To educate is to show, teach, instruct, prepare, not hide or blot out. A good education builds trust and respect; otherwise, without guidance and clear boundaries, only suspicions are created in the familiar environment. In this case, I mean the access of children to the Internet, an issue that worries many parents and, in many cases, we do not know how to control it because we have no references from our own childhood. You will find below 10 Tips To Make Children Use The Internet Properly.
The education of children on the Internet
From birth, most children are controlled by their parents. They are instructed not to talk to strangers, and all that play, what they see on television, what they eat, is controlled. Like any other means of communication, the Internet is a tool that has its pros and cons, that is, good and bad. But it is inevitable that children don’t access the network. It is part of their social and educational development. The connection provides resources such as news, libraries, educational materials and educational value, and entertainment services and communications very useful for children, without them having to travel. It is very comfortable, but often this convenience comes with a bill.
All this virtual, immediate and fascinating world can lead to the compulsive, nervous, and addicted child if there are no limits and adult supervision. In addition, no access cannot underestimate children to do anything. In the network, you can also find unsuitable content and graphic materials for children such as sex, violence, drugs … It is, therefore, necessary that we teach our children about these dangers and limit their access somehow.
Tips to control the use of children Internet
Good use of the Internet can be achieved through some good advice. Here are a few:
1- The computer must be in an area shared by the family.
2- Schedules should be established for computer and Internet use. You can use advanced parental control apps for making your kids follow the schedules.
3- Share some activity in the network with children.
4- Teach children to protect their passwords.
5- Stimulate the critical spirit and intuition of children.
6- Convince your children that they should not express their private information over the internet.
7- Check their browsing history frequently. For that you can take assistance of web monitoring software such as FamilyTime that lets you monitor:
Check the web-browsing history with the date and time stamps
Track the number of visits paid to a specific website
View bookmarks and favorites
Monitor the apps installed on their devices
Blacklist unwanted apps
Lock their devices
8. Advise your child not to accept contacts or answer emails from people they do not know, however, pleasant they may seem.
Summer is a time for kids to let their hair down and have fun. There are some days where kids are at home and feel as though they have nothing to do. For days like this, I like to get my kids involved in doing something interactive and that they can learn from while they are playing. I am happy that HEXBUG® asked us to review some of their robotic toys that allow kids to become interactive through building structures and play.
HEXBUG wants to provide children with a positive experience with robotics from a young age. They are passionate about robotics, and their passion is shared by users who are amazed by their product’s accuracy to mimic their bug-like attributes.
Below are the products my family received to review:
HEXBUG® Fire Ant (Ages 8+)
HEXBUG® Battle Spider (Ages 8+)
VEX® Robotics Robotic Arm (Ages 8+)
My kids could not wait to play with their battle bots! Once out of the package, they each gravitated toward a different bot to play with. Each bot could also be controlled on two separate channels for different battle or racing modes.
HEXBUG® Fire Ant
My daughter fell in love with the HEXBUG® Fire Ant. It has a cute design, is bright and colourful. Once she started using the remote controls, she loved making it spin around in circles around our dining room table. When she let it loose, it was REALLY fast, and she loved trying to keep up with it. Our ant also lights up, and my daughter really enjoyed this feature.
HEXBUG® Battle Spider
Since my little guy is all about spiders, he could not get enough of the HEXBUG® Battle Spider. Its long legs carried its alien-like body around with the aid of its remote control. It makes noises when the channels were toggled when it becomes damaged and while it fires its infrared beams at its opponents. It also crept along our table a bit like a spider would while stalking its prey before it attacks. He really liked his new spider friend.
My kids had fun trying to get these two bots to battle each other. I don’t think they were intended to do battle with each other, but it was fun to see my kids try to manoeuvre their bug friends to crash and bash their friends together. Check out the video to watch how our epic battle played out!
VEX® Robotics Robotic Arm
Both of my children enjoyed playing with the VEX® Robotics Robotic Arm. Though they were too young to be able to put together themselves, they had fun being my assistants, giving me the pieces I needed to put together this construction kit. This TOTY (Toy OF The Year) Awards 2016 winner allows builders to control the knobs to be able to pick up objects close by with its claw.
This kit is great for rainy days as it took a few hours to complete. The instructions were easy to follow, and, thankfully, a few extra pieces are provided, just in case some of the smaller pieces fall become lost during a build.
Once completed, the kids and I had fun twisting the knobs and trying to pick up objects with the claw. This robotic arm is even able to turn 360 degrees, so it does not have to be picked up and turned around to reach objects not directly in front of it.
This kit is also able to be reconstructed into two different toys: a scorpion and a helicopter.
Overall, we really enjoyed building and battling with our robotic toys from HEXBUG. The HEXBUG® Fire Ant and the HEXBUG® Battle Spider bots were fun to learn how to use and the kids loved battling with them. The VEX® Robotics Robotic Arm was a great way to spend time together with my kids while constructing a robotic arm we could use to pick up all sorts of objects. We now have even more fun ways to spend our time indoors and out when we are at home this summer.
Popsicles are the heart of summer. No matter how young, or old you are, a popsicle can cool you off and make you smile. Chances are, it will taste perfect on a hot day too. This Coconut Orange and Chia Popsicles recipe is super simple and made with 3 real ingredients that you’ll love.
This summer, why not try your hand at making homemade popsicles that are so healthy, you will have no guilt over eating, one or two, or feeding them to your kids! Made with coconut milk, fresh squeezed orange juice and chia seeds, these Coconut Orange and Chia Popsicles are refreshing, tasty and fuss free. They are also dairy and refined sugar free, so that everyone can enjoy them! And trust me! They will enjoy them, you might want to make a double batch.
Coconut, orange, chia popsicles are so easy to make. I know a lot of people feel intimidated by making homemade popsicles, because it can be tough to remove the popsicles from the mold. There is a trick to this which makes it a little easier. You just dunk the bottom mold in a few inches of warm water. Then the pops will slide right out!
Make a batch in the morning and serve them for an afternoon treat. They will take about 3 hours to freeze. You can make them ahead of time, and they will stay fresh for about a week, as long as they are covered!
I like to make them with fresh squeezed orange juice, but in a pinch I have used pre-packaged orange juice. The results are delicious both ways.
My kids are older, so gone are the days of making cute little scrubs or making them their own tye dye shoes. I still love doing crafts and baking with them, so I am always on the search for something fun to do with them. Browsing around on Pinterest one day, yes I am slightly obsessed with Pinterest, I found a bunch of bath scrubs and they looked fairly easy to make. I decided why not, let’s make a Kids Bath Scrub that little ones, as well as big ones, will love to make.
This bath scrub is very versatile and can be made with as many colours as you like, or with as little colours as you like. My kids picked out red and blue food colouring. I have even seen some recipes that add a few drops of essential oils to the coconut oil to help kids fall asleep (lavender) or many other uses. Bring the kids along, and let’s make this bath scrub.
Kids Bath Scrub
You will only need three ingredients:
2 Cups Epsom Salt
1 Cup Coconut Oil
Red and Blue Food Colouring
The kids will surely love to help make their very own bath scrub and it is easy:
Mix the Epsom Salt with the Coconut Oil and stir well. For this next step, make sure everyone is wearing gloves. Separate the salt mix into three different bowls. Place a few drops of red food colouring into one of the bowls, until you get the desired look. Stir Well. Repeat the process with the blue food colouring. Once you are happy with your colours, layer them into a jar.
Directions:
Measure the Epsom salt into a large bowl.
Measure the coconut oil and place in a microwave safe bowl.
Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Combine the Epsom salt and the melted coconut oil and stir until mixed.
Add an essential oil of your choice traditionally 5 or more drops.
Divide the Epsom salt and oil combination into 3 bowls.
Leave the scrub in first bowl white.
In the second bowl add several drops of red food colouring.*
Mix the red food colouring with the Epsom salt mixture until the colour is thoroughly blended.
In the third bowl add several drops of blue food colouring.*
Mix the blue food colouring with the Epsom salt mixture until the colour is thoroughly blended.
Choose a container or jar with a lid of your choice. A Mason jar would look outstanding.
Layer your prepared scrub with the red on the bottom, white in the middle and top it off with the blue.
Place near the bathtub to use when you bath. This removes the dead skin cells and brightens up your skin for the warm summer months.
Soak in a bath and enjoy!
* I checked out the food colouring by using it on myself and because of the coconut oil it rinses off during your shower leaving your skin soft and smooth.
Kids will love to make their very own Kids Bath Scrub and they will love bathing with it. My kids are older, and they still had a blast making this. I hope your kids enjoyed making this as much as mine. If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter!
Measure the coconut oil and place in a microwave safe bowl.
Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Combine the Epsom salt and the melted coconut oil and stir until mixed.
Add an essential oil of your choice traditionally 5 or more drops.
Divide the Epsom salt and oil combination into 3 bowls.
Leave the scrub in first bowl white.
In the second bowl add several drops of red food colouring.*
Mix the red food colouring with the Epsom salt mixture until the colour is thoroughly blended.
In the third bowl add several drops of blue food coloring.*
Mix the blue food colouring with the Epsom salt mixture until the colour is thoroughly blended.
Choose a container or jar with a lid of your choice. A Mason jar would look outstanding.
Layer your prepared scrub with the red on the bottom, white in the middle and top it off with the blue.
Place near the bathtub to use when you bath. This removes the dead skin cells and brightens up your skin for the warm summer months.
Soak in a bath and enjoy!
Notes
* I checked out the food colouring by using it on myself and because of the coconut oil it rinses off during your shower leaving your skin soft and smooth.Mix the Epsom Salt with the Coconut Oil and stir well. For this next step, make sure everyone is wearing gloves. Separate the salt mix into three different bowls. Place a few drops of red food colouring into one of the bowls, until you get the desired look. Stir Well. Repeat the process with the blue food colouring. Once you are happy with your colours, layer them into a jar.
ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders related to children. It is often initially diagnosed in childhood but can also last into adulthood. In general, a child should not be diagnosed with ADHD unless the core symptoms associated with the disorder reveal themselves early in life (usually before the age of 12) and that these symptoms create a number of significant, ongoing behavioural problems at home and at school.
Diagnosing ADHD
While there is no particular test for ADHD, a professional diagnosis should include:
A Medical exam, to help rule out other possible causes of symptoms,
Information gathering, which might include school records, current medical issues, as well as personal and family medical history,
Interviews or questionnaires to be filled out by family members, teachers or other people with whom your child is in regular contact such as coaches or babysitters, and
Although signs of ADHD can occasionally appear in preschoolers or in children even younger, diagnosing the disorder in a very young child is difficult because developmental problems such as language delays can and have often been mistaken for ADHD. It can be difficult to know how to reach out for help — simply because there are so many options.
In fact, many parents fail to fully understand the importance of early diagnosis of children preschool age or younger who are suspected of having ADHD. But the fact is that a medical specialist such as a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a speech pathologist, or a developmental pediatrician can help with learning disabilities better than any other health care professional.
A speech language centrer will place emphasis on a proper diagnosis and evaluation with a team of medical speech specialists.Therapy services have helped many children overcome difficult hurdles, and such a treatment could be the answer you’re looking for.
Signs and Symptoms of ADHD
It always bears keeping in mind that it is not abnormal children to have trouble focusing and behaving during their formative childhood years. If you notice that your child is simply not growing out of these behavioural patterns, they may have ADHD, especially if the symptoms continue into late childhood and continue to cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.
Children with ADHD typically display warning signs including an obvious difficulty paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviours, acting out without thinking, or simply being overly active. A child with ADHD might:
daydream inordinately,
squirm or fidget,
constantly forget or lose things,
have a hard time resisting temptation,
talk far too much,
make careless mistakes,
have trouble taking turns, or
have difficulty getting along with others.
A speech language centrer offers a number of speech language pathology options to help your child cope with, and eventually overcome ADHD. Treatment is offered in the form of individual sessions or as part of a social skills group (which is particularly helpful for children who have issues with group coping skills).
Sessions focus on:
Facilitating the use of strategies related to educational needs (including reading, writing, listening, remembering, understanding, and discourse skill building)
Developing executive function skills (including problem-solving, improving self-awareness through compensation activities, goal-setting and plan-making, initiation, organization, follow through)
Liaising with the school to develop IEP goals and accommodations
Assisting in the development of social and communication skills through a number of intervention programs, role play and peer practice scenarios
Assisting loved ones and support staff to better work and communicate with children with ADHD
If your child is displaying symptoms commonly associated with ADHD or any other learning disability, book a consultation with a speech pathology professional in your area today. It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of being proactive — after all, every minute counts when it comes to diagnosing ADHD.
Trampolines are a popular outdoor sporting equipment for many families in Canada. Before purchasing a trampoline, however, parents want a safe trampoline that will guarantee minimal injuries to playing children. Child safety experts estimate that about 15% of children using a trampoline get injured. Common accidents that occur while using a trampoline include pinches, cuts, and fractures.Most injuries result from falling out of trampolines. And injuries resulting from falls on the steel frame account for an estimated 29% of the known trauma. If you crunch these numbers, it becomes easy to tell why so many people are hesitant about buying a trampoline for their backyard.
Safe Trampolines
This is why Springfree Trampoline has changed the trampoline safety game by introducing the world’s safest trampoline — one that utilizes flexible composite rods instead of springs and hides the metal frame below the jumping surface to prevent bouncers from coming into contact with it. Thanks to this ingenious design, Springfree trampolines have removed 90% of product-related injury on trampolines. Hidden frames are better than exposed frames since they are placed under the jumping surface. This minimizes accidents since a jumper cannot hit the hard frame. An exposed frame can cause fractures and other injuries in case an accidental fall occurs. Springfree Trampoline’s composite rods and FlexiNet enclosure help guide jumpers back to the mat and prevents falls to the ground.
By using flexible carbon rods instead of springs, and by using the same rod material to hold up the net enclosure, a literal 360 degree safety space is created. Where the patented SoftEdge mat ends, the FlexiNet enclosure begins, supported not by steel poles but by the flexible rods. By eliminating both the visible steel frame and the coil springs, your children’s safety is enhanced by reducing chances of injury without limiting play. When you look for trampolines for sale in Canada, you can rest assured that the product is designed to eliminate the most common hazards and maximize fun and safety for your family.
The world’s safest trampolines have a SoftEdge mat that is 30 times more shock absorbent than pads on a spring-based trampoline. The pads used in traditional trampolines may not guarantee safety since they lose much of their shock absorbency after initial impact.When purchasing a trampoline, purchase one that is long-lasting, has minimal injury incidences, and gives children the enjoyment they desire. Subsequently, a parentshould purchase trampolines only from manufacturers with a good reputation in the industry. For instance, the best trampoline manufacturing companies are backed by industry awards such as the Product of the Year Award south of the border. Similarly, International Design awards companies that meet — and in the case of Springfree, exceed — international design standards with their products.
If you’re an expectant mom, you’ve likely heard that exercising throughout pregnancy can bring with it a host of benefits for both mom and baby: it can give you more energy, reduce your chance of developing gestational diabetes, help you stay more comfortable and pain free throughout your nine months, reduce stress and may help you sleep better. Getting active and taking prenatal fitness classes or programs can also contribute to an easier labour and quicker recovery.
If you were exercising before you were pregnant, maybe you’re looking for different fitness options that suit your changing body and energy levels. If you weren’t very active before, you may be unsure about what kind of exercise would work for you. Fortunately, we have some great fitness providers in Ottawa, many with classes and programs specifically geared to expectant moms.
I personally love some variety in my exercise routine, so I was more than happy to pay a visit to several facilities around town to see what they offer. If you and your baby belly would like to get moving, maybe one of these options will work for you!
5 Great Prenatal Fitness Options in Ottawa
*As always, check with your medical provider before starting any new fitness program.
1. Aqua fit
Health and wellness coordinator Anna invited me to try one of her classes at Dovercourt, an aqua fitness class specifically for prenatal mamas in a luxuriously warm pool. This class was a world apart from my previous aqua fit experiences, where I was about 30 years younger than the average age of the other participants. This aqua fit class is high energy and focuses more on strengthening exercises than cardio work, using water resistance and aquatic dumbbells. The weightlessness of being in water, combined with the modifications provided by the instructor for those later in their pregnancy, makes this an ideal class for almost all expectant moms. Anna is also extremely approachable, fun, and enthusiastic and shares invaluable tidbits of doula knowledge throughout the class. Classes run Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm.
2. FITMOM 2B
This is a fun, full-body workout consisting of a series of strength exercises including lunges, squats, and upper body moves using light hand weights. I love the social dynamic of this class, with participants sharing thoughts, jokes and asking questions throughout. There’s a real sense of community and camaraderie in the FITMOM Ottawa classes, and you can tell that pre- and post-natal fitness is owner Sue’s passion. What I find extremely reassuring is that not only are instructors certified as Personal Trainers or Fitness Instructors, but they also have additional training and certifications in prenatal and postnatal fitness. I can’t wait to try FITMOM & Baby with my new arrival this fall! The FITMOM 2B class takes place in Old Ottawa South, indoors during the winter months, and moving outdoors as of May 26th. Classes run Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm.
3. Personal Training
I believe that personal training is always a great choice whether or not you’re expecting; you get a customized, efficient session, with a trainer’s full attention ensuring that movements are done in a way that is both safe and beneficial. I can’t think of a better time than pregnancy to invest in personal training, while your body is undergoing significant postural and muscular changes. A trainer also offers encouragement, motivation and accountability on days where it’s a struggle to exercise, which I think is invaluable! I started seeing Craig at Studio One on Beechwood Ave, who puts me through the paces with squats, walking lunges, resistance band exercises, incline pushups, cable machine exercises, as well as upper body work with dumbbells. Before I know it the half hour is up, I’ve worked every major muscle group, and I’m pumped to start my day. If personal training isn’t financially accessible, many studios offer small group training, which is also a fantastic option. Evertain Lifestyles will start offering small prenatal training classes this June, for example, with particular emphasis on building and maintaining pelvic floor and core strength.
Woman at a gym doing weight training
4. Salsa Bellies by Dancing Mama
I’ve always loved to dance and this is a fun, low-impact way to get moving. The class includes a warm-up and instruction of basic Latin dance steps such as salsa, meringue and cha-cha, followed by floor exercises. Dancing Mama, aka Daniella, is passionate about the program, and emphasizes the safety of these classes for participants. Salsa Bellies was developed with top Canadian pre/postnatal fitness certification providers, and instructors are required to go through a thorough Certification program. Dancing Mama is now offering classes at the Ottawa Birth Centre which is a beautiful, spacious, light-filled venue.
A child and woman dancing
5. Prenatal Yoga
During my first pregnancy, I practiced yoga almost every Saturday morning from week 11 through to the week before delivery. I absolutely loved starting my weekend on a relaxed note, and thoroughly enjoyed the combination of breath work and movement. I was thrilled to find during this second pregnancy that my neighbourhood studio, Kalyana Shala, now offers prenatal classes. I can’t say enough about how beneficial prenatal yoga can be: stretching and strengthening muscles that are so crucial in supporting a growing baby, learning breath techniques that can be used during labour, and just taking time to yourself to relax. The next Tuesday evening yoga for Birth session at Kalyana starts on June 21st. Prenatal classes are also available at studios around town including Rama Lotus, Little Lotus, Pranashanti, Metta and others.
One of my all time favourites snacks ever is strawberries and cream. Not only is it refreshing, but it is also healthier than most snacks that you can pick. With that being said, I decided I wanted to make this recipe for Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes.
Freshly Picked Strawberries
Something about the tanginess of the strawberries mixed with the sweetness of the cream, it makes my taste buds explode. One day sitting at home with my teens, we decided that we were bored and wanted to go somewhere. Our local farm has just opened, so we packed ourselves up and headed to the berry fields.
Once we got back, I had to try and figure out what to do with all of these strawberries that we picked. Trust me, there were a ton of them! Some were short and plump, some were long and thing, and some were simply perfect. Recently, I cannot get enough of making cupcakes. I love to go in the kitchen, start a mix from scratch and make a delicious cupcake. It is so rewarding. You are just going to love these Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes! These cupcakes are so easy to make for fresh strawberries!
Baby Shower Cupcakes
I have to admit that these Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes are perfect to make and bring at a baby shower party for a baby girl gender reveal! Whip up a batch and put the cupcakes on pink plates with pink napkins and cutlery on a table that has a pink tablecloth. Don’t forget to display pink and white balloons!
Recipe ideas using strawberries
For more delicious recipes using strawberries, you can try:
To make these summer cupcakes, you will need the following ingredients:
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 egg whites
2 eggs
2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp strawberry extract
how to make strawberry and cream cupcakes
Cupcakes are one of the easiest desserts to make. This is how to make my Strawberries and Whipped Cream Cupcakes.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
Step 2: Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl.
Step 3: Beat butter on high for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla and strawberry extract to the butter until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, mixing after each. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each.
Step 4: Add flour mixture to the wet mixture; alternating with the buttermilk on low speed until it is thoroughly blended. Scoop the batter into the lined cupcake holders till 2/3 filled.
Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack until fully cooled.
Frosting Ingredients
1 cup Butter (room temperature)
4 + cup Powdered sugar
4 TBSP Heavy whipping cream
10 Fresh strawberries, pureed
How To Make Strawberry Puree
Add 10 fresh cut washed strawberries (with stem removed ) to a food processor.
Puree until done.
How To Make Frosting
Step 1: Beat butter until creamed. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Cream both until light and creamy. If not creaming slowly add a little whipping cream.
Step 2: Add pureed strawberries. Mix the strawberry puree with the butter and powdered sugar.
Step 3: Test to see if the frosting can make and hold a stiff peak. Test by pulling out a spoonful of frosting holding it upside down. If it doesn’t drop then your frosting is done. If not add 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Test again to make sure the frosting can make and hold a stiff peak.
Step 4: Spoon frosting into a pastry bag with a frosting tip. Twist open end to push frosting to the tip. Frost the Strawberries and Cream Cupcake 1 by 1.
Step 5: Add decoration of your choice to the frosted cupcakes.
I hope you love my Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes recipe as much as my family did. If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Also, check out all of our other Dessert Recipes.
Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
Lyne Proulx
I cannot get enough of making cupcakes! With that being said, I decided I wanted to make Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes.
Thanks to Tourism Toronto, my daughter and I had the pleasure of eating lunch at 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower for a press trip. The first time I went the CN Tower, a few year ago, is when I noticed advertising for the restaurant in the lobby. My family and I went to visit after we had lunch, so it was a bit too late. To be quite honest with you, prior to our visit, I had no idea the CN Tower had a restaurant. I looked up online to view the CN Tower fees and times they were open, but not really to see if we could eat a meal there.
Spectacular View and Scrumptious Meal at 360 The Restaurant
360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower is a gem in the heart of Toronto! Not only is the view spectacular of Toronto at 350 metres (1,150 ft), the food is scrumptious and we received stellar service! Did I mention that 360 offers a revolving view of Toronto? That’s right, a full 360-degree rotation of the restaurant, so you can view all of downtown Toronto, including the harbour, in about 90 minutes.
Meals
360 offers meals made with Canadian ingredients and a wide selection of Canadian wines. Since 1995, Peter George leads the culinary team at 360 The Restaurant. George and his team have been recognized with several international awards, including DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America), a Best of Award of Excellence from the Wine Spectator magazine and WHERE Magazine’s Most Romantic Restaurant.
Wines
On May 13th 1997, 360 The Restaurant officially opened 360‘s European-style wine cellar in the sky. It was designated “World’s Highest” by Guinness World Records. It was created to resemble an underground wine cellar, featuring precision climate and humidity controls, redwood racks, double cherry doors, a 9,000 bottle storage capacity and a tasting table. As you enter the restaurant, you can also view climate control refrigerators containing wine bottles from top Canadian, French and American labels. In 2011, 360 introduced a new wine preservation system allowing the restaurant to offer a varying selection of exclusive wines by the glass from its award winning selection.
Lunch
For lunch, you can select food items from the steak and seafood à la carte or prix fixe consisting of 2 courses at $55 or 3 course at $69 (they offer a similar menu for dinner at a slightly higher cost). With the prix fixe, you can choose between a wide variety of appetizers, main courses, and desserts, and it’s also supplemented by vegetarian and seafood options. I opted for the Spinach Stuffed Supreme of Chicken with sweet potato, tarragon, and succotash, and the Dark Chocolate Lave Cake with Beamsville cherries while my daughter tried the Alberta Prime Rib of Beef with bread pudding, root vegetables, and natural jus, and also the Lave Cake for dessert. Both meals were richly delicious and extremely savoury. The chicken and prime rib were so tender and juicy while the Dark Chocolate Lave Cake just melted in your mouth.
One of the best features of purchasing a prix fixe meal is it gives you complimentary access to the look out and glass floor levels of the CN Tower following your meal. I would definitely make reservations ahead of time, either online or by calling 416-362-5411, as the restaurant was all reserved when we visited. It’s also a good idea to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to your reservations since you have to be screened before entering the lobby of the CN Tower, present yourself to 360 the Restaurant counter, and use the elevator to head up to the restaurant.
I would highly recommend eating at 360 The Restaurant the next time you are in Toronto and taking advantage of the complimentary access to the CN Tower! You never get tired of the view and, of course, the amazing food!
When I hear of a meal consisting of turkey, I automatically think about serving it at Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter. Honestly, I don’t know why, it’s not as if a turkey is only available in the supermarkets during those months! It’s time I change my my way of thinking about when to cook and eat a turkey. After all, it’s so delicious, why not serve it year round to my family! You will love this recipe from Canadian Turkey, the Turkey Sausage and Rapini Pasta!
I noticed at the grocery store that I can purchase different cuts like ground turkey, breast filet or steak, stir fry strips, drumsticks, thigh joint, and many more. Lately, I made meatballs using ground turkey with a spaghetti sauce and my family just loved them! Turkey can be cooked any time of the year, especially during the summer months and on the BBQ too!
Turkey Sausage and Rapini Pasta Recipe
To get you started in cooking up a storm using turkey, you will find below a scrumptious recipe using turkey sausages, the Turkey Sausage and Rapini Pasta Recipe. (Yes, I now know they make sausages out of turkey, so make sure to ask your butcher for them!)
Turkey Sausage and Rapini Pasta
To get you started in cooking up a storm using turkey, you can make this scrumptious Turkey Sausage and Rapini Pasta Recipe!
Turkey Farmers of Canada recently launched a new logo and website called Canadian Turkey! You can visit it to find more delicious recipes!
Summer is here and we are super excited about cooking with Canadian turkey. Summer is the perfect season to cook, eat, and grill our favorite bird. It’s a light and lean source of protein, perfect for those hot summer days. It’s packed with vitamins and essential nutrients, making it a healthy choice for your family, and it’s easy to prepare with a variety of cuts available. Turkey is fantastic on the grill, and you can find ground meat, burgers, and sausages at your local grocery store. It’s a great everyday choice and we’d love to see it on Canadian tables for regular weeknight meals!
This summer, why not get a whole bird on the grill? Canadian turkey is great barbequed whole or cut down into parts. Your butcher can help break it down to make the process even easier. The best thing is that one turkey can feed a big crowd, so it’s economical, too! There are so many ways to eat it, and it’s perfect hot or cold, so your barbequed bird will go a long way! Ask for Canadian raised Turkey next time you’re grocery shopping so you know you’re putting Canadian quality on your table – from our farmers’ families to yours!
Once upon a time……Telling stories is a peaceful, magical way to create special moments with our children. Whether it is at bedtime or on a rainy day, I believe every parent can and should take the time to tell a story. With an open mind and a bit of imagination, we can create our own stories using both modern and traditional tales, and even personal experiences.
When I was working in the Early Childhood Education field, I quickly discovered how storytelling can be a great healing tool for dealing with challenging behaviours in kids or a difficult situation. I would consciously choose stories that would relate to a particular child’s challenges and would often find myself modifying the story’s content in order to create a healing space for that child.
A boy reading a book
The challenging behaviours we may want to address might be dishonesty, teasing, bullying, experiences such as moving house; or problems such as separation anxiety, fear, and illness and grieving, or even everyday situations like tidying up.
As a parent of 2 boys who attend a Steiner Waldorf school, healing stories are a regular thing in our household. Stuffed animals, little figurines or objects from nature, will be weaved into my stories as props to strengthen its message.
For example, my youngest one was having a difficult time adapting to junior kindergarten. He became loud and disruptive. I chose a story about a blue bird who sang beautifully in the garden. He also sang quite loudly and all the time, which never gave the chance for the other birds to sing their melodies. The blue bird ended up getting a sore throat and had to rest for a few days. This created the opportunity for the other birds to sing their songs and the blue bird realized just how beautiful they all sounded.
Once Upon A Time: Telling A Story
The message behind this story is obvious to us, but my son really connected to this bird and asked me to tell him the story several times. Within a few days, his disruptive behavior had greatly diminished
Telling A Story
All stories have therapeutic or healing potential. If a story makes them laugh, that laughter can be healing. If a story makes them cry, this can be healing too. My favourite stories are folks and fairy tales because they can offer hope and courage to face the trials of life and help the listener find ways to move forward.
The very experience of listening to a story, no matter what the content, can be healing. Used regularly in schools, storytelling can help develop and strengthen children’s concentration and activate their imagination. These effects act as a healing balm in our modern times when children often spend many hours in passive mode in front of a screen.
An important message I understood years ago is that a story told by you is a gift to your child; a wonderful act of sharing and communication which enriches family life.
Families on the run today often find it difficult, if not impossible to make good food choices. One way to ensure that meals are as healthy as possible every day is to take time to plan. Menu planning is decidedly the most important step in eating healthy foods, as it tends to lessen the need to visit a restaurant, drive-thru or call for fast food delivery. It’s easy to change the way you feed your children with a little planning!
How to Change The Way You Feed Your Children
1.Plan the Shopping List
Taking the time to focus on what you will eat each day also gives you the time to make healthier food decisions. Instead of visiting the grocery store on an empty stomach and purchasing everything that looks good, you can take a healthy, well thought out shopping list with you. Many parents who have tried this method of planning, shopping and healthier eating have found that the premade shopping list actually decreases the time they have to spend in the grocery store.
2.Look for New Products
Sometimes, it is impossible to know everything that will be on the store shelves. For instance, Hampton creek, a newer company featuring healthy products such as egg-free Just Mayo, has only just gotten some of its products onto store shelves. Take a minute while in the store to compare items that are traditionally known to be necessary even though they are not healthy. Look around in the general vicinity to see if you can find a healthier alternative for your family. You may be pleasantly surprised.
3.Let the Kids Feed on Excitement
The last thing parents want in the grocery store is overly excited kids, however, there is a good way to get your children excited in the grocery store. A side benefit to this is that they will also be entertained! One of the most challenging things about planning healthier menus for a family is often the fact that children love familiarity. Comfort foods are typically a must. New types of foods that suddenly appear on a plate are often pushed aside and go untouched.
Letting your children help select healthy products in the grocery store is a great way to familiarize them with the food, which often helps them eat them more willingly at home. One fun idea is to have a scavenger hunt in the produce section of your supermarket. Give each child a list of colours, shapes or sizes and let them select which fruits and veggies they would like to try!
4.Print a Kid’s List
Children often feel empowered if they are allowed to carry a list into the grocery store, just like mom or dad. Give the child a pen or pencil, and they can even mark things off of their list as you make your way through the store. This way, their focus is on the items on their list instead of on the sugary treats at the end of each aisle! For younger children, spend some time getting pictures of some items on your grocery list. Copy and paste them onto a paper in a numbered list so that they can watch the shelves for items that match their pictures.
While this may seem like a lot of work, the excitement and good behaviour of your children might be just the payoff you’ve been looking for! If you need an easier idea, you can focus on colours – asking the child to make tally marks by each colour on their list when you put something into the cart. Anything that will keep a child’s attention in the grocery store is a good thing.
5.Keep an Eye on Your Budget
Believe it or not, the best way to keep your grocery budget down is to make a menu, so you’re already part of the way there! The mere fact that you have a menu and a list will save more than you would believe. Add this to the money you save by not eating out, and you will see that healthy family eating is not so difficult after all.
Another tip to helping ease the pinch in your wallet when it comes to groceries is to purchase in bulk if possible. For instance, if you know that you always use ground turkey to cook, then buy a lot of it when it goes on sale. Of course, it is important to know how long it will stay good in your freezer so you don’t overbuy!
Healthy family eating habits do not have to be expensive or take all of your extra time. A little planning and creativity will ensure that everyone can be involved and enjoy the process. It’s definitely easy with these steps to change the way you feed your children with a little planning!
2016 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala
The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards are Canada’s most prestigious honour in the performing arts. Created in 1992 by the Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn (1934-2002), then Governor General of Canada, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards recognize Canada’s most accomplished performing artists.
Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Sharon Johnston
Each year, Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards are presented for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in the categories of theatre, dance, classical music, popular music, film, and broadcasting. These awards recognize artists who have made an indelible contribution to Canada’s cultural life. Recipients of these awards are nominated by the general public.
Two complementary awards are also conferred each year. The Ramon John Hnatyshyn (RJH) Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts, which recognizes outstanding contribution by an individual or group in voluntary service to the performing arts in Canada. This Award is also nominated by the general public.
The National Arts Centre Award, which recognizes the work of an extraordinary nature by an individual artist or company in the past performance year. Recipients are selected by the NAC Board of Trustees from a list of candidates proposed by a nominating committee of NAC artistic programmers.
The award recipients receive the following:
Lifetime Artistic Achievement: A $25,000 cash prize contributed by the Canada Council for the Arts and a commemorative medallion struck by the Royal Canadian Mint.
RJH Award for Voluntarism in the Arts: A commemorative medallion from the Mint and a specially commissioned work by a Canadian artist.
NAC Award: A $25,000 cash prize from the NAC, a commemorative medallion from the Mint, and a specially commissioned work by a Canadian artist.
This year, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala was once again held at the National Arts Centre on Saturday, June 11th. The Gala evening began at 6:30 in the Foyer of the NAC with a pre-show reception with wine, beer, and canapés, followed by the red carpet arrival of the laureates, and of course, Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Sharon Johnston and other VIPs at 7:00 pm. Performances, tributes, and short films to this year’s Award recipients took place in Southam Hall at 8:00 pm, followed by a champagne after-party with delicious desserts and dancing. Suzanne Rogers, Toronto Philanthropist, is the Honorary Chair of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala National Committee. I had the pleasure of attending the gala with my husband for the first time and really enjoyed the event!
Suzanne Rogers
2016 Laureates
This year’s Gala celebrated singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark, tenor Ben Heppner, contemporary dancer Marie Chouinard, playwright Suzanne Lebeau, the film producer Robert Lantos, recipient of the NAC Award and as well as John D McKellor, who has received the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts. Unfortunately, due to a throat surgery, Michael Bublé could not attend, therefore he will receive his award in 2017.
Susan Aglukark
Susan Aglukark
Susan has released 8 albums since 1990 and is a well-know Inuk singer and songwriter. Her music is a blend of country, world music, and pop inspired by her Inuit culture and by the issues facing Canada’s aboriginal people.
Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner
Ben is an acclaimed operatic tenor well know around the world for his powerful voice that has led him to perform on prestigious opera stages. He retired in 2014 and now shares his musical passion as a host of CBC radio’s “Saturday Afternoon at the Opera” and “Backstage with Ben Heppner”.
Marie Chouinard
Marie Chouinard
Marie is an internationally recognized creator and dancer of contemporary dance. She is also an author, designer, photographer, filmmaker, and multimedia artist. In 1990, she founded “Compagnie Marie Chouinard”, a dance company renowned on world’s major stages and at festivals.
Suzanne Lebeau
Suzanne Lebeau
Suzanne’s contribution to more than 40 years as a children’s playwright and an artistic director has made her a pioneer in contemporary theatre for young people. In 1975, she founded “Le Carousel Theatre Company” with Gervais Gaudreault and has written over 30 plays for them.
Robert Lantos
Robert Lantos
Robert is a well know film and television producer for over four decades. He is the founder of Alliance Communications Corporation, Canada’s first major production and distribution studio. He produced, invested, and exported to the world films by Denys Arcand, Jean-Claude Lauzon, Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg, Patricia Rozema, and many more.
John D McKellor
John D McKellor
John has been volunteering for over 50 years with arts organizations in Toronto and beyond. He is a tireless advocate for public policy that encourages and promotes arts and culture in Canada, a generous donor as well as a legal advisor.
Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Mentorship Program
The awards also feature a unique Mentorship Program designed to benefit a talented mid-career artist. The program brings together a Past Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award Recipient with a next-generation artist, helping them to develop their work, explore ideas, and navigate career options. This year, Benjamin Pradet, a playwriter, won the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Mentorship Program. Albert Millaire, a previous Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award Recipient, know for six decades on stage and screen as an actor, director, and arts advocates, will be his mentor.
Also in attendance at the gala, was Amanda Rheaume whom sang the O Canada, the Royal Canada Air Force March Past, the Governor General’s Fanfare as well as Chantal Kreviazuk whom sang the final song.
National Arts Centre in 2017
In 2017, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala will be celebrating 25 years in a renovated National Arts Centre!
The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala certainly did not disappoint me with its delicious food, wine and champagne, amazingly funny and heartfelt tributes to the laureates, spectacular performances and music by the NAC orchestra, and let’s not forget the beautiful ladies wearing long gowns or cocktail dresses, and the handsome men in black tie that attended the Gala! It’s definitely worth a night out on the town with friends or your spouse! I wish my cellular phone would have taken better photos, but the laurates were walking fast down the isle and I was far from the main stage in the hall. Next year, I will bring my DSLR camera!
Do you want to have happy children? For your child to live a life filled with joy, meaning, health and purpose? Who doesn’t want that for their kids?! What about for yourself? Here is the twist about parenting – in order for our children to live a life full of joy, meaning, health and purpose, we have to demonstrate it by living our own life full of joy, meaning, health and purpose! Let me explain.
Toddler with a baseball cap on his head
Are you living your authentic truth? Or do you feel like you aren’t living your full potential? Becoming conscious of what brings you joy, meaning, health and purpose will give your child permission to do the same. One of the most fundamental teachings I’ve received as a mom and Child Therapist is that our children will do what we do, not necessarily what we say to do. This was a very hard lesson to learn as this meant I had to change, not my child. To this day, it’s still a practice!
It was while on maternity leave that I began to question my life. One day in particular while being present with my son while breastfeeding, I remember thinking to myself “I am going to tell my son that he can be and do anything he wants to in this life” because I truly believe that anyone can. It hit me, however, in that moment of beauty and truth that I wasn’t being and doing what I was created for. I was living the way I was taught, which was go to school, get a good job, have a family, work more, retire and then die. This wasn’t bringing me much joy, health meaning and purpose. If fact, it was doing opposite and I knew I did NOT want my son to live this way.
Raising Confident, Healthy, Happy Children
Parenting consciously is about knowing yourself. Knowing what you want out of life. What are your triggers? Your loves? How do you want to live your life? What are your values? How do you want to grow? Becoming conscious of these answers will help you walk in the direction of how you live and as a result, your child will follow suite. When we are clear of our answers, a life of joy, meaning, health, and purpose will emerge.
As I mentioned earlier, children are more likely to do what we do, rather than what we say to do. This is how they learn about the world. This is how we learn about the world. If for example, you want your child to eat more greens, we should be eating greens. If you want your child to exercise more and have less screen time, we must be willing to do the same. This is difficult to do sometimes as it requires us to change our own habits. This is where parenting is a true gift; we tell them to do these things for their own health, wellness and happiness and if we begin to walk our own talk and do it ourselves, then our health, wellness, and happiness improves as well!
Everyday there are opportunities to practice this idea of walking our talk toward a more conscious way of parenting and living our authentic truth. Here are some common areas to explore and tips to try.
Are you aware of your emotions and how you handle them? At times, we all experience moments of intense emotion that we just don’t know what to do with, after all, we are all human! But what do you do when you are feeling overwhelmed with emotion that is painful such as anger, loneliness or sadness? How are you teaching your child to handle these emotions? Parenting consciously allows us to become conscious and aware of the emotion that we are experiencing and then taking care of ourself to allow it to pass.
Taking deep belly breaths is helpful while stating the feeling you are experiencing (in your head or out load). For example, “a part of me is lonely right now” Being conscious of not saying the phrase “I am lonely” because that is not who you are, you are having a momentary feeling of loneliness that will pass. It’s important to not label yourself as “I am lonely”. Understanding your emotions and how to handle them in a healthy way will allow your child to do the same. Having them see you take a moment for yourself to perhaps just breathe, will equip them with a tool they can use when they experience an intense emotion.
Teaching your child what they are feeling and how to handle it is very important in cultivating their connection to self and others. Having them recognize that feelings will come and go and that a feeling doesn’t define who they are, nor does it define who you are, will give them confidence and freedom to let go and surrender. Letting go and surrendering to feelings dramatically reduces suffering time which is what we could all use more of!
Supporting Your Children’s Dreams
Dreams. They are what pushes us on, makes us go that extra mile, take that extra step, work just a little harder, in getting where we want to go, where we dream of being. Your children’s dreams are potentially their future. They are what your child longs for, works towards, and fills them with passion and motivation, and as a parent, supporting their dreams is a must although understanding and knowing how you can do so can be confusing.
Talking to your child about their dreams, offering ways in which they can explore them, and seeking out avenues in which they can work towards them are all wonderful ways in showing your child that you support them, that their dreams are important, and making them aware that you are there for them to offer your assistance in any way you can. But, you wonder, how exactly can I do all of those things? Its simple, and the degree to which you can do them depend partially on the nature of your child’s ambitions, and the resources which are at your disposal, but regardless of these factors there are many ways in which these actions can be accomplished.
Extra Curricular Activities
Most, if not all, schools offer some form of extra curricular activities whether it be during lunch hour or after school. If your child has dreams of becoming a variety of things when he or she grows up, school can be a great first step in exploring this dream. Talk to their schools administration or their teacher to find out what activities are offered and encourage your child to take part in them. Coming along to watch is another great way in showing your support, as is offering to volunteer. Sports are just one of the many types of school activities which can assist your child to reaching for their dream. Others may include music, art, drama,or writing. Whatever your child dreams entail there could quite possibly be an activity to suit them, and in helping them discover it, and playing a role in the process, your support for them will shine through!
Lessons and Training
As varied as the school activities already discussed, lessons and training are a great way in showing your support for, and encouraging, your child’s dreams, whether it be performing, playing a musical instrument, acting, dancing, swimming, or any other of the endless possibilities. Seek out lessons or training programs targeted towards your child’s interest and enroll them, then ensure they are punctual, consistent, and participating to their full potential. Helping them to explore their area of interest, receive training and guidance, and practice regularly are all important ways in showing your support and will prove to be highly beneficial.
The Power of Words
Its true, the words which we use and the way in which we use them have more power and influence then we realize. Having said this, talk to your child regularly about whatever it is their dreams involve, and even if deep down you are not thrilled with their dreams, keep a positive attitude and be sure to display this optimism when talking to your child!
Nutrition
Eating holistically and being aware of the decisions we make in the kitchen will affect our children for the rest of their lives. Have you ever asked yourself how do you nurture your body? Or what do you want of your body? Energy? Vitality? Walking our talk in the kitchen is so important for our health, our child’s health and the planet’s health. A child will grow to know and love what they are exposed to on a regular basis. If you are offering your child organic broccoli and seaweed for example, they will soon develop a pallet for it and will eventually grow to enjoy it.
Providing our children with nourishing, organic, whole foods early on in life is key to helping their bodies become healthy and resilient. Whatever a child is exposed to is what a child will know. Looking at other cultures where food looks, smells, and tastes very different than what we are used to in North America is a great example of this.
The power of language is a helpful tool in supporting your child to eat in a more nourishing way (as well as yourself). For example, using words such as “treat” and “dessert” doesn’t have to mean “sugary and unhealthy” (which is what most believe to be true about dessert). If we use the word “treat” and give them something healthy, yet different or a food they usually wouldn’t get, we can redefine what a “treat” means.
How to Raise Confident, Healthy, Happy Children
Redefining what a “treat or dessert” means to us is usually harder because we have many more years of cultural conditioning not to mention our bodies physiologically crave these sugary foods because they are used to receiving them! Children will respond faster if you are also eating “healthy” foods for dessert. Be patient and gentle with yourself through this shift and transition. Go slow and take baby steps toward living a more healthful life.
Self Care
Another important area to look at on the parenting journey is taking care of your own needs. We tend to focus on other people’s needs (especially our children’s) which is important, but if we aren’t taking care of our own needs as well, we will be teaching this to our children. Would you prefer to teach your children how to take care of themselves as well as others?
When we become aware of this, it almost takes the guilt away that most mother’s feel when they do something nice for themselves. For example, as moms we often feel guilty about taking time for ourselves. There are so many reasons why this is a MUST. One, you will teach your child how to take care of themselves. Two, you will have a much higher tolerance for your own emotions such as frustration and impatience. Three, you can reconnect with yourself and those around you!
The beautiful thing about this is that you will feel more connected to yourself as well as your child and as a consequence, you will be indirectly teaching your child life skills and values that will serve them on a much larger scale then you may ever know. Walking your talk will always be a win-win for you and your child. Understanding that when you take care of yourself and do loving things that bring you joy, your child will learn these healthy habits too!
Getting clear about what you want for your life and how you want to live your life will help make the gift of parenting a more enjoyable journey. Knowing who you are and taking care of yourself emotionally, nutritionally, and physically will making “walking your talk” easy to do because its just how you live! It is who you are. Walking your talk and leading by example when parenting is the greatest gift you can give your child and yourself.
Conclusion
Living your authentic truth gives your children the permission to do the same. Listening to what is inside of you rather than observing and living what others expect of you will serve you and your child for a lifetime. When you listen and trust this part of yourself, your child will see and trust this part of themselves as well. You will live a life that is your authentically yours and consequently so will your child; you will be living a life of joy, meaning, health and purpose and so will your child!
My love of camping developed as a slow burn. I initially hated the bugs, the outdoor toilets, or lack of any at all, sleeping on a lumpy tangle of twigs and the general discomfort involved in sleeping outdoors. But as my husband (an avid outdoorsman) and I started to discover some beautiful provincial parks and invested in better, more comfortable camping gear, I slowly developed a real appreciation for the great outdoors and the sense of tranquility that camping can provide. We tried out Glamping at Parc Omega!
However, with the arrival of our son two years ago, I vetoed all camping trips. Although lots of far braver parents than I, take their young children along for the adventure, I just couldn’t imagine our little monster, without the constraints of stair gates and doors, and imagined all sorts of scary scenarios.
Parc Omega is a fabulously fun place to drive through while curious animals poke their head in your car for a carrot, or a bite of something else if you are not careful. The park has also developed areas where you can get out of the car and walk around, deer and goats come right up to you and eat from your hand and there are picturesque walking trails to discover. The animals living in the park are all Canadian wildlife; such as deer, raccoons, boars, wolves, bear, moose and bison, as well as farmyard animals.
Lodgings
The Parc Omega lodgings were added in summer 2013, but are certainly a new discovery for us, as much of that time, we were knee deep in dirty diapers and the haze of sleep deprivation, that a new baby brings.
The accommodation options, include the choice of prospector tents which feature bunk beds, Wi tents, or a house on stilts that has 2 bedrooms. We chose the Wi tent, which has a wooden base and a canvas tent in a teepee form. Inside there is a queen sized bed, two singles, a dining room table and chairs and a little shelf you can use as a simple kitchen. Outside there is a dry toilet, where you have to put a shovelful of sawdust on top after you use it-making you feel a bit like a cat using a litter box!
The room
The room is decorated sparsely but in keeping with the natural environment. The table and chairs are wooden and chunky and gave me the magical feeling of being inside the three bears house. There is electricity provided by solar panels and you can even bring some of your own small appliances, such as a coffee maker or toaster, to make this a real home away from home.
Each lot has its own fire pit and our tent was next to a little creek. Despite there being no running water, it certainly felt like a more luxurious experience than traditional camping and even though it rained during our weekend away, we felt like “glampers”.
The most reassuring thing about these accommodations for those with young children, is they have doors that lock and close securely, giving parents some peace of mind that little feet won’t go for a midnight walk and get lost.
Admission to the park
Admission to the park is not included with accommodation fees but you are offered a discount group rate.
Another amazing feature is access to an extended walkway not seen by park goers, which takes you past bear and wolf enclosures-this walkway feels so exclusive, like your own private nature reserve.
Our son spent at least an hour, playing in a muddy puddle with a look of delight on his little face, and this is precisely why I believe children should be taken camping, despite my initial reservations, the chance to see wildlife, interact with the natural elements and gosh darn it- get dirty!
Once we returned home, our little one asked every day, if we could go camping again, and so enamored were we with Glamping at Parc Omega’s camping lite option, that we have already booked our next adventure!
Fiona Tapp, Freelance Writer and Educator, can be reached at www.fionatapp.com
Now that my little ones are old enough to start to reach out and explore the world around them, they have been in awe over how spring has sprung around our backyard and our neighbourhood. They love nature and are always wanting to reach out and touch everything they can. I was wondering what we could make together so they can have a piece of this wonder in their hands whenever they wanted to play with it. I then had the idea to put together these whimsical paper roll butterfly craft since they are fascinated with them.
Paper Roll Butterfly Craft
Here are the supplies I used to create this craft:
Paper Roll (toilet paper, paper towel, or any other paper roll)
2 Pieces of Card Stock
2 Pieces of Tissue Paper
Tacky Glue (or glue gun; not pictured)
Tape (not pictured)
2 Pipe Cleaners
1 1-Inch Sponge Brush or Tongue Depressor
Scissors (or a box cutter; not pictured)
Pencil
Ruler
Items for Decorating the Wings (sparkles, glue-on or stick-on jewels, sparkle glue)
There are some steps that, I feel, that mom, dad or an older person should handle, and I’ll let you know at what points this should happen.
I started with creating a template for the wings. I drew the shape I wanted on a piece of card stock and cut it out. I then used this shape to create the other three wing shapes. I based the size of my wing on the length of the paper roll. I also left a tab on one side of the wing to use to attach it to the paper roll.
We then followed the shape of the wing with a pair of scissors to cut the wing shapes out. Parent Step – I punctured a hole in the middle of the shape to have a hole in it.
We glued the edges of the wing shapes and then folded the pieces of tissue paper in half using tacky glue, tongue depressors and the 1-inch sponge. We then glued two wing shapes to each one side by side using either the 1-inch sponge brush or the tongue depressor. ***When doing this, please make sure that the wings shapes are mirror images of each other so they can be placed on top of each other later on in this craft. As well, if you are using a glue gun, please let a parent handle the gluing.***
While the wings were drying, we used remaining card stock to cover the paper roll. I placed a paper roll at the edge of the piece of card stock. I then secured both items with one hand and used tape to keep it still. I then rolled the paper roll to see how much I would need to completely cover the roll. After marking where I would need to cut with a pencil, I cut it out and we attached it with tape along the edges at its length.
Once the paper roll is dry, we marked where the antennae and the legs were going to be placed by marking the spots on the body of the butterfly.
Parent Step – I used a box cutter and slowly put puncture holes into the paper roll. I also used a pencil to make the holes a bit bigger to make it easier to accomplish future steps in this craft.
We cut the pipe cleaners in half. We used one of the pieces for the antennae. We threaded one end of the pipe cleaner through one of the holes at the top of the head and guided it through to the other hole. Once the antennae have been evened out, we used a pencil to curl each antenna and shape them to our desired look. We then added the pipe cleaner legs to the paper roll. We started with the mid-section first since it would be more difficult to manoeuvre the pipe cleaner through these holes.
We then used paperclips to keep the wing shapes from shifting while cutting them from the tissue paper. If you did not glue the shapes by the fold of the tissue paper, you will have to glue the loose piece of tissue paper to the rest of the shape and wait for it to dry. We then added the two sides of the wings together, adhering them with glue.
It was finally decorating time! The kids went nuts adding their personal touches onto the tissue paper and the card stock edges of the wings. I only had them decorate one side to make sure the wings would not become damaged with the weight of the jewels they added. We set them aside to dry. ***Make sure to leave the tabs free from decoration for the next step***
After the wings were dry, I folded the tabs I left free and added glue to the underside of the tab. I then added the tab to the body of the butterfly. I used a glue gun here to make sure that the wings adhered quickly to the body. Note – If you choose to use a glue gun as well, please handle this step on your own.
Once the wings dry your butterfly is ready to take flight! Your kids can hold their new friend and pretend to watch it zoom across the room or the backyard.
You could use some fishing line to hang your butterfly in a window to bring a bit of nature indoors or hang it by their bed to have a friend to fall asleep to at night. These lovely insects can also be used to add a bit of whimsy to a garden. My kids love playing with and watching their paper roll butterflies twinkle in the light. They still cannot believe they have a creature like this to hold in their hands.
This project is a great one to do on rainy days or during school breaks when there no plans have been made. It takes a few hours to complete and can help to break up a mundane day.
Families are finding it harder and harder to survive on a single income. Even with both parents working, many families are having a tough time making ends meet. This is why it is always a welcome respite to make a little extra money for the whole family. As a mom, there are different ways that you increase the total income of the household. Whether you are already working or are trying to kick start your career, you have many different options. Here are some of the steps that you can take!
Get Some Help
The unemployment rate is not great and it does not look as though it is getting any better. There may be some people who are having a tough time getting on their feet after being laid off. If so, you probably need some help finding other work. If you are not having much luck finding employment in your current field, why not try elsewhere? If you think that this is not possible, you are sadly mistaken.
Thanks to options such as second career, you now have the chance to learn completely new skills. The more skills that you have, the more desirable you become to potential employers. This will help you to widen your field and boost your chances of finding new work.
Photo credit: State Farm via Foter.com / CC BY
This may seem counterintuitive if you are trying to make more money. Doing a business management course or a similar diploma can help your position. It is no secret that the more qualified you are, the better your salary options will be. If you really want to increase your earning power, you should definitely consider enrolling in an educational program. You will find that a lot more people will be willing to hire you once you have been certified.
Use Your Skills
Are you particularly good at something such as cooking, fixing, or even teaching? If so, there may be several different ways that you can utilize your abilities. One of your options would be to offer your services in exchange for a fee. This means that you can cater small events, be a handyman to your neighbours, or be a tutor for the local school. You can also choose to teach certain classes based on your skills. You can host cooking classes or teach people how to fix their own household problems. Thanks to the internet, you do not even have to leave your home to do this.
Photo credit: Bob n Renee via Foter.com / CC BY
Have a Garage Sale
You will be surprised by all the things that you and your family have managed to accumulate over the years. Some of it may actually be worth some money. Old clothes, books, appliances, and a variety of other items may actually be able to fetch you a handsome sum. On your next rainy day, pull out your old boxes and go through all of your stuff. Anything that does not have sentimental value and is still in good condition should be sold. Throw a garage sale and invite the whole neighbourhood. You may be surprised by how much you make.
How to Make a Little More Money for Your Family
Try some of these tips and see if they work for you. Remember, if there is a will, there certainly is a way.
Saving money and energy use in the summer is not only great for the environment, but is also great for your family budget. With the school year almost over its time to start thinking about you and kids spending more time at home. It takes only a few simple steps to cut your energy bill by as much as 20%-50%. You will find below tips on saving money on your summer energy bills!
Saving energy doesn’t have to be difficult and it doesn’t have to cost much money or time. It has more to do with changing a few energy-wasting habits like reminding the kids to close the door when they go outside. And where costs are involved – such as having your air conditioner checked annually by a professional – the expense can be offset by making your system more efficient and longer-lasting.
Close drapes or shades during the day to block the sun.
Keep cool air in by installing or checking insulation and weather stripping.
Cook on the BBQ to keep cooking heat outside. When using the stove, vent heat outside with a range hood.
Use a microwave instead of an oven. Microwaves use less than half the power of a conventional oven and cook food in about one-fourth the time.
Dry dishes the old fashion way by hand or use the air-dry feature on dishwashers.
Service air conditioners and furnace annually and change the filter regularly. Use a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature in your home, and turn air conditioners off when no one is home.
Use cold water rather than hot when showering – just kidding – when your doing the laundry. You will save about 85% of the energy it takes to wash clothes.
Use washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers in the evening when Hydro rates are theoretically lower.
Save energy by using the fast rather than slow spinning cycle when drying clothes, since the fast cycle removes more water.
Switch to fluorescent lights that use on-third of the energy than incandescent lights.
Remember that appliances account for about 20% of your household’s energy use. A new energy-efficient refrigerator could save from $35 to $70 a year compared to models of 15 years ago. This amounts to between $525 and $1,050 during the average 15-year life of the unit.
Start your summer with these saving money steps by implement these habits into your family routine. I find a good way to get my kids into these habits is to tell them that the money we save can be used to buy more popsicles.
Sleep is definitely an integral component of maintaining a good health. Research recommends adults get between six to eight hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation negatively impacts your immune system, mental acuity, and physical health. There are things that can be done to improve your sleep. You will find below 12 tips to improve your sleep and prevent adrenal fatigue!
What is stress?
Any life change, whether positive or negative is a stress on the body. The adrenal glands which sit on top of the kidneys pump out cortisol, also known as adrenaline, in response to stress.
Normally cortisol is higher in the morning and lower at night. It peaks in response to stress to create what is known as the ‘fight or flight’ reaction. This is the state one would be in when running away from a bear where your heart is racing, your alertness is heightened and you are ready to deal with the acute stressor.
Adrenal fatigue
In our high stress culture people are in a constant state of ‘fight or flight’ leading to a state of chronic stress, also known as adrenal fatigue or adrenal burnout syndrome. This is a state where your adrenal glands make an insufficient amount of cortisol and you therefore have issues adapting to acute stressors.
Low energy, particularly in the morning and mid-afternoon
Cravings for salt, sugar and caffeine
Decreased cognitive function
Decreased thyroid function
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
Decreased muscle mass
Increased abdominal fat deposition
Decreased immunity
Mood disturbances like irritability, anxiety and depression
Sleep disturbance
Sleep disturbance
Sleep disturbance, particularly aggravated by shift work common in the nursing profession was the focus of this talk. Improving sleep patterns, especially in those who do shift work can help to manage stress and reduce the effects of adrenal fatigue.
12 Tips to Improve Your Sleep and Prevent Adrenal Fatigue
Darkness: Light decreases melatonin production. Melatonin is the hormone that promotes sleep. Make sure all electronics are turned off, turn the alarm clock away from the bed, and using black-out blinds can help to improve the release of melatonin
Quiet: Creating a quite environment by turning off music, televisions and wearing earplugs helps to promote relaxation and sleep
Temperature: Ensuring you are warm enough and cool enough helps promote a comfortable sleep environment
Position: Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your arms and legs keeps the spine straight and can ease any muscle tension. Lying on your back with a pillow under the knees reduces low back tension. Avoid sleeping on your stomach because the spine is misaligned and this can cause further issues.
Timing: Your body likes routine and releases hormones on a regular schedule called the circadian rhythm. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day promotes the release of hormones on a regular schedule.
Length: 6-8 hours of sleep is ideal so your body has an adequate amount of time to rest and repair itself.
Quality: Ask yourself if you are you dreaming? You dream when you are in the deep REM stage of sleep. Keeping a dream diary can help you figure out if you are reaching that stage or not.
Relaxation: Calm your nervous system before bed: Create a quiet environment, turn off the tv, listen to calm music, meditate, do yoga poses or stretch, deep breathing exercises, etc. to promote relaxation.
Neutral bath: Taking a bathe lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes numbs/calms the nervous system to promote the relaxation response.
Nutritional supplements: Taking supplements to promote sleep can be effective. Some common examples are magnesium, melatonin and L-theanine. Speak to your health care provider before starting any new supplements.
Herbal teas: Teas for sleep include chamomile, passionflower, valerian, lemonbalm, catnip and hops. Teas are relatively safe, however speak to your health care provider prior to taking any of these in a more highly concentrated capsule or tincture form.
Write it down: Keep notebook by your bed to journal about your thoughts and emotions that are preventing you from sleeping. Writing down a to-do list is also helpful to put aside those thoughts.
Now that your little one is born, you’re learning what putting baby first means to your body. While prioritizing your child is normal, taking care of your health is equally important. Let’s face it – lifting an infant several times a day is hard work, and can create damage to your back if you’re not careful. With a baby in one arm and a diaper bag on the other, keeping the stress off your lower back is another balancing act to master. See below how to reduce the risk of back and neck pain.
Did you know? Lower Back Pain
A study in the Journal of Orthopaedics reported that 50-90% of pregnant women will likely experience lower back pain. This pain may persist after giving birth if you don’t take action.
Keep your back healthy at home
Here are some ways to reduce the risk of back and neck pain while with your newborn:
Lighten your load
Choose a diaper bag that distributes weight evenly across your body to limit the stress of isolated muscles.
Stretch your body
If your baby is exploring the wonders of crawling, join him or her on the floor and do some exercises to stretch your neck and back.
Feed comfortably
When nursing, avoid hunching and keep your baby close to you. Also choose a comfortable, upright chair with a pillow.
Keep your baby close
Don’t stretch your arms out – bring your baby close to your chest before lifting. Consider wearing your baby on your front so you can alleviate the strain on your back.
Keep tub trouble at bay
Avoid reaching or twisting when bending over a tub. When kneeling, use a non-slip mat to protect your knees.
Exercises/stretches to help alleviate your back pain at home
Shoulder opener
Breathing deeply and calmly, relax your stomach muscles. Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll from side to side. Bring your hands up to your neck and gently massage the back of your head and neck.
Drop your arms to your sides, relax your shoulders & slowly roll them backward and forward for 15 seconds.
Crossover
Standing with feet shoulder width apart, raise your hands. Bring your right elbow across your body while lifting your left knee. Touch elbow to knee, remaining upright and repeat alternating sides for 15 seconds.
Following these tips can help you keep up with your soon to be toddler from now until teenage years and beyond. For more information on how to minimize injuries while with your little one, please visit the Ontario Chiropractic Association.
If you are a parent of young children, you know how hard it can be sometimes to find fun activities to do with your kids, that can compete with their use of the TV and Internet for their attention. Here are a few ideas for photo projects to try with your kids.
Ideas for photo projects
As you may have seen, in yourself and others, when kids grow up, their fond memories of childhood often involve activities they did with their parents. Activities that involve photography will be enjoyed by almost any kid these days. Almost everyone has a digital camera or a cell phone with a camera, so it can be an inexpensive medium for photo projects to help you bond with your child. They might also learn a few new skills or gain a love for the art of photography along the way.
Personal photo projects
Some fun ideas for personal photo projects include customized gifts that have your own photos. They make wonderful birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas gifts. Family photos and snapshots can be displayed in many ways other than inside a frame on a wall or desk. You could print photos on stickers and place them on a decorative item, or even use an iron-on transfer to make a t-shirt. Or you could print photos and print them on plain copy paper and let your child cut out photos and create a collage. For something a bit more polished, you could use the tools available at Shutterfly (also check out discounts from Groupon Coupons for Shutterfly), to make items such as calendars, coffee mugs or photo books.
Make photo albums
Make either print or online photo albums with photos the child took. The photos could be of anything, such as a family photos, photos from a trip, pets or something that the child enjoys. For example, you could go for daily or weekly walks and look for birds to photograph. Then the child could make an album of the best pictures of each species of bird. The child could learn how to identify birds and learn about their habitats, over the course of the photo project.
Make funny Memes
One of the fun ideas for photo projects are to make memes. There are many free, easy-to-use software programs and meme maker apps for putting captions on photos or for adding cartoons or decorations to photos. Have some laughs with your child by making fun and silly photo memes, to send to friends and family or to post on social media. Along the way, you can talk with your child about what makes something either mean or funny and what is appropriate or not to post online. It will help their socialization skills in this modern age.
Themes for photo projects
Young kids often seem to be living life at high speed all the time. Getting them to slow down can be both a mental relief to a parent, but can also stimulate new kinds of thought in a child. Macro photography can be a fun project or hobby for children and it can help them become interested in science and biology. You can get detailed photos of very small objects or living things in several ways. Your child could use a camera with a zoom or macro lens. You can also get an inexpensive snap or clip-on macro or microscope lens for a cell phone. These are available on Ebay for less than $10 an can zoom up to 60x and have a built in light. For a bit more, you can even get a traditional style microscope that can take photos.
Once your child gets started photographing the very small, you may be amazed at what they will notice. You may end up with themes photo projects of everything from a bug or blade of grass to an ultra-closeup of the dog’s nose. A fun game to play is the “What is this a picture of?” game. You and your child could take photos of the very large or very small at interesting angles or in abstract ways and see if you can guess what the fun photo is picturing. It is a fun game that encourages critical thinking, creativity and can make for lots of laughs.
Fun Photo Projects for Kids
Be creative and you can show your child that a camera can do much more than take selfies. You can encourage your child’s creativity and intellectual development and make lots of good memories along the way with these best photo projects!
Barbie has been inspiring girls to follow their dreams by encouraging them through the 180+ careers she has portrayed. On Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day this April 28th, Barbie celebrated the aspirations of girls across Canada by telling them, “You Can Be Anything!”
In 2015, Barbie started the “Imagine the Possibilities” spot which launched the new brand initiative of You Can Be Anything. This campaign celebrates the brand’s heritage helps to encourage a young girl’s journey of self-discovery, imagination and storytelling.
Barbie wants girls to know that no dream is too big, no idea is too wild, and no possibilities are out of reach. Due to the intelligence and determination girls have, Barbie encouraged families all over the country to share photos on Twitter and Facebook of young Barbie fans as they lived out their future career dreams using the hash tag #YouCanBeAnything. By sharing their #YouCanBeAnything career photos from April 28 – May 2, 2016, four lucky girls were selected to live out the career of their dreams for a day!
Here are the names of the four lucky winners of the #YouCanBeAnything campaign:
Victoria – Doctor from Vaughan, ON
Shiya – Baker from Calgary, AB
Wendy – Pilot from Holyrood, NFLD
Reese – Firefighter from Brandon, MB
Congratulations to you all, and have fun living out your dreams!
Barbie also wanted my kids to dream big. They graciously sent me six different Barbie dolls to show my kids that the sky’s the limit where their dreams are concerned. Here are the dolls we received:
Nurse Barbie
Firefighter Barbie
Pilot Barbie
Saying that my kids were excited about having these dolls to live out their dreams would be an understatement. I had to introduce each doll separately so they would not go super crazy!
Nurse
My daughter loved playing with Nurse Barbie. She placed the stethoscope onto Nurse Barbie’s ears and had started taking vitals of the toys in our home to get her off to work.
Firefighter
Firefighter Barbie got a roaring ovation from my kids. Her hat, coat and boots won both of them over! They had her off rescuing the day and saving lives in our living room.
Pilot
Things really took off when Pilot Barbie zoomed in on the scene. They liked the idea of a woman being able to fly a plane and had her zooming around our home as if they were in one together.
How did we like them
Both of my kids really enjoyed living out the careers each of these dolls portrayed. They were instantly able to step into each of the roles a particular doll portrayed . They also noticed that each doll looked different yet they were all Barbie and accepted it without another thought. What I thought was brilliant was that they then switched the outfits on each of the dolls, so that the doll could be whatever they wanted to be as well.
The fashionista in me loved the details they put into each doll. From their accessories to the little-added touches on each piece of clothing to the type of shoes they wore, I was amazed at the thought and care put into each doll to add to the career they represented.
Both of my kids love Barbie, and these dolls really helped to instill the #YouCanBeAnything initiative Barbie is aiming to share with girls everywhere. I’m so happy they have them to live out their dreams!
Soccer (or football) is becoming more popular for kids to play in Canada. Kids love seeing and trying to do the skills the elite players display with a ball during games. Leo Messi is a star player many players love to emulate, and Messi FootBubbles wants kids to feel as though they have some of his awesome moves with this Starter Kit! I was asked to see if my kids would enjoy trying to see if they could juggle bubbles like Leo Messi.
Messi FootBubbles aims to let kids feel as though they can be like him with their one-two combination of their FootBubbles Super Solution and their Messi Socks. The specially formulated Super Solution and the Messi Socks make it so you are able to bounce, juggle and do all kinds of tricks with bubbles on your feet. This toy is recommended for kids 6+.
The Leo Messi FootBubbles Starter Kit includes the following:
Two (2) Messi Socks
One (1) bubble blower
One (1) solution tray
One (1) bottle of Super Solution, 2oz
Check out this instructional video to get bubble juggling like Leo Messi.
I can see why this toy is advised for kids of this age group. After following the directions laid out in the video, my younger children (age 4 and 3) were not able to get anything bubble bouncing or juggling action happening. They did have fun with the Super Solution and the bubble blower, creating a bubbly sky in our backyard. We figured it was because it was due to the wind blowing the bubbles away.
My eldest found more success with Messi FootBubbles than my little ones did in their attempt. We changed the location for testing from outdoors to indoors to eliminate any weather issues that may cause for this toy not to work. After a few attempts, this is what happened.
It worked! She was able to get a few more bounces off of her feet, and even pass it from one foot to another before her bubble popped. After she finished playing, she said she really enjoyed trying to bounce and move the bubbles from one foot to another. We also realized that there was a bit of a learning curve to mastering this toy. Kids should have a bit of patience until they are able to become successful with this toy.
All three of my kids enjoyed playing with Messi FootBubbles. My younger children loved making bubbles with the bubble blower and bubble tray, and my eldest had a ball bouncing bubbles and trying to juggle them on her feet. Playing with bubbles just went to a whole other level of fun for them.
Gardening season is finally upon us! I enjoyed the fact that we did not have too many snow storms this year, but spring seems to be taking a long time to arrive with warmer days! Spring, of course, means it’s time to get ready for planting vegetables, plants, and/or flowers to embellish our gardens and lawn, and also to create garden flower pots for indoor or outdoor decorating. You will find below 10 garden flower pot craft ideas that I thought would be ideal for this spring!
A great craft to make with your kids is by creating flower pots to decorate for your home or for your outdoor space on the patio, the curbside garden, the deck, etc.. They are inexpensive to make, especially if you are using the “Terra Cotta Flower Pots” as you can purchase them at the Dollar Store. You can really be creative and show your artistic side by personalizing them to be unique and different every time. They look just as beautiful on the ground or set on a shelf!
The garden flower pots also make great gifts for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day and a fun craft to create for a child’s birthday party.
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