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Tag: jennifer cox

  • Parenting 101: We all need to give our kids a lesson on online etiquette

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    My son is in the age of video games, and I wrestle with the idea of screentime because it’s also his “socializing” time. 

    With all this, I’ve gotten my first dose of how young kids today handle their newfound freedom of interacting online. A lot of the time, video calls come through on my phone as well as his tablet so I can monitor things. But these kids call at all times, all day long, INCESSANTLY. Mine included. Here are my gripes – I discuss these with my son and hope you guys do too.

    – Call ONCE. You don’t need to call once, twice, fourteen times. The person at the other end will see they had a missed call and at what time. I had a little boy call my phone 12 times before I picked up and, as politely as possible, told him to STOP IT!!! 

    – If someone signs off, wait for them to call you back later. My son will tell a friend he has to go have dinner, and 10 minutes later, that said friend is calling back. 

    – Sign off politely. I hate to generalize, but boys seem a bit more abrupt and quick to say “hi” and “bye” on a call. There are still certain courtesies that should be in place when calling each other, no? “Hi, how are you? How was your day?” “I’ve gotta go but have a good night. Nice playing with you. See you tomorrow. Bye.” I ask the bean to get off for the evening and he blurts out to his friends, “I’ve gotta leave. Bye.” And just hangs up. We’re working on this.

    – Forget the group calls. If four kids play together, they’ll do a group call, which means that EVERY SINGLE TIME they play together afterwards, your device will ring. Even when they’re just trying to reach one of the four.

    Let’s all make sure we have a little sit-down with our kiddos to discuss this. If this is just the beginning of the online play, open communication is super important from the get-go. Plus: I’m losing my mind over here with the incessant calls. Thanks.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more.

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  • Supermom In Training: 5 Ways to help your kid develop a true love for reading

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    My son loves reading. I mean, loves reading! He’ll forgo cartoons on a weekend morning to continue with a chapter book I made him put down the night before (because it was getting so late). 

    I have always read to my son, every day, from the time he was an infant curled up in my arms. Going to the library was a regular outing once he learned to walk. We hid from cold winter days in bookstores, and we spent summers parked down by the St. Lawrence River, trunk popped, picnicking and reading in the trunk of our SUV.

    People are always asking me how they can get their child to enjoy books more. So, here are 5 ways to help your kid develop a true love for reading.

    Track their progress, and reward it too.

    We have a chart with tally marks on the side of our fridge where my son keeps track of the amount of chapter books he’s read. We started it with the  lockdown in March 2020. He just passed 75 books. Anyone that sees the chart asks what it’s for, and my kiddo is always proud to tell them what it is.

    If your child works well with a reward system, implement one. Maybe for every 10 or 25 books, they get a certain reward. The incentive could be the thing that gets them reading – the love for books they will develop will create  a lifelong habit. 

    Make it a part of your family’s lifestyle.

    There are certain times when we read, period. The TV is turned off, we get a cozy blanket, and we curl up on the couch and read, whether it’s the newspaper, a magazine, or a book.

    For the most part, screens are not allowed “on the go”. We don’t bring them to friends’ houses, on shorter road trips, or to appointments – these are perfect opportunities to read. 

    Keep books handy everywhere.

    Not only does my son have a fully stocked book shelf (that is well-organized, I might add, for easier retrieval), but we have books on the coffee table in the living room that I regularly rotate, we have books in the bathroom, and we keep books in the back flaps of the front seats in the car. That way, if my son is ever bored, he always has a book within sight.

    Seek out reading material whenever and wherever you can.

    My son has had three magazine subscriptions: Chickadee, Highlights, and National Geographic Kids. They are all super fun and engaging, and they regularly provide new, updated reading material for him. My husband and I also receive magazines.

    We go to the library often. My son even has his own library card. We also love bookstores. 

    When we have a family activity planned, like a trip to a museum, we bring any titles we have that might be related: we have a kids’ book of art that we take to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, animal books for trips to zoos, and travel books for when we go on vacation. In December I even do a book advent calendar with Christmas and holiday titles – a new book to read every day!

    Let them stay up late! 

    I once saw an interview with Billie Eilish and she said her parents would let she and her brother stay up late but only if they were creating music. I adopted the same idea but with reading: my son has a little booklight and is allowed to stay up later (within reason) as long as he’s reading in bed. It has fostered a love for chapter books as he continues with different titles each night and often carries through to the daytime where he is excited to pick up where he left off.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: Spring crafts we love

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    Spring has sprung, and our home is teeming with fun little crafts to welcome the warmer season. Here are a few spring crafts we love.

    Birdfeeders. We want to encourage the birdies to come to our yard to fatten up for spring and summer, so we’ve been stringing cereal onto pipecleaners and hanging them in the trees. Sometimes we use Cheerios, and sometimes we like to give them “dessert” with Fruit Loops.

    Muffin liner flowers. Cut flower shapes out of construction paper and glue a muffin liner in the middle. Hang around the house.

    Umbrella craft. Use a paper plate and some Washi tape to create your own one-of-a-kind umbrella. Remember: April showers bring May flowers!

    Coffee filter butterflies. I don’t know what’s more fun for the kids – colouring the coffee filters or spraying them with water and watching the colours blend!?

    Homemade wind sock. With all that changing weather, you’ll love having this little wind sock hanging by an open window.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: 7 Ways to make your house Halloween-ready in 10 minutes or less

    Supermom In Training: 7 Ways to make your house Halloween-ready in 10 minutes or less

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    Now is not the time to spend hours in the stores shopping for festive Halloween decorations – and besides, with everything going on, who has the time?! So, here are 7 ways to make your house Halloween-ready in 10 minutes or less.

    Ghosts outside

    Put a plastic or styrofam ball on top of a bamboo gardening stake, then cover with a white plastic tablecloth or sheet. Stick into the ground.

    Tattered garbage bags

    Take black garbage bags and shred them. They can be hung around exterior doorways and overhands, or along roof eaves, to give a haunted, billowing effect.

    Spiderwebs

    Spiderwebs scream Halloween – spread them across corners of rooms and doorways inside, and along bushes and small trees outside. A few plastic spiders will make them uber-creepy.

    Lightbulbs

    Change up the lightbulbs on your front porch or in your backyard to purple, green or black.

    Music

    Go on YouTube and crank up the classics: Monster Mash, Time Warp, and Thriller. Don’t forget the spooky soundtracks too.

    Games

    Set up a big bowl of water and apples for some bobbing fun (you can also thread donuts onto a string and hang the string up). Stack toilet paper rolls that have ghost faces drawn on them and see how many you can knock down with a ball. You can also find slews of easy minute-to-win-it games on Pinterest.

    Pumpkin carving station

    Stock up on some pumpkins and let everyone’s creativity run wild. You can carve the pumpkins, draw on them with Sharpies, or paint them. Stuff some clothes with newspaper and make a pumpkin-headed man for the yard. Display them on social media. And, if you want to get competitive, invite friends to vote on their favourite.  

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: 5 Responses to your child saying “I’m bored”

    Supermom In Training: 5 Responses to your child saying “I’m bored”

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    How many times have you heard your child say, “I’m bored”? OK, not you saying it in your head… your child whining it while they pick at a thread on their shirt. This said kid is also probably surrounded with toys, books, games and more (ahhh, to be bored like a kid!). So, here are 5 responses to your child saying “I’m bored”.

    “Figure it out.” I mean, seriously – when did we become responsible for entertaining our kids 24/7?! Truth is, when your kids are bored, it’s pretty amazing how creative they will get to find their own ways of keeping busy. Just keep an eye on them – the mischievous ones might get into trouble.

    “Go outside.” I really don’t think kids spend as much time outdoors as we did as kids (I remember practically living outside from sun up to sun down). We’ve all got the gear for winter or summer play, so send them out for some fresh air.

    “Make something.” In our house we call it a “craft challenge” where we rummage through the recycling bin, or pull out random craft supplies, and we challenge each other to create something. It’s quite cool to see what your kids come up with.

    “Read something.” We have a very accessible well-stocked bookshelf that the bean keeps very organized to make book-finding easy. We also subscribe to a number of magazines, and I have other “books” around like word searches and hidden pictures.

    “Do something for someone else.” Whether it’s helping mom and dad with a household to-do, writing a letter to a long-distance family member, shoveling the neighbour’s walkway, there’s always a way to help someone else (and keep your child occupied too).

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  • Supermom In Training: Ways to encourage healthy teeth with kids

    Supermom In Training: Ways to encourage healthy teeth with kids

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    I don’t know why, but some kids are reeeeally not into brushing their teeth. They fight their parents on it and seem adverse to anything that has to do with toothpaste, mouthwash or floss. So, if you have a child who is resisting healthy oral hygiene, here are some tips to help you out.

    Colour-changing mouthwash. It’s a bit tricky to find up here (they sell it south of the border), but Listerine has this amazing mouthwash that makes any plaque or food on a child’s teeth turn blue or green – that way, they can see exactly which spots need to be brushed. Plus, it turns teeth-brushing into a game.

    Tooth timer. This also makes brushing a bit more fun and challenging because kids have to brush their teeth for a certain amount of time. You can buy an actual little tooth-shaped timer, or a regular one from a board game would do.

    Learn about oral care. You know those little laminated placemats? They’re usually blank on the back. Using a black wipe-off marker, draw some teeth, and then give your child the coloured wipe-off markers to draw little “germs” on them. Then, with a cheapy dollar store toothbrush, have them “brush” off the germs.

    There’s also an awesome dentist Playdoh set that can make learning about teeth fun.

    Buy oral care products together. Take your little one to the pharmacy and pick out their toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash (another quick trick: electric toothbrushes are more exciting for some kids).

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: Why it’s important that my 8yo son do chores

    Supermom In Training: Why it’s important that my 8yo son do chores

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    I wrote a blog recently about chores by age and got slammed on social media for even giving my son chores. Yep- a few parents told me it was wrong to expect my child to do any sort of labour because that’s my job as a parent.

    To this I say…..

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…..

    Guys: Kids NEED chores. They’ll never grow up to be responsible for themselves (and lord help their future spouses). They need to see how much it takes to run a household. They need to learn independence. 

    And kids are much more capable than we give them credit for. My 8-year-old son has always had basic chores: make his bed, put his clean folded laundry away, clear the dinner table, and take out the garbage. But I was talking to some friends before the summer who have boys around my son’s age and their boys were doing their own laundry. So, guess what? Summer started, the bean got his own laundry hamper, and downstairs we went to the basement so he could learn how to use the washing machine and dryer. And guess what? Eight years old and he’s doing his own laundry! Yesterday he did a load of clothes with his sheets, remade his bed, folded his laundry, and put it all away.

    I know it’s a parent’s responsibility to do things around the house and for their kids – don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to ask my 8yo to mow the lawn (yet). But after a year of virtual school, with my putting my own work aside to help my son, I told him mommy needed a break and some help this summer  too. So, we added to his chore list. 

    I think chores are really important for kids to have.

    What are your thoughts?

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: 5 Quick Valentine’s Day surprises you can prep for your kiddo right now!

    Supermom In Training: 5 Quick Valentine’s Day surprises you can prep for your kiddo right now!

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    So, at 8 years old, the bean isn’t as “into” Valentine’s Day this year (he’s in third grade and refused to hand out those “lame” little paper Valentine’s cards to his classmates… sniffle). However, everyone loves a little somethin’-somethin’ to make the day feel extra special. I’m not taking grand gestures here – just a few quick Valentine’s Day surprises you can prep for your kiddo right now.

    Heart-shaped dinner. It’s as easy as getting a frozen pepperoni pizza, using kitchen scissors to cut the pepperoni into hearts, and voila! Add sparkling apple cider for some fizzy fun.

    Five-minute scavenger hunt. Grab some balloons and on small pieces of paper, write things that they have to find around the house (“find something heart-shaped,” “find something pink,” etc.), and put one set of instructions inside each balloon. At the end they get a reward, whether it’s some Valentine’s Day candy or a small treasure chest with some loonies and toonies.

    Make a paper chain. There’s something so fun about sitting and making paper chains, and it’s a great team-work activity. Plus: You’ll help decorate your home for the occasion. Pop some popcorn and add some pink or red food colouring to the melted butter, than toss around the popper kernels for a festive snack while you work.

    Make some pink, red, or purple Playdoh (it’s super easy: 1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups baking soda, and 1 1/2 cups water ). It air dries so you can make things that are heart-shaped and gift them to people later.

    Create a Valentine’s Day photo booth. Find everything you can that’s pink or red, from scarves and hats to shirts, fake flowers, balloons, stuffies, sunglasses, and more, make some funny signs on sticks, and take some funny and candid photos together as a family.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: Our favourite Valentine’s Day crafts

    Supermom In Training: Our favourite Valentine’s Day crafts

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    Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Valentine’s Day has a whole different meaning now that I’m a parent… in the past, it was all romance and flowers and fancy dinners, and now it’s paper hearts and stuffed animals and little paper Valentine’s cards. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    The bean and I love crafts, so a holiday is a great excuse to get creative. Here are a few of our favourite Valentine’s Day crafts:

    – Cutting out paper hearts. This is a great exercise for little hands that are learning how to use scissors. Fold paper in half, draw half a heart, and let your child cut it out, open it, and decorate or colour it.

    – Suncatchers. You can fill a plastic yogurt lid with school glue, add a few drops of food colouring, and swirl with a toothpick. When it dries punch a hole in the top of it and hang it in a window. You can also do a cool suncatcher with crayon shavings: sandwich different coloured crayon shavings between two pieces of wax paper, and then iron (on the lowest setting). It will immediately melt in a super cool swirly fashion. Then we cut ours out into hearts.

    Paper plate cardholder. Take two paper plates and punch holes halfway around the outside of the plates. Lace yarn in and out of the holes to affix the two plates together. Cut a flat opening across the top and decorate with hearts. Add a string so your little one can carry their cardholder over their shoulder.

    Simple store-bought cards. We went to our local dollar store and picked up a few packs of Valentine’s Day cards, then came home to write them out, colour on them, add stickers, etc.

    Love animals. We have a bag of differently-sized foam hearts that we’ve used to create all sorts of Valentine’s Day-inspired animals. We made fish and used the hearts as fins and lips, we made butterflies and used the bigger hearts for wings, and we even made little lovebirds with heart-shaped tails.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with Suburban readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Best of 2021: Supermom In Training: 5 Responses to your child saying “I’m bored”

    Best of 2021: Supermom In Training: 5 Responses to your child saying “I’m bored”

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    How many times have you heard your child say, “I’m bored”? OK, not you saying it in your head… your child whining it while they pick at a thread on their shirt. This said kid is also probably surrounded with toys, books, games and more (ahhh, to be bored like a kid!). So, here are 5 responses to your child saying “I’m bored”.

    “Figure it out.” I mean, seriously – when did we become responsible for entertaining our kids 24/7?! Truth is, when your kids are bored, it’s pretty amazing how creative they will get to find their own ways of keeping busy. Just keep an eye on them – the mischievous ones might get into trouble.

    “Go outside.” I really don’t think kids spend as much time outdoors as we did as kids (I remember practically living outside from sun up to sun down). We’ve all got the gear for winter or summer play, so send them out for some fresh air.

    “Make something.” In our house we call it a “craft challenge” where we rummage through the recycling bin, or pull out random craft supplies, and we challenge each other to create something. It’s quite cool to see what your kids come up with.

    “Read something.” We have a very accessible well-stocked bookshelf that the bean keeps very organized to make book-finding easy. We also subscribe to a number of magazines, and I have other “books” around like word searches and hidden pictures.

    “Do something for someone else.” Whether it’s helping mom and dad with a household to-do, writing a letter to a long-distance family member, shoveling the neighbour’s walkway, there’s always a way to help someone else (and keep your child occupied too).

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  • Supermom In Training: 6 Ways to make snow play more fun

    Supermom In Training: 6 Ways to make snow play more fun

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    We’ve got to live with the white stuff, so why not embrace it and make it as fun as possible? After all, it’s our safest play-place this winter. Check out these 6 ways to make snow play more fun.

    Make shapes. Snow is super moldable, especially the wet, sticky stuff. Break out buckets and bowls, sand toys, tupperware, or lightweight metal baking pans. Fashion bricks or unique shapes for giant animals and snowmen. Even the dollar store has rectangular building moulds for snow as well as snowball makers.

    Make it colourful. Spray bottles with coloured water can add whimsy and personality to any snow creation.

    Make it glow. Nighttime snow play can be almost more fun than in the daytime, and since darkness creeps in earlier these days, this is totally doable. Glowsticks look super cool under the snow and make for a fun game of hide-and-go-seek.

    Make a science lab. You can get as messy as you want since you’re outdoors! You could create a snow volcano: fill the top with baking soda and add some vinegar. Coloured water and alka-seltzer tablets are also fun.

    Make something delicious. Outdoor snow cone stand? Frozen lemonade cafe? An iced coffee for the adults? What about your own sugar shack where you pour warm maple syrup on the snow for a gooey sweet treat? Let the snow be your sous chef.

    Make it an ongoing project. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was your snow castle, or snow mechanic’s garage, or snow restaurant. Start a larger backyard snow-build that you can work on over the course of a few days.

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  • Supermom In Training: 5 Places to go in November

    Supermom In Training: 5 Places to go in November

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    On an episode of Suburban Parents Talk, we discussed things to do in November. There’s just something usually dreary about this month – it’s sandwiched between Halloween and the holidays, the weather is unpredictable, it feels too late to do fall stuff but too early to do Christmasey stuff. It made me think of some easy, fun things to do during this blah-ish month – here are 5 places to go in November.

    Markets. We love fruit and veggie markets. We live on the South Shore where there are a lot of cute little one-off shops in farming areas, but we also love Atwater and Jean-Talon markets. It’s a great opportunity to pick up fresh, delicious produce and homemade goods, plus it’s always wonderful to support local too.

    Mall walking. We hit Promenades Saint-Bruno this week and all the holiday decorations are up, sales are happening, but there aren’t any crowds (yet). Take advantage of this quieter shopping time to wander the mall, get an ice cream or a cappucino, and maybe even get a headstart on holiday shopping.

    Hikes. November always has its random warmer days, so soak them in by going on a nice family stroll. There are lots of parks, both big and small, to explore. Seek out a new one you’ve never been to: Beaver Lake, Lakeshore, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Mont Saint-Hilaire, etc.

    Last picking of the season. Yep- there’s still fresh produce out there to be picked and enjoyed. So, don’t let them spoil – get your hands on the last of the apples, pumpkins, squash, and cauliflower. 

    Library. Reading is a great way to pass the time when it’s cold and blustery outside, and what better time to get back into the habit than now? Frequent your local library and keep a rotating collection of great titles at-hand. 

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: Instilling gratitude in children

    Supermom In Training: Instilling gratitude in children

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    I am grateful. I am soooo grateful. I have a warm and wonderful home, and a partner to share my life with, and I have a beautiful and healthy little boy who literally makes my heart sing every single day. I was thinking about a church homily I heard once about planning for the future but also finding a balance living in the present as well, and taking stock in what you do have in your life. I try to do that every day, numerous times a day. And I want to teach my son gratitude.

    That entails being observant. When we’re surrounded by his toys and books and things, we often stop to look around us and pause to see how lucky we are that we have so many toys. I want my son to realize how much we have (and it’s too much, really).

    We also look at what’s going on around us, and we talk about how can we help these people in any way possible (we recently gathered loads of clothes and toys for donation). We reflect on our own blessings and, again, how lucky we are to have a roof over our heads, food on the table, etc.

    We acknowledge when we receive gifts by writing thank-you cards or even making artwork for the person. My son is quite popular with the church-goers of my parish, and they would frequently pick up little cars and trucks for him. And we would always go home and make them something for the following Sunday to thank them. We’d talk about how nice it was for that person to stop and take time to think about our bean. And I think he genuinely feels lucky to receive these little gifts.

    We buy for others, together. If we know it’s someone’s birthday, the bean always helps me choose the gift. Yes, I may encounter the requests to buy him something too, but I’m adamant about not doing so, because he has to learn that we do for others. And he’s usually very good about it.

    We stop and thank people. Food vendors and store employees. We hold doors for people. We wave “thank you” when cars let us cross the street. If there’s one way to raise a conscientious, thoughtful child, it’s by teaching gratitude. Every day.

    How do you teach your child gratitude?

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: My 8yo FINALLY learned to ride his bike

    Supermom In Training: My 8yo FINALLY learned to ride his bike

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    My once 8-year-old son was pretty adventurous, and we’d always encouraged him to try new things. But, when he was 4 and we attempted to teach him how to ride a two-wheeler, he adamantly refused.

    “Why do I need to learn to ride a bike? Will I die if I don’t? I don’t have to.” 

    He insisted he wasn’t afraid to fall. He just said he “didn’t feel like it.”

    We tried again the next summer… and the next… he loved zooming around on his scooter, he was a pro at rollerblades, but he outright refused to sit on a bike. 

    We reasoned. We pled. We bribed. We sent his bike with him to Ottawa to learn with his grandfather. We brought over friends and had them ride their bikes. Then one summer, when we dangled a new shiny bike like a carrot in front of him, he took the bait, only to sit on it for 10 minutes and decide he didn’t want to learn.

    FINALLY, when the nice weather moved in the next year, he turned to me and, out of the blue, he admitted, “I’m kinda curious to get on my bike,” and after a 10-minute tutorial he was riding solo.

    And that was that. We couldn’t get him off the thing. We’d go on 3-4 bike rides a day. We took our bikes to different parks. He wanted to ride day and night.

    UGGHHHHH! Why this child decided to take such an adamant stance against learning in the first place I’ll never know! But I think it dragged on because he wanted to be in control. He wanted to decide when it was time to ride on his own terms. And he did.

    So, I guess the moral of the story is: kids have to learn certain things in their own time. And when we give them that time, they eventually come around. It’s all about being patient.

    But I may have gained some more white hairs in the process…

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy. 

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  • Supermom In Training: Want to keep your toddler busy? Go simple!

    Supermom In Training: Want to keep your toddler busy? Go simple!

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    We were a Playmobil/Marvel superheroes household – our 2-year-old son (and his mum and dad) loved adding to his Playmobil City Life collection, and what little boy isn’t “hi-yah-ing” as Batman all over the place? But I also came to realize that there are certain toys and games that are simple in nature but were still loads of fun for my little one.

    Hide the flashlight. There’s not much more to it than that – we hid the lit-up flashlight and he follows the bean of light to find it. 

    Dice. He loved shaking and rolling the dice, piling them up and knocking them down, and we liked counting the dots (a great exercise in learning numbers). 

    Flour/oil play. I mix four parts flour to one part baby oil (or olive), put it in a deep roasting pan, and give him a few toys (my son loves his Matchbox construction trucks but Playdoh tools work well too). It’s like magic sand but it’s all natural. Place the pan on an old sheet on the floor so you can just shake it out afterward.

    Car wash. A bowl of soapy water along with a few brushes, sponges and rags, and my son is washing cars for awhile on the floor. It can also work with other toys (Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Pony, plastic dolls like Barbies, etc.).

    A jewellery box. Obviously, remove the valuables, and then let your little one go! From the ring slots and necklace hooks to the tiny drawer compartments, there’s lots to explore here.

    Restaurant. All you need is a few plastic dishes and utensils, and you can sit back while your toddler serves you the best air tea and air pizza you’ve ever had. In the process you can teach them about setting the table.

    Paper play. My toddler loved ripping paper, so I arm him with scrap paper, old magazines and his kiddie scissors. We talk about the pictures that we find and sometimes we glue them to paper as artwork.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: The best crafts ever!

    Supermom In Training: The best crafts ever!

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    Got March Break fever? Looking for something fun to keep the kiddos entertained? My bean and I have done probably hundreds of crafts, a lot of which I have written about. So here are the best crafts ever – fun ideas for both you and the kids.

    Apple crafts. Apples are still relatively inexpensive at the grocery store (and even more so at the market, which could be a fun day trip), and there’s so much you can do with apples, from crafts to recipes. Try some of these.

    Coffee filter butterflies are really pretty, and kids love watching the colours seep through the filters and mix. Birdfeeders are also great because you hang them outside and watch your feathered friends enjoy a snack.

    I bet all you’ve been hearing since March Break started is, “Can I have a snack?!” Let them make their own snack necklaces and you’ll never be asked this endless question again!

    Now is a great time to catch up on your reading. Get the kids set up with some great titles and, who knows – maybe you’ll be able to dig into your own adult fiction book. Need some suggestions for the little readers? These are some of our faves.

    Don’t miss these activity books, which are jam-packed with science experiments, art projects, and lots more.

    And don’t forget about St. Patrick’s Day, which is right around the corner. Get a headstart on the festivities with shamrock printing or making a leprechaun trap!

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: Parent challenge: Eat what your kids eat

    Supermom In Training: Parent challenge: Eat what your kids eat

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    The other day my 9-year-old wanted a bowl of Goldfish crackers. As usual, I told him if he wanted something “junky” like that, he had to eat something nutritional, like an apple, which he happily obliged. And it got me to thinking: what if I ate what I make my son eat? I’d be much healthier.

    When I’m chiming after him to drink some water, I’m busy making my third coffee. While I’m preparing him a well-balanced lunch of protein, fruits, veggies, and some dairy, I’m stuffing stale muffins in my mouth and washing it down with, what else, more coffee. I don’t get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and instead sacrifice sleep for alone time to binge watch horrible reality TV shows. 

    We spend so much time focusing on our children’s health and give so much less attention to our own wellbeing. Why is that? 

    Oh yeah- because our kids always come first.

    But maybe it’s time that we come in at a close second. And it’s not just nutritional choices. What about limiting our own screen time? Reading more? Flexing our creative muscles and doing a craft or art project?

    I’d like to issue a challenge to all you parents in the New Year: let’s make our family’s health a priority, not just our kids. Let’s hydrate like we encourage our children to do and try to eat more balanced meals and snacks. Let’s wear sunscreen, let’s get regular dentist and doctor appointments, let’s put time aside for naps (or at least resting), let’s get good-quality sleep, and let’s read and create more.

    In the end, we’ll all be better parents for it!

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • Supermom In Training: It takes a village

    Supermom In Training: It takes a village

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    When they told you it takes a village to raise a child, they weren’t entirely right. You can raise a child without the village backing you. But when you’ve got the strength of the village on your side, you can raise a really awesome well-rounded kid!

    I have a village. I have amazing grandparents who give my son so much love and attention and comfort. I have wonderful aunts and uncles who spoil him in every which way. I have incredible friends who love my kid as much as their own, and who are my sounding board when I’m on the edge of a ledge. I have a church full of parishioners who have always embraced my son and made him feel like he belongs. I have the greatest school, with such passionate teachers and volunteers, who make his school experience one that has been inclusive and positive and very educational on so many levels. And speaking of the volunteers, I’ve been lucky enough to have befriended many of these lovely ladies, who look out for my son as well as me, who offer advice and help, and devote so much of their own time to making my son’s school days exciting and fun. I have this awesome community, where we all look out for each other, where we feel safe and where we have made true friends. And, even though I freelance, I have a network of colleagues and clients whom are understanding when it comes to motherly duties – some are parents, and we spend the first half of meetings or interviews catching up on one another’s families. They provide me with comradery and grown-up conversation and sanity.

    Because of them, all of them, I can be a better mom. These different people have shaped my bean into the smart, inquisitive, compassionate kid he is today, and provided me with the friendship I’ve needed in times of being frustrated, exhausted and scared, because, as a parent, these moments happen a lot. 

    I love my village. And I am forever grateful for my villagers.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • BEST OF 2022: Supermom In Training: Why you NEED to talk to your kids about sex

    BEST OF 2022: Supermom In Training: Why you NEED to talk to your kids about sex

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    Want to know why you need to talk to your kids about sex?!

    Just Google “what is sex?”. If you don’t tell them what sex is, this is what they will think it is.

    Scary, no?

    About a year ago, I had the full “sex talk” with my 8-year-old. He’s always been a pretty mature kid so I knew he was ready to hear it. Now, in third grade, he and his friends are doing a lot of joking around that centres around sexuality. The difference is, I know my son understands these jokes… but I also know the kids who are throwing around these terms and sound effects, and they most definitely don’t know or understand the depth of what they are saying.

    Yes, sound effects. Moaning, to be precise.

    There are lots of jokes about penises. Doodles of dinkies. Mentions of “humping” and more. So much more.

    Perhaps it’s better that your kids hear about sex and sexuality not from their friends, who are tossing around words without really knowing what they’re talking about. Sure, it might seem uncomfortable to say certain things about sex to your kids. After all, they’re so innocent, right?

    Trust me: Coming from a mom whose son trusts her enough to divulge all the on-goings of 8-, 9-, and 10-year-old kids, you want to help them out on this one. Because if you don’t fill in the blanks, Google or Siri or the kid in the schoolyard will. 

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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  • BEST OF 2022: Supermom In Training: Put down your phone and watch your kids’ sports!

    BEST OF 2022: Supermom In Training: Put down your phone and watch your kids’ sports!

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    I ranted about this during a recent episode of Suburban Parents Talk. My bean has done a lot of different sports and extracurriculars, and I’m proud to say that I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve missed being there. I’ve gone to swimming lessons, hockey practices and games (even the super early ones that are crazily far away), tee ball, soccer, cooking classes, and more. And then, when everything suddenly stopped, I found that my son not only missed his sports but I did too.

    When we came back I was invested more than ever. And I have been since. My phone usually only comes out to take photos or videos. I really make a point of not scrolling around on Facebook or getting into texting convos because all of that can wait one measly hour.

    But I see the parents who just can’t seem to put their phones down. I’ve seen parents regrettably miss goals. I’ve seen kids look expectantly out into the sea of parents to get a small wave or wink from a parent only to find them absorbed in something on their screens.

    If Covid has taught us anything, it’s that life is completely and totally unpredictable. So many lost so much in those two years, and parents did too – we lost time to watch our kids grow and have fun and enjoy sports and extra-curriculars. And that’s why now, more than ever, we need to put down our phones.

    It’s for one hour.

    Put it down.

    And who knows: Maybe you could put it down during meal time too. But that’s a whole other rant *wink*.

    A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.

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