In Full Disclosure

Whoops!  You know when you back-burner things in life in order to put out fires on the front burner and then you forget about the things on the back one?  Well, that’s what happened to me when I realized I should have a Disclosure Policy on this blog, but did not.  Computer woes.  Kid needs.  Simple distractions.  Small crises.  They all worked together to keep me neglecting this detail.  No longer!

The Disclosure detail is now done and in place.  Whoo hoo!

In plain-speak:

Links and Affiliates:  Training Happy Hearts contains numerous links to companies, stores and other websites.  Some of these are simply for the sake of sharing and convenience.  However, particularly with stores, there is a good chance that the links are also affiliate links. That means if you click on them and purchase something using the link I will receive a small percentage of the sale. Of course, you don't have to click on any of these links, but you are most welcome to and our family thanks you for doing so.  Every little bit we can earn helps in training up our family!

Reviews:  Obviously, I DO post reviews and seek to abide with a personal sense of integrity with any review I write. This is where I stand on the issue of reviews:

• I review products for companies, services and such.  At times, I do this simply because a product or service has impressed me and I want to share about it.  At other times, companies contact me independently to share about their product.  Either way, to date (and likely moving forward), I am NOT paid to review products. However, if a company contacts me, I do receive an actual product to review and, occasionally, a company will give me an extra to use as a 'giveaway'.

• I always identify if I have received a product for review.

• I post reviews about products and services that my family uses and enjoys.  Such products might include books, toys, music, craft and learning supplies, etc. These reviews are simply my way of sharing opinions about random things we love and find helpful.  In other words, it’s the same type of helpful sharing I might offer if we were sitting down at the playground talking about things while our children played. 

• I will always offer my honest opinion on things I review. 

• Most of my reviews are positive only because I tend to  review things that I think my family will actually find useful or enjoyable.  Why waste time on other things?  However, in the case that we don’t care for a product or service, I am not going to lie about it.  I will either tell you what I think about it or offer the company the option of me following “Thumper’s Mommy’s Rule”:  If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.  In other words, I may sometimes give companies offering a product for review a chance to say, “Keep or donate the product, but please refrain from posting the review.”  In all cases, if I do post something, it will be my honest opinion.

The Bottom Line: In short, I began this blog as a way to journal and share.  I continue this blog for these same reasons: I want to record and reflect for myself and my family while sharing and interacting with you, my readers.  I do not write to make money from advertising or to receive products for free.  However, since I apportion a fair amount of time to blogging, if such blogging bonuses come along, I accept them with gratitude.

Phew. There it is for you all. Any questions?  Just ask!

And, if you want to see the more formal-speak disclosure, click on over.

I am linking this post to my BloTaAcMo initiative, as writing this post has been on my task list for weeks.  Please feel free to link any blog tasks you accomplish this month at my initial BloTaAcMo, too.