What a brilliant answer, Cedarmoon!    I couldn't have put that in words any better myself.

It saddens me a little bit that this is a legitimate fear for parents: that their kids will be too smart to fit in public schooling.   If only we had more systems in place all over the world which cater to each child's need for multiple intelligence learning.

[The Little Reader Chinese Curriculum teaches Mandarin Chinese, and there is an option to get the curriculum in Simplified or Traditional written format.]

Hi Natadan!

For parents who would like to teach their babies Chinese, we do have Chinese Curriculum, but here is something to think about before you buy the content:     

The Little Reader Chinese Curriculum teaches Mandarin Chinese, and there is an option to get the curriculum in Simplified or Traditional written format.  

The difference between the two versions is that Simplified Chinese characters are used in the Simplified Chinese Curriculum and Traditional Chinese characters are used in the Traditional Chinese Curriculum.

This means that the main difference is in the writing of the characters. This is very important, since depending on where you are and what you intend to use Chinese for, you will need to make a decision between the two.

Generally speaking, Simplified Chinese characters are easier to write and learn because these have fewer strokes compared with Traditional Chinese characters -- this is because the Simplified Chinese uses 'simplified' forms of the Traditional Chinese characters. On the other hand, each Traditional Chinese character usually consists of many strokes which serve to illustrate what the character means or the idea it represents.

In my belief, the most important thing which will weigh in on your decision is what you will use Chinese for:
The use of Chinese written language is different in certain countries or regions. For example:

Simplified Chinese is used in...

• Mainland China
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• ...more widely used around the world!

Traditional Chinese is used in...

• Hong Kong
• Macau
• Taiwan
• ...and a few overseas Chinese communities.

If your family does not live in a place where you will explicitly need to use Traditional Chinese, my best suggestion is to go with Simplified. 

Hello ladies! 

We're not planning a Hindi version of our curriculum at the moment. Usually, we get partners to help us with the full localization of our curriculum into different languages, and unfortunately we don't have a partner who has offered to do this in Hindi and cover the cost. 

However, you do have an option to translate the curriculum yourselves and save your newly translated curriculum as a Hindi version for your own use.

We wrote a short guide on how this is done:
http://support.brillkids.com/entries/20622132-how-can-i-translate-my-little-reader-english-curriculum-into-the-language-i-want-to-teach

Hello Cheerymom!

So sorry to hear about your issues with Right Brain Kids - perhaps I might suggest that you try contacting them via Facebook. 

Right Brain Kids on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tweedlewink

Perhaps their support site has gone offline, and maybe they are still fixing the links.    But checking their Facebook page shows that they are active within the past 24 hours, so they may see your message faster if you contact them through there with your inquiry.

Hola Natadan y NPLight!

Pedimos disculpas por cualquier inconveniente, pero sí tenemos un acuerdo exclusivo con Mentelista, y ellos son nuestros socios en España. Si usted quiere comprar cualquier producto BrillKids, Mentelista debe ser capaz de llevar a ellos, y usted puede ayudar a conseguir nuestros kits localmente.

También debe ser capaz de ayudar con el apoyo en su idioma local.

Sin embargo, los códigos de descuento que se puede conseguir utilizando sus puntos de fidelidad no son aplicables a las compras Mentelista - es el mismo caso para algunos de nuestros otros distribuidores.

En este caso, le recomendamos que se ponga en contacto directamente Mentelista y pedir un descuento, estamos seguros de que será más que feliz de saber de usted y averiguar lo que le puede ayudar.

====================================

Hello Natadan and NPLight! 

We are sorry for any inconvenience, but we do have an exclusive agreement with Mentelista, and they are our partners in Spain. If you want to buy any BrillKids products, Mentelista should be able to carry them, and they can help you with getting our kits locally.

They should also be able to help with support in your local language.

However, discount codes which you can get using your loyalty points are not applicable to Mentelista purchases - it is the same case for some of our other distributors.

In this case, we recommend that you contact Mentelista directly and ask for a discount, we are sure they will be more than happy to hear from you and find out what they can help you with.

[The most successful ones we've noticed are the ones who were focused on the bonding experience they have with their children, and not the results]

Hello CedarMoon! 

This question is an interesting one, and I think it might be helpful if I talk about what I've observed and noticed about some of our power mommies and power daddies in the community. 

First off, and I think most importantly, we have parents here who just love going through the teaching adventures with their children. The most successful ones we've noticed are the ones who were focused on the bonding experience they have with their children, and not the results. I think that above everything, this is important, since we've also seen quite a lot of parents who get impatient (Why isn't my son talking by now? Why isn't my daughter sitting still? My child is soooo behind!  )

It's fine to be impatient once in a while, but what we always try to remind people is that the whole learning to read, do math or sing in perfect pitch is just a byproduct of this learning journey. Those are just wonderful wonderful side effects of what you do when you teach your child. The  goal is to ENJOY the whole process, to create happy moments with your child (whether or not your child gets things right sometimes), and to show your child that learning isn't a chore, it's a FUN and AMAZING experience.

I've also noticed that in their own way, the successful mommies and daddies do try to be CONSISTENT. I guess this is where organization comes into play, but keep in mind that how some people may approach being organized can seem like chaos to some; it will all depend on what you can fit in your schedule since we all have different ways of tackling the day (plus children all have different needs we need to attend to!) The important thing is that they TRY and are PATIENT; and in trying, they have small successes.

Another thing is that because these parents keep their eye on the prize (ENJOY the whole process) they can also be FORGIVING of themselves and their children. It's okay when you skip a day, or when you don't get all the things right.  The "trying" is important too, and it's nice to reward or pat yourselves on the back because you have the best of intentions and you had a blast trying anyway.


As for TIPS.... hmm. We do have a few tips for teaching which might come in handy:

Make Lists!
Well, lists are such an easy way to handle a seemingly-overwhelming day, and it's just soooo satisfying to cross things out. 

Plan Ahead... Even a Little at a Time
You know how sometimes you find yourself with 5 minutes of quiet after the kids are asleep? Use 2 minutes of that to just quickly write down what you plan to do for the next day. You might be amazed at how much lighter things get when you go through them the next day with you knowing exactly what to expect for your next activity!

Don't Be Afraid to Ask For Help!
Not all super mommies and daddies go through the whole parenting thing alone: sometimes a spot of help doesn't hurt!  Sharing activities between mommy and daddy and even getting aunts, uncles, and grandparents involved make the load feel one million times lighter - and everyone gets in on the fun this way, too!

I'm also a firm believer of "There is no monopoly on great ideas" - so you being here in the forum and asking is already A GREAT START!      The parents here would be more than happy to share what works for them, and this way, you can get ideas on what might work for you and your day, and you'll step back from your computer time just a little bit more empowered and excited to tackle the day.

I hope this helps in some way!  Do keep us posted on your experience!

[Little Reader LITE:]

Hello Aashi29 and Cedarmoon! 

Here's a "Cliff Notes" version to explain our Little Reader products:

   Little Reader LITE:

This is what you can download for FREE. The moment you sign up as a member, you can download this program from your Account. It's sort of what we would refer to as a trial. It has a 9-day Starter Course, which gives you a taste of what the whole curriculum could possibly be like.

From the first day you install this, it also comes with all of the editing features unlocked. You have 14 days to try out all the editing features, like making your own lessons or changing the pictures of the current lessons and adding in your own. After 14 days, all of these editing features are deactivated, and you are left with a Little Reader which will only play the 9-day Starter Course. You won't get any further than that unless you want to buy a full course, but you can play the start course over and over and over again, as much as you want.

   Little Reader PRO:

This is what you buy when you only want to unlock all the editing features. You don't get the full one-year course we offer, but all the editing features are unlocked for you - this means you can actually go ahead and make your own lessons using your own photos and audio. This is what most parents and teachers buy when they already know what they want to teach and they specifically want to do it on their own.

   Little Reader Language Curriculum:

This is what you buy when you want to get just the language curriculum: we have them in English (with a choice of British or American English), Chinese (with a choice of Simplified or Traditional written Chinese with pronunciations all done in Mandarin), Spanish, Russian, French, Thai. When you buy this, you will be able to download the curriculum you bought, but the editing features are still locked for you. You can play whatever curriculum you already purchased over and over again as you wish.

   Little Reader BASIC:

Little Reader Basic is what you buy when you want THE full 12-month curriculum we have on offer AND you want the editing features unlocked. Most people buy this because it has great value for the price it's at. You can start out by using the course we have made, and along the way, whenever you want to teach new stuff or you want to create your own lessons using your own photos and audio, you can go ahead and do so because the editing features are unlocked for you to use.

This product is available as a "Download Only" (that means you will be able to download and install everything once you buy it) or as a "Physical Kit" (that means you will be sent a box with the software, and that means added shipping cost).

   Little Reader Deluxe:

This is the big daddy of all of our Little Reader products. It's a full kit with 25 storybooks, reusable flash cards, pattern phonics flip cards (which are great for teaching and practicing phonics), a couple of booklets to help introduce you to the concept of teaching young children to read, and some other neat stuff like labeling stickers. These physical materials are bundled up with a 12-month English curriculum (again, your choice of British or American English) and the editing features all unlocked.

All of these goodies are neatly packed in a big purple box which weights about 5.5kgs so that's something to consider when buying, since the shipping fee will be proportionate to the weight of the package.

WHEW!  I think that about sums it up!

In case I missed out on any information you're looking for, just hit the reply button and ask, I'll be more than happy to share with you what I know.

Have a wonderful wonderful day everyone! 

Thank you for your support Natadan! We're all the more inspired to do more for the foundation with your well-wishes!

Hello Hazima_Faezaa!

Glad to have you here in the BrillKids forum! Hope to see more of you around in the conversations here, and don't forget to ask in case you need any help with navigating our community or even for general questions about our programs.

Have an awesome day!

[Instructions on how to use your Infant Stimulation Cards:]

Hi Trisha!

Since your baby is just a newborn, (4 months and below) I would suggest starting with Infant stimulation cards. These infant stimulation cards are simple cards in high-contrast colors (black and white and red) which are proven to stimulate very young children visually. We have a few free downloadable infant stimulation card files at our Free downloads section:  http://www.brillkids.com/free-download/index.php

Instructions on how to use your Infant Stimulation Cards:

 - Put your cards on a pile, in the reverse order which you want to show the cards to your baby.
 - With your baby near you, show the cards one by one. Use about 10-15 seconds to present one side of a card.
 - After showing one side, present the corresponding pattern on the back of the card.
 - Allow your child to study the patterns and adjust her eyes to the images.

You may repeat this exercise as often as you want, but of course, do take breaks and allow your child to take breaks, too!  And make sure to stop the exercise when your baby seems disinterested or is preoccupied with something else - just take it up again when your baby appears more perceptive to the cards.

Listening to soothing and classical music will also help with auditory stimulation.

Meanwhile, personally encourage you to have a read through of one of our websites: BrillBaby (http://www.brillbaby.com/)

In BrillBaby, we discuss everything you need to know about teaching your child, how to start, what to remember, and even a review of several different products to help you teach. Although we at BrillKids also develop our own products for kids 5 months and onwards, we would never pressure anyone into just buying them without knowing what they do, so please read through BrillBaby first so you can decide which teaching method and style is best for you and your baby.

To learn specifically about teaching young children to read, please go here: http://www.brillbaby.com/teaching-baby/reading/introduction-to-teaching-baby-to-read.php

To learn specifically about teaching young children math, please go here: http://www.brillbaby.com/teaching-baby/math/introduction-to-teaching-baby-math.php

You'll learn about the two methods you can use to teach - the flash card method (which takes advantage of right brain learning capabilities of children) and the multisensory method (incredibly fun and very stimulating for baby). We've built all of our BrillKids learning systems to be able to use both methods, so you have more flexibility in your lessons.

If you found which method works best for you, and you'd like an easier way of teaching, then I would totally love to invite you to try Little Reader, Little Math and Little Musician.  (Don't install the programs before you intend to use them though! There's currently no way of extending trials, so it's really best to only install when you intend to start using them.)

And of course - my biggest recommendation - is to ask questions on anything here in the forum. We have LOADS of families who have the blessing of caring for children with special needs here, and we would be more than happy to share experiences and ideas with you.

OMG, PokerDad. I searched the web for Kinetic Sand and saw a video on YouTube. *Mind Blown*

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/50_-zqsgDA4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/50_-zqsgDA4&rel=1</a>

Haha, I just might get some for myself.

[The Early Education for Every Child Foundation (EEECF) is now a registered charity on AMAZON SMILE!]

The Early Education for Every Child Foundation (EEECF) is now a registered charity on AMAZON SMILE!

For all of you Amazon shoppers out there, you'll be pleasantly pleased to know that shopping on Amazon Smile and Amazon will now enable you to donate to the charity of your choice!

Amazon is probably one of the most widely used shopping websites in the world  - haha, I'm in Hong Kong and I STILL use it quite often! A couple of months ago, we were intensely pleased to hear that someone nominated our charity foundation as a beneficiary for their purchase. We jumped at this opportunity to register with Amazon Smiles right away so we can open this donation service to those who might be interested.

We're happy to announce that anyone who purchases stuff from Amazon/Amazon Smiles may elect to donate 0.5% of their purchase to EEECF or any charity of their choice.

If you already shop on Amazon, or if you’re looking for an awesome gift for a loved one, we invite you to shop at smile.amazon.com and choose  Early Education for Every Child Foundation  as your charity of choice.

Here's how it works:

1. Visit smile.amazon.com.


2. Sign in and Choose Your Charity
The screen will look slightly different depending on whether your not you’re already signed into Amazon. If you’re already signed in, you’ll see a screen like the one below. Simply search for "Early Education for Every Child Foundation" or the charity of your choice and proceed to step 3.


If you’re not signed in to your Amazon account yet, enter your email and password. Then proceed to step 3.

3. Select "Early Education for Every Child Foundation"
After signing in, search for  "Early Education for Every Child Foundation" or the charity of your choice.
Once selected, you will receive an email confirmation and you can begin shopping.


4. Start shopping!
Once you’ve selected your charity everything else functions the same. Shop for your favorite brands or buy the perfect gift. Most products on Amazon's regular site is also on Amazon Smile - if you can't find what you're looking for, you’ll be notified. You can checkout exactly the same way as well. No extra cost is passed onto you – Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to Early Education for Every Child Foundation!

We'd like to give a HUGE SHOUTOUT to Amazon for their efforts to support charities!

We hope you'll take the opportunity to support Early Education for Every Child Foundation by shopping on smile.amazon.com, too!

[This is the part where we are still stuck in.]

Sorry for the late updates everyone! This curriculum has had us going a little bit crazy, specifically because of the "Right to Left" support which Little Reader needs to have to display the characters properly.

Here's a little bit more of an in-depth update, just so you all know where we are:

1.) We have already created an Excel sheet filled with finalized words, phrases and sentences for the Arabic Curriculum. We also have already completed the Phonics lessons for this language.

2.) All the audio files have already been sourced, cut and edited.

3.) We are putting together all these words and phrases into complete category files in Little Reader.

***This is the part where we are still stuck in.***

While we are putting the words and phrases in Little Reader as category files, we have discovered that many - if not ALL - of the words which are broken down with slashes (you know, the "/" which Little Reader uses to denote split colors between parts of a sentence or word) do not display correctly. This is an issue with RTL (right to left) text support which we are completing the programming for.

After we have completed putting the words together as categories, I will proceed with step 4 in the development which is...

4.) Create a schedule for Sem 1 and 2 with the categories

Once number 4 is done, I can open Beta testing to a small group of people who can help us spot inconsistencies in the curriculum. 

I hope this little update helps - we're sorry for the delay, but we hope that you can be patient with us... this is, after all, our very first RTL curriculum and we just want to make sure we get it right.

Haha Thanks Mandabplus3!

Yes Kyles Mom, just go to the library and use the search.

Here are the steps:

1.) On the top of any BrillKids website, click on LIBRARY
2.) There is a search field on the top. Type in the username you are looking to find files for.
3.) Click on SEARCH.

Hola Natadan! El Transporte Categoría Pack es todavía muy nueva, por lo que puede escribir en Mentelista para preguntar sobre su disponibilidad.

Tal vez ellos no han actualizado sus sitios web todavía.