UM: Katherine, considering how profound role modeling is at this age, what do you look for in a new teacher?
KD: First and foremost, I look for a positive minded person who full of enthusiasm – someone with an authentically loving, joyful nature. I also look for someone who respects others and treats others the way they want to be treated.

If I was going to make a shopping list of qualities, I say joyful, loving, positive, patient, understanding, compassionate, confident, creative, encouraging, enthusiastic, forgiving and respectful

UM: What do you think makes a good role model?
KD: A good role model needs to be able to make mistakes and recover confidently. Nobody’s perfect. We want people to know that everyone makes mistakes and it’s not the end of the world. So I look for someone who embodies forgiveness as well.

A good role model also demonstrate confidence in themselves and in the people they are inspiring. I still remember teachers who believed in me and encouraged an expression of myself without judgment. I hope that I hire teachers who help children to celebrate who they are.

UM: Elisa, as a new teacher, what makes a good role model?
E: Putting positivity into a learning experience and offering a positive influence to those you’re in contact with. It’s also important to provide a safe environment where it’s ok to make mistakes and take risks. I salute the parents who come in allow themselves to be vulnerable and model for their children and share their experiences with the group. I think a role model needs to be supportive.

UM: Who have been good role models to you?
E: Well it might sound cliché but my Mom has been a good role model to me because she’s always made learning fun and allowed me to feel supported and confident in the choices I made. My mother taught me that making learning fun is the best approach – learning without knowing that you’re learning!

UM: What qualities about you make you a good role?
E: I sincerely like to have fun. I’ve had a lot of experience around children and everything I’ve done seems to involve kids so it’s easy for me to bring out my fun, enthusiastic side and find those qualities in myself that kids will look up to. And I think of my mom and what she’s taught me about learning.

I also think I’m good at putting people at ease when they walk in so that they feel comfortable being there and participating.

While it is important to have a good role model in the teacher, the parent is the best role model for any child, which is why classes with active parent participation are an excellent choice for families with young children. The teacher becomes not only a good role model for the child, but also for the parents.

UM: Parents need support and encouragement too!

Talk is one thing. Actually being involved is far more powerful. Kids start to feel, ‘this is what our family does’ which is much more profound learning than this is what I do once a week for fun. Role modeling is a powerful force in any young child’s life. Planning these kind of character building activities will draw the family together and create a common ground for social and emotional development.

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
- James Baldwin, an American novelist, writer, playwright, poet, essayist and civil rights activist.

Space still available at in the West Side Music Together’s fall session and registration begins starting August 2nd.  Classes take place at St. Stephen’s church across from the new West Vancouver Community Centre.

WestSideMusicTogether.ca

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

1. Go to your favourite park on a sunny day and chances are you’ll get some live music. A saxaphone, choir or impromptu dancers can often be found in Urban parks.
Cost: money in the hat.
Kid-Friendliness: Kids can run, and you can stay for as long as you like.
Effort: Take a walk in the park.

2. Stick a tot in a stroller and do an Urban Hike, You can each grab a notebook and pen, and have some fun. Depending on the age of your child, you can find shapes, images in media billboards, graffiti tags, or colours.
Cost: Free
Kid-Friendliness: Excellent.
Effort: Minimal. Making up a ‘game’ that is age appropriate.

3. PWYC. Get to know your city and what is offered. If you can ‘Pay What You Can’, a play or ballet where little ones may only last one act isn’t a big financial loss. Art galleries often have free dates or times, and rush (last minute) tickets for performances are often available at a huge discount.
Cost: What you can Afford
Kid-Friendliness: Great if you find something with an intermission that will hold your child’s interest.
Effort: Search the net (or UrbanMommies Events) and find out when the deals happen.

4. Student Exhibits. Art colleges often have exhibitions of student work, theatre schools offer free performances, and musicians can be heard from outside conservatories. Walk by some day and a cacophony can be heard.
Cost: Free
Kid-Friendliness: Dart whenever you must.
Effort: Walk home a different way to hear some music practice.

5.  Festivals.  Look in your local paper for times and dates of Folk Music Festivals, Exhibitions, Festivals of Dance and Theatre.  Summer is always a great time for these.  February?  Kiwanis music festivals also offer great performances by youth and when your little ones see their peers with a cello in hand, they may beg to learn an instrument.

Enjoy, and ‘Viva La Vie Boheme!’

- Jill Amery loves the arts.