The Incredible Hulk*
 The buzz around the Realityworks water cooler is that Baby was spotted on the Hulk Hogan reality show “Hogan Knows Best.” It’s not unusual for our infant simulators to make appearances on TV and in the news. The fun for us is not just seeing our products in action, but watching the requests for more information shoot up as a result. And of course it’s always nice to get a virtual endorsement of our program by stars in Hollywood (is Hulk technically a star, or a planet unto himself?). Mostly we’re looking at each other today and saying, “Wow, people really do watch reality shows!”
The premise of this program is that Hulk’s son Nick was getting to be quite the ladies’ man, so it was time for “the talk.” Since the message didn’t seem to be hitting home, Hulk tried a little “show and tell” using a RealCare Baby simulation with Control Center software. You can tune in to VH-1 for rebroadcasts throughout the month but we can tell you that it was a true-to-life lesson with good results. No matter that Baby ended up in a guitar case overnight just to quiet the crying. We’ve heard worse! Thanks for the nod, Hogan family.
You might say that we were among the first of the reality shows. Giving people a realistic experience in life skills is the best way we could think of to get important, memorable lessons across (and audience participation has always been a must).
Thanks to all of you who make RealCare Baby part of your not-so-little production each day. You are the big stars in our book! (Cue applause) |
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12 Questions that Could Change Someone's Life
Please take 3 or 4 minutes to answer these questions about your RealCare® Parenting Program. Your responses will help us make important decisions about RealCare products and program materials.
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The Baby program is so hot it’s on fire in Michigan
 Julie Schultz’s Story
I send seven Babies home every weekend with my Parenting Ed class students. They are told it is "pass or fail" based on whether there is any Shaken Baby Syndrome recorded. I never really "fail" any of the students, but had a rather interesting occurrence two weeks ago.
On Monday morning, only six of my Babies came home from their weekend outing. Since some of the students are overtired on the Monday following their parenting weekend, I didn't really worry too much.
During my 4th hour prep, I went to the office to check on my mail and got the strangest message from one of the secretaries. She told me that the student with my Baby would be back the following day. And don't worry, "the Baby got out fine."
Of course, this got my interest! Later that day, the older sister of the missing student came to my room with the Baby. Apparently, the family was awakened early in the morning to smoke coming out of the heat registers in their home. The smoke alarms were going off, and everyone quickly exited the home.
Not that I would ever encourage it, but instinctively, my student ran back into the house yelling, "My Baby! My Baby!" I guess she took her parenting responsibilities to the extreme.
Fortunately, both she and the Baby got out fine. It turned out to be the furnace on fire.
Just thought someone else should hear what a great program this is for these high school students.
- Julie Schultz, Parenting Education Teacher
Belleville High School, Belleville, Michigan
Editor’s Note: As Julie noted, we would never encourage anyone to save their infant simulator in the event of a fire. While we pride ourselves on a realistic infant care experience, the reality here is that human life is much more important. We can always make more Babies. We’re relieved to hear a happy ending to this story. Keep up the great (and amazingly true-to-life) work in Michigan!
Do you have a story to share? Start spreading your news and you can be a winner, too! The prize? Our latest model infant simulator – RealCare® Baby II-plus and Control Center software - for fast, convenient programming and reporting using a personal computer. Email your story to newsletter@realityworks.com.
Tell us a little bit about your program and what makes it special. (Send us a photo and get extra “oohs” and “aahs.”)
Winners will be chosen by random drawing at the end of the year. |
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International meeting reveals our common mission around the globe
Every two years we host our international partners, individuals with businesses large and small, who dedicate themselves to delivering Realityworks products to communities in their region. This year we hosted nations including Germany, Costa Rica, Brazil, Taiwan, Mexico, Poland, Turkey, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Malaysia, South Korea, United Kingdom, Japan and our neighbors to the north in Canada.
This group represents the universal need and desire to make the world a better place through experiential learning. Our countries and cultures may have differences, but in any language it’s clear that giving young people essential life skills makes for a healthy, well-adjusted future – which in turn makes healthy, strong communities.
In some countries there is less emphasis on teen pregnancy prevention and much more on teaching infant care skills. In some places, our programs are delivered primarily by government programs or hospitals. No matter the setting, the motivation is the same – to get Baby into the hands of individuals who will do a better job caring for infants because of their experience with the RealCare Parenting Program.
We were honored by the stories our distributors shared, about their customers and advocates who are committed to programs using Baby because they’ve seen dramatic results. They are surely changing the world – reducing adolescent pregnancy and infant mortality, improving the lives of babies and young children, and strengthening families and communities by the thousands.
In Mexico, RealCare Baby is in 28 of the 32 states thanks to SUCISA. The tireless efforts of this small company placed Realityworks products into government social service programs and is a great example of successful, widespread programs implemented by caring community advocates.
“Young people should responsibly enjoy the stage of life and be aware of where their decisions can take them, and to experience, in due time, the responsibility of parenthood, since this will allow them to breed healthy and safe children, with high self-esteem, happiness and promising futures,” said Charro Mejia, DIF president, Nayarit, Mexico.
Another great example of programs taking off with community support is in Costa Rica. In addition to the First Lady of the Dominican Republic using Baby in a pilot program to reduce teen pregnancy, a volunteer foundation, Sparkles of Hope has embraced the program and has enlisted the help of professional volunteers, faith groups and even teens themselves to bring Baby to young people.
“The program has opened a door to parent-teenage communication . . . which creates more confidence in the two groups to more easily talk about topics such as challenges and pressures, life and parenthood, sex, love. This project has proved to be a tool for life,” said Brigitte Guzman, Liceo San Luis Gonzaga of Cartago, Costa Rica.
From such gatherings we gain a greater understanding of what’s happening around the world, for developing new products and refining existing ones. The ideas we share about implementing RealCare programs and introducing new health programs convince us that it is indeed a small world after all. We feel re-energized knowing that we share our mission with like-minded, caring individuals all around the planet.
Makes you feel less alone in your endeavors, doesn’t it? We’re all in this crazy business of helping young people together. |
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We’re Here For You
 Unlike some companies, you can call the Realityworks product support line and get a real live person to help you with your product concerns. And even though you can’t see them through the phone, they really are smiling. They can talk you through just about any issue that’s keeping you from getting things accomplished (unless your issue is that pile of laundry or the ”check engine” light in your vehicle).
In addition to the one-on-one help, we share their product support tips every month right here by the clover (because we’re lucky to have such great product support technicians, of course).
Product support hours are Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time. Call 1.800.830.1416 or 1.715.830.2040.
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The Dirt on Baby
How do you keep a RealCare Baby clean?
How do you keep a baby clean? That is a question that has stumped parents since the dawn of mankind. Realityworks has uncovered some secrets on how to keep your RealCare Baby looking bathtub fresh.
Question: Can I wash the diapers and clothes if/when they get dirty?
Answer: Yes, wash clothes and diapers in a cold, gentle cycle. Then, line dry to reduce wear and tear.
Question: How can I remove dirt from Baby’s vinyl?
Answer: There are several known cleaning products to remove dirt stains from Baby including hand cleanser, mild dish soap and rubbing alcohol.
Question: Can ink/dye be removed from Baby's skin?
Answer: Unfortunately, we have not found a product that can safely and effectively remove ink/dye stains from vinyl. (Smart Babies always use a #2 pencil!)
So when it’s time for Baby to come inside after a long day of play, don’t stress too much over a bit of dirt. Most filthy or soiling substances can be safely removed with no harm to Baby. But for those tough messes, check out the Suggestions for Cleaning Baby for the secrets on stain blasting.
Look for another stress-busting, life-simplifying, soul-cleansing product support tip next month. You may contact Product Support at 800.830.1416 or +1.715.830.2040. |
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More good stuff from
us to you . . . |
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The 2007 Upgrade Credit promotion ends soon. With each purchase of a RealCare Baby II-plus Upgrade Kit before December 31, 2007, you receive a $30 credit toward the future purchase of Realityworks products.
If you’re considering upgrading your RealCare Baby II models to the convenient, rechargeable RealCare Baby II-plus, there’s only a short amount of time to get real money for doing so (as opposed to that Monopoly stuff). We save you time, plus we save you money. It's a game where everyone wins. And you don't have to stay up all night to play it, either.
Do not pass "go!" Call your product consultant today. |
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Whenever you email Realityworks, please keep in mind the following construction so your important messages don’t get lost in cyberspace. All staff emails are set up as firstname.lastname
@realityworks.com. All old “alias” addresses will be defunct soon. These are addresses that have been with us since way back when Baby was well, a baby.
For example, friendly
person@realityworks.com or fred@realityworks.com or even babyjoe@realityworks.com will not fly under the new email system. But Nate.Schlieve
@realityworks.com would sail right into the mailbox of a knowledgeable Product Support technician (he’s a friendly person, too). As always, we answer to anything when you call us by phone (although Baby Joe might get a few laughs). Give us a ring if you need to confirm an email address before sending. Or visit the “Contact Us” page of our web site for department emails. |
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Incredibly, Hulk Hogan cut a record and played bass guitar on the recording. What was the name of this kids album, released by Hulk and the . . . wait for it . . . Wrestling Boot Band? Special bonus to the first 10 readers to reply with the correct title for this obscure cultural reference. Email your response to newsletter@realityworks.com and include your name, organization and address information so we can send you a delightful prize. Does anybody have a sudden urge to watch wrestling? |
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Last month we asked, which birds return to Capistrano? Like many birds, the swallows send out scouts at a predictable time each spring before the main flock arrives. The swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, a southern California town, on exactly March 19th each year has made them metaphorically famous. If something is going to happen it’s as predictable as the swallows returning to Capistrano.
Congratulations, winners! The first correct answer came from Dona Davis, Girl Scouts of Centrillo Council in Bloomington, Illinois. Other winners hailed from Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah, California, South Dakota, New Jersey and Ontario. Keep playing! |
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Order up! Your server will be right over with a big helping of whatever you need.
Request information here. Bon appetit!
Catalogs with bite-sized program descriptions, a mouthwatering selection of package options and volume discounts for the heartier appetite. Yum. Yum.
Change the World DVDs with testimonials, success stories and product information. Take two. They’re low-cal.
Research opportunities. Very satisfying . . . to participate in studies that will help improve instructor and participant experiences.
A free upgrade to your Control Center software. Download lots of good stuff in minutes. Like when you eat potato chips in front of the TV.
Realityworks White Paper with a summary of effectiveness studies. May we recommend serving with a sparkling white spritzer?
Hungry for more? See you in October with more tasty treats! |
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Know somebody who should get this newsletter? Forward them a copy of the Star today. Prizes! True stories! Life-changing moments! Textures! Colors! Silly stuff! Share the love, won’t you? |
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Product Support Tip o’ the Month
