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Free article directory may be above board compared to others

27I was offered the opportunity to review the home and family articles from Article Alley. At first I was unsure because in my experience many of the article submission sites are full of repeated false information. If not false, it’s often just misleading.

So, I took a look and am pleasantly surprised.  There were pages worth of information about the search term “special needs” and though I didn’t delve deep into each one, they look to be above the level I’ve seen on other sites.

One of the great things about this site is that you can use most of the articles for your own blog or online venue as long as you keep the author information in place.

 

This is a paid post, however the opinion stated is not influenced by the opportunity. Why isn’t it influenced? Because I haven’t actually been paid yet.

Busy Body Book scheduling and planner review

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BusyBodyBook Wall Calendar

I asked to test and write a review on this product for a couple of reasons. Nove has trouble understanding what day comes next, and weeks or months are even more troublesome for her.

My hope was that this type of system which not only allows for future viewing like a typical calendar does- it also shows every family member’s schedule, would help her to “get” time lines.

I’m not sure how much you can actually see in my photo, but that is 2 weeks worth of planner.

My mom wrote out the schedules for everyone and then we showed Nove. Each page, has one week’s worth of days. On the top page, my Nove crossed off the days she had gotten through. She also crossed out the days her sister, her gramma and I had gotten through. 

It became a bed time activity and is (I think) helping her not be so anxious about what comes next.

There are 7 rows for up to 7 people and the days of the week move down from the left side of the page. So, when we wrote out our schedules, My youngest, my oldest, my, and my mom’s days are listed from left to right.

The girls’ days are marked with school, after school activities, groups and even what type of school day it is. (ie: art, music, gym). My days are marked with work and doctor appts. or case management meetings.

This way, we see what each of us has and how to schedule each thing.

Here’s some stats on the wall calendar: 

  • two six-months-months-at-a-glance pages to help plan ahead for the holidays, vacations, or special events
  • a page for next year’s important appointments and events
  • key contacts pages for your emergency contact information and the phone numbers of doctors, coaches or babysitters
  • a 4-inch pocket on the inside back cover to hold important papers, receipts or coupons
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    BBB Weekly Grid Pad

     This desk set is a really versatile planner. I made one just for Nove, but she didn’t take to it like she did to the big one where she can see every one’s schedule all at once.

    So, I made one for my business scheduling. In addition to trying to write for this blog, I also write for several other places and run a makeup business. Sometimes I lose track of what I’m doing and this is helping!

    You can see more review info at AlexShares.

     

    I was sent these products in exchange for testing and reporting on my experience with them. I am in no other way associated with the products or company and my opinions of the products are only based on my personal experience.

    Labels to stick on clothing but not stick your kids

    Label Daddy Special! 20 free labels!  50 labels total for $9.95.These might be a good idea for anyone bothered by tags, but who still needs information on their clothing.

    It looks like you can stick them directly to a shirt, jacket or other type of cloth and they will stay stuck through washing.

    If you’ve tried it and have feedback, let me know by leaving a comment.

    Click the picture to visit the site.

    Encourage imagination play with these cute pretend play kitchens

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    How cute are these? They almost make me want to enjoy cooking, but they are for kids, so I guess I won’t be actually baking up a storm this holiday season.   

    The great pretend play kitchens like the retro vintage red set in the photo look like the real thing. Some look vintage and some are modern. They all look to be well constructed from sturdy wood and come with some accessories included.

    The Red Vintage Kitchen has a ladle, pot, and apron, along with a phone. Nove, my daughter with autism, played with her plastic kitchen set for a very long time and I think if she had one of these really detailed kitchens, she’d play for a few more years. She would pretend to be running a restaurant and I had to eat more than my share of plastic and invisible pretend food over the years.
     
    With some of these kitchens, I could see children pretending to be hotel managers, cooks, or staff. Our favorites are pictured below, the Prarie Kitchen, Red Vintage Kitchen, and the Cook Together kitchen.
     
    Another thing I really like about this site is that they offer several styles that would be great for boys or girls and some that are good for both. I honestly wouldn’t mind having a kitchen that looks like these!  


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    Category: products, toys  One Comment

    Win My Little Pony Twinkle Wish Adventure

    Win My Little Pony Twinkle Wish Adventure

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    You can read my orginal post about how My Little Pony shares great everyday learning stories by visiting my examiner.com page. My Little Pony comes to Wichita – New video may help special needs kids

    The great people at Shout! Factory have given me 5 copies to give a way!
    Here’s how you can win your own copy.
    You’ll get an entry for each thing you do when you leave a seperate comment below.

    1. Follow me on twitter @jennbrockman
    2. Follow SpecialNeedsKidsTalkRadio blog by using the links over on the right side.
    3. Follow my examiner.com page
    4. Tell me what social story made the biggest impression on you as a child.
    5. Tell me what social story has made the biggest impression on your children.

    This would make a great holiday gift so register get entered now!
    Winners will be draw on Monday, October 19th through


     

    smartknitkids seamless sock review

    I don’t have sensory issues per say, but my mom does.

    My younger daughter does

     I just hate socks!

    That being said, I may have found some that I really like!

    Smartknitkids makes a line of seamless socks for kids (and adults) that don’t bind or rub and are generally easy to wear for those with extreme sensitivity to clothing on their skin.


    Jenn: I wore two pair of the kids socks, even though I’m not a kid anymore. (I can act like it with the best of them though) My shoe size is a 6.5 in sandals or flip flops and about a 7 in closed toe and heel shoes. I wore the kids XL.

       The first day I wore the black pair with my high heel boots. Let me explain why I did this….. Often, when I wear the heeled boots, the socks or hose will either slip down over my heal and bunch up, or will pull up on my toes and cause a lot of pain to my toe nails. (eww gross feet)  Anyway, neither of these things happened when I was wearing the smartknit kids socks and I was in them for at least 9 hours, if not 10 or 11.

      The second day, I wore the bright pink XL with my tennis shoes to work. I have the same problems sometimes as with the boots, where the socks will slip down over my heel and bunch up under my arch, but again, no slippage with these socks.

     I stand quite a bit, and walk back and forth a lot at work, on concrete floors. So, comfort and cusion is pretty important to me no matter what the shoe is. When I wear my athletic shoes though, I often sweat (here we go again with gross feet stuff), but my feet were fresh even after 9 hours later. No sweat, no rolling, no bunching, no binding.  


    Company Information:

    Knit-Rite was contacted to create a truly seamless sock for children with SPD in 2003.  Knit-Rite began to create a 100% seamless sock that is comfortable for children.  The result was SmartKnitKIDS.  The socks are knitted like a caterpillar spins its cocoon by starting at the toe and knitting up toward the ankle. This process does not leave a seam and provides a super comfortable socks for little feet.  Knit-Rite also tried to eliminate wrinkles and bunches in the socks to make them even more comfortable by choosing a super stretchy fiber so the socks are form fitting, snug and comfortable.  To make the socks even better for kids, Knit-Rite chose a no heal design which allows the sock to be put any which way. Now available in many colors and sizes for kids and adults. 

      “Our goal is to provide a product that helps children. We are proud to have created a product that makes mornings easier for children and parents.  We are trying to spread the word about these great sock so more children who hate seams, wrinkles, lumps and bumps can be helped and find a solution.  “  Rose Pener


    Nove: Since She’s not speaking much today, I’ll share what I saw when she put these on. She wore the purple pair in a Medium and they matched her shirt almost exactly which I thought was funny and ironic.

    Unlike many autistic kids, Nove doesn’t seem bothered by clothing in a lot of ways. She seems to almost not even be aware of what she is wearing, but I’ve seen her often remove socks because they slide around or slip over her heel (like her mama) because she has long, narrow feet.

       So, I was hopeful after having tried these that she would be successful too. She was!

     Not only was it a warm day (flip flop weather), but she changed clothes at least once after putting them on. I think the fact that these have light compression (general all over snugness) helps them to stay in place. Not once did I see her mess with them or attempt to remove them. Even when changing her pants, she left them on. Usually the socks come off with the pants, in her case.


    Sherry: My mom has some pretty strong (severe) sensory issues. She can’t stand scents (like candles, perfume, cleaners) and her clothing must be of a certain type. So, she tried the adult size smartknitkids socks which were a little bit too wide for my short, narrow feet. (Hers are very wide and a little longer) I noticed today that she had them on again for a second day, so she must have found them to be fine.  

     When I asked her, she said they were……… fine. She is short on words some days, just like November. But, the fact that she had them on again and that they were not relegated to the kitchen table with the rest of the socks and information from the company, said a lot to me.

    *update* Sherry added today that even after she washed them and wore them again, they hadn’t lost the elasticity and felt really good, but she might need the next larger pair because she tought they cramped her toes a little.


    So, overall, I think these socks are winners! 

      By the way, they also make pantyhose. All these products are good for diabetics who need compression for circulation issues. Maybe that was why my feet didn’t hurt as early in the day? I don’t have diabetes, but I do have crappy circulation. 

      So, the great people at SmartKnitKids are offering a 10% off coupon code to everyone who reads this post and wants to try these socks out. Just go to http://www.therawear.com/kids_socks.html

    Use coupon code kids10


    A little more information: The kids style socks, are not molded into a shape with a heel. They are more like a tube sock, but without a toe seem. I was worried when I first put them on that the upper edge would be shorter in the back than in the front, but it came out even. Magic, I tell you! (probably has to do with the stretch going where it needs to and other scientific stuff)  

    I was also concerned about the top edges of the socks. It isn’t stretchy like the rest of the sock body, but it did fine too. It did roll slightly. Just barely.

     Not anything that affected the sock staying up or in place. In fact, I don’t believe the sock moved unless I made it.

      The adult version was molded. It had a heel and clearly defined area for the foot which is probably why it felt a little too big on my little ol foot. But it wasn’t bad. Don’t take that impression from what I said, please! I could have worn the socks, but figured I’d pass them on to Sherry (my mama) so we could get even more feedback!