A Summer Journal for Kids

For the past few years I have created a summer journal for my children to document their days off.

It all started as a way to entertain them on a long flight out west and three weeks of visiting family. I thought it would be a great way to keep them entertained drawing and writing about the things they did and saw. I provided them with stickers and other supplies to help them describe their experiences. They were young, 5 and 3, when we started. On the flight they taped their boarding passes in the journals. They collected flowers and other treasures in small bead bags to tape in their journals. With assistance my 5 year old wrote words to describe his summer vacation.

Now at 8 and 6, the journals are more focused on reading, writing, and cursive. This year our journals are full of writing prompts. There is still lots of space for drawing and pasting. In preparation for the last day of school I will print our journals, gather some art supplies (makers, pencils, doubled sided tape, glue, stickers, etc.) and store it all in a folder for each child. On our first day of summer vacation we will write our bucket list.

Click on the link below to download the full journal (39 pages) here for free!

summer journal KITC

It will print in black and white on 8.5 X 11 paper. I printed the journal at our local print store for about $12.00, including a clear cover page, a blank back page and coil binding.

What summer activities do you plan with your children?

Jayda Siggers is a Mom of 2 ( JWS, 6 and LLS, 4), a nutritionist, a coach at Clean Plate Cleanse, a master mediator living under a co-dictatorship, whole food advocate, trying to live a little greener everyday.

Dula? Doola? DOULA!

The word doula comes from the ancient Greek language meaning "female servant," but it has come to mean a labour support person - someone knowledgeable about birth who will support the labouring woman and her partner before, during, and after birth. Anyone can call themselves a doula and often the woman's sister or friend will assume the role, but professional doulas are trained and some are certified by organizing bodies worldwide. Birth doulas provide information to the expecting woman during her pregnancy, emotional and physical support during her labour, and immediately after the birth. Postpartum doulas work with families in the 4th trimester (the first three months after baby is born) to help encourage, support, and provide information.

Now that we've got that out of the way, what do doulas actually do? Do you need a doula for your birth? What about after baby is born?

Let's talk about birth first. Birth doulas provide continuous support which has been shown to have many benefits including improved maternal and fetal health. Just how does a doula support a labouring woman? It depends on the woman! Some women need a gentle touch and encouraging words while some need to be left alone; some women like knowing their doula is there for ideas and suggestions; and some need a lot of physical support. Whatever you need, your doula is there for you.

Doulas are really handy when it comes to keeping mom comfortable, whether it's applying a cool cloth to the forehead, making sure the room is warm/cool enough, dimming the lights, suggesting different labour positions, or keeping mom hydrated and fed. But there are also things that are taught in the trainings - providing pressure on the back for pain relief, the use of a rebozo - a long, scarf-like piece of material - the use of a TENS machine, massage techniques and something called the double hip squeeze. These are only some of the comfort measures and tools we bring to each and every labour.

A doula can help you feel confident and empowered. A doula can hold your space and hold your hand. A doula can let your partner take a break. A doula can make a world of difference.

As for postpartum doulas, we joke that they try and work themselves out of a job. Postpartum doulas are there to answer any question relating to your new baby or your postpartum body. They are often trained to help with breastfeeding and sometimes baby wearing, cloth diapering, and can always find great resources in the community for anything challenging that comes up. They work with you to help you find your new normal, to find your rhythm, and to blossom into your new family unit.

Want to know more? Want to meet some Ottawa doulas in person? You're in luck. There is a FREE information session Tuesday, July 15th at 7pm at the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre. You can ask all your questions and maybe find a doula you like.

Hope to see you there!

Kamerine is mom to Little J and Little K.  She documents her life with two toddlers, a husband and a cat at The Life of K. Kamerine is also a birth doula, and you can find out more about her services at Tiny Feet Doula Services.

Welcome to Postedad Classifieds!

If you're like me, you've got PILES of stuff lying around your house that never gets used. I really am trying to get better, but two small children, a dog and several jobs leaves little time for purging and organizing. Hopefully once the girls are a bit older, I'll find the time to really minimize what we own. I find I breathe a huge sigh of relief when another bag of stuff exits my home. And bonus if the stuff you own is worth something to someone else! Not only are you reusing or recycling for the environment, but you're also spending less money by purchasing used. My husband and I saved up for our flat screen TV by selling things around our house and putting the money we made into a jar. You'd be surprised how quickly it adds up!

Selling used just got easier in Ottawa, with a new free classifieds website called Postedad.ca. The website is locally owned and managed, and their kids and baby section was planned with parents' needs in mind.

There is no charge for ads, and you can upload as many photos of your stuff as you'd like. There's also some neat features, like alert settings for new ads and reward points for promoting or highlighting your ads. The points are gained simply by registering on the site, posting ads and referring friends.

With this in mind, I'm off to sort through some baby stuff... :)

Hula Hooping

I never really got hula hooping as a kid. Everyone had a plastic hula hoop kickin' around in their garage, but whenever we tried them out, they always ended up falling to the ground - so we used them as skipping hoops instead! This past weekend I discovered what a real hula hoop is like. These are not your average plastic hoops - they're heavy duty, and weighted down with water. After a couple of tries, I got it! I managed to keep that hoop up for quite a while.

Once you get the hang of it, you can practice different techniques - hooping both right and left, moving side to side or front to back. I was shocked at how much effort went into it! You're basically giving yourself a full body workout. The next morning, my abs were sore!

Hula hoops come in all different sizes, and the kids had a great time trying out the smaller size.

I did some Googling, and apparently there are adult hooping classes here in Ottawa.  I may have to sign myself up for the Fall!

A Review and Giveaway from Mastermind Toys!

I'm so excited to be posting this giveaway from Mastermind Toys! Growing up in Scarborough, Ontario, our favourite store to visit (other than Stedman's in Haliburton during our summer cottage months) was Mastermind Toys in the Scarborough Town Centre. Unlike the toy aisles in Kmart (yes, I'm old) or Sears, which had distinctly separate rows of pink and blue, Mastermind Toys curated the best toys from around the world and marketed them to.....wait for it.....children!! Not boys or girls, but all children. There were science sets for any young person keen to see things smoke, bubble or explode. There were toy trains, tracks and miniature people for the kid eager to build a village, and of course, coveted items such as Skip It and Marbles (and remember Slap Bracelets?)

My mother loved Mastermind, because the majority of the toys were "educational" - in other words, they awakened creativity, enhanced fine motor skills and developed imagination. And bonus points for the fact that my brother and I were never the wiser :)

So when Mastermind contacted me about their new store opening in Barrhaven (71 Marketplace Ave., in Chapman Mills Marketplace), I was stoked! The Grand Opening will be July 10th - 13th, and there will be free loot bags for kids, a great offer from the store, cupcakes (Saturday Only), and giveaways! Staff will be on hand to help you with all your shopping needs, and complimentary gift wrap service will also be available all weekend.

Mastermind gave me one of their amazing summer-themed toys to try out with my girls. Most of the toys were for older ages (my girls are 20 months and 4 years old), so we chose to try the Kidnoculars. These are the only binoculars designed specifically for kids! The eyepieces are more than three times the size of ordinary binocular, and the perfect-fit goggles with placement guide enable kids to see up close.

The 20-month old was a little too young to appreciate the Kidnoculars, but my 4yo loved them! She ran around the backyard inspecting bugs, plants and spying on the neighbours :) These are certainly worth the $16.99!

As well, Mastermind is giving away a $50 Gift Card to one lucky recipient! Entering the contest is easy!

• Comment below with YOUR favourite toy that you had as a kid
• For a second entry, head to the Mastermind Toys website, and tell me which toy your kids would love for summer
• Winners need to pick up their gift card at the store

I will draw one name using Random.org at noon EST on July 9th, 2014. I’ll contact the winner via email at that time. Good luck! Comment #31 was the winner - congrats Jo!!