Congratulations to Belinda: winner of the Maple Leaf Goodie Bag giveaway!

Maple Leaf Foods partnered with Matchstick hosted a Maple Leaf Roundtable event held at Quincy Cooking School in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Invited to this event were 20 other mommy bloggers located in the Vancouver area along with myself to listen to Jeanette Jones Vice President, Communications for Maple Leaf and Sharon Beals Senior VP, Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Maple Leaf.

Both Jeanette and Sharon did a great job in sharing the commitment that Maple Leaf is making to becoming a global leader in food safety as a result of the incident that occurred in August 2008 with the Listeriosis illnesses and tragic deaths that were linked to their products.

Sharon Beals shared all of the actions that they are taking as an organization to not only ensure that they will never be in a position like that of August 2008 but that as an organization they will be a leader in food and safety within their 91 plants across the globe. 

What I was very pleased to see what the open and honest nature that Maple Leaf Foods put forth during our discussion.  They opened the floor to questions and since the audience was made up of not only mommy bloggers….but, moms themselves, there were some very pointed questions thrown at the Maple Leaf Executives.  It was a frank discussion that assured me and the other mommy bloggers that Maple Leaf has taken all of the necessary steps to prevent an outbreak from re-occurring.  These steps span from significantly increasing their cleaning practices and implementing unannounced “spot checks” in each of their plants to becoming GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) certified.  This certification isn’t something that all meat plants ARE REQUIRED to take part in.  Maple Leaf Foods has chosen to take the necessary steps to become certified which was great to see.

As a mom of two young children who eat prepared meat on a regular basis I was keen to understand the steps taken by an organization like Maple Leaf Foods to ensure safety in the food preparation.  And I have to tell you that I was pleasantly surprised.

Then the fun part came….we were served a wonderful dinner of the various Maple Leaf Product Line (see pics below) and had time to mingle with the other mommy bloggers and talk about our thoughts on what we had just learned.  It was a fun night overall and I am very pleased to have taken part in a great and informative evening.  Below are pictures of me and Naomi Jesson, Wendy Irene and the other wonderful Mommy and Dad Bloggers who attended.

Thanks Maple Leaf Foods!

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As all sports moms and moms-alike do on a daily basis….keeping the family team organized while balancing a hectic schedule is no small feat.  The organizational skills required to chauffeur everyone around and to get to events on time, while being the loudest cheerleader on the sidelines doesn’t leave a ton of time for making dinner or other important chores around the household.

So, here are some tips to keep you on top of things, the family on track and everyone having fun.

Planning: Keep them Organized

It’s easy to keep yourself organized….but, keeping the little munchkins organized as well is a tough gig.  Therefore, the best way to keep everyone communicating and up-to-date on plans is to centralize a “calendar of events” in one easy to see, central location around your house, such as on the fridge door…..all kids love to eat, right?.  Along with the sports practice and game schedule, be sure to include play-dates and school projects.

Transportation:  Getting them there on time!

Beside the list on the fridge, put another list of all the items you need for the day (include sports equipment, school supplies and food).  This way if everyone knows what items they are responsible for bringing they might be less likely to forget something.

Snacks: Keep them Energized

Pre-game snacks that are high in protein provide long-lasting energy.  Keep a cooler in the car that can hold pre-game munchies like veggies, yogurt, cheese slices and fruit.  Remember to bring drinks for hydration….a hydrated child is a happy child J

Pep Talks:  Keep them Positive

Rushing from one event to another can leave a child drained and negative.  Make sure you keep up an up-beat attitude and it will rub off on your kids.

Dinner:  Keep Them Growing

A warm meal is a great opportunity to regroup and discuss the day with your whole family….and their friends.  You never know who will show up for dinner.  Use easy recipes (try a slowcooker) that make enough food for leftovers or for unexpected guests.  Use your imagination….and try to keep dinner fun.

Sports Moms should never forget that the most important “tool” they have is their family.  From helping  to set the table to slicing cheese for snacks or organizing equipment in the back of the minivan (or SUV), when everyone chips in, there is less stress, more fun and a more cheerful Sports Mom!!!!

Being a Vancouver native, of course I have the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games on my mind at all times….gosh, who doesn’t…..it’s so exciting. But, what I found most intriguing was how my 5 year old daughter was reacting to all of the Olympic hype.

I honestly thought that my daughter would pass through the Olympics with little interest. However, quite the contrary, she is very interested and very excited. It all started when her kindergarten class started to learn all about the Olympics during class and what the Olympics mean to athletes all over the world (to my daughter the “world” consists of Canada, Mexico and Disneyland).

Her elementary school has brought in guest speakers of past Olympians telling stories about their journey to become an Olympic athlete and how they had to work extremely hard to accomplish their goals.

If that was me telling my daughter about how to accomplish her goals I would have lost her at “let’s have a talk”. However, she was so enthused at what these Olympic athletes had to say and she was genuinely interested in their past experiences.

Then I recently took her to the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Whistler, BC. There were thousands of people there and the excitement that was streaming through the city was electric. My daughter was up way past her bedtime in order to see the torch enter the city and didn’t even complain once. She loved every minute of it. My favorite part was right after the Olympic torch was lit the crowd started to sing the Canadian National Anthem. I have never heard my daughter belt out the lyrics……in fact; I didn’t even know she knew the lyrics…..so loudly!

Right after the ceremony we preceded directly to the Olympic store to buy my daughter her favorite Olympic Mascot Stuffy…..Muk Muk. My favorite is Quatchi so we had to buy one of those as well…..well, ok, we bought the whole set of four for an astounding $65 but it’s a once in a lifetime experience…right?

When we returned home from Whistler my daughter told her Nana all about the experience in Whistler and showed off her new mascot. She has really loved every minute of the Olympic experience so far….and the games haven’t even officially opened yet.

The moral of this story for me is that our children are never too young to experience wonderful things and to never underestimate the power of the Olympic experience.

Go for Gold Canada!!!!!

 Do your kids constantly ask for treats?  Does it seem like cookies and can, juice boxes and fast food meals are all they’re willing to eat?  You’re not alone – many kids are attracted to things that aren’t the best nutritional choices.  Maybe you are thinking, “they’re kids, it’s can’t be THAT bad for them.”

Let me share some frightening statistics from the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity (a problem so large that it has it’s own journal).

• Childhood obesity is the greatest health risk our kids face today
• By the year 2010 it is expected that 50% of all children will be overweight
• This is the first generation where kids have a lower life expectancy than their parents.

One thing that’s going on is that the average American child’s diet consists of one third junk food.  Snacks, candy and other prepackaged foods, desserts filled with fat and sugar make up a large portion of their daily intake.  And I’m not just talking about special occasions like Halloween and Christmas.  This is every day, all day.

The “food” that kids are eating is nutrient void but dense in calories and it’s often the lowest quality calories that you can find.  These are the choices that are placed at a child’s eye level in the grocery store, and it’s not by accident.  commercials promoting these high-sugar, high-fat, low-nutrition foods also air during your children’s favorite TV shows.  the commercials for these foods are filled with bright colours, music, action and the promise of something special.

An additional issue is that, as a nation, we are suffering from “portion distortion”, and this includes our children.  They are learning to super-size, and purchase “economy size” and “value size” meals themselves.  they are constantly being bombarded with unhealthy food choices and learning that “bigger is better”.

And then the problems of low-quality, high-volume eating are compounded by an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.  Think back to when you were a kid.  Chances are you played outside with the neighbourhood kids from after school until it became dark.  Kids today come home from school and many of them spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in front of the TV or computer screen.

So here’s a troubling equation for you:

Sedentary Lifestyle + High Fat/High Sugar Foods + Huge Portions = Overweight Kids

Now some kids have the opposite problem, instead of being sedentary, these kids have no down-time at all.  They are being shuffled from one activity to another day in and day out.  What are tehy eating during all of this “shuffle time”?  For many moms, the easiest way solution is either grabbing fast food to eat on the run, or grabbing some snacks for the kids to eat in the car.  See where I’m going here?

In our well-meaning attempts to give the best to our children, we push the limits until the only possible way to get everything done is to cut corners.  These corners frequently impact the food choices we make (for ourselves and our kids) when our lives become hectic and out of control.

So here’s another equation for you:

Overbooked Kids + Overstressed Moms + Convenience Foods = Overweight/Overstressed Kids

Take a look at how your lifestyle impacts your kids and see if it’s contributing to the development of unhealthy habits.  Consider making changes that make healthy choices and a sane lifestyle part of the plan for everyone in the family.  From stocking the snack cabinet with healthy choices, to making a plan to sit down as a family for a real dinner on a regular basis, to planning activities that get you all away from the TV for a few hours, you can make sure your kids start off on the right foot building a healthy lifestyle.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC The Mojo Coach™ is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science. She’s a Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert – just for moms, speaker and the author of The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best and From Mom To Wow: Your Ultimate Body, Mind and Life Makeover Guide. Debi’s been branded The Mojo Coach™ because for nearly 20 years she’s motivated overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to “get their mojo back” through gradual, lifestyle change. Visit Debi at TheMojoCoach.com

I believe you make your own luck and that a positive attitude and a thirst for new things in life can deliver you great opportunities and success. I am not one to “wish upon a star” or put a lot of faith in buying lottery tickets. Recently however, I have come to the conclusion that there may just be something to this lady luck thing. Up until very recently, it appears that in the bath department I have been extremely lucky indeed. Let me start by saying that having two young children (ages 5 and 2) having a sibling bath together, is a magical time that makes me think the world is a wonderful place.  My children laugh, play and giggle with unabashed abandon and have no concept of embarrassment as the romp around in their birthday suits. Bath time has been a joyful and relaxing event for the kids in our house since the day they were born. They have bathed together since the littlest one was able to sit on his own (supervised of course). Somehow through the last few years it appears I have won the lottery every bath time.  Because during the last bath just a few short days ago, a bath so similar to all others, something unexpected happened. Can you guess? I suspect you can. Oh yes, as I stood in the bathroom within eye and earshot I heard my daughter utter a disturbing and mind penetrating phrase. Her exclamation echoed through my ears and into my previously lucky and carefree bath brain. Those words my little 5-year-old uttered that struck fear into my normally serene bath time with the kids….were these short words……Mommy….he pooed! My brother pooed in the tub!

Ah how everything changed in an instant. No longer were my thoughts of bubbles and bath toys, of comfy towels and PJ’s. My thoughts were of germs and bleach and how to disinfect toys and my children.  I prepared myself for the worst as a peered over the edge of the tub into the abyss beyond. I squinted my eyes in an attempt to not see the scene before my eyes.  Alas, I had to open them fully to the mess that lay before me. I will spare you the awful details but sure enough, the former bubbly and clean bath water now had visitors of a more toilet nature, sourced from a fairly robust #2 from my toddler.

It was at this point that my parenting instincts kicked in and I surprised even myself at the efficiency I displayed. Children were asked to stand, rinsing was done and contact with the disturbing contents of the bath was minimized. Both kids were lifted out in an instant and rinsed quickly in the shower nearby. Hair was toweled and bodies dried. With the children out of immediate danger from the dreaded “kaka”, I turned my task to containment.

Hot water sprayed and thankfully the mess made it down the drain. The bath toys and bathmat on the other hand had more in store for them to disinfect and diffuse the situation. Order needed to be restored. Towels used to extract the kids and wipe feet as well as both the bath matt and tub matt were quickly whisked away to the washing machine like a presidential motorcade. Bleach was liberally used on the tub and the residue washed away. For the unfortunate toys, nothing less than a boiling cauldron of oil would do…in this case the oil was water and the cauldron was a saucepan. Nonetheless all the toys got a disinfecting courtesy of a rolling boil worthy of the finest Italian pasta, on our kitchen stove top.

After the chaos ended, I reflected on how to go back. Had a line been crossed and my luck run out? Was bath time no more? Of course not! It was just clearly time to start some serious potty training of my 2-year-old. The time had come to teach him about the potty and how to control his bathrooms. A great new chapter had opened up for me and I had known this day would come…just not so abruptly. There would be potty training, there would be bubbles and there would be many more baths for the kids together. And as for luck…well I still think I make my own,, but maybe, just maybe you will see me at the corner store sneaking the purchase of a lottery ticket into my purse. After all, might as well keep all options open.

Enjoy your baths and enjoy your potty training when the time comes.

Using a cell phone whilst driving has always been a pet hate of mine and I’m relieved to say that as of Jan 1^st 2010 it became illegal in BC. It has been illegal in Britain since 2003, although enforcing the law is proving to be difficult and a report just out suggests more people are using mobile phones while driving than before the penalties where introduced. When we left Vancouver last summer there was no such law. I lost count of the number of times we’d be driving behind someone and they’d suddenly slow to a crawl, start weaving around and making poor judgments at junctions. Sure enough, when we passed them they’d be chatting animatedly on their cell phone. Texting while driving has to be an even more ridiculous idea. I’m not good at concentrating at more than one thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a multitasking woman after all … but when I’m driving it needs all my attention. I have trouble changing a CD and don’t get me started on the GPS. There is no way on earth I’d be able to text someone. The USA’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says “driver inattention is a contributing factor in over 50 percent of all crashes.”

This leads me to bring up an equally dangerously distracted group of drivers: new moms! I’m not talking about that first drive home from the hospital where you sit in the back seat next to the baby cradling the car seat (which he is way too small for) while hubby drives home without exceeding 7mph. I’m talking about when you go solo. 50% of your time is spent looking in the rear view mirror after every application of the brakes to try and see if his wobbly little head has slumped forward, but of course you can’t see anything because he’s rear facing. God forbid he starts crying – then all concentration goes out the window. Your one objective now is to get to your destination as fast as you can so you can feed/change/comfort the baby. This initial nervous phase soon passes as you become more accustomed to your back seat passenger, but mommy’s driving attention is then drawn to driving with one hand on the wheel while the other reaches behind and ferrets blindly around in an attempt to retrieve the dropped toy, shoe, soother, snack that Junior is now screaming for. A “Baby on Board” sticker isn’t to tell others to treat your car and VIP passengers with extra respect; it’s to warn others to expect erratic driving.

All joking aside we have to admit: we moms are often distracted drivers and given that we have the most precious cargo on board it’s far from ideal. It’s tough, because that precious cargo – whether it be a crying infant, a cantankerous toddler or squabbling teens – can be very distracting. A few weeks ago I started following Mom Sends the Message on Twitter. Their campaign is urging drivers to keep their minds on the wheel.  

Their Pledge

• Driving while distracted can be more dangerous than driving drunk.
• As moms, we want safer roads.
• We know the time has come for us all to recognize the risks of distracted driving, to be more responsible and to mind the wheel.

I think it’s a good cause and one we should support. And perhaps we should start by looking at our own driving.

Lorraine is the co-Author of “The Survival Guide for Rookie Moms” Published by John Wiley and Sons and due out in bookstores come April 2010.  Also visit Lorraine on her website at www.survival4moms.com where she provides humorous, yet relevant articles regarding the first year of motherhood.

With two small children ages 5 and 2, any thought of a few days away for business or mini vacation comes with tremendous guilt. One of my top priorities as a Mom of two is to spend as much time as possible with my children and give them the utmost sense of security and stability that I can. Going away seems to counteract these two objectives as a parent. That being said, I strongly believe a few days to yourself once in a while, away from your children is not all bad and can actually promote independence and self-confidence (or so that’s what I tell myself). As devoted parents we also need to have some time to ourselves or with our significant other to decompress, recharge and stay focused on the long-term support of our little ones.

There are a few key strategies I think make a short getaway a good experience for both parents and children.

• First and foremost, the children need to have all the information. They need to know where and why you are going away and they need to have promises kept. The best thing is to tell them where you are going, how long you will be away (usually outlined in “number of sleeps” works well) and when you will be returning.
• If possible, call them daily before bed or in the morning to let them know them everything is alright and that you will be returning soon.
• Ensure that your children are cared for by someone they already have a relationship with and trust. Whether it be relatives, grandparents or a known babysitter or nanny, the kids must know that they are safe while mom is away.

Another nice touch I add when away for a few days, is to leave some surprises for them to open every day to remind them I am thinking of them. Some small tokens that I know they will enjoy are wrapped up and left for them to open each day that I am gone. The dollar store is great place for such items. Low cost but huge emotional value.

Finally, Making sure I deliver on my promises is the most important factor. If I say I am going to call at a certain time, I make sure I do. If I am going to be late or delayed in my return, I reset expectations and communicate the reasons why.

Consistent behavior and follow thru will make sure that every time you do need or want to get away for a few days, your children will know and trust that things will be ok and you will be returning when you say. That being said, every weekend is not a good idea for an adults only road trip, but even once or a few times a year will be beneficial for everyone…..especially mom and dad.

I was feeling a bit burnt out on the weekend so was in need of some fluffy TV—the kind that requires very few brain cells.

I flipped over to Slice and watched a slew of “Real Housewives”.

The problem was, I had to keep flipping away to more benign fare like This Old House Hour. It was train wreck TV at its worst.

I didn’t mind so much the drama, tantrums, or how one realtor from Orange County was trying to survive on $250,000/year (as opposed to the $1 million she was making the year before).

It was the scenes with the kids. Kids who were witness to swearing, table flipping (New Jersey), and general bad behavior.

I wanted to shake these women, and ask them to take a hard look at themselves. What kinds of lessons are they teaching (or not teaching) their kids? Don’t they realize how foolish they look?

In one scene, a mom’s 17-year-old son—the one who was having issues living on $250,000/year—chastised her for her spending sprees despite their tight budget. The mom sat there looking helpless, bemoaning the fact that she could no longer just go out for $400 lunches. When did the child become the parent?

Now I know this is TV fodder. It’s supposed to be over the top. It’s supposed to make you say “I’m glad I’m not you.”

However, it seems every other day I see examples of parenting that makes me wonder who’s the child and who’s the parent. And there are no better examples of childish adult behavior than during the morning drop-off at a school.

I help with traffic in the morning at our school, and once in a while I have to wonder who’s more mature: the parent or the child they’re dropping off. Parents yelling out the window that they should be able to drive where they want—even it means backing up through a crosswalk. Parents getting angry when they aren’t allowed to park in the no-parking zone. Parents honking in the parking lot.

All the while, their kids are in the backseat observing their behavior.

We’re all human, and I’m the first one to admit this. The other day, I had my own mini-meltdown when I burned the grilled cheese for the second time in a week. I was yelling at myself, trying not to curse, throwing pans and towels around. My kids were taken aback and steered clear. Later, I apologized to all of them. Who says parents don’t throw tantrums?

In our home, we sometimes run into debates when there seems to bet two sets of rules: one for parents, one for the kids. For example, my husband is prone to leaving his jacket son chairs. So when I ask my kids to take their jackets off the chairs and hang them up, I get “But Dad does it!”

Actions speak louder than words, and they speak volumes. Your children might not always listen to you—but they are watching. And they’re learning  a lot more than you might think.

Kim Dudra is a freelance copywriter based in Vancouver, B.C., and is the owner of re:fresh communications. She’s been known to juggle four kids’ schedules, three computers, two cats, and one cup of coffee, all at once. Kim is a featured writer for girlgetstrong.

How many times have you found yourself yelling this old refrain, usually while you’re cooking, or maybe even when you’re picking up the toys yourself?

Do you wish you could motivate your kids to help out more around the house–without the nagging and yelling?

Kids are much more capable and smarter than we often give them credit for. Beyond picking up their toys, it’s not unreasonable to expect children to help clear the dishwasher, set and clear the table, fill the dishwasher, fold their laundry and put it away, make and change their bed, vacuum or sweep floors, and help wash the car.

With the right incentives, structure, and coaching (note I didn’t say coaxing), your kids can–and will–do more around the house.

1. Be present. You’ll be a lot more effective if you’re in your child’s space, even down at their level. Don’t yell at them from another room or another floor. Can you imagine how you’d feel if your boss yelled at you from her office? Would you want to do anything for her?

2. Make it fun. I’ve always thought the word “chore” is exactly like it sounds: tedious and boring. If you can find a way to inject some fun into your kids’ jobs, then you might find they’re more willing to get the job done. Shoot “baskets” with stuffies, have races to see who can do something the fastest, or have contests and “titles” for the best (fill in the blank).

3. Be consistent. When you’re tired and weary, sometimes it seems so much easier just to do the job yourself. But by being consistent with your kids, you set up the right expectations and the jobs become habit-forming. Our kids take turns clearing out the dishwasher in the morning. They’ve been doing it for so long, most of the time they’ll just start without a word from me (unless, of course, they’re arguing over whose turn it is).

4. Lead by example. Kids have eagle eyes and the moment you’re inconsistent, they’ll catch you. If you do the exact opposite of what you’re trying to teach them (for example, cleaning up your clutter), then you risk losing credibility. Also, be mindful of how you talk about your job and your responsibilities. If you talk about them in a negative way, why will your kids think their responsibilities are going to be any better?

5. Make chores a family affair. Designate a time of day or week when everyone is pitching in and doing their part. That way, it won’t appear anyone is slacking off or not carrying their weight

6. Don’t bribe or threaten or guilt, but do provide incentives. Bribing is a slippery slope. The stakes often have nowhere to go but up, and can even lose their lustre over time. In our house, the kids have to get their jobs and homework done before they’re allowed to watch TV or play video games. Think of the privileges that your children enjoy, and treat them as such.

7. Make sure dad/your husband/partner/significant other stays involved. I admit that sometimes I play the Dad card. My husband plays a much better “enforcer” role than I, and when I’m tired and just too weary to fight any battles, my husband steps in. And then the kids really listen.

Kim Dudra is a freelance copywriter based in Vancouver, B.C., and is the owner of re:fresh communications. She’s been known to juggle four kids’ schedules, three computers, two cats, and one cup of coffee, all at once. Kim is a featured writer for girlgetstrong.