Wishes come true at our momstown Milton Scholastic sponsored Tales for Tots program.

Our  momstown Milton monthly Tales for Tots was a magical event! It started off at Indigo Milton with our  Scholastic Canada sponsored book “Wishes” by Jean Little and was a perfect fit for our early literacy focused program to help set the mood for a very special gathering. The rhyming format immediately captured their attention and the illustrations used soft colours with reference to an array of items that a child could easily relate to.  

 

"If wishes were ice cream,
our cones would be doubles.
If wishes were soapsuds,
we’d blow shining bubbles"

 

Our craft was Shooting Stars, to go along with the book. The kids got to practice their hand / eye coordination weaving the thread through each hole. It also helped to improve on focus and patience to complete the weave around the entire parameter. We were able to practice our counting as we threaded each hole  They turned out so beautifully!

 

Supplies needed:

•   star hole punch (or another type will do)

•   Foam Stars

• shiny thread - for weaving

•  streamers / crepe paper

• glue

• scissors

 

After making our craft, we gathered in our circle and sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and we recited the poem “Star Bright, Star Light”. We went around the circle and had each child recite their wish out loud. This was a great activity that encouraged everyone to use their imaginations and to take the time to day dream including the mamas. It was a real eye opening experience to listen to the simple things that each child wanted  and it got me thinking of what my hopes and dreams were and how many of them I had achieved to date.  

 

I do  know we fulfilled one wish that day by sending home our sponsored book with this lucky winner! Congrats.

 

 

I wonder how many other wishes  will come true?

 

Thanks everyone for coming out! Be sure to join us next month when we will be celebrating fall! All you need to do is sign up for a momstown Milton membership which is only $45 for the entire year. You even get a 6 week free trial membership to check us out first!

Does My Child's Behaviour Reflect on Me?

Does the child's behaviour reflect on the parents?  As I peeled my 2-year-old son off of the floor to talk him through his third tantrum of the day, and filed his tenth incident report from his daycare,  I thought to myself, "I certainly hope not". 

I admit it.  I'm not a disciplinarian.  Whenever, I reprimand my son, or do the dreaded count to three, I feel like an impostor.  I read Dr. Karp's, "The Happiest Toddler on the Block" and I'm trying his techniques with limited success.  I've attended workshops, discussion groups, and I've tried several different strategies, all with the same result- sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. 

When I watch other mom's disciplining their children, they appear to know exactly what they are doing, and their children seem to respond.  I must be missing something. 

My hope is that it will suddenly all just click.  All the workshops that I've attended, and the books that I've read will kick in, and I'll be able to negotiate these situations like a pro.  My son will get a little older, will be able to communicate better, and will turn into the little angel that I know he can be. 

In the meantime, don't judge me too harshly if you see me dragging my kicking and screaming toddler out of the supermarket...I'm trying my best. Join in on this discussion on our momstown Milton Message Board and see what our mamas are saying about this topic.

This post is written by Karen Bivand, a momstown Milton member who has a 22 month old son, Eric.

(Photo From: Clare Bloomfield/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Exploring Milton- Family Events in October

The leaves have started to change colour, and Halloween is just around the corner.  Make sure that you get out and enjoy those Fall activities.  Check out what is happening in Milton in October:

Every Weekend in October
Harvest Festival at Springridge Farm
10am to 4pm
Springridge Farm, 7256 Bell School Line
www.springridgefarm.com/harvest-festival.html
 


Oct. 6th – 8th, Oct. 13th & 14th
Fall into Nature
10am to 5pm
All Conservation Halton Parks- Crawford Lake, Hilton Falls, Kelso, Mount Nemo, Mountsberg and Rattlesnake Point
http://www.fallintonature.ca


Sun. Oct. 7th
Sukkah Mobile- Jewish Holiday
1pm to 2pm
Milton Sports Centre, 605 Santa Maria Blvd.
Chabad Jewish Discovery Centre
www.jewishmississauga.org

Thurs. Oct. 11th
Milton Talent Contest
8pm to 10pm
Milton Centre for the Arts, 1010 Main Street East
http://www.miltoncentreforthearts.ca/en/index.asp



Sat. Oct. 13th
momstown Milton’s Mom to Mom Sale
9am to 12pm
Wee Ones Childcare Academy, 409 Main Street East
http://www.facebook.com/events/278632202251011/


Sat. Oct. 13th
Milton Fire Dept Open House
12pm to 4pm
Milton Fire Department- Central Station, 405 Steeles Avenue East
fireservices@milton.ca


Sat.  Oct. 13th and Sun. Oct. 14th
Heritage Fall Harvest Celebration
10am to 4pm
Country Heritage Park
http://countryheritagepark.com/home/events-2


Sun. Oct.14th
Clockwork Mysteries Magic Show
3pm
Milton Centre for the Arts, 1010 Main Street East
www.miltoncentreforthearts.ca

Thurs. Oct. 18th
Family Tree Workshop
Milton Public Library, Main Branch, 1010 Main Street East
3:30pm to 4:30pm
http://www.mpl.on.ca/a_programs.php#ancestry



Fri. Oct. 19th & 26th
Murder Mystery Night for Teens
7pm to 10pm
Milton Public Library
http://www.mpl.on.ca/teen_inprint.php#murder

Sat. Oct. 20th & Sun. Oct. 21st, Sat. Oct. 27th & Sun. Oct. 28th
Spooktacular Halloween
10am to 4pm
Mountsberg Conservation Area, 2259 Millburough Line, Campbellville
mtsberg@hrca.on.ca

Saturdays, October 20th and 27th
Halloween Spooktacular Halton Radial Railway
6:30pm to 10pm
Halton County Radial Railway, 13629 Guelph Line
www.hcry.org/specialEvents.html


Sun. Oct. 21st
Celebrating Stories, A family festival
1pm to 5pm
Milton Centre for the Arts, 1010 Main Street East
http://www.celebratingstories.ca/

Sat. Oct. 27th & Sun. Oct. 28th
Milton Haunted House
Noon to 7pm
Milton Mall
http://www.miltonhauntedhouse.com/



This post is written by Karen Bivand, a momstown Milton member who has a 22 month old son, Eric. 
For more Milton community events, also check out www.exploringmilton.com

momstown Milton - Mom of the Month - Jennifer Sibbitt

Name:  Jennifer Sibbitt

Age:  34
Born In: Etobicoke

Children’s name and age: Adrian almost 3 & Laura almost 1

Childhood Ambition: I wanted to be a teacher or veterinarian. As an accountant, I still sometimes wish I had become a teacher or veterinarian! LOL

Fondest Memory: Summers at the cottage or camping were awesome! My sisters and I would spend hours upon hours playing outside, swimming, fishing or doing crafts on a rainy day. I want my kids to experience the same!

Wildest Dream:  I would love to go on an African safari and sleep overnight in one of those cool eco tree houses in the jungle.

Proudest Moment: Giving birth to Laura in the comfort of my own home.

Biggest Challenge: Most recently, juggling two sick kids on a rainy day.

Perfect Day:  It starts with sleeping in, then brunch with my hubby and kids before heading out to for an afternoon at the zoo. Having friends over for dinner and ending with us all laughing and eating smores around the fire pit.

First Job:  Scanning photos and adjusting their resolution for the real estate section of the local newspaper – this was long before digital photos!!

Indulgence:  Peanut butter cups mmmmmm……

Last Big Purchase: Booked a trip to Vegas! WOO-HOO!

Favourite Movie or Favourite Sport? Favourite sport would be volleyball! I love it and wish I could play more.

How long have you been a member of momstown Milton? 6 months

Anything else you want to share?  momstown Milton has been a lifesaver for us! We were new to the area and didn’t know anyone or where anything was. Not only did it help us transition to a new home, but I’ve met so many wonderful moms and little ones that are now good friends! We need to get out of the house so that the kids can burn off some steam and there are so many wonderful events on the calendar to choose from. Even stuff for the moms! The message board is  also a great place to ask questions or vent! There’s nothing better than getting a “me too” when you’re having a tough day!   

Free Eye Examinations for Junior Kindergarten Students!

Kids are  back in school...is an eye exam on your "to-do" list?

Here's why it should be!

1 in 6 children have a vision problem significant enough to impair their ability to learn. Children don't know they have a vision problem because they don't know what signs to look for. You can't count on your child to tell you they don't see well. 

80% of learning is visual! If a child does not see well, their performance in school will suffer. Vision problems affect literacy, and a child's ability to copy, print, read, and track objects.

Early identification of a vision problem can lead to success! It is recommended that babies as young as 6 months should have their eyes examined by an Optometrist.

For children in the Halton Region, the Eye See...Eye Learn Program provides free eye examinations and prescription glasses (if necessary) for all Junior Kindergarten (JK) students. Milton Optometry is a proud supporter of the Eye See, Eye Learn program and welcomes infants, toddlers and all children to their practice!

Contact us today to reserve an appointment for your child! 

Visit www.miltonoptometry.ca

 phone 905-636-9500

email info@miltonoptometry.ca

Metro Ontario brings fresh ideas for a healthy lunch to our momstown Milton Junior Chef Program

Schools in and the most challenging thing other then getting the kids out the door on time is coming up with fresh ideas and ensuring that you are are packing a healthy lunch that your child will actually want to consume. Metro Ontario helped out momstown Milton moms this month at our Junior Chef program by sponsoring the groceries. The moms and tots had the opportunity at a  hands on experience to assemble some quick and simple lunches that allowed the kids to sample some new tastes to stimulate their palates.

We had four stations set up and each child got to visit each one and try all of the goodies that were set before them. The moms were skeptical at first stating "my child won't eat veggies" or "wraps and avocado hummus are not the staples of my child's diet" but were willing to give it a try.

We rotated through four stations. The Sandwich stop - which consisted of:

Selection Whole Wheat Bread

Selection Whole Wheat Wraps

Carrots

Cucumbers

Selection Marble Cheese

Selection Cream Cheese

Selection Raspberry Jam

Black Forest Ham

Avocado Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

The kids made raspberry and cream cheese sandwiches and cut them into flower and star shapes. Getting rid of the crusts and having cute shapes was enough of a change for them to devour their creations before they even got into the bags. The wraps were piled high with shredded cheese, shredded carrots, cucumbers, hummus and ham. The kids took pride in their creation and I  strongly believe that was the reason why so many of them ate it with out a fuss or hesitation. Food for thought: making the time to let your kids participate in lunch prep could be the key to ensuring that their  lunch bags come back empty!

The snack station was set up in an assembly style format. Bowls of:

 

Selection mini marshmallows

Stick Pretzels

Irresistibles Berry Medley Dried Fruit

Quaker Corn Bran Squares

The kids got to measure, scoop, and count the the number of spoons they put into their bags and couldn't wait to get it filled so that they could shake it up to see the assortment of colours and shapes. The Sweet and Salty mix was also a great combo since it was sure to have something that each one would enjoy. Variety seemed to be key at this station and textures with soft, chewy and a crunch blend kept it interesting for all.

The Fruit Kabobs Station was a crowd pleaser. So simple yet so good! The kids got to practice their hand eye coordination threading the bite size pieces of fruit onto their skewers and the moms had fun trying out the handy dandy apple slicer that cored the apples within seconds.

Apples

Cantaloupe

Grapes

Strawberries

The assortment of colours made for a very bright finished masterpiece and was loads of fun to take apart bite by bite. Keeping it fun is a sure way to make sure that there are no leftovers.

The final stop was our drink and craft station. After all their hard work, most were ready for a bottle of water or Selection summer blend or apple juice boxes.

 

 

 

For our crafts, we made glam lunch bags using sequences and hearts and of course since we were building awareness of the Metro Do the Math promo, we had pricing stickers and numbers to add as the finishing touches.

The moms could not believe that all of the groceries at the event totaled just about $100! We had over 20 little ones, plus mamas and there were leftovers..... What a deal! Even better, the moms got to take home reusable lunch bags and a $10 Gift Certificate to help out with the already great savings that Metro has to offer.

Don't forget to save your receipt and get on line to the Metro Ontario Facebook Page and enter their Daily draw. Each day one lucky winner will be awarded $1000 for yourself, $1000 for the school of your choice and 1000 air mile points.

If you are a mom in the Milton or surrounding area we encourage you to check out momstown Milton  for a 6 week free trial membership. During your trial you can join us for as many programs as you like. After that it's only $45/year to become a member. Click here to register!

  

Has motherhood changed me?

I love my single friends.  We went to school together, traveled together, and went to bars together.  When I remember my experiences as a young adult, they were always there.  So after everything that we've been through, why is it that now that I have a child, I feel like we're drifting apart?

I see it when we're trying to set up a time to meet and they suggest 9:30pm, a time that used to seem reasonable, but now feels like the middle of the night (when you consider Eric's strict 5:30am wake up time)  I see it when their eyes glaze over as I provide them with a detailed description of how Eric performs the Itsy Bitsy Spider.  And I see it when my friend is telling me about her new boyfriend who often forgets to call her, and I lecture her on the importance of finding a partner that you can count on when the baby won't stop crying in the middle of the night. 

Why is it so difficult to relate?  Has having a child changed me so much that I've forgotten who I was before?  I'm hoping that this is just a phase.  Maybe I'm so consumed with my son because I'm a relatively new mom.  Perhaps when I'm totally comfortable in this role, I'll be back to sipping martinis and talking politics (I may be slightly exaggerating my level of sophistication here).  But part of me fears that the friendships will never be the same again.  I'm afraid that we'll just politely listen to the details of each others' lives, as they become increasingly different.

Is there a way to hold on to the friendships?  And I'm not talking about meeting up for a coffee to catch up and re-live our glory days.  I mean, is it possible to get back to the place where we talked every day and told each other everything?  Or is this a single girl's friendship that needs to be replaced with the intimacy between myself and my husband?  I know that I'll figure this all out, as I have with the other challenges that I've faced as a new mother, but I would be able to solve the problem a lot quicker if I could chat it out with my girlfriends.

This post is written by Karen Bivand, a momstown Milton member who has a 22 month old son, Eric.
(Photo from: Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

momstown Milton partners with Tropicana to build awareness to the Breakfast for Learning Program

This month our momstown Milton moms and tots had the privilege of participating in a Tropicana sponsored Art and Play program that helped to build awareness to the Breakfast for Learning Program. The moms were happy to rally behind such a worthwhile cause and showed up dressed in orange to show their support.

The kids were super excited to see the cups of Tropicana orange juice all lined up to make one big orange!

 

They were also thrilled to be able to write their name on an orange and hang it up on our very own version of the Tree of Giving. It was a great visual way to get the point across that for every virtual orange picked, Tropicana will donate a full serving of orange juice to a child in need. The tree was in full bloom in no time and it only took a few minutes to complete the task - just as much time as it takes to go through picking the orange online.

The moms were alarmed to hear the stats about the number of children that don't get a healthy start to the day. Did you know that 31% of elementary school aged kids go to school without breakfast! Unreal! 

Miss Maribeth from Scribble n Splatter got on board too by providing two crafts for the little ones to complete. Our theme this month is actually fire trucks so the infants designed abstract trucks using their feet as the base and the toddlers / preschoolers put together a firetruck collage.

 

They all then participated in making hand print orange trees with green paint and orange tissue paper balls - absolutely brilliant and a great tie in with our sponsor!

After all their hard work creating and learning everyone got a chance to sample a tall glass of juice and a few of our moms ended up being the lucky winners of a carton of Tropicana Orange Juice to take home with them. What a great way to end the program!

If you'd like to learn more about our programs or to join us at an event, we invite you to register for a FREE 6 week trial.  Did you hear about the great offer going on for the month of September?  Purchase a one year momstown membership and get a BONUS 12 month subscription to Today's Parent. What are you waiting for - get out and get connected with your Milton community today!