Quaker Chewy For Charity - and a Big Giveaway!

As we approach Thanksgiving, I'm pleased to be able to share with you an initiative that was launched by Quaker Canada this past summer called Chewy for Charity, which will help Canadian families in need get the nutrition they need this upcoming holiday, and beyond.

Quaker Chewy is asking families across Canada to get creative for charity! Parents and children can get involved by creating a Canadian-inspired piece of art, and then uploading it at ChewyForCharity.ca. (You can even choose to turn your art into a unique and personal reusable lunch bag design, and have it shipped to your home!) 

For every design submitted and approved, Quaker Canada will donate the equivalent of 10 pounds of food to Food Banks Canada. 

This is definitely an important cause: in 2013, Food Banks Canada distributed over 17 millions lbs of food to its network of 500 food banks. Close to 850,000 individuals are helped by a food bank each month, 1/3 of whom are children. While it's wonderful that help is out there for Canada's hungry families, on average food banks are only able to offer 3-5 days' worth of food each month because the demand is so high.

A virtual art gallery of all of the lunch bag designs submitted so far is showcased on ChewyForCharity.ca as well.  The site will be live for this initiative until October 31st, 2014.

Quaker products are a staple in our home, especially because the items are peanut-free and can be sent to school. Confession time: I actually keep a not-so-secret stash of Chocolate Chip Chewy Bars in my desk drawer. (I buy them in boxes of 40!)

We're also happy to be able to support a local company. The fact that Quaker has its head office and plant in Peterborough (where the Chewy Bars are produced!) means it has also provided a lot of local jobs. Our girls assume their uncle has personally made every Quaker product that comes into our home!

In addition to this fun and charitable initiative, Quaker is offering one lucky This Mom Loves reader a great giveaway: a Quaker Chewy for Charity Art Party Kit, consisting of $100 worth of Quaker Chewy products and children's art supplies (see the photo below). Wouldn't someone at your house love to see this arrive on the doorstep?

To enter, simply fill out the Google form below. All you need to provide is your email address (so I can contact the winner) with bonus entries for following This Mom Loves and Quaker Canada on social media as well. The giveaway will run until Wednesday, October 8th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, after which time a winner will be chosen through random number generation.

Good luck, and get that art going!

Helpful links:

This Mom Loves on Twitter
This Mom Loves on Facebook
Quaker Canada on Facebook

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by Quaker Canada. Opinions are, as always, my own.

The Happiness Project: September (Pursue a Passion - Guess What Mine Is?)

I've been following along with Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" month-by-month since January (though I read it at least twice before that). Her September goal: "Pursue a Passion".

Education is my first love. I loved being a student, and absolutely love being a teacher. Only two things I can strongly say I dislike about my job: winter yard duty and report cards (which you would think would come more easily to someone who writes, but I find them physically painful).

Because teaching is my hands-down first work priority. I've actually had to turn down amazing opportunities to pursue my other passions...but we all have hobbies, right? Over the past four years, I have been actively engaged in my passion for writing: both on my blog, and freelance writing for magazines. Thanks to this, I've had so many fun experiences, made incredible connections, and grown as a writer, which I believe has very much had an impact on my teaching as well, since writing is such a huge part of the curriculum.

I have another passion too, and it won't come as a surprise for many of you: television, and specifically news/entertainment/talk shows. I am addicted to watching them (and have been since my teens). To me, the hosts are just as interesting as the celebrities. I envy how they get to ask questions of both famous people and everyday experts/newsmakers, while at the same time having a media presence themselves.

I've actually had the chance to go behind-the-scenes at many of my favourite shows:

The Marilyn Denis Show

Cityline

The Social

ET Canada

Canada AM

(See, don't I look right at home co-hosting with Marci Ien? Sure, we faked this shot, but still!)

This past August I took my love of TV one step further, joining the CHEX Daily team as a regular guest covering educational topics for parents.

Here's what I've chatted about so far:

Keeping Kids Learning Over the Summer

Teacher Tips for Back-to-School Shopping

Class Placements and Split Grades

Getting Involved at Your Child's School

Homework Tips

While I have been asked before to make TV appearances (as a spokesperson for a company, or discussing non-education-related topics), I just couldn't prioritize that within a full-time teaching schedule. With the CHEX Daily spots, I'm thrilled to be able to head to the studio after work, plus I get to discuss my first love.

As Gretchen notes, "make time for it" is an important part of the goal to pursue one's passion, and it's much easier to do that when it dovetails with my day job, as well as what I'm living as a parent. As much as I enjoy researching and writing articles that are outside of this scope, I have a new grade this year and I can already see that I need to make calculated choices about my time.

Which brings me to the "How do you do it all?" question people often ask. (They seem to ask my mother as much as they do me, for some reason.) Well, I can start by saying that I am a very organized, efficient person, which helps in terms of getting things done. But really, I am writing and planning segments when you are knitting, doing Sudoku (do people still do Sudoku?), lurking on Facebook, cooking gourmet meals (or just cooking at all) or working out at the gym (I get exercise too - treadmill desk!) I would like to say that my passions never infringe on my sleep (which I mean in a really clean way), since I rarely stay up late or wake up early for them, but it's not entirely true as I have been awake in the night many times rehashing story edits or rehearsing what I want to say on TV!

Plus, let's be honest here: I couldn't get a thing done without the amazing support system I have. Knowing that my family, friends, and colleagues are all in my corner means a world of difference. (By the time I got to the car after my first live CHEX Daily appearance, I already had a dozen congratulatory texts/emails in my inbox, which meant more than those people may ever know. Unless they're reading right now, of course. Which, come to think of it, they should be, if they really care about me!)

My parents have always been huge cheerleaders for me (and willing to drive 40 minutes to pick up my children and take them for the day when they get sick at school, which we all know is priceless). As for my husband...well, I guess if he doesn't want me to talk about him on the blog, he won't be getting all of the thanks and praise he deserves here!

So, there's where I am with my September goal! Find the time to pursue your passion. It's so worth it.

Teacher Tips For Homework

In my latest installment of "Teacher, Teacher!" for CHEX Daily, I chatted with hosts Teresa Kaszuba (who came up with the new name for my segments) and Mike Judson about the huge topic of homework.

There are many different theories out there now about homework (pro and con), from educational experts, teachers and parents, but the reality is that many kids are coming home with work to do in the evenings, and it can be a struggle for parents. How much should you help? Is it okay if they are "breaking the rules" by doing their homework at different times each day, listening to music, or in the busy kitchen?

I could have taken up their whole hour talking about this, so I feel like I barely scratched the surface, but here's what I had to say:




I'm not sure if I emphasized enough (since I don't watch myself after the fact) how parents should do what works best for their family. Sure, kids thrive on routine and it would be wonderful if they could do their homework at the exact same time each night, but I see in my own class that some kids are going home on the bus twice a week but to daycare the other three days, most are involved in extracurriculars at least once a week, and some are back and forth between mom's and dad's...so don't beat yourself up over it. If the kids are getting the homework done, to the best of their ability, the logistics don't really matter. (My older daughter prefers to work kneeling at the coffee table...and sometimes the TV is even on!)

Some kids certainly struggle with focus, and for them it's important to remove distractions (siblings, screens, etc.) as necessary.

On a personal/professional homework note, I am trying to get away from it in my classroom as much as possible.

I am teaching Grade 2/3 this year, and I decided not to assign regular nightly/weekly work (especially because it's primary - I'm not sure I would do the same in junior/intermediate). The only tasks that go home are the ones that students should have completed during class time, plus Math test review for the Grade 3's (I give them written tests for each unit, since they need to be prepared for EQAO) and occasional activities that require family input (e.g. when they need to ask their parents about the day they were born).

I send home levelled books for students to read, as I know not all homes have just-right books available for the children, but without any log or tracking required, and just ask parents to return the books when their child is ready for new ones.

My hope is that kids are spending their evenings being active, pursuing other hobbies (e.g. in the arts) and having leisure time, which hopefully includes lots of reading for pleasure. Their teacher is attempting to do the same thing with her evenings as well!

But it may surprise parents to learn that for every one who feels their child gets too much homework, there is a parent in that same class asking for more (no, really!) Some believe the more practice the better, but then others worry about their families having balance. It's a tough call, and the research isn't conclusive enough to make any sweeping generalizations...so I'm using my professional judgment and doing what I think is best right now, with the information I have.

To wrap-up with a story:

As you may (or hopefully may not) be able to tell, I was pretty sick when I shot this segment. That day at school, I mentioned to my class that I hoped I didn't lose my voice, as I was supposed to be on the news that night.

One special little guy asked, "On the 6:00 or 11:00 news?"

"Actually, it's a show that's on right before the 6:00 news," I replied.

"Oh, you mean The New CHEX Daily?"

I thought that was pretty cute, from an 8 year old. See, if he had too much homework, he wouldn't be able to watch such quality television!

What You Might Have Missed This Summer: Volume II

I'm back with another repeat episode!

Here's what you might have missed in August, if you were (for some crazy reason) not keeping up faithfully with This Mom Loves. As you can see, it was a busy month! Click on the titles to go to the posts.

Family Fun at Medieval Times

Lainey Lui: Behind the Scenes at THE SOCIAL

Girls' Bedroom Facelift # 2

Blog Bits: How Email Subscriptions Work

Cynthia Loyst: Behind the Scenes at the Social

Behind the Scenes at ET Canada with Cheryl Hickey

Why You Should Get Your Kids Eyes Checked (My Girls Model the Steps at the Exam)

School Snacks Makeover - With Tips From a Registered Dietician

Now you're all caught up! Hope your summer was as wonderful as mine, and that your September is even better!

Be a Donor: A Special Girl Tells Us Why

Today I'm sharing a very special guest post from 12 year old Sarah Edge. I was contacted by her mom, who not only is a This Mom Loves supporter, but was also my high school French teacher. (Knowing that I went on to complete my university degree in French and began my career teaching the subject, you'll understand that she had an important influence on me!)

I am very happy to be able to share Sarah's message with you here today, and I'll let her take it from here.

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I am 12 years old now. I love riding horses and have won quite a few ribbons.

But I almost died when I was very little. I started out okay, then went into heart failure when I was 6 weeks old. I had to have a heart transplant when I was 18 months old, after living at the Hospital for Sick Children for 3 1/2 months.

(That's also Sarah, at age 5, on the poster!)

I am doing really well now. I have been to the Canadian Transplant games twice. It was awesome to make so many friends there, and see so many kids and grownups that have been saved by an organ transplant. I love to swim and kayak. But horseback riding is my favorite thing of all. It's so much fun and also keeps me healthy. I have to take good care of this precious heart, because I am so lucky to have it.

I also needed 66 units of blood when I was sick, so I really want to convince more people to donate blood and to register to be an organ donor.

ANYONE WHO WOULD ACCEPT AN ORGAN FOR HIM OR HERSELF OR A LOVED ONE SHOULD REGISTER.

When I first realized that some perfectly healthy organs don't get used, I was shocked. I just couldn't imagine putting something in the ground that could save 8 lives! After all, we're supposed to recycle! :P

Nobody knows when somebody we love might need an organ transplant. I sure hope that if they do, that all of the people who pass away that could give an organ will decide to donate. I asked my mom what it was like to be hoping somebody else's child died so that I could live, but she explained that it's not like that at all. Bad things happen all of the time, she just hoped and prayed that no organ would be wasted, and if one was available, they would decide to help me live.

So please take the time to register. Just grab your health card and you can do it right here! If you think you've already registered, you can check here to be sure. Please talk to your family too.

********

Thanks so much for sharing your message, Sarah! 

Ontario residents can visit Sarah's Be a Donor page here to register, or confirm that you are already registered: https://beadonor.ca/sarah-edge-1

Tips For Getting Involved In Your Child's School

I was back on CHEX Daily last night chatting about ways parents can get involved in their children's schools. You can catch the 3 minute clip here:



There are tons of opportunities to get involved at school. Many take place during the workday of course, which isn't an option for a lot of parents, but if you're able, you can go on field trips, help in the classroom with reading, science workshops or arts and crafts, work in the library, prepare hot lunch, or even be one of those lice-checkers! (There's a waiting list for those positions. Just kidding.)

Parents who work or are at home with little ones during the day have options as well, as lots of planning, shopping, ordering, calling, sewing, writing, decorating, cleaning-up and number-crunching for school activities can be done outside of the regular school/work day. There's definitely something for every interest and talent, and roles can be ongoing or just a one-time thing.

Your child's teacher is the best contact if you want to be involved directly with his or her class, but as your kids get older there may be less of a need - and they may be less inclined to want you so close!

You can also check in with the school secretary, who will definitely have her finger on the pulse of what opportunities there may be for parent volunteering, and consider attending a School Council meeting. Even if you don't want to commit to a position on the Council, you can learn a lot about what's happening with your school, especially in terms of parental involvement, by being present at the meetings.

Even if you're able to make appearances at sporting events, Fun Fairs, concerts and recitals (or send a grandparent in proxy) it sends an important message to your kids about how much you value what goes on at their school.

****

A note about my TV wardrobe:

When I arrived last night, host Teresa Kaszuba complimented my outfit and jokingly asked if I was really a teacher, because I didn't look like one (I quipped back that I just play one on TV. Hey, thought that was a pretty good one!)

I have to admit I actually come home and change before I head into the Peterborough station. While it is very rare for me to wear heels in my primary classroom, and we are encouraged to have our shoulders covered in the workplace, on CHEX I am aiming for a teacher-slash-stylish-TV-personality look...so I amp it up a bit before I go!

Perfect Parties Theme Nine: The Amazing Race Party

Th

This Mom Loves has moved! 

For updated content (plus all the posts found here) on our fresh new site, visit www.thismomloves.ca

My friend Krista has done it again! This time she organized a super fun "Amazing Race" themed party for her daughter's birthday. If you're not a fan of the show, the details may be a bit confusing...but if your family does enjoy watching, it might be a great party theme to consider!

Colour Scheme: Red and yellow with black and white as accent colours (Amazing Race colours)

Decorations:  "Name's Amazing Race" signs and red and yellow balloons were all over the outside and inside of the house

Cake: Vanilla cupcakes with red sugar sprinkled on top in red liners and Amazing Race Flags as decorations

Loot Bags: Once the girls were in teams (they selected a random piece of coloured paper out of a bag and on the count of 3 they held out their hands and opened the paper to reveal which team they would be on) they received the matching coloured bag (to collect all of their clues), an Amazing Race water bottle, a bag of cheesies (snacks) and matching coloured sweatbands and bandana (to be worn during the race). All items were purchased at the dollar store, other than the water - and Krista added the labels herself. 

The second part of loot bags was matching blankets and glow sticks:

As teams arrived at the Pit Stop (made out of an old bath mat and coloured duct tape) they were allowed to select which matching blankets they wanted (which Krista thought was appropriate since the party was also a sleepover). It became a prize for finishing the race, and part of their loot bags. (Blankets purchased at Giant Tiger for $10 and glow sticks at Dollar Store.) The first place team received a dollar store trophy too!

A peek at the Pit Stop:

Route Info and Envelopes:  Krista would like to thank Chica and Jo's website for offering editable clues (details about their Amazing Race party available there as well).  She found a couple of clue ideas on the Internet and also made up a few of her own.

As I read over her challenges, I was thinking that not only are they fun for kids, but many grownups would enjoy participating in an Amazing Race party too! Many of the same clues could be used, or they could be adapted to be as "adult" as you want!

First Leg:         “Hold Onto Your Spoon”

Second Leg:    “X Marks The Spot”

Third Leg:        DETOUR  “Squash It” or  “Washer It” 

Fourth Leg:      ROAD BLOCK “Poem Madness"

Fifth Leg:         FAST FORWARD “Oreo Kidding Me?"

Sixth Leg:        DETOUR “Lucky Doubles” or “Lucky Charms” 

Seventh Leg:   SPEED BUMP (means go back and do the other detour that you didn’t choose and do it)

Eighth Leg:      ROAD BLOCK “TWEEZE ME CRAZY” 

Ninth Leg:       “You Better Do It Write"

Tenth Leg:       FAST FORWARD “Don’t Burst My Bubble”

Eleventh Leg:  “Don’t Be a Buckethead” 

Twelfth Leg:     “It’s Time to Build A Tower”

Final Leg:         FIND THE HIDDEN TRAVELOCITY GNOME! 

Gnome was purchased at Green Earth:

Krista says that the order of the clues doesn't matter, so feel free to switch it up. You need a copy of the clues for each team you have playing, and some supervisors (she enlisted grandparents) working at each station.

Teams were not allowed to leave their teammates behind and everyone was encouraged to be positive and a good sport to other teams. The girls had so much fun running the race and it just so happened that the birthday girl and her teammate ended up the winners!

Thanks again for sharing your (ahem) "amazing" ideas with us, Krista!

If you've missed any past party themes, they're all gathered together in a Perfect Party Roundup right here.

UPDATE: Due to popular demand, here are photos of the clues that Krista used, to help you with ideas for your own party. If you'd like the original templates, please visit Chica and Jo at the link above. Thanks!

What You Might Have Missed This Summer: Volume I (Celebs, Decorating and More!)

So, you know how TV is full of reruns all summer? I'm switching that up a little bit and sharing some recaps with you in September...as we're all getting used to being back-to-school, and I'm teaching a new grade, too!

Since you may have been travelling or just staying offline in the summer, you might have missed some of the action that happened here on the blog (probably the most exciting summer ever on This Mom Loves).

The July highlights:

Behind-the-scenes at THE SOCIAL

My interview with Melissa Grelo from THE SOCIAL

Our Bathroom Reno: The Big Reveal 

Tips For a Vacation (or Staycation) in beautiful Peterborough, Ontario

Varicose Veins - in Pregnancy and Beyond (what a fun topic!)

Sarah Richardson's Stylish New Hallmark Collection

Cuddling Lion Cubs at the Bowmanville Zoo

Girls' Bedroom Facelift # 1

Now you're all caught up on July! Hope your back-to-school is off to a great start!