Non-Profit Daycare Centres

We all know finding good quality daycare for our children is a top priority if we return to work. I'm happy to welcome Catherine on the blog today, as she tells us more about her daycare experience.  For me, becoming a parent has undoubtedly been the most rewarding and challenging thing I have ever done. Along with all the many high points (first smiles, wonderful hugs, “Mommy, I love you so much!”) and low points, (the multiple night awakenings, tantrums) come the pressures and stresses of being responsible for another being. Especially with my first child, when it came time to make a decision about childcare I found the options overwhelming: nanny, nanny-share, home- based daycare, centre-based daycare, non-profit vs. private, English vs. French, etc. I barraged myself with questions: where was my child going to get the best care? What did this mean? Where would  she have an enriching experience? Where was she going to be the happiest? And what about us? What would make us the happiest?

In the end we chose a non-profit co-op daycare in our community 2 years ago, and are very happy with our choice. This was made even clearer to us when we needed care for our son and put him in a private daycare centre (he could not attend the co-op centre where our daughter attends until he was 18 months old). Our son was very happy at the private centre and he received good quality care from the educators, but it was in another neighbourhood - so we had to do two drop-offs and pickups everyday, which was a particular challenge if one of us was out of town. Our experience with the administration was very negative, we were rarely informed, and never consulted about what was going on at the centre. The fees were higher, we were expected to provide lunches, the snacks provided were often sugary and insubstantial, and the staff were not well treated or paid well, which resulted in a high turnover.

Our son joined our daughter at Capital Daycare Centre as soon as he was old enough. It was a relief for us to be able to walk our kids to daycare and spend less time in cars shuttling them around; something I am sure we will have to do enough of as they grow older and become more involved in activities. We were happy to have our children attend a centre with other children from our neighbourhood who they would also see at the park and on our street, making it easy to foster friendships with other families. As well, Capital Daycare has been providing child care to the families of Old Ottawa South since 1973 – that’s 40 years! And many of the staff have been working there for over 20 years, which makes it feel more like a family than a centre. As a co-op, the centre is managed by a Board of Directors made up of volunteer parents and staff, which gives parents the chance to be involved in the operation of the centre. I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve on the Board for the last 2 years. This has helped me to feel connected to the centre and a partner in the care my children receive, rather than a customer purchasing services.

Every family must weigh many factors when choosing child care for their child/children and make the best decision for their family. For all the reasons above, and many more, the non-profit co-op daycare in our community is the right choice for our family.

Non-profit daycare centres, such as Capital Day Care Centre, are increasingly at-risk of being pushed out of the market by private centres due to cuts in provincial and municipal funding. Our centre recently underwent a 5 year financial planning exercise which showed us that the centre will not be financially viable in 5 years if we are not able to significantly increase our revenue or reduce our costs. In light of this, the Board has decided to make fundraising a priority. We have our first big event planned for May 25th - see below for details. I hope you will consider coming out to help us support keeping good quality, affordable child care in our communities!

Pedalheads Bike Camps in Ottawa

I have a 4 year-old who is learning to ride a bike. Riding a bike is a skill (like swimming) that happens at all different ages. Right now she's on training wheels, but she has little friends who are already barreling around the roads sans training wheels. So I was more than a little excited when I was contacted by Pedalheads - a Canadian organization providing bike camp experiences to children - to come check out a mini-camp last Thursday. Traffic and densely populated urban areas make it difficult for parents to teach their kids to ride their bikes. Kids need the confidence to ride safely on the road, in parks and around the neighbourhood. The Pedalheads bike camps provide children with the right environment, trained instructors and small groups to prepare children for the road - some as young as three can learn to ride without training wheels upon completion of camp.

We showed up at the Alta Vista location (there will also be camps held in Nepean and Kanata), and my daughter's face lit up when she saw the obstacle course. She quickly hopped on her bike, and the instructors took her around the pylons and up over the balance boards. She asked to go again and again!

I also got a chance to speak with one of the instructors about the camps. The kids will spend the majority of the day on their bikes, but like most camps, there will be plans for extreme weather. They have use of a large church and indoor play equipment. The church is on quite a large property, with ample space for riding down grassy slopes. A slip 'n slide will come out on hot days for the kids to cool off.

I was really impressed with all of the friendly instructors, and they seemed really enthusiastic about their jobs. When I asked my daughter whether she'd enjoy a full week camp, she answered a loud "YES!"

Children can register in morning, afternoon, short 45-minute sessions or even private lessons. The earliest program starts with Riding Rookies, a child and caregiver program, then Trikes and Trainers, a program aimed at three year olds - to teach them to steer, stop and pedal. Once the child is four years old they can start the 10 level program starting with Newbees, who still ride with training wheels, and finishing with Crankheads, who can do both a front and rear lift with their mountain bikes. Pedalheads has something for every child to enjoy this summer.

To find out more, or sign your child up for camp, check out their website and Facebook page.

Happy Peddling!

The Academy for Musical Theatre

OK, so confession: I was a real band geek as a kid. Actually, I should say "orchestra" geek, because I played the viola, and we were part of the orchestra (all string instruments). My enthusiasm for music extended to the piano, and led to several trips to Scarborough Music Camp. My family loved indulging my musical tastes, and took me to all sorts of musical theatre, concerts and ballets. So I was more than a little excited when The Academy for Musical Theatre (formerly Perth Academy of Musical Theatre) came on board as our May featured sponsor. The Academy offers high quality instruction in music, acting, dance and various aspects of technical theatre for youth ages 5 to 19, culminating in the performance of a full-scale Broadway musical.

My oldest daughter is a tiny bit too young for their summer programs, but you can bet I'll be signing her up next year! Youth of all ages have a new opportunity in Ottawa this summer to participate in high quality and immensely rewarding and fun musical theatre workshops, and to perform in full productions of Annie, Pirates of Penzance, Fiddler on the Roof, or Rent.

Can I just plug music and theatre for a moment? I know parents often think of the arts as less important than, say, athletic or math skills, but research has proven that musical children actually perform better in school. Yup, that's right! Learn a musical instrument (including your voice!), and you'll get higher grades!

As well, learning to perform in front of a non-judgmental audience can be a HUGE boost for kids' self-esteem - they gain confidence, loads of new friends, and discover new abilities.

Here's a bit more about the Academy for Musical Theatre and some of the summer program highlights. Don't miss out - sign up soon! In the meantime, check them out on Facebook and learn more by visiting their website.

The Academy is the winner of the Perth Chamber of Commerce 2004 Business Achievement Award, is headed by Heidi Stepanek (B.Mus., M.A.), who has also nominated for the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Awards, and boasts a staff of several highly trained theatre professionals who are also all long-time alumni of The Academy. Heidi is a professional and experienced musician, stage director, drama educator, who has built a career out of her love of working with children, and passion for musical theatre. She is also a registered music teacher with ORMTA.

The Academy‘s 2014 summer workshops include four exciting choices: Annie (ages 5-9), Pirates of Penzance (7-18), Fiddler on the Roof (8-14), and Rent (13-19).

Each workshop includes training in triple threat skills provided by professionals in their art (dance, voice, acting), training in various technical aspects of musical theatre (sound/microphone use, lighting, props, costuming, make-up), a script, costumes (provided by their own costumer), and a chance to perform in a professionally staged production with high quality sound and light engineering. Each workshop participant is cast in a specific role, and has the opportunity to be featured, for has Heidi says, “everyone deserves a little time in the spotlight!”

One for the Birds

Looking for a fun and FREE activity for your kids? Check out Nature Canada's Bird Day Fair on May 31, 2014 (10am to 4pm at Andrew Haydon Park).

Before we purchased our own home, I really knew nothing about birds (um, except that most of them fly....:) ). However, now that we own TREES and have invested in several bird feeders, I'm delighted to see these feathery friends paying us a visit.

Of course my personal favourite is the Chickadee, but the Bird Day Fair will be a celebration of Canada's migratory birds (my chickadees like to hang out all winter!). Some birds travel as far as 25,000 miles round trip from their breeding grounds in the Canadian arctic to their wintering grounds in South America.

Here are some highlights of the day:

• Falcon Ed is back this year by popular demand. Meet life raptors and see their impressive free flight demonstrations
• Join experts on nature walks where you will spot birds and other natural wonders
• Let your creative side loose by helping to build a bird nest big enough to sit in, and learn how to make your own ink prints
• Learn about bird banding, a method that scientists use to study birds, by being banded yourself
• Meet local groups working to protect wildlife

For more information on what is happening at the Bird Day Fair, check out the event page.

If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please contact Sarah Kirkpatrick-Wahl at skirkpatrik-wahl@naturecanada.ca

The Baby Show in Ottawa!

When I was pregnant with my first, I was so scared about labour and birth that I neglected to do any kind of preparation for life with a baby. I didn't read any parenting books, I didn't visit any baby shows and I certainly didn't research the available resources for new parents here in our city. So it's no wonder that parenting hit me like a Mack truck :) Now as a doula, I spend a lot of time with my clients talking about what happens after the baby arrives - breastfeeeding, postpartum recovery, sleep issues, and building a relationship with your baby (and keeping the relationship with your partner alive!!)

Luckily here in Ottawa we have SO many wonderful businesses and organizations dedicated to making life with a baby FUN. Many of these people will be at the upcoming Baby Show here in Ottawa, May 3rd and 4th at the Ottawa Convention Centre. If you are expecting a baby OR raising a young family, I would definitely recommend you check it out!

Here are just a few of my favourite businesses you'll find at the show:

Anna Belanger and Associates - with three clinics around Ottawa, there's no excuse not to try a massage with this fantastic local business!

Little Lotus Yoga - with class options for adults and children of all ages! Amanda will be doing a prenatal yoga demonstration on the main stage.

Dr. Alexis Reid with Eco Chic Movement has created her own skin care line, and has great tips for dealing with pregnancy discomforts. Plus, she works at the Ottawa Integrative Health Centre, with a team of fantastic Naturopathic doctors!

Andrea Strang with Kinder Sleep - we all need sleep, right? Sometimes babies don't agree! Andrea offers essential support and information for implementing gentle sleep methods.

There will also be a TON of amazing vendors set up to answer your questions about their products or services. And for the kiddos, Barney will be there, along with a meet and greet with Pinkalicious.

Head on over and get your tickets now! Use the code ONEWEEK for $2 off your tickets.