Review #1: Signing Families

Disclosure to keep the feds happy: If I review a product, service, or whatever, it is because I feel like it not because I get paid for it. I will happily try a product that I buy, win, or that is sent to me. I will review it based on how I really think, not on any incentive. I will send a link of the blog to original seller and allow them to voice their thoughts in the comments. You will see this disclosure at the bottom of all future "Review" blogs.

My friends and family helped my family win a contest put on at the blog of Louise Slattler. My sister, Amy, won through random selection using a third party site. It was very heart warming to read all the great things my friends and family had to say, and very beneficial to my family to win.

I received my prize pack in very good time. It contained bookmarks, ASL folders, "Sign Expressions Trilingual Language" charts, a mini emergency card, and a DVD. When I first opened the package I wasn't sure of what I would find because Internet based starter businesses are iffy on product production. There is great ideas but not always great results.

I love it all.

The bookmarks, folders, chart and emergency cards are all sturdy, well made, and has a surface you can write on with crayon or white board markers and then wipe off. They are even drool proof as far as Rowan has been able to test. The pictures are of actual children so the little ones can relate. The pictures show the signs and the labels are in both English and Spanish.

The DVD is titled Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language but it is a great jumping off point for the whole family. The running time is about 35 minutes. I was unable to run it on the laptop but that could have been the lap top's issue. It worked well on the home DVD player. It is well organized, easy to follow and has over 50 English signs. It also contains the numbers 1 - 10, ABC's and some signed Spanish as well. 

There are many uses for the products, not just for the hearing impaired but also for families like ours that is using it to supplement other communications. There is also another great use that I hadn't thought about until I was checking out the Signing Family products; emergency response and responders.

The times we live in has seen a rise in the need for emergency responders to understand and be able to deal with special needs of all kinds. I can see communities using the products from the site to educate and empower their emergency responders. The Red Cross, National Guard and FEMA may even benefit from them.

I put together some folders to give to a few of the everyday caregivers that work with my children. I put a set in my son's bag that goes everywhere with us because his medicines are in there. And we are using them in our home. 

You can modify the usage fairly simply though I didn't have to do much. I hole punched the top of the chart and hung it using a spring key chain so it can be flipped to which ever side we need and can be moved about as needed.

In short I would recommend these products and the seller. The price is reasonable for the quality and the seller often has deals and contests. There is not a lot of choices at this point but I think a lot is covered by what is there and fills the need as I stated up top.

So here are some links to follow to learn more:

Main Signing Families web-page

411 Voices:  Professional Woman giving you information on all sorts of topics.

Louise Sattler

Thanks to EVERYONE who helped the kids and I get these wonderful resources and I hope you pass the info on to anyone who may be able to use these tools!

Thanks to Phil the Canadian for being my editor.... if I screw it up again... it is still his fault. *grin*