What our momstown Milton mamas REALLY want for Christmas

Ok mamas, it is time to get our momstown daddies into the room so they can read this right along with you.  Every year men struggle with what to get us for Christmas and 99% of the time, it doesn't have to be that difficult.  We polled our mamas and here is what they really want.  (Don't be afraid to add your own in the comments if yours isn't here)

1)  Spa days - time for mom to be a woman and not just a mom.  Whether it be for a mani and pedi, a facial or the works, they will appreciate the "me" time that they don't often get. 

Vixen Nails & Spa now offers a 10% discount to all momstown members so why not get that very deserving mama a gift certificate.

2)  Cleaning service - moms work hard and deserve a break from the nitty gritty at home.  SAHM, WAHM and WOHM pretty much agree that cleaning is not what they want to spend their time doing.  They would rather spend that time being with their family (or at the spa!)

3) A night out - Moms are busy. They care for the children, the husbands, the households and many other jobs. Most would give anything for a nice dinner with hubby outside of the home. Kids free preferably, so we can actually sit down and enjoy our meal. Why not make a reservation at Milton's Finest Steakhouse?

Marquee Steakhouse is a premier restaurant based in Milton, Ontario that provides both excellent food and musical entertainment.  Enjoy an elegant, romantic evening with the woman you love!

4)  Juicers/Blenders - I know what you're thinking.  A kitchen appliance, really?  Really!  We are all more concerned about our health and there are certain kitchen appliances that can help us in the right direction.

healthEnut Cafe & Juice Bar offers you a number of different small kitchen appliances to help you eat healthier.  They also offer a line of products that are great for your smoothies and juice.  Raw foods such as nuts and seeds are a healthy addition to all of your meals.  These would make great stocking stuffers for the big surprise of the juicer they want.

Another great gift is a week free of healthy meals that they don't have to cook!  healthEnut offers a Wolf2Go program that offers you and your family a healthy alternative to fast food.  All items are Organic, free of wheat, dairy, sugar and animal products.  All WOLF2GO foods have not been heated over 115 Degrees





5)  Massage - What mom doesn't love a massage.  Carrying around our little angels is hard on our backs and we can all use a relief from the tension.  Rhonda McLachlan RMT offers various types of massage to heal all tension.  She also specializes in Pre and post natal massage which makes it the perfect gift for our pregnant mamas.  Give Rhonda a call (905-299-5828) to book an appointment for that all important lady in your life. 

Giving your lady what she wants and supporting our local businesses at the same time, what a wonderful Christmas it will be!

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out

Christmas Party Game Ideas for Kids

Kids love a good party.  It does take a little more than good food and conversation however to keep them entertained.  Here are some games that will bring on the good times.

1)  Pin the Nose on Rudolph - Great spin on the popular kids birthday party game. 

Here's what you'll need:

Pencil or marker                                              

Construction paper

Scissors

Glue stick

Poster board

Blindfold

Red dot stickers

Sketch a simple outline of a reindeer on construction paper, cut it out, and glue it to the poster board (or your kids can simply use a marker to draw Rudolph directly on the poster board). Remember to leave Rudolph nose less!

To play, hang the picture on a wall, blindfold the kids one at a time, hand each a red sticker, and let them try to restore Rudy's shiny proboscis.

2)  Photo Booth - Provide lots of silly props and costumes and have guests get all silly in front of the camera. 

3)  Gift Hot Potato - Have everyone bring a wrapped book to the party.  Pass around one gift at a time.  When the music stops the person holding the gift is out but gets to keep the gift they are holding.  When you get to the last person, all the kids get to open their gift together.

4)  Snowman Wrapping Contest - Split the kids up into teams and have them wrap a grown up or another child with toilet paper to create a snowman. (thanks to Come Together Kids for this idea)

5)  Candy Cane Relay Race - Divide children into teams and provide each team with four candy canes. They must hang the candy canes over their fingers and hurry to pass them on to the next member in line, but without using their thumbs. If all four candy canes are broken, that team is eliminated from the race.

These games are sure to be a crowd pleaser for all ages and is a great way to bring everyone together!

 

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out

What kind of memories will you create for your family this Holiday Season?

Never forget that you’re making a memory

As far as kids are concerned, once a year when December rolls around, the kitchen starts smelling of freshly baked Christmas cookies, lights suddenly decorate what they believe to be the most beautiful tree they’ve ever seen, and when they write a letter to Santa Claus, you can bet that the big guy will take the time to write them back (shout out to Canada Post, whose gracious volunteers reply to each and every letter addressed to the man in the big red suit).

 

 

As parents, you know that there is always someone behind the scenes making the magic happen; someone who buys the presents, someone who cooks the turkey, and someone taking cover behind the curly white beard (or if you grew up in our house, wearing white underwear and delivering a pillow case full of treats outside your door).

I always feel bad when I hear from people whose childhood is described as somewhat less than merry, especially when I think back to the effort my parents put into creating beautiful holiday memories nearly thirty years in the making. We would always buy our Christmas tree mid-December, marking the official start to the holiday season. My dad would blast John Lennon’s “So this is Christmas” loudly throughout the house and Christmas baking would begin, filling the kitchen with a buttery smell that would have all the kids stuffing ourselves with shortbread every night before bed.

 

The anticipation leading up to Christmas Eve was a wonderful kind of torture. After stuffing ourselves full of a French-Canadian feast circling around a delicious meat pie, we would hop into bed well before midnight in adherence to the strict schedule set by NORAD who provided regular updates as per the whereabouts of you know who.

 

When we awoke on Christmas morning (after having already opened our pillow cases and comparing our loot), we would be ushered downstairs to the sound of Christmas music and phone calls coming in from every corner of the world where family and friends waited to catch up on the happenings of another year gone by. When we got a bit older, we would toast with a bit of champagne and orange juice and, after exchanging gifts, make a big breakfast of bacon and eggs, curl onto the couch still wrapped in our PJs, and watch whatever Christmas movie one of us had received as a gift that year. That night, we’d head over to dad’s side of the family (the Brits) and do it all over again.

 

No matter how old we were, during the holiday season, time just seemed to come to a standstill. Roles within the family would shift as younger members joined the ranks, but that warm fuzzy feeling never left, regardless of the number of years passing us by. Now that I’m older, I can appreciate that these memories were the real gifts my parents gave me every Christmas; a roomful of family (a clan to be exact), a house full of love, and small moments that made Christmas such a magical time of year. It was never about the presents (although they were always well-received) but about the anticipation of a day that couldn’t be ruined, couldn’t be anything less than perfect, and it never was.

Like many moms and dads, I’ve become acutely aware of the responsibilities that come with my newfound role as a parent. I’m not only the baster of turkeys or the buyer of Christmas presents to wrap in multi-coloured bows; I’m a real live memory maker. I have the power to shape a childhood and create the moments that my children will pass onto their children and so on – and so do you. So, as your kids are running through the hallways on a sugar high and you’re cleaning the pile of dishes used to serve up a stellar meal that only took 9 hours to prep and you’ve reached the point where you just want to be done with all the hoopla, remember to slow down. Remember that you’re not just cooking, wrapping, decorating, baking and so on. You’re making a memory that will last a lifetime and giving your kids the best gift of all.

Blog written by Arden Jobling-Hey: new mom, momstown Milton member, travel fiend, freelance writer and blogger at www.thefriendlygiraffe.com.

 

 

The Helicopter Parent

The Helicopter Parent

 What is a helicopter parent? This pop culture term refers to the ‘hovering’ or over-involved parent (Gabriel, 2010). Helicopter parents are anxious about their child’s well-being and/or success, and attempt to protect their child from hardship and disappointment. Helicopter parents provide their children with more guidance and direction than other parents, and are more involved with their day-to-day activities. Essentially, helicopter parents ‘micromanage’ their children’s lives.

Examples of Helicopter Parenting
Developmental Stage	Supportive Parent	Helicopter Parent	Costs to Children
Toddler	Supervising the climbing of stairs	Supervising the climbing of the couch	Overly attentive parenting leads to difficulty managing emotions and more frequent tantrums.
Child	Discussing possible options to resolve a conflict with a friend	Mediating a discussion between your child and their friend about a conflict they have had	Lack of independence socializing and problem solving leads to overreliance on parents to resolve conflict and poor social skills.
Teen	Driving your teen to their first job interview	Joining your teen for part of their first job interview to be sure their strengths are known	Lack of independence with problem solving and decision making leads to overreliance on parents and insecurity in making life decisions.
Young Adult	Offering to pay for a tutor when your child fails a university test	Calling the professor of the course your child failed a test in to advocate for their mark being raised

Too much of a good thing?

Helicopter parents are concerned about their child’s physical and emotional well-being and provide high levels of warmth and support. However, although the helicopter parent may be relieved when they protect their child from hardship or disappointment, their child pays a price. Specifically, the strategies used by helicopter parents prevent children from developing the experience and skills necessary to act on their own. As a result, they are more likely to be shy, socially inhibited, anxious, and have peer difficulties. The children of helicopter parents can also be more prone to anger and take more risks.

Tips to avoid helicopter parenting:

Evaluate whether the situation warrants such high levels of direction and affection from a parent. If not, foster your child’s autonomy as described below;

1. Free-Play: Permit free-play opportunities for your child and their peer without your involvement.
2. Social skills: Teach social skills (e.g., turn-taking, handling conflict) that your child can perform semi-independently rather than you performing the skill for them.
3. Assertiveness: Foster your child’s ability to be assertive (e.g., teach them to make requests of peers and adults).
4. Dealing with Consequence: Teach your child that once they make a choice they have to live with the consequences (e.g., after leaving their bike outside overnight and it gets stolen, they have to save for a new bike).
5. Self-reliance: Given that emerging adulthood is a time to become self-reliant, adolescents should begin to solve their own problems and make their own decisions.

If you are a helicopter parent, you may benefit from discussing your anxieties about your child’s well-being and success with a child and family therapist. Family therapy can also help if your child becomes angry and resentful towards you.

References:

Padilla-Walker, L. M. & Nelson, L. J. (2012). Black hawk down?: Establishing helicopter

parenting as a distinct construct form other forms of parental control during emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescence, 35, 1177-1190.

Landy, S. (2009). Pathways to Competence. Baltimore, Maryland: Paul H. Brookes.

Siegel, D. J. & Byrson, T. P. (2011). The whole-brain child: 12 revolutionary strategies
to nurture your child's developing mind. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Website: www.loveandlogic.com (Love & Logic series of tapes, books, DVDs).

Written by Kim Saliba, MSc., Child & Family Therapist, New Leaf Psychology Centre,
400 Main St. East, Suite 210, www.newleafpsychology.ca, 905-878-5050

Elf on the Shelf - Top 10 ideas

Many of our mamas have a very special guest visit their home every Christmas season, some will have one making his/her appearance for the first time this year.  The Elf on the Shelf has become a family tradition that everyone looks forward to.  So much so that the ideas for our elf friend get more and more creative. 

Here are our momstown Milton mamas top 10 favorite ideas!

1) Drinking a juice box in the fridge

2) Making snow angels in flour on the counter

 

3) Taking a bubble bath in marshmallows

 

4) Sliding down the railing

 

5) sitting in a toy car

6) Turning the Milk Green!

 

 7) reading a book

8) Flying in the air like a super hero (either hang from ceiling fan or from ceiling)

 

9) Fishing  - use gold fish crackers!

10) Trapped in a jar of candies/cookies

This is just the beginning and I expect our  momstown members will get even more creative as the days go by. 

 

We look forward to hearing from each of you what your favourite Elf on the Shelf prank was this year!

 

To learn more about what momstown Milton is all about - Click Here

 

To register for a 6 week FREE trial membership - Click Here 


This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy TimeOut.

 

Can My Child Wear Contact Lenses?

Have you thought about the possibility of contact lenses for your child, but maybe dismissed the thought assuming that they are too young? Contact lenses may be a viable option for your child and here are some questions and answers to help you decide:

Question: Does a child's prescription need to be stable before they can be fit with contact lenses? 

No. Most prescriptions continue to change as a child grows, and contact lenses can change with it. Children are often fit with daily disposable contact lenses, and any prescription changes can be easily updated.

Question: Can children handle wearing contact lenses?

Yes. Even young children can be fit with contact lenses. With appropriate instruction, most children can put contact lenses in their eyes and remove them easily. Children are also just as capable as looking after their contact lenses as an adult. An Optometrist will always consider a number of factors with a child's family to decide if contact lenses are appropriate, such as the child's maturity, their current activities and motivation to wear them.

Question: How do I know if contact lenses are a better option for my child than glasses? 

Ask yourself a few questions to help you decide. Is my child bothered by wearing glasses? Is my child responsible enough to care for contact lenses? Would contact lenses be easier for them during their sports and activities? Would their social quality of life be better with contact lenses instead of glasses?

Question: Is it safe for a child to wear contact lenses?

Absolutely, as long as they have been prescribed and fit by a regulated eye care professional such as an Optometrist.

REMEMBER - In Ontario, only a regulated health care or medical professional can prescribe and dispense contact lenses. Contact lenses are a medical device and as such, anyone wearing contact lenses should receive regular exams and follow-up care to ensure that they are dong well.

Milton Optometry recommends comprehensive eye exams every year, and welcomes infants, toddlers and children of all ages to our family-friendly office! Visit www.miltonoptometry.ca or phone 905-636-9500 to reserve an appointment for your family.       

 

momstown Mom of the Month: December 2013 - Shikha Sharma

Name: Shikha Sharma

Age: 31
Born in : Burlington ON

Child’s name: Jiya Sharma, 1 year old

Fondest Memory: Having my sweet daughter Jiya

Proudest Moment : Becoming a wife (June 2008), a pet mom (to our dog Jett Oct 2010) and finally a mom to Jiya (Nov 2012)

Favourite things to do: Read, watch sports with my husband Rahul and travel!

How long have you been a member of momstown Milton : Since January 2013

Previous Job: Project Manager for a large Canadian retailer (until my mat leave). and before that, a Project Manager for a large telecom company

Describe your experience as a momstown Milton member :

momstown saved me in my early days as a new mom! I am a first time mom, and we didn’t really know anyone in Milton. I was very hesitant to attend my first event (Baby Basics) back in January, but I am so glad that I did. It was such a supportive and welcoming environment. It really brought me out of my shell and allowed me to connect with other moms, and the unconditional support I got from the events and the message board got me through those first tough months. I have made amazing connections and will carry those friendships for many years to come. I talk about momstown constantly and can’t stop recommending it to all of the new moms I meet in and around town.

Now I have the amazing opportunity of being the new Community Manager for momstown Milton and I am so excited! I have some great ideas for new programming, and I am looking forward to connecting with all members, old and new. One of the most rewarding things about my role is the ability to meet new members and help them experience everything momstown has to offer. I also can’t wait to work with all of our members to create programming and experiences that both moms and children can enjoy and learn from.

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any ideas/suggestions/comments on programming or content you would like to see added to our exciting calendar of events (or if you just want to chat about anything at all!).

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the days and weeks to come!

momstown Milton Junior Chef - Healthy Tacos using Pinto Beans!

We had a GREAT time this morning at our momstown Milton Junior Chef program!  We made delicious tacos, and everyone - moms and tots got to enjoy lunch together!

We started off by measuring out our spices into a bowl.  Our friends took turns with the measuring spoons, adding chili powder, cumin and salt.

Our ground beef was cooked in advance to save some time.  When cooking with kids, they don't tend to enjoy waiting for the cooking stage!  Thinking ahead and modifying your preparation of a recipe is always a good idea!  Today I was excited to have two great sous chefs offer assistance, so while the rest of us continued in preparing our ingredients, they got busy cooking our chopped onions at the stove!

While the onions and spices were being cooked, the kids spent some time dumping the canned pinto beans out and rinsing them.  They also took turns spooning out 1/2c of fresh salsa and one cup of tomato sauce into a measuring cup.  All of this was added to our pan, along with the cooked ground beef.

While the delicious smelling taco mix simmered on the stove, the Junior Chefs took some time to rip up some crisp romaine lettuce and shred some cheddar cheese for topping our tacos.

At last, time to assemble and eat our tacos. Our version is a healthier choice cutting out a great deal of sodium vs the packaged taco seasoning, and also adding healthy pinto beans.  It was great to sit down with our kids and enjoy lunch that we made together.

 

Here's the recipe:

1 lb lean ground beef (you could also use ground chicken or turkey)

1 small onion, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder (we used mild chili powder)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
8oz canned tomato sauce
3/4c water
1/2c salsa
taco shells
toppings of your choice

Preparation

1. Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink.  Drain well. Remove beef; wipe skillet with a paper towel.
2. Sauté onion in hot oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, and beef. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, 3/4 cup water, and salsa. 
4. Mash pinto beans in skillet with fork, leaving some beans whole. 
5. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced.
6. prepare toppings and enjoy your tacos!

I hope you enjoy this meal with your kids one day soon!  I'm looking forward to trying it next time without the meat, using double the beans. Cooking together is such a pleasure, and it always seems that kids are more interested in eating meals that they have had a hand in preparing.  We call it "the magic of Junior Chef" because we often have parents expressing surprise at what their child will eat while at the program that they won't eat at home!

momstown is proud to offer programs based on our 6 Program Pillars.  If you haven't been to a momstown Milton Junior Chef event, please check one out soon.  We hold this event monthly and it is always a great time for all.

To learn more about what momstown Milton is all about - Click Here

To register for a 6 week FREE trial membership - Click Here 

If you are a business that would like to sponsor our events or advertise with us please contact info.milton@momstown.ca

 

Submitted by Paula Porter, a momstown Milton member and

 mother of two amazing girls.