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News & Stories

Carson-Dellosa Test Prep – Editor’s Review

participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carson-Dellosa Publishing Group. I received a free product to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation, but all opinions included below are my own.
 
Raise your hand if you like “TEST” time! Yeah, I didn’t think so. As if weekly exams and pop quizzes aren’t stressful enough, there are the even weightier standardized tests that are just plain old nerve-wracking. In Texas, there’s the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, known as STAAR . STAAR tests measure the progress of students from 3rd grade to 8th grade, as well as high school. 

The going rule is, if you want students to make good grades in school, make sure they get a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast in the morning. Well, Carson-Dellosa Publishing Group – the 35-year leading supplemental education provider for teachers, parents, and students - has some some additional (proven) tools that help to ensure success at school and alleviate anxiety for parents, teachers, and students.

Editor's Review: Doctor On Demand - Convenient Doctor's Visits without leaving home!

participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Doctor on Demand. I received a free trial coupon code to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation, but all opinions included below are my own.

Lucky me! There’s a service called Doctor On Demand, and I had a chance to review it for free! (Don’t be jealous. YOUR first visit is free too. Keep reading).

I’m a homeschooling mom of 4 girls, so usually when I go anywhere, we’re rolling 5 deep. Obviously that’s not the ideal situation for going to a doctor’s appointment, which is why I rarely go to the doctor for myself. When I ask the hubby to stay home from work, or when I hire a babysitter, it had better be for something more exciting than a doctor’s visit.  So I rarely see a doctor (unless I’m pregnant), I self-diagnose via Google, and I can’t tell you how many wrong illnesses I’ve diagnosed myself with! (You too?)

I jumped at the chance to try Doctor On Demand, and I’m glad I did. The online, video-based service is staffed with board-certified physicians, psychologists, and even lactation consultants. Insurance isn’t needed for the service, and Doctor On Demand doesn’t collect insurance information and doesn’t contact your insurance provider. Signing up was easy peasy. I use the Google Chrome browser, so I accessed www.doctorondemand.com from my computer,  but an alternative to connecting would’ve been to download the Doctor On Demand app on my smartphone or tablet. My coupon code for the free visit was easy to apply, but the service still required my credit card number which conveniently stays on file for if/when a charge  incurs in the future. By the way, because of their current promotion, everyone’s first visit is FREE when you use the unique coupon code WOODLANDS15. After your free first visit, your cost is $40  for a 15-minute Medical & Pediatrics visit and $50  for a 25-minute Psychologist session.

Nothing in Life is Free?

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Whoever said "Nothing in Life is Free", is going to be proven wrong starting Monday, January 12th!  The Alden Bridge & Magnolia Chick-fil-A's will be offering FREE BREAKFAST!  
 
When you stop by either store between 6 am-10:30 am you can receive one free Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit entrée (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) or one free Chick-n-Minis 3-count entrée (Tuesday & Thursday). Limit one per customer.  
 
The Alden Bridge Chick-Fil-A is at 8020 Research Forest Drive and the Magnolia restaurant is located at 6543 FM 1488.  

You Forgot that Person’s Name!

There’s something about residing in a small town like The Woodlands that almost guarantees you’ll run into familiar faces almost every time you leave your house to go to the grocery store, the library, the mall, movies, etc...  And no matter how hard we try, some of us have a tough time remembering people’s names.  Sure, there are certain “tricks” that can help you get better at this, but even still there’s a chance a name will escape you from time to time. When this happens, here’s how to handle it:

Scenario 1: Walking down the H-E-B aisle, and it’s impossible to avoid eye contact

You can say: Hi, our boys are in the same Cub Scout troop.  Do you remember me? My name is Leah.

By taking the lead and being proactive, you reduce the tension, and she's likely to respond with her name. Make sure to pay attention, and use her name in the conversation. By doing so, you are more likely to remember it in the future.

"Heart & Seoul" exhibit at Children's Museum of Houston

We're studying South Korea in our homeschool this month, and the best part of our adventure has been a trip to the Children’s Museum of Houston. Their interactive “Heart & Seoul” exhibit is a highly engaging highlight of Seoul, the capital city. Earlier this year, my 6-year-old took a kuk sool won class (Korean martial arts), and at the museum exhibit we learned that taekwondo is a Korean martial art as well. Overall, the exhibit was outstanding! We were able to practice martial arts moves with video instruction, watch and dance to Korean hip hop videos (my 4-year-old's favorite part, by far), learn about kite flying (a popular pastime in S. Korea), enter a Korean home (take off your shoes first!), visit a Korean cafe and examine some of the food dishes, visit a S. Korean classroom setting, visit a modern S. Korean high rise apartment, and much more.

The exhibit occupied a large area and there was so much to do and learn! Playing the janggu and buk (traditional Korean drums) and locating S. Korean on an interactive electronic map were other highlights we enjoyed. We were also able to read a S. Korean fairy tale about croaking frogs, and we learned that the number “4” is unlucky in S. Korea (as such, many buildings won’t have a “4th’ floor. The floor after floor 3 is floor 5).

 
Heart and Seoul: Growing up in S. Korea will be an exhibit at the Children's Museum of Houston through May 10, 2015.  I highly recommend checking out this fun, educational exhibit while it's in town!

 

What to do When a Child is Diagnosed with Special Needs

altParents often struggle with what to do when they learn their child has received a special needs diagnosis.  Kim Bellini, director of The Woodlands LearningRx, said that parents often fall into a trap of not doing anything. Its not that parents are uncaring, she said. Its just they dont know what to do.

To help parents improve the quality of life for their children with autism, dyslexia, ADHD and other learning disabilities, Bellini has created the following list that can help: