TOS Review: Time Timer

Ok, nifty gadget alert!!  Have you ever seen something at a store and thought, "Of course!  Of course someone has not only patented THAT but produced it as well!  I've thought of that very same gadget a hundred times!!!!!!"  This is one of those gadgets....the Time Timer.

About a month ago I received this timer in the mail (the 3' model/smallest). 

 My first thought was, "How am I going to use this with the kids?  It's just like any old kitchen timer!" Ohhhhh not quite!  You see, later that same evening, my precious girl got in the shower.  Approximately 52 minutes later, she got out after much fussing and needless hot-water running in the kitchen! (Yes, I am THAT kind of Momma!  I also opened their pjs when they were babies to get them to stay awake for me to feed them!  There- now your opinion of me is completely ruined!)  This has been an ongoing battle with Precious for about 3 years now- when she started taking showers.  We've begged, cajoled, and just plain yelled.....to no avail.  Hmmmmm.....

The smaller timer was perfect for me to sit on the mirror ledge where Sweets could see it while she was showering.  The ingenious thing about this timer is that, with a red panel, you actually SEE the passing of the time.

The red diminishes as the time passes.  Abby knows now that she has a quarter of a "red pie" when she starts her shower, and when she's down to a sliver- that means its time to rinse the conditioner out and turn the water off.  She's doing much better with the timer!  There is also an alarm that will sound at the end of the set time period. 

The timers come in three different sizes and range in price from $30-$40.

Thoughts and opinions:
  I can honestly say that the Time Timer has alleviated a smidgen of my being "the bad guy"!  I no longer need to fuss for Abs to get out of the shower!  I'm also starting to use the Time Timer for lessons and reading time- so I look forward to the same results in those areas as well.
 There are two tiny things I do want to make sure to mention.....One is that the alarm is barely audible.  It sounds once and often we never hear it.  The other is that the battery resides in a deep covered well in the back of the timer.  It doesn't take much jarring at all to dislodge it so if your timer suddenly stops working, please check to see if your battery needs pushed back in.
  As always, if you purchase a Time Timer, please let me know your thoughts!  And certainly pass on any other ideas for incorporating it into the day!

Disclaimer: As part of The Old Homeschool Crew, I was given a 3' Time Timer in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I receive no compensation or commission.