School Shopping!

It's almost that time again.  You know what I mean.

School.

Families everywhere are scrambling to prepare.  On their first day back, most parents want their students to have all of the important things:

• New gym sneakers
• Number-two pencils
• Notebooks
• Crayons, markers, glue
• A calculator for the older students
• An iPad?

Although I am of the so-called digital generation, that seems a bit strange, even to me.  Though I understand the benefits of browsing on the go, it is still hard for me to see the iPad as an educational-must have.  It is and will probably continue to be more of a convenience or toy to me.  Don't get me wrong, I like that I can check my email, the news, play Angry Birds...  But I will never be able to research and write an essay on a tablet.  There's no keyboard!  I can't open side by side windows.  While it's true they have word processing packages, they are not free, and you have to load them.

At this point, I have to inject: if you are going to buy your student something as expensive as a tablet, consider another route.  Get a notebook.  They are of a comparable price, nearly as portable (depending upon the model), and come with both a keyboard and more functionality.

The Chester Classmate, for example, comes with everything a student could need, including colored keys for typing prowess, internet capability, and a swivel touch screen which can also function as a tablet.  All this, plus the Classmate features ultra-rugged construction designed to withstand anything your student puts it through.

Temper Tantrums

Today I was talking to some people about education and the topic of temper tantrums came up. With younger children, especially, this can be a trial for both parents and teachers. This can be an even tougher challenge when it involves children with special needs.

I found an interesting article about tantrums that suggested that by merely helping children to identify emotions, we can help them stay calm. When someone can not only recognize that they are getting upset, but also why, it becomes much easier to take a moment to put that feeling away and focus on something soothing.

In the same vein, but for a different reason, it helps if the people around, adults especially, make a point of noticing how a child is feeling.  The expression of empathy alone can make the difference.  Children who feel ignored are much more likely to act out.  That may seem like common sense, but so often its tempting to try to ignore something and make it go away.

Some other strategies for calming a child before the tantrum erupts include giving them space, avoiding stressful situations like hurrying, encouraging the to distract themselves with a physical activity or something they are very interested in, and suggesting deep breathing.

Building a Better Mouse

Building a better mouse - that's a large part of what we're about here at Chester Creek: better mice, keyboards, and computer accessories for you.  That's why our mice are designed so carefully, from the standard-sized ReaderMouse with its incredible comfortable grip to the ChesterMouse, designed for those who have the hardest time.

Our three small mice are the ChesterMouse, the LittleMouse, and the TinyMouse.  All three are sized to fit a child's hand, which also happens to be just about perfect for many individuals with motor or dexterity struggles.  These mice are easier to grip, and the buttons are easier to reach.  Like the ReaderMouse, all of our small mice have optical tracking.  This means no trackball to clean or lose.  Smooth optical tracking makes use of a mouse even easier.

The ChesterMouse

The ChesterMouse is a favorite with parents and teachers of young children as well as special-ed instructors. The Chester features one large button, keeping confusion about left- and right-clicks out of the equation.  You'll never have to worry about accidental right click changes.  Further, this mouse is both sturdy and extremely easy to use for those with dexterity issues.  In many situations, users are even employing the ChesterMouse as a more affordable alternative to a capability switch.

The LittleMouse

Next on our line up of small mice is the LittleMouse.  Chester Creek's LittleMouse, as its name implies, is small, an easy fit for little hands.  With two buttons, its perfect for those learning to use a computer and for those who don't want or need the distraction of a scroll wheel.  Featuring teacher requested color coding, the LittleMouse's left click is "Green for Go," while the right click is "Red for Stop," making learning easier than ever.

The Tiny Mouse

Our final small size mouse (as of now) is the TinyMouse.  Like the ChesterMouse and LittleMouse, the Tiny Mouse is half the size of a standard computer mouse.  It fits easily into the tiny hands of children, with buttons easily controllable for those who struggle with dexterity or arthritis.  The TinyMouse features both left- and right-clicks, as well as a smooth-rolling scroll wheel.  The color-coded buttons can be found on our TinyMouse as well, this time in bolder red, blue, and yellow, depending on the mouse.  That's right, the TinyMouse comes in both black and white to match your computer and keyboard.

The FunKeyBoard & FunMouse

For even more fun, check out our FunKeyBundle; with a bright red case, fun, color-coded buttons, and a matching FunMouse to boot, computing has never been more fun.  Our FunMouse is just like a TinyMouse with even more eye-catching color.

As always, Chester Creek has worked hard to bring you only the best in computer accessories.  All of our small mice - the Tiny, Little, and Chester Mouses - feature rugged construction and a one-year warranty on home use (six months for institutional use).  Additionally, these mice are RoHS and CPSIA compliant, completely safe for your loved ones, young and old.