Imaginary Friends: Taking reading to a new level!

I have a lot of friends who get to be involved in really cool things in their work and a few weeks ago a friend shared a Kickstarter campaign for Imaginary Friends. I watched it and got so excited I was ready to back the campaign on the spot. After a conversation with my friend she offered to send us a Beta version of the book for us to try out and I jumped on the opportunity. Turns out, it's as awesome as I expected and I think you should back the Kickstarter too. (For those of you who don't know, you pledge now but don't pay unless the goal is met. You're pledging to help them have the funds to create the product but in this case the timelines aren't too long and first products are going to ship in September.)

What is it?

It's a chapter book that is printed with each chapter as its own mini book. There are also activities that take the kids out of the story and into real life between each chapter. This includes scavenger hunts (for example, my son had to find all the pieces of a puzzle around our house based on clues we created), games on the computer and one game in our book even had our son exploring the neighbourhood using the gps on my iPhone.

Imaginary Friends set up stories that take kids outside of just reading. The way I see it there are advantages for all types of readers.

My son is an avid reader, sometimes it's hard to get him out of his room. The pause between each chapter for an activity had him up and running around and excited to take on another task. (I haven't seen him this enthusiastic about anything other than Minecraft in a long time!)

For a non avid reader, I can see the activities making reading feel more interactive and exciting and less "boring".

How it works

When you get the book, the parents are in charge of setting up an account and getting things rolling. There is an account for the parent to move the story forward and set up activities and there is an account for the kids to log in and play the games on the computer and get prompted to do activities (the games run on an ipod/iphone but it worked better on an actual computer). 

When we first started out I wanted it to seem magical that the games was leading him to things around our house but until I explained that we had been involved he would often just stare at the computer baffled at how to follow through within the computer game. Once that clicked he was thrilled and really got in to all the games.

Parents need to log in to their system to move to the next game and be ready to hand out the chapters one at a time, so it takes more involvement from the parent than a typical book but it was well worth it. There was one time when I thought the game wasn't working properly but it turned out I hadn't done my part in the parent part of the system so you just need to remember to do all the parts.

Who are these for?

They say they're targeted at 8-12 year olds. I think because my son is such an advanced reader that it seems to me it could be younger than that but I know most kids aren't devouring chapter books on their own at 6. I do think you could be even more involved and help with the games and the chapters and kids as young as 6 would really enjoy these stories.

I asked my 8 year old what he thought and here are a few of his points:

I liked getting to play a game between each chapter. (Books and video games, my son's favourite things! :)

I really liked the story because it was exciting, it had superheroes and the ending was kind of surprising.

It was surprising at the start because I didn’t know there would be games. In one of them the computer game told me to look for things in my own house and I couldn’t figure out how they did that. 

Now what?

Check out the Kickstarter. They only have 7 days left and they're 75% of the way to their goal. I liked the book so much that I bought their 4-book pack knowing we'd get the same book as we already have and planning to give it to someone as a gift. 

I love encouraging reading and making it even more fun by taking them outside of the books was a total win for me. We read Capes in the Family and I can't wait to get Circus of Mirrors in the Fall. Eventually I think we'll get one of their deluxe books that has artifacts and props. Because seriously - how cool is this idea!? So Cool!

The Imaginary Friends team put together a few freebies if you want to try things out. Check it all out to get a taste for the products.

Free Sample Kit: Try out some of Capes in the Family game now! http://try.imaginaryfriendbooks.com 

Free Father's Day Cards:  http://imaginaryfriendbooks.com/blog/2015/06/17/imaginary-friends-free-downloadable-fathers-day-cards/

Website: http://imaginaryfriendbooks.com

Connect with Imaginary Friends on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube

Full disclosure: I was given a book for free to test out but wasn't asked to say anything specific. I really do just love this idea a lot :)

10 Tips for New Dads

By Chris

Take time off to be with your new baby

Take parental leave if it is financially possible for you and your family. Having a kid, even if you already have one, is a big adjustment. It will change your life in ways you can only imagine. You and your family need time to adjust. Taking time gives you time to get to know your child. Time to change diapers, go for walks, sleep on the baby's schedule and bond with your child. This time will set the pattern for your relationship with your child for the rest of your life. If you aren’t able to take parental leave, use vacation time. It may be possible to stretch out that vacation time by mixing vacation time and part-time work to give you more time at home over a longer period. This can make it easier to manage work by giving yourself permission to sleep when you are tired. It will also reduce the guilt of leaving your partner and new child at home.

Jump In - Even though you have no idea what you are doing

Parenting is a learned skill. Read all the books you like, spend time babysitting other kids, prepare as much as you like. Your kid will be different. Acknowledge that you have no idea what you are doing. The thing is, nether does your partner. It is a myth that women are automatically better at parenting. Parents get better at parenting by doing. Parenting is a moving target. Kids change constantly, especially the freshly born ones. Don’t leave the parenting to your partner, get in there and change those diapers.

Put away your good shirts*

*Editor's note: when I first read this I though it said "put away your golf shirts"...which would be exactly what my husband did after we had kids :)

Babies are messy. Some are veritable spit-up fountains. There will be diaper explosions unlike anything you ever thought possible. Diapers are usually pretty good containment systems, but not always. For some reason it is quite difficult to get baby spit-up out of clothes - not to mention poo. If you own clothes that last you more than a year and you plan to wear them outside the house, put them away or seal them in a plastic bag until you are out of the house. Get dressed at the office or in the backyard if you have to. It is the only way to keep them clean. The rest of your shirts will have spit-up stains on the shoulders for the rest of their existence.

Embrace Jerkhood

You've heard about the lack of sleep that comes with parenting. What you don't hear is that sleep-deprivation will make you into a jerk. There will be days when you can't see straight and you have a pounding headache. For some reason other people will still try to talk to you on those days. You will manage some kind of response and it will likely be curt, abrupt and jerky. Just go with it. In time you will realize that most jerks are actually sleep-deprived parents. This period of sleep-deprivation will be over in 18 years and you can go back to being a nice guy then.

Learn to Change a Diaper 

It may not have occurred to you before the appearance of your brand-new poop-machine that babies poop a lot. As it turns out they need diaper changes 1-14 times a day, providing lots of opportunity for professional development. Installing and removing the diaper is actually quite easy. It basically involves figuring out which is the front and which is the back. For disposable diapers the sticky tabs are on the back part and they stick on to the outside of the front part. Cloth and hybrid diapers can be more complicated, but not by much.

The real risks are related to what is in the diaper and what happens during the changing process. As mentioned above, diapers are a reasonably good containment system - for the most part. Sometimes they fail and sometimes those failures are spectacular. You will usually have a pretty good indication ahead of time that you are facing a situation that requires back up or an immediate bathing experience. There is nothing you can do to escape these situations. Just make sure you have appropriate cleaning supplies on hand ahead of time.

Two key things to remember when diaper changing: 1) If you have a boy, place a loose diaper or pee-tent or something equally useful to cover the penis. Pee comes out of the penis and inevitably that will happen when you are mid-change. To prevent the pee from getting in your mouth, cover the penis. 2) If you have a girl, wipe front-to-back to avoid getting poop in the vagina.

So get in there and start changing diapers. - you'll be doing it for years!

Support your partner

Growing and getting a baby out of a body requires a certain degree of work and trauma to the human body involved. If your partner has just gone through this process, there will likely be some big hormonal swings and mood changes. These are normal. Be supportive while her body and hormones adjust to post-pregnancy and into motherhood.

Sometimes the mood changes are outside of the range of normal and suggest more significant needs. Keep any eye out for persistent depression or anxiety. Talk with your partner about how she is feeling and if you both agree that something is not normal(?) help her get the support she needs. She can talk to her family doctor about possible solutions, and in some communities there are support groups for post-partum anxiety and depression.

Umbilical cord stumps are freaky

The umbilical cord is apparently an important part of the whole baby cooking process and perhaps equally important to the belly buttoning of a kid.  But the cord stump is a freaky thing. It may make you think of a loose thread. That leads to questions like - What if you snag the cord and the baby comes apart? Folding the diaper away from the stump is important. The whole thing only gets freakier as it starts to come off.  Fortunately the stump usually only lasts a week or so. Once that loose thread falls off the fresh new belly button will be revealed.

Accept help and food

People are great. Especially when babies are involved. You will likely discover people who want to come and help you in some way. People will bring food so you don't have to worry about burning the house down by falling asleep on the stove while making dinner. People will offer to do your laundry or clean your house. It is ok to accept help. It is not a judgement on your abilities as a parent. People just like to help, and those who have been through life as a new parent and emerged out the other side are often looking for opportunities to pay forward the support they received. It is also ok to set limits.

Protect Your Time

Some people who want to help, would also really like to see and maybe hold your new baby. You and your partner need to decide when you are willing to see other people. If your partner has given birth, you need to protect her space and time to heal, and you might need to be the bad guy and say no on her behalf to eager family and friends who want to descend on you in the days after birth. When you do allow people to come for visits, set limits. Limit how long they come for and when they come. An hour of visiting is usually lots in the early days. You will be tired, your partner may be in pain if she has given birth. You will probably be ready to see visitors sooner if you have adopted a older child and aren't dealing with post-birth recovery and/or newborn sleep deprivation.

Sleep with a baby on your chest

Everyone who has ever held a sleeping baby already knows this and wants a piece of the action.  There is something soothing about a baby asleep on your chest or in your arms.  Perhaps it is because it forces us to slow down so as not to wake the baby or maybe they have magical healing powers like the purr of a cat.  Lying on a couch with a baby asleep on your chest is pretty well the best place to be. This is the best part of being a new dad. 

Communicate

A new kid is going to change your life in ways you haven't even imagined. Each kid is different and everyone's experience is different. There will be unexpected joys and challenges. There will be things you have to do that you've never done before, and your partner is in the same boat. It is essential to communicate with your partner about how you are each feeling, what you are experiencing and what you are learning. This will set the pattern for how you function as parents and the example you set for your kid(s).

Have Fun (bonus tip)

Living the dad life is a crazy ride. It will be filled with unimaginable highs and incredibly frustrating challenges. You will discover emotions that you didn't know or forgot you had in you. You will learn something new everyday. Take the time to live life through the eyes of your child. Sing songs with and to your kid - even if you think you can't sing. Play with blocks and make funny faces and just make time to find the fun and joy of being a dad, no matter how challenging your day is.

Chris is a Canadian father of three girls, and writes a great blog called Dad Goes Round. Connect with him on his Facebook page!

What are Ottawa's favourite parks?

Balena park

As parents in Ottawa (probably everywhere) parks are a big part of our lives. We have great parks in Ottawa, but it gets tiring going back to the same ones every day. That's why we've loved getting our audience (readers like you!) to help us out by identifying the best parks around the city.

Our past blog posts about Ottawa parks are some of the most popular posts on our site. We wanted to update our information on the best parks to visit - especially as a lot of us are getting ready to plan our summer outings.

Top four parks in Ottawa for kids

Last year we did a survey and the top four parks in Ottawa are:

Brewer Park

Walter Baker Park

Andrew Haydon Park

Millenium Park

Would you agree?

More Ottawa parks

We have SO many fabulous parks in Ottawa, and although the ones above have been voted the "best" check out our list below for the runner-ups. If you have a park that you love and would like to write about it for us, email us at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com! (The articles below are from way back - many were written in 2010 and 2011! We'd love an update of how your parks have changed, and what's new!)

Balena Park

Big Bird Park

Carp Splash Pad

Gerald Poulin Park

Glebe "Tot Lot" (5th and O'Connor)

Springhurst

St Luke's

Drive in birthday party for six year olds

I don't use Pinterest a lot, but every once in a while there's an idea that really jumps out at me. The drive-in party for kids is one of them! I decided to try the idea out for my twins for their sixth birthday. I am not crafty in any way, so this was a bit of a dangerous decision to make - usually I just pay for a party somewhere like Funhaven, Cosmic or Midway! 

Today I thought I'd share how it went with you all and whether I think the drive-in movie theme is worth it :)  (Straight up truth moment - I looked at a photo like the one I shared here and based everything I did on that. I didn't even bother reading the descriptions of what worked or what didn't. It's good that you're not like me - it saves time and thought!:)

The cars

Figuring out where to get the boxes took me awhile. I think I could have gotten a really good deal on uniform looking plain boxes at Staples if I had ordered them online early enough - but I didn't... because I'm not a planner :) I then called around and knew I could have gotten decent boxes at Dymon for a few dollars each but in the end I got a great stash of decent sized boxes from Dollarama for free.

When I was at Dollarama I also got a pack of markers for each kids ($1.25/each) and packages of foam circles and styrofoam plates to be used for steering wheels, headlights and tires and popcorn.

What worked and didn't work

The kids enjoyed sticking the tires, headlights and steering wheels on to the cars. 

The kids needed a lot of help and direction or they lost interest pretty quickly.

Some of the kids kept colouring their cars WHILE watching the movie which was great.

When the kids started getting excited or bored they started rocking their cars until they tipped over and they needed rescuing. Once this started it kind of snow balled. 

The movie

Here's the thing. If it's warm enough in Ottawa to watch a movie outside, it doesn't get dark until fairly late at night - later than you generally want kids who are small enough to fit in boxes to be outside ;)

As a result, we had our party in the afternoon and counted on shade to make things dark enough. With a shady area and the projector set on the highest brightest setting you could see the movie, but it was a bit faint. The kids were able to watch and hear and enjoy. We also tried it in the garage like some of the photos showed, but that didn't make it any brighter.

The kids enjoyed watching the movie though didn't have the attention span to watch a whole movie (thankfully I had counted on this.) A lot of the kids don't even have the drive in reference so there were a few "why are we watching this outside?" type questions that mostly just amused me.

Each kid got their own popcorn container that I got for $1 at Dollarama and I got Poppa John popcorn. Popcorn, juice boxes and watermelon kept the movie snackers happy.

Other helpful hints

I'm not a loot bag person in general so I didn't do anything like that - each kid did get to take home their popcorn container and individual package of markers though, as well as their cardboard box car (bonus - you don't have 16 cardboard cars left at your house at the end of the party!)

I also hired a 16 year old to come and help out. She was great at helping with the crafts and helping wrangle 13 5-6 year olds who wanted to go in different directions. I highly recommend getting someone to come and help if you're going to have an at home party. If it weren't for her and my friend that stuck around, I may have lost my mind during the party ;)

Overall it was a lot of fun and I'm glad we did it. Would you try a drive in party?

Wear All the Babies! Ottawa Babywearing Group Big Meet 2015

From my first fumbling attempts with a ring sling, babywearing became a great comfort and necessity in my life as a new parent. Mothering a newborn with reflux meant LOTS of crying - but as soon as I popped my daughter into a carrier and went for a walk, she was out like a light. I continued to carry her throughout her infancy and into toddlerhood - I remember strapping her onto my back at one point during the Great Glebe Garage sale.

Now my 2 year-old asks to be put in the carrier, and it helps to soothe her while I'm trying to get dinner made or laundry done. Babywearing is a great way to be hands-free for other tasks (and plus, it'll save your back and arms!)

While searching for tips on which carrier was the best for my second daughter, I stumbled on a local Facebook group. The Ottawa Babywearing Group (OBG), born in March 2012, is the baby of local mom Tami Grosset. By its first birthday it had totaled over 450 members and is now 3,500 members strong. OBG is a local community group with a focus on all things babywearing - there are regular meets around the city where parents can learn more about babywearing in all its shapes and styles. The Facebook group is a lively space where members share a love and enthusiasm for wearing their babies, as well as share expertise and experience. The Ottawa Babywearing Group is a great space for finding a local used carrier at a great price, or maybe just borrowing one for a trial. Join the OBG on their dynamic Facebook group for all things babywearing!

On Saturday June 13th the OBG will be holding their annual "Big Meet" at Maki House (19 Leeming Drive in Ottawa) . Donations at the door will go to the Sling Library (a way to borrow various types of slings for trial, for free!) and Babies of Peace Project (providing carriers to families in need).

At this event you will find a wide variety of vendors (JackWraps, Cherish the Child, and Bumbini Cloth Diaper Company, to name just a few), and there will be demonstrations on babywearing techniques and Babywearing Fitness and Yoga (with Fitness With Kate), Babywearing Latin Dance (with Esther America Dance/Danse) and a presentation on traditional First Nation babywearing practices from members of the Odawa Native Friendship Centre.

Guests will have an opportunity to buy and sell used carriers in person or get help with a carrier they are struggling to love. There will also be a bake sale and a chance to meet and socialise with members of this vibrant community. Photographer Joseph Allain will be at the event taking candid shots of guests as they enjoy the event, and Stephanie de Montigny of Pure Natural Newborn Photography will be offering babywearing mini sessions. 

Tickets are limited, so get yours today 

Did you enjoy babywearing as a new parent?