During the summer a friend of mine told me about this book and the blog. I have been reading some of it and I found it really useful, great tips to improve communication with your kids.
Take a look: http://tenpowerfulthingstosaytoyourkids.tumblr.com/
Parents often ask us to suggest good books for their kids — ones that will engage, entertain, and maybe even enlighten them. So we’ve scoured our recommendation lists and consulted with teachers, librarians, and book critics to assemble what we consider essential titles for your home bookshelves or to download to your ereader, smartphone, or tablet. From the classics to more recent must-reads, fantasy to funny, we have more than 150 great book suggestions for your kids and teens, from bedtime stories to chapter books to true literature, and more. Just search our themed categories, and you’ll find all of our picks arranged by age groups.
Our goal in creating this guide was to choose books that are proven to click with all kinds of kids — and can encourage them to become lifelong readers. The list is mainly fiction, because stories really grab kids. And we didn’t shy away from controversial books, trusting that our age ratings and detailed reviews will help parents decide what’s appropriate for their kids.
Our expert editors are completely independent; we’ve provided buy links for many books, but they’re simply for your convenience.
Luxury hotels the world over are renowned for their service and amenities, whether you are staying in a standard room or a suite. But there are also those suites where you get something over and above the norm – here we look at five lavish suites offering everything from personal butlers to extensive living space where you don’t just have a minibar but instead have access to your own pantry.
With sweeping 180-degree views, the Millionaire Suites at Sandals La Toc are regarded as some of the most sumptuous in all of Saint Lucia. Positioned on Sunset Bluff, the resorts’ highest point, they offer an uninterrupted 180-degree view of the Caribbean ocean. An outdoor sundeck overlooking the turquoise ocean, that is accessible by your living room or bedroom, features a private infinity pool, waterfall and bubbling Jacuzzi. Only accessible by a golf cart, ensuring maximum privacy, each Millionaire Suite comes with its very own Personal Butler, trained by the Guild of Professional English Butlers, to cater to your every demand…
Royal Suite, InterContinental London Park Lane, London, UK
Celebrating the historic location, the glamorous Royal Suite takes inspiration from Her Majesty’s style and duties to create residential grandeur, perfectly suited to entertaining, meeting or relaxing. The newly designed Royal Suite at InterContinental London Park Lane celebrates the hotel’s location on the site of 145 Piccadilly, Queen Elizabeth II’s former childhood residence. Located on the 8th floor, overlooking the Royal Parks and historic monuments, the design blends inspiration from Her Majesty’s early years with modern British design.
The enchanting Mayfair suite sits at the heart of a new ‘By Appointment’ collection that creates one of the largest offerings in the capital. At the centre of the Royal Suite is a living and entertaining area that celebrates old world glamour, featuring a hand-blown glass chandelier inspired by Her Majesty’s diamond collection.
The elegant dining area has a black lacquer dining table and bespoke Art Deco-inspired accessories, and is complemented by an intimate seating alcove. The study area features a traditional writing desk with a stylised interpretation of a white leather wingback desk chair and bespoke accessories.
The master bedroom’s flora lined satin canopy bed celebrates the backdrops Cecil Beaton used in portraits of Her Majesty with a luxurious marble ensuite.
Royal Mangroves Residence, Royal Mangroves Hotel & Spa, Abu Dhabi, UAE
The palatial Royal Mangroves Residence at the Royal Mangroves Hotel & Spa offers elegance unlike any other hotel accommodation in Abu Dhabi, comprising up to 2,455 sq m of duplex living space, making it the largest suite in Abu Dhabi, and the only versatile suite with altering sizes from three to ten king sized en-suite bedrooms depending on the guest’s needs, with balconies complementing throughout and interconnecting rooms and connecting doors from the corridors.
The Royal Mangroves Residence offers a lavish intimate feel promising the finest five star services. The suite comes equipped with its own rooftop terrace garden and lawned sundecks overlooking the mangroves, a 60 sq m swimming pool with a swim-up pool bar and a BBQ entertainment area, catering to a quintessential lifestyle.
The residence, which enjoys its own private entrance and dedicated lift for ultimate privacy also features a separate living area, study, kitchenette, a common lounge area, a walk-in closet, butler’s pantry, rain showers and oversized free-standing terrazzo bathtubs with panoramic views of the mangroves and an entertainment system spanning 2 floors.
Presidential Suite at Barceló Los Cabos Palace Deluxe, Mexico
Los Cabos in Mexico is among the most famous and irresistible resorts in the world for summer vacations. One of its “hidden” treasures that will make your sunshine holiday better than a dream is the Presidential Suite in the hotel Barceló Los Cabos Palace Deluxe. On the “modest” space of 1,933 sq ft., guests of the resort can enjoy a marvellous abundance of amenities of a real world-class suite and the ideal conditions for all inclusive vacations.
This lavish lodging features awe-inspiring views of the Pacific Ocean from its huge terrace, fully furnished for your delight. The suite boasts a wonderful swimming pool and jacuzzi for complete rejuvenation. The interior of this superior apartment makes impression with the authentic decorations of Mexican craft work and designs, and the lavish furniture made of dark wood and glass that give a chick finish of the rooms. This luxury suite will give you a new meaning of “relaxation” with its intelligent room technology that enables you to control the features of your room with a single push of a button of the remote control. Breathtaking surroundings of Los Cabos and a fabulous suite of your dreams right in the heart of this Paradise, what more do you need for the next Summer?
The Ritz-Carlton Suite at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
This is a two-bedroom suite located on floor 117 overlooking breathtaking Victoria Harbour. Guests at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong can enjoy a soothing retreat in a one-of-a-kind location with personalized butler service and 600-thread count bed linens with down feather pillows and throws.
In addition, is a 55-inch flat screen LCD television, Blu-ray DVD player, Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8 speaker dock, 160GB Classic iPod, iPod docking station, and CD selection. Lastly, guests can enjoy an en suite marble bathroom with a 32-inch flat screen LCD television, Acqua di Parma bath amenities, spacious living and dining areas with a separate pantry. Each of these distinctive hotel rooms offers 24-hour access to the Ritz-Carlton 24 hour Club Lounge.
By Paul Johnson
http://www.aluxurytravelblog.com
Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury: 5 of the most lavish hotel suites in the world.
Aditi Shankardass is a neuroscientist trained across three disciplines of the field: neurophysiology, neuroanatomy and neuropsychology. She has also worked across different levels of the field, from cellular to cognitive neuroscience, and been based in research labs as well as diagnostic clinics. Currently, she leads the Neurophysiology Lab of the Communicative Disorders Department at California State University.
Much of Shankardass’ work has been devoted to the use of an advanced form of digital quantitative EEG (electroencephalography) technology that records the brain’s activity in real time, and then analyzes it using complex display schematics and statistical comparisons to norms, enabling far more accurate diagnoses for children with developmental disorders. She is also actively involved in public outreach to increase understanding of brain disorders as a board member of the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation and a consultant for the BBC Science Line.
Four-star General Colin Powell was the first African-American U.S. Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. Prior to his service Powell was also the first African-American to serve as Chairman to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, an office he held from 1989 to 1993. But how did young Powell, a C student from the Bronx and a child of Jamaican immigrants, reach the highest military position in the Department of Defense?
While Powell was attending university at City College of New York, he found his calling in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). He graduated to become an Army second lieutenant and later went on to serve two tours in the Vietnam War. In 1989 under President George H. W. Bush, Powell was made a full general, before being named 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Powell is the Founding Chairman of America’s Promise Alliance, an organization which supports children through volunteer networks
By Ruth D.
Vaccines – parents beware!
My husband and I were watching a documentary one evening regarding the quantity of vaccines that are being administered at the same time on children in the US. One of the cases involved a fatality. I was pretty horrified by what I saw and it motivated me to do more research.
Not enough research and testing has been done to date regarding the safety of vaccines and the effect on babies.
Also stopped using kids toothpaste that contained sodium saccharine.
Suzanne Collins, the author of the Hunger Games trilogy, is writing a new book called Year of the Jungle. Scheduled to publish next fall, it will be an autobiographical children’s picture book about coping with her father’s military service in Vietnam.
Continue reading: ‘Hunger Games’ Author Suzanne Collins’ Next Book Is Called ‘Year Of The Jungle’.
What is it about?
McEwan’s most autobiographical novel to date tells the story of Serena, a young book lover and math scholar who is assigned to an exciting mission by the British security service during the early 70s. She is asked to coerce a modernist writer into penning anti-Marxist articles, but, predictably, falls in love with him instead. As the story unfolds, the reader becomes aware that Serena, clearly capricious enough to dismiss her duties as an agent, may not be a very reliable narrator.
continue reading: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/sweet-tooth-ian-mcewan_n_2159436.html?utm_hp_ref=books&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009
Cayman Moms 