No words...

Last night I attended a visitation for a family who tragically lost their son earlier this week.

Parents who had to make funeral arrangements for their child.

There are no words...

Parent Club Review: Poly To Go

The What:
Poly To Go - a portable antiseptic spray for parents on the go - just in time for summer

The Why:
40% of cuts occur outside the home - Poly To Go give caregivers the protection they need - as they need it. Poly To Go helps to treat cuts, scrapes and burns - preventing infection and speeds healing.

The REVIEW:

This pocket sized antiseptic spray came just in the nick of time. This mom threw it in her portable 1st aid kit (which previously contained only Band-Aids) and forgot about it for a day or so. Then, Thing 1 took a spill on the tail-end of a long bike ride.

The Poly To Go was easy to use and had no sting. It was fan-ta-bu-lous! The compact size is perfect for carrying and the product inside absolutely effective.

Parent Club rates Poly To Go as a summer-family-essential. Great for the cottage, family field trips or to have just around the house.

Poly To Go is available NOW in Canadian drug stores and retail outlets. CLICK HERE a printable $3.00 off coupon for Poly to Go (Canada only)

Parent Club Event Calendar

Today's Parent Kidsummer at CBC July 8/9

Join Kids' CBC hosts Patty & Sid for this family friendly event.

July 9th enjoy a special Doodlebops LIVE concert (12:30pm)

Where: CBC Broadcast Centre

This FREE, busy, event is easily accessible by TTC.

http://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc/#/parents/

Getting ready for camp

Here are a few tips to get reluctant younger kids camp ready (note this is regarding day camp)

• Talk with your kids about the activities, schedules, etc...but don't harp on it. Camp can be intimidating so there is no need bring it up every 5 minutes. Be casual - kids will take their cues from you.
  
• Don't hang around during the drop-off. Be fast people! The longer you stay - the more tears will fall. Walk away. The camp staff will re-direct your child.
  
• Pack well. Extra underwear never hurt anyone.
  
• Eat well. Healthy, fun snacks make camp a bit more fun.

Vacation - Staycation - Summer Camp

Our vacation is over - staycation rather. Van broke down and we were stuck, jailed - we remained close to home. In lieu of going to the cottage - we did laundry, painted the fence, and rode our bikes everywhere. One thing is sure - we were very eco friendly!

Still, no vehicle but this week had summer day camp scheduled in. Thankfully, not a city camp (though I did register for one week of city day camp later this month...doesn't look like it's going to happen).

This, Thing 2's first real summer camp experience - is fairly expensive and high emotion. Total meltdown at drop off this morning (Thing 2 - not me).

I thought it timely to re post a comment Parent Club received last week regarding summer camp, kids and emotions...

Karen commented to Week 1 of Summer Vacation:

Do you notice how no one is talking about how not only are the camps not running but the city is holding our money hostage? I called to try and get my close to $800 back to use to pay for other camp for my kids...guess what...the people who process refunds are also on strike...how are people really supposed to pay for the alternate camps - let alone find one that takes kids in the proper age ranges (age 5 is not an easy one to find camps for) with the hours they need (I can't drop my kids of at 9 and pick them up at 4!) and I would really like both my kids at the same place!!!
Luckily my regular daycare is running a camp and is willing to accomodate my boys for the two weeks I need...I just wish I had the money to pay for it...

Last Lecture

Parent Club is "out of the office" and while we are away - we leave you with this inspirational "last lecture" - every parent should watch this...

Week 1 of summer vacation

It is one day into summer vacation - and I'm already sinking. Really. So very very bad. Someone needs to send me an e-mail or take me out for a cup of tea and shake up my good sense - 'cause it's all tanking right about now.

• The vehicle died over the weekend. Very unexpectedly. $2,000 to fix it. Maybe - we'll get it by Thursday (ah-hem - we are supposed to be leaving on a much needed family vacation on Wednesday)
  
• We have raised two children who are UNABLE to find something to do independently. "What can I do?" What are we going to do?" "When are we going to do something?" Good Ghandi! They follow me around from room-to-room - seriously it's like I've grown two tails.
  
• I'm working at 10:46pm at night because a) - we have no vehicle & 2) my kids can't play all-by-themselves. So because I took them, by bus, to see a movie today to entertain them -- I have to "work" far past bedtime to catch up.
  
• Little things like "work" keep getting in the way of bigger things like "grocery shopping"

Seriously, how many days 'till school starts?...

Parent Club travel tip

download video podcasts from itunes for kids to watch during trips. Sesame Street, Hannah Montanna, Nick Jr., Discovery channel. All free!

Blog Award

Parent Club has been honoured with the HONEST SCRAP award from Another Day, Another Thought or Two... (glad that S is in there because I'm not sure how to take an HONEST CRAP award).

Anyway, thank you - thank you for the award.

So as recipient of this great honesty award, I now need to tell you 10 truths about me:

10. I love to write. More than ice cream
9. I broke my finger catching Thing 1 before she hit the ground
8. I take oreos 4 at a time
7. I fret, distress, worry - a lot
6. I'm an acknowledged researcher for a New York Times bestseller
5. I don't believe every kid deserves a trophy
4. I met Deepak Chopra on a work assignment
3. My last labour was 1 hour - from 1st contraction to birth
2. I haven't parallel parked since my exam
1. I screen my calls

Day 7 - Fit-in 15 - Ipod Winner

Thanks to the whole Parent Club community who participated in the Fit-in 15 Challenge! Your tweets were appreciated and your comments motivating.

I for one, will continue with dedicating 15 minutes (at least) a day to focused activity. I overcame my fitness issue, met my objectives and used my Fit-in 15 secret plan effectively. Though I didn't think I could find the time between work deadlines and family activities - I made the time - and that makes all the difference. I chose to be active rather than sedentary. I think it's the right choice. Fit-in 15 is an important activity (for yourself and for your family)!

And now...drum roll please...the winner of the
4GB iPod Shuffle and a $20 iTunes gift certificate courtesy of Fit-in 15.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

5
Timestamp: 2009-06-24 12:50:34 UTC

(www.http://www.random.org/integers)

The 5th comment to the Fit-in 15 challenge was from:

Karen said...

"Mowing the lawn definitely counts, if house work does then so does lawn mowing...especially if you have a crazy rechargeable electric lawnmower that weighs 80lbs like I do...
I'm going to try and get out for a walk at lunch today...but it is getting pretty hot for that and I may not be too welcome back in the office once I am done!!
If I make it out for 15 minutes (at least we usually do more like 30 - 40 when we go at lunch time) I will certainly add another comment to help with the challenge!!"

Congratulations to everyone in the Parent Club for getting active - keep it going!...

Day 6 - Fit-in 15

It was so close! Thanks to all the Parent Club readers who commented on yesterday's friendly (yet non-official) Fit-in 15 challenge with Bargainista. You were all great participants! We would like to congratulate Bargainista readers a walk-well-done!

All comments, from the Fit-in 15 series, will be tossed into a virtual hat for a chance to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle and a $20 iTunes gift certificate courtesy of Fit-in 15. (The randomly chosen winner will be announced here on Thursday June, 25, 2009 - Canadian residents only please.)

On a separate note: This is a public announcement to remind you (and your families) to WEAR HELMETS when you partake focused fitness activity like biking, scooters, roller blades, etc. My prince went out for a bike ride, slipped on a wet patch, and took a nasty fall. It was a good "teachable moment" to show Thing 1 & Thing 2 the importance of wearing helmets for protection (his road rash showed that even grown-ups can get hurt).

It's important (and fun) to do 15 minutes (or more) of focused activity - but don't let safety slide. The adult human body has about 206 bones - you don't want to break any of them. That is why you need to have a zero-tolerance policy on protective gear for fitness activities with your family. No helmet - no scooter. No shin pads - no soccer.

Today's Fitness Menu

• Going for a 15 minute walk with my ipod. Love how music motivates me. Love getting outside. (am getting addicted to this daily walk!) Also, going to Thing 1's soccer game today and will do some gentle stretching while I cheer the team on.

Day 6 - Fit-in 15 - Challenge

Parent Club and Bargainista have arranged a friendly Fit-in 15 competition between our two sites. Who will win the much coveted (very-non-official) Fit-in 15 trophy*?!

How you can get involved...go for a 15 minute brisk walk. You could do it downtown - on your lunch break (take advantage of the P.A.T.H. to beat the heat.) Quick step your way to your favourite store for some power shopping. Push the stroller to the park (have a healthy snack under a shady tree). Walk to pick the kids up from school. However you can fit-in 15 minutes of fitness into your day.

Then, (pah-leez), come over to Parent Club and comment, to this post, before 6pm. The blog with the most reader comments today (up to 6pm) "wins" the competition and get the virtual trophy.

What can YOU win?

All comments will be tossed into a virtual hat for a chance to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle and a $20 iTunes gift certificate courtesy of Fit-in 15. (The randomly chosen winner will be announced here on Thursday June, 25, 2009 - Canadian residents only please.)

[Disclaimer: we devised the trophy/competition all-by-ourselves. It is not an actual competition endorsed by Fit-in 15. It's a buddy-system competition to get ourselves - and you - moving]

Day 5 - Fit-in 15

I must say - I'm enjoying the little motivational tip e-mails from the Fit-in 15 website (you sign up for the e-mail tips on the site). The e-mails aren't too wordy yet they are providing interesting information.

Like this:

Health Fact: Did you know the average human heart beating at 72 beats per minute, will beat approximately 2.5 billion times from birth to age 66. Regular exercise will help keep your heart in good health.

File that in the "things I didn't know" file! You're a resource - Canadian Chiropractic Association.

Yesterday's Day 4 Fitness Menu got a little messed up because of the rain. However, a little rain was no excuse to not do 15 minutes of focused activity (no excuses people - this is for health - and - quite honestly - habit only happens when it's habitual). So we parked furthest away from the store and walked - and walked - and walked. All good.

Today's Fitness Menu

• Divide and conquer. Each parent in our household will take a child to their respective morning classes - by bike. I'm not-a-bike-by-nature kind of gal - but I'm trying to get in the habit of biking as it is a good (free) family activity.
  
• A walk along the boardwalk at the beach would be a nice Father's Day activity. hmmm...
  
• Does mowing the lawn count as a focused fitness activity? It is a walk. And you are pushing something has has a bit of resistance to it. I wonder...

Day 4 - Fit-in 15

I have not - HAVE NOT - yet missed a day of the Fit-in 15 challenge.

I have actually, looked-forward-to-doing a focused fitness activity just before lunch thus far. (Same bat time. Same bat channel. Everyday.) It's true the more you engage in 15 minutes of fitness the more you get in the habit of it. I'm liking this "active" part of my day.

Talking about the day - today is the dreaded DAY 4. The day where, I have traditionally, fallen-out-of-love with an activity. Then add in the fact that it's a Saturday (and Saturday's are usually crazy crazy days).

I'm not quite sure where today's Fit-in 15 will fall - (check back tomorrow) - but I have some very good intentions - and children who will want to be doing something outside - so there is very good chance of exceeding Fit-in 15 today.

Today's Fitness Menu (buffet style)


• Parking my vehicle in a spot that's furthest away from Loblaws
  
• Go for a bike ride with the kids
  
• Clean the house (hello? squats anyone?!)
  
• Walk to wine store. Carry wine home (we'll call that weekend weight training)

Day 3 - Fit-in 15

Um...guys...my calves hurt (the Day 2 Fit-in 15 Fitness Menu was fun but I'm feelin' it today).

I surfed over to the Fit-in 15 site to get some tips on how to stretch my sore calves - and I stumbled upon this...

Fit-in 15 is a public education initiative of the Canadian Chiropractic Association aimed at motivating sedentary Canadians to start a physical activity habit by fitting in 15 minutes of focused activity a day.

I must admit - I AM fairly sedentary - I spend a large portion of my day sitting at a computer (maybe that's why my neck hurts - I lean into the computer to read rather than sit back. Note-to-self: check Fit-in 15 for neck stretches too). And today, of all days, I will be really chained to the computer as I have a big deadline looming.

So today's fitness menu is aimed at moving the body - indoors - taking inspiration from the Making it easy area on the Fit-in 15 website

Today's Fitness Menu

• Putting on my favourite music and dancing my heart out for 15 minutes. (Do I remember them doing this on Ally McBeal or was it Grey's Anatomy?) Since I work-from-home this is a perfect activity - no equipment required. If you're in an outside-the-home-office - ok, well, maybe dancing around your cubical isn't so good. Alternative: take the stairs/walk the halls/do some chair yoga stretching)

Parent Club and Bargainista have arranged a friendly Fit-in 15 competition between our two sites. Who will win the much coveted (very-non-official) Fit-in 15 trophy*?!

Monday June 22nd (that's this Monday people!) go for a 15 minute brisk walk. You could do it downtown - on your lunch break. Quick step your way to your favourite store for some power shopping. Push the stroller to the park. Walk to pick the kids up from school. However you can fit-in 15 minutes of fitness into your day.

Then, (pah-leez), come over to Parent Club and comment before 6pm. The blog with the most reader comments on Monday (up to 6pm) "win" the competition and get the virtual trophy.

[Disclaimer: we devised the trophy/competition all-by-ourselves. It is not an acutal competition endorsed by Fit-in 15. It's a buddy-system competition to get ourselves - and you - moving]