More Than A Village Blog

Patience Please

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:14:00 +0000

Patience seems to be running low these days. I’ve heard it from friends, seen facebook statuses stating it, and have felt it myself. So why are we all running out of patience? I think it’s a pretty normal feeling for parents. We all have those days when our kids are just driving us nuts but just because it’s normal doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. So what do you do when you’re at your wits end? Seriously, I want to know. I’ve been feeling at my wits ends a lot this week with little sleep, and a teething, whining toddler on my hands.

Here are some ideas I’ve found that help me:

Plan an activity for every day – it doesn’t have to be some elaborate activity, just something that will keep the kids occupied for an hour or so. For example, have a bug hunt in the backyard, do some crafts, set up a picnic. It is something that will allow you to fade into the background for a little while.

Get out of the house – it’s amazing what a change of scenery can do for a mood. For example, go to a play group, go to the park or a spray park if it’s hot out, hit story time at the library or just go for a nice long walk.

Speak in the positive – this can be challenging but really does change your mood. For example, instead of saying no, use distraction by showing your child what they can do. Speaking in the positive takes the frustration of your child not listening out of the equation and lifts your mood because all the negative talk can be a real downer.

Pamper yourself – if you have the luxury of having an hour or two to yourself when your child naps use that time to really pamper yourself. For example, take a bath, take a nap, curl up with a good book or veg out on the couch with your favourite sitcom. Forget about getting house work done or starting dinner it can all wait. Being in a better mood will make it all much less monotonous.

Call in reinforcements – if you can, swap kids with a friend to have some time to yourself and allow your friend the same. Or if you have family nearby see if they can take the kids for a few hours. Then have a nap, go shopping, meet a friend for lunch or just enjoy having the house to yourself.

Hope some of these suggestions help you regain the patience you need to be the parent you want to be. Please send me any of your ideas cause you can never have too many techniques in your tool box to safe your sanity.

~Sarah

Summertime Grilling

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:03:00 +0000

This is my new favourite summertime grilling recipe. Give it a try!

Pork Souvlaki in a Pita with Tzatziki
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless pork loin, 1 ½” cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup plain yogurt
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dill
Salt and ground pepper to taste

4 pita bread, halved

Directions:
Prepare marinade by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and garlic in a glass dish. Add cubed pork and marinate for 6 hours in refrigerator or overnight.

Meanwhile, prepare tzatziki by combining yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Chill at least 1 hour to blend the flavours.

Thread the pork onto metal skewers or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.

Preheat barbecue on High and brush grids with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat to Medium, and place the pork skewers on the grill. Cook 4-6 minutes per side, turning once.

Lightly grill each side of the pita bread, place the pork inside the pocket, and serve with the tzatziki sauce.

Sever with a Greek salad.

Enjoy,
Sarah

Cooking for a Toddler

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:15:00 +0000

We are pretty lucky. Parker is a good eater and he will try just about anything. So for the most part he is eating whatever we are eating. However there are still times when he doesn’t want or like what we want for dinner. For example, we like spicy curry and while he’ll eat a curry he won’t eat anything that has any spice to it.

Instead of having to cook two different dinners on the spot I’ve made it easy on myself by freezing a few of his favorite casseroles into toddler meal sized portions. This way it only takes a few minutes from freezer to plate and it is completely stress free.

Here’s what I do:
1) Cook up a casserole – I’ve found the broccoli supreme recipe works well and I’ll share another recipe Parker really likes below.
2) Let it cool
3) Scoop into a muffin tin and place in the freezer, let freeze overnight.
4) In the morning, pull muffin tin out of freezer and allow to thaw for a few minutes to make removal easier
5) You may have to use a knife to help ease the contents out. Place each portion into a big freezer Ziploc bag, labeled with the recipe name and date.

*Note: remember when using the toddler meal sized portion you are reheating not cooking so reduce your microwave to 50%, make sure to stir and test for temperature before feeding your child.

Here is a great healthy casserole that freezes up well and Parker loves. The recipe made enough for the three of us to have dinner one night and make up six-toddler meal sized portions for the freezer.

Veggie and Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
• 1 box (500 mL) CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Chicken Easy Cooking Sauce
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) uncooked long grain rice or Quinoa
• ½ tsp (7 mL) chili powder
• 1 tsp Herbes de Provence (you can buy this or make your own)
• 1 cups (250 mL) chopped onion, red and green pepper strip mixture
• 1 cup (250 ml) frozen mixed veggie (peas, carrots, corn)
• 4 (about 1 lb/500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions
1. Mix cooking sauce, rice or quinoa, herbes de provence and chili powder in shallow 2 qt (2 L) baking dish. Spread evenly with vegetables.
2. Top with chicken. Sprinkle chicken with cheese. Cover.
3. Bake at 400°F (200°C) until chicken is cooked through and rice or quinoa is tender – about 50 minutes. Remove cover and broil until cheese is golden and bubbly – about 3 minutes. Stir rice and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy,
~Sarah

Window Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:10:00 +0000

It is very upsetting to hear about the news of a child getting injured or killed by falling out of a window. Our hearts ache for the child’s parents and we worry about the safety of our own children.

Most tragic falls are preventable.

However, between 1990 and 2000, records from 15 children’s hospitals across Canada show 362 children ended up in emergency wards after falling from windows. In 2007—in Toronto alone—10 children either have tumbled out of windows or from balconies.

In the USA the numbers are even higher. With about 12 children 10 years old and younger dying each year, and more than 4,000 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for window fall-related injuries.

To keep your children safe, in addition to close supervision, you should also:

• DON'T allow children to play near windows, balconies or decks unsupervised
• DON'T keep furniture or other climbing hazards near windows or on balconies and decks
• DON'T underestimate a child's mobility. Children begin climbing before they can walk
• DON'T rely on screens as safety devices. Screens keep bugs out - not children in
• DON'T underestimate how quickly young children can learn. Children may be able to unlock doors and windows to gain access to dangerous areas without you realizing it

· DO educate children about risks and dangers associated with windows and balconies
· DO install and maintain window and door safety devices
· DO ensure that safety devices have emergency release mechanisms so that they do not impede emergency escape or rescue
· DO complete a safety check with your child's caregiver to ensure they understand potential

Safety devices included:
Window locks – which like baby cupboard locks should keep your child from opening the window.

Window stops or wedge – which should stop windows from opening more than 4 inches. The main downside to using these is that you will have to leave the windows mostly shut when your children are around.

Window guard or gate – which allows you to place bars across the open space of a window. The upside to using these is that you can open the windows and not have to worry about your child falling through them.

You could use a combination of the two methods, installing window guards on a few windows that you often open for ventilation and locks or stops on the other windows that you usually keep closed.

Window and door safety devices should be available at your local hardware, safety, or child specialty stores.

For more information and printable colouring pages and games to help you teach your children about window safety please visit The Partners Promoting Window and Balcony Safety website at www.windowandbalconysafety.ca

Want a Child that has Interests Beyond Miley Cyrus and Updating their Facebook Status?

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:01:00 +0000

If so, the answer is this: exposure, exposure, exposure. The idea is to make sure your children are exposed to experiences that will expand their horizons and pique their interest in things outside of the mainstream and/or pop culture.

Take them to the theatre (and by theatre I do not mean the next big blockbuster by Pixar). Don’t get me wrong I love movies but live theatre is an amazing experience for children so don’t be shy to take them to live performances geared towards kids or even just a local Nutcracker performance next Christmas. Then, when they're teenagers you might be able to move on to Puccini operas or at the very least Phantom of the Opera ;-)

Surround them with books! Read to them when they're little, give them books as gifts as they get older and go on trips to the library to search the stacks for their next great read. Books will expand their imaginations, develop their language skills and (bonus for you!) keep them occupied without the din of Hannah Montana going on in the background!

Give them access to as many creative tools as you can. I once read that Stephen Spielberg’s parents always had old videocameras lying around for him to use and that was how he first started making movies. Not everyone can afford a video camera but if you can have a cheap camera, painting & craft supplies and musical instruments available to them they might tap into their creative side and become the next Spielberg.

Encourage them to try all different types of sports & outdoor activities. I’m talking ALL types; swimming, soccer, golf, karate, dance, hiking, gymnastics, yoga, rock climbing, etc. And do try not to get all gender-specific on them, maybe your daughter will love wrestling or your son will be an incredible ballet dancer. If they show interest let ‘em go for it!

Give them a taste of “culture”. Most kids these days, and most adults for that matter, could do with a dose of old-school culture. Art museums, opera, natural history museums, classical music. You can introduce these things to them at young age, though you may want to start in small doses to see if they have any interest and to avoid boredom. Pop into an art museum for a quick 1/2hr visit. Try to pick an really engaging exhibit, perhaps art installations or quirky modern art as opposed to Monet. Or perhaps the first time you take them to see a live orchestra pick a time when they are revising modern hits instead of Tchaikovsky.

The idea is that by exposing them to all of these types of things at an early age you are giving them a chance to find out where their passions and interests lie and at the same time giving them an appreciation for different facets of life.

~Laura

10 Ways to Go Green With A Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:46:00 +0000

1. Breastfeed –by breastfeeding you’re not only giving your child the best possible food but you are being environmentally friendly. Just think of all the bottles, washing, liners, formula manufacturing and packaging that go along with formula feeding.

2. Make your own baby food – there is no need to buy jarred baby food when you can make it yourself. You save some money and the environment the impact of manufacturing, transportation and garbage generating packaged baby food.

3. Use cloth diapers – ok so it’s a bit more work but over all using cloth diapers can not only be the environmentally responsible thing to do but can save close to $1500 over 3 years (according to one study I read). Just think what you could do with an extra $1500!

4. Use face cloths instead of wipes – you’ll need 3 or 4 or maybe more wipes to clean up a messy diaper which just end up in the trash or you could use face cloths with warm water and launder them with your cloth diapers. Again a little more work but it will save you money and water is much nicer on your baby’s bottom.

5. Buy items that you can use for extended periods – i.e.: infant-65lbs convertible car seat instead of infant car seat and than front facing car seat, convertible crib, stroller that converts to double stroller etc.

6. Buy second hand – babies and kids grow so fast it sometimes seems like a waste to buy new because they are in that size for such a short time.

7. Be willing to accept hand-me-downs – many parents cannot wait to unload their stocks of baby wears taking up valuable space in their house. Reap the benefits and take them off their hands. Save some money, the environment and your friend’s sanity all at the same time.

8. Make your own when you can- do you knit, sew, or bake? Make use of your talents. You can knit a blanket, sew a fitted sheet or bake your own teething cookies.

9. Wood toys instead of plastic – pretty self-explainable. Wood toys will run you more money but they do tend to look newer longer and you can resell them when your children are done with them for more than a second hand plastic toy.

10. Share resources with other parents. You can exchange books, magazines, toys, and home made food.

Meal Planning for the Non-Committal

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Sat, 29 May 2010 02:50:00 +0000

As you know, I’ve been trying to do more of the cooking in our house. I started this little cooking experiment back in October and there have been some ups and downs. Some weeks I do really well while others I totally don’t pull my weight. But I think I’ve figured out what the problem is.

Meal planning stresses me out because I leave it to the last minute. I need a plan of action because without one I fall apart in the kitchen. I would often stress about what to cook that day, and then I would either give up and not cook anything or decide on something only to find out that I don’t have all the ingredients in the house.

People had suggested meal planning to me before but I’m just too lazy (yep I admit it) to sit down and plan every day’s dinner two weeks in advance. Plus what if I don’t feel like making that recipe that day?

Well I’ve got it all figured out people. Actually somebody else figured it out and was kind enough to tell me about it (thank you Kimberly!). I like to call it meal planning for the non-committal. It goes a little something like this:

The day before you normally do your grocery shopping sit down and pick out a dozen recipes that you’d like to try over the next two weeks. Then check your fridge, freezer, cupboards for the ingredients you’ll need. If you don’t have them add them to your shopping list. I like to pull my recipes of choice out and pin them on the fridge. Once the shopping is done I know I’ve got everything I need in the house to make those recipes. I can choose anyone of them on any given day to make.

After three successful weeks of this new plan of action I am here to tell you I LOVE IT! It has completely taken all the stress out of cooking for me. I’ve totally impressed my husband and myself and ended up with some really good meals.

Give it a try or let me know what works for you.

Making My Career Work for My Family

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Thu, 27 May 2010 01:17:00 +0000

The decision to give up looking for work and day care seemed like the easiest decision of my life. I knew from day one I only wanted a part-time gig that would allow me to relieve some of the financial burden placed on my husband’s shoulders. I also knew it would be temporary, only long enough to allow me time to get pregnant again and collect maternity leave this time around. My husband and I both knew once the second baby comes along the chances of me working are slim to none. Unless of course I could find a job that would work for me (by furthering my career in something I love) and the family (by not requiring us to pay for childcare).

I tried to find it, this dream job, but then a wise friend said to me “why don’t you just make work for yourself?” At first I didn’t know what she meant. I had never thought about starting my own business but I got pretty excited about the possibility. At the end of that conversation I figured out that I could further my career and make it work for my family.

Here’s what I decided was important:
- To do something I am passionate about
- To do it during times when I would have family members available to provide childcare
- To do something that would allow me to transfer those skills (get a job when the time comes)

In order to make my career work for my family I’ve started a parenting support service called Prenatal to Parenting. I offer prenatal classes, doula services, and parent education and support services. I love pregnancy, birth and parenting. I have a Bachelor of Social Work and have been providing parent education and support services for the past year at a local organization so it feels like a natural step forward to develop new skills, to continue my previous work and to expand my scope. By starting my own business, I am able to pick and chose my hours, which works perfectly for my family.

Instead of this feeling like a temporary gig to get us through until the maternity leave kicks in, it feels like something I could do for a very long time. I’m excited. I’m passionate. I’m loving my training, building my website, talking to people about my services, and providing the services. I am also really enjoying spending time with my son Parker. I am not bringing in tons of money but that was never the point. I’m making enough to help (a bit) and am able to stay home with Parker while his dad’s at work. All in all it’s also one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

~Sarah

10 Easy Tips to Lead a Greener Life Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:44:00 +0000

Here are a bunch of little changes I have made in the last 4 years that I think don’t take much, if any, extra effort and can make a difference in my effect on the environment.

1.    Use bar soap instead of pump soap
One day it hit me how much waste I was creating by using soap in pump containers. Even though I used the large refill bottles I was still wasting an incredible amount per year. So I switched back to bar soap which usually comes in cardboard boxes that can be recycled.
2. Wrap presents in brown paper
Brown paper can be recycled but regular wrapping paper can’t. Buy bright ribbons and bows that you can re-use to liven up the packaging.
3. Environmentally friendly cleaning products
Use vinegar & water instead of windex, hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach and baking soda as an abrasive for tougher jobs. Of course there are tons of products available to purchase as well but these are some green & cheap options.
4.    Dry clothes on clothesline
If you are able this a great way to really reduce your footprint in the warmer months. Bonus: the clothes smell amazing!
5.    Avoid all one-use products
My pet peeve is all of the horrible one-use items out there. Everything from swiffer wipes/mops to one-time facial cleansing pads to those awful toilet bowl cleaner things that your flush down after one use.
6.    Hankies instead of tissues
This is kind of related to one-use items. I recently brought back the hankie and I am loving it. I have crazy allergies and I always feel a bit bad about throwing away all those tissues. Now I just have a bunch of hankies that I cycle through and after a couple washes they become soooo soft on the nose.
7.    Sharing magazines with friends
Instead of buying a bunch of magazines each why don’t you co-ordinate with friends who buy magazines as well. You each agree to purchase one and then share. Better for the wallet and the environment!
8.    Bring tupperware containers for take-out
Okay not everyone will be into this one but I swear I feel so much better getting take out when I bring it home in my own packaging and avoid all that unnecessary waste. Just be sure to let the place you are going to know that you after a while it becomes normal.
9.    Tupperware for sandwiches/lunch stuff instead of plastic bags
Nothing much to say here. The benefit is quite obvious I think.
10.    Rags instead of paper towels
I bought a huge box of rags for cleaning and wiping up spills so I never run out and it saves money and waste from the millions and millions of paper towels I would be throwing out if I didn’t have them.

~Laura

Inspirational Traveling Families

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:20:00 +0000

In case anyone else is worried that their travel days are either numbered or has been seriously hindered I thought I’d share a few of my inspirational “traveling family” stories that contradict a number of commonly held beliefs.

Commonly held belief #1: You can’t travel with a newborn

We met a young couple in Argentina who was on their third month of traveling with their first baby. He was 1 month old when they first left Canada. They'd backpacked around Spain and Italy and then flew to Argentina where they had rented a car and were camping their way across the country.

They were so happy and relaxed and their baby was a very content little guy who was clearly used to being around lots of different types of people. They said that traveling with a baby opened so many doors, especially in the family-oriented countries that had visited. They also mentioned how special it was to be able to spend that time together as a family. Their tips to me were:

- Take trains not buses when you can because it’s easier to walk around with if the baby gets fidgety.
- Family-run guest houses not hostels or hotels
- Pack very, very light. One HUGE backpack for them and one regular sized on for the baby.

Commonly held belief #2: You can’t do any extended trips if you have children

We met a German family in Chile where they had just arrived after traveling for almost a year throughout South-East Asia. Their 3 kids, one of which was only about 1 year old, were having a blast and seemed very self-sufficient. They were continuing the older kids' schooling themselves to make sure they didn’t fall behind.

Commonly held belief #3: You can’t take your children places where they will be exposed to certain types of disease/infection.

We encountered two families on remote “Little Corn Island” in Nicaragua. One couple was working at a local guest house and had their 1-2 month old with them. The other couple had a child that I would say was about 4 yrs old.

All traveling families have to weigh the risks for themselves and, for some, an island with minimal medical facilities and exposure to certain tropical diseases is off limits. For those who feel the risks are really not that extreme, such as these two families, the island was a great family adventure.

Whether or not I would be comfortable doing any of these things I don’t know but I was happy to see people who were going on these types of adventures as a family and loving every minute of it.

~Laura

Recipe Swap

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I recently held a recipe swap with nine other moms from a group I facilitate. It was so much fun. We each brought in a recipe or two to share with the group. Our focus was fast, easy, kid friendly meals or treats. We then decorated the recipe page we brought in with stickers, stamps, famous quotes, etc. Once they were all decorated we photo copied them and each person walked away with a new cookbook.

I encourage you to do something similar with your mommy groups or groups of friends. It is a great way to share your favorite recipe and to get some new tried and true new favorites.

Since it can take a bit of work to organize a recipe swap I thought I’d open up the comments section below for our own on-line recipe swap. So please post your families favorite recipe below!

Here is one of the new recipes I got from my recipe swap. I made a few adjustments to it to make it a bit healthier.

Strawberry Bread

2 cups white flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup apple sauce *unsweetened
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups strawberries, sliced (fresh or thawed from frozen)

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & sugar. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, applesauce, oil & strawberries. Combine both bowls and stir until moistened. Grease loaf pans or muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 1 hour & 10 minutes for loafs, 35-45 minutes for muffins. This recipe makes two loafs. If using frozen berries, save the strawberry juice and mix with cream cheese, butter or icing as a spread for strawberry loaf or icing for muffins. Yummy!

Enjoy,
Sarah

Looking for Childcare

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:48:00 +0000

A couple of months ago we began the process of looking for a part-time childcare space for Parker. It has been a far more difficult process than I had ever imagined. I have heard the news stories, read magazine articles and heard personal stories about the lack of affordable, suitable childcare in Canada but until I was actually looking I really didn’t understand the stress this places on parents.

I searched all the normal places: asked for referrals from friends, family, colleagues, etc. Went to CCRR and asked for the listings in my area, searched the local newspaper for ads, searched craigslist on a daily basis, and searched Daycare Bear. I made what felt like a million phone calls to hear the same message over and over, “I’m sorry, I don’t have any spaces available for a child that age.”

When we did finally find two people with a space available we went to interview them and have a tour of the centre/home. However, neither of them was the right fit for us. One of them was only offering a four-day spot and we only wanted a three-day spot. Plus their hours of operation didn’t allow us any time for commuting, they were literally open the same hours my husband works. The other place was just an unacceptable space. There wasn’t much natural light, there was no separate napping area and a long list of things that needed to be fixed.

We felt pretty stuck and stressed out. I couldn’t go to work until we had found daycare for Parker and we couldn’t imagine sending him somewhere we didn’t feel 100% about. It also had to be affordable. I mean is there any point in working if I’m paying more than half my income for daycare? Not to me, anyways.

So after a few long months of searching and stressing, we sat down and worked out how much I would be bringing in if I worked part-time and how much daycare would cost. Honestly, even making decent money it just wasn’t worth it. We have now given up our search for childcare and I have decided to be a SAHM. I do want to work. I need that in my life, so I’m determined to make my career work for my family. I’ll tell you all about it in my next post.

I would love to hear how you found childcare or made the decision to stay home, please share.

~Sarah

Potato Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:39:00 +0000

With the warm weather comes picnics and with picnics potato salad. Try this twist on the old favourite and you'll be sure to delight your guests.

Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1.5-2 lbs Potatoes
1 Yam
1 Shallot, chopped
3-4 Celery Stalks, chopped
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Dijon
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
Chopped Dill to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop and cook your potatoes and yam. Meanwhile, chop the shallot and celery. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk red wine vinegar, sugar, dijon, olive oil and salt & pepper together. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, add chopped dill to taste. This recipe can be served warm or cold, it tastes great both ways.

Enjoy,
Sarah

On the Hunt for Kids Music

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Parker loves music. He likes watching people play instruments. He likes playing his drums, and other little instruments. His favorite TV program is the episode of Sesame Street called ‘let’s make music’ with the group Stomp on it.

So I’m on the hunt for some good kids music that won’t drive me crazy. Here is what I’ve found so far:

The Beatles – there are some great tunes to jump around to with your toddler and some fun lyrics for your older child.

Rock-a-Bye Baby – great for infants, and back ground music. It’s like classical music but not. It is the instrumental (xylophone mostly) version of all your favorite songs. Anything from the Eagles to Tool has been Rock-a-Bye Babied!

For the Kids by Various Artists Volumes 1-3 – children’s songs by popular bands like the rainbow connection by Sarah McLachlan.

Snack Time by Barenaked Ladies – 24 fun songs that both you and your children will enjoy.

The Johnny Cash Children’s Album – if you are a Johnny Cash fan than this album is a must for you and your kids.

Family Time by Ziggy Marley – if you are a reggae fan than you should pick this one up.

My Backyard by Will – fun songs that your kids can relate to that you can enjoy signing along to.

Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George by Jack Johnson – Jack Johnson fans will enjoy this one as much as their kids. The songs have a lovely calming effect too.

Arms Up, Keep Moving by William Janiak – this one is fun if you are looking for an activity to get your kids moving. The songs are catchy and instruct you to move your body in different ways. Great for teaching kids their body parts in a fun way.

Let’s Play by Raffi – I never thought I’d listen to Raffi but I have to say I really don’t mind it. He is one of the few children’s performers that I can stand to listen to everyday. I particularly like this album.

Have you found any other albums I should check out? Please do let me know.

~Sarah

Easter Family Fun!!

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 01:11:00 +0000

Colouring Eggs. A time–honoured tradition, colouring eggs is a great family activity and a way to help your kids express their creative side.

According to Wikipedia, “The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.” Today families often colour eggs as part of their Easter traditions. There are few ways you and your kids can colour eggs:

1.Use drops of different coloured dye in bowls of hot water and dip your eggs in with a spoon to make simple coloured eggs. This is a great way to teach kids about the primary colours and how colours change when mixed together. I remember many of the hideous creations I came up with while I was learning that lesson!

2. You can use markers to write messages and draw on white eggs or you can colour them first and then decorate them.

3. For more modern approaches you can apply stickers or use stencils to make “prettier” eggs but personally I love the old fashioned way.

As for keeping the wee ones entertained you can also organize one of these activities:

1.    Of course there is always the Easter Egg hunt, where you hide chocolate eggs and jelly beans around the house or yard.. If you want a fun variation on this that takes a little more thought and is fun for older kids you could create a map or some clues that would lead the kids to little stashes (or the final motherload of candy) around the yard or neighbourhood.

2.    Some Easter-themed races and games.
a.    Raw egg toss. Kids stand a little bit apart and toss the egg, then they take a step away from each other, and then toss again, another step, and so on and so on until the final pair is left standing with an unbroken egg.
b.    Egg on a spoon race. Have kids line up with chocolate eggs on their spoons. They have to race to the finish line but if they drop their egg they have to start back at the beginning.
c.    Another race where they have to hop like bunnies to the finish line.

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking about the fun ways to spend time together at Easter. We hope you all have a great holiday!

~Laura

Stay-at-Home Moms vs. Working Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:38:00 +0000

As Laura mentioned last week in her post; Working Moms vs. Stay-at-Home Moms, we thought it would be interesting to be advocates for both sides of the age-old argument. Last week Laura presented the case for working moms and for this entry I will be presenting the case for the stay-at-home mom.

DISCLAIMER: I just want to make it clear that neither Laura nor I are critical of either working moms or stay at home moms. A mom is a mom in our book but for the purposes of playing devil’s advocate for one side of the argument we are, just for these blog entries, “choosing sides”.

Let me just clarify something here – just because a mother is a SAHM doesn’t mean she isn’t a “working mom”. Let’s face it, most of us can not afford to live off of one income. Many of the SAHMs I know do work outside the home, or from home, to make a financial contribution to their families. They simply choose to do so in a way that allows them to continue to be the main caregiver of their children. This may include part-time work during evenings and weekends when their partners are available to care for the children or it may include sneaking in home-based work whenever a free moment arises. Not to mention how much work it is to be a SAHM!

The primary reason to be a SAHM is to have your children spend the majority of their time in your care. Some would say, “I didn’t have children for some stranger to raise them”, while others would say, “I just don’t want to miss a moment”. Whatever they say, I believe they all mean the same thing; you can’t get that time back. Our children grow so fast and the thought of missing out on any of it is heartbreaking.

A secondary reason may be to save money on childcare. Childcare is freaking expensive. Quality childcare is also really hard to find. So if you have to pay for and find space for more than one child it might not be worth it. Are you working to pay for childcare or paying for childcare to work?

Another reason to be a SAHM is the strength of positive parental relationships as a protective factor. So much of a child’s development happens within the first several years of life, the skills they learn and what they learn about their place in the world become the foundation upon which their whole life will be built. What better way to teach our children that they can count on us to be there for them than to actually be there. The consistent support of a caring adult also helps build self-esteem and autonomy.

Lastly, the SAHM gets to be a chauffeur, a chef, an accountant, a gardener, a teacher, a housekeeper, a nurse, and so much more all in one day. She is a defender of tradition and the connective tissue of our communities. They make are neighbourhoods safer by being present when others are not. They build community by meeting with other SAHMs at the park or in play groups, connecting with each other and connecting their children. Modeling to the world the value of family, the SAHM is more than just a mom or a working mom, she's everything to her kids.

~Sarah

Working Moms vs Stay-at-Home Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Sarah and I thought it would be interesting to be advocates for both sides of the age-old argument, “Working Mom vs. Stay-at-Home-Mom”. For this entry I will be presenting the case for the working mom.

DISCLAIMER: I just want to make it clear that neither Sarah nor I are critical of either working moms or stay at home moms. A mom is a mom in our book but for the purposes of playing devil’s advocate for one side of the argument we are, just for these blog entries, “choosing sides”.

I remember reading an article a few years back on the sad life of the latch key kid (Latch key kids being ones that come home after school to an empty house because their mom (and/or Dad) was at work). I remember feeling pretty outraged, not only because my life as a latch key kid wasn’t sad at all but also because there was the distinct smell of judgment surrounding the article…and I can’t have no one judging my momma!

Anyway, I started to think about what my life was like with a working mom and I realized all of the amazing bi-products of her decision to work. First of all, I was able to spend quality time with my grandma and grandpa because they were my care givers in the early years when my mom worked part-time.

Secondly, at the age of two, I went to playschool where I met my best friend, who, 30 years later, is still my best friend. I think that demonstrates how valuable that early socialization can be.

Thirdly, once I was older and was able to be alone at the house, I actually really liked that time alone before my parents got home from work. I think one of the reasons my sister and I are such independent people is because we became quite self-sufficient early on. Also, because our parents had trust in us when we were home alone, we had trust in ourselves.

All those bonuses aside, the best part of having a working mom was having a mom that was genuinely excited to see me when she got home. She was able to give me her full attention, listen intently to everything I had to say and really spend quality time with me because she was a working mom, not in spite of it. Having that time away from me and my sister gave her the break that she needed so that when she was with us, she was REALLY with us.

Also, the feminist in me thinks that having the role model of a working mom that ran her own successful business was a good thing, as it has taught me to strive for success in my own career. Perhaps most importantly it demonstrated the value of having a life outside of your kids because I think she showed me that you can be an amazing mom and still tend to your needs, whether those are career-focused or otherwise.

Come back next week to see Sarah advocate for stay-at-home moms everywhere!

Recipe - Broccoli Supreme

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:49:00 +0000

I made this recipe last night. It was a big hit with both Parker and Darren. This recipe came from one of my mom’s cookbooks years ago. It originally called for a can of cream of chicken soup instead of the yogurt but due to Parker’s cow’s milk allergy I had to get a bit creative. I also used goat’s cheddar cheese in ours but it hardly seems necessary to spend the extra money if you don’t need to. This makes a great chicken casserole but it could also be a wonderful veggie dish if you swapped out the chicken for some cauliflower.

Broccoli Supreme

Ingredients:
3 pieces boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or for a veggie alternative replace chicken with 2 cups of cauliflower
2 cups Broccoli
1 cup of Goat’s Yogurt (it tends to be thicker than cow’s yogurt)
½ cup of mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cut chicken into 2 inch by 4 inch pieces and sprinkle with pepper. Sauté slowly in oil over medium heat until white and opaque, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Steam broccoli until tender but still crisp. Arrange steamed broccoli in the bottom of a casserole dish. Place chicken on top. Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, curry powder, lemon juice and cheddar cheese and then pour over the broccoli and chicken. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees fahrenheit for approx 35 minutes. Serve over rice.

Enjoy,
Sarah

Saving for your Child's Education

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0000

I have to pat my husband and myself on the back (once in a while we actually deserve it) because one of the first things we did for Sam after he was born was open a savings account for his future education. As new parents, we had little money and less time. But we were resolute that Sam (and all of our future children) would have some help from us when he decides to go to post-secondary.

Oh, wait. We're supposed to put money in there now? Like, right now?

I'm kidding. We are.

It might seem like overkill to start saving so early, but consider how much University is going to cost by the time your kids are ready to go! We need as long as possible to save. Plus, it's kind of fun to look into your tiny baby's face and wonder what he'll want to be when he grows up. Astronaut? Fireman? International Man of Mystery?

Step 1 was successful: Start saving money.

Step 2 involved deciding how and where to save it. I thought this would be easy. I had heard about RESPs (Registered Education Saving Plans) and I thought you just went to the bank and opened one. As it turns out there are a lot of different options. GICs (Guaranteed Investment Certificates) and Mutual Funds both require a minimum amount of money to open and various levels of comfort with risk. The Canadian Scholarship Trust also offers RESPs and promises high returns with no risk. Most banks now also offer tax-free savings accounts which may have higher interest rates and the earnings are tax-sheltered. Only true RESPs can also net your kids government grants of up to $7200 depending on how much you contribute each year. Some people choose to put just enough money into their RESPs each year to max out the government grants then put any extra cash into a high interest or tax-free savings account.

Confused yet? To be truthful, I was lost at returns - risk - tax-shelter - what now? I haven't even decided where to save Sam's money yet. Maybe the sock drawer - I dunno. So I'm certainly not going to give any advice other than to go speak to your preferred financial institution about the options they offer - And remember to always comparison shop with different institutions for the plan that works best for your family!

Of course money is tight for everyone these days. So how do you balance the reality of today's bank account with the needs of your child 17 years from now? Personally, I'm using the Harper Government's $100 (taxed as income) Universal Child Care Benefit cheque that I get in the mail each month. Since there is no way that $100 a month will ever allow me to be a SAHM or even be choosey about the kind of child care I will be able to put Sam into when I do go back to work, it might as well go towards his future.

The fact of the matter is, you do with what you have. Maybe it's 5 dollars a month. Maybe it's a lot more. Any contribution we can make will help our kids focus on course selection instead of tuition deadlines. We're unlikely to be in a situation to cover the entire costs of our kids College or University. They'll have to work part-time, and there will definitely be dinners consisting of boxed mac & cheese once in a while. But that's part of the experience! I think it's necessary to have to work for the things in life that are important to you. But I also think it's important to have help with the things in life that are necessary.

Lawyer? Cowboy? Racecar driver?

~Jaime
Co-Founder & Editor

Skratch Publishing

The End of Our Breastfeeding Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:20:00 +0000

I have been weaning Parker from breastfeeding for the last month or so. It is bitter sweet. When I became pregnant I was told by several friends how difficult breastfeeding can be. They warned me to start reading up on it right away and to be prepared for a challenge.

Well the reading didn’t prepare me it just scared me. Mastitis, Thrush, engorgement, plugged ducts, oh my! Inverted nipples, really? I had no idea I had inverted nipples. I feared I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed as I read that inverted nipples could impair a proper latch.

Thankfully, Parker latched on with no problems about 30 minutes after his birth. With the help of my Doula and midwives I learned a few different ways to hold him and latch him. However my real teacher was Parker. He showed me the way he liked to be held, when he wanted to eat, when he’d had enough and that he could latch on no problem. It really has been a match made in heaven.

After 12 months of breastfeeding with no more problems save a cracked nipple or two, we decided to move on. I say we because I don’t feel like I made this decision by myself. Parker did have a say. He showed me that he could take a bottle of formula and enjoy it. He showed me that sometimes he’d rather have a sip of water. And he has shown me that he is ready to be weaned by not fighting for the breast during the weaning process.

I started thinking about weaning when we had a pregnancy scare (scare – cause I’m not ready yet) a couple months ago. It made me realize that I wanted my body back for a little while before I became pregnant again. I know women who have gone from being pregnant to nursing to being pregnant again to nursing for years. I am in awe of these women. I think it is amazing and completely self-less. However, I am not one of them. I am glad I recognized this when I did as I want to get pregnant again within the next year (perhaps) and I want to breastfeed my next baby. I want to walk into that relationship with the same excitement and enthusiasm as I did with Parker. I am not sure that would be possible without weaning now.

So as of right now, Parker breastfeeds once a day, right before he goes down at night. We enjoy this time together and I’m sure we will miss it when it’s over. Just writing this has brought a tear to my eye (ok, truth is I’m sobbing). I know I have made the right decision for my family and myself but that doesn’t mean that it is going to be an easy process. It is nice that I can take my time with this last step and ensure that we are both ready for our breastfeeding relationship to end before completely weaning. I don’t know when that will be, but I know it’s not tomorrow, and that is just fine with me.

~Sarah

My Olympic Hangover

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:09:00 +0000

Well, it’s official. I’m in Olympics withdrawal. After more than two weeks of incredible highs, heartbreaking lows and an unbridled patriotism that consumed this country and swept me along with it, I find that I am left with a deep sense of pride in our athletes, Vancouverites and our country in general.

I was lucky enough to get tickets to aerials, the closing ceremonies (which took campy, kitschy, silly fun to another level) and, the mother of all 2010 events, Men’s Gold Medal Hockey. For a time we thought seriously about selling our hockey tickets once we knew Canada was going to be there but, in the end, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. Okay maybe not anything. Hey, we all have our price, don’t we? But you get the point.

It was incredible to be there in that sea of red with my fingers crossed and my heart pounding as the pressure mounted. When the score was tied mere seconds before the end of the 3rd period I was completely paralyzed, mouth agape. Paralysis quickly morphed into feeling sick to my stomach. I was just so nervous for our players who had to bear the weight of an entire country's expectations on their shoulders.

When the winning goal was scored in overtime I literally thought I was going to explode with the excitement and relief of it all. I hugged every stranger in red I could get my hands on. As we all shuffled out of the stadium singing the anthem, cheering like mad and high-fiving on-duty police officers I felt what I think people all across the country felt; a kinship, a closeness, a sense that the elusive significance of what it means to be “Canadian” had somehow been found during these games.

It turns out it wasn’t just that we did, in a sense, “Own the Podium” and it wasn’t because we won the gold medal in hockey, though that was the proverbial icing on the cake; it was that we had all been waiting, it seems, for an excuse to wear our patriotism as a badge of honor rather than an emotion to hide (at least around people from other countries). And wear it we did, as pins, as badges, as t-shirts, as jerseys, as temporary tattoos and as body paint.

Now, as the streets are swept, the tents are taken down and the body paint shellacked to chests is scraped off, the high of the past 16 days is waning and the melancholy of knowing that an extraordinary time has now passed is setting in. However, the melancholy can’t last forever but what will last is the memory of a record number of gold medals, a hockey game that will go down in history and our collective experience of one hell of a party.

~Laura

Contest Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:52:00 +0000

Last week we announced our new alternative therapies contest!! This one is really simple and we hope that by entering you will all be able to help each other find new (or old) ways of keeping your family healthy.

One of our guest bloggers Dr. Angela Foran of Meridian Flow Acupuncture has offered a free consultation and treatment (acupuncture or herbs or tuina massage) along with an information and sample kit. The consultation can take place over the phone, via email or in person. The contest is open to all Canadian residents.

As a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine Angela got us thinking about the ways we incorporate alternative therapies into our approach to healthy living and we decided to have our readers share the naturopathic, ayurvedic, homeopathic and other alternative practices that they (or their parents) have used over the years. This can be anything from acupuncture to using a spoon full of honey to soothe a sore throat, basically anything that falls outside the scope of typical western medicine.

For example, when I was a child and had a splinter of wood lodged in my finger, my Nana made a milk-bread concoction to extract it. She would heat up some milk on the stove, and then add a small piece of bread to suck up the milk. She would let it cool a bit, but not too much, just enough to avoid burning me. Than apply the saturated bread with a band-aid to my finger where it would stay until it had cooled completely. Amazingly the splinter would come to the surface of the skin where it could easily be extracted and the warm gooey feeling of the concoction on my skin was always comforting and entertaining.

So all you have to do to enter is share an alternative approach to health and wellness in the comments section below. You are allowed to enter a maximum of three times so think of all those "Old Wives’ Cures” and share with the rest of us. For each comment you will be entered in the draw for a free consultation and treatment (acupuncture or herbs or tuina massage) from Dr. Foran!!

Recipe – Stuffed Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:47:00 +0000

I haven’t shared any recipes in a while, I sort of fell off the cooking band-wagon for a while (to my husband’s dismay). So I’m climbing back on and I thought I’d share this recipe I got from my mom. It is a quick and easy way to have stuffed pork chops that taste delicious!

Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:
2 or 4 Thick pork chops
½ cup bread crumbs
1 box stuffing
1 big apple, chopped.
1 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:
Cooked stuffing as instructed, add chopped apple and half the cinnamon. Slice the pork chops through the middle, almost cutting them in half as to make it 2 thin chops. Mix bread crumbs and other half of cinnamon. Coat pork chops with bread crumbs and then stuff with stuffing. There will be stuffing left over if you are only doing two chops. Bake at 350 for about one hour or until cooked through.

Enjoy,
Sarah

New MTAV Contest!!

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:37:00 +0000

We are excited to announce our new alternative therapies contest!! This one is really simple and we hope that by entering you will all be able to help each other find new (or old) ways of keeping your family healthy.

Our last blog was written by one of our guest bloggers Dr. Angela Foran of Meridian Flow Acupuncture. As a doctor of traditional chinese medicine Angela got us thinking about the ways we incorporate alternative therapies into our approach to healthy living and we decided to have our readers share the naturopathic, ayurvedic, homeopathic and other alternative practices that they (or their parents) have used over the years. This can be anything from acupuncture to using a spoon full of honey to soothe a sore throat, basically anything that falls outside the scope of typical western medicine.

So all you have to do to enter is share an alternative approach to health and wellness in the comments section below. You are allowed to enter a maximum of three times so think of all those "Old Wive's Cures" and share with the rest of us. For each comment you will be entered in the draw for a free consultation and treatment (acupunture or herbs or tuina massage) from Dr. Foran!!

Traditional Chinese Medicine & Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Village Bloggers:) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:56:00 +0000

Looking for alternatives to keep your child healthy? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a safe and effective option. Acupuncture is often the ﬁrst treatment that comes to mind but TCM incorporates several more therapies. Some of which can involve both parent and child in the treatment and prevention of common ailments as well as fostering long term healthy habits.

Acupuncture can be used to treat children as the needles used are very ﬁne and retained for a shorter time compared to adults. If the child (or parent) is apprehensive about needles Tui-Na, Chinese massage, is a good alternative. Tui-Na uses the same principles as acupuncture, with speciﬁc techniques used on different points or areas of the body. Some basic techniques may be taught to parents to use at home for milder conditions such as cough or stomachache.

Cupping and moxibustion are two more therapies which can be used separately or in conjunction with acupuncture. Cupping is the application of glass cups over parts of the body. The suction inside the cup helps increase circulation to the area, draw out ﬂuid if there is swelling or clear out heat in the case of sore throat or feverish sensations.

Moxibustion is a therapy that uses burning herbs, which sounds dangerous but is actually very safe. The most common herb mugwort can be used in a stick, low smoke form which is then lit on ﬁre and held over top of the needle or points on the body. It produces a warm, relaxing sensation which can be used to ward off colds, soothe an upset tummy or sore back. I often give one to patients for home, without the needles of course!

The last therapy but one of the most common for kids is the use of Chinese herbs. Herbal formulas, which come in tincture form, are easy to administer and very effective in treating common childhood ailments, such as allergies, asthma, cough, skin rashes, sore throat, upset stomach, diarrhea or constipation. Herbs are just an extension of healing foods, which can be very simple to prepare and often taste better than the formulas. An easy recipe to help with a cough is steamed pear with honey. The honey soothes the throat while the pear can help eliminate phlegm and ease the coughing.

~Angela

Angela Foran is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine registered with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists. She is also a member of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of BC. Angela opened her own clinic in Vancouver in 2009 (www.meridianflow.ca).

In addition to her community work in Vancouver she has also been involved with the Pan African Acupuncture Project. In 2008, she made two trips as a volunteer to Uganda to train health care workers to perform acupuncture on those suffering from HIV, TB, malaria and related illnesses.