The Stay at Home Mother

Are you a mom who has found a way to work from home or have your own storefront and have been in business for more than a year? If yes - then you may want to check this out.

The Savvy Mom Enterpreneur Award is coming around this year again - so if you think you may qualify and are a mom-run business, then you have to get involved...

The winner – Canada’s top Mom Entrepreneur, will be voted on by other moms, and will win over $17,000 worth of cash and professional services to help take her business to the next level.

You can nominate yourself or have someone else nominate you. The winner is chosen by the number of votes they receive from others.

The contest closes September 14/08. More details on the rules/regulations can be found on their website.

This initiative helps celebrate and support mom-run businesses across Canada to grow and prosper. So what are you waiting for?! Visit http://www.momentrepreneuraward.ca today!

I am very excited about Canada Day today. I am definately, without a doubt, a very proud Canadian. We have so much to be proud of and honestly, don't you think that Canada is a wonderful place to live?

I feel especially privledged to live here in British Columbia as I am originally from the prairies and having the ocean and mountains so close, has always made me feel like I hit the "jackpot"....

Now don't get me wrong - I loved growing up in Regina, Saskatchewan, but when I first arrived in BC, I remember standing outside the airport in complete awe. The air smelled different (I could smell the ocean) and the landscape was, well, there actually was one (as you know the prairies don't really have much to look at - its pretty flat). And everything was GREEN! Even in the summer in Regina, the lawns tended to be brown because it was so hot, it scorched the lawns.

But I did love growing up there and have some amazing friends and family still there - and I wouldn't trade growing up there for the world.

I never take for granted where I live today. The great thing about being a Canadian is that there are so many amazing places to visit. And with summer finally here - there is the opportunity to get out there to see more of it.

We will be doing some vacationing during July and I am really looking forward to seeing more of BC.

Tonight we have a picnic planned and will hopefully take in the fireworks (if the children can stay awake long enough to see them).

So celebrate Canada Day with your family and friends - and appreciate being one of the "lucky ones" who live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world! :)

So the end has finally arrived for my son today at preschool. It was the school's picnic end for parents and students. And although I knew this day was coming for quite some time, and prepared myself for the emotions I knew I would have, it still wasn't easy to say goodbye to two years of preschool, that gave my son so much.

And it wasn't just about saying goodbye to the school - but to the teacher, parents and friends my son has made...

The teacher who ran the preschool is now semi-retiring after twenty years with the school. So it was an emotional day for her as well.

I had my camcorder ready and set to record my son accepting his litte diploma and scrapbook of memories. And I was even able to capture him giving his teacher a huge hug afterwards.

And yes - I cried.

My daughter, who will be attending the same preschool in the spring, was playing happily alongside her brother during the afternoon's festivities. She has learned a great deal already, mainly because she has been to the school so often to drop her brother off.

I've repeatedly told my son that this is the LAST day with his friends that he sees every week and teacher who he loves and adores. And he just simply nods and says "I know, mom - you don't have to keep telling me!"

And with that - I move on to kindergarten with a boy who is obviously more ready for it than his mom! :)

With summer officially here, I am amazed at how many parents have found themselves completely unprepared for it.

You know, I "get it" how inconvenient it is for parents who work full-time to find child-care for their child(ren), but why are there headline stories in major papers across Canada, that read "What are Parents going to do with their children over summer?"

Shouldn't the headlines read "The problem with our society today when having our children at-home is a problem?".....

Yes I am upset, and yes it bothers me, that some parents place the priority on themselves and their jobs above their children.

For me - I have a home-based business, but never once, have I allowed that business (which allows me to be home) to interfere with my first priority - which is my children.

Perhaps me - and this website - which I have been running for the past three years - are both a bit naive - but the point still remains - what truly matters in our lives, if it is not our children?

Being a mom is a HUGE deal and being a STAY AT HOME MOM is an even BIGGER deal. No one ever says it will be easy, and sometimes we can drive ourselves crazy - but it does make a difference - and don't let anyone - ever - tell you any different. Children crave stability, regularity and need to know what they can expect when they open their eyes every single day.

I have said this to so many moms over the years - our society goes in to debt every single day for frivolous things like a car, a tv, a boat, etc. but nobody ever thinks about the possiblity of going in to debt to raise their children with a parent at-home. And yet - the rewards are immeasurable.

Where there is a will....there is a way.

Think about it. Do you want to be closer to home? Do you want to be the one who is raising your child? If you answered yes - then you need to start thinking about how you can make it happen - whether it is with a home-based business, a small loan, or down-sizing your life....answers are out there....you just need to find the right one that will fit your life.

So yes, summer is here, and children are out of school, so you need to think about how you want that summer to be spent - having your children being entertained by someone else - or by you.

Remember....no one ever says when they get older that they wished they wouldn't have spent so much time with their children...

This Thursday, I will be appearing on Breakfast Television to discuss some tips for vacationing with young children.

With school almost over and many families taking vacation (including my own) I thought this segment would be timely.

There are things that I have learned as a mother through my own personal experiences, and things that I have picked up along the way from other moms too...

I am including some of these tips below and please feel free to add in your own tips - as it may help another mom and family out there who is taking the "plunge" for the first time.

For the Car

• CD player with child friendly songs or stories, and books, puzzles and hand puppets.
• High quality mini-DVD player
• Shades on the windows to keep sun out of eyes
• Spill proof cups
• Covers/blankets on the seat in case of spills

For the Airplane

• Purchase a small back pack or mini suitcase that they can pull themselves. My five-year old loved it when we took him to Disneyland with his very own suitcase that he could pull himself. And we packed it full of his favourite things, including toys, books/crayons and snacks.
  
• We also packed his pillow.
  
• We requested a “Pilot’s Pin” for him to wear during the flight. They don’t offer it anymore readily, but they do exist, and makes the flight even more special.
  

For Fun:

• Write out a list of games beforehand, so you can refer to them on the road/on a plane Ie - Eye Spy, Rock/Paper/Scissors, A deck of cards, songs to sing, funny stories to tell, etc. - along with travel games that can be purchased at your local travel store or drug store.
  
• Give them thier own disposable camera to take pictures
• Where ever you decide to go during the summer – keep it simple. Kids need to be entertained but not overwhelmed with stuff to do every minute either.
• Whether you are going big – ie Disneyland, Florida, etc. or camping locally or driving to a destination, remember that children need lots of patience, and things to keep their minds occupied, lots of breaks on route to destination - whether stopping every two hours on the side of a road or gas station to stretch their legs, or walking down the isle of the airplane during flight.
• And above all else – when you are on vacation, remember to be flexible and listen to your child when they start to get cranky or anxious – as it can be hard on young children to withstand a long day out and about. Naps and quiet time should be part of the day as well during the vacation.

I will be elaborating on the above tips on Breakfast Television at 8:30am this Thursday, June 19th.

Hope you can tune in!