Talk me out of Tweedle Wink?

[TheyCan]

I have a 6 month-old and a 3 1/2 year-old.  I own lots of other learning videos/programs - YBCR, Signing Time, LR, Doman cards and CD roms (from the site), etc.  My 3 1/2 year-old has been reading great for a long time.  I'm still very tempted to start the right brain program for my youngest though...but it's SO expensive (especially since I've purchases so many other things).  I really don't have the extra money to spend on it.  Those of you who have the program - what do you say?  Would you talk me out of it?  Thank you!!!

[nadia0801]

I would definitely not If I would have to do EL all over again, developing the right-brain would be my number one priority. We have played TW since DD was four months old up to now (3.5 yo).  Right-brain activities, not limited to TW, are very beneficial for a lot of things - stronger memory, speed-reading skills, mental imaging, etc. Reading Pamela's manual is a great start in understanding the ways to improve right-brain function. I was a skeptic about this before because it all seems too fantastic but Pamela's explanation made me an enthusiast.

Also, aside from TW, there are interactive right-brain games that you might like Memory Magic. Here's my 3-yo enjoying the Silly Story game.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ziqqtPMVyqQ&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ziqqtPMVyqQ&rel=1</a>

[cokers4life]

I can't attach the file because it is too large, but I will tell you that anyone can make a tweedle wink presentation.   Its more or less a large power point presentation.   I made several just like it to test my theory.  There are plenty of free right brain activities out there. You don't have to have to a DVD to give your child exposure.   I will tell you that Sparkabilities is a much higher quality with plenty of fantastic eye training activities and right brain visual learning.  I can not replicate Sparkabilities, so I did buy those.  Plus it is a better value and more affordable.   My babies love them far better than the tweedle wink sample.  I have three that are four and under, so its kid tested in my book.

There are plenty of free resources out there to teach you right brain activities to do with your child.  http://figur8.net/baby/  This my favorite blog out there on this subject.  She is so wonderful to share all the at home right brain activities. 

As far as speed reading, most right brain schools (from my research) just play audio at a faster playback rate while the class/child follows the story with their eyes.  You can do this with any read along audio CD/book by playing the cd on Windows Media Play.  Right click the player for speed play back options.  Plus if the child is flashed the words and has a strong understanding of phonics, they will eventually pick up speed reading naturally.

I also got Memory Magic.  Its good for teaching the child to memorize 100 items in sequential order.   I will say it is a good exercise, but I am disappointed that the cd only allows for one activity of 100 cards.  It would have retained a higher value in my book if my children could use the activity over and over with different pictures and silly stories.  I could live without it.  Create a powerpoint with just 100 slides with one picture on the slide.  Then choose the print option for nine slides per page.  Print and cut out each picture.  Then laminate.  You can then create your own silly story, and play the same game with your kids.  The idea is the same as playing the game Simon.   You are more less building up their working memory defined here  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_memory.   

So this is how I talked myself out of tweedle wink.   Basically if I can teach the concepts to the child without the DVD easily, then the DVD is rendered over priced and useless in my book.  Sparkabilities is a better bet.  The higher quality eye training is worth it to me, and it teaches the concepts at a fast right brain rate.   

As far as the music part of getting your child in the right state of mind, alpha waves generally have to be heard through head phones, and you can purchase these pretty much anywhere.  There are some that you do not need head phones for but I do not believe they accomplish the same thing.  You really need the headphones, and good luck getting a baby or toddler to listen to that kind of music through head phones.  I think the music is certainly beneficial but not necessary for ages 0-5.   I do not see the point of playing this kind of music in the background as it has no affect without headphones.  If you simply wanted your child to develop a love for this music sound, than maybe then it would serve a purpose to be played in the background during playtime.  I think it would be better to play foreign language songs though. 

Hope that helps. 

[nee1]

You are awesome, cokers4life. Thank you for the explanation.

[Mandabplus3]

Well I agree anyone could make a tweedlewink video, but that is a lot of work! I really, really hesitated before buying them, my youngest is 4. I decided to get them and I am so glad I did! They are very comprehensive, they teach things I never would never have thaught to include in a power point. They are compact, easy to use. An 8 minute education that lasts a life time. My son has learnt to walk from the tv into the piano and show me the note he just learnt on tweedlewink wink! We are only up to the second DVD lesson 6. Look in truth the quality is slightly lower than the standards we are used to now, but that doesn't detract in any way. They are worth every expensive dollar I spent.
As to the other right brain stuff.
Memory magic I have and could like without, now that I have it and know how it all works. Getting the information to skip the purchase was hard work so I bought it. Watch the videos ( mine on the forum and above) and you can follow corkers instructions for printing your own cards, and save the money. The memory magic apps are great if you have the iPad. Cheap/free!
The alpha music does not need to be listened to with headphones. I can clearly feel a slight pressure in my brain whenever I have it playing in my house. I can physically feel that it is changing my brain waves in a slight but decernable way. Apparently one of my kids can too. But more importantly you don't need the music for children at all! They are already in an alpha state! It's you and any older children who can benefit from it. The CDs are available cheaply from many places and I have downloaded some from iTunes and an app (free).
I havnt seen sparkabilities, check it out before you commit. I can't talk you out of tweedlewink sorry, both your kids will benefit, the reading is a small component of the whole series. Many thing we can save money on but I know I personally would never have been able to replicate the knowledge in these DVDs before my kids turned 10

[seastar]

I can't talk you out of them either. After thinking long & hard, I eventually bought both Sparkabilities & Tweedlewink, and I am so glad that I did. My daughter ADORES Sparkabilities. She likes Tweedlewink too and I feel she is learning from both.

Like Litte Reader & Little Math, I love that everything is already prepared for me, no messing around with powerpoint & printers. I admire anyone who takes the time to prepare the materials themselves, but I just feel overwhelmed when I think about it all.

If you are worried about making a big investment, maybe you could post a message on the Buy & Sell forum to see if anyone is willing to trade with you.

[cokers4life]

Here is the science behind Alpha Wave music:

"First discovered by biophysicist Gerald Oster at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, Brainwave Therapy sends pure, precisely tuned sound waves of different frequencies to your brain via stereo headphones. In his EEG research, Oster discovered that when different vibrations, or sound frequencies, are delivered to the brain separately through each ear (as with stereo headphones), the two hemispheres of the brain function together to "hear" not the external sound signals, but a third phantom signal. This signal is called a binaural beat, and it pulses at the exact mathematical difference between the two actual tones. For example, a signal of 100 Hz delivered to the left ear and a signal of 107 Hz delivered to the right creates a binaural beat of 7 Hz which in this case falls into the Alpha range.
brain entrainment

Research shows that first parts of the brain and, eventually, large areas of the brain begin to resonate sympathetically with this "phantom" binaural beat in what is known as the Frequency Following Response.

Subsequent research determined that binaural beat frequencies drive brain activity into specific brain states. Thus, effortlessly and naturally, your brain activity slides into rhythm with this binaural beat, becoming organized and coherent. Within minutes, the sound frequencies start to balance the left and right hemispheres of your brain – creating a remarkable state called hemispheric synchronization and driving the electrical activity of your brain into powerful states, normally unattainable. Scientists have noted that this rare phenomenon was accompanied by flashes of creative insight, euphoria, intensely focused concentration, deep calm, and enhanced learning abilities."  (source: http://www.brainsync.com/brainlab/about-brainwave-therapy.html)

There are some others that are isochronic which do not require head phones.  I personally like binaural beats better.  Just be sure that to examine the music to see if it requires headphones or not.

I guess I should say that if I had deep pockets, I would be lazy and buy them too.  (gee, I hate to say lazy...I would spend my time doing something else more productive.)  It is a lot of work to make your own.     There are other products that I decided had higher priority (LR being one of them).  If you have everything else and don't want to make your own, then I would buy them.  But if I had to decide b/w Sparkabilities and Tweedlewink, I would choose Sparkabilities hands down.

[IrinaG]

Both of my boys (3,5 y.o and 1,5 y.o.) LOVE Sparkabilities: quality is great, fast pase and fun stuff to learn! They are also watching TweedleWink and liking too even though quality is much lower. However I have to say: in TweedleWink has so much information!!! I am making EK cards also but it just takes so long to research and print and get cards ready!!!! I find myself running out of time ALWAYS.  )

[Mandabplus3]

Yes corkers I was talking about isochronic. I would have mentioned both but figured no one on the forum would know what I was talking about  It appears I have undervalued the knowledge here oops!
Most of the music aimed at children and right brain learning is isochronic and doesn't need headphones because it works on both areas of the brain together..but that's research we both know so I won't bore anyone glad to know this forum is a wealth of hidden knowledge, I shall not underestimate it again

[LM]

Hi everyone ,
can I use TW with my 4 year old.
 Thank u very much in advance.

[Mandabplus3]

I am using it with my 4 year old. He actually asks me to put it on for him...I was expecting to have to encourage him to watch it. We are on the second disk and he has learnt quite a bit already. ( He is just starting to read.) from tweedlewink  he has learnt which notes are where on the piano ( he plays piano using solfege but doesn't yet read CDE music or notes) he watches the session then goes to the piano to show me E, then tells me what solfege note it is too. He learnt note duration. He has remembered some countries, loves the eye tracking and is obsorbed by the math dots. He turns away during the sight words, they are just too small and uninspiring sadly ( this would be the first bit I would fix if it was my company) but other than that no problems.I do encourage him to be calm to watch them and we always repeat the affirmations and have a hug after. He actually came looking for me for the hug at the end when he was watching it with his sister. 
He also loves the vocabulary development and that means he is seeing a whole lot of words.
I wish I had,had  it for my girls they would have loved it soooo much as 3 year olds, my 6 year old will often watch it even now.  I think most 4 year olds will like it enough to watch each session twice before going to the next lesson. I doubt I could play it three times in a row without protest. But I will try to get a second viewing out of them after we get to the last disc.

[LM]

Thank you very much Mandabplus3, that helps a lot. I will get them for my son.

[TheyCan]

Thank you so much for the responses!!  Although...now I want Tweedlewink AND Sparkabilites...that wasn't the intent of the post - LOL.  I'll have to let you know the final decision and my thoughts afterward!

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