December, 2011

Outing Santa

mack and clancy

I spoke last year about the difficulty of outing Santa to my son. He was at an age that most kids no longer believed, so he needed to know – I didn’t want his ‘believing’ to potentially embarrass him among his peers.


I took the opportunity to spill the beans about Santa to him last June. The timing was good since absolutely no one was talking about Mr. Claus. My son was shocked, but generally it went over well. I positioned it in a way that he felt a part of the inner circle of maturity – he now had the responsibility not to ruin it for his younger siblings. He was on the same team as us parents, and it seemed to have some legs.

Not long after that, my 10-year-old daughter came downstairs one morning in tears. Apparently that slacker of a Tooth Fairy had forgotten to visit for the third night in a row. I guided her into the mud room, shut the door and said: “OK listen, I’m the Tooth Fairy and I suck at it, so (reaching into my pocket) here’s five bucks. You’re getting a couple of bucks extra as hush money”. She started laughing hysterically and asked who else was in on it. I said her big brother knew so she sought him out for a quiet meeting for those “in the know”. Big brother assumed she knew about all of the parental lies so blew the Santa secret. No great surprise for her – she admitted to having some suspicions on the Santa front.

Now that the holiday season is upon us, my son said to me last week “Mom, I’m really mad at you for telling me about Santa, but thanking you since no other kids my age believe in him. But, it’s still OK for me to believe in the Christmas spirit, right?” Yes son, permission granted.

And so, I have four believers in the big guy left and suspect by this time next year I’ll be down to three. The good news is, the two biggies are a great help. I can take them shopping and not worry about buying presents for the other kids. Also, they are in charge of relocating that ridiculous Elf on a Shelf every day. If you think I’m a bad Tooth Fairy, that’s nothing compared to when I had Elf-moving duties. Let’s just say we had the laziest Elf in town – and that’s exactly what I’d tell the kids.

Do you have a houseful of believers?

Posted by Julie mama of many on 12/20/2011 - 12:26
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A funny thing happened on the way to the ACC

blake at leaf game

My son Blake was off to his very first Leaf game. Somehow, somewhere, my husband had scored two seats. Blake knew how hard it was to get NHL tickets in Toronto, and this game had been on the calendar since early fall. Not only were they on a Saturday night in December, kind of a fitting holiday-time, but they were against my son’s favourite (ahem) team – the Canucks.


So Dad dressed in Leafs jersey, son dressed in Canucks, off they went. This was no ordinary let’s get down to the ACC just before puck drop. Oh no, this was an EVENT. Right after Blake’s own hockey game ended, they jersey-ed up and drove downtown. Hockey Hall of Fame was the first stop, followed by a genuine ‘sports bar’ experience, and then to the Air Canada Centre.


The game started at 7:30 but my hockey fans were in their purple seats, 3 rows from the rafters, by 6:00pm. They sat there for 45 minutes, while Blake asked every question imaginable  - about the players, the arena, the cotton candy, the scalpers (!) and his excitement started to build for the big game. Then, something amazing happened.


A couple approached Craig and Blake (who were likely two of the only people in their section so early!) and said “we’d like to offer you our seats. Every Christmas we exchange seats with someone who we think would really enjoy them”. And in complete stupor, Craig and Blake were escorted down to the Platinum section, on the glass, right behind the Canucks goalie. I’m not sure either could speak other than to say thank you and hand over their purple tickets in exchange.


I got a frantic, noise-filled phone call around this time from Craig. “Tape the game! We’re right behind Luongo! Someone gave us their seats!” I’ll be honest, I’m not really a hockey fan other than enjoying my own sons’ games, but I watched every move of the crowd that game, and sure enough saw my seven year-old hockey fan and his equally hockey-mad dad cheer, jump, and pretty much have the night of their lives.


It would have been a great night up in the rafters, too, but what a special and incredibly thoughtful thing that a wonderful couple do each year – make a little boy’s first NHL game one he will never forget. We’ll be writing some thank you notes today, and as a family, making sure this experience reminds us that we can all reach out to others and make their days a bit more special, whenever we get the chance.

blake at leaf gameThis guest post was brought to you by momstown mama Ally, her son Blake, and the kindness of strangers.

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by momstown team on 12/18/2011 - 10:25
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My Christmas Wish to You

This my 7th holiday as a parent and each year I get more excited as Christmas draws near. The anticipation from the kids is simply contagious and I'm always reminded how much better the season is with children. Christmas really is all about the kids and making every moment special and exciting.

 

burton kids and santa

 

Seven years ago as we celebrated with a 4 month old Lauren, I didn't see the other two kids on the horizon and certainly not momstown. And now I have the opportunity to be part of my own 3 wonderful kids memory and play a part in the function of thousands of Canadian kids Christmases too. THAT'S a pretty cool feeling!

 

My Christmas Wish to all of you:


Cookies, hot chocolate and calm moments with your children (instead of rushed and sweaty mall runs)


Homes decorated with fine holiday art and ornaments made by your crafty kids.


Rest and Relaxation (well, this is a wish, right? Would a better 'R' word be RUM & Eggnog?)


Icy snow to make this a glistening white Christmas.


Soft, cosy cuddles with many, many storybooks.


Twinkling moments by the tree in the calm adult evenings after-bedtime.


Meals full of flavour, rich desserts and children who stay in their seats and don’t throw peas.


All the time in the world to watch your child’s face as he discovers the wonders of the season.


Sweet and salty memories and many traditions in the making.

From my family to yours,  the Burton momstown clan wishes you all the best of the season and true enjoyment with your family. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

As well, here's a fun little momstown Christmas story for you to enjoy. :)

 

 

PS: If you'd like to help momstown with our holiday mission - every new Fan/Like on the momstown Facebook page in December equals a donation to the Canadian Red Cross! Just by clicking here, we will donate on your behalf! Thank-you from all of us!

Posted by momstown mama on 12/14/2011 - 15:19
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Talking Penn State With the Kiddos

Penn State

It's a sad day when you sit your kids down to warn them about being too trusting of coaches and mentors.


Last weekend, the whole family was in the truck and Daddy-o needed to dash into a shop. The rest of us waited in the vehicle, talking about capital cities. By the time he returned, we were in a big conversation about Penn State. He shot me the “How the heck did that happen?” look. As it turned out, the conversation went in a direction that provided an opportunity for this discussion. Besides, I had the undivided attention of all of them and had to take advantage of that.


I tried to explain the situation in simple terms – it was discovered that a trusted and loved coach was touching children in their private areas over many, many years. The point of the discussion was three fold; it was a chance to:
- remind them that people we love and trust can hurt us;
- once again say if an adult ever tells them to keep a secret from me, unless it has to do with a gift, it’s a red flag. Adults don’t ask children to keep secrets from their parents;
- re-state that no one is ever allowed to touch them or make them touch. If there is touching of any kind that makes them uncomfortable, they are encouraged to speak up and self-advocate, knowing that they will be supported by their family.
Then came the question period, and boy, did they ever do a good job of it. Three questions were particularly difficult and I was completely unprepared for them. I fielded them with honesty and think it went as well as it could.

Question #1:
Why would a grown-up WANT to touch a child like that?
(Insert my sad explanation about creepy pedophiles and the things they will do to “groom” a child).


Question #2:
What if the kid didn’t tell the coach to stop? What if the coach didn’t know the kid didn’t want to be touched?
(Insert my explanation that adults KNOW it’s wrong. Even when kids don’t speak up, adults know it’s against the law).

Question #3:
What if the coach didn’t actually “hurt” the child?
(Insert my explanation of different kinds of abuse, and how the ones that don’t physically hurt can be just as/even more damaging).

How did you deal with Penn State? Did you use it as an opportunity to speak with your kids about the hard stuff, or was it just too difficult to go there?

Posted by Julie mama of many on 12/12/2011 - 13:24
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How to be part of the anti-bullying movement

Bullying is a hot topic these days. In the classroom, in the media, at the dinner table. It's a loaded word, too. Kids know it - say the word 'bully' and you're going to get attention. Unfortunately, I think it's become one of those over-used phrases. Ever heard a mom complain that one toddler 'bullied' another? I sure have. Bullying isn't a 2 year-old grabbing a toy or pushing a friend out of the way. It's a serious, debilitating, sometimes deadly act of cruelty that doesn't have anything to do with the preschool sandbox.

 

So what should parents know about bullying? I'm not an expert, but I have enough resources and research to share a few things that might help prevent the bully-word overuse, and get parents thinking about how they can become part of the anti-bullying solution.

 

What is bullying? Different resources may definite it differently, but generally three elements are in play:

1. Aggressive behaviour involving negative actions

2. A pattern of behaviour repeated over time

3. An imbalance of power or strength

 

Not my child!

Maybe your child will never be a bully, or be bullied. But you can bet they'll be put in the shoes of the bystander during their childhood. How they react as a bystander can either escalate, or help break the cycle of bullying. It's a critical role for children to understand. Barbara Coloroso gives parents, caregivers, educators and most of all, kids the tools to break this cycle of violence in her book The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander.

 

What can I do?

1. Educate yourself - pick up a book, attend a workshop, read online and find out how to engage your kids in conversation about bullying.

2. Engage yourself in your kids' school - find out what the Safe Schools or Climate committee is doing this year. Offer to coordinate a parent workshop for your school or community. Many speakers will come free of charge to speak with parent or student groups.

3. Talk to your kids - keep dialogue open, make sure they know they can come to you and tell you anything.

4. Grow with your kids - just because you know how to talk to your grade one son about bullying doesn't mean you've got it figured out. Older kids spend more time online and cyberbullying is a form of bullying that has become a huge issue - you need to keep yourself educated and know where your kids are spending time - online and off.

5. Understand the legislation and your child's rights. The Safe Schools Act (bill 81) put into play in 2000 introduces itself by saying that "a safe school enables learning and teaching within an environment that fosters responsibility, respect and academic excellence".

Proposed new legislation (bill 13) in Ontario referred to as the "Accepting Schools Act" seeks (among other things) to further amend the Education Act, provide a definition of bullying, and include the prevention of bullying in schools in the provincial code of conduct. It's a hot topic in the legislature.

momstown's engaged in anti-bullying - we advocate for inclusion by building communities of parents and children across Canada. Social play and kindergarten readiness are a key part of our educational curriculum program.

Our chapter owners pride themselves on supporting moms and kids - our founder Ann-Marie, and momstown Burlington owner Lisa Beraldo  were recently sought out by the Premier of Ontario! He was looking for feedback from moms on the front lines - from topics ranging from kindergarten to anti-bullying.

 

So we're here - we're listening, and we want to be part of the solution - starting with those little tykes in the sandbox.

 

Guest Post by Ally Cooper, our Online Editor and also known as @momstownTeach on Twitter for her informed and engagng post.

Posted by momstown team on 12/09/2011 - 13:37
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Lice: the Holiday Gift You Don’t Want to Get or Give

This post makes me itchy just thinking about it but it’s one milestone that needs to be talked about. 


Parents rave about all the baby firsts: first tooth, first food, first haircut. As my kids age, I’ve been noticing and celebrating other less-discussed milestones like the rite of passage to the big-kid bed, the first solo playdate and  first day of grade one.


Some milestone moments catch me off guard like the first loose tooth or the first time a child can finally put their own shoes on.


Last week, my daughter experienced a new first, one that’s gross but really, really common. No one likes to admit this milestone.


Lauren had lice.


Yuck. I received the phone call from the school office and immediately began itching. 7 of the 20 children from her grade one class were sent home with lice and there appears to be an epidemic in our region. They ‘say’ that lice like clean hair, so it’s sort of a compliment to catch it. But I’m pretty sure that’s a line like how we tell brides it’s good luck to have a rainy wedding day, you know?


Either way, clean hair or not, I had to figure out FAST how to get rid of these nasty little nits before my family and house became infested. Insert here double shiver and triple itch.


Good news is once you know what you’re looking for, it’s relatively simple to deal with which was not my first impression when thinking about the word "lice".  First, the infected head needs to be washed with a special solution which kills anything on the head, then each teeny tiny white egg (aka: a nit) needs to be removed. I now totally know where the phrases ‘searching with a fine tooth comb’ and ‘nitpicking’ come from.


I spent 2 hours going through Lauren’s fine hair and found (only) 6 nits around her ears. We stuck them to scotch tape and she looked at them through a magnifying glass both fascinated and horrified at the same time. A good teachable moment to strike a chord about the seriousness of the situation.


Although we were super lucky to have caught it off the bat, I know another family whose child had thick wavy hair and hundreds of lice eggs. That mom marched  off to the Lice Squad for professional help and I probably would have done the same. And /or given my daughter a pixie cut on the spot!


As one mom to another, I have to share the top tips I've now learned to both avoid lice and to deal with it.

 

How to Avoid Lice


1.    Be the Lice Police: Learn what they look like and check your child weekly – sweaty areas like nape of the neck and around ears are the most prone places.

2.    No sharing: Don’t share hats, hairbrushes, hair accessories, jacket - even in your own home.

3.    Vinegar rinse: If you hear there is a case in their daycare or school, start rinsing/spraying hair with vinegar. An old fashioned remedy which both gives a smell the bugs don’t like & won’t allow eggs to stick/glue to hair.

4.    Dangling hair is a Lice Ladder: Keep long hair UP all the time. We’re bringing back the Princess Leah double bun in our classroom!

5.    Dirty hair: Adults use more products and since lice don’t like smells or products, often adults aren't affected. So send your child to school/daycare with hair full of gel and hairspray. Tea tree oil is also good to use sparingly.

 

What to do now to get rid of lice?


1.    Buy the best. Buy the behind the counter lice shampoo and kill all suckers on the head as your #1 step.

2.    Rinse and Repeat. The instructions advise washing with the lice shampoo 7-10 days afterwards, many parents forget the 2nd step and bingo – the lice comes back! Don't forget that follow up!

3.    Good comb. The shampoos come with a plastic comb. The metal combs are better, sturdier but somewhat costly. I invested in one figuring our family has 13 years to spend at elementary school, I may need it again.


4.    Chop Chop! Hair too long to be diligent? Keep hair short(er) to shrink the chances of lice.


5.    Wash in Hot Water. Clean & Vacuum everything the child has been near, wash their bedding daily for a week to avoid a reoccurrence.


6.    Suffocate the buggers. Reoccurring issue? Cover hair with oil or Vaseline and wrap in plastic for 2-3 hours. Lice have gills and need to breathe but oiling them up, they can’t breathe and die.


Now all you never wanted to know about lice, you know.


For more lice information, here’s a few links
Toronto Public Health lice info

Lice.ca

Web MD: Head Lice Slideshow - What Parents should Know

Posted by momstown mama on 12/04/2011 - 23:40
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Our Red Cross Gift: help momstown give back

As a moms, we know the craziness of the holiday season is mixed into all the magic it brings, but this season with our mantra of ‘taking back the holiday’, momstown is focusing on giving back something to all communities in Canada. It’s so important for momstown to continue to support  families in need and to help teach all our children about the power of giving.


In addition to the food and toy drives happening in our local momstown communities, we’re excited to announce Our Gift to Red Cross campaign, with a goal to raise funds for the Canadian Red Cross.  

 

For every new Facebook fan on our momstown.ca fan page in the month of December, momstown will donate $0.25 to this integral Canadian Charity.

 

red cross canada

How does the Canadian Red Cross help regular Canadian families (who are all real people like our momstown moms)?

1. Disaster Management Relief - Like the Slave Lake fires or flooding in Winnipeg this year

2. First Aid & CPR- CPR training our members received in Burlington

3. Water Safety - To teach water awareness to help keep our kids safer around water

4. Appeals - As issues come up around the world, the Red Cross is ready to pitch in and aid whenever needed, just like our communities do

5. International Operations - Sending brave Canadians to help across the world
   

Want to help momstown make a difference? All it takes is a simple, one click for you to 'like' our National momstown Facebook Page. Follow along with our campaign and help spread the word this December. On Twitter use our #RedCrossGift hashtag to share the support.

Our Gift to the Red Cross needs your help, by simply liking our facebook/momstown.ca page and becoming a fan today, you are helping us help families all over Canada with the Red Cross.

 

We thank you for helping us ‘take back the holiday’ this season with the spirit of giving! We'd also love to hear about how you are focusing on giving this holiday season - tell us below!

Posted by momstown mama on 12/01/2011 - 09:35
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