|
|
|
Browse the business directory by age group:
► prenatal,
► babies,
► preschool,
► school-aged.
|
Find upcoming events & programs :
► prenatal,
► new parent,
► performances,
► art classes,
► cooking classes,
► PD day programs,
► playgroups,
► parent workshops,
► ... and much more.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
kwkids.com Newsletter - May 2008
Featured Activities & Outings for May
|
The sun is shining, the snow is finally gone and while we got teased that 'summer is really here', spring is here nevertheless! |
- Check out the May At a Glance page if you'd like to see a quick overview of events taking place this month.
- The 2nd Annual KW Baby & Toddler Show will be taking place on May 24 and 25 at the Bingemans Conference Centre. Many local businesses of interest to parents with young children will be showcasing there, speakers will share their wisdom and kids will have a chance to play, do arts & crafts and meet and greet Elmo and Cookie Monster. Be sure to stop by and say hi to kwkids.com and enter our free draw!
- Mother's Day can be celebrated in many different ways. My perfect Mother's Day would start with breakfast in bed and reading my son's self-made card. After breakfast all three of us would go on a nice bike ride on one the nearby nature trails. Later in the afternoon I would like to be taken to the Art Studio at Luci's Mudhouse for the English High Tea Mother's Day Party.
- Would you like to cook with your kids with no worries about cleaning up? On May 31, bring your kids to SupperWorks where you can cook together in a child-friendly environment. Also the Real Canadian Superstore Cooking School offers regular cooking classes catered to various age groups (3 and up). Please check out the kwkids.com Cooking Classes page for full details.
- Now is your last chance to view Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall exhibit at the Children's Museum that will be wrapping up on May 25.
- If your kids would like to learn fishing tricks, sign them up for the Shimano Take a Kid Fishing Day taking place this Saturday, May 10 at the Belwood Lake Conservation Area.
- Exciting events are taking place at the Doon Heritage Crossroads this month. On May 24 your family might be interested in joining the lively Annual Emergency Services Muster, Games and Parade. Get an up-close view of antique and modern fire trucks, police cars and ambulances, watch fire safety demonstrations and fire game competitions between fire fighters, and a parade of historical equipment. On May 31 (from 10am to 4:30pm), the Family Water Festival (free admission!) will remind us how lucky we are to have access to an abundance of clean drinking water.
|
|
Summer Camp Guide
My nearly 3-year old son is ready for his first half-day camp adventure this summer! I haven’t decided yet whether to send him to roar like a lion and learn his first yoga poses or let him express his creativity doing pottery and drumming. For these and other really amazing camp ideas for ages 2 – 16 please visit the kwkids.com Summer Camp Guide. |
 |
Ask the Pro - Family Finances Specialist
 The kwkids.com Family Finances Pro Steve from Bentley Financial returns with important information for parents. Visit the Family Finances & RESP page for more questions and answers on family finances.
May Question:
We are considering giving our two children a weekly allowance. What tips can you provide on deciding how much to give our children and what they should do to earn their allowance. Please explain.
Answer: While kids typically learn about money and its value at school and sometimes at daycare, how to manage money happens at home. Providing your kids with an allowance is a great tool for creating early understanding about the concept of money. Starting when a kid is old enough to identify a quarter, dime, nickel and penny as well as a $5 bill is a great time. Here are some quick ideas:
Start with math money lessons. Stack coins so a child can learn to associate that a $1 coin is the same as 4 quarters, 10 dimes, 20 nickels or 100 pennies. If you child can grasp the concept that a bigger coin doesn't mean 'better' and that a dollar coin can be broken into change that equals the same amount, your child is ready for the ABCs of money.
Start with an allowance at an early age. An allowance for a 3-year-old can be as little as two quarters each week to go toward a drink, a ride on the coin-operated horse, or piece of candy. Even a small amount of money to call their own that a young child can put into a purse or wallet lets them start the concept of worth and how things cost money.
Establish an appropriate amount. This is where it varies greatly. Some financial advisors recommend paying a child an amount equal to their age each week (a 7-year-old gets $7 each week). Others think that is too much and recommend an allowance that is half of their age. For older kids, you can calculate weekly expenses and then add some additional funds to either save or to be able to spend.
Be consistent and firm. Remember you are the teacher about money management, and if you say one thing and then do another, then you are teaching the child that the behaviour is okay. If you tell a child that he has to use his allowance to buy a toy and then give in and buy it for him, he has learned there are ways around saving. That's not to say you can't buy your child toys. If you plan to buy a child something, then don't tie it to his allowance. Be sure to keep consistent and then not to give into pleas and whines for ‘exceptions.’
Allowance should not be tied into family responsibilities. Do not tie allowance into family chores or responsibilities; they do these because they are contributing members of the family and not because they get rewarded financially. However, you can always offer 'extra' chores for money that don't normally fall into the scope of chores. Having kids do extra duties for pay will help their self-worth and teach them the value of working.
Teach them how to manage their money. It's not enough to simply give a child a billfold and ask them to keep track of their money. Smart parents will start showing them how to track expenses and weekly savings. An effective parenting tip is to install a whiteboard in a child's room for the use of tracking savings and expenses for easy viewing and updating.
Don't forget about raises. Once you set an allowance rate, don't forget about increasing it as a child gets older or increases responsibility levels. You expect periodic raises with work. Remember, childhood is a kid's job too!
To discuss your personal situation or for more information, please email Bentley Financial at info@bentleyfinancial.ca or call us at 519-404-4864 (1 888 88 BENTLEY tool free). |
Ask the Pro - Naturopathic Doctor
|
 Dr. Joanna Thiessen George Street Naturopathic Medicine answers another question asked by one of the kwkids.com visitors. Visit the Ask the Naturopath page for more questions and answers on naturopathic medicine.
May Question: My 5 year old suffered from seasonal allergies for the first time last year. We aren't comfortable giving her the anti-histamines from the drug store, and are looking for some ideas of natural treatments as we head into the summer season again. Any suggestions?
Answer: Thank you for your question. Seasonal allergies can be a real nuisance to children and adults alike. My first suggestion is to wash or rinse your child's hair every night before bed. Pollens are tiny and can easily get caught in hair. When your child puts her head on her pillow, she transfers pollens from her head to her pillow case, and then the pollens can easily get right into her eyes, nose and mouth, causing allergy symptoms. Pillow cases and bedding should be washed and changed frequently during this season. You might also want to consider buying an air purifier which will clean particulates and pollens out of the air in her bedroom. There are some foods that I recommend eating to prevent allergy symptoms. Berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) contain substances that support the immune system - I would feed her 1 cup of berries per day. Quercetin is a compound found in apples, onions, red grapes, citrus fruits and broccoli. It acts like a natural anti-histamine, therefore helping with allergy symptoms. Another natural allergy remedy is nettle tea. A strong tea made with 1 tsp dried nettle leaf per cup of water and steeped 10 minutes can bring relief. The tea can be mixed half and half with berry juice to make it tastier for kids. Make sure your child is well hydrated, as this will help to thin the nasal secretions. You might also want to consider food allergy testing, since children with seasonal allergies will often also have food allergies.
Disclaimer: The information presented herein is not a prescription and does not substitute the consultation of a health care practitioner. |
Happy Mother's Day!
Jana
Tel: 519-571-8827
|
Subscribe to Future Newsletters from kwkids.com!
|
|
|
|
|
|