The Balancing Act

Making a Gingerbread House

2012-12-11T23:33:51Z

Tis' the season of shortbread and gingerbread houses. I don't know about you, but my biggest challenge with making the house is getting it to actually stick together!

My friend Russell made this video to help out parents at our school in preparation for a fundraiser. I thought I'd pass it along as a valuable holiday resource. Happy baking and decorating!

French Immersion: The Pros and Cons

2012-11-12T14:02:21Z

In the summer, I took my kids to a French bakery for their favourite croissant and pain au chocolate. My son ordered in French, and the girl at cash was charmed. This is his fifth year in French Immersion at a Toronto public school, and his language skills are increasingly strong. I am pleased about that, but I also have other concerns.

I was a French Immersion student years ago in New Brunswick. Our program of study, however, started in Grade 7. As a result, we already had a good foundation in the English language. Our English writing, spelling and grammar had been established and the French education did not disrupt that base. The challenges for us, however, were learning all our high school subjects in French. To this day, I only know some Chemistry and Biology terms in French. When I went into a science program at university, where everything was being taught in English, this proved to be challenging,.

In our neighbourhood in East Toronto, the French Immersion program begins in senior kindergarten. In some ways, I see the advantages to starting at this time. At these young ages, the kids are like sponges, and appear to absorb new concepts with ease. Learning a new language when you're a child is much easier than the alternative.

But, lately I have been having some serious concerns. For his "English" class, my son had to write a four to five page essay featuring his autobiography. I left him to do it on his own, and asked to look at it when he was finished. I was shocked and dismayed! Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors glared profusely at me from every angle of his essay. With his French training, he frequently placed the adjectives after the noun (e.g. milk chocolate, a tournament of hockey fun - you get the picture).

I expressed my concern to other parents and his teacher. The general response and reassurance was that he will "catch up". I hope so: his future educational and career goals will be contingent on his ability to express himself well.

I decided to start some rituals at home to strengthen my son's English skills. He's now only reading English books at home, and my two older kids have started to keep journals. Every day after school I ask them to write two pages about anything. I don't correct it or comment on it. It's just there. My mom did the same with me, and the daily writing taught me to express myself more clearly through language.

I'm hoping this helps. If not, we will re-examine the situation again in a few months. Has anyone had similar experiences with French Immersion? If so, what did you do to support your kids' English language skills?

Opening Ceremonies

2012-07-28T14:15:42Z

After dinner, we snuggled on the sofa to watch the Opening Ceremonies. I didn't know what to expect. What a spectacular surprise! Danny Boyle's extravagant celebration of culture blew me away.

I'm a sucker for anything literary, and Boyle didn't disappoint: Shakespeare, Blake, J.M. Barrie, J.K. Rowling making a rare public appearance. The ceremony was ripe with rich literary and cultural references - focusing on the profound imprint Britain has made in those areas. The backdrop of the Industrial Revolution served as an edgy contrast to the music, light and organized chaos of the event. With OMD, the Pet Shop Boys and the Sex Pistols in the background, I was over the moon.

My favourite moment was that featuring Daniel Craig and the ultimate Bond girl - Queen Elizabeth. I'm no fan of the sour-faced dowager or her Imperialist heritage - but I truly appreciated her ability to laugh at herself and get into the fun.

Beckham on the speedboat - lovely. Arctic Monkeys and Sir Paul, all so fun and celebratory. Boyle took the potential "dowdy" out of the opening, and made it into something avant garde, youthful, spiritual and transcendent. I loved sharing the experience of watching the ceremonies with my kids. They ask so many questions, and as they get older, it's amazing to see things through their engaged and unique perspective.

The arrival of the athletes took the theoretical and made it real - young, shiny, bright faces and bodies - on the verge of achieving a life's dream. The culmination of hopes, dreams and familial sacrifices. I hope the Games can live up to their stunning start.

Book Review: Waiting for the Monsoon by Threes Anna

2012-07-16T04:18:55Z

For me, summer reading has a particularly sweeter taste. There's something decadent about curling up with a good book on a lollagazing summer afternoon, with the hot sun blazing in the distance. In a hammock, or curled up inside, it's all good.

I've been reading Waiting for the Monsoon, by Threes Anna. It's not a book that captured my attention (or heart) immediately. In fact, for the first half, it kind of felt like work. It's a huge book, and after a certain point, I told myself I might as well slug through it now that I've gotten so far.

Often, there's no pay-off for that sort of dedication. But this was different. Anna's book started to grab at my heartstrings (you know, that maddening love when you realise you're truly falling for the characters) almost two thirds in.

Waiting for the Monsoon tells the story of Charlotte Bridgewater, the Indian-born daughter of a British general. The Bridgewaters stay on after India's independence, in a dilapidated mansion that is merely a phantom of its former glory. Through various time-shifting vignettes, we learn of Charlotte's childhood during the height of the British Raj, her father's nightmarish war experience in Burma, her failed marriage to handsome, tormented doctor, and finally, her growing love and devotion for an impoverished tailor, Madan, who finds his way into her previously forlorn life.

Sleepy, dusty and hot, I felt feel Charlotte's frustrations with her life. As the story deepens and intensifies, I got caught up in the characters' inner lives and their relationships with each other and their bleak setting. The way Anna weaves Charlotte's life with that of Madan's shows true brilliance.

Summer Learning?

2012-07-10T15:27:49Z

We're now in the second week of summer holidays, and the kids have settled into a rhythm of park, play, TV and more play. With the Toronto heat, we've focused on staying cool - lots of wading pool and sprinkler time.

This week we're in Calgary with the grandparents, and it's gorgeous here. In past summers, I've brought workbooks and math sheets to Calgary. To be honest, those workbooks always remained unopened. This year, I'm trying some other methods to stimulate summer learning. We're focusing on reading as many chapter books as we can and on doing a little bit of math each day.

I found this great math game for the Ipad called Math in Motion: Hungry Fish (see image). My kids love playing it and I can adjust the difficulty levels for each child. It challenges them in math, subtraction, and multiplication. Even if they play for 15 minutes a day, it's a good brain workout.

A friend recommended a site called Bedtime Math, which emails a math problem out every day. The problems are interesting, and they test your reading and math skills. So far, this hasn't been as successful as Hungry Fish.

What are you doing to keep those little brains active over the summer? I'm interested to hear other perspectives and ideas!

The Table Today

2012-05-11T12:53:56Z

One of my favourite childhood memories is our family dinners at home. My mom was an excellent cook, and dinner was always something delicious to look forward to. My parents, my brother and I always sat together for our evening meal. This was our opportunity to talk about our day, share stories and be together as a family. Sometimes, I close my eyes just to remember that precious feeling of being together; at the time, I never realised the importance of those moments - or their transience.

Now, life seems so different. So rushed, hectic, loud. Our family of five rarely eats together, and it bothers me. With everyone's varying schedules, a shared meal is a novelty not the norm. I'd like to change that, and give my kids the same memories that I treasure so dearly.

Cerys McLellan's business, The Table Today, is endeavouring to do the same thing. With her services, Cerys provides solutions whereby families and friends can enjoy meals together easily and more frequently. Research shows that children excel when they take part in regular family meals, and Cerys' goal is to help families re-establish those integral traditions for future generations.

I had a chance to chat with Cerys and get some tips on how to encourage successful family dinners:

AO: What are some of the benefits of families eating together?

CM: Connecting with each other. Share your day, laugh, vent, plan, schedule. Oh! and eat!

Healthy, happy, smart kids. Statistics show kids eat healthier even outside the home, when they're part of regular family meals. They're happier because they're a part of something special. They learn modelled behaviour, which helps in and out of the home. And teenagers who eat with the family 4x or more per week have better grades than those that eat 2x or less.

Meal time is a great barometer. You get a baseline for behaviour. You'll notice when things are "just not quite right", and then you have more opportunity to observe, and to actively listen.

AO: What are some tips you can give us for bringing our families back to the table?

CM:

Don't make a big deal about it (you'll scare your teenagersJ). Start with meals that you know the whole family loves. Set the table with everything you need. THEN call the troops. But the golden rule is this: Mom is stuck to her chair until the end of dinner.
If dinner will be later, put out a bag of carrots and a dip.
Use the dining room. Enjoy it! Who's more important than your own family?
Keep meal time short - 20-30 minutes, 5 minute clean-up. It promotes a sense of ease for all!
Once you have a few weeks in, then try meal plans, throw in more healthy choices, grocery lists, organize your kitchen to suit your family meals.
One thing about groceries - Grocery Gateway - they take computer orders up to 11 pm for delivery the next morning before you go to work! How great is that? The $10 delivery fee makes up for the extra items you pick up at the grocery store on the way home when you're tired and hungry and have no idea what to have for dinner.

A Show, A Song, A Memory

2012-05-06T02:48:30Z

I've been watching the new HBO show, Girls. Three episodes in and it's just starting to find its groove. It's a little dirty, a little jarring, a bit much. I still don't know if I love it. I like the premise though - four friends trying to find their way post-graduation.

Last week's show had some moments. Especially the last part of the show, where Hannah and her roommate dance in her room to this song. That scene reminded me so much of my old apartment, my old roommates - coming home and telling each other everything. Listening to great music late at night. Snackwell cookies and sharing packets of sushi from the convenience store downstairs.

Loved this song from the show (awesome soundtrack so far). Love those memories even more.

From Dora to Hulk

2012-05-03T02:17:52Z

I've seen the episodes so many times that sometimes I dream about them: Caillou, Dora, and Max & Ruby (my personal favourite).

The Treehouse gang visits our household daily, at times when I need to cook/nap/use the computer. These trusted friends have occupied my kids through years of inclement weather days and busy mom moments.

Except for now. These benign and playful characters have been replaced with someone large, green and ominous. For a couple of weeks now, my Baby (who's four) has come home from school and said, "Mummy, can I watch Hulk?" Thanks to Netfilx, the jade giant is readily available in multiple incarnations.

And man, does she watch it, with an intense focus that I have previously not seen.

"Mummy, how does he become strong?"

"Mummy, She-Hulk is Hulk's cousin. She has beautiful black hair."

"Mummy, can I watch more Hulk?"

My husband and I were trying to figure out the appeal of Hulk to this tutu-wearing, girly-girl. The new fixation is such a contrast to her other TV preferences (pretty, fuzzy or princessy).

We decided that it must be Hulk's incredible transformative abilities: In our house, my Baby is the smallest, the most fragile and the one most subject to the decisions of her older brother and sister. Perhaps, she admires Dr. Bruce Banner's ability to transcend his own weakness and face his foes with incredible strength and power?

Maybe we are overanalyzing this, but I think my girl secretly wants to BE the Incredible Hulk.

Running into a new decade

2012-04-28T17:17:21Z

I turned forty a few weeks ago. The day was harder than I expected it to be, and I don't really know why. However, the day passed and now it's just a number.

With the milestone birthday, I paused to reflect on the past, the present and the future. Time is flying and there are still so many things I want to do. The reality sunk in that I better start doing them. With that zest and enthusiasm for things not previously attempted, I signed up for a 10K run this month. My husband decided to join me for support, and more than anything, the training has been fun. We run at separate times (someone has to watch those kids) but we plan our routes together, keep track of our improvements and encourage each other to not give up.

I started slowly, doing one minute intervals of running and two minutes of walking. Now, I can do a four minute running interval with one minute of walking. The improvement is gradual but it's consistent - and that feels so rewarding. I can now do a 5K run in about 46 minutes, and that's something I never even imagined being able to do.

My friend Astrid is a runner, and she got me on to the Nike+ website and the Nike Ipod Sports Kit. Basically, you plug this little thing into your Ipod Nano, you attach the little sensor to the laces on your sneakers, and you take off! The sensor syncs with your Ipod and at the end of your run, you know exactly how far you ran, and what your pace was. The little gadget is $29 and looks like this:

To makes things even better, when you plug your Ipod into your computer, it redirects you to your Nike+ homepage where you can view a history of your runs and keep track of total distance. It's so motivating to keep track of my progress, and it really motivates me to push myself harder each time.

Here's a pic of my runs so far:

March Break: Staycation

2012-03-31T18:55:41Z

We were around for March Break and had the best time hanging out in the city. I loved the respite from our tyrranical routine; leisurely mornings with late breakfasts were the norm, and we did lots of visiting with family and friends.

The tropical weather only added to our frolic, with hours upon hours spent outside in the sun.

We ate silly foods like sprinkle-covered banana pancakes, and we dressed like our favourite movie characters. See below for my Girl's interpretation Blue, from the kid flick Rio.

I loved the down time with my kids - something we don't get enough of.

The Joy of Reading Together: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

2012-03-11T21:27:50Z

One of the experiences I treasured most about having young kids was reading together at bedtime. Sparkling tots fresh out of the tub, nestled together under blankets to listen to countless stories of superheroes, fairies, princesses and many more. In those days, often read the same books over and over again. Fancy Nancy, Olivia and Curious George were frequent booktime bedfellows.

Soon, however, my babies got big enough to read on their own (and to read to their baby sister!). Our bedtime ritual changed: the kids read individually in their beds, and I took that time to clean up, go on the computer and do other things. It was nice to have that extra time to myself but I missed that together-time at the end of a long day to unwind and lose ourselves together in a great story.

Recently, my friend told me about how he had just read the whole Harry Potter series with his kids, ages 6 and 8. What a brilliant idea! I hadn't read the famous series - and it sounded like something we could all enjoy together.

I bought the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling, and what a magical ride it has been. We've read a chapter every night for the past ten nights, and we can't get enough.

Without my usual screaming, teeth are brushed, pyjamas worn and homework is done in a jiffy. These days, it's all about the Potter. We try and finish our nightly duties quickly so we can climb into my son's bed and devour the tales of wizards, goblins, ghosts and magical mishaps. Not only is it lovely to have this cozy time with my kids, but it's so much fun to discover something new and wonderful together. So much of our time is spent running to activities, and doing homework that it can be easy to forget the joy of each other's company.

I try not to let on how much I love this ritual - it's pretty awesome. I'm already planning what to read together after we finish this series - I'm thinking some classics like Treasure Island, Gulliver's Travels and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Foto Friday: Room with a View

2012-03-02T18:48:48Z

I'm in Calgary this week. I brought the kids out see their grandparents. Calgary is sunny and cold. We spend lots of time in the condo, admiring this view:

Book Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

2012-02-23T18:59:30Z

I saw this book around for a while before I picked it up. From what I'd heard, it seemed almost too much to bear - a child forced to live in one room for his whole life, unable to go outside or have any contact with the world.

Finally, after hearing such rave reviews, I decided to give it a shot I'm glad I did. Author (and London, Ontario native) Emma Donoghue, has infused this seemingly tragic story with such warmth and innocence that I couldn't put it down. I'm not going to give away how the pair end up in Room - too many facts will spoil the story for you if you choose to read it.

The story is told in the voice of Jack, who is five years old and has never known a world outside of Room, his beloved Ma and the TV. He is oblivious to the underlying horror of his situation.

Donoghue captures Jack's voice so beautifully - it is clear and bright without being cloying or overly childish. The characters in his contained life have vitality, as evidenced in this quote:

"Spider's real. I've seen her two times. I look for her now but there's only a web between Table's legs and her flat. Table balances good, that's pretty tricky, when I go on one leg I can do it forages but then I always fall over. I don't tell Ma about Spider. She brushes webs away, she says they're dirty but they look like extra-thin silver to me. Ma likes the animals that run around eating each other on the wildlife planet, but not real ones. When I was four I was watching ants walking up Stove and she ran and splatted them all so they wouldn't eat our food. One minute they were alive and the next minute they were dirt. I cried so my eyes nearly melted off. "

He loves his mother desperately, and within the confines of their little home, they play games, do "gym", read and play. Despite their limitations, he is undoubtedly happy and loved. The mother-child bond shines in this novel. This story underscores that love is indeed blind to its surroundings and circumstances.

Field Trip: A French Film Festival

2012-02-22T19:16:01Z

Last week I volunteered on a field trip with my older daughter's class. She's in Grade 2, French Immersion, and the field trip was to attend Cinefranco, a French film festival at a downtown Toronto cinema.

First of all, how cool is that? The only field trips I remember are to a salmon fishery, a museum and snowshoeing. Not that those trips aren't awesome in their own way - they totally are - but a French film festival is more my kind of thing!

To get downtown, we took the subway with 63 kids and loads of teachers and parent volunteers. One of the many things that I love about my kids' school is that so many of the parents give so much of their time and energy to making the school a great place for their kids. I was in awe of my Girl's teacher as he calmly supervised his group on the subway. I, of course, was completely terrified of losing one of the four in my group. I made all of them hold my hand or jacket throughout the whole journey which I'm sure completely mortified my Girl.

On the subway, I loved listening to the conversations that were going on in my group. Much to my surprise, the big topic of conversation was Whitney Houston's death and the reasons behind it. These 7-year old kids were contemplating what mix of medications had caused her demise???? Other topics included how their parents work too much, what they had for lunch, and whether or not they would have to actually do any schoolwork that day. One of the girls in my group came dressed in a pink fedora with a stuffed toy poodle in her purse. In my opinion, perfect attire for a French film festival.

The movie we watched, Les Contes de La Nuit by Michael Ocelot, was actually a montage of 6 short films based on fairy tales from different nations. All the films were done in silhouettes against multi-coloured backdrops - so visually stunning. I loved being in the cinema with all those kids, bright-eyed and excited. There was so much positive, lovely energy in that room.

What I most enjoyed about the experience was seeing my Girl interact with her friends in her own element. She was very different from how she is at home; here, she's always struggling to define her place between her older and younger siblings. At school, she's just the Girl, doing her own thing, so much calmer and real. I felt very privileged to be there.

Great Book: The Paris Wife

2012-02-10T14:39:56Z

I had been waiting for so long for a book to sweep me off my feet. Carry me away so that all I could think about was turning the next page and reading, reading, reading...with that wild abandon. You know, the kind where your kids haven't been fed, and the beds haven't been made but you're curled up reading because you can't think of anything else.

It happened to me with The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. I was transported to Paris in the 1920's when Picasso walked the streets with a canvas in progress; F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hemingway shared drinks at a nearby cafe, and Coco Chanel dressed elegant Parisiennes in black sheaths with pearls.

The Paris Wife is a fictional account of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage. A young, struggling writer, Hemingway met Hadley in Chicago, and together they went to Paris where his career and persona exploded.

While I loved the descriptions of Paris, the French Riviera and Spain, the heart of the novel is Hemingway and Hadley's blissful and turbulent romance. Reading of their courtship, I too fell in love with Hemingway - his talent, his fiery temperament coupled with a tenderness beyond words, and his movie star good looks. See below for a picture of Hadley and Hem's wedding.

Along with Hadley's, my heart broke too when Hemingway's charm could not keep his demons or humanity at bay. McLain drew me into this story so completely that I read the book in one sitting. Read this and to escape to Paris in its heyday - where love and art bloomed in beautiful synergy.