Talking to Kids About Tragic Events

It was an abnormal day. Daddy was home when the Kid woke up and she got to spend some quality time with him and I got to sleep in. A little after 8 am we left to take Daddy to the train station so that he could go to Toronto for work. The Kid wanted to stay in the parking lot and see the train so we waited, and then she declared she had to go to the bathroom. I picked her up and walked to the station and just before we reached the doors I saw the train coming, so I pointed it out to her and that's when I realized that something was wrong – the train was coming towards the station on an angle. My immediate reaction was to say "oh my god." By now everyone reading this has heard about the crash between the train and the bus that morning. We didn't realize at that moment what was happened on the other side of that train. We went to find Daddy and check in because clearly his plans would have to change.

I'm a news junkie as it is, and seeing an incident made me want to know that much more about what was happening and the news got worse and worse through the morning, but I knew immediately that I had to be very careful about what my three year old saw and heard.

She knew from my immediate reaction that the train wasn't supposed to do that. She said she wanted to stay to see the next train and we had to explain that trains probably wouldn't be moving any time soon.

But at an age where she picks up on everything we're saying, how to I continue to protect her from the news? And what about as she grows older and understands more?

When I dropped her off at preschool I informed the teacher of what she had seen, and that she had mentioned the train again a couple of times and might bring it up at school. The first question I will need to ask her when she gets home will be if she has any questions and doing my best to answer them. I will be mindful of things she says over the next few days.

If she were older I would tell her that a bad accident happened and people got hurt, that there are ways people like us can help, like checking in with our friends, donating blood and sending thanks to our emergency services workers.

I don't believe in shielding my child from the world because I know that someday it would all come crashing down around her, but I do believe that there are things she can handle at this moment in time and things she cannot. This is a house where we pay attention to the news so I can't just keep her in the dark.

At any age talking to her will be key. Talking to her about these things will teach her that talking helps and is always allowed.

I sought out some resources that I wanted to share:

• Sesame Street has a parents section on their website with tool kits for dealing with different issues and they have produced some videos for parents as well;
• A handout for parents from the National Association of School Psychologists;
• A post on the New York Times website for teachers about helping students deal with difficult events in the news;
• A post from PBS Parents with strategies for speaking to your children and
• A post from the Mayo Clinic about talking to children at different ages.

I'd love to get a conversation going about this to find more.

The Colour Run is Coming to Ottawa

On August 25^th, the Color Run is coming to Ottawa. The Color Run, also known as the ‘Happiest 5k on the Planet’, is a weird and wild paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness and individuality. From it’s debut in January 2012, it has focused on fitness and fun rather than who wins. In fact, there’s no winner at all. Or hundreds of winners. Depending on how you look at it. With only two rules, the concept of the Color Run is easy to follow:

1. Wear white at the starting line
2. Finish plastered in colour

I know it sounds a bit daunting – a 5K run – but don’t worry. This run is for everyone – kids and families – at all levels of fitness. Remember, there are no winners. The whole point of the run is FUN!

So get your whites on and head down to the Canadian Tire Centre on August 25^th. It's $50 for individuals to register and $45/person for teams of 4. Kids under 5 are free.  The fun starts at 9 am.

Stay tuned for more about the Color Run. We’re sending Andrea Lie and her daughter down to the event so we’ll have a first hand account of the color mayhem. 

Canada Day Celebrations Around the Capital

Canada Day is fast approaching and we will soon be celebrating our 146th birthday. In Ottawa, there are a ton of family friendly activities as well as some of the best fireworks in the country. When you have kids, though, going to Parliament Hill isn’t always a feasible option. So I’ve put together a list of some alternative family friendly, Canada Day Parties.

For those families in the West End of the city, Canada Day in Kanata is always a great spot for families. For one of the largest community events in Ottawa, head off to Walter Baker Park off Terry Fox Drive in Kanata to celebrate. Admission is free with tons of activities all day. Trooper is playing on stage at 8 and at 10 there is an awesome fireworks show that shouldn’t be missed.

For those in the East End, Petrie Island in Orleans will also have a great family bash. There’ a whole slew of kid-friendly activities planned. Little Ray’s Reptiles will be there and so will some little princesses parties, Radical Science and, of course, a fireworks display at night.

If you’re in Barrhaven, you can start celebrating Canada Day early. Mattamy Homes is hosting a weekend long party starting on the 29th. There will be a midway as well as family friendly fun-filled activities, battle of the bands, food and fireworks at night.

The Canada Day celebration in Riverside South will be at Claudette Cain Park and headlined by Junkyard Symphony and Brad the Balloon Guy. The Barnyard Zoo will offer a petting zoo and pony rides! In addition, there will be rides and games for all to enjoy, a Storytime Tent and a Miniature Train Ride for kids. No fireworks, though and the activities run from 11-2.

All of these sites (except for Riverside South) do have amazing Fireworks shows but they do start late, at 10 pm. If your kids can stay up that late - it really is worth waiting for.

No matter what you decide to do on Canada Day, please do take a moment to think of how lucky we are to live in this awesome nation. So get your red and white on and celebrate, Eh!

Ottawa's Farmer's Markets

One of the best parts of Ottawa in the summer is the availability of fresh produce grown locally. Last weekend, my girls and I had the opportunity to visit the Westboro Farmer’s Market to get some veggies and breads for dinner. Since the arrival of summer, the Farmer’s Markets are popping up all over Ottawa, in every part of the city. Not only are they a great resource for those who want to support our local infrastructure, but they are a fun way to get your kids involved in making (and actually eating) dinner.

If I’m honest with myself, I have to admit I have the world's pickiest eaters. Both are self-proclaimed vegetable haters. So, in order to help the situation, I told them that they could each pick and prepare a dish with their (ahem) favorite veggies. My eldest grabbed some asparagus (all the while laughing because it would make our pee smell). My youngest latched onto the zucchini. At first, she wanted to make fried zucchini but later settled on “baked” fried zucchini. A good compromise I thought.

We had a blast inspecting, choosing and then buying our dinner. Not only did they have fresh vegetables, baked goods and fruits but they also had crafts, treats and pottery, flowers and more. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

The Ottawa Farmer’s Market in Westboro is located along the walking path of the Byron Linear Park, between Golden, Richmond and Byron Avenues and there are more than 65 vendors. It runs on Saturdays from 9:30-3:00. you can also find more Farmer’s Markets around the city on their website.

Do you shop at an Ottawa Farmer's Market? Which one is your favorite?

Earth Day 2013

Monday, April 22 is Earth Day and it's fast approaching. What better way to celebrate than to start on an eco-initiative with your kids? Becoming eco-friendly at home doesn't need to be an exhausting endeavor. It can start with talking to your kids about the importance of  trying to protect our planet and its resources.  Think of some easy ways to being the idea of sustainable living to your home. Some simple ways include recycling your garbage at home, picking up trash at the park, making litter-less lunches for school or thinking of ways to conserve water and energy.

Teaching kids the message of Earth Day is the legacy we leave for future generations. The most important thing for kids to know is that Earth Day is not just one day of celebrating, but instead a reminder of what we should be doing all year long. As adults, it's our job to teach them this. Our kids do listen and learn from us.

If you're stuck for some ideas, check out Earth Day Canada for some great ways to go green.  Eco-Kids also has a great site to find games, activities  books and other ways to help our planet. If you're looking for some great eco-friendly and sustainable living products, our sponsor terra20 is a great place to check out.

How will you and your family help the environment this Earth Day?