In Part 1 of eLearning: What Do You Need to Know about eReaders (Luana: make this a hyper link to part 1), we addressed the benefits of having an ereader for your child, touched on a few of the differences between an e book reader and a tablet.  Then we talked about two important factors to consider when buying an e reader: age of your child and display and navigation.

In Part 2, we are going to look at the rest of the key elements.

Check on Quality

I believe that anything I purchase to enhance my life, or my child’s life, is an investment. And, with all investments, we should do our homework before making the purchase. Not that the eReader or tablet is necessarily a big ticket item when it comes to cost, but it will play a significant role in our children’s education.

So, you should do some research before buying one. Even though I have done a lot of the leg work for you in what features and key points you should consider, you still should get opinions from the consumers. In other words, find people who have been using the device you are interested in, to know how they feel about it. An easy way to do that is to look for online reviews. Another way would be to ask your friends and family.

Where to Find Content

When eReaders first came out, the device and where to find content were linked…more like locked. If you had a Kindle, then you were purchasing content from Amazon, just for one example. However, that has all changed now with the introduction of available apps for the devices. These allow you to purchase content outside the former limitations.

The most important key point I want to make here is e-textbooks. This is important, especially if you are hoping for your children to experience great eLearning. I have found the largest selection, as well as some of the best prices, at Amazon. They are way above the competitors, in my opinion.

There is no shortage of resources for free ebooks.  Simply type in “free ebooks” in your favorite search engine, you will see a long list.  Your local public library is another great place for checking out books.  Better yet, you don’t have to drive all the way there and back to check in and out.

Features to Help Your Child Study

Some of the devices available offer features that will enhance your child’s studying and eLearning, such as…highlighting, text-to-speech, and note taking. Just as you can highlight in a traditional textbook, you can also do the same in your eReader or tablet.

Another nice feature to look for is a built-in dictionary. Imagine just being able to click on a word to learn the definition or history behind a story plat. Many kids would just glance by it, rather than interrupt their reading to look it up in the traditional dictionary.

On-Device Storage

If you plan on getting a device that allows for storing movies, TV shows and games, then you will certainly want to pay attention to the storage capacity. Games and movies take up more space, due to the graphics.

There is the option of expansion on the device, such as a secure digital memory card that can help expand the storage in Sony eReaders, or the Nook Color.

Would The Battery Last for a Road Trip?

If you have a laptop, then you are probably well aware that the battery life is important. However, the battery life in eReaders and tablets is often much longer than a laptop. In fact, the Kindle Touch can last up to 2 months, if used off the charger for an average of 30 minutes each day. A tablet will have much shorter battery life comparatively speaking  due to the multiple features and functionality. This can be important for traveling, or use at school.

Sharing Content with Siblings?

You might be interested to know that it’s possible to share some content, if you have the appropriate eReader or tablet. Some will not allow it. For those that do allow it, I suggest looking to Amazon for their ‘lending library’.

It’s a great way to save money, but pay attention to the ‘small print’. The length of time you can share, as well as how often and who you can share it with will vary.

What’s the Price Tag?

Of course the prices will vary, just like other features. It will depend on what features you opt for, as well as the brand you choose. The good news is that you can find a great device for under $200, at times, well under. The Amazon Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, and Nook Color are all great in both quality and price.

Then there is the iPad. It is more costly, but it’s top of the line for sure. The basic model starts at $499 for the 16GB memory model and goes up from there depending on Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3/4G data network option.
I own an iPad and I am still amazed every day to learn new ways to utilize the device for work, for learning and for entertainment.

As a parent myself, I believe investing in my child’s learning is worth the time and money.  I hope you will find this guide helpful in your research and purchasing process.

About the Author: As Publisher of http://ereaderguide.org, Lei shares her in-depth reviews of best ereaders for your kid and tips on how to leverage these tools for your child’s learning.

It’s always amazing to see the growth and knowledge that our children gain throughout the years. And, if we want to stay on top of their potential for learning and keeping up with the rest of their classmates, then we really need to stay on top of available tools.

Of course we want our kids to do well in school, and it’s never too early, or too late to give them the boost they might need to get interested. What we have available now for our kids is technology to help them learn, such as eReaders, or tablets.

The great thing about eReaders and tablets is that they serve a purpose beyond game playing, surfing the Internet, and watching movies. It is a great source of learning for our children, because of the ‘gadget’ aspect, it is appealing than a traditional book.

Read on to learn more about the tool that can take your child’s learning to the next level.

What Are the Benefits of eReaders/Tablets?

One benefit that I briefly mentioned above is the ‘coolness factor’ of technology. If it looks more like a game or toy, it might be picked up more often by the child, resulting in more use and hopefully learning.

Speaking of picking it up, the weight of the devices is incredibly light. So, if you are going somewhere that you would normally carry multiple books, the difference in weight could be considerable. Take for example going on a trip. Packing 3 or 4 books for the trip will not only take up space in your luggage, but add more weight than one small eReader or tablet.

Imagine carrying those books on your back each day in a backpack. If your child is old enough for college, then that could be a big benefit when compared to lugging around multiple text books on your back all over campus.

Last, the cost difference is a real perk as well. Downloading eBooks, getting free ebooks or PDF documents or papers or even renting them, is often less costly than purchasing traditional books.

Choosing between an eReader and a Tablet

There are a few things to take into account when deciding not only between an eReader and tablet, but which one of those would work best for your children. I did a lot of research before getting my own, so I thought I would share some of the key points when you start looking for the right one for your child.

First, an eReader is primarily for reading, which is a great activity for kids, especially as they grow to develop their skills and vocabulary.

Second is the tablet. These also allow for reading, but it is primarily a device for multi-media consumption, such as being able to watch a movie, or play games. The iPad tablet is probably the ‘Cadillac’ in the tablet market space with the highest price tag, but also with most features and apps.

Now, I’m going to break it down even further to give you some thoughts to ponder before making your investment.

The Age of the Child

I mentioned earlier that it’s never too early to start, or too late. If your child is anywhere from a toddler to probably first or second grade, they might enjoy an interactive device such as Barnes and Noble’s Nook Color ereader or Nook Tablet where stories come alive.  With the Read-to-Me feature and interactive activities built in the device, your children will be so captivated by the enchanting voice of the story teller or by your own mesmerizing voice.

Display and Navigation

Navigation isn’t really too important, because our children can out-navigate us on most anything that has to do with a click or a mouse. They are picking up on computer usage in kindergarten already, if not before. And, most devices are user-friendly to begin with.

The display though, is a matter of preference and will vary between brands. Most of the ereaders use E Ink technology with grayscale from 8 to 16 while tablets display in backlit LCD with IPS (In-Plane Switching).

E Ink is definitely much preferred when it comes to reading for longer periods as E Ink resembles real paper text display with minimum eye strain and much better contrast.  Most of the ereaders also offer the option to change font styles and sizes.

The uniqueness of a tablet is that it has a color display.  The LCD screen display is magnificent for graphics, but not so much for reading due to the glossy surface and glares.  Its wider view angle is conducive to watching movies or playing games.  If your child has a playmate, the wider viewing is also great for sharing.

When it comes to screen, size matters.  It goes without saying that the larger, the better.  The downside of a larger screen is also heavier in weight and bigger in dimensions.  All in all, a tablet is still very light and compact comparing to a laptop PC.

Be sure to visit our site soon for Part 2 of this article.

About the Author: As Publisher of http://ereaderguide.org, Lei shares her in-depth reviews of best ereaders for your kid and tips on how to leverage these tools for your child’s learning.

My father is a mechanic, so from a young age he was teaching us about cars. My brother, sister and I knew how to change the oil by the age of 13. Before we were able to get our licenses, he made sure we also knew how to change the tires and check all of the gauges as well. Of course, at age 13 I wasn’t really interested in learning about cars. I wanted to hang out with my friends, wear make-up, and dance. That’s all I cared about. Now that I am married, I am so grateful that my daddy taught us how to do all of that. I’m glad that he taught us what to look for when buying a car.

I remember the first time I went car shopping alone. It was a little stressful.. maybe even overwhelming. There is definitely a lot of sales pressure out there. There is a lot pushy salesmen, who will not take no for an answer. My daddy taught us to stand firm when buying a car (or buying anything else for that matter). I can remember the day I went car shopping like it was yesterday. I was 19 years old and, like most young people, I thought I knew what I wanted. I went to a few Trusted Dealers in my hometown, just browsing the inventory. I test drove a few things. Some cars that I tested, I knew I couldn’t afford, but I still wanted to say that I sat behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang GT.

I continued my shopping, test driving different cars, trucks, jeeps. I finally spotted the car I fell in love with. At that time in my life, I was rebellious, so I wanted a car that was out of the ordinary. Something that could be spotted from a mile away. The car I ended up getting was a 1993 Chevy Tracker. I absolutely loved it. It was bright yellow, black pin stripes, and black soft top. It had wonderful gas mileage and for it to be a pretty small car on the outside, it was rather roomy on the inside. I had to get a loan for the car, but my payments were very cheap. (only $150 per month) I had that car for about 3 years when I traded it for 1996 Mazda 626.

I would like to give a little advice to anyone who is car shopping now or in the near future….

~Do your research, know what kind of car you have in mind before stepping foot onto a car lot.

~Test drive everything.

~Check the gauges.

~Look under the car.. make sure that there are no leaks.

~Look under the hood when the car is running.. you don’t want anything smoking.

~Make sure you read what you’re signing.

~Know your budget limit. Don’t let anyone talk you into something you can’t afford. You don’t want your car to get repossessed 6 months down the road.

-Checking out some online resources such as trusteddealers.co.uk before shopping never hurts!

As long as you feel good with yourself and your baby is happy and grows healthy and energetic, you’re doing the right thing.

Leave guilt out of your door.

Now, for the statistics— did you know that store brand infant formulas, also known as private-label, provide quality baby milk for a cost up to 50 percent less than name-brand formulas?

Yes, that would make a $600/year saving— per baby.

No wonder store brand infant formula is the top pick for many parents living on a low budget, and moms who can’t breastfeed. Also, store brand organic formula comes in three categories:

• Milk Formula
• Soy-Based Formula
• Specialty Formula

Your choice should fall on the category that best fits your baby’s needs. For anything else (formula switch, density, etc.) consult your pediatrician.

What Really Counts Is Bonding With Your Baby

Really, don’t feel guilty just because you can’t (or choose not to) breastfeed. While breast milk is the absolute best for your child:

• what she really needs is your love
• your eyes in hers while you feed her
• her skin against yours while she eats
• her mommy’s loving smile
• her mommy’s tender heartbeat

The above benefits come from YOU, not from the milk. Breast milk would certainly boosts your baby’s immune system and provide species-specific nutrients, but today baby organic infant formula is closer to human milk than they were in the past, so if you can’t/don’t want to breastfeed, don’t worry—

Just LOVE your baby.

Her smile is the answer you’re looking for.

Image Credit: David Castillo Dominici / freedigitalphotos.net

As a new mum, you might not feel like you want to throw yourself into time and energy-consuming arts and crafts projects. However, collecting everything that you’ll need for a baby album can be all part of the fun of being a new mum. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to putting together your own baby album.

Often you can buy an album which gives you space to fill in all the information which is relevant to your baby. This can be an easy way to keep an cute record of everything from you baby’s weight when they were born, to the date on which they took their first steps. If this is your first time putting together a baby album, then this should give you a good idea of what you may want to include.

However, if you want to have the freedom to be more creative, then you may decide to use a blank album. You might find that you take some of the best pictures of your baby at the times when you least expect – like when you catch them crawling for the first time, or laughing away at their toys. It can be a great idea to keep a camera with you, even when you are cooking the dinner, playing online FoxyBingo or doing the laundry – not just at birthday parties and special events. This way, you will be able to collect as many great pictures for your album as possible.

That said, you dont have to just put photos in your baby album! You might want to do a paint print of the size of their hand or foot. Depending on how long you continue your baby album for, you may even be able to include their first drawings. It really is personal to your and your own memories, but putting together a baby album can prove to be something which is well worth doing.

Image credit: David Castillo Dominici / freedigitalphotos.net

As a mom who was sick tired of the Rat Race in the corporate world, I made the choice to find work that can be done from a home office. I thought this decision was the right choice, not only for me, but for my family as well. I was right.

It didn’t make sense to just find less stressful work in a traditional brick and mortar office, although that would help. But, there would still be the commute that would add time away from home, as well as a less flexible schedule than I was hoping to find.

For me, the driving force was to spend more time with my family, and be involved, rather than simply be awake and around for an hour or so at the end of the day. I was fortunate to find my niche in the ‘work from home’ workforce. And, there is a vast array of opportunities available, if this is also your goal.

However, the first step is to be honest about what you are seeking, and to know if it’s realistic. If you are simply looking for something easy, just working from home isn’t your solution. It certainly comes with its share of challenges.

So, whatever niche you are seeking to get into, whether it be Internet Marketing like me, freelance writing, or telecommuting for a company, read on for some helpful tips on how to make it work… and work well.

The Drawbacks of Working from Home

We might as well tackle this right away. Yes, there are some disadvantages to working in a home office. The first, and probably biggest drawback would be interruptions and distractions. While you will have those in any work environment, it’s different at home.

First, you might have the children running around, most likely making some noise. Even though it’s not intentional on their part, it can be disruptive to a good work flow. However, acknowledging the inevitable is the first step in getting it under control.

Another area that can be difficult is the aches and pains of sitting at a desk all day. Now, you might be wondering how that is different than when you work in a traditional office… and, you’re right. This is actually where you might find an unexpected benefit. But, I’ll touch on that in a minute.

Finally, you are solely responsible for your entire set up, and make sure that you have a work environment that is created for productivity.

The first thing you need to do is to take control.

Don’t Just Handle the Distractions – Prevent Them

It will be impossible to prevent all distractions from the kids, especially if they are young and active. However there are things you can do to help. First, encourage them to wait with questions until you are on a break. Tasks such as turning the channel for them or asking you to choose sides can all wait until you are available.

If they are not accepting this rule, try using a timer. If they continuously interrupt with questions or comments, tell them they need to set a timer for 10 minutes before they can come to you with a question. Chances are, they will move on to something else at that point.

You can also find quiet things for them to do, such as artwork, iPods for music, or reading. If they don’t like sitting down with a book, maybe using technology would be an incentive. For example, using an eReader so they can download multiple children books, might help spark some interest in reading. If you don’t know which one would be best for your child, type in ‘best ereader for your kids’ into Google to learn more.

Blocking Time-Outs

No, I’m not talking about time-outs as a disciplinary measure. What I am referring to here is taking breaks throughout the day. If one reason for working at home is to be more involved with the kids, then taking breaks with them is a great way to do it.

You should be taking breaks during the day anyway, at least 2 or 3 each day. It not only can replenish your mind and body, but you can connect with the kids, something you don’t have when working elsewhere.

If you struggle with this and find yourself working straight through, create a calendar entry every hour or so on your iPad, or computer. Make sure you get up and move around. It would be a great time to tend to the kids questions and needs. You can also take advantage of the time to stretch your muscles, so they don’t tighten up too much at the end of the day.

A Productive Setup

When you take the time to set your home office up with the right equipment and tools, it will lead to a more productive flow for your work day. Some of this will depend on which career path you are going to take, but here is a generic list:

• Computer with plenty of memory
• Permanent desk
• Lumbar chair
• Docking system for charging
• Appropriate software
• Calendar

There will be other items you will want to consider, based on your niche. I mentioned a calendar, even though it seems rather simple. However, whether you use an online calendar, a traditional desk calendar, or your iPhone, it will play a significant role in keeping you organized and on target for your goals… one of which is spending more time with your kids.

About the Author

Lei Chidester escaped the Rat Race to pursue a successful career in Internet Marketing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, traveling, and ereading on self-help, health and healing. It is also her passion to share tips on work and life balance with other moms.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Zenni is at it again, with its crazy discounts and affordable eyeglasses. :) For every 2 pairs you buy, you get 1 FREE. That’s is the most generous offer I’ve ever seen from them. Good thing, guys!

Which pairs? Well, the usual $6.95 prescription eyeglasses everybody loves so much, it seems. With custom frames and lenses. And low shipping costs. Anything else? YES! All eyeglasses come with FREE anti-scratch and anti-glare coating, cleaning cloth in micro-fiber, customizable case and full UV protection. I believe that’s a lot of accessories for an almost-free package!

Really guys, you have outdone yourself. :) Parents will love you!

I’ve been looking for a product to review on MommySoul.com, an alternative to chemical products that could help breastfeeding moms cure this kind of health issues with no risk for the baby, and so far Nopalea seemed the best fit for the purpose. It’s a natural product, so it’s made from all safe, genuine ingredients.

Nopalea – read No-pah lay’uh – is a sweet fruit juice derived from the Nopal cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica), also used to treat colesterol and diabetes.

The healing properties of this fruit have been known and used by the natives for centuries, and gladly our people are finally making use of them too. It seems like my parents use Nopal-derived products too, to cure inflammations and diabetes. It’s simply amazing how natural ingredients can help our bodies!

What does Nopalea do?

Nopalea is an aid for the body in neutralizing circulating toxins and in helping the healing process in inflammed areas (internal or external). Another benefit is the wellbeing of cells, which are kept healthy and efficient, making the drink a good aid to cancer patients too.

Is it good for breastfeeding moms?

Yes, it is – according to my family’s experiences and from what I read online. Of course, before you try anything, I encourage you to ask your doctor for advice and, in case, to run an allergy test before trying.

Nopalea can be tried for free (shipping is $9.95) by calling 1-800-203-7063.

Dear moms and dads,

I believe we should thank Walgreens for what it keeps doing for our families. Thanks to Walgreens, even risky disputes like the current one between Walgreens and Express Script will reduce the effects some companies’ decision end up having on a family’s health insurance plan.

Last year I dedicated a Focus-On post to Walgreens, pointing out the help it always provided to families across the States with its $3 million a year donation to the Way to Well Fund™, providing free preventive tests to families and sanity information pamphlets to the most disadvantaged communities.

Now, Walgreens is in trouble, a trouble which puts more burden on its customers’ shoulders than the current financial crisis is doing already.

After years of honored partnership, Express Scripts Inc. has decided to remove Walgreens from its network of pharmacy providers, a decision that seems to be very illogical, considering the very competitive rates and the territorial penetration Walgreens has, along with the trust among its customers.

Express Scripts says its business model demands the power to unilaterally decide the contract terms, which translates in pure selfishness in this situation. E.S. is Walgreens’ middleman, but now it seems to be its killer.

The ones really affected by this decision are Express Scripts customers which used to buy drugs at Walgreens. Now they have to look for another pharmacy, perhaps very far from when they live and with schedules incompatible with their lifestyles. Incredible…

I’m glad the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club is trying to help out with cheap annual memberships and discounts. I guess we could give  a hand too, by ‘liking’ Walgreens on Facebook and adding @Walgreens on Twitter.

Let’s hope for the best.