Vee would work independently. Very peaceful! <em>(I&#8217;d be getting more shelves and materials, so stay tuned for updates.)</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Homeschool-Montessori-Shelves.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6023" title="Homeschool Montessori Shelves" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Homeschool-Montessori-Shelves.jpg" alt="Homeschool Montessori Shelves" width="360" height="512" /></a></p>
<p>Karen&#8217;s albums provide step-by-step instructions on how to present each activity. These are very easy to follow.</p>
<p>I like that our homeschool environment is now much more effective, and Vee has become a more independent learner.</p>
<p><strong>(c) Service:</strong> <span style="color: #ff0000;">★★★★★</span> Karen&#8217;s very responsive with questions asked in emails and the Yahoo Group forum. She usually replies within a day or two. And if she&#8217;s on vacation, she&#8217;d inform everyone, and even clears emails during vacation!</p>
<p><strong>(d) Overall Value: <span style="color: #ff0000;">★<strong>★</strong>★★★ </span></strong>The price of the program ranges from USD150 (paid upfront) to USD240 (paid monthly). The albums, which are packed with activities, are already worth the price. Moreover, it frees up my time researching, thus spending more time implementing the activities instead. At this price, I can&#8217;t find any other comparable course.</p>
<p><strong>The program is superb value for money and I highly recommend it.</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>What we like about it:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Comprehensive albums and notes for educating a child from 2 to 6 years old</li>
<li>For the busy mum &#8212; no tests and assignments</li>
<li>Quick email and forum response</li>
<li>Superb value for money</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What can be improved:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Some typo errors in the albums</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Win Your Own</h2>
<p>To thank supporters of Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. ONE (1) lucky member will win a seat in Karen Tyler&#8217;s Montessori Teacher Training Program that starts on <strong>1 March 2012</strong>, worth USD150!</p>
<h3>How to Participate</h3>
<p>1. Join <a title="Join Mummy's Reviews Parents Club" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/about/join-parents-club/" target="_self">Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™ Parents Club here</a> or below (existing members counted)<br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://forms.aweber.com/form/24/1988546724.js"></script></p>
<p>2. Fill in the online form <a title="Giveaway #22: Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program" href="https://docs.google.com/a/mummysreviews.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dC1kWGEzRTJIS3ltanJxYkhZVFFNdUE6MA#gid=0"><strong>HERE</strong></a></p>
<h3><strong>Other Information</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>This Giveaway is open to subscribers <strong>worldwide</strong> (except in countries that don&#8217;t allow participation in lucky draws / sweepstakes).</li>
<li>I&#8217;d choose the entry with the <strong>best supporting reason</strong> to win the seat. If I really can&#8217;t decide, then the winning entry will be chosen randomly.</li>
<li>It will run until 10 February 2012 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT +8).</li>
<li>The usual <a title="Giveaway Terms" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/for-readers/" target="_self">Giveaway Terms</a> apply.</li>
</ul>
<p>Submit your entry now and good luck!</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Get Your Own</h2>
<p>To join Karen Tyler&#8217;s Montessori Teacher Training Program, visit <a title="Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program" href="http://www.worldwidemontessorionline.com/" rel="nofollow">World Wide Montessori Online</a>.</p>
<p>For enquiries, you may email Karen at <a href="mailto:karen@amontessorimarketplace.com">karen [at] amontessorimarketplace [dot] com</a>.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>P.S. Read more on <a title="Mummy's Reviews homeschooling" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/tag/homeschooling">homeschooling</a>.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>Disclosure: I paid for my own training course and did not receive anything from Karen Tyler for this review. I simply love it very much and wish to share this information with other parents.</p>
<p>Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.
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<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2012/02/01/review-karen-tyler-montessori-teacher-training-program/">Learn how to teach your child math, science, language &#038; more [Giveaway #22: Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program]</a>.
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		<title>Review: Homeschooling Fun with My First Sticky Mosaics</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/01/26/my-first-sticky-mosaics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/01/26/my-first-sticky-mosaics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[discount codes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Simple Thots]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mummysreviews.com/?p=2625</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Besides The Lunch Punch®, Grace from Simple Thots also sent me 2 sets of My First Sticky Mosaics® to review. For the past few weeks, these sticky mosaics have become part of our homeschooling activities, helping Vee revise his colours and shapes, and practise his fine motor skills, all while having fun. About My First Sticky Mosaics® [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/01/26/my-first-sticky-mosaics/">Review: Homeschooling Fun with My First Sticky Mosaics</a>.
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Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/01/24/lunch-punch/' rel='bookmark' title='Review: Lunch Punch® Nearly Made Vee Overdose on Bread'>Review: Lunch Punch® Nearly Made Vee Overdose on Bread</a></li>
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<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-Vehicles-Packaging.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3155" title="My First Sticky Mosaics - Vehicles (Packaging)" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-Vehicles-Packaging.jpg" alt="My First Sticky Mosaics - Vehicles (Packaging)" width="480" height="388" /></a></p>
<p>Besides <a title="Review: Lunch Punch food cutters" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/01/24/lunch-punch/" target="_self">The Lunch Punch®</a>, Grace from <a title="Simple Thots" rel="nofollow" href="http://shop.simplethots.com.sg/" target="_self">Simple Thots</a> also sent me 2 sets of My First Sticky Mosaics® to review. For the past few weeks, these sticky mosaics have become part of our homeschooling activities, helping Vee revise his colours and shapes, and practise his fine motor skills, all while having fun.</p>
<h2><strong>About My First Sticky Mosaics®</strong></h2>
<p>These are the main features of Lunch Punch®:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Materials:</strong> Not specified (Refer to <a title="General Certificate of Conformity - My First Sticky Mosaics" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.orbfactory.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/original/application/45ae684925217f5b0107817890b6c337.pdf">General Certificate of Conformity</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Contents:</strong> 1000+ sticky foam pieces, 5 designs and 5 plastic hangers</li>
<li><strong>Country of origin: </strong>Made in China (Designed by The Orb Factory Limited, based in Canada)</li>
</ul>
<p>8 sets of designs are available.</p>
<h2><strong>First Impressions</strong></h2>
<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-Vehicles-Contents.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3154" title="My First Sticky Mosaics - Vehicles (Contents)" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-Vehicles-Contents.jpg" alt="My First Sticky Mosaics - Vehicles (Contents)" width="480" height="355" /></a></p>
<p>Vee loves vehicles and animals, so I chose the sets &#8220;Vehicles&#8221; and &#8220;Pets&#8221;.  Each set comes with 5 pictures and many foam stickers. I like that the cardboard pieces are thick and durable enough to withstand rough-holding by a young toddler.</p>
<p>One downside: the content of the foam pieces isn&#8217;t specified; though there&#8217;s a Toy Safety Statement and General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) document published online. The foam pieces are very colourful, and here&#8217;s a close-up:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-foam-stickers-close-up.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3153" title="My First Sticky Mosaics (foam stickers close-up)" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-foam-stickers-close-up.jpg" alt="My First Sticky Mosaics (foam stickers close-up)" width="480" height="327" /></a></p>
<p>The packaging states that this activity is meant for 3 years old and above. The small foam pieces could pose a choking risk for young children who mouth things, so I supervise Vee closely when using them.</p>
<h2><strong>How We Tested It</strong></h2>
<p><strong>(a) Ease of Use: </strong>For some time, Vee has loved playing with stickers. After I demonstrated how to stick the foam pieces onto the cardboard, he grasped the idea very quickly. The stickers are just the right size for his little fingers yet small enough to be challenging.</p>
<p>Initially, he tried to stick the shape in the correct position, and ended up at a distance away from the guide. Over a few weeks of practice, he&#8217;s now able to stick them with precision, matching the correct shape and colour. I like that the pieces are easy to unstick and re-position, without damaging the cardboard surface.</p>
<p>Since he has too little patience to stick THAT MANY pieces for 1 picture, I stuck most of them. We usually spend 5 to 10 minutes on this activity, and complete 1 picture over several days. No rush, just ensure that he enjoys it.</p>
<p>Take a look at 3 of our &#8220;masterpieces&#8221;:</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3160" title="My First Sticky Mosaics (3 pieces)" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-3-pieces.jpg" alt="My First Sticky Mosaics (3 completed pictures)" width="480" height="228" /></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>(b) Contents: </strong>Vee adores the circles much more than the squares and triangles, yet the pictures needed fewer of them. There are 5 small plastic hangers for hanging the pictures up. We don&#8217;t have hooks on the walls, so I stuck the pictures onto the wall instead. I like decorating Vee&#8217;s room with our completed craftwork.</p>
<p>After finishing the 5 mosaics, there&#8217;re still many pieces of foam stickers left. I used some of them for our letter B activity, where he can trace his fingers over the foam pieces. He loves it!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-Letter-B.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3159" title="My First Sticky Mosaics (Letter B)" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/My-First-Sticky-Mosaics-Letter-B.jpg" alt="My First Sticky Mosaics (Letter B)" width="480" height="304" /></a></p>
<p><strong>(c) Overall Value: </strong>My First Sticky Mosaics is priced at SDG17.90 per set (~USD14. or RM43). This is a fun activity for revising shapes and colours, while practising fine motor skills. The completed craftwork can be used to decorate the room, and the leftover pieces can be used for other activities. <strong>I think they are absolutely value for money and fit well into our homeschooling lessons.</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>What we like about it:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Easy to use &#8212; easy to stick, unstick and re-position</li>
<li>Thick and durable cardboard</li>
<li>Many extra pieces of foam stickers for other homeschooling activities</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What can be improved:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Include more &#8220;circles&#8221; in the mosaics <em>(Vee loves circles but the pictures needed many more squares and triangles than circles.)</em></li>
<li>Specify content of foam stickers, besides publishing a Toy Safety Statement and GCC document online</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Get Your Own (with Discount!)</h2>
<p><a href="http://shop.simplethots.com.sg/"><img class="alignnone" title="Simple Thots logo" src="http://shop.simplethots.com.sg/includes/templates/classic/images/logo.gif" alt="Simple Thots logo" width="314" height="90" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://shop.simplethots.com.sg/"></a>To get your own My First Sticky Mosaics and other interesting products for Mummy and baby, visit <a title="Simple Thots" href="http://shop.simplethots.com.sg/" target="_self" rel="nofollow">Simple Thots</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li>Special Treat: 15% discount on The Lunch Punch® and The Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics</li>
<li>Discount Code: <strong>MR15OFF</strong></li>
<li>Validity Period: Until 23 February 2011</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>Disclosure: I received 2 sets of My First Sticky Mosaics® (Vehicles and Pets) for review. I also received a packet of Sippy Straw Cleaner (SGD5.50), which is not part of the review.
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		<title>How I Shape My Child&#8217;s Behaviour</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/09/27/how-i-shape-my-childs-behaviour/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/09/27/how-i-shape-my-childs-behaviour/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[discipline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elizabeth Pantley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shichida Method]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sign language]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mummysreviews.com/?p=2281</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently, we&#8217;ve been travelling with no Internet access for several days. Finally I managed to reply a mountain of emails &#8212; including many enquiries from other Mummies on parenting and babycare. Here&#8217;s one to share with you: Do you know of any recommended books on good parenting / shaping a child&#8217;s behaviour eg. raising a well-mannered [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/09/27/how-i-shape-my-childs-behaviour/">How I Shape My Child&#8217;s Behaviour</a>.
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<p>Recently, we&#8217;ve been travelling with no Internet access for several days. Finally I managed to reply a <em>mountain</em> of emails &#8212; including many enquiries from other Mummies on parenting and babycare. Here&#8217;s one to share with you:</p>
<blockquote><p>Do you know of any recommended books on good parenting / shaping a child&#8217;s behaviour eg. raising a well-mannered child?</p></blockquote>
<p>Though my parenting experience is only 19 months with Vee, raising a well-behaved child is among my top priorities. I believe that the first 3 years are the most important in shaping a child&#8217;s behaviour, which is a key reason for me being a Stay-At-Home-Mum. Currently, I have 3 tools.</p>
<h2>Tool #1: The Shichida Method</h2>
<p>Since Vee was 14 months old, we have been attending The Shichida Method&#8217;s weekly classes. That means 5 months of classes. The method teaches me how to show love to my boy, which helps him to behave well and absorb knowledge. The compulsory 3-hour Parent Education Course certainly shaped my parenting approach, and I have become more patient and loving to Vee.</p>
<p>The local principal mentioned something along this line, <strong><em>&#8220;If you want your child&#8217;s behaviour to change, you as a parent must change.&#8221; </em><span style="font-weight: normal;">I think this is very wise advice. If we keep using the same method and the child&#8217;s behaviour is still out of hand, it is time to reassess our parenting approach.</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">To me, The Shichida Method is much more than flashcards and memory games. It is an entire <em>parenting philosophy</em>.</span></strong></p>
<p>The websites are <a href="http://www.shichida.co.jp/english/c1-1_method.php">here (Japan main site)</a> and <a href="http://www.shichidamethod.com/">here (Singapore &amp; Malaysia)</a>.</p>
<h2>Tool #2: The No-Cry Discipline Solution</h2>
<p>Many of you may have realised that Elizabeth Pantley&#8217;s classic books <a title="Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/01/16/book-the-no-cry-sleep-solution-by-elizabeth-pantley/">The No-Cry Sleep Solution</a> and <a title="Book Review: The No-Cry Nap Solution by Elizabeth Pantley" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/07/20/book-the-no-cry-nap-solution-by-elizabeth-pantley/">The No-Cry Nap Solution</a> completely won me over. I grabbed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071471596?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=mumsrev-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0071471596">The No-Cry Discipline Solution</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mumsrev-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0071471596" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" />* since it was the last copy on the shelf.</p>
<p>The truth: I haven&#8217;t finished reading it after 1+ year. Interestingly, her early chapters and philosophy gives me a good idea of how to approach the topic of discipline. Then I improvise my own ways. When I meet a discipline obstacle, I refer to her book and fish out the tip.</p>
<p>Generally, I use <strong>positive discipline</strong>, i.e. tell the child what to do instead of what &#8220;not&#8221; to do.</p>
<ul>
<li>Example 1: &#8220;Leave the door alone&#8221; instead of &#8220;Don&#8217;t touch the door!&#8221;</li>
<li>Example 2: &#8220;Shh&#8230; Softer&#8221; instead of &#8220;Don&#8217;t scream / shout!&#8221;</li>
</ul>
<p>When things get out of hand, I bring Vee to a <strong>corner</strong> in the room to calm down, explain to him what should or should not be done. In our family, the corner is simply a <em>corner</em>. Not a <em>naughty</em> corner. I prefer to let Vee understand that he is a good boy by nature, just that he misses the line at times.</p>
<p>After that, I bring him to correct the action, for instance, clean up the mess. I reinforce that he is a good boy and Mummy loves him. (This is also in line with The Shichida Method: show love to the child, let him feel it strongly and he&#8217;d behave well.)</p>
<h2>Tool #3: Baby Sign Language</h2>
<p>I have been using hand signs with Vee since he was a baby, which allow better communication between us, leading to less tantrums and better behaviour. At 19 months old, he can express his needs and desires rather clearly to me, using a mixture of sign language and simple phrases.</p>
<p>He uses the signs for &#8220;please&#8221;, &#8220;sorry&#8221; and &#8220;thank you&#8221; when requested and sometimes on his own initiative. Our reference material is <a id="static_txt_preview" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W5GVHY?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=mumsrev-20&amp;link_code=as3&amp;camp=211189&amp;creative=373489&amp;creativeASIN=B000W5GVHY">Baby Signs Parent Kit</a>*. You may read more about it at <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/02/23/baby-sign-language-our-experience/">Baby Sign Language: Our Experience</a>.</p>
<p>Hope the above tools help. I&#8217;d be sharing more as I learn along the way.</p>
<p><strong>P.S. How do YOU shape your child&#8217;s behaviour?</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;<br />
*: affiliate link to support the growth and maintenance of Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™
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		<title>Water Play Tips for Babies and Toddlers (Splish, Splash, Splosh!)</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/08/17/water-play-tips-for-babies-and-toddlers-splish-splash-splosh/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/08/17/water-play-tips-for-babies-and-toddlers-splish-splash-splosh/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:00:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water play]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mummysreviews.com/?p=2093</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you have read the article on Bummis SWIMMI swim diapers, you would know that Vee loves playing in water. He can take 20 to 30-minute baths and still refuse to get out after that. Water play is a fun way for babies and toddlers to develop their sensory and fine motor skills. Tools for [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/08/17/water-play-tips-for-babies-and-toddlers-splish-splash-splosh/">Water Play Tips for Babies and Toddlers (Splish, Splash, Splosh!)</a>.
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<div id="attachment_2088" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 586px"><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ELC-Wavepool.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2088 " title="ELC Wave Pool" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ELC-Wavepool.jpg" alt="ELC Wave Pool" width="576" height="395" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Shallow portable pool for outdoor water play fun</p></div>
<p>If you have read the article on <a title="Review &amp; Giveaway: Bummis SWIMMI Swim Diapers" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/08/16/bummis-swimmi/" target="_self">Bummis SWIMMI swim diapers</a>, you would know that Vee loves playing in water. He can take 20 to 30-minute baths and still refuse to get out after that. Water play is a fun way for babies and toddlers to develop their sensory and fine motor skills.</p>
<h2>Tools for Water Play</h2>
<p>Many common household items and toys can be used for water play, for instance:</p>
<ul>
<li><a title="The First Years Newborn-to-Toddler Bath Tub" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/08/21/the-first-years-newborn-to-toddler-bath-tub/" target="_self">Bath tub</a></li>
<li>Portable pool</li>
<li>Squirt toys</li>
<li>Bath books</li>
<li>Sponges</li>
<li><a title="Cloth wipes" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/tag/cloth-wipes" target="_self">Cloth wipes</a> / handkerchiefs</li>
<li>Bottles / containers</li>
<li>Utensils (e.g. small pots, plans, ladle, funnel)</li>
<li>Cutlery (e.g. soup spoon)</li>
<li>Bubbles</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_2098" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 522px"><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ELC-Water-Play-Toys.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2098 " title="ELC Water Play Toys" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ELC-Water-Play-Toys.jpg" alt="ELC Water Play Toys" width="512" height="348" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Water play toys from ELC at only RM21 during clearance sale!</p></div>
<p><strong>Ideas for Water Play</strong></p>
<p>There are endless ways to have fun in water. These are some of our favourites:</p>
<ul>
<li>Scoop and pour water: learn about capacity &amp; gravity, improves hand-eye coordination</li>
<li>Soak sponges / cloths with water and squeeze them</li>
<li>Squirt water from toys: develops fine motor skill</li>
<li>Talk / sing about water movements (e.g. waves), actions (e.g. pouring), temperature (warm vs. cold), feel (wet vs. dry), sound (e.g. splash, drip): enhances baby&#8217;s vocabulary and general knowledge</li>
<li>Observe things that float vs. sink: learn about density</li>
<li>Give toys a bath: pretend play develops creative mind</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_2099" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 522px"><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ELC-Water-Play-Toys-2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2099 " title="ELC Water Play Toys - Scoop and Pour" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ELC-Water-Play-Toys-2.jpg" alt="ELC Water Play Toys - Scoop and Pour" width="512" height="350" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Scooping and pouring water in the bath tub</p></div>
<p><strong>Health and Safety Tips</strong></p>
<p>It is important to keep baby safe when playing with water, so note these:</p>
<ul>
<li>At home, direct the fan away so that baby does not catch a chill.</li>
<li>At outdoors, choose the time of the day when it is less sunny, 5-7 p.m. is a good time. Avoid outdoor water play on chilly days.</li>
<li>Keep eyes on baby ALWAYS</li>
<li>Watch that baby does not drink play water that contains soap</li>
<li>Have towels ready to wipe baby dry when he is done playing</li>
<li>Have towels to wipe the floor dry to prevent slipping</li>
</ul>
<p>Enjoy water play fun with your baby!</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>Sharing Time: What other water play ideas do you have?</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
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<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/08/16/review-playskool-clipo-heros-elc-alphabet-blocks/' rel='bookmark' title='[Toys] More educational blocks for toddlers'>[Toys] More educational blocks for toddlers</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: Create Your Own Books at Big Universe [Giveaway #8]</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/06/08/big-universe-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/06/08/big-universe-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:28:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[giveaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Big Universe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[library]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reading]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mummysreviews.com/?p=1350</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Two months have passed since Vee and I had our Big Universe account and published our first review at &#8220;Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe&#8221;. Since then, we have read several more books online and these are two of our favourites: (Images sourced from Big Universe) Fix It, Sam by Lori Ries [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/06/08/big-universe-2/">Review: Create Your Own Books at Big Universe [Giveaway #8]</a>.
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Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/04/16/big-universe/' rel='bookmark' title='Review: Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe'>Review: Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/01/19/giveaway-2-no-cry-books-by-elizabeth-pantley/' rel='bookmark' title='Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley'>Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/03/02/winner-of-no-cry-books-by-elizabeth-pantley/' rel='bookmark' title='Winner of Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley'>Winner of Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Big Universe" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/images/buttons/linktobu-468x60.jpg" alt="Big Universe" width="468" height="60" /></p>
<p>Two months have passed since Vee and I had our Big Universe account and published our first review at <a title="Read Hundreds of Children's Books at Home - Big Universe" href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/04/16/big-universe/" target="_blank">&#8220;Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe&#8221;</a>. Since then, we have read several more books online and these are two of our favourites:<br />
<img class="alignnone" title="Fix It, Sam by Lori Ries" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/bookthumbnails/410.gif" alt="Fix It, Sam by Lori Ries" width="120" height="120" /> <img class="alignnone" title="Super Sam by Lori Ries" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/bookthumbnails/413.gif" alt="Super Sam by Lori Ries" /></p>
<p>(Images sourced from Big Universe)</p>
<ol>
<li>Fix It, Sam by Lori Ries</li>
<li>Super Sam by Lori Ries</li>
</ol>
<p>The books are beautifully illustrated by Sue Ramá and very suitable for young children.</p>
<h2><strong>Vee&#8217;s First Personalised Book Published</strong></h2>
<p>The creation tool enables you to create, print and publish your own children&#8217;s picture book online. There are already 12,742 books created by Big Universe members! I was super-excited over creating Vee&#8217;s very first book and took an idea from The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley: create a personalised book for Vee to help him learn sleeping on his own without nursing through the night.</p>
<h2><strong> </strong></h2>
<p>There is a guide available to help you create your first book. As the guide took some time to download and I was getting very eager, I skipped it and got down to creating the book straightaway. The functions are rather intuitive and easy to figure out. I created the picture book by doing the following:</p>
<ol>
<li>Think of a book title</li>
<li>Type out the story line</li>
<li>Insert appropriate pictures from the 7000+ clipart images available</li>
<li>Preview the book</li>
<li>Publish it and wait for approval</li>
</ol>
<p>All done within Vee&#8217;s two-hour nap. I submitted the book for approval last evening and received approval at about 1a.m. today, which means it took about one working day.</p>
<p>The clipart images are relatively sufficient for our first book, though I would prefer even more to choose from. One irony is that an inserted picture could be dragged about with ease but not a text box.</p>
<p>After the book is published, its link can be shared with family and friends via email or social networking sites such as Facebook. So here you are&#8230; our FIRST published book:</p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 130px"><img title="Vee Sleeps on His Own" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/userbookthumbnails/2364.gif" alt="Vee Sleeps on His Own" width="120" height="120" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Personalised Book for Vee</p></div>
<p>Title: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.biguniverse.com/createkidsbooks/2364" target="_blank">Vee Sleeps on His Own</a> (Click on the title to read it)<br />
Author: MieVee<br />
Description: This book is about helping a boy, Vee, to learn sleeping on his own without breastfeeding.</p>
<h2><strong>Other Book Ideas</strong></h2>
<p>With this easy-to-use book creation tool, I plan to tailor-make more books for Vee&#8217;s learning. Since the Shichida Method™ suggests reading 3 to 5 books daily, I can create some books to add to our home library in a cost-efficient way. Special stories can also be created to match theme-based learning. This would save time from shopping for the &#8216;perfect&#8217; book. Some story ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li>Potty-training book to encourage child to potty-train faster</li>
<li>Nursery rhyme song books: read and sing along (Vee would LOVE these!)</li>
<li>Good habits book (Brush teeth, greet family members, wash hands before meals, etc.)</li>
</ul>
<p>With a bit more time, inserting your family&#8217;s own pictures into the books would make them more interesting and convincing. For offline reading, you may also print your books and bind them up. Gosh&#8230; I have a feeling this tool would be a staple for our home-schooling lessons!</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>What we like about it (Books Creation/Publishing Tool):</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Easy to use</li>
<li>Fast approval for book submitted</li>
<li>Published book easily shared with family and friends</li>
<li>Relatively large library of clipart images</li>
<li>Own images can be inserted into books</li>
<li>Very cost-effective for home lessons</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What can be improved:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Text box: allow it to be dragged easily (like the image box)</li>
<li>Allow saving of book in pdf format (If anyone manages to do this, please show me how.)</li>
<li>Allow publishing of books in Mandarin (currently, only English books are approved.)</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Win Your Own</h2>
<p>ONE (1) lucky subscriber will win a 6-month Premium Home account membership worth USD53.70!</p>
<p>This is how to participate:</p>
<ul>
<li>Subscribe to Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™ <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MummysReviews" target="_blank">in a reader</a> or <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=MummysReviews&amp;loc=en_US" target="_blank">via email</a> (existing subscribers counted)</li>
<li>Send an email to <a href="mailto:MieVee@mummysreviews.com">me</a> with the following information:
<ul>
<li>Your name</li>
<li>Facebook nickname, if any</li>
<li>Visit <a href="http://www.biguniverse.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BigUniverse.com</a> and state one reason why you would like to win this Giveaway</li>
<li>If you are a new reader, mention how you got to know of this Giveaway</li>
<li>Blog / Website URL, if any</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>To get EXTRA entries:
<ul>
<li>1 extra entry: Become Mummy&#8217;s Reviews <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mummysreviews" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">fan on Facebook</a> (existing fans counted)</li>
<li>1 extra entry (unlimited total): For each participant referred by you (e.g. through sharing the Giveaway on Facebook)</li>
<li>3 extra entries: Share this Giveaway on your blog / website</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Other Information:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>This Giveaway is open to subscribers worldwide.</li>
<li>It will run until 4 July 2010.</li>
<li>The usual <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/for-readers/" target="_blank">Giveaway Terms</a> apply.</li>
</ul>
<p>Send in your entries now and good luck!</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Get Your Own</h2>
<p>To experience Big Universe now, sign up for a FREE trial of the Home account <a href="https://www.biguniverse.com/account" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The Home account  is available at USD8.95 per month or USD79.95 per year. If you mention that &#8220;mievee&#8221; referred you, I get a month of subscription free. While I would be elated, this is absolutely optional.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>Disclosure: I received a 6-month Premium Home account for review.
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<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_target addtoany_share_save" href="http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mummysreviews.com%2F2010%2F06%2F08%2Fbig-universe-2%2F&amp;title=Review%3A%20Create%20Your%20Own%20Books%20at%20Big%20Universe%20%5BGiveaway%20%238%5D" id="wpa2a_10"><img src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/share_save_171_16.png" width="171" height="16" alt="Share"/></a></p><p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/04/16/big-universe/' rel='bookmark' title='Review: Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe'>Review: Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/01/19/giveaway-2-no-cry-books-by-elizabeth-pantley/' rel='bookmark' title='Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley'>Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/03/02/winner-of-no-cry-books-by-elizabeth-pantley/' rel='bookmark' title='Winner of Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley'>Winner of Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley</a></li>
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		<title>Review: Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/04/16/big-universe/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/04/16/big-universe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:13:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Big Universe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[library]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reading]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.mummysreviews.com/?p=1107</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Vee LOVES to Read Since pregnancy, my husband and I started taking turns to read to Vee every night. In my womb, Vee heard many fairy tales and bedtime stories. After he arrived, reading formed part of his bedtime routine; months ago, he started flipping books and bringing books to me for more story-telling time. [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/04/16/big-universe/">Review: Read Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books at Home &#8211; Big Universe</a>.
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Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/06/08/big-universe-2/' rel='bookmark' title='Review: Create Your Own Books at Big Universe [Giveaway #8]'>Review: Create Your Own Books at Big Universe [Giveaway #8]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/01/19/giveaway-2-no-cry-books-by-elizabeth-pantley/' rel='bookmark' title='Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley'>Giveaway #2: &#8220;No-Cry&#8221; Books by Elizabeth Pantley</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/10/31/mummys-reviews-new-home/' rel='bookmark' title='Mummy&#8217;s Reviews&#8217; New Home'>Mummy&#8217;s Reviews&#8217; New Home</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.biguniverse.com/"><br />
<img class="aligncenter" title="Big Universe" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/images/buttons/linktobu-468x60.jpg" alt="Big Universe" width="468" height="60" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>Vee LOVES to Read</strong></h2>
<p>Since pregnancy, my husband and I started taking turns to read to Vee every night. In my womb, Vee heard many fairy tales and bedtime stories. After he arrived, reading formed part of his bedtime routine; months ago, he started flipping books and bringing books to me for more story-telling time.</p>
<p>Board and fabric books are most suitable for young children as they are more resistant to tearing. Even then, strong Vee has ripped board books apart and I had to repair them. Or he chews on the fabric books and I need to clean them regularly. Needless to say, paper books would be shredded by this little-human-paper-shredder! Bringing Vee to a public library in Kuala Lumpur is inconvenient, and it is also impossible to ask the 13-month old to keep quiet for long. Building an extensive home library would easily cost a bomb, that is why we have bought only a handful of children&#8217;s books over the year.</p>
<h2><strong>Access to Hundreds of Children&#8217;s Books</strong></h2>
<p>Last month, Ms Kristen Butler from Big Universe invited me to review its Premium Home account over 6 months. The demo immediately wowed me over and I agreed to conduct the review. These are some of the highlights of BigUniverse.com:</p>
<ul>
<li>Allows you to read, create and share children’s picture books online</li>
<li>Has a large library of over a thousand quality books</li>
<li>Improves writing skills and allows children to discover their inner author</li>
<li>Quizzes and assessments for older children</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>Our Experience at Big Universe &#8212; Reading</strong></h2>
<p>It is easy to search for books according to preferences such as age group. Currently, there are 71 books by publishers (premium) and 251 books by members (free)  suitable for 0 to 2 years old; these would take Vee a long time to finish reading.</p>
<p>Vee and I have read these books:<br />
<img class="alignnone" title="Pound Dog and Frog by Mathew Price, Moira Kemp" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/bookthumbnails/9.gif" alt="Pound Dog and Frog by Mathew Price, Moira Kemp" width="120" height="120" /> <img class="alignnone" title="One Potato by Sue Porter" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/bookthumbnails/1.gif" alt="One Potato by Sue Porter" /> <img class="alignnone" title="Where Does the Sun Go? by Gary Craig" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/bookthumbnails/35.gif" alt="Where Does the Sun Go? by Gary Craig" /> <img class="alignnone" title="Critters Up Close! - Elephants" src="http://www.biguniverse.com/content/images/bookthumbnails/684.gif" alt="Critters Up Close! - Elephants" /></p>
<p>(Images sourced from Big Universe)</p>
<ol>
<li>Pound Dog and Frog by Mathew Price, Moira Kemp</li>
<li>One Potato by Sue Porter</li>
<li>Where Does the Sun Go? by Gary Craig</li>
<li>Critters Up Close! &#8211; Elephants: Zoobooks series published by Wildlife Education, Ltd</li>
</ol>
<p>I like the options for &#8220;full screen mode&#8221; and &#8220;flip sound&#8221;, which make the reading experience more like flipping a book. The picture books are colourful and many are educational. For instance, &#8220;Critters Up Close! &#8211; Elephants&#8221; shares facts about elephants, one of Vee&#8217;s favourite animals. At the end of the book, it takes just one click to read the book again if preferred. This is useful as children love to read good books repeatedly (i.e. 999 times!!!).</p>
<p>The &#8220;Add to My Bookshelf&#8221; button is very useful as it allows me to &#8220;keep&#8221; good books and conveniently access them for future reading.</p>
<p>As my Internet connection was unsteady at times, some pages downloaded slowly during reading, and Vee&#8217;s attention was lost. Therefore, I need to ensure that the entire book is downloaded before inviting Vee to read.</p>
<p>I hope to read five books with Vee daily and Big Universe certainly makes it easy and cost-effective for us to do so. Accessing the books via the Internet also means we can continue reading during long vacations to my parents&#8217; place in Singapore.</p>
<p>You may find the demos at:</p>
<ul>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/441/when-wishes-come-true" target="_blank">Reading &amp; sharing books online</a></li>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.biguniverse.com/create/help" target="_blank">Creating &amp; publishing books online</a></li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>What we like about it:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Easy access to a large number of children&#8217;s picture books (saves trips to the library and bookstores)</li>
<li>Favourite books can be added to virtual bookshelf for convenient retrieval</li>
<li>&#8220;Flip sound&#8221; makes reading more interesting</li>
<li>Free trial account before deciding to sign up</li>
<li>Very cost-effective, especially for multiple children at home</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What can be improved:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Hope that Mandarin books would be available in future</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Get Your Own</h2>
<p>Sign up for a FREE trial of the Home account <a href="https://www.biguniverse.com/account" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>. If you like it, the Home account  is available at USD8.95 per month or USD79.95 per year. If you mention that &#8220;mievee&#8221; referred you, I get a month of subscription free. While I would be elated, this is absolutely optional.</p>
<p>In about two months, I would review the &#8220;Create&#8221; section of the account and a Giveaway of a 6-month Premium Home account would be held, so stay tuned!</p>
<p>If you love such deals from Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™, do share this post with your friends. The more readers there are, the more Sponsors for future Giveaways! <img src='http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>Disclosure: I received a 6-month Premium Home account for review.
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		<title>Baby Sign Language: Our Experience</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/02/23/baby-sign-language-our-experience/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/02/23/baby-sign-language-our-experience/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby Signs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby's Favourites]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sign language]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Baby Loft]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mummysreviews.wordpress.com/?p=159</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I first learnt about sign language for babies during my pregnancy. It sounded interesting but I did not think that it was essential. After Vee was born, he proved himself to be a colicky cry-baby (especially at night), and we tried very hard to guess what he needed. I re-visited the idea of baby sign [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/02/23/baby-sign-language-our-experience/">Baby Sign Language: Our Experience</a>.
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			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mummysreviews.com%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fbaby-sign-language-our-experience%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mummysreviews.com%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fbaby-sign-language-our-experience%2F&amp;source=MummysReviews&amp;style=normal&amp;b=2" height="61" width="50" /><br />
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<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Baby-Signs-Parent-Kit.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-978" title="Baby Signs Parent Kit" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Baby-Signs-Parent-Kit.jpg" alt="" width="531" height="600" /></a>I first learnt about sign language for babies during my pregnancy. It sounded interesting but I did not think that it was essential. After Vee was born, he proved himself to be a colicky cry-baby (especially at night), and we tried very hard to guess what he needed. I re-visited the idea of baby sign language and invested in the Baby Signs® Parent Kit (bought from The Baby Loft, listed price: RM180), hoping to improve communication between Vee and us.</p>
<p>The Parent Kit provided very clear instructions on how to introduce sign language to Vee. The articles in the Special Topics section provides convincing evidence on the potential benefits of the Baby Signs® Program on the &#8220;social, emotional, cognitive and language development of babies&#8221;.</p>
<p>Ever since Vee was a young baby, I incorporated sign language into our daily activities, such as feeding time, bath-time, nursery rhymes and bed-time stories. When he was about 8 months old, I bought the Baby Signs® Concept Cards (Set 2) (listed price: RM70 or USD15.99) to inject more fun into learning the signs. (Set 1 was out of stock at that time.)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Baby-Signs-Concept-Cards-Set-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-970" title="Baby Signs Concept Cards Set 2" src="http://www.mummysreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Baby-Signs-Concept-Cards-Set-2.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a></p>
<p>Finally at <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/12/18/baby-v-turns-10-months-old/" target="_blank">10 months old</a>, Vee showed us his first hand sign for &#8216;milk&#8217; and we were elated! As his palmer and pincer grasps improved, he started picking up many signs, and it has become much easier to meet his needs. This led to a more contented baby. Our objectives met at last! (Read his developmental updates at <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/01/18/vee-turns-11-months-old/" target="_blank">11 months</a> and <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2010/02/18/vee-turns-one/" target="_blank">12 months</a>.)</p>
<p>Beyond these initial objectives, we also realised that Vee learns very effectively when signs are incorporated in songs. Often, he would start signing on his own while attempting to sing and we could guess the song that he is thinking of. His speech has also developed well at the same time. Interestingly, he has never done the signs for &#8220;Daddy&#8221; and &#8220;Mummy&#8221;, and proceeded straight to saying &#8220;Da&#8221; and &#8220;Ma&#8221;. It is likely that he pronounces the easier words and signs the more difficult ones.</p>
<p>We are very pleased to have invested the time to introduce baby sign language to Vee.</p>
<p><strong>P.S. Do you use sign language with your baby? What has your experience been like?</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2><strong>Baby Signs® Parent Kit:</strong></h2>
<p><strong>What we like about it:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Clear step-by-step instructions for parents</li>
<li>Well-illustrated cartoons to show each sign (I didn&#8217;t even need to watch the DVD to learn the signs!)</li>
<li>Large number of signs relevant to baby&#8217;s daily activities</li>
<li>In-depth articles to prove the effectiveness of using baby sign language</li>
<li>An overall convenient reference guide</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What can be improved:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Include more signs in the glossary (I&#8217;m a greedy Mummy!)</li>
<li>Include more signs in the flip guide (there are less signs here than in the glossary)</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2><strong>Baby Signs® Concept Cards (Set 2):</strong></h2>
<p><strong>What we like about it:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Thick and water-resistant cards that withstand baby&#8217;s rough handling</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What can be improved:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The sign for &#8220;happy&#8221; is repeated in the set (Could have included another sign instead)</li>
</ul>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<h2>Get Your Own</h2>
<p>You may check the price at Amazon.com here: <a id="static_txt_preview" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W5GVHY?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=mumsrev-20&amp;link_code=as3&amp;camp=211189&amp;creative=373489&amp;creativeASIN=B000W5GVHY">Baby Signs Parent Kit</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mumsrev-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=007159695X" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" />*</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071381392?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=mumsrev-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0071381392"></a>*: affiliate link to support the growth and maintenance of Mummy&#8217;s Reviews™
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		<title>BookFest@Singapore 2009</title>
		<link>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/12/18/bookfestsingapore-2009/</link>
		<comments>http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/12/18/bookfestsingapore-2009/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:46:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>MieVee @ MummysReviews.com</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[BookFest]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I just made a trip to BookFest@Singapore held at Suntec Singapore and was nearly drowned in books. With only ONE hour to spare (as fussy Baby V needed to take his nap after that), I zoomed straight to the Chinese Children&#8217;s Books section and grabbed two boxes of bilingual flashcards at S$2 each. (At this [...]<p>© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: <a href="http://www.mummysreviews.com/2009/12/18/bookfestsingapore-2009/">BookFest@Singapore 2009</a>.
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<li><a href='http://www.mummysreviews.com/2011/02/14/takashimaya-singapore-malaysia-baby-fair-2011/' rel='bookmark' title='Takashimaya and More Baby Fairs (Singapore &amp; Malaysia) in 2011!'>Takashimaya and More Baby Fairs (Singapore &#038; Malaysia) in 2011!</a></li>
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<p>I just made a trip to <a href="http://www.bookfestsingapore.com/" target="_blank">BookFest@Singapore</a> held at Suntec Singapore and was nearly drowned in books. With only ONE hour to spare (as fussy Baby V needed to take his nap after that), I zoomed straight to the Chinese Children&#8217;s Books section and grabbed two boxes of bilingual flashcards at S$2 each. (At this kind of price, who needs more than 1 minute to decide?)</p>
<p>My shopping bag was soon filled with jigsaw puzzles (S$2 each), children&#8217;s learning clocks (S$3 each), a Chinese book on healthy diet (20% off), a book on identifying gifted children (in case Baby V is one and I miss the signs, ha!) (S$8.90 less 25%!!!) and recipe book for Asian parents (S$37+ less 25%).</p>
<p>Before I could explore the English Children&#8217;s Books section, Baby V started getting cranky. Arghhhh!!! He even SCREAMED at the cashier counter when his Daddy carried him. That marked the end of my super-rushed trip and I am contemplating going there again before it ends this Sunday.</p>
<p>Visit the event if you are free. It is really worth the time.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>I visited the fair a second time in the evening and loved that it provides sparkling clean shopping carts (trolleys). Best of all, shoppers must return the carts before exiting, so there are plenty of carts for everyone. We bought a few packs of high-quality flashcards and I am eager to practise them with Baby V.
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