York Region Parent

Itsabelly Baby Concierge - Now in Toronto

2008-09-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re planning for the arrival of your baby or have a newborn at home, Itsabelly Baby Concierge will allow you to truly enjoy this special time in your life and reduce the amount of overwhelming stress in preparing for your newborn’s arrival. No more late nights of reviewing baby books, searching the web, or trips to the baby stores. Itsabelly Baby Concierge is a premier baby planning service helping you navigate the world of all things maternity and newborn with a green focus.

Some of the services your baby concierge can help you with are:

Creating a baby registry to suit your families needs based on personal budget and lifestyle
Designing your baby’s nursery
Selecting childcare (daycare, nanny, babysitter)
Finding non-toxic and eco-friendly baby products
Totally overwhelmed and not sure where to start? We’ve got the answers!

All of these and more are personalized services offered by your Itsabelly Baby Concierge. Tailored to your needs in order to make your life easier, less stressful, save you money and allowing you to spend more quality time enjoying the anticipation of your new arrival.

For a complimentary consultation,
Call Rishma at #416-319-7474

Farm Fresh - Connect with Local Farmers in York Region

2008-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

This fall, you can take the whole family to re-connect with farm life and the farmer who grows your food. Show your children where their food really comes from.

The Farm Fresh Experience is more than nostalgia and education. It's fun. There are wagon rides, corn mazes, farm animals, demonstrations, and nature walks, and lots more.

First and foremost, the Farm Fresh Experience is all about the freshest farm products with the most flavour, from apples to zucchini, direct from the farmer to you. You can enjoy apple, pumpkin, and berry pies baked fresh daily and find honey, maple syrup, jams, jellies, fine wines, and creative country crafts. The York Region Farm Fresh brochure provides a listing of pick-your-own farms, markets and gardens throughout the Region.

Momstown.ca - Now in Markham

2008-09-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

momstown.ca is for neighbourhood moms wanting to connect for support, conversation and just plain fun. Visit markham.momstown.ca to learn more.

What to do this weekend?

2008-09-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Milliken Children’s Festival - Markham
This year, the Milliken Children’s Festival is celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary! This festival is Markham's largest childrens event, featuring entertainment, crafts and activities for children from two to twelve in a parkland setting. The event attracts families from across Markham—last year’s record attendance reached 17,000!

The day is FREE to all and includes:

* Entertainment featuring an impressive line-up of children’s performers
* An interactive marketplace showcasing family-orient suppliers of products and services
* Face-painting and balloon creatures
* Hair wrapping and henna art
* Inflatable rides
* Community activities including: police safety bug, fire-truck interaction

Purchase a “Play All Day” Pass for only $5.00 and gain access to additional rides and activites including: a rock-climbing wall, pony rides, petting zoo and mini circuit.

The Milliken Children’s Festival is organized by the Town of Markham.

Grandparents Day - 10 ways to preserve your family’s unique story this National Grandparents Day

2008-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

With Grandparents day coming up this weekened here are some tips from Hazel Cole Kendle, the 88-year-old first-time author of the just-released Cole Family Christmas. This year’s Grandparent’s Day will mark its 30th anniversary on Sept. 7.

“It’s a myth that young people don’t want to hear the stories their grandparents can tell,” said Kendle. “However, too often grandparents and great-grandparents feel like they must wait to be asked before telling those stories. Realize that family members often won’t ask for the first story, but once you start talking, they’ll be begging for more.”

Jennifer Liu Bryan of Alexandria, Virginia, Kendle’s granddaughter-in-law and co-author, points out that grandparents don’t have to stop with stories, either.

“There are many ways to pass along family traditions,” said Bryan. “Remember the favorite dessert your grandmother used to make or the dishes she received on her wedding day. Each item serves as a connection to the past, but we have to work to keep that chain from breaking.”

For this reason, Kendle and Bryan suggest 10 ways families can preserve their memories this Grandparents Day.

1. Construct a family memory book. Gather pictures of family members across generations and make a scrapbook by writing in the stories that have been passed on through generations.

2. Play a game the grandparents used to play. Kids had fun long before video games were invented. Play a game from the analog era to show the grandchildren how it was done.

3. Read a book your grandparents read when they were your age. Grandparents can make classic children’s literature even more rewarding by adding in details of what life was like at the time.

4. Learn how to cook grandma’s favourite recipe. Whether that’s a traditional holiday dish or her secret cookie recipe, spend time in the kitchen with grandma cooking a recipe that can be passed down to the next generation.

5. Take part in a grandparent’s favorite hobby. Whether that is painting, gardening, or putting together puzzles, spend time with your grandparents and learn about the daily activities that bring them joy.

6. Pick out one interesting, unique or strange family heirloom. Grandparents can explain the history of the item and why it is special to the family.

7. Learn where you came from. Drive through your grandparents’ old neighborhood and listen to stories about their old neighbors or family outings at the local park.

8. Go back in time to the movies. Rent a classic the grandparents enjoyed seeing on the big screen years ago. There are plenty of great old movies other than just the ones that run during the holidays.

9. Ask to look at your grandparent’s wedding pictures or high school yearbooks. Learn about their best friends and see pictures of them when they were so much younger.

10. Preserve a memory for future generations. Make a home video with them and let them discuss their favorite stories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Chapter Press has released 60,000 copies of Cole Family Christmas, a true, tender, and wholly unforgettable tale that has been passed down from generation to generation through a coal miner's family.

When one of Mama’s few possessions, a treasured purple glass bowl with fluted edges, is accidentally broken by exuberant children rushing in from the outdoors, and an unlikely blizzard prevents Papa from coming home after working extra hours at the coal mine on Christmas Eve, hopes for a picture perfect Christmas were quickly quelled. However, the hours that followed that turbulent Christmas morning created a joyful story that has lived in family lore for years.

Tips on Getting Your Kids to School

2008-09-04T14:33:00.001-07:00

So, the first week is over! Hopefully, getting your family back into the swing of things went smoothly. Here are some tips from parenting expert Alyson Schafer on getting your kids to school on time.

Getting Kids To School On Time

by Alyson Schäfer

As I was putting together my "back to school" workshop for the teachers at Foundations Private School Adlerian K-8 school in Aurora I thought that if I am helping the teachers prepare, I should give some pointers to the parent community too. These ideas work best when home and school work together.

Perhaps one of the most universal issues for parents is the morning mayhem that ensues when parents fight to get their children to school on time. Typically, this results in a power struggle. The real issue is right in the name: a struggle for power. A struggle for power is the dance we do with our children to fight to establish just who has power over who. In healthy relationships, interpersonal power is shared and neither party acts as slave and tyrant to another.

The child who acts like a tyrant is fighting for power they perceive has been usurped by an adult who has attempted to "make them" mind. To pin point the power struggle, take a look at the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved. Chances are, a parent is sticking their nose in someone else's business.

Let's have a closer look at the morning situation:

Who's responsibility is it to get to school on time? The child's.

What happens when you get involved? You rob them of this responsibility and in doing so, take away a piece of their empowerment over themselves.

I understand your motivation. You fear that if you don't look after this responsibilty, your child won't either, and the thought of being late for school is abhorrent to you. After all - what would people say about you and your mothering? I promise you, there is no better way to get yourself angry than to make your success dependant on someone else's behaviour. No wonder you're fighting for power too. You just gave yours away with thinking like that!

I see it differently, and I'd like a chance to convince you otherwise too.

The first fact that you need to know: Children will not take responsibility for themselves UNTIL you abandon it. This is why very responsible parents raise very irresponsible children - because the parent can't give it up! You think it is your "job".

Second fact: Your child will not just jump right up and into perfect action when taking on a new responsibility. They will go through a few stages:

Disbelief Stage- they don't really think that you will follow through with letting them manage their morning on their own.

Testing Stage - they will enjoy taking their time, checking for your reactions, checking to see how long you can go before you jump in and take over again.

Belief Stage - with repeated experience of you not watching the clock, not shouting reminders, and allowing them to experience the consequence of their choices (namely - being late), they will start to understand that no one else has a vested interest in their problem except them! And TV is starting to get boring, and they are missing their friends at school, and no one fights with them at home anymore....

Mistakes Stage - when the child finally decides that it is in their own best interest to get to school on time, and that no one else is going to make this happen but them, they will start to figure out how to solve this problem for themselves. Being a neophyte at it, they will make errors in judgement, like not leaving enough time, or skipping breakfast to make extra time, or racing around last minute because they can't find their shoes, whatever. They will probably be late quit a bit during this particular stage. This is were parents must resist the urge to take over or rescue, but neither does that mean you have to be a meany. If they say "have you seen my shoes" you don't have to bark back in disdain: "I don't know, your shoes are YOUR job, If you would have put them in the right place and left more time you wouldn't be in this mess!" Its okay to have a look around for shoes if you have a moment, so long as it is not a pattern every morning, your child is asking for help, just as your spouse might.

Competence - the last stage comes down the road.

While it did cost the child many late passes, and missing some school each day, I think it is worth these gains:

A peaceful start to the day for your family - the best club you'll ever be in!

A child's sense of confidence and empowerment that they manage themselves

A child's sense of independence

A child's sense of maturity

A child's belief that their parents trust and respect them to look after themselves and their responsibilities

If you ask me, there is as much important education going on here for a child as would be covered in the classroom time they missed.

I know you are asking yourself at what age can you start this? I began with my children in grade one and kindergarten. They were late a lot in grade one. By grade two it was much less frequently, but by grade three they had it pretty well figured out. Now my kids are in grade 5 and 6. I love easy mornings. Sometimes it is the only time we are together as a family for the day. They don't like being late, and if they are late, it is a real rarity. They manage their mornings beautifully. Well worth the time I invested.

~~~~~~~

Alyson Schäfer is a psychotherapist, parent coach and popular public speaker. She teaches parent education classes and works with parents one-on-one in her parent coaching practice.

"Breaking The Good Mom Myth" is Alyson's first book. Written with wit and wisdom, you'll laugh while learning how to let go of perfection and get on with raising great kids.

Alyson hosts The Parenting Show on Rogers TV (Show times). Visit Alyson's website!

Back-to-School Hair

2008-08-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

I took my daughter to get her hair cut at Beaner’s and it was a total package experience! Beaner’s is a great place for kids of all ages to get their haircut and have fun doing it. I didn’t have to worry about the hairdresser getting upset if my daughter squirmed in the chair or the fact that she was whooping it up in the play area they have available. It is a place where kids can feel at ease while getting a cut, something some kids find intimidating. There are tv’s set up to play their favourite cartoons while they sit and the caring and friendly staff make parents and kids feel very welcome and comfortable. Not only are do they cut children’s hair but they are a full service hair salon for adults as well. If time is tight you can get your hair done while the kids are playing a few feet away.

The prices are right with a package deal starting at $10.95. This includes shampoo, cut and braids for girls, and boys have their choice of coloured gel for a funky style finish. The adult cuts are the same price with a styling option of $4.00 and up. The services also include ear piercing, highlites and colour, themed birthday parties, dance recital up-dos and manicure and pedicures.
My daughter loved the pampering experience and loved the choice of which car to sit in while having her own little salon outing. I will definitely be taking her back to Beaners!

Just Playdates

2008-08-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

We came across this great site called and thought we would share it with you.

Basically, it is a FREE website to parents and caregivers where you register and find play dates for you and your child(ren) in your area. You pick the parameters (e.g. 5, 15 or 20 km away) and you decide whether or not you will attend the available play dates that come up in your search.

We think that this is a fabulous and valuable service (and it's free!) for parents in our area, now all we need is for people to sign up and begin hosting play dates!

Father's Day Gift Ideas

2008-06-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

Looking for an update on the old wallet idea for dad? Check out the Jimi™. We love this update on the wallet as it's recycled and recyclable! The Jimi™ wallet is a compact, colorful, and water resistant answer to the stodgy outdated leather wallet.

Shipping to Canada is about $7.00 and for Father's Day they have a buy 4 and get one free. A great gift for dad and grandad or even pick up one for yourself!

We are loving ALL things from Kanga Room Storage, including their Bamboo Office line. Check out their Bamboo Laptop and charging station. A must for the eco-friendly and work from home dad!

~~
Check out Vat19 for an array of products for dad including things for the office, BBQ and more. This USB device keeps your coffee warm, powers USB devices, and tells the time.

Use code YRPARENT code until June 20 for a special shipping rate, of no extra charge for Canadian shipping.

We love Alli's Originals and the Prince Charming collection geared towards men is a perfect gift for a new daddy! The hand cut darling tags are a must have with your little ones names and birthdays hand stamped onto them.

Why not get your little one something to proclaim how super their dad is! Sew Cute can embroider your saying of choice onto a cute onesie or tshirt. Choose your Father's Day message & colour combo for this boutique-quality, super-comfy, short sleeve bodysuit!

A favourite toy for dad in our house is the Golf Launchpad Tour which is a state-of-the-art golf simulator for Windows, Mac and PlayStation3 that offers world-class golf simulation, swing-analysis and play on the world’s greatest courses in EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008. Play ultra-realistic golf with your own clubs for the ultimate in feel and precision.

And now for the ultimate Father's Day gift!! Big League Tours is first-class tours company that makes the dreams of baseball fans come true.

On June 19, 2008, Big League Tours will take fans on a seven-day adventure to the East Coast, for six games, two stadium tours and first-class accommodations across the board – providing Dad with a last chance to set foot in Shea and Yankee Stadiums before they’re torn down at the end of the 2008 season. On a Big League Tour, you'll hang out with Major League ballplayers, step out on the field and inside the dugouts, and even score special access for stadium tours and batting practices.

Now, that is a cool gift!

Alternatives to drugs in labour

2008-06-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

Alternatives to drugs in labour
Written by Baby~ola, Newmarket

Many of us make changes in our behaviours and habits while pregnant to benefit our unborn babies. We try to eat more healthfully, take vitamins, we avoid alcohol, cigarettes, certain medications and potentially toxic cleansers, among other things.

But what about the use of drugs in labour? Are we fully aware of the risks that those drugs present to ourselves and our babies?
Research conducted has shown that epidurals have risks not often revealed to us by the medical community.

The administration of an epidural to a labouring woman will often slow the labour process down, which can lead to the use of Pitocin to augment the labour. The combination of the epidural and Pitocin can create fetal heart distress, which increases the need for operative delivery (vacuum, forceps, cesarean section). One study found that the rate for instrumental delivery (vacuum, forceps) doubled when an epidural was administered.

Other side effects of epidurals include a drop in maternal blood pressure, postpartum hemmorage and lower Apgar scores for newborns. In addition, the use of epidurals in labour may affect the experience and success of breastfeeding.

But what about the pain???..you say!
Relaxation techniques including self-hypnosis, the use of a TENS unit and submersion in water have provided relief for many labouring women, all of which are safe with no adverse side effects on the user or their baby.

Our minds are incredibly powerful and our thoughts have much more effect than we may realize over the functioning of our bodies. With the assistance of recorded or practiced suggestions many women have successfully avoided the pain of labour. Hypnosis is a natural form of anethesia and the state of relaxation that can be achieved through hypnosis improves blood flow, and thus oxygenation of the uterine muscles which (think opposite of runners cramp!)helps prevent pain.

TENS is the abbreviation of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator, which simply put, stimulates the nerves using electrical current passed through the skin. TENS are widely used by physiotherapists.The use of TENS in labour has the electrode pads attached to specific points in the back. A pulsed electric current blocks pain messages from the cervix and uterus to the brain, and also stimulates the users body to produce endorphins – the body’s natural pain relieving substance.

The Benefits of Water for Labour and Birth
Immersion in water, through the use of a birthing tub has many benefits to the labouring woman. Some people call waterbirth an "aquadural” because it is often more effective and safer than an epidural. Water minimizes pain so effectively that for most women, other pain control methods are no longer needed. Water stimulates the touch and temperature nerve fibers in the skin, it blocks impulses from the pain fibers, known as the Gate Theory of Pain. The use of a birth tub gives women greater comfort and mobility and allows the woman to move spontaneously and change position to assist the descent of the baby. While the buoyancy promotes more efficient uterine contractions and better blood circulation, resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles = less pain for the mother and more oxygen for the baby.
If any of these prospects sound interesting to you, you should know that in addition to mom and baby classes, prenatal classes, and a fabulous boutique, Baby~ola rents the AquaDoula portable tub for labour and birth, the Medela Symphony breastpump, fetal Doppler monitors and a TENS unit.

Call 905-657-8909 or visit www.babyola.ca for more details on our rental rates.

Have Baby, Will Travel -- THE RIVIERA MAYA INVITES YOUR FAMILY!

2008-05-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

THE RIVIERA MAYA INVITES YOUR FAMILY!

Children Welcome On Mexico’s Caribbean Coast…

There’s been a bunch of newspaper and magazine articles lately discussing what’s perceived as “affluent, affected parents”. My quotes are from a recent Globe & Mail article by Siri Agrell entitled Leave The Kids At Home! - note the exclamation point instead of a question mark. Ms. Agrell suggests that stamps in children’s passports are merely status symbols for the aforementioned “affluent, affected parents”, and even quotes the godfather of travel guidebooks, Arthur Frommer, as questioning how children or parents benefit from family travel.

As someone who loved travel before having a baby, I created Have Baby Will Travel as much for myself as well as for other parents seeking information on how to continue traveling once Junior came along. In spite of the fact that she’ll remember very little, it’s my belief that our journeys to other places have instilled in our daughter a certain adaptability, as well as an appreciation for new places and faces, languages and food. Not only that, our family vacations have allowed us to spend precious, uninterrupted time together, away from our busy day-to-day life.

While I was still feeling ever-so-slightly defensive about my choices, an invitation appeared in my inbox from the Riviera Maya Tourism Board, to visit the area and experience what it has to offer families. I jumped at the chance!

Having previously enjoyed the Riviera Maya as both a single gal and a honeymooner, I was excited to learn more about the area’s family friendly accommodations, amenities and activities. This was my first time away from my daughter, but that’s another article altogether! It was a jam-packed 3 days, and traveling solo allowed me to concentrate without constantly being on toddler-alert. The other writers on the trip had brought their children, ranging in age from 6-13, so witnessing their experiences gave me good perspective as well.

The Riviera Maya starts in Puerto Morelos and ends just past Tulum – with most accommodations and attractions falling within a 20-90min drive from Cancun’s airport. Due to strict building codes and the need to preserve the area’s environment, there are no highrise hotels or thumping discos on the beach.

We visited three different all-inclusive hotels, all differing in size and style but offering kids’ clubs and family amenities such as high chairs, change tables in common areas, cribs or playpens and the availability of private babysitting. Our host hotel was the Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda, a large resort about halfway between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. At almost 1000 rooms and covering 180 acres, the resort is great for strolling with fussy babies but may pose a problem for those with mobility issues. You can arrange for golf carts to drive you to and fro, but walking made me feel like I was getting some exercise! The rooms are spacious, modern, and clean – upgrade to a suite and you’ll have either a private pool or Jacuzzi on your balcony – great for relaxing by during baby’s afternoon nap. The food is decent, with your usual buffets and a la carte restaurants that require reservations. The pool area is large, with an area that is shallow for little ones to play. The beach is lovely to look at but die-hard beach people may be disappointed by the squishiness and rocks that made frolicking in the sea a little difficult. Their kids’ club area is shaded, with a small climber and shallow pool, along with air-conditioned rooms that feature video games and crafts in one, and new cribs and change tables in the other. The kids’ club is included with your stay, available for children aged 2-12, and toddlers need not be toilet-trained to stay there.

We visited 2 other hotels during our trip, Dreams Tulum and Azul Beach. Dreams Tulum is a medium-sized resort roughly 30 minutes south of Playa Del Carmen. The almost 400 rooms and suites are spacious and modern, and offer conveniences such as a DVD/CD player and an MP3 docking alarm clock. Their “Explorer Club” is for children aged 3-12, offers different activities each day, and their friendly staff is all CPR-certified and trained in first-aid. One thing I found strange was that parents are not allowed to remain in the area once their kids are signed in and younger children and their parents aren’t able to utilize the play structures within the “Explorer Club” compound. But the kids all seemed to be having a great time and further on during our tour of the resort I was delighted to see more toddlers than I could count enjoying the beautiful beach, pools and gardens. We stayed for dinner and the main buffet was quite good, with a small area for little ones to help themselves. Dreams Tulum’s a la carte restaurants do not require reservations, but they advise that there may be a wait for a table during peak times.

Azul Beach is a boutique hotel of only 97 rooms just outside Puerto Morelos, a mere 15 minutes from the airport in Cancun. This small resort was the most expensive of the 3, but its luxury was in no way pretentious or intimidating. The rooms were no fancier than Blue Bay’s or Dreams Tulum’s, but the intimate surroundings and baby-welcoming touches would ensure a great time for even the tiniest visitors -and their parents! Free of charge, those traveling with infants are provided with a package including a stroller, playpen, change table/baby bath, bottle warmer and sterilizer, and baby monitor. They provide Mexican Gerber brand baby food, and the smoothie bar will prepare and puree fresh fruit and yogurt for your tiny tot. The only time that a buffet is an option is at breakfast, but the menus for all meals are extensive – even offering specialty meals for those following The South Beach Diet. None of the restaurants require reservations, so you can come and go as you please. The stunning beach is lined with beach beds and a couple of play structures, and there are ‘beach butlers’ at your beck and call for whatever you may need – a drink, a snack, sunscreen, you name it. The kids’ club is for children aged 4-12, and each day there are activities such as cooking classes, Spanish lessons and jewelry making.

If an all-inclusive resort is not your thing, there are a number of self-catering options throughout the region, and Playa Del Carmen is home to a couple of large supermarkets – a Sam’s Club and the Mexican chain Mega are located on the main highway that runs between Cancun and Tulum. In terms of getting around, public transport seemed fairly easy to navigate, car rental is plentiful (although rumour has it the better rates are found in Cancun), and the taxis are all newer, with functioning seat belts. If your child is still in a car seat, you may be best off bringing yours along, although I did come across a company online called Cancun Valet that offers rentals along with their transfer services to various parts of the region.

With this being my 3^rd trip to the area, I was able to recall why I liked it enough the first time to return for my honeymoon. It’s kind of like the best of both worlds – the beauty of Caribbean beaches with the charm and flavour of Mexico. The Mayan influence is prevalent, and learning more about that ancient culture enriched my experience. The Riviera Maya has grown tremendously in the 10 years since I first visited, but now as a parent, I can appreciate how the growth and development has made visiting there a lot easier. In a future article, I’ll detail a few of the attractions and excursions available that are suitable for families: the natural aquarium Xel-Ha, X-Caret, the eco-archeological theme park, and the jungle crossing tour we took with All-Tournative Off-Track Adventures.

Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel - your online guide to traveling with babies and toddlers. For more information please visit www.havebabywilltravel.com or send a message to info@havebabywilltravel.com.

Fun Father's Day Ideas

2008-05-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Playhouse Disney Canada have passed on some great ideas for a fun and memorable Father's Day. Check out their website where you can check out a really great show for your preschooler. As well, Canada Playhouse Disney channel will be airing a “Handy Manny” marathon on Father’s Day!

Fun Father's Day Gift Ideas from
Disney Channel's Handy Manny!

Kids' favourite fix-it-guy, Playhouse Disney's Handy Manny, offers some fun "green" gift ideas for Father's Day! With Mom's help, kids can repurpose things found around the house and turn them into new treasures for Dad.

1. Gifts that Keep on Growing: Plant beets, carrots and summer squash, or basil, rosemary and oregano, which Dad can use for his famous summer barbeques! Teaching kids how to tend a vegetable or herb garden is a great gift that keeps giving all summer long, and educates them on how to care for the earth around them. Another idea – on Father's Day, have the whole family plant a tree in the backyard. Kids can watch the tree grow as they grow; plus, you'll reduce your family's carbon footprint.

2. Frames Refurbished: Find an old picture frame in the garage or basement and customize it so it's better than new! Decorate with old magazine or newspaper clippings, construction paper, paint, stickers, beads, feathers, or anything else you find around the house. Then, put in a family picture or a youngster's drawing for Dad to display at home or in the office!

3. Hi-Tech Entertainment: Go paperless with modern tools to create gifts Dad will cherish forever! Instead of buying a CD, make a personalized playlist for Dad's iPod or MP3 player. Or, scan photos, artwork and funny stories onto the computer for a special slideshow presentation titled "Why I Love My Dad."

4. Designer T-Shirts: Take one of Dad's plain old t-shirts and redesign it! Choose brightly colored fabric paint that kids can use to create a unique design of their own, or teach them how to make the emblem for Dad's favorite sports team! Little handprints make a great memory too!

5. Mr. Fix-it's Funhouse: Surprise Dad with a beautifully organized tool shed or garage! Ask kids to group Dad's tools and equipment in corners of the room (make sure to keep tools that aren't suitable for little hands up high and out of reach), then use colorful labels and recycled boxes to keep things in order. Any old tools can be given away, or used to start a son or daughter's very own toolbox!

Ways to Reduce your Grocery Bills

2008-05-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

Ways to Reduce your Grocery Bills
By: Christine Steendahl

Are you searching for a great way to save money on your groceries? A Menu Planning Service can come to the rescue. These innovative services help you plan, save on grocery costs and organize your dinner meals simply and easily.

Menu Planning services provide moms with a simple to follow dinner menu for every week. Not only do you get great dinner meal ideas including main dishes, side dishes and desserts that are satisfying, simple to make and healthy, but you also get a tailored grocery list to simply shop for the ingredients for the upcoming week. You can save tons of moola, because when shop for only what you will be cooking and what ingredients you will need you won’t needlessly buy ingredients and items that are not required.

Many people waste hundreds of dollars each year buying food items that aren't needed. Many times foods are wasted, because they sit around not being used in any meals you make. When you find a meal idea for these items, they are usually too old, spoiled or stale.

Amanda's Book Nook: The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework by Joshua Coleman

2008-05-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Volume 18: Book Review: The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework by Joshua Coleman

The Lazy Husband, written in 2005 by Joshua Coleman, PH.D, a husband and a father, is a must read for any woman who feels that she has too much of a domestic workload and not enough support from her husband.

Coleman uses examples of conflict between various couples. He explains the situation well and also describes how a wife might go about solving the problem, using specific dialogue examples.

The differences that cause conflict between men and women have been known for a long time, think Men are from Mars, Women Are From Venus. This book is written as a tool for women to better understand how to change the domestic responsibilities in their home. It is written by a man, who offers many personal examples in order to assist women get to the root of their problems. Included in this book is one chapter for the husband to read. It is definitely written man to man.

After reading this book, I have a much better appreciation for my husband. Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciated him before, but I have an understanding (as small as it may be) that it is difficult to be a husband too. Women have issues that are difficult for men to deal with too. Women's issues are just different than men's. It's how we deal with our issues with one another that matters. One critical word or parental "over ride" can make or break a situation.

Spring & Summer Safety

2008-04-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Water safety: a significant summer concern

Excerpted from the AboutKidsHealth website. AboutKidsHealth provides trusted answers from The Hospital for Sick Children for families' health questions.

"As the hot summer sun beats down, for many parents and children thoughts turn to the cooling relief of swimming pools and lakes. While a refreshing dip may be just the ticket, now is a good time to consider safety issues when it comes to children and water, both at home and further afield.

Each year, more than 100 children and youth in Canada drown and many more have close calls. It seems that a new drowning tragedy is reported almost every week. The most common situations for drowning are boating, recreational, and bathtub drowning. Children under five are more likely to drown or nearly drown than any other age group, followed by children aged five to nine years old. Among toddlers, drowning accounts for more than 20% of injury-related deaths and is the second major cause of death through injury.

"You always need to supervise your child when he or she is in or near water. Drowning can happen in seconds, in the time it takes you to answer a phone,” says Laveena Sethia, an injury prevention information specialist with Safe Kids Canada, the national injury prevention program of the Hospital for Sick Children.

This means you must stay close enough to touch your child when in the bath tub, home swimming pool, public pool, or lake. Supervision is the best way to prevent drowning.
Backyard swimming pools

Parents should make sure there is a fence that completely surrounds the backyard swimming pool on all four sides. The fence needs to be 1.2 metres (4 feet) high and have a self-latching gate. Check with your municipality to make sure that your pool follows local by-laws for backyard swimming pools.

Some people have a fence on three sides and consider the house to be the fourth side. But in this case, “you’re protecting the neighbourhood kids and not your own,” says Sethia, since a child can exit the house through sliding doors and directly enter the pool unsupervised. If any door in the house leads directly to the pool, make sure the door closes by itself and has a lock high up on the door that a child cannot reach and open.

Keep these pool safety tips in mind:

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Always have an adult watching children in the pool, preferably one who knows cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and lifesaving techniques.
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Enroll children in swimming and water safety lessons when they are at least 4 years old. Water safety programs for adults and younger children are also available.
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Taking swimming lessons does not ensure that a child will not drown. You still need to watch your child closely in and around water.
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Children can drown in seconds; don't turn away to answer the phone or concentrate on something else. Don't assume that a child in trouble will be able to make noise to alert you.
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Make sure lifesaving and first aid equipment is close to the pool. Keep emergency phone numbers nearby.
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Children under the age of 3 or children who cannot swim must wear personal flotation devices (PFDs). Be sure that the PFD is a Canadian-approved device and that all parts of the PFD are in good condition. Users of inflatable PFDs should follow manufacturer’s instructions so they can help their children use them correctly. Remember that air-filled toys, water wings, and air mattresses are not a substitute for a PFD.
*
Always check the pool first if a child is missing.

Lakes and rivers

Because lakes and rivers aren't fenced in, it's even more important to watch children closely when at the cottage or the beach. Remember these safety tips:

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Give your children your full attention. Make sure children know that they must always tell an adult before they go swimming.
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Children under the age of 3 or children who cannot swim should always be wearing a PFD in or around water.
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Put children on the buddy system so that if one is in trouble, the other can call for help.
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Make sure children swim close to shore. They should be able to see you at all times.
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Teach young children how to swim or play within arm's reach.
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Swim at supervised waterfronts and beaches.
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Choose a safe place to swim. Check for hazards on the beach and in the water, including water pollution levels.
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Watch for boats and jet skis while swimming.

Boating

By law, boaters must have appropriately sized PFDs for each person aboard the boat, though they do not have to be worn. Pay special attention to your children’s PFDs, advises the Canadian Safe Boating Council. These should be selected by size and weight, and have collars to keep their heads up in the water, a handle on the collar to lift them, and a safety strap so the PFD does not slide up over their head. Test the PFD first in a pool to make sure it works and fits properly.

PFDs are not made for children under age 1 (or 9 kg). For children under 1, Safe Kids recommends finding an alternate land route to the destination, finding a sitter for the child, or simply not making water trips until the child is older.

Here are some boating tips:

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Don’t rock the boat. Move slowly when you enter the boat because it could tip over, or tip you out, if you are not careful.
*
Children should always wear a PFD when boating.
*
Children should keep their arms, legs, and head inside the boat at all times.
*
A designated adult should be able to see the child at all times to make sure the child does not fall into the water, which may be too deep or rocky.
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If sleeping on board the boat, make sure young children cannot open a door or window and get outside unsupervised. A two-year-old girl in British Columbia drowned recently after opening a screen door on a houseboat and sliding into the water.

Bath tubs

At home, drowning in the bath tub is not uncommon. Very young children do not have the motor skills to lift their heads above water or get themselves out of the water. "They can drown in water that is just two inches deep," says Sethia. Parents may momentarily turn their backs or rely on a sibling to watch an infant.
Bath Seat

Lock the door to the bathroom to prevent a child from getting into dangerous situations in the bathroom. They may attempt to run a bath on their own in the same way they have seen a parent do it.

Many parents like to use bathing aids such as bath seats or rings to free up their hands to wash their baby. These plastic seats use suction cups to attach to the bottom of the tub, and are designed to secure an infant who is approximately seven months of age (around the time the child can sit upright unassisted). A recent survey found that 46% of parents in Canada use or have used bath seats.

Safe Kids Canada advises against using bath seats because babies have been known to slide out of the seats or the suction cups can come loose and the baby may topple over. The seats also give parents a false sense of security and they may leave the child unattended momentarily. Children in the tub should be within arm’s reach at all times and should not be left alone even for a second.

"Bath tubs aren’t the only water-based hazard in the home; buckets of water, wading pools, and even washing machines put curious toddlers at risk of drowning also," explains Sethia. Drain wading pools and buckets after use.
Facts about children and water safety

According to the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Institute for Health Information:

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Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for Canadian children aged one to five.
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On average, an estimated 500 people in Canada drown every year.
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Children under five are involved in more drowning or near-drowning incidents than those in any other age group.
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For every child who dies from drowning, it is estimated there are six to 10 additional near-drownings, which require hospitalization.
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One in four children in Ontario who experience near-drowning have permanent brain damage as a result.
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Most drowning incidents do not involve swimming: 76% of children who drowned or nearly drowned in 2002-2003 were playing or walking near water.
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In nearly half of infant and toddler drownings, the victims were alone.
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A small child can drown in only a few inches of water — enough to cover the mouth and nose.
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The most common location for infant drownings is the bathtub.
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Home swimming pools account for 38% of toddler drownings.
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Since 1991, only 4% of reported toddler drownings were in pools with self-closing and self-latching gates.
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If all home pools were equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates, nearly all toddler pool drownings and about one-third of all toddler drownings could be eliminated.

Moms deserve cute stuff!

2008-04-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

Moms are amazing. On duty 24/7, it's hard to take time for anyone but the kids. Make the constant, tedious and downright stinky job of diaper changing a dare-we-say "fun" activity ... with an ultra stylish Made by Angie baby wipe container.

Treat yourself or a new/expecting mom in your life with over 75 fabulous fabrics to choose from. It will make that diaper change easier, we swear!

Save 20% on all orders now through May 11* in honor of Mother's Day ... use the code LOVEMOM at checkout for your instant discount.

Happy Mother's Day!

PS. Here are a few of my our favourite patterns:

* To make sure that your gift arrives in time for the holiday, please place any gift orders by Sunday, May 4th.

Upcoming Car Seat Clinics & News on Car Seats

2008-04-06T13:05:00.000-07:00

Parents need more education on car and booster seat safety, advise paediatricians

OTTAWA― Doctors should help educate parents on the proper use of infant and child car seats, says the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) in a new statement.

The position statement, published this week in Paediatrics & Child Health, provides detailed recommendations for selecting, positioning, installing and using car and booster seats. Every year, more than 2,500 children between the ages of 1 and 4 years are injured or killed in car collisions in Canada.

"Too many young Canadian children are injured in collisions, when the majority of these injuries can be avoided by proper use of car and booster seats," said Dr. Lynne Warda, chair of the CPS Injury Prevention Committee.

In Canada, 44 to 81 per cent of car seats and 30 to 50 per cent of booster seats are not used properly. When these seats are used properly they can reduce the risk of fatal injury by up to 71 per cent.

"Parents need to be more aware of how to choose, install and use car seats properly, and doctors should be able to provide this guidance," said Dr. Charmaine van Schaik, a community paediatrician in Aurora, Ont., and author of the CPS statement.

The top three mistakes parents make when using car seats are: not properly securing the seat to the vehicle, not attaching the harness snugly enough, and not positioning the chest clip at the child’s armpit level.

To help protect children, the CPS is calling on all provincial and territorial governments to implement booster seat legislation across Canada. Legislation already exists in a number of jurisdictions but not all provinces and territories. The CPS also supports sales tax exemptions for car seat and booster seats.

The Canadian Paediatric Society is a national advocacy association that promotes the health needs of children and youth. Founded in 1922, the CPS represents more than 2,500 paediatricians, paediatric subspecialists and other child health professionals across Canada. Paediatrics & Child Health is the peer-reviewed journal of the CPS.

To receive a copy of the full statement, please e-mail media@cps.ca.

Media inquiries:
Jennifer Lefebvre
Canadian Paediatric Society
613-526-9397, ext. 247
media@cps.ca

For 3 upcoming car seat clincs in York Region in April please see here.....

From the Piggy Bank

2008-04-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

From the Piggy Bank ~Series on Planning for Your Family & Business

York Region Parent provides resources and articles for moms who are also entrepreneurs or thinking of starting their own business. From more information please see our resource centre called "mums in biz!"

Life Insurance
by Kathleen Hogg

Life Insurance is a topic that not many people want to talk about, but it is a necessity and certainly when planning your business. These plans should be separate from each other, so that there is no difficulty to your beneficiaries when you are gone.

For your family, it can help protect your family members from having to incur the costs of a funeral/burial and any estate closing costs. Settlement costs are, well costly. There are lawyer fees, estate management fees, taxes that still have to be paid and these costs add up quickly. The cost for an average funeral is about $10,000 - 15,000. It is also a great way to give your children or family some wealth. That may sound strange, but it can be able to give them maybe a University education, graduate school, a down payment for a home or money to start up the business they always wanted. Planning for that is just as important. You may also wish to donate some money to a charity of your choice.

For business it is equally important, as you want to be sure that your business is taken care of, especially if you have a partnership or employees. Life insurance can act as a Buy-Sell agreement essentially it will buy out your shares of the business from your partner. This prevents difficulty between the surviving spouse or family and the business partner. It also can assist the business continuity, as it can replace the loss of income or allow another person to be hired to fill in for the duties of the business partner. If the business is a sole proprietorship, it can help the closing costs for the business. Life insurance can also provide money to continue the business if it is to be sold. There are many and varied ways to structure life insurance in a business it is important to have this information.

For either family or business purposes you should consult a professional regarding life insurance and your needs. You can do this through your financial advisor, lawyer, and accountant or through a life insurance agent. Make sure that you have a full understanding of the policy and what you have structured. Even though, this is not the most pleasant of discussion, life insurance is a key component in your overall financial plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathleen Hogg Consulting guides the new entrepreneur and/or small business; through a step by step process and assists them in building a comprehensive business foundation; to allow them see their dreams come to fruition.

Our Sponsor: Huge Sale at Sew Cute

2008-03-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Huge Sale at Sew Cute

Every Mamma loves a bargain! Sew Cute personalized baby wear is having an inventory clearance sale on clothes & accessories personalized in a discontinued font. Everything is 40% off and there is a large selection of names to choose from. Click here to check out the clearance selection for your child's name & size. Happy shopping!

The Green House:Phthalates: It’s Safety and Use in Bath & Body Products

2008-03-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Phthalates: It’s Safety and Use in Bath & Body Products

by Kathleen Hogg

Recently the CBC profiled a controversial study released regarding Phthalates in personal care products (shampoo, soaps, nail polish and lotions). Specifically, mentioning the release of Phthalates in urine of infants who had used baby care products containing Phthalates. So, in our commitment in providing you with products that are high in quality and low in additives, we researched both sides of the argument.

First, what are Phthalates? They are used in plastics, fragrances, acrylic nail polish and some medical supplies. It is there to stabilize the fragrances and make plastic flexible. You know the “New Car Smell”, that is the release of Phthalates from the plastic in the car.

The study mentioned in the CBC (refer to www.cbc.ca and search Phthalates) was conducted by SH Swan, F. Liu, and other researchers at the University of Washington (to read the entire study please go to www.ehphonline.org and the study is titled Decrease in Anogential Distance among Male Infants with Prenatal Phthalate Exposure). The study recruited pregnant women in L.A., California, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Columbia Missouri from September 1999 to August 2002, Iowa was added late in the study. They had the women complete a questionnaire, some gave blood samples and urine collected midway through the study. Not all participants supplied all of the samples. 85% of the participants agreed to be re-contacted. These participants were eligible if they had a live birth and the baby was between 2-36 months of age. They studied the anogenital measurements (several different measurements of the genitals) of the infant boy’s in relation to the release of Phthalates in their urine. There has also been a study conducted on rats, where it has been shown that the anogenital distance is the most sensitive to Phthalates. However, it has been difficult to prove the sensitivity comparison between humans and animals. Although there was increased Phthalates in the urine of the study participants, it was difficult to determine if it ingested via dermal application (lotions, shampoos etc), orally (plastic toys, books, teething rings) or inhaled. The study revealed that “young infants are more vulnerable to the potential adverse effects of Phthalates given their increased dosage per unit body surface area, metabolic capabilities and developing endocrine and reproductive system”.

It should also be noted that Phthalates have been used for over 50 years and there has been no definitive proof that it has caused damage to the human endocrine or reproductive system. For further information on Phthalates and their safety please go to www.phthalates.org.

Currently the European Union (EU) and California have banned the use of most Phthalates in their products. The European Cosmetics Directive says that any substance known or strongly suspected to have certain health effects in laboratory animals—even if this occurs only at extremely high doses—is assumed to present similar risks to humans, and may not be used in cosmetics.

As a consumer in Canada, you will not know if you have been using Phthalates on yourself or your family, because companies that create the fragrances do not have to list the ingredients. There is a trade secret law that allows them to keep their ingredient listing, well a secret. Also, manufacturers of cosmetics in Canada do not have to list it as an ingredient, only that a fragrance is used. If it is the least percentage amount of ingredient then it is listed at the end of the ingredient listing.

One of the main commitments we have to you as our customer is to provide you with products that are mostly natural. With that in mind we took a good look at our product offering.

We contacted all the suppliers to find out if they were Phthalate free. Confirmation was received that all of the essential oils used are Phthalate free. For two of my suppliers, they were not able to give answers, so those fragrances have been discontinued. One supplier informed us the fragrances they offer, do have Diethyl Phthalate in its’ composition. The concentration is less than 0.05% of the final product offered by Bath-a-holic. This Phthalate has been extensively tested by the Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products intended for Consumers (SCCNFP). The conclusion from this study was this particular Phthalate does not pose any risk to human health. You can read the study at www.dep-facts.com. This study was conducted on rats, mice, rabbits and humans. They tested the effects of Diethyl Phthalates on the subjects through various different methods; orally, inhalation and dermal (skin). The conclusion of the study was “DEP shows a low level of toxicity. Testing for dermal irritation and sensitization in humans as well as animals, and for photo-toxicity and photo sensitization in human volunteers, has demonstrated its safety of use. Even undiluted the effects observed were minimal or moderate” * Their final opinion on the use of Diethyl Phthalate is “The SCCNP is of the opinion that the safety profile of Diethyl-phthalate supports its use in cosmetic products at current levels. At present the SCCNFP does not recommend any specific warnings or restrictions under the currently proposed conditions of use” *. The European Union has accepted this Phthalate as safe for use.

Based on these studies and my research, the following modifications have been made. The Baby Boo fragrance which was a fan favourite has been changed, but it still smells like nice delicious powdered baby. This product does contain the Diethyl Phthalate in a concentration of less than 0.05%. I have also discontinued the Pink Sugar fragrance, as I was not able to get information whether or not it contained Phthalates. We have also discontinued the Green Apple fragrance. Should you still have any serious concerns about fragrances or essential oils being used on your family’s skin, please choose the unscented versions of our product line.

If you would like to learn more about safety and cosmetics you can also go to www.safecosmetics.org. There are many great articles there on products that you are using. Informing yourself on the use of Phthalates is very important as it is used in all sorts of everyday products.

At Bath-a-holic we are committed to providing you with high quality products that are good for your entire family. If you have any questions regarding our products, please contact us at info@Bath-a-holic.com or 416-888-4315. We have a library on each ingredient and can answer any question you may have. We also have copies of all the research mentioned in this article and are happy to provide it for you.

Source:

*Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products Intended for Consumers – concerning Diethyl Phthalate – June 4th, 2002.

CERTAIN PEAR JUICES FOR TODDLERS MAY CONTAIN ARSENIC

2008-03-12T05:01:00.000-07:00

HEALTH HAZARD ALERT - CERTAIN PEAR JUICES FOR TODDLERS MAY CONTAIN ARSENIC OTTAWA, March 11, 2008 -

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Loblaws Inc. are warning the public not to consume certain pear juices for toddlers because these products may be contaminated with arsenic.

The following products are affected by this recall:

Product UPC Size Lot Codes
President’s Choice Organics Pear Juice from Concentrate for Toddlers 0 60383 70935 8 1 L
All Beech Nut Pear Juice from concentrate with Vitamin C added 0 523842 8 128 mL 2009 FE 02; A0384B0935

These products have been distributed across Canada. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. Arsenic is a toxic heavy metal that may be carcinogenic and may pose developmental risks to children. Loblaws Inc, Brampton, Ontario, has voluntarily recalled the affected products from the marketplace.

The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall. For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers: Loblaws Customer Relations at 1-888-495-5111; CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday). For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca. - 30 - Media enquiries: Garfield Balsom (English) Canadian Food Inspection Agency Food Recall and Emergency Response 613-760-4232 Linda LeBlanc (French) Canadian Food Inspection Agency Food Recall and Emergency Response 613-760-4112

La Leche League Newmarket/Aurora Group - March 2008 Meeting

2008-03-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Do you feel like Spring is just around the corner? March 20th is the first day of Spring and I'm certainly looking forward to it. Whether or not I see or feel signs of the weather changing, I know officially that it will soon be here.

Spring means different things to different people, or maybe where you are at this particular point in your life it has significance. The season of growth? Transforming bodies and bellies, nourishing that little one soon to be borne? Or the speed at which your little one in your arms is growing? A time of change? How quickly your little one is changing with each day that passes. Or how your family will change with the addition of a new baby soon? Any of these reasons are great reasons to come out to a La Leche League meeting.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday March 13, 2008 Meeting # 1 The Advantages of Breastfeeding to Mother and Baby – Topic - Why Breastfeed Your Baby?
Please feel free to bring a friend or a nutritious nut free snack to share. Even though the topic may not be of significance to you, we always have time to discuss what you need at this time.

Mother's with their nursing babies/children are welcome. La Leche League Newmarket/Aurora Group meets at the Aurora Ontario Early Years Centre @ 40 Engelhard , Unit 1, Aurora.
For Directions to the meeting or more information please call Denise @ 905-836-4342 or e-mail @ motherdoula@rogers.com

LLLC Newmarket/Aurora Meets the second Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Aurora Ontario Early Years Centre No registration or fee required.

Our Enrichment Meetings are the last Thursday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at the Newmarket Ontario Early Years Centre

Please make a note that our March 27th Enrichment Meeting's topic is the Benefits of Baby Wearing. Bring the sling/carrier you have to share with other's your opinion on why you like it. Or maybe try on someone else's to see if theirs is a better choice for you and your baby.
All women interested in breastfeeding are welcome to attend monthly Group meetings. Anytime is a good time to come to a La Leche League meeting; when pregnant, with a new baby or when considering weaning.

While a series of four meetings with the following topics is rotated throughout the year, the specific content varies significantly depending on the current focus and the needs of those present

Meeting 1: The Advantages of Breastfeeding to Mother and Baby
Meeting 2: Baby Arrives: The Family and the Breastfed Baby
Meeting 3: The Art of Breastfeeding and Avoiding Difficulties
Meeting 4: Nutrition and Weaning

Earth Hour

2008-03-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

It started with a question: How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?

The answer: Ask the people of Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.

With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.

For more information on Earth Hour 2008 - Visit http://www.earthhour.org

Amanda's Book Nook: More Elizabeth Pantley Books: The No-Cry Potty Training Solution and The No-Cry Discipline Solution

2008-02-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

Volume 16: More Elizabeth Pantley Books: The No-Cry Potty Training Solution and The No-Cry Discipline Solution

Pantley's book, The No-Cry Discipline Solution, won the 2007 iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Book! I definitely understand why. This well written book offers parents a variety of tried and tested discipline techniques that help meet your long term parenting goals. Pantley emphasizes that we, as parents, must think long term rather than short term when making parenting and discipline decisions. She offers techniques for staying calm (the parent) and avoiding anger--a key step to effective discipline along with an anger control plan.

The No-Cry Discipline Solution discusses solutions to every day problems that parents encounter with their children. Pantley addresses tantrums, fussing and whining and offers suggestions for the cause of the real problem at hand (is the child hungry, frustrated, bored, overstimulated, scared, feeling powerless or confused). She then helps parents find solutions for tackling the outbursts that result from the original problem.

This book is guaranteed to help parents feel more in control of difficult situations and in turn create happier parents, children and families!

The No-Cry Potty Training Solution is an easy read for parents who are trying to or are about to try potty training their child. The beginning of the book has a "Quick Guide" (11 pages) that addresses the hot topics of potty training. This guide is useful for parents who do not have the time to invest in reading an entire book. It also provides some quick pointers to

get your started in the right direction.

The book also includes a Readiness Quiz to assist parents in understanding when the best time is to begin potty training, as this is key to the success of the adventure!

Pantley addresses everything from you need to be ready to a variety of techniques and ideas to help training go smoothly. There is an entire chapter dedicated to FAQ's regarding common problems such as bed wetting, fears revolving around using the potty and daycare and potty training (a common challenge).

Pantley's suggestions offer ways to gently encourage, not force training in order to be successful and accomplish your goal as soon as possible.

Amanda's Book Nook: Book Review:Journey to the Darkside: Supermom Goes Home by Kathy Buckworth

2008-02-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

Volume 14: Book Review:Journey to the Darkside: Supermom Goes Home by Kathy Buckworth

Kathy Buckworth’s book, Journey to the Darkside, is a well written, entertaining book. The book shares the journey of a “Supermom” (working mother) who becomes a “stay at home Mom” (SAHM) in a very bold, up front, humorous and at times, sarcastic manner. This book is the third of the “Supermom” series, the other two being, “The Secret Life of SuperMom” and “SuperMom:

A Celebration of All You Can Do”.

The book brings humour into everyday family life and helps us Moms feel that our lives are “normal”, whatever “normal” can be in a life with young kids. Buckworth’s writing allows us all to see the lighter side of our everyday struggles and routines.

As Laural writes on her blog, “She (Kathy) takes an incredibly humourous look at what it’s truly like to stay at home with kids. She is somehow able to describe the boredom and busy-ness at the same time. Her descriptions of the various types of moms out there was hilarious.

By the time I finished reading the book there were two things that happened. First, I truly understood my sister’s life a little better (she stays at home). I sometimes wish I was doing what she was, but this book reminded me, in an incredibly funny way, that it’s not as easy as she makes it look. Second, I was really glad to go to work. I’ve been reading this book on the train, and the further I got into, the more I realized I was quite happy to hang on to my title of Supermom just a little longer.”

Kathy posts her upcoming appearances, interviews and articles on her website. It is well worth a visit.

Amanda's Book Nook: Book Review: The Safe Baby by Debra Smiley Holtzman

2008-02-23T13:04:00.002-08:00

Volume 13:Book Review: The Safe Baby by Debra Smiley Holtzman

Debra Smiley Holtzman, the author of The Safe Baby, is an internationally acclaimed safety and health expert, a parenting columnist, a Radio & TV personality

and a best-selling author.

The Safe Baby is a well written "Do it Yourself Guide" to home safety. We all strive to be good parents to our children. Keeping them safe is definitely one of the more challenging jobs as a parent. Our homes are filled with hazards to our children and it is often difficult and overwhelming, as a new parent, to think of all of the potential hazardous areas. Debra Smiley Holtzman breaks down the different key areas in your house that should be addressed. In her book, she talks about the various risks as well as potential ways to protect our children from these risks.

Holtzman provides the readers with checklists as well as lists of various hazards to avoid. She addresses a variety of safety topics such as health, food, pets, household items and preparing for emergencies.

This book is a good start for parents who are overwhelmed by the prospect of childproofing their house and keeping their baby or child safe. By reading this book, you will be sure to remember all of the key areas that could pose a potential risk to your child.

Amanda's Book Nook: Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

2008-02-23T13:04:00.001-08:00

Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley writes an incredible series of parenting books on topics including sleep, potty training and discipline. Her book entitled, The No-Cry Sleep Solution is a helpful book for parents who have a baby who has sleep problems. Whether baby won't go to bed on their own, they don't sleep through the night or nap time is a struggle, this book is for you.

The book addresses two different age groups; birth to four monthsand four months to two years. There are chapters dedicated tohelping you devise a plan that works for your family and how to create sleep logs to track your success. Most importantly, Pantley believes that good sleeping habits can be formed without tears (yours or your baby's!). Pantley's Ten Steps to Helping your Baby Sleep All Night provides the reader with many suggestions and tips to pick and choose from. The second part of the book talks about the parent and how to address their specific needs as well.

Like The No-Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers, The No-Cry Sleep Solution is definitely a book worth reading. It is well written, is an easy read and will most likely assist any family experiencing bedtime issues.

Amanda's Book Nook: Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers

2008-02-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers by Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley writes an incredible series of parenting books topics including sleep, potty training and discipline.

Her book entitled, The No-Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers andpreschoolers, is a must read for parents who have either:

a toddler/preschooler who has never been a good

sleeper and are looking for practical solutions for helping

this situation

a toddler/preschooler who is having difficulty transitioning to

new sleep situation (e.g.new bedroom) or have begun to have sleep problems

Pantley’s book provides very specific suggestions for how to analyze your personal situation as well as a variety of steps/suggestions that you can try to improve your sleep situation with your toddler. Her practical and supportive text allows parents to take the information that sounds helpful and leave the tips that will not work for their family. She recognizes that every family as well as every child is unique and will therefore have a unique situation that requires careful thought and implementation of a strategy that will work for them.

In Part Two of her book, she lists eight sleep tips for every child. This section is a wonderful resource for all parents to read. She then writes about solutions for a variety of common sleep problems such as “Bedtime Battles”, “ Nap time problems” and “Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking”.

Throughout her book, Pantley emphasizes the importance of consistency as well as giving each plan a fair try. She provides parents with solutions that are easy to understand and follow.

The No-Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers is definitely a book worth reading. It is well written, is an easy read and will most likely assist any family experiencing bedtime issues.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 10: Environmental Print and Your Child

2008-02-23T13:02:00.002-08:00

Volume 10: Environmental Print and Your Child

What is "Environmental Print"? Environmental Print is the first print that children learn. It is the symbols, signs, numbers, and colours in the signs around us. Signs that we see on a daily basis. Signs that we don't have to read, we just know what they stand for or what they say. A few examples would be food labels, store signs, street signs, traffic signs and various logos.

As adults, we don't have to "read" these signs. We look at them as we are driving by. Our eyes catch the colour, shape and symbols and immediately process the message. This is what children need to learn.

Environmental Print typically is a concept that is "taught" or "introduced" in Kindergarten and Grade One. However, having said that, our children are exposed to Environmental Print from a very early age. What can you do as a parent to help your child with their pre-reading skills? Point signs out while walking or driving in your neighbourhood or town. Eventually, they will begin to recognize the signs on their own and be able to "read" them with confidence. Confidence is key to learning how to read. Help your child feel empowered by exposing them to Environmental Print.

Just be careful, because it may come to bite you in the behind ;) My 2 year old daughter can "read" many signs that I wish she never knew (e.g. McDonad's, Tim Hortons, etc.). Knowing how to read these signs can be cause for terrible two tantrums!

This month, I plan on making my daughter an Environmental Print book. I will sit down with her and read the flyers and ask her to point to the stores that she knows. We will cut the pictures of those words together and then glue them into a homemade book that she can read. Children have so much fun reading these books. The books are theirs. They belong to them and are made especially for them.

You can also use Google Image Search to find images for a sign, company or product.

To learn more about Environment Print and your child, please visit:

Hubbards Cupboard

Mrs. Perdue's Kindergarten

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 9: Book Review on Parenting The Long Journey by Joe Rich

2008-02-23T13:02:00.001-08:00

Volume 9: Book Review on Parenting The Long Journey by Joe Rich

My Mom bought me this book right after she saw Joe Rich on City Line, her favourite show! She thought that Joe Rich had some good advice for parents and that I would enjoy reading his book. She certainly was right!

Joe Rich takes you on a journey throughout parenthood to show you what happens when take his advice and when you don't. He makes you think about your philosophy on parenting and where you would like to see yourself as a parent, where you see your children and where you see your family down the road.

Ironically, what I liked best about this book is also what frustrated me as I read! I liked the fact that his philosophy when writing this book was to help parents with LONG TERM parenting, not just the "here and now" problems that parents often face. The difficult part for me was that I was craving more specific

examples.

Having said that, regardless of the fact that I found there to be a lack of specific examples, I found this book to be an excellent read. It helped me to think about my long term goals for me as a parent and for my family.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 8: Homemade ABC Books

2008-02-23T13:01:00.002-08:00

Volume 8: Homemade ABC Books

What better way to help your child learn their "ABC's" than to make them (or better yet, create with them) their very own ABC book?

For my daughter's 2nd birthday, I made her an ABC book especially personalized with items that are important to her. she had the book memorized after the second time reading through it because the items were so familiar. This book continues to be in her top book picks on a daily basis.

Here's how I did it (there are many different variation--the sky is the limit):

I bought a 4x6 photo album from the good old dollar store.

I glanced through our digital photos and picked out photos that I knew would be appropriate for each letter. For the letters where there wasn't a photo, I chose and object that she would recognize from our home and took an individual photo of it.

I bought foam capital letter stickers from the dollar store.

I cut out 4x6 pieces of cardstock and made the book.

A is for ....

B is for....

etc.

I typed out the "is for...".

After assembling the book, I wrote my daughter a special message at the back and wrapped it up for her birthday.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 7: Number Books

2008-02-23T13:01:00.001-08:00

Volume 7: Number Books

Books with numbers teach children many concepts; number sense, one to one correspondence (pointing to objects and counting each individual one), number recognition and often rhyme.

One book that my daughter and I have been having fun with lately is Five Silly Monkeys by Steven Haskamp. This book is a take on the action rhyme “Five Little Monkeys” that we all know from our childhood. The other day, I was reading this book to my toddler and quickly became aware that she has this book memorized. I decided to “throw her off a bit” and change the words up. Instead of the monkeys bumping their heads, all of a sudden they were bumping different parts of their bodies. Well, didn’t my daughter think that I was funniest Mommy ever? She kept asking for more and more and more and has ever since that day. The reason why I have shared this anecdote is to encourage you to explore and have fun with text.

We also came across a fabulous interactive website for preschoolers! There are games and interactive online stories, all age appropriate for toddlers (I have found activities that really and truly are age appropriate hard to find for my daughter).

Please feel free to visit Story Place Preschool Library for rainy day computer activities for you and your child to do together. The one activity that we found, involving numbers (similar set up as Five Silly Monkeys) was Five Hungry Crocodiles. This would be an excellent follow up activity for reading any number book.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 6 : Book Review for Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman

2008-02-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

Volume 6 : Book Review for Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman

This relatively short (239 pages) paperback book is a must read for all parents! It is a well written book with many ‘real-life’ examples in order to help parents relate to the text.

You have heard of “intelligence” before, but have you heard of “emotional intelligence?” One line that hit home for me was, “…love by itself wasn’t enough”. Many parents believe that if they care for and love their child that they will grow up in a manner that they believe is successful. This book addresses the fact that in order for this to happen, a child must learn how to come to terms with their emotions and learn how to direct their emotional energy into solving problems effectively. This book deals with how to deal with your child when emotions are at the fore front, both the child’s and adult’s emotions.

What counts are the words that we use during emotional times. Changing our wording ever so slightly can be all it takes to make a child feel respected, validated and acknowledged and provide them with the confidence that is needed in order to face the world.

Gottman talks about a term called, “Emotional Coaching” which involves 5 key steps (Chapter 3):

1) Being aware of the child’s emotions

2) Recognizing the emotion as an opportunity for intimacy and teaching

3) Listening empathetically and validating the child’s feelings

4) Helping the child verbally label emotions

5) Setting limits while helping the child problem solve

After reading this chapter numerous times, I now feel like I understand what it truly means to be empathetic to my child and to help her work through her emotions productively.

I highly recommend this book to every parent. I truly believe that after reading this book, all parents will feel empowered and equipped with the knowledge to assist their children through their emotions in a productive manner.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 5: Respect for Books

2008-02-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

Volume 5: Respect for Books

One of the first “rules of the house” that my daughter learned (at a very young age, I might add) is that we respect books! The primary form of this rule was that we do not put books in our mouth. I know that babies like to put just about anything in their mouths, but why do they like to eat books so much? It is paper, folks, it cannot taste that good, nor does it feel anywhere near as good as a toy! But, for some strange reason, babies like to mouth books.

As a Kindergarten teacher, this was one of my pet peeves, a lack of respect for books. Believe it or not, there were children, even at the age of four, five and six, that were “eating” books accompanied with ripping books, writing in books and throwing books. It is our job as parents, our child’s first teacher, to teach them how to treat a book.

Because of my strong beliefs, and the number of books that I had to repair in my classroom, I consistently enforced the “We don’t eat books, we read books” rule with my daughter until it stuck. It didn’t take too long either, I suppose because she was constantly trying and I consistently followed up with the same phrase.

Here are some more “rules” that we can teach our children about books:

1)We read books, we don’t eat them.

2)We turn pages carefully.

3)We always have clean hands when reading a book.

4)We close a book when we are finished reading it.

5)We put a book back where it belongs when we are finished reading it.

Books are expensive and they are important and we should try to teach our children how to respect them.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 1: Volume 4 – Alphabet Books

2008-02-23T12:58:00.002-08:00

Volume 4 – Alphabet Books

Alphabet books, (we like to call them ABC books in our house) are a wonderful addition to a child’s personal library. Not only do they allow your child to learn more vocabulary with picture representation, but they also provide them with an early introduction to the letters of the alphabet and subsequently, early reading skills. Often ABC books have a lot of rhythm and rhyme, which as I have mentioned earlier are two very important characteristics of good early children’s literature. I like to make up songs to ABC books (you can use familiar tunes if you have difficulty making your own tune), children tend to love music and this is a simple way to help them learn their alphabet.

To read this month's Amanda's Book Nook, please visit our Homepage at York Region Parent.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 3: Rhythm and Rhyme

2008-02-23T12:58:00.001-08:00

Volume 3: Rhythm and Rhyme

Rhythm and rhyme are two very important characteristics of a good children’s book. One author who consistently demonstrates these two qualities in all of her books is Sandra Boynton.

My daughter’s favourite Boynton book is:Moo Baa La La La.

My daughter is 20 months old and can recite this entire book by memory. She understands the humour and really gets into the groove of the rhythm of the story. The metre of the story is such that you can almost make a little kid rap while you read. This helps children develop an understanding of metre in language, e.g. the flow.

Sandra Boynton has also come out with a new book, entitled, Your Personal Penguin. We do not own this book, *yet*, but after looking at it in the bookstore, while my little one wandered around (in eye sight of course), it looks just as good as her other ones.

If you are looking for great book ideas for a gift this holiday season, consider these books. They are a great read and will become favourites for children as young as 9 months up to 5 years.

To read this month's Amanda's Book Nook, please visit our Homepage at York Region Parent.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 2: Goodnight Moon

2008-02-23T12:56:00.001-08:00

Volume 2: Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is definitely an old favourite! This book, often purchased in board book format, is an excellent first book for infants. Goodnight Moon is a wonderful bedtime story. By the end of the book, your child will be calmed and ready for bed. The illustrations are simple and the story is short and sweet.

To read this month's Amanda's Book Nook, please visit our Homepage at York Region Parent.

Amanda's Book Nook: Volume 1: Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

2008-02-23T12:54:00.001-08:00

Volume 1: Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

One of my all time favourite stories for young children is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin Jr.

I started reading this book to my daughter when she was an infant and it has now become one of her favourite stories too. This book focuses on repetition and rhyme. The text flows beautifully and the illustrations, by Eric Carle, are gorgeous. Children can learn about colours and animals in this book.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? is appropriate for infants, through to grade one or two. It is a good book to read to your young children and a great book for early readers due to rhyme and repetition.

If you are interested in doing some activities after reading this book, go here. This website has colouring pages, crafts and more.

To read this month's Amanda's Book Nook, please visit our Homepage at York Region Parent.

Mommy Lit Review: By The Secret Ladder: A Mother's Initiation by Frances Greenslade

2008-02-23T12:53:00.001-08:00

By The Secret Ladder: A Mother's Initiation by Frances Greenslade

"Becoming a mother brings you close to the bone, to blood, and shit, to mortality and your absolute worst fears. It may be sweet, but it can also be dark and dangerous. It is, more accurately, one of the great adventures of many women's lives. It is a quest, with the mother as hero-adventurer, encountering the pitfalls of all adventures: monsters, despair and an overarching wonder."

Review #1 - The book starts off in a very emotional and dramatic fashion with the author taking us through her own experience when she developed a life-threatening complication shortly after her son was born. An emergency hysterectomy was performed which then prevented her from having any more children.

Frances Greenslade then takes us through her experience of childbirth, her surgery and life with a new baby; the challenges she faced and the emotions she went through. She also uses her knowledge of literature (she has a Master's degree) to intertwine her personal story with pieces of myth and history.

In the end, after reading about her birthing experience, I felt very lucky and blessed with mine. I could definitely relate to her intense feelings towards her newborn baby. You feel such an overwhelming amount of love for your children that it is hard to put into words sometimes, but Greenslade captures the emotions perfectly.

Review #2 - I started reading The Secret Ladder: A Mother's Initiation by Frances Greenslade 3 weeks after giving birth to my daughter and was blown away by the emotions of the Greenslade's story. Her harrowing recovery from a childbirth after a life saving hysterectomy made me stop reading - just for a day or so. It's an emotionally charged few pages when she realizes that her son will be her only child and that she is lucky to be alive after her ordeal.

The Secret Ladders weaves myth and Greenslade's vast knowledge of literature about motherhood into her account of her child's first year. Greenslade isn't afraid of the dark emotions and sides of motherhood. As well,.her experience does point to problems within the Canadian medical field in obstetrics. I had a few moments, when I felt like it was me writing the book, and holding my hand up and saying, "me too!".

Mommy Lit Review: The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill

2008-02-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill

Review by Tricia

This book is written by Fiona Neill, who writes a column in the London Times newspaper called "Slummy Mummy". Her column was so popular that she turned some of the material into a novel. Her book centres on Lucy, a mother of three boys. She is married to Tom (Husband with a Short Fuse) and gave up a successful journalism career working for Newsnight, to bring up her children. They lead a fairly middle-class existence.

Fiona Neill really captures what it's like for a mother who is just going through the daily routine of making meals, school runs, school meetings and trying to keep up with all of the cleaning. Lucy begins to get bored with things and starts looking for something, or someone (Sexy Domesticated Dad), to liven up the domesticity.

I found this book a little bit hard to get into at first, however, once you read through the first couple of chapters you are hooked. The main character Lucy is a little bit wacky but very likable. The book focuses very much on adult relationships. It is interesting to read about the dynamics between her and her single/non-married friends (as we've all been there as the relationships change once someone gets married and has kids). It also details Lucy's relationship with her husband, other parents from her children's school and her relationship with her own parents and mother-in-law. While you often find yourself relating to these relationships, the story line can be a bit far-fetched at times yet entertaining all the same.

The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill

Mommy Lit Review: Momzillas by Jill Kargman

2008-02-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Momzillas by Jill Kargman
Review by Tricia

When Hannah Allen's husband takes a job in New York City, his hometown, they uproot themselves and their two year old daughter to move across the country. When she gets there, Hannah is not prepared for the extremely competitive world she falls in to. In the upper echelons of Manhattan society, moms are obsessed with having everything perfect for their children and are constantly competing for the best pre-schools, clothes, birthday parties and extracurricular activities. She also experiences problems with her mother-in-law who feels that Hannah is not doing all she can to integrate her granddaughter into their new environment. Despite her better instincts and common sense, Hannah soon finds herself caught up in the craziness of high-stakes mothering.

This book is a fun and fast read that will definitely get you laughing. There are a lot of abbreviations and lingo used in the book that I have never heard of, but the definitions are quite cute. I could relate to the main character in the demands she felt by competitive mothering, although not to the same extent. I think all moms feel the pressure to ensure your child has the best of everything and you do your best to provide for their future development.

To read this month's Mommy Lit Review, please visit our Homepage at York Region Parent.