Summer in Vancouver means the annual Honda Celebration of Lights is near! With kids in tow, fireworks can sometimes be daunting. Parking and transit need to be figured out, snacks packed and a plan set in place. While English Bay and Kitsilano Beach are the uber-popular viewing areas, there are a few more family-friendly venues to observe the spectacle around Vancouver.
Sports are a great way to have fun and escape the stress of everyday life. It teaches kids discipline, perseverance, and gives balance to screen time. No matter what sport you’ve signed up for, there are a few essential items you’ll want to bring along. I’m a proud soccer mom and my boys love to play in the sun. I love that they have fun, but I also like to be prepared – just in case. Check out this handy list for tips on packing for your first day on the field.
When you are choosing a vehicle for your family, you tend to think rationally. Value and reliability tend to top the list of checkboxes. But isn’t family life hard enough? Adulting can get pretty boring, so we need to balance it out with some passion. Spontanaity. Vigour. Where is the dream sports car of your youth that spikes adrenaline and has you feeling proud to slip behind the wheel? The one you drove down the shoreline that looked prestigious, sleek and fast. You actually wanted to dress up a bit to go for a spin. The brilliant minds at Acura realized that their previous best-selling RDX was constantly chosen as a family vehicle for all the right rational reasons, but even when you ‘grow up’, fun and passion must still play a part. Adding expensive details and high performance into the new first in a generation 2019 Acura RDX, they have created a sport sedan utility vehicle that elicits a gutteral, emotional response just to look at it. But wait until you get behind the wheel. Or in the back seat. In my view, the 2019 Acura RDX as a family vehicle hits all the highs for both the brain and the soul.
Have you played Fortnite yet? If you haven’t, you probably know someone who has as the game’s popularity has exploded in recent months, attracting celebrities, professional athletes, and gamers of all ages. Unfortunately, Fortnite’s mass appeal is attracting hackers and scammers too. Players and parents need to pay attention in order reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud playing Fortnight.
Part of the game’s attraction is that it’s free and available to players across multiple video game consoles, PCs, and mobile phones. The Hunger Games-like world of Fortnite allows players to showcase their creativity while playing. However, scammers are also getting creative.
Fortnite creator Epic Games recently warned about the most common Fortnite scam on its Twitter account for players: “Say NO to scams! Beware of scam sites offering free or discounted V-Bucks.”
When company comes over I am a total cheater. Room spray, vinegar swished in the sinks, and a carpet rake. Seriously. It makes it look freshly vacuumed (provided there aren’t a bunch of crunchy bits everywhere). Why do I do this? To impress. To make it look as if I’m put together. Perhaps I haven’t had enough mom therapy over the years. But also pride. I have a beautiful home, and appearing to take care of it makes me feel like I deserve what I am blessed enough to live in. I won’t change. But my faker-cheater rake just got a serious upgrade.
Having a big house, plush draperies and various flooring materials is great until you go to need to clean them all. When we moved in I was ecstatic – central vac!! It was like a 1980’s dream without the waterbeds. But in reality? It’s heavy, clogs all the time and the suction leaves crunchy bits. You drag the cord between floors, but get lazy and the plug end chips paint all the way down the stairs.
Kids don’t play outside like they used to, and there are, unfortunately, many reasons for that. Among them include the many fun technological devices that kids can use to level up their skills and entertainment. Kids spend on average of 60 hours a week on devices, and just 60 minutes a week playing outside. So sad! It’s time to restore some balance to that equation. There is much critical enrichment for kids who get to enjoy the simple pleasure of playing outside. Below are a few photos of special outdoor play with my own boys, including a special treasure ‘chest’ collected a few years back. The memories were so positive and powerful, I haven’t been allowed to throw it away!
Robyn Cyr is one hip and awesome grandma. During the day she plays with her grandkids, aged 10, six and two, at the Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival. They romp in the bouncy castle and play games in the Family Fun Zone and pound on bongos, shake tambourines and dance in the interactive Playzone. Of course, there are drinks and treats from food truck alley afterward. Then the kids go home to the babysitter and Cyr gathers her husband, daughter and son-in-law.
When you’re a parent, there are always a million things to remember, especially when you are trying to get out the door with everything you need. You have to remember to pack diapers (how many will you need?), bottles, wipes, a change of clothes (in case they spill or spit up), snacks, rubber toys, the list goes on and on. ‘Always be prepared’ is the motto of motherhood, after all. A trip to run a few errands can feel like preparing for a week-long cruise.
Kids making cards themselves is not only thrilling for Mom, but the hands-on approach helps their self-esteem, forces them to consider their connection with their mother, and prompts gratitude. (This one is always nice – especially once they hit the tween years!!)
Moms prefer cards truly from the heart and you truly don’t need fancy, expensive tools. Simple scissors, paper, odds and ends from the house certainly work wonders. You can even make glue out of flour and water if that is hard to come by! Remember that imperfection and authenticity are better than perfection. Relax and have fun with your designs – Moms can look at these throughout the year whenever they are feeling unloved and having bad mornings. And of course, if all else fails, make her a DIY Mother’s Day Card promising a simple car wash and make a note to do something kind at least once a week!
I have a confession. As much as I am trying to be a good citizen and help save the planet, at times I do it with a grumble. Sometimes the products I try just aren’t as effective as the old ones. *Gasp*. I know. In some cases, I haven’t found the right ones, and in others, the technology just wasn’t advanced enough yet. But I still try to be environmentally responsible, even if it means my life is a bit less ideal.