Read books

If Brother and Sister Bear move from a cozy cave high up in the mountains to a big tree house in the heart of bear country then your kid can too. Books can be a great resource when preparing your young children for a big change in their lives. The written word and illustration have the ability to explain that unfamiliar things have rewards and benefits. Reading takes the pressure of a parent to come up with the ‘right’ words. Your biggest difficulty may be consoling the kid when they find out your new house isn’t in a tree.

Talk about it

Moving to a different home is not like getting a vaccination. This move will inject more change then an itchy red sore. Your conversations with them should reflect their developmental age. A school age child might be comforted in knowing that friendships can continue despite the distance. Get them scrapbooking about their big move and encourage them to email or even snail mail their buddies. My 3 year old thought that when we sold our house it included the contents. I could see her relief when she understood that CareBear would be in the moving truck with us.

Pack with Purpose

Start to pack early and methodically. Why start in the kid’s bedroom when you can start in the hallway closet? Children are comforted by their familiar surroundings. Sort toys ahead but wait until the last possible moment to put them in a box. Give your child a box to decorate and allow them to fill it with their most precious items. This box will travel in your car and be the first box unpacked in your new home.

Continue with Life

Preparing for a move can be time consuming. Just remember to make fun a priority. Take a break from wrapping glassware to dance in your uncluttered living room or get outside and play tag in the sunshine. Your kids will feel more secure if your routine remains consistent. Try to avoid excessive amounts of take out and instead focus on easy one pot or quick prep meals to fill your tummies. There will be plenty of time to sample take out from every restaurant within 5 km of your new postal code.

Whether you are upsizing or downsizing keep these simple tips in mind. So you can spend less time adjusting and more time enjoying your new home.

Stephanie Raposo

- Combine first three ingredients and bring to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Mix with cooked noodles of choice.
- Add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.

Original recipes by Chef Jordan Wagman, reprinted with permission from Sweetpea Baby Food and Organic Snacks.

Provide lots of free play, minimal structured activities and lots of snack foods for the kids.  Be mindful of possible food allergies and stick to basics.  Don’t forget the adults when planning your shopping list, though. Parents will need lots of nourishment to keep up with their little balls of energy!

Also try to keep the guest list small with similar aged kids.  This will keep them occupied and reduce the variety of activities needed.  Be sure to pack away any treasured toys that will cause a tug of war between tots as well as having multiples of all toys around.  Remember, this age group is not known for their sharing abilities.

Some possible theme ideas include:

1) Zoo / Old Macdonald’s Farm – A visit to a zoo or farm would fit this theme nicely.  Or you could make your own zoo by placing stuffed animals around the room.  An easy cake choice would be a simple slab cake with plastic animals neatly placed on top.

2) Colors- Decorate in all things primary colors…banners, streamers, balloons.  Cupcakes could be decorated brightly and placed on a blue tray (sky) with ribbons attached under them (balloons) all collating into a big bouquet.

3) #1- Use trophies filled with snacks for interesting table décor.  How cool would it be to fill a trophy cup with goldfish crackers and label it Catch of the Day???  Or maybe a large basin trophy filled with hot dogs could be labeled TOP DOG! Loot bags or prizes might include medals made of gold coin chocolates attached to a ribbon with a #1 written on top.  A simple cake idea would be to cut a slab cake into a #1 shape.

4) All About Me- Decorate the room with a 12-flag banner or poster collage of pictures of your little one from each month of their first year.  Choose all your child’s favorite foods and display all of his favorite toys…remember the multiples!  Perhaps you could even read the group his favorite book?  The obvious cake choice would be one of those cool photo cakes that most bakeries are now making.

5) Messy- Picture magic mud, flubber, finger paints, dirt/sand to dig, and of course bubbles to wash them all off!  Food choices could include jell-o jigglers, puddings, popsicles and ice cream sundaes instead of cake.  You may even get adventurous and have children decorate their own cupcakes or sugar cookies in lieu of a loot bag.  Or, bypass all of these and serve the kids individual dirt cakes in a mini flower pot. Attach a small packet of seeds for them to plant after they’ve eaten their treat.

6) No theme- In the summer, this could involve baby pools, sprinklers and water toys.  Don’t forget the bubbles and the sidewalk chalk!  In the winter, stations of mega blocks, small balls, books and puzzles would work nicely.

If all else fails, hire entertainment. Clowns, magicians, face painters, balloon artists and bouncy castles are likely not the best choice for this age group.  You might consider hiring a room at a local play area (think Crash Crawly’s, Koko’s, etc), or you might want to rent a table at the train at Confederation Park.  These places cater better to an older group, though so this would be a better option if the guest list is mostly older children.  For children of all ages, look into Music Together Musicians to lead a fun sing-a-long or Sportball Coaches to instruct a bouncy ball session.

If older kids have been invited to the party, be sure to leave out stations for them to enjoy as well.  Things as simple as laces and beads to loop, coloring pages, music makers from recycled materials will do wonders to entertain them.

Loot bags are a little trickier at this age.  Dollar store items are not the best option as they are easily broken and usually contain many small parts.  Instead, go for small board books or coloring books.  Stickers are also a sure fire hit.

If you still need inspiration for a cool theme or cake, check out this website.

Remember the point is to celebrate baby’s first year.  Don’t go overboard with too much planning and be sure to enjoy your little one’s special day.  Be sure to take loads of pictures of baby’s first cake smash!!  And, most importantly, plan for some down time at the end of the party because you’re all sure to be exhausted!

For more ideas, see Jill’s One Year Old Birthday Party Article.

- Lauren

Photo: Anatoliy Samara

“Only 25%* of parents hydrate properly,” says Dara Duff-Bergeron, mom and personal trainer. “While juggling carpool, volunteering in the classroom and taking care of a sick child, parents often forget to drink fluids and replenish lost vitamins and nutrients.”

Keeping up with the little ones can definitely be a balancing act (parents can burn up to 150-300  calories an hour chasing after their kids – about the same as a yoga class!), so it’s important for parents to find time to care for their own health by properly exercising and refueling. here are some tips courtesy of glacéau vitaminwater to help busy parents keep their health top of mind and make sure that they don’t run out of steam before the kids do this summer:

1.  get your hit of hydration. avoid the headaches and fatigue which can be caused by dehydration by pro-actively reminding yourself to get enough liquid intake. try using your child’s schedule as a guide.  for instance, when planning your day, try penciling in “hydration times” when the kids wake-up, during nap-time and in between their scheduled summer activities (e.g. day camp, play dates, summer school etc.)

2.  stock pile your energy. if you know you will be out and about, pack nutritious snacks and drinks not only in the kids’ knapsacks, but in yours as well to keep your energy and hydration levels in check.  stock up on fruits and vegetables that are high in water content (e.g. apples, oranges, cucumbers, broccoli, green beans etc.) along with hydrating with nutrient-rich beverages such as glacéau vitaminwater to help replace the liquids, carbohydrates and vitamins that are lost throughout the day.

3.  turn ‘play time’ into exercise. use your children’s activities as an opportunity to break a sweat.  play tag and push swings while at the park, run sprints on the sidelines of the soccer field, do some laps at the swimming pool or go on a bike-ride together. If you’re a newer parent, try putting on a baby carrier and doing interval training.  don’t be afraid to get creative; the most important thing is to get moving!

4.  monitor your drinking.  adults need 2-3L of fluids per day to stay adequately hydrated – and even more in extreme heat or when exercising.  nursing mothers need to be especially mindful of fluid intake as hydration is essential to milk production!  try this trick with your water bottle to help keep track: place 4-6 rubber bands on a 500 ml bottle (or 2-3 rubber bands for a 1L bottle) and remove one each time you refill your bottle.  filling your bottle with other hydrating beverages, such as glacéau vitaminwater, counts too.  once you’ve removed all your rubber bands, you know you’ve had enough fluids for the day.

5.  in utero:  a mommy-to-be? exercising during pregnancy is safe and beneficial as long as you follow the guidelines outlined by your doctor.  a good way to get your daily cardio in, whether this is your first or fourth pregnancy, is to put on your running shoes and hit the pavement for long walks.  and don’t forget to keep the hydration coming – you are drinking for two.

6.  set an example:  while the kids enjoy popsicles at the end of a summer’s day, most parents are tempted by a fruity cocktail or a cold beer.  try your best to avoid it.  alcohol is a diuretic which will cause fatigue and deplete energy.  choose healthier options that will keep you going through to baths, bedtime stories and midnight diaper changes.

Just in time for summer sports and outdoor family playtime, Glacéau Vitaminwater is now available across Canada in convenient 355ml four bottle multi-packs for a suggested retail price of $5.49.

*vegetarian times, january 1998 – 2008

Core Education and Fine Arts is Canada’s first Junior Kindergarten School.  It was begun by Natacha Beim, a vibrant and brilliant teacher who saw a need to prepare children more thoroughly for kindergarten.  Internationally (in France, England, China, Japan and many other countries), pre-kindergarten programs are standardized and children are given essential tools that set them in good stead for future education.  The CEFA program is unique in Canada because it follows the international standard for pre-kindergarten learning.  Parents have the choice of enrolling their preschoolers from 2-5 days per week, and classes run from 7:30 – 6pm.  It is highly recognized for its leading academic program, as well as its excellent curriculum in the fine arts and athletics, designed to develop and challenge young children intellectually and physically.  The well-rounded and flexible offerings enable a child to acquire knowledge in many different ways, as no child learns in exactly the same way as another.

“The decision to participate is the child’s, which emphasizes one of CEFA’s  goals: to give the child autonomy and responsibility over his or her education ( I learn because I like to learn ). Creating a passion for learning in life is an essential step in your child’s learning path.”

UrbanMommies toured one facility (there are currently 9 in BC) and we were super-impressed.  Arts are explored, languages are learned, and children are taught at their own pace but within a beautiful structure that apparently results in the exceptional behaviour I witnessed in the elevator.

Drama, Yoga, French. Culture Immersion (who wouldn’t want to try on clothes from all over the world?)..  The school also includes a a gym painted to resemble a circus, a cinema, art room and library.  A resident chef prepares breakfast and lunch for teachers and students, and a fitness trainer is also on hand.  Despite the uniforms, chef and excellence, the place is not in the least bit snooty – just in case you’re wondering.

“Each child has a schedule, drawn to reflect his or her unique abilities and made up by CEFA in consultation with parents. The schedule is broken up by play times, family time, project time, relaxation, naps and movies as well as breakfast and lunch. Every week, the children can also look forward to field trips.”

One of the great things about CEFA is that because it is an educational program, working parents are able to deduct tuition expenses to a maximum of $7000 per year, per child. This amount is directly deducted from the earnings of the lower income-earner in the household when filing your taxes.

Creating Renaissance-kids, exposure to fitness, languages, arts, an international learning standard, a chef and naptime too.  Heaven.  If only every child throughout Canada could have the opportunity to develop in such a special environment!  We’ll cross our fingers for more expansion and keep you posted.  In the meantime, I’m off to yoga.  Must not be eclipsed by my preschooler.

www.cefa.ca

Photo features Ms. Natacha Beim and was provided by CEFA.

For other approaches on schooling, check our Waldorf and Montessori articles.

Other tips and requirements: www.dhs.gov

If you’ve purchased a package holiday where your transfers are included, you probably can get away with not bringing it, so long as you don’t have big plans to leave the resort.  Your airport transfers and any package tours you book will likely be by coach bus, where no car seat is required.  However, if you’re heading down South and planning on renting a car or touring around via cab, you might want to think about lugging it along.  Car rental agencies or taxi firms in smaller destinations may not have any (or any suitable) car seats for you to rent, and the roads can be quite wild.  Sometimes it can be a challenge finding cabs with functioning seat belts, but most places that rely on tourism dollars can usually scrounge up a car that will suit your needs.  You may get an incredulous look or even an eye roll, but isn’t your child’s safety worth it?

If you’ll be mostly exploring urban destinations and using public transit to get around, the car seat will definitely be cumbersome, and perhaps not entirely necessary – though small infants that are still in their “bucket” car seats may be comfiest and safest to stay in said seat. Some don’t require a base for all usage and bringing along a frame to snap it into means you can avoid lugging the big stroller along.   Book your airport transfers with a car company that can supply seats, or a shuttle bus where seats aren’t necessary.  Now on the market there’s gear that can make your life a little easier (not to mention your conscience) by helping keep your child safe while you’re out and about.  The Safe Rider Travel Vest seems like a good alternative to hauling along your massive seat just for the occasional cab ride. The Sit ‘N’ Stroll (shown) seems to be pretty popular, but to me it looks like a massive seat to lug and not-that-great a stroller.  Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

We’ve always brought our own car seat along.  It’s a bare bones, lightweight car seat that’s suitable for travel.  We attach it to one of our rolling suitcases with a bungee cord, and even on trips where it isn’t used, just having it with us brings piece of mind.  I once got “flamed” on a message board, when I suggested to another mother that she bring her twins’ car seats on a trip.  The “flamer” mocked that she should pack her microwave as well.  Here’s the thing: it’s not always easy to find places to rent clean and functioning car seats.  If you’re not sure, isn’t your baby’s safety worth a little inconvenience?

Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel – your online guide to family travel with babies and toddlers.  Connect with her online at www.havebabywilltravel.com or www.twitter.com/hvbabywilltrvl