Posts Tagged ‘kids’

You don’t have to give up dining out, and you don’t have to skip a date night if the babysitter cancels. There are ways to teach children how to behave appropriately in a restaurant so that it is a fun evening out for everyone in the family.

Children can be both excited and bored when at a restaurant. They can find it difficult to sit in one place for the length of time necessary to order, wait, eat, and pay for the meal. This problem is one that improves with age, development and practice. With a good game plan, you can help your children learn how to behave appropriately in a restaurant so that you can all enjoy the experience.

Pick the right restaurant.
Choose a restaurant based on its level of child-friendliness. What’s important? The availability of a children’s menu that includes food your kids will actually eat. The absence of a long wait for a table. Booster seats or high chairs. Private booths or eating nooks as opposed to one large open room. And a noisier, family-friendly atmosphere is always a plus. (Save the hushed candlelit ambience for adult-only nights out.)

Teach restaurant manners at home.
If you are casual about mealtime manners at home, don’t expect your children to miraculously develop table manners because you happen to be sitting in a restaurant. Practice good manners at home for every meal, and your children will be prepared when you eat out.

Have longer sit-down meals at home.
Typically, at home we call our children to the table when all the food is ready, and then excuse them as soon as they are finished eating. If you want to practice for restaurant visits it’s a good idea to have them come to the table a few minutes earlier. Then sit and chat for a bit after you are finished with the meal. Make it fun by telling stories or jokes or talking about upcoming plans. Not only will this be great practice for eating out, it’s a wonderful family-bonding ritual to introduce into your home.

Dine out at your regular meal time.
When possible, stick close to your daily routine. Plan to dine at a reasonable time, before the kids become famished and tired. If you must go out later than your usual time, then provide your children with a snack at the normal time, and allow them to have a smaller meal at the restaurant, or to eat half the meal and bring the rest home.

Review your restaurant rules before you go.
Be very specific and leave no stone unturned. A sample list of “restaurant rules” might be: Sit in your seat. Use a quiet inside voice. Use your silverware, not your fingers. Have nice conversation, no bickering. If you don’t like something, keep your comments to yourself and fill up on something else. If you have to use the restroom, ask me privately and I’ll take you.

Ask for an immediate appetizer.
Many restaurants automatically bring bread or chips to the table as soon as you are seated. If this isn’t the case, ask for something to be brought out for the kids. This will ward off hunger and provide something to do before the meals arrive.

Prevent boredom.
Bring along a few simple toys like a deck of cards, plastic animals, or small quiet toys that can keep the kids occupied while they wait.

Don’t imagine that eating out with kids is the same as dining without them.
When you take children to a restaurant the focus is not the cuisine or the atmosphere. It’s all about controlling the excitement and boredom, teaching your children formal manners, and having quality family time.

Don’t stay too long after eating.
Keep your post-meal conversation short. The longer you stay, the more likely your children will run out of patience and act up. Ask for to-go boxes and the check at the same time you order your food.  This way, if you have to leave because of a tired or whiny child, you can make a fast get away

Don’t make the kids eat what they don’t like.
Stick with familiar foods when possible. If the grilled cheese sandwich your child ordered turns out to be Swiss cheese on sourdough allow your child to eat the French fries and pack up the sandwich to go. A restaurant is not the place to battle over new and unfamiliar foods.

Don’t stay if you’re not having fun.
If a child’s behavior gets out of hand, take her to the restroom or out to the car for a break so that she can calm down. If she continues to misbehave, don’t be afraid to ask for doggie bags and leave the restaurant. But don’t give up! Review your expectations and try again.

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Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) by Elizabeth Pantley http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth

I find writing reviews on clothes hard to do, because isn’t a shirt just a shirt?  That is what I thought until my package from barley and birch arrived. I have bought lots of organic clothes for my kids,but these are my favourite.  As a mom, the “cool” factor is important to me, but so is the fact that a shirt will last a long time and look good!  And  can say many, many washes our barley and birch gear is a favourite of both me and the kids.

Our 4 year old loves the cactus tshirt we got him, and I love no matter what the stain is (strawberries, grass or something that we have no idea what it is!) it comes out with no effort what-so-ever.

Other than looking super cool in our gear, we know that buying from barley and birch is a good idea for the planet.

Environmentally, we decided to make every single facet of the line carbon neutral. Not only do we offset any emissions created by production and shipping, but we work with manufacturers and suppliers that are largely powered by solar energy. We chose only certified organic cotton and water-based inks, so we do not pollute the air and water with chemicals. We are made in the United States, so we do not emit the massive amount of carbon associated with trans-ocean shipping. We are largely paper-free and any paper involved with the line is 100% post-consumer recycled. Essentially, we chose to go beyond the level of convenience to be fair to our planet and to our customers.

Check out the stores below to purchase your barley & birch:

eConscious Market
www.econsciousmarket.com/site/Vendors/barley_and_birch/

fawn&forest
http://www.fawnandforest.com/designers/239/products

Gretchen & Grace
www.gretchenandgrace.com

In a June 2008 article, financial columnist Gordon Powers wrote, “Too many people don’t really understand how to manage money, which may be why they have so little of it to work with”. In his article, he quotes Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty who said “many Canadians struggle with unmanageable debt, fail to save adequately for emergencies, college or retirement, and generally make countless other poor financial choices that eventually leave them worse off. The root cause? Financial illiteracy”.

On January 27, 2009 Minister Flaherty tabled “Budget 2009: Canada’s Economic Action Plan”. In his speech he announced new measures “to raise the level of financial literacy” of Canadians by “establishing an independent task force… on a cohesive national strategy on financial literacy”.

At Moonjar, we believe that teaching financial literacy needs to begin at a young age. Since 2001, Eulalie Scandiuzzi, the creator of Moonjar, has been providing fun products that focus on financial life skills and the art of communication for independent young minds.

The Moonjar Moneybox, a teaching bank divided into three individual compartments for Saving, Spending and Sharing. It is a tool parents can use to teach positive money habits to their children and that helps create opportunities for conversations about money.

Brent Dobson from Moonjar Canada says “teaching children about money can be challenging for parents. The Moonjar Moneybox is a tool that helps open the money conversation and provides valuable financial skills. Children will visualize what their money can be used for. Moonjars offer an opportunity for kids to manage their money by teaching them how to

use it – through the concepts of Save, Spend and Share. They provide parents with a fun, financial literacy tool for their family.”

Moonjar offers these tips to parents for starting the conversation about money:

• Talk with your young children about money concepts. Most children, beginning at age 4 or 5, are visual learners, so using hands-on tools like cheque registers and moneyboxes can better help them learn concepts such as allocating funds and what interest means.

• Set goals and prioritize. Use pictures to help them visualize their goals and then prioritize what they are saving for, what the want to spend their money on, and with whom or with what they want to share their money. Set short and long term goals then discuss where the balance should be spent and shared on an ongoing basis.

• Discuss the difference between wants and needs. Working with them to set goals will help in overcoming the desire for “instant gratification”.

• But… let them make a few mistakes. Children, like adults, learn from their mistakes. From time to time, allow your child to buy a toy you believe will not be enjoyed very long, for example. Sure, they may be disappointed in a few weeks, but many lessons can be learned from this experience. Encourage them, without guilt, to plan their future purchases, weigh the cost and the benefit of their choices and to think twice next time, even sleep on it.

• Encourage young giving and youth philanthropy. Help your children understand that they are part of a larger world community through discussions about sharing their money and/or donating time to causes of their choosing.

• Be a good role model. Make sure your children see you doing the things that you are teaching them. Let them in on your bill paying, savings and investment plans and charitable giving. Discuss your attitudes and philosophies about money and tell them your dreams for how your money can fuel your passions.

Above all, keep the conversation about money open and honest and help teach your kids valuable money lessons.

Aritlcle by Bent Dobson of Moonjar Canada.

In our house, we have realized that a happy house, has a lot to do with organization.  Our house isn’t full of stuff and we’ve set limits on toys for kids and as we get new things most times we purge older things to the Goodwill or Value Village.

Here are some great products and tips to keep your kids rooms organized and tidy, which means mornings will be a lot smoother for the whole family.

For our little girls room, I love the Cupcake Storage from the Joey and Jane Collection from KangaRoom.   There is nothing yummier than these hold-alls. These 2 storage bags are perfect for all sorts of items, including socks, hair ribbons, headbands, Legos, doll clothes, stuffed animals, art/craft supplies, school supplies, games, photos, belts and more. We have used it as toy storage bags as well as clothing storage bags.   We took it on vacation with us, to help keep our room neat and tidy while away!

To keep the kids closets organized the days of the week hanging shelves have five separate compartments for outfits for every day of the school week, after school activities and sports uniforms. They also have elastic side pockets for shoes, socks, underwear and accessories.  

A great idea is to get the week’s worth of clothes and things needed for the week ready on the weekend.  It only takes a few minutes are saves everyone time on Monday morning.

KangaRoom offers amazing products from everything from your babies nursery to your office. If you are looking to get organized it’s a great place to shop, with wonderful customer service.

In this world, where my 3 year old can use a mouse on my computer, as well as, if not better than me online safety is another part of ’street proffing’ your kids.  

While we are not that stage of chat rooms, messenger or Facebook, we will soon be, It’s never to early to talk about online safety with your kids.

The Street Smart Kidz program is a great site for general safety and they have a wonderful ‘contract’ for parents to discuss with children and for the child to sign.

 With rules like, I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable and many more, it is worth the visit. 

How to fly, stay, and eat for less…

The weather’s bad and the news is gloomy; time to escape with the family for a week and decompress on a beach - right? Unfortunately, the economy is just as nasty as the weather and the news, and many are opting for “staycations” or canceling their travel plans altogether. For me, neither are appealing options… If I stayed close to home I’d never relax or let go of the chores that need tending to. If I cancelled our trip, I’d be even more miserable.

Back pre-baby, I was the cheapest traveler around. I flew on rickety airlines at awful times, I stayed at hostels and tiny b&bs, and I’d live for days on end on nothing but bread, cheese, and wine. But now that travel involves more than a backpack on my back and time on my hands, I’ve found it a challenge to travel on the cheap while still maintaining a certain level of comfort and safety for my daughter. However, I’ve now got a number of trips with her under my belt, and I’ve leaned some money-saving tricks along the way.

The economic crisis has affected the travel industry as well, so if you’ve already socked away your travel money, you may find it goes further than you were expecting it to with reduced prices on different types of packages. However, if you’re building a trip from scratch, here are some ways to fly, stay, and eat for less…

Kids, no matter what are awalys happiest on the beach!

Flying for less:

If you’re close (even close-ish) to an American gateway, it’s often worth the extra travel time to fly out of The States. For example, flying direct to Tampa from Buffalo added about 2 hours to our journey (we got lucky at the border) but the total cost for all 3 of us to fly was less than the cost of one fare on a Canadian carrier. Long-term parking from Buffalo airport worked out to less than $10 a day. Some hotels nearby even offer free parking for up to 2 weeks (plus shuttle to and from the airport) if you stay with them the night before your flight. Just a quick peek at some fares on US carriers for the third week of January: Buffalo to Tampa return: $215 USD, Burlington, VT to Cancun: $404 USD, Bellingham, WA to San Diego: $178.50. All prices quoted are taxes-in!

If a US gateway is not a possibility for you, keep your eyes peeled for seat sales and charter sell-offs. Also note that a mid-week departure is often significantly less than Saturdays or Sundays.

Staying for less:

They say that that travel is one industry that has been completely revolutionized by the Internet, and the Internet is your friend when looking for deals on accommodation. If you

‘re looking for a small, family-friendly motel or b&b, chances are they have a website and chances are there are reviews to be found online as well. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the hotels that are part of a package also book separately and the rate is often reduced. This works out well for you if you’ve done your research and found a great flight online! The types of deals usually to be had are 7 nights for the price of 5 and amazing mid-week deals as well. As with any brochure, the web site of any hotel is meant to sell the property and may very well glamorize the rooms and amenities. This is where online reviews come in. Once you’ve sorted out your flight and hotel, you can then prepare to save money elsewhere.

Eating for less:

In a word: self-cater (ok, technically that’s two!) This was never an appealing option for me as I thought cooking on holiday was not my idea of a good time. However, the more we’ve done it, the more I prefer it. Not only do we eat healthier and save lots of money, I’ve also come home at least the same weight as I left (I’ll admit to a bit of a self-control issue when it comes to buffets).

In order to make your self-catering experience as stress-free as possible, locate the nearest grocery store online before you go and have a few snacks and essentials on-hand so you’re not scrambling as soon as you check in. We also keep our breakfasts and lunches very simple, and go out for nice dinners. A loaf of bread, a few spreads, a box of cereal, milk, juice, cold cuts, fruit and pre-sliced veggies (and often prepared salads) have kept us full and satisfied with a minimum amount of fuss or dishes. We’ll indulge in a couple of great brunches to fulfill the requisite vacation bacon & eggs, but otherwise our mornings are less rushed and if our early riser decides to rise extra-early, we’re not constantly checking the clock to check out when the restaurant opens!

Beer and wine are usually available at grocery stores in most other countries, and usually at incredibly low prices. If you’re not renting a car, have one stay back with the kids while the other shops and grabs a cab back to your hotel.

The bottom line:

Travel is a luxury, and tough times often means giving up luxuries. But for me, travel has become a necessity, so I have to find ways to make our money go further. While this has sometimes meant staying in minimalist accommodation and/or curtailing fancy activities, my daughter only knows she’s on a fun adventure with mommy and daddy and their full attention. She was just as happy on the beach with a bucket & shovel as she was at Disney World, and so were we!

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

With 2008 drawing to a close we wanted to share with you York Region Parent’s Top 10 Favourite Baby & Kids Products of 2008. We see hundreds of products each year and here are the best for your baby & kid spending dollars! 

1) Birthday Invites from Grace Annoucements - Located in Newmarket, Grace Announcements creates custom, and I mean custom invites for your kids birthday parties.  I sent Lindsay a few pictures of my soon-to-be one year old and said, “purple and pink flowers”as her birthday theme and she created this birthday invite/keepsake for our now, toddlers first birthday. 

2) Ladybugs & Lullabies Hair Clips - As we posted this year,  ”I really can’t tell you how much I love everything about Ladybugs & Lullabies, makers of amazingly unique hair clips and accessories for babies & toddlers. As my little one’s hair is starting to get longer I have really gotten in this accessorizing clips with outfits. I did infact just place another order including Strawberry Fields (too cute) as well as some ladybug clips.”  This company has become one of our favourite and top of our minds when we hear a friend is expecting a little girl!    They aren’t just our favourite, they have recently been featured on People. com and received thank yous are kudos from many celebrity parents.  Way to go to another Canadian-mom run company!

3) Peanut Shell® Nursing Cover from Along Came Baby - I could not have made it through this year without our Peanut Shell Nursing Cover.  I loved that it allowed from easy and discreet breastfeeding and clothing adjustments. 

4) Ugg’ems from baby magoo - A really simple and inexpensive, yet quality hand-made toy that is ergonomically designed to fit perfectly under the arm of your toddler.  Our preschooler won’t sleep unless his “bear” as he calls it is right beside him.

5) Pliko P3 Classico - Surf - While I loved my Quinny Zapp from just one little one.  I needed something that my baby could ride in or sleep in and had a preschooler standing board on the back, for those long walks.  I absolutely love this stroller!  It’s been a great stroller for us, including a trip to Florida where after walking for miles and miles our preschooler could hop on the board on the back for a speedy way home. It even worked along the beach! 

6)  Little Twig Soap & Shampoos -Now available Wild Child Baby Boutique on Main Street in Newmarket, little twig products provide families with a safe and natural bath time alternative. Their products are free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, artificial fragrances, and packaged in recyclable PET bottles.  Some of the yummy smelling stuff around!

7) Stonz Boots - BEST baby/toddler boots ever!  We are at an awkward stage in our house.  Our 12 month old can walk, but regular winter boots kept falling off.  So, we went to Baby In Gear, a fabulous baby & kids store in Aurora to buy the Canadian invented and made Stonz Wear boots. These boots are warm and cuddly and stay on! 

Pediped Shoes - I really loved the few pairs of Pediped shoes we bought for our daughter.  Their originals collection are cute and slipper like, but are soft soled leather shoes that are great for little feet and good looking.  We are excited to try their new flex styles for older feet this year

9) Name Your Tune CDs - Now that we are on to our second Name Your Tune CD, it’s still amazing to dance to music with our daughter’s name throughout the songs. She loves to dance around the playroom to her one of a kind CD.

10) Labels from Mabel’s Labels - This year we ditched the black permanment marker and went with labels from Mabel’s to label all our kids gear.  If it leaves the house we label it!  Our 3 year old’s teacher just loves how easy the labels are to read on shoes, boots, jackets and even toys.   I am in love with their labels for the kitchen and with a new years resolution of being more organized, I have a head start!

When we saw Shains last month we became big fans right away. Shains are a very cool gift for tweens and teens or anyone who has something to say!   Shains manufactures bracelets, necklaces, pet collars, hair bands, key chains, and much more all designed to work with Shains interchangeable icons and letters.

Here are the things we love about Shainsware

• they are dedicated to producing eco-friendly products that are useful and empowering. 
• they donate a percentage of net profits to environmental organizations. 
• Shains products are made of recycled and recyclable parts and everything Shains produces is certified lead free. 
• Shains packaging is also recycled and recylable. 

StinkyKids is a fresh & fun line of kids clothes with a motto moms can get behind:  “Always be a leader of good”.  

With multicultural designs you’ll most likely find a StinkyKid design that looks like your child, and as a bonus they even have sizes for moms!

We like the fact that StinkyKids are regular kids that make good choices. As we start teaching our preschooler about telling the truth and reminding him about the manners we expect we like the fact that the designs at StinkyKids capture the most treasured moments of childhood. Whether it’s a princess, a golfer, a ballerina, or kid in a bathing suit, each one captures a moment of childhood. As StinkyKids says, “a little sentiment and a lot of spunk are a part of each and every StinkyKid!”

Coupon for our readers: just enter TEN (in caps) and receive 10% all on line orders now until December 31, 2008.