What if money was no object?

 Click here to watch a very worthwhile clip: What if money was no object?

Mad Abs May Challenge

The Indecisive Generation

Why is it that so many people of my generation have no clue what they want to do with their lives? I can't stress enough how many people I know, between the ages of 30 and 35, who have absolutely no clue what kind of career they would actually like to be doing.

When I was growing up, I always thought I would be a lawyer. I'm a debater and most people in my life encouraged me in that direction...but when it came down to writing the LSATS and actually processing the whole idea of what it would truly mean to be a successful lawyer, it no longer seemed to be the right fit for me. Next was public relations. Although to this day it is probably one of the better fits for me, I simply could not get on the PR band wagon. The other students were way too excited about having a career, which at times is about deceiving the public, and I just couldn't get on board. From there, I briefly considered teaching, but I've had too many bad teachers to know how important loving teaching is...and I would have been doing it for the wrong reasons. After that, I considered interior design. I definitely have an interest there, and maybe even a little talent, but it's not for me as a career. My most recent efforts were in Holistic Nutrition. I still find this incredibly interesting and very valuable, but I can't decide in what capacity I want to work with it.

See how indecisive I am?! I assure you that I am not alone. Were we given too many options growing up? Did being told "you can do anything you set your mind to" give us unrealistic expectations of ourselves and simply confuse us further?

I like to write, to plan and be my own boss. Where does that leave me exactly? Unemployed, writing a blog and occasionally getting published in the "letters to the editor" section of the local paper. There must be more out there for me... Now to figure out what exactly it is!

In a random sample of 5 of my friends; 1-hairdresser turned Air Force, 2-teacher turned Stay-at-home-Mom, 3-nutritionist turned esthetician, 4-Stay-at-hom-Mom turned aerobic instructor, 5-teacher turned call centre staff. We're all over the place and most of us are still searching for the "right" career or the next big lottery win.

Simpler were the times when people were told what career they would have and then they would work that job for the rest of their able days. No one should have to settle, but I'm thinking my advice to myself at this point is "if it pays more than the last job and you're not sacrificing your morals, yourself or your family, take the job!"

Homemade Dairy-Free and Nut-Free Granola Bars

Homemade Dairy-Free and Nut-Free Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c quick oats
1/2 c Rice Krispies cereal
1/2 c dark chocolate chips
1/2 c dried fruit
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c honey or agave
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp ground flax seed

1 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients (except for the chocolate chips - keep aside for now) . Start with a wooden spoon and then shape with your hands. If your mixture seems dry you may need to add a little more oil and/or honey, a teaspoon at a time, until it starts to stick together. Then add in chocolate chips.
Place on parchment paper on baking pan and shape.
 

Bake 350 for 17-22 min, but keep a close watch. Granola goes from good to burnt very quickly.

Note: I make these for my son's snack at school. It is a great and healthy alternative to store bought bars AND he loves them!

 

Dairy Elimination Trial

After a recent chat with our family doctor, we have decided to try a dairy elimination trial with our 6 year old son. He has extremely dry skin, excessive gas and most recently has changed how he breaths. I know...vague description. The best way I can describe it is that occasionally he takes a deeper breath, as if regular breathing just isn't doing the trick. So, while we wait for a pulmonary function test and allergy testing, we're cutting out dairy to see if he shows any signs of improvement. To be a supportive family, we're all cutting out dairy during this trial.

Well...easier said than done. My background is in Holistic Nutrition and if I were to assign this task to a client, I would cover every basis, but somehow with my own son, a few things slipped through the cracks. The first thing was popcorn day at school. I didn't send him with money to buy popcorn, but his teacher purchased some for him. It is covered with a buttery topping. Needless to say, I quickly wrote her a note...but really, I should have mentioned the trial to her sooner. Next I noticed that the Nutri-grain bars he has at recess contain milk ingredients, as do a surprisingly large number of granola bars. So, starting tomorrow, we will be making homemade bars and reading labels a lot more carefully.

Here is a list of what we'll need to avoid:

milk
cheese
yogurt
ice cream
butter
pudding
cream sauce/dressing
milk chocolate
baked goods
cold cuts (containing casein)
Basically all processed foods

When you are doing a dairy elimination trial you must eliminate 100% of all dairy from your diet to get a true response. After about 2 weeks, we'll know if dairy is behind his symptoms. If we don't see a very drastic and positive result, we will then try a gluten elimination for 2 weeks, unless he has already had his allergy testing at that point. Note: Dairy and gluten are the top 2 culprits with food sensitivities.

I'm off to the grocery store to very carefully select all non-dairy foods to officially start this trial tomorrow. Good thing my son already loves almond milk and doesn't like cheese. There are 2 less battles to fight this week. Wish us luck!

Changing the World...One Kind Gesture at a Time

So many terrible things have been in the news recently. To name a few standouts; rape, bullying, teen suicide, bombing in Boston, earthquake in China and only minutes from my home human remains were discovered, an 18 year old boy who had been missing since 2007. What’s worse is that millions of other horrific things have happened and never made the headlines. This is the world we are raising our children in.

I am made aware daily that seemingly the majority of kids these days have very little regard for themselves or others. They walk in the middle of the street like they’re invincible and act on any whim they, or their friends, might have. They have zero manners and something as simple as saying “please” and “thank you” is all but a foreign concept. Somehow, as a society, we have failed these kids. They are the future adults of the world. What a scary mess we will be in 5 to 10 years if things continue on this way, but it’s not too late.

Thankfully amidst all of the chaos there are helpers, doers and people paying it forward every single day. Something as simple as holding a door for someone struggling with their stroller, buying someone their coffee or smiling and saying hello might be just exactly what that person needed most at that moment. The world is a harsh place in so many ways, but we can do little things to make a big difference and we can do big things that make a bigger difference.

I challenge you to make one positive change in your life and that of your child’s. Pay it forward as a family, donate blood, become a Big Sister or Big Brother, volunteer, rake someone’s leaves, stay strong in a difficult situation and do kind things expecting nothing in return. No idea or positive change is too small!

Changing the world can start with one kind, simple gesture. And....go!

 

Bilingual NB and the Suffering Workforce

Companies in New Brunswick are no longer hiring the “best” person for the job, they are hiring the bilingual person for the job. Even the very English speaking town of Riverview is making new efforts to seem more bilingual. The worst part is that bilingual can mean anything from completely fluent in both French and English or fluent in French with minimal English. Yet an English speaking person with minimal French would not be considered bilingual. Explain that one!

Additionally, the school system isn’t set up to support a bilingual province. English speaking children cannot attend French school unless their parents; a) attended elementary school in French, b) the child already speaks French or, c) the child has a sibling already enrolled in French school. So where does that leave the English kids? The only choice they have is enrolling in French Immersion in grade 3, which is very different than actually completing school entirely in the French language.

Two years ago, I tried to enroll my son in a French elementary school, but was turned away because we didn’t meet their criteria. It wasn’t enough to have a French last name, or that I was bilingual (having learned French in university) and have a French teacher for a husband. I was told that it would actually be illegal for them to enroll him. It turns out, after doing some research of my own, that they were right. How can we raise bilingual children in a province that won’t let our English speaking kids into French schools??

French speaking people have a very clear set advantage in New Brunswick. When two job applicants are equally qualified, yet one is bilingual, I certainly understand why the unilingual person does not get the job. It’s when the highly qualified applicant is turned away simply because they are not bilingual that I just shake my head.

Highly qualified people are left unemployed and/or are being forced to make major career changes to find employment. They are spending months on employment insurance, while trying to find a job that pays more than their claim, and come up empty handed. We live in a system that sets us up to fail. (Don’t even get me started on Social Assistance!)

The over-emphasis on bilingualism is costing us all millions of dollars and will continue to get worse if the hard push for bilingualism continues.  If New Brunswick wants a bilingual province, they better change the laws on enrolling English speaking kids into French schools and also provide free-of-charge immersion classes for all adults who are willing and able to work.  Otherwise we’re going to end up with an ill-equipped, bilingual workforce and a bunch of over-educated street walkers.

 

 

 

 

Homemade Baby Food vs Store Bought

If everyone knew how easy it is to make homemade baby food, jar food would be a thing of the past.

I have three children and with the first two I fed them baby food from a jar until they were old enough to eat "regular" food like the rest of us. I chose the healthiest options and felt like I was doing the best thing for my babies. At the time I didn't realize that all baby food is irradiated, to kill off any bacteria that may be present. I also didn't realize how incredibly simple, quick and cost effective it is to make your own food. 

With little preparation time, I can make huge batches of baby food for my daughter that will literally last for more than a week. For example, I peel and boil a pot of organic carrots, drain them, let them cool, mash them (or use food processor),add back a small amount of water they were cooked in, pour the batch into ice cube trays and freeze them. Once frozen, I pop them out and put them into a labelled baggy and put them back into the freezer. At meal time, I take out a cube (more as she gets older) and thaw it in a pot or Corningware and serve. Note: Do not heat baby food in a microwave as it heats food unevenly.

You don't have to be a stay at home Mom to make your baby's food. It's as quick as jar feeding, if you plan ahead, and it's healthier and less expensive. One large sweet potato is less expensive, and goes further, than a jar of sweet potato baby food. Time saving tip for sweet potatoes: wash well and then boil them with their skin on. Once they're cooked, the skin slides right off.

Making your own baby food is extremely gratifying. Knowing that you are giving your baby the best food you can and preparing it from scratch is so much nicer than scooping food from a jar and you will save money in the process!

Common Sense

Kids Experience Stress Too

How often do we look at our kids and think to ourselves, or even speak the words out loud, "You have it so easy, kid!" We look at these miniature humans and assume that they experience little to no daily stress because all they do all day is run around and play. Although they aren't dealing with the same sort of stressors that we as adults are it doesn't mean that they don't feel equally concerned or stressed about whatever issues they are faced with. We might feel stressed about paying the bills or our relationships, while they're feeling stressed about trying out for a sports team, being bullied or what outfit to wear to school.

What is worse is that we often take our stress out on our kids without even realizing it. How many times have you completely overreacted to your child spilling their cereal or tripping over their untied shoe laces? Our stress rubs off on our kids and affects their day just as much as ours. Make sure you let your kids know when you're having a bad day, so they don't take it personally. A simple, "I'm sorry I'm so grumpy. I'm having a bad day", can go a long way with a child's interpretation of your mood.

Try not to belittle their stress or reactions. When they have a complete and total melt down over a friend not playing with them at recess, hear them out. Talk to them about it. Make sure that they know you care and that you're there to listen. Their stress, although sometimes seemingly over the top, is as important to them as bigger issues are to us. Try and remember what it felt like to be a kid and how traumatic even the smallest issues felt.

If your child's mood or behaviour has taken a sudden turn for the worse, really sit back and consider the whole picture. Even the smallest change in their routine can cause stress in their lives. Did a parent's work schedule change? Have you been too busy for story time? No change is too small to upset a child. We are less likely to be stumped by their reactions when the change is more significant, like a new baby in the family, parents separating or moving. We forget how big the little things are to a child.

No one is perfect...most certainly not me, but we can do things to decrease the level of stress in our kid's lives. They will have much bigger issues to face as they get older, so lets not burden them by taking out our stress on them. Give them a break. They have enough to deal with already.

WE must not lose faith...

YOU are your own worst enemy

Boston Tragedy

Since the tragic event at the Boston Marathon I can’t help but think of my own family. How many times have we been at the finish line when my husband has competed in a race? How many times have my kids stood there innocently cheering Daddy on?

When I learned that one of the 3 people who died, as a result of the bombs, was an 8 year old boy, just one year older than my son, the whole situation hit me on a much more person level. An innocent child died, while likely waiting for a friend or family member to cross that finish line. It should have been a joyous event and instead it became a horrific tragedy.

How can we have any piece of mind anymore in taking our children anywhere? They aren’t safe at school, in movie theatres and now at marathons. How can we have any piece of mind when there are people out there who will commit these unthinkable crimes?

I want to find the light in the darkness and focus on the incredible people who have come forward and helped in whatever way they could following this tragedy...but I find myself feeling very concerned for the future of the world my children live in. I find myself wondering what kind of person packs nails and random shrapnel into pressure cookers , with the obvious intent of killing innocent people, and then sets them off at the Boston Marathon. What went so wrong in their lives that they chose the dark side and not life?

My thoughts and prayers are with Boston, the families of the 3 people who passed away, the other 170 or more people who were injured and also all of the physically unharmed, but mentally scarred people who were present at the marathon. This event won’t soon be forgotten.

Posters Around HRM Supporting The Boys that Raped Rehtaeh Parsons

At 7:40am this morning, Rehtaeh Parson’s family found posters around their neighbourhood supporting the boys who allegedly raped her, claiming that there are two sides to every story. These signs were strategically placed around Cole Harbour, downtown Halifax and most upsettingly, up and down the Parson’s street. Her family has suffered enough and will continue to grieve this terrible loss as long as they live. Who would do this to them?! Her little sisters saw these signs!

Yes, there are most certainly two sides to every story, but in this particular case, the boys photographed the act and then circulated the photos on the internet and then bragged to their schoolmates. So despite the fact that there may be multiple versions of the events of that night in 2011, there is absolutely no question that four boys did something terrible to a 15 year old girl and robbed her of her youth and ultimately her life. It wasn’t only the rape that plagued Rehtaeh, but the taunting she endured right up until she took her own life last week.

This case, and that of Audrie Pott (a sadly similar case in California), make me seriously question the minds of teenage boys. Do they have no conscious or remorse for their actions? Have they not been taught right from wrong? That no means no? Do they even care that their actions resulted in the death of innocents?

 I feel outraged about every aspect of these cases! From the moment of the rape, to the spreading of the photos, the taunting, the hopeless teens who took their own lives and then the poorly handled investigations...it’s all devastating. The “system” is so flawed.

As a parent of future teenagers, I will do everything in my power to make sure my kids are raised to know better and to respect the life they have been given. We are only in this world for so long. Lets not waste our time here and let us start to make some positive changes. I am tired of all the misery!

I am hoping and praying that our justice system does not fail Rehtaeh and her family and that the boys responsible for this are dealt with. Those boys cannot be left to think that have gotten away with this. It’s as if they’ve gotten away with murder. My heart aches for the Parson’s as they grieve the loss of their 17 year old daughter and have to additionally deal with the horrible people responsible for posting the signs this morning. Thinking of you Parson’s family. I wish things were very, very different.

The Scary World Our Children Live In

We live in a world where it is necessary for even elementary schools to practice “lockdown” drills in school. Using my son’s description, a lockdown drill is “when we practiced hiding in class and being really quiet, in case a bad man ever comes to our school.” How incredibly sad that a 6 year old child even needs to have that thought, let alone practice a drill to prepare for it. Of course I want my kids prepared, but it still breaks my heart.

Not only do our kids have to be aware of “bad men”, but they also have to deal with bullying, from their very own peers, on a daily basis. Where did we go so wrong as a society that bullying seems to be getting worse rather than better? Bullying starts as early as preschool, or daycare. I had naively thought for years that this sort of behaviour only began in middle school. Was I ever wrong.

We need to raise, strong and confident children, kids who respect each other and themselves, kids who know right from wrong. We need to treat them how we want them to treat others. We need to set good examples for them, from day 1 of their lives, so that they grow into kids who stand against bullying, not become a bully.

We need to teach our kids to be accepting and understanding, not just “tolerant”. I don’t want my kids being taught that we simply tolerate differences, I want them to embrace them. They need to know that even though people appear different on the outside that we are all the same on the inside.

We need to teach our boys, from a very young age, to respect girls. We need to teach them that no means no. We need to teach them to not fall into the whole “mob mentality” and how to think for themselves. Could Rehtaeh Parson’s life have  been spared if this lesson had been instilled? Maybe she wouldn’t have been raped by 4 teenage boys if they had a greater respect for women and also a better understanding of their actions.

We need to teach our girls how to defend themselves, protect themselves and stand-up for themselves. We need to educate them about what potential threats are out there and hope to hell that if they are ever faced with a really horrible situation that we have prepared them enough to save themselves.

Our kids need to be able to talk to us. We need to be approachable. If they are in trouble, they need to feel confident that they can come to us...no matter how difficult a situation. We need to be involved in our kids lives and know where they are and who they are spending their time with.

The world is becoming a very scary place, but it’s not too late to change the course we’re on. Change can start with one person, one class, one community. Educate your kids. Give them all of the foundation you can before they are put into the world to face difficult situations on their own. Send them out there knowing you’ve done all that you can. Help make sure not another single child commits suicide because they simply cannot live through another moment of bullying. Help end the heartache.