We are happy to announce WonderBrains.com was awarded with the  STELLAService seal of Excellent Customer Service. We are proud to be joining an elite group of online retailers.  WonderBrains.com has always tried to provide the best quality educational toys and customer service throughout the years. We received the seal of excellence because of our extraordinary customer service, great over night shipping policy and our easy 100% satisfied with your purchase return policy. Below is part of the press release for the STELLAService Seal:

Press Release: STELLAService seal guides consumers to retailers offering best online shopping experience.

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 21, 2011

Reflecting how retailers of all sizes are increasingly making customer service a top business priority, STELLAService today awarded its STELLAService seal to a wide range of specialty online retailers, including WineEnthusiast.com, Ldproducts.com, Caselogic.com, and 2Modern.com. These e-tailers join the ranks of leading Internet retailers, including FootLocker.com, GiltGroupe.com, and BlueNile.com, that now display the STELLAService seal on their websites.

Dedicated to helping online shoppers make more informed buying decisions, STELLAService (http://www.stellaservice.com) rates thousands of retailers each year across more than 350 metrics, including usability and online tools, shipping and returns, and customer support. The company leverages a nationwide network of full-time mystery shoppers to evaluate each site undercover, ensuring findings that are unbiased and true to the shopping experience. Named for the Italian word “star”, STELLAService awards seals in two categories – Elite and Excellent. (Read More)

Children these days have all kinds of new gadgets, games, as well as the internet, to learn from. BUT before they should be allowed to use it, parents should know about the technology that their child is using. In today’s digital world, parents need to teach their child safe and responsible ways to use technology.

10 tips to help you get started:

1. Know your stuff!
Learning the technology that your children are using can help with interaction and knowledge for you and your children. Technology is a big part of our lives, as well as our kids’ lives, and knowing how to use it can help teach your child responsibility. It’s not difficult to grasp a basic concept of technology – it can even be educational and fun for the whole family.
2. Talk to your kids!
Finding out about what your kids are doing and what they are learning is a good thing. Explain to them the importance and dangers of technology. Find out what they already know about technology.
3. Get informed!
Know what technology your child uses, what games they play, which web sites they visit and with whom they are communicating. For young children, give them an approved list of web sites.
4. Be interested!
Let your child know you’re interested in what they are doing. Ask them questions about the technology they are playing with. Maybe even play a game, surf the web or have them explain how a gadget works. You know they sometimes know better on how to use a type of technology than you do.
5. What is inappropriate behavior?
If you or your child encounters inappropriate behavior — whether it’s violent video games, cyber-bullying or online predators — don’t just let it go. Act on it, whether it’s talking to your child, bringing the subject up with another child’s parents or reporting it to the appropriate authorities.
6. Get a Family computer!
Encourage your children to regard it as a resource for everyone to use. Give each of them separate IDs and passwords, so they have a sense of ownership and privacy.
7. Personal information over the Internet – BIG NO-NO!
Explain to a child that he or she must never give out personal information. Family e-mail addresses, phone numbers, names, birth dates, home addresses, family details, photos, etc. should all be closely guarded and for family use only. Although social networking sites ask for and encourage sharing this information, your child should know that protecting his and his family’s identity should be one of his top priorities.
8. Use Internet filtering or monitoring software.
It’s not necessary to check up on your children 24/7. If you have the right website blockers, family setting or even software to help monitor what they can see and do, then you don’t need to check up on them all the time.
9. Don’t open unknown or suspicious files.
Help your child understand what a suspicious file looks like and what they might do.
10. Talk to other parents.
Find out what other parents might have gone through. They might also have things or ideas that you haven’t thought of.

Do you have any more tips to share?

Disney Princess Plastic Trikes Recalled by Kiddieland Due to Laceration Hazard

Name of Product: Disney Princess Plastic Racing Trikes

Units: About 9,000 in the U.S. and 700 in Canada

Manufacturer: Kiddieland Toys Limited, of Scituate, Mass.

Hazard: The plastic castle display and the princess figures protruding from the top of the handle bar pose a laceration hazard if a child falls on it.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Kiddieland have received three reports of children suffering facial lacerations.

Description: This recall involves the Disney Princess Plastic Racing Trikes. The trikes are pink and fuchsia with a purple seat and wheels. On top of the handlebar, there is a rotating castle display surrounded by three princess figures. “Disney Princess” is printed on the label in front of the trike just below the handlebar.

Sold at: Target, JCPenney, Meijer and H.E.B. stores nationwide and online from January 2009 through April 2011 for about $50.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the trikes away from children and contact Kiddieland for a free replacement handlebar with an enclosed rotating display.

For More: CPSC

Tween Brands Recalls Beaded Curtains Due to Risk of Entrapment and Strangulation; Sold Exclusively at Justice Stores

Name of Product: Beaded Curtains

Units: About 36,000

Importer: GMA Accessories Inc., of New York, N.Y.

Distributor: Tween Brands Inc., d/b/a Justice, of New Albany, Ohio

Hazard: The beaded curtains are prone to entanglement. When an adult or child plays with or runs through the beaded curtains, the risks of entanglement and strangulation are posed.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received two reports of consumers becoming entangled in the curtains. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves two styles of Justice-brand beaded door curtains, the diamond beaded curtain, and the disco ball beaded curtain. These multi-colored curtains are used as a decorative divider in a doorway and measure 72 inches long. Each curtain is sold with two plastic mounting brackets, each measuring 12 inches wide. The name of the product is printed on the packaging and the curtains have tracking numbers 904598.1735 and 904597.1735 printed on labels located on one of the mounting brackets and on the packaging.

Sold at: Justice stores nationwide and online from August 2010 through March 2011 for approximately $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled curtains and return them to any Justice store for a full refund.

For More: CPSC

Children’s Scooters Recalled by Kiddieland Due to Laceration Hazard

Name of Product: Lights and Sounds Children’s Scooters

Units: About 16,000 in the United States and 700 in Canada

Manufacturer: Kiddieland Toys Limited, of Scituate, Mass.

Hazard: A child’s finger can get caught in the hinge mechanism between the steering column and the platform, posing a laceration hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Kiddieland have received two reports of children whose fingers got caught in the hinge mechanism and required stitches.

Description: This recall involves three models of Kiddieland “Lights and Sounds” three-wheeled scooters including a red Spiderman, a blue Thomas & Friends™ and a pink girl’s scooter. The scooters have buttons on the handle that play music and sounds. “Kiddieland” is molded on the back of the steering mechanism. Spiderman or Thomas & Friends™ are found on the steering mechanism and platform. The girl’s model has butterflies on the platform.

Sold at: Toys R Us and JCPenney from January 2009 through February 2011 for about $40

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled scooters away from children and contact Kiddieland for a free repair kit.

For More: CPSC

Sandbox Medical, LLC Recalls Pacifier Clip Due to Choking Hazard

Name of Product: Pacifier Clip

Units: About 6,000

Manufacturer: Sandbox Medical, LLC of Pembroke, Mass.

Hazard: The clip can break apart, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: Sandbox Medical has received two reports that the clip broke apart during use. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the Cheaper Keeper pacifier clip that attaches a pacifier to a child’s clothing. It is a clear plastic clip secured by a pink ribbon with a velcro closure.

Sold at: Sandbox Baby’s website – from February 2011 through March 2011 for about $3.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the pacifier clip and throw it away. Consumers should contact Sandbox Medical for a free replacement.

For More: CPSC

Picture provided by The NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revised its child restraint guidelines to be categorized by age rather than by type of child seat in order to keep pace with the latest scientific and medical research and the development of new child restraint technologies. The new guidelines, which was issued on Monday 21, 2011, stated that parents and caregivers need to keep children in each type of restraint for as long as possible before moving your child up to the next level including  rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster seats. The safety agency recommends that the child should be in a rear-facing restraint position as long as the child fit within the height and weight limits set by the manufacturer. The rear-facing position reduces stresses to the neck and spinal cord and is particularly important for growing babies.

The new guidelines are consistent with the latest advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics which advises parents to keep kids in rear-facing restraints until two years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer. There is no need to hurry to transition a child to the next restraint type.

Safety is every parents highest priority when it comes to their children. Selecting the right car seat for your child can be a challenge for many parents. The new NHTSA’s revised guidelines will help parents pick out the right seat for their child. Parents should also consider other factors when selecting a car seat, including their child’s weight, height, physical development, behavioral needs and type of vehicle driven.

Additional recommendations for child seat use from NHTSA include the following:

• Always read child seat manufacturers’ instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual for important information on height and weight limits and how to install the car seat using the seat belt or the LATCH system.
• All children under 13 should ride in the backseat.
• Children in rear-facing car seats should never ride in front of an active passenger air bag.

Click here to view NHTSA’s new child restraint guidelines.

SheKnows Parents’ Choice Awards
SheKnows Parents’ Choice Awards is choosen by their readers’ opinion on specific products. SheKnows wants to give the readers information to make best decisions. All products or companies in nomination are reviewed by SheKnows and handpicked for each category. Each winners are determined by an organic voting process performed by their SheKnows readers.

Make your own Book!

Give your child the thrill of being a published author! Budding authors simply write and illustrate their story using the markers and special book pages included in the kit. We even include our own unique Story Web to help author’s plan the essential elements of a story. The completed story pages are mailed to us in the postage paid envelope provided, or the book can be made entirely online using our Internet drawing and writing tools. In just a few short weeks you’ll receive back a professionally typeset, hardbound book your author will want to show everyone! Finished books include a title, dedication and “About the Author” biography page to give it a truly professional touch.

IlluStory is a multi-award winning children’s activity kit and perennial best seller because few products, if any, can build as much self esteem and excitement for reading and writing. The quality of our finished personalized books are a tremendous value and reward any level of effort. Consequently, an ever growing number of families have made publishing with IlluStory an annual tradition. Extra books can be ordered and are the ultimate gift for family and friends, especially since each extra copy can be separately dedicated to the recipient. Ages 5 to adult.