Now be on your best behaviour...

The first time I took my kids to the movie theatre; I was very unsure of why I planned the adventure? They certainly wouldn't sit still for two WHOLE hours. They will obviously need to go to the bathroom more than once. There will definately be loudish giggling -- they are kids, of course.

The other family that accompanied us on this movie date had a different view. "We are going to a Disney movie, on a weekend afternoon, do you really think that our kids will be the only ones in the theatre?!". Such simple truth. All the kids moved in their seats, many parents ran down the darkened steps to get their wee ones to the potty, and there was a murmur of whipered noise throughout the film.

It's a good education; taking ones children out into the world. Letting them experience first hand - the places to be on one's best behaviour. A movie theatre is a good place to start. Its a forgiving environment for a testing ground.

Today, we head to an actual theatre to see a children's play. I'll let you know how the adventure goes...

For the train fans

If your kids are into Thomas the Train - then this event is the next best thing to seeing Thomas himself. The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train starts rolling the rails Dec. 1. The HOLIDAY TRAIN visits 6 provinces and 7 states raising food, money and awareness for local food banks.

The train is decorated with hundreds of thousands of lights. You will also get a chance to see some Canadian music artists like Blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason and pop sensation Melanie Doane.

Schedule for Southern Toronto;

Monday Dec. 3

Toronto - 6:45 p.m. - 56 Mill Street near commuter tracks in the Distillery District
Vaughan Intermodal - 9:00 p.m. - NW corner of the CPR crossing at Nashville Road, near the old grain elevator

Newly Published

As a parent juggling many things...keeping everything in the air is great success. As such, I'm happy to announce that I've published another article this month (in addition to getting dinner on the table and driving children to Karate classes).

My latest parenting article can be found on the Inspiration Page of mom-e-news.com (click HERE to go directly to my article).

Other writings due out soon;

• January 2008 "The Other Mile High Club" pub. yummymummy.com


• January - December 2008, "various newsletters" pub. Help!...We've Got Kids


• September 2008 "Super Submarines" pub. Canadian Kids magazine

Parent Club gift idea - toys

To continue the series of Internet shopping for the holidays...this instalment presents the art of toy shopping with a click.

Mastermind Toys - Canadian store with lots of Ontario locations. They have been selling on-line for 9 years. Free gift wrapping. Website allows you to shop by brand, age and category.

Grand River Toy Company - you can shop on-line by age, brand and category. Shipping in Ontario is stated to be $7.99.

Toys r us offers free shipping on selected toy orders of $49+.

e-bay.ca is great for finding that hard-to-find item. Don't be afraid of bidding just know your prices of what the item would sell for in stores. New to e-bay?

E-bay vocabulary primer

NWT - new with tag
NWOT - new without tag
NIB - new in box

Parent/Teacher interviews

What do you ask in a Parent/Teacher interview?

Use your child's report card as a starting point...what subjects or skills needed improvement? Was reading "satisfactory"? Where does your child fit in the reading class spectrum? What strategies does the teacher suggest to improve reading skills?

The report card will provide an overview of strengths and not-so-strong skills of your child. In addition to the educational report you should entertain a conversation on the developmental stage of your child - which is not in the report.

How does my child get along with others in the class? Do they pay attention or are they dreamers? Do they participate in class discussions? Do they hesitate to speak up? Are the motor skills at par with others in the class?

Also, this is the time to ask what resources the school has for your child? Extra reading help, tutoring...

The parent/teacher interview is a great chance to see the child's classroom, look at his/her work and discuss any problems or solutions.

A nice idea is to write a note and leave it on your son or daughter's desk. It shows you were physically there, it shows you thought of him/her and it's a nice surprise. For pre-readers a heart or happy face & "To: Child's name, From: Mom" works very well.

Morning Organization

We have accumulated a bunch of great morning organization tips from Parent Club readers;

"I prepare pancake batter the night before and pour it into a squeeze bottle. The next day all I have to do it heat up the pan. The squeeze bottle is great for keeping the batter. It's mess free. Plus, now my kids can have a hot breakfast even on a school day."

"When we are really in a rush; I give my kids breakfast-on-the-run in the car. (Though we always start off with hot milk at home). I put their favourite cereals into a plastic bag or container and let them eat it on the ride to school. It's a big treat."

"I always keep an emergency lunch item in the freezer. For days, when I'm out of just about everything in the fridge...I can rely on the frozen bagel in the freezer. It makes life so much easier knowing I have a good back-up plan for lunches."