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December 14, 2007
What to Expect: Guide to a Healthy Home
You know that book that was pretty much your Bible for the entire time you were pregnant, "What to Expect When You’re Expecting"? Well now there’s a much smaller guide from the "What to Expect" people that includes tips on how to have a healthy home. The best part? You can get yourself one for free (details below).
I first sat down to read it while I was eating my lunch. I wouldn’t recommend eating while reading, since there are frequent mentions of "snot," "feces," and other icky terms. The guide is divided into two sections: "Keeping Your House Healthy," and "Healthy Habits for Your Family."
My first impressions of the guide went something like this: "What? I’m supposed to actually wash my curtains every once in a while?" The guide offers great tips for those with allergies and asthma, on how to combat the dust mites and the irritation they can bring to everyday lives. For anyone with allergies, this guide is a must-have. Did you know that you can stick non-washable stuffed animals in a bag in the freezer overnight to kill dust mites and other allergens? I certainly didn’t. You can also do the same with other materials that can’t be easily washed.
The guide also discusses the playroom and how to make sure germs aren’t spread from toy to toy and child to child. Kitchen safety is also addressed, and I am happy to say that I would have scored an A+ on this section. My curtains may be dusty but my cutting board is clean y’all.
The "Healthy Habits for Your Family" section is your anti-flu and cold companion. You know how Barney, that loveable purple dinosaur, encourages children to sneeze into their elbows? Yeah, do that. It helps if there’s not a tissue around to do your business to eliminate germs on hands. There are also tips on how to get your kids to 1. use soap and 2. wash for a long enough period of time. Singing the ABC’s twice or even three times if you have a singer on fast forward is a great way to get those germs taken care of in the sink. There are also other great tips for avoiding the flu, and keeping germs from spreading throughout the entire family.
The most exciting part of the guide for me was the very useful information about the 3-second rule. You know, the one where you can drop a piece of food on the floor and still eat it if you can bend quickly enough? That one. Let me break it down for you. The 3-second rule (and even beyond 3 seconds is o.k. too) applies as long as whatever you’ve dropped is dry onto a dry surface, and as long as we’re talking about indoors. If the dropped item is wet or dropped outside, don’t go there. It’s that simple.
There are also plenty of handy tips for children in child care situations, and even includes help on how to choose a daycare that’s not flu-friendly. This guide was published by the "What to Expect Foundation." If you’d like to get your own copy, you can do so at the Clorox website.
For addressing just about every possible place that germs could thrive, and for being 100% free, BBM gives "What To Expect: Guide to a Healthy Home". . .
December 6, 2007
Stardust
New to DVD this holiday season is the release of Stardust, the adventure fantasy film from director Matthew Vaughn.
The basic plot of the film sees a young man making a promise to the girl he loves to return a falling star to prove his devotion. The only catch is that it’s landed on the other side of "the wall", a wall which legend has it borders our world from a magical one. The adventure begins, and it doesn’t mess about in doing so, you’re thrown in head-first and in doing so have no choice other than to be absorbed and utterly engrossed.
For many readers here, the cast will be a mix of the very famous (Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes), and a mix of unknowns. Our British readers will recognise a great many more of the faces from various TV series and comedies on our side of The Pond. This mix is one of the key draws to the film in my own opinion, some of the major characters are played by actors many people will be unfamiliar with, and this unfamiliarity coupled with some excellent performances mean that the viewer isn’t pre-loaded with what kind of character to expect from the actor. I doubt there’s anyone who would have expected Robert De Niro to play the character he does in this film!
It’s a beautiful film to look at, both worlds in it are wonderfully realised and totally believable. The visual effects are kept to a minimum where possible, but obviously with it being a fantasy film, expect some lavish creativity. In many ways this is a real throwback in terms of the ways this genre of film is made nowadays, those of you old enough to remember when such fantasy gems as The Princess Bride, Krull or Legend came out will be over the moon. Stardust is a proper family film, there’s plenty in there to keep all generations laughing, albeit not for the same reasons some of the time. For those with little ones worried about violence or gore of any kind, there’s really nothing to speak of. Perhaps just one scene where some witches ‘read’ the entrails of an animal, but even then we don’t witness the act and there’s no blood involved. The only time blood is spilled in the whole film, it happens to be royal blood, and fittingly enough is blue. Some scenes could still be deemed a little scary for the very young though.
Fans of the book by Neil Gaiman need not worry, this film really does the original story justice, and carry it off in a very polished manner. Claire Danes manages a very believable English accent throughout the two hours, Robert De Niro will have you laughing with his non-typecast role and Sir Ian McKellen has the perfect story-telling voice to play the narrator. Ricky Gervais pops his head up and despite basically just playing "Ricky Gervais" is a welcome addition. The perfect film for those cold, dark winter evenings, huddled up on the sofa, remembering how charming a well-made fantasy tale can be.
Tsdadam gives Stardust a BBM Review rating of….
Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, and a bit scary for the very young, but fantastic entertainment.
December 4, 2007
Baby Jamz
***Leave a comment at the end of this post for your chance to win a Baby Jamz Move ‘n Groove Dance Mat. Comments will stay open for one week. At the end of the week, a random commenter will be chosen and sent a dance mat!
Holidays come and your baby or toddler is inundated with all kinds of noisy, annoying toys from well-meaning relatives. What’s a parent to do?
This year, a parent has some cool options! Baby Jamz is not your typical line of baby/toddler toys and the music that the toys play is certainly not your Mother’s nursery rhymes. From a reggae "This Old Man" to a version of "Skip to my Lou" that makes you want to jam more than skip, Baby Jamz delivers a fabulous line of toys that parents won’t mind hearing played over and over again. In fact, you might even find yourself singing the reggae version of "This Old Man" when you’re all by yourself. Shh, I won’t tell if you won’t.
This line of toys isn’t cool by luck alone. Solange Knowles and her father Mathew Knowles (Beyonce’s sister and father) created this line of toys that does not disappoint. Baby Jamz features Solange Knowles singing a multitude of children’s songs with an upbeat flair.
The Mix Master Music chair (12-36 months, $24.77) quickly became one of our favorites. Sit on the chair and all the buttons light up in wave like fashion. Children can choose one of three different songs on the one arm and then choose from four different sound effects on the right arm of the chair. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Timbaland was consulted on this chair, because the sound effects are ones used in contemporary songs you hear on the radio today. While some children may enjoy sitting in the chair to play, my daughter (two years old) enjoyed happily pushing the buttons while she made her little people dance on the seat of the chair. A little people dance club was born. The Mix Master Music chair required only minimal "construction" (screwing two leg pieces onto the chair) that took only about a minute.
Lil C also got to try out the Funky Tones Cell phone ($16.86-sold in bundle with Jingle and Jam Keychain) . Unlike a lot of baby/toddler cell phones that are super loud and annoying to the point that I have actually become concerned about my daughter’s hearing and have taken them away, the Baby Jamz cell phone is quiet. It’s loud enough to hear, but not loud enough to harm, and features the songs "Old MacDonald," "Buckle My Shoe," and Mary had a Little Lamb." The top buttons make realistic cell phone sounds and the bottom buttons feature ring tones that are way cooler than my Verizon. It also lights up and is a cool flip open design. I can’t find it right now because I believe Lil C has put it in her purse so I stop playing with it.
The Baby Jamz Move ‘n Groove Dance Mat (2 yrs and up, $19.84) is also very cool. If you’re looking for a way to tire out your little one for nap time, this toy is the way. Buttons on the main console play a variety of different songs ("Mary had a Little Lamb," "Bingo," "and "This Old Man") and when your little one "dances" on one of the seven different areas of the mat, they can make their own upgraded mix version of the song. They call it the "Move ‘n Groove dance mat" for a reason.
The Baby Jamz line also features the following items:
Jingle and Jam Keychain ($16.86-sold in bundle with Funky Tones Cell phone)
Boppin’ Tunes Boom Box (6-36 months, $14.76)
Nursery Tunes Volume 1 CD ($10.47) which you can buy or Walmart, or download onto your MP3 player at Amazon ($9.49).
This collection of toys is unique because they don’t play the tired old nursery rhymes. In addition, although the toys do not have volume control, the level of volume is perfectly set and a nice change from many baby and toddler toys that blast too loudly. The toys also come with batteries already in them, which is oh so nice for the parents of an anxious toddler when the screwdriver is no where to be found. We, at the BBM household, only have one suggestion for the Baby Jamz line. The Mix Master chair would make a fabulous little potty! With plenty of buttons to push on the arms, it might actually be possible to keep a potty-training toddler in one spot long enough for something to happen, if you catch my drift.
The toys are available for purchase only through Walmart. You can find all the information you need to know at the Baby Jamz website, including samples of all the featured songs.
For a Mom whose children have always been more acquainted with Beyonce than the Imagination Movers, this line of toys is a breath of fresh air.
BBM gives the Baby Jamz toy line:
For more information on The BBM Review rating system, go here.
***Enter for your chance to win a Baby Jamz Move ‘n Groove Dance Mat by simply leaving a comment below. Comments will close in one week and a winner will be randomly chosen! Good luck!
December 3, 2007
Jump Start World
Jump Start World states on its packaging that it is "The New Way to Achieve 1st Grade Success." After watching my daughter use the program for the past week, I can definitely understand why they make that claim.
The program uses a curriculum based on National and State Standards, and includes lessons and games based on language arts, math, critical thinking and social skills. It’s not just rote learning. I was surprised to see that Jump Start World is very much like a video game. Children start by choosing a character to use in the 3D world. There are four girl and four boy choices. Once you have your character, you go to the "world" where there are math and language arts "arcades" as well as billboards, friendly interactive characters, an art studio, paths, ponds and waterfalls.
Children are also given a "communicator" which gives them messages about where to go and what to do. Children accumulate "gems" based on completing lessons. They are then able to "buy" things in the local store such as maps, books, and other tools that can be used throughout the world.
When I saw the format, I assumed that my daughter would just run her little fairy character around the world, never really stopping to do any real learning activities. It is very much like a video game in that you can control your character and maneuver him/her around the world. Characters can run along paths, jump off mega-jumping pads that make sounds like the bionic woman series, and can even take a swim in a fountain area.
Because of this, I made sure to stay nearby while my daughter completed Unit 1’s math lessons. I didn’t need to worry about the lessons keeping her attention though. With the exception of a few games that really frustrated her (probably due to her lack of video game playing experience since they were very arcade like), my daughter continued to go from lesson to lesson eagerly. Some lessons were more challenging than others, but she continued to stick with it.
On the day she decided to visit the language arts arcade, I left her explore by herself. Parents can safely do this because Jump Start World is not connected to the internet at any time. It’s also possible to check your child’s progress at the Parent’s area of the program. The parent area shows percentage scores for each activity that your child has completed so it’s very easy to track their progress, and see how they’re doing. It’s also possible to choose holidays for your child to celebrate and upload pictures for the art studio in the Parent Studio.
The art studio can be customized with pictures for your child to use, or they can start from scratch and create their own. After children create their masterpiece, they can add their picture to a billboard that is displayed in the Jump Start World. There are also characters (called scouts) who hang out along the paths and interact with your child. Scouts congratulate children on a job well done when they earn gems and provide helpful hints to your child about where to go and what to do.
There are 12 units in each grade of Jump Start World which includes over 80 learning games and missions that teach more than 40 skills. There are also upgrades available. For $7.99/month, parents can download additional adventure packs (two) each month that will automatically be added onto your child’s "world." The program itself is sold for $19.99 and includes the first two adventure packs. It is possible to buy the entire 12 units at a time for $74.99 directly from the Jump Start World store. Jump Start World has programs for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades.
There are many positive things about Jump Start World. The world is 3D and interactive which makes playing fun for a child. It has the feel of a video game which will make it appealing to many children. The lessons seem to reinforce learned skills and each unit certainly offers plenty of lessons. In the first unit there are about eight math lessons, seven language arts lessons, and five additional critical thinking/social skills lessons. The area for parents is a big bonus as well, since progress reports are right at your fingertips.
There are a few negatives to the program. Because some of the games are arcade-like, my daughter got extremely frustrated when she knew the correct answer, but had trouble getting her polar bear across a series of moving logs. For kids who are not familiar with video games, this can certainly take some getting used to. She did improve as the lessons went on, but we found that particular aspect to be a bit frustrating. My only other critique is the help available as your child is completing a lesson. During a particular lesson on being able to read a calendar, my daughter was struggling a bit. When she clicked on the question mark to get some help, the "helpful hints" weren’t very helpful. Instead of giving her hints as to how to complete the lesson, they simply told her to just click the check mark when she was finished. This seemed to frustrate her a bit more. However, if you plan to be available to help your child, that should solve that particular problem easily enough.
Despite a couple frustrations, my daughter continues to ask if she can play in Jump Start World on a fairly regular basis, so I’d say that overall, we are both pretty satisfied with the program.
For more information on Jump Start World and for a free trial, visit the Jump Start World website. Click here if you’d like to purchase the program for Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade.
BBM gives Jump Start World. . .
November 27, 2007
Martial Arts in the Modern World
Digging through a mountain of tall tales and self-indulgent tripe, Thomas Green, Joseph Svinth, and the rest of the authors of "Martial Arts in the Modern World" gather scarce historical facts in an attempt to shed some light on how the world’s many fighting arts evolved into what we see today.
Martial arts history has suffered from severe tampering because there is a lot to gain by making things up. In his book "Living the Martial Way," Forrest Morgan challenges readers to pick up a phone book anywhere in America and look for martial arts advertisements. In every small town, he explains, you are bound to discover high ranking, world champion grandmasters. In just a few short generations, how could obscure Asian arts create thousands upon thousands of supreme ultimate warriors all over the world?
The truth is, many of these high ranking instructors are caught in the great martial hoax where training is secondary to promotions. These practitioners tend to base their reputation on "world championship" tournaments that feature a handful of combatants from neighboring towns (and often have the patches to remind you). And yet, if you talk to these same "experts," they will describe to you the great exploits of their instructors and the miraculous lineages they come from.
How can this schism of logic be explained – how are there so many unqualified practitioners espousing so many credentials? "Martial Arts in the Modern World" tries to tackle this problem; not by singling out individuals, but by taking the rare approach of factual analysis.
How did Kendo ACTUALLY start in North America? How did Gracie Jujitsu ACTUALLY come about? Have Zen and Kyudo ALWAYS been linked? "Modern World" doesn’t take a blind stab at these topics (and others); it provides the dates, times, and names of key players involved. Very little is left up to hearsay.
Unfortunately, as much as I would like this book to be a cure-all for martial nonsense, it cannot even come close to covering all the different styles around the globe. It makes a valiant effort, attempting to explore history from almost every continent, but there is just too much in the sphere of the unknown. In fact, this global effort results in one of the books negative aspects – lack of cohesion. There are no connections via timeline or topic from one article to the next. There is nothing to pull together a consistent central theme. Couple that with a dry writing style that is occasionally tough to digest and "Modern World" falls short of lofty goals.
"Martial Arts in the Modern World" is a haven for anyone wanting to do real research, but not for those looking to indulge in a great yarn. Overall, Ikigai108 gives this book…
Buy it now through the BBM Review Store.
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