Playland; West Coast Railway Heritage Park; Museum of Anthropology; Burnaby Village Museum; Honeybee Centre Farm; Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site; Maplewood Farms; Rogers Arena Tour; Aldor Acres Dairy Centre; Raptor Ridge Birds of Prey; Theatre Under The Stars; Vancouver Police Museum; Opera Workshop; Harbour Cruise; Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours; Kidtopia Family Sports Day; CircusWest – CirKids … and the list goes on!
moms—you are amazing! And this issue is dedicated to all that you do and all that you deserve in return. There’s a fun Mom’s Day Giveaway with lots of treats and pampering. And the great Cool Finds for Mom page means you can just hand the magazine over to Dad for lots of great gift ideas! This issue, we’re welcoming Stephanie MacDonald as part of the WestCoast Families team. Stephanie is a native west coaster, and comes to us with lots of editorial experience and great ideas from years of working with local magazines. Raising 2 kids in a cool Vancouver neighbourhood, she knows a lot about local family living and has a sense of humour that keeps us on our toes! No doubt you’ll enjoy Stephanie’s contributions to WCF, too. In celebration of Mother’s Day, here are a few words from a local poet (and Mom) who seems to say it so well. Read it once, twice, close your eyes, open and read it again. Soak in the words.
By Samantha Reynolds | www.bentlily.com
I whisper nonsense into your feet and it makes you laugh so that you can barely stand it but you kick at the air again wanting more. They say you won’t remember this but the mind is not the only scribe
I tell your feet to hold onto these kisses same with your belly and the fattest spot on your cheeks just in case there comes a day when you are older when you are hurting your limbs will release the secrets I buried into them and you will wonder why you suddenly feel so strong.
Online calendar of events… updated constantly to add new events so you can always find fun things to do with (or without) your family!
Our blog… up-to-date local family news, fun happenings, interesting tidbits, cool finds, and more.
Resources… each issue we add a new list of local resources that are relevant to your life. Party ideas, summer camps, schools & learning centres, and more.
WestCoast Families Magazine... every issue of WCF is available for viewing online!
westcoastfamilies.com
Managing Editor Andrea Vance editor@westcoastfamilies.com
Editor Stephanie MacDonald stephanie@westcoastfamilies.com
Contributing Editor Jodi Iverson jodi@westcoastfamilies.com
Art Director & Layout
Krysta Furioso studio@westcoastfamilies.com
Administration Jennifer Bruyns admin@westcoastfamilies.com
Accounts Receivable & Payable
Jennifer Brule finance@westcoastfamilies.com
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Published by National Families Network Publisher: Andrea Vance publisher@westcoastfamilies.com
For distribution inquiries, please email info@westcoastfamilies.com
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Contributors
Jodi Iverson, Jennifer Bruyns, Krysta Furioso, Andrea Vance, Kristy Hill, Stephanie MacDonald, Racquel Foran, Michelle Eliot, Vanessa Marcotte, Tanya Bennett
WestCoast Families is an independent, regional parenting publication. Published nine times per year in British Columbia, Canada. Total circulation: 50,000.
All contents copyrighted ©. Written permission from the publisher is required to reproduce, quote, reprint or copy any material from WestCoast Families
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Mailing address: 1215-C56 St. Box 18057 Delta, BC V4L 2M4 T 604 249 2866 | F 604 676 2802
WestCoast Families is proud to have been selected as a mom-friendly employer for the 2010 Progressive Employers of Canada List. And congratulations to our fellow inductees!
What colours did your kid eat today?
Win 3 full kits from Today I Ate a Rainbow! The Today I Ate A Rainbow kit gets kids ASKING to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables, by turning healthy eating into a fun game that motivates kids. Today I Ate a Rainbow helps parents set healthy eating habits without any tantrums or tears. Using a rainbow as a guide, you will be ensuring that your kids are benefitting from the wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients which give fruits and veggies their color. Prize: 3 Full kits. Value $60. www.todayiatearainbow.com
Enter at www.westcoastfamilies.com
Deadline to Enter: May 31, 2012
Win one of two family packs for A Day Out With Thomas at the West Coast Railway in Squamish. Day Out with Thomas is an exciting way for children and grown-ups to enter the world of Thomas & Friends. The event provides an opportunity for kids to ride on board a train led by Thomas and have their pictures taken with Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of Thomas’ Railway. Thomas is in Squamish on June 6th and 7th and 13th and 14th. Value $250. www.thomasandfriends.com
Enter at www.westcoastfamilies.com
Deadline to enter: May 20, 2012
Win this gorgeous handmade blanket from the new Aboriginal Mothers Centre Studio, now open on Wall Street. Mama’s Wall Street Studio (MWSS) is a social enterprise wholly owned and operated by the Aboriginal Mother Centre Society. All of MWSS’s products are locally made in Vancouver by Aboriginal women and men; providing a direct social impact on the Aboriginal community and families from the Aboriginal Mother Centre. All revenues from MWSS go towards the Centre’s urgently needed housing and support programs. Value $200. www.aboriginalmothercentre.ca/studio
Enter at www.westcoastfamilies.com
Deadline to Enter: May 31, 2012
Winners is the place where a little money goes a long way toward your stylish new spring wardrobe. Find fabulous for less with extreme savings on hundreds of the brands you love, and don’t forget to support the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Shelter from the Storm campaign, which helps raise funds to provide for emergency shelters and violence prevention programs in our community. Value $100. www.winners.ca
Enter at www.westcoastfamilies.com
Deadline to enter: May 31, 2012
Includes Martina Sunglasses, a ladies’ mid-size frame that is great for most face shapes. Featuring an elegant sun plaque detail on the sides, inlaid in a silver or gold metal, the frame comes in a lustrous black, brown, blue, stripey brown, or stripey charcoal, and has impact and scratch resistant acrylic lenses that are UV400. Also included in this prize pack are Summer Flip Flops. A warm weather essential, AYA’s Summer Flip Flops feature either a contemporary frog design on the sole and strap, or a striking raven design on the sole and raven wing on the strap. Available in five colour combinations. Total value $59. www.claudiaalanstore.com
Enter at www.westcoastfamilies.com
Deadline to enter: May 31, 2012
With a haircut and colour from Amanda at Headwaze Hair and Skin Studio, you can breeze into spring and beyond with a fresh style. Head Waze Hair and Skin Studio has been a cornerstone in North Burnaby on The Heights for more than 20 years. It has been owned and operated by Dee Jacobsen since 1999. Head Waze has always been willing to help out the local community through work experience programs for local high school students or by donating gift certificates for fundraising efforts. Total value $110. www.headwaze.ca
Enter at www.westcoastfamilies.com
Deadline to enter: May 31, 2012
Don’t let allergies or other medical conditions get in the way of your little one’s outdoor fun! Olli Lolli’s colourful Olli Pocket™ hoodies and windbreakers have a clearlymarked built-in pocket to hold an epi pen, asthma inhaler, or insulin injector; so you know they will have it wherever they may need it. In a multitude of cool colours, Olli Pockets come in sizes to fit kids aged 4 to 11, and also have pockets to hold regular stuff like uneaten healthy snacks and interesting rocks. $59.99 at www.ollilolli.com
Consider this while you are extracting the 117th mini Lego block out of the bottom of your foot: Toydozer not only makes cleaning up a mountain of toys easy, but actually fun for your kids. With less time spent cleaning up, kids have more time to play, and moms are free to go barefoot once again. $18.99. www.toydozer.com
How many balls would you chuck with your new RecycleBALL and Wood Chuck doggie ball tosser? That’s a rhetorical question. Good for your arm, your pooch’s fitness levels and the planet, Planet Dog Wood Chuck is engineered with sustainable bamboo and recycled cork scraps, and its ergonomic handle makes flinging a breeze. Rover will appreciate that a portion of proceeds go to organizations that train and place service dogs as well! $24.95 at www. planetdog.com.
Plastic wrap may be transparent, but it sure isn’t invisible piling up in the landfill. Creator Toni Desrosiers knew there must be a more natural and sustainable way to store food, and Abeego Original Food Storage was born. Made from cotton and hemp material and coated with natural beeswax, resin, and jojoba oils, Abeegos come in flat, snack, sandwich, and giant sizes and are reusable with a wipe of cool water. $11-$25 at Edible Canada, Ethical Kitchen, Parthenon Supermarket and at www.abeego.com
Never again feel the burning shame of carrying plastic shopping bags. Envirosax Bloom Bags hold twice as much as plastic and roll up to the size of sushi, so you have no excuse not to have a couple in your purse at all times. The graphic series comes in all sorts of attractive patterns to spice up any outfit or shopping trip, and they make a perfect gift for any mum, crippled with environmental guilt or not.
$9 | www.envirosax.com
Sensible but still saucy, El Natura Lista shoes are made from the finest sustainably tanned leather, and come in a range of styles for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. The use of the least harmful of materials for the production of their shoes with natural dyes, recycled, biodegradable and natural materials, and the combination of new technologies with traditional craftsmanship are the foundation of their eco-policy. Pick up two pairs, because when you see how good she looks in hers, you know you’ll want them too.
$139 | www.elnaturalista.com
Mothers have to be tough sometimes, or kids would run amok until midnight and eat ice cream for every meal. But just because she’s tough doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a soft and girly side too. Cater to this dichotomy with Alden Rae’s leather and silver bead wrap bracelets made by two enterprising women right here on the Lower Mainland. In colours that change with the current fashion season, they go with everyone from an authoritarian homework monitor to a carefree playground swing-pusher.
$49 | www.aldenrae.ca
Beautiful, like your mom’s smile, and colourful, like her language when she’s golfing, Luli Designs Jewellery has simple, classic bead, charm, and metal styles that are wearable for any occasion. Each piece is handmade by designer Louisa Hrennikoff right here on the West Coast, and is guaranteed to bring out that smile you love and repress undesired advice on childrearing and comments on your new haircut.
$40 | www.lulidesigns.etsy.com
Let’s face it: cork is good when it’s being pulled out of a bottle, but it’s an eyesore when it’s got things tacked to it on the wall. Replace that hideous cork board with something both useful and good-looking – The MokaJade Magnet Board. Measuring approximately 12 inches by 12 inches, when hung in a group of two or more it tells a wonderful story and looks so stunning it seems a shame to cover it up with the recycling pick-up schedule and postcards from your parents’ cruise.
$59 | www.mokajadewoodstudio.com
Save mum (or yourself) from laptop computer irradiation of sensitive areas with this handy lap desk. Made with or without raised edges to contain spilled tea and dropped pens, these handy wooden trays have a soft cushion on the bottom and come in a variety of colours. Also great for eating cereal brought to you by your sweet children in bed on Mother’s Day!
$46 | www.cargoh.com/store/ej-butik
We all know how important it is to write things down (before your memory gets any worse!).
Whoever made silver the runner up certainly hadn’t seen the distinctive sterling silver jewellery at Thomas Sabo. With lines such as It Girl and Rebel at Heart, silver finally gets the centre podium. It’s easy to find something here for every mum, from Rock ‘n’ Roll Granny to Frouffy Fashionista, and the charm shop has loads of gift ideas for your fashion-forward daughter too.
$139 | www.thomassabo.com
For My Children: A Mother’s Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom is a beautifully designed and illustrated book with creative prompts that will spark both mom and grandma’s recollections of fun vacations, momentous occasions, and family traditions. You would not want your kids to forget about how Uncle Bill always hilariously replaced the star on the Christmas tree with a creepy plastic monkey head, would you?
$15 | www.ulyssespress.com
Just in time for Mother’s Day, HomeSense and Winners online stores now feature Shelter from the Storm campaign collectibles. Show your support for the Canadian Women’s Foundation project which will help more than 30,000 women and children rebuild their lives after experiencing abuse by stocking up on everything from stylish t-shirts, to pillows, to rubber boots, with the cool and distinctive Shelter from the Storm pattern, designed exclusively in support of ending violence against women.
$8 | www.winners.ca
Ditch that designer knock-off for a more meaningful tote. Handcrafted in Vancouver by Métis designer Mark MiLan, MiLan Metis Sun Bags are gorgeous, durable, and each colour woven into them represents a different aspect of historical Canadian Métis culture. With a handbag so cool yet classic, you’ll have to come up with another way to express your shallow materialism (we’re joking!).
$130 | www.milanart.ca
By Stephanie MacDonald
only two things in life are certain: mothers often feel frazzled and underappreciated, and the best way to express your love and gratitude to any mom is a day at the spa. The spa is like Opposite Day for mothers: a place where you can do nothing while people tend to your every need, catering to your physical being while providing an atmosphere to calm even the most anxious inner mind. A magical bonus is that you can throw your towels right on the floor and someone else will pick them up. For most moms (us here at WCF included!) this is the perfect prescription for the motherhood burnout everyone experiences occasionally, so now is clearly the time to start energetically dropping those Mother’s Day hints to children and spouses about your spa preferences. To help you out, we researched and even endured four of the city’s best spa experiences, because we’ll do anything for our readers.
When the grey Vancouver skies and frenetic traffic begin to oppress you, why not take an exotic vacation to a sultry foreign land? Avoid the airport: just over the Granville Street Bridge lies an opulent Middle Eastern oasis where you can cleanse and rejuvenate your body and psyche with a luxurious Hammam and Gommage in a traditional Moroccan setting of marble, rich wood, and silk.
Arriving off the busy street, unmistakable exotic aromas permeate the serene and relaxing ambiance. The beautiful Hammam steam room offers cleansing with both high intensity and low mist chambers to leave you feeling purified and pristine while releasing the tension in your muscles for what follows. A Gommage is a traditional body exfoliation, performed by an esthetician using an authentic black Moroccan soap; invigorating your circulation while leaving your skin beautifully soft and supple.
Feeling like you’ve lost about 20 years off your age, you can now opt for a massage or a facial before you waft over to the Sultana Lounge to be gently brought back to reality with Middle Eastern tea and sweet cakes. If this mini-vacation appeals, it might help to point out that this treat for Mom also works out well for Dad (wink, nudge). Smilingly, owner Surinder Bains explains, “After these treatments, they feel very youthful, relaxed and sensual – and that makes many women extra romantic when they get home.”
1495 West 6th Avenue | 604.733.5151 | www.mirajhammam.com
It is well known in Asia that your life energy–that is, your ch’i–can easily be thrown off balance by things like whining, Toopy and Binoo, and small children who prefer to snort instead of blowing their noses. When yoga isn’t enough to balance you out, go a step further with the natural healing spa treatments located on the fifth floor of the posh new Shangri-La Hotel downtown.
Just walking in the door of Chi, you begin to feel the stress melt away. Every treatment room is a private suite, with a lounge, fireplace, bath, shower, and dressing area. Before your treatment, your element sign is determined in accordance with the spa’s Five Elements Theory, and this information will guide your therapist to the harmonization of your yin and yang energy.
Along with the regular spa menu, there are now three specialized Wushu Body Wisdom Massages that harness the power of movement to address your particular situation – Wushu Toxin Release, Wushu Stress Relief and Wushu Problem Areas.
All three use movement, stretching, massage and forms of exercise to bring about a feeling of harmony to the body. After your treatment, you can have a snack and relax in the Spa’s exclusive Xi Shi lounge. As a Mother’s Day treat, the spa is actually offering a $200 Chi and Tea package, which looks very nice and includes a West Coast Wave massage, and Afternoon Tea in the lounge. Just the thing to rebalance your energy before you move back out into the world of responsibilities with a zen so impenetrable, irritants will be repelled from your calm like water off a duck.
1128 West Georgia | 604.695.2447
Many people head to Scandinave Spa for the massage, or to spend an hour in the outdoor baths. But what they find when they arrive is an experience like no other – no facials and pedicures and crazy mud soaks– the menu here is simple: spectacular baths and massage.
The baths are in a beautiful mountainside setting. In the winter you’re surrounded by snow, but don’t worry about frozen toes – all the pathways are heated! In the summer the grounds are covered with beautiful flowers and dotted with hammocks here and there for guests to relax in the sun.
The spa staff recommends that you start in on of the saunas–dry or steam–for 15 minutes. Then dash outside for a quick dip in one of the cool plunge pools set at 16 degrees Celsius. This is the process that opens your pores, cleanses and hydrates your skin, and rejuvenates you completely. After you’ve done this once, twice, even three times, you can nap or read in one of the warm relaxation rooms. With beautiful big windows overlooking the mountain setting, you never feel separated from nature. The entire baths area is designated as a quiet zone so this is not the place to have long gossip sessions or serious conversations. This is the place to retreat and relax without interruption.
If you decide to add a massage to your day, it’s a wise choice. Unlike many resort spas, many of the massages here are performed by actual Registered Massage Therapists. Even if you’re not doing a massage, plan for at least a couple of hours. There’s no time limit, and you may get lost in the beauty, the serenity, and the relaxation like we did.
8010 Mons Road, Whistler | 604.935.2424 | www.scandinave.com
Have you ever finished an amazing spa experience, where you truly feel relaxed and totally calm, but then you have to get dressed and head out into the noisy world of traffic and cell phones? Alisha from EM Luxury Spa is ready to introduce you to a whole new experience–a spa in your own home.
After many years of working in the luxury spa business in Los Angeles, helping develop product lines, launching a high end spa facility, and operating a full service salon and spa, Alisha came home to BC where she was born. Seeing a need for personalized and private spa services in Vancouver, she started EM Luxury Spa.
When you’re ready, pick a spot in your home that is quiet and private, make sure the kids are out of the house, and prepare to be amazed. Because all of EM’s personalized services are performed by Alisha herself, you know you’re in the hands of a true professional.
The massages start off without the standard limitations of a certain style like Swedish or deep-tissue. Instead Alisha assesses your body and energy as she begins, and adjusts the massage according to what you really need. When it’s done, you’ll be relaxed AND energized.
For your facial, you can start with a Diamond Tip Microdermabrasion, and LED Light therapy is also used to help minimize fine lines, increase circulation, improve acne, and reduce inflammation. These are therapies you don’t ever get in the comfort of your own home. Even while you’re waiting for the masque on your face to do its work, Alisha is busy massaging your neck and shoulders and when you’re done, the skin on your face will feel smoother than it’s ever felt. You’ll see the glow right away, and just as wonderful, after it’s done you can curl up with a book or take a nap under your own duvet.
778.385.2504 | www.emluxuryspa.com
By Stephanie MacDonald I
t’s so familiar it’s almost a cliché: “Mummy, can we get a puppy?
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease? I promise to love it and hug it and feed it and walk it and play with it and pick up its poop and give it a bath every single day!”
Then of course you picture yourself as a child frolicking idyllically with your adored canine best friend and you feel nefarious for denying the experience to the sweet darling standing before you. At the same time, our grown-up minds are fully aware of the responsibility that having a dog entails. Fostering can be a way to experience the joys of living with pets, while helping a dog in need; and because it’s short-term, there’s less of a lifetime commitment if things don’t work out the way you planned.
“I have heard some people say that they feel it’s hard give up their foster dog to an adoptive family,” says Mariska Reinerink, “but I think it’s a good experience emotionally – you have the satisfaction of seeing a dog you care for going to a good home. That said, quite often we are ready to let go and meet a different dog.” Mariska and her 13-year-old son are a veteran foster family who began fostering with the SPCA, and later began taking on dogs from Dogwood Rescue in West Vancouver. Dogwood often brings up dogs from the United States that would otherwise be euthanized. “They kill 40,000 dogs a day in the States,” Mariska explains. For the Reinerinks, looking after the dogs and seeing them go to “forever homes” has been a bonding experience for both of them. “Fostering brings my me and my son together in a project, we take turns walking the dogs, and it gets us both out of the house.”
Other families foster with the intent of eventually adopting. “My poodle was a bit damaged, neglected, and extremely timid,” says Talia Erickson, who fostered from the SPCA. “So it took the vets some time to know for sure that he would be okay. During the fostering period, his medical work was covered, and since it took about six weeks, by the time I was able to adopt him, he was in much better shape”.
Typically, dogs will go out to foster homes if they’ve been in the kennel or shelter a couple of weeks without being adopted. A family home gives the dog an opportunity to recover from the stress of being kenneled (and whatever happened prior), and the shelter now has space for a new dog. Foster families can then work with the dog to help overcome some of the behaviors that may
make it less attractive to adoptive families, like barking, or generally neurotic behaviors. This means that many foster dogs will need a significant amount of love and attention – something to seriously consider before your family commits. But it’s also an opportunity for your family to take on a common cause that everyone can feel good about.
Amy Romanofsky is the woman behind fosterdogs.com – a fantastic resource for families considering fostering. Amy reminds people, “Aside from regular dayto-day care – feeding, grooming, exercise – the responsibilities of a foster home may include basic training like housetraining, walking on leash, commands like “sit” and “down”; behavior modification to correct problems; socialization and temperament evaluation to determine whether the dog is good with different types of people and other animals; medical care such as taking the dog to vet appointments; and of course plenty of playtime and snuggling!”
Not all families are in a position to take on quite so much work, or live in a home where dogs aren’t a feasible option. In this case cats and small animals are also in need of good foster homes. While many dog rescue organizations encourage people to keep fostering rather than adopting, in the case of The Small Animal Rescue Society, adopting after fostering is a common occurrence. Explains Lisa Hutcheon, “Small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs are often seen as “starter pets” for kids, and that’s kind of where all the problems originate. People don’t get that rabbits can live up to 12 years.” One of the most important things to consider when fostering or adopting any animal she says, is making sure that it is a family decision, and the parents want the animal as much as the kids do.
The Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue is another organization in desperate need of foster families for cats and kittens looking for homes. Says the VOKRA website, “We encourage teenagers or young adults to consider fostering, rather than adopting, as they’re more likely to be moving or travelling in the coming few years. Fostering gives all the joy and fun of having kittens or cats around, without the long-term commitment of adopting”.
People who have had the experience of fostering find it extremely rewarding. Says Talia Erickson, “I’m happy to encourage other people to go the same route”. Whether you decide to believe your child’s enthusiastic promises (are you really that gullible?) or not, fostering animals can be a wonderful way to bring your family together around the love of a pet, whether you end up with a hedgehog, baby gerbil, pregnant cat or playful puppy; all while helping an animal in need. And when they move on to a permanent, loving home, you can help another creature, or take a break!
Rescue Organizations you Can Foster With
1AtATime Rescue A group of rescuers who have come together for the purpose of saving the lives of animals in life and death situations. Many of these animals come from over-crowded, high-kill/gassing facilities in the USA. 604.622.3250 | www.1atatimerescue.petfinder.com
Animal Advocates Society Animal rescue, especially chained, abused, neglected dogs. Advocating against all animal cruelty, including puppy mills, feral cats, and farm animals. animaladvocates@telus.net |www.animaladvocates.com
Big Heart Rescue A volunteer-driven organization that rescues and finds adoptive homes for abandoned, abused, neglected or homeless dogs and cats in Greater Vancouver, Greater Victoria, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Lower Mainland and the Central Coast areas of British Columbia BC Canada. 604.583.3647 | spiritsmission@shaw.ca
BCSPCA British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for the animals of the world. 604.681.7271 or 1-800-665-1868 | www.bcspca.bc.ca
City of Coquitlam Animal Shelter A municipally run no-kill for adoptable animals shelter.
604-933-7387 | www.petfinder.com/shelters/BC93
Cross Our Paws RESCUE A small group of dedicated volunteers who love animals and have joined together to help rescue, provide medical care, rehabilitate and rehome abused, abandoned, homeless animals. www.crossourpawsrescue.com |crossourpaws@yahoo.ca
District of North Vancouver Animal Welfare Shelter A government funded facility, which provides a temporary home for animals until a responsible life long home is found. 604-990-3711 | paws@dnv.org
Dogwood Sporting Dog Rescue Pointers, Griffons, Vizslas, Weimaraners, Retrievers & Seniors
604-926-1842 |dogwoodrescue@shaw.ca
Furever After Small Dog Rescue A group of dedicated volunteers whose focus is to help small breed dogs who find themselves homeless. www.fureverafter.net | fureverafter@hotmail.com
Richmond Animal Protection Society (RAPS) A registered charity that operates two shelters in the City of Richmond, British Columbia. 604-275-2036 | raps.shelter@telus.net
Royal City Humane Society New Westminster, BC A no-kill shelter for animals in need. 604.524.6447| www.rchs.bc.ca
S.A.R.A. Society (Save Animals through Rescue and Adoption) A non-profit organization, completely run by dedicated volunteers. S.A.R.A. Society is a no-kill shelter located in Surrey, British Columbia. 604.580.8254 | www.sarasociety.com
SAINTS - Senior Animals In Need Today Society An end-of-life sanctuary for senior and special needs animals that have nowhere else to go. www.saintsrescue.ca | adopt@saintsrescue.ca
Whistler Animals Galore Society: WAG WAG is the safety net for lost, abandoned, and harmed animals in the region. From Whistler to Lillooet, WAG offers hope to all animals in need. 604-935-8364 | www.whistlerwag.com
Small Animal Rescue Society of BC (SARS BC) Small Animal Rescue works to provide a safe haven for small animals in need while promoting responsible pet guardianship through education, advocacy, and spay/neuter initiatives. www.smallanimalrescue.org | info@smallanimalrescue.org
Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue (VOKRA) a no-kill, non-profit, registered charity dedicated to the rescue of cats in the Lower Mainland. 604-731-2913 | www.orphankittenrescue.com
Meow-Aid Shelter for Cats A small, grass roots, not for profit organization committed to easing the suffering of homeless cats. For 20 years Meow-Aid has been helping homeless cats by sheltering them until a good home can be found, and by promoting the practice of spaying and neutering. 604-733-7013. | www.meowaid.org
by Kristy Hill
you adore your pet. There is nothing you wouldn’t do for that cozy, sappy ball of fur, or that frisky, full-of-attitude companion. Just like Moms of babies and toddlers who start to look like hoarders from all the toys and baby gear, pet owners, too, keep a growing stash of toys, gear and accessories that would put some Moms to shame. We did some perusing in local pet boutiques, and found nine of the most over-the-top and must-have pet products available in the Lower Mainland. Which one is missing from your pet’s collection?
(Pet Shop Boys)
Pick up poop in elegance! The Crystal Poop Bag Holder is detailed, by hand, with approximately 2,000 Swarovski crystals. You can’t make poop classier than this. $245
(Waldo and Tubbs)
Dispose of poop without adding to the landfill. The Doggy Dooley is a septic tank for dog waste that sits underground in your yard. Waste is dropped into the tank through the foot-operated lid, is treated with a digester and broken down in the hole below. It is designed for a household with one large dog or two small dogs. $111
(Waldo and Tubbs)
There is only so much squeaking one can listen to. Luckily, the Hear Doggy Ultrasonic plush toy has silent squeakers only your dog can hear. To humans the squeak sounds like soft whooshing, making playtime enjoyable for both you and your pet! $11-14
(Barking Babies)
You can’t go wrong with useful storage solutions that look great too! The Helvetica line includes food containers, beds, and food bowls in trendy pastel colours and lined with lettering for the modern pet oasis. $18+
(Pet Shop Boys)
Eco-friendly and stylish! The Manfred of Sweden Vintage Jacket is handmade in Sweden from recycled and vintage Hermès and Pucci scarves. The perfect fit for your cultured canine companion. $180
(Pet Shop Boys)
For the Carries, Charlottes, Mirandas and Samanthas of the city, these dog fashions and accessories were inspired by the HBO television series, Sex and the City. Each look was designed in Paris and constructed with high-quality, luxury materials. Strut it! Various prices
(Clayton Critters)
The Solvit Wicker Tagalong™ Basket allows your pet to travel in luxury and style as you bike around town. With the sunshade installed, your pet stays cool and comfortable. Remove the sunshade to “cruise with the top down”. $119
(Waldo and Tubbs)
The Talk to Me Treat Ball is an interactive dog toy that records your voice. As your pet rolls it around, it dispenses treats and plays your recorded message. Great if your pet gets lonely without you or always wants you involved in playtime. $26
(Clayton Critters)
You know there’s a thunderstorm coming when every dog in the neighbourhood starts howling, barking or hiding under a table. To help your dog weather the storm, Thundershirts apply gentle, constant pressure to provide a calming effect for dogs when they act anxious, fearful or over-excited. $50
Barking Babies 1188 Homer Street, Vancouver 604-647-2275 | www.barkingbabies.com
Clayton Critters
103-6820 188 Street, Surrey 778-574-2772
Pet Shop Boys 3080 Cambie Street, Vancouver 604-569-3377 | www.thepetshopboys.ca
Waldo and Tubbs
23195 96 Avenue, Ft. Langley
604-888-2235 | www.waldoandtubbs.ca
Social Networking
Used to: Find/add your friends, share content, send messages, chat live. Facebook Apps allow you to play games, integrate with activity at other sites (i.e. Pinterest, Netflix, Jango), and more.
Good for: Staying connected to friends and family, sharing information, promoting your business/interests, creeping on your old crush from high school.
Data: 14m+ Canadians on Facebook. 1,231,960 BC Women. 1,063,00 BC Men
Professional Networking
Used to: Your individual profile acts as an online resume, including references. You can also include links to your website, blog, or Twitter feed and join groups to participate in discussions. Individuals add connections (coworkers, classmates, colleagues, etc) to network. Companies can establish themselves on LinkedIn with a company profile, which individuals can follow.
Good for: Career opportunities/job inquiries, reconnecting with previous co-workers, requesting recommendations, recruiting, business promotion.
Data: 2 new professionals sign up every second. 88, 508 BC Women. 104,143 BC Men
Content Community
Used to: Upload, view, share, and discuss videos. You can also create playlists.
Good for: Everything from private video sharing, to homemade instructional videos, to large marketing campaigns and impromptu Muppet Show dance parties.
Data: There are more YouTube video uploads in one month than created by the 3 major US networks over the last 6 decades.
Content Community
Used to: Collect, organize, and share images and videos you find on the web. You can view activity by individual board, all pinners you follow, everyone, categories (Gardening, Geek), or even price range.
Good for: Wedding planning, home decorating, organizing recipes, recommending products, showing off your fantastic sense of style, intellectual taste in books, or love of fuzzy animals.
Data: 68.2% Women, 50% have children. The majority of users are between ages of 25-44
Music Community
Used to: Listen to free online music, access legal downloads or purchase music, visit artist pages, follow artists, participate in discussions in the blogs, create a profile and playlists, and share your discoveries and your playlists with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, or email.
Good for: A wide variety of free music 24/7, commercial-free, plus CBC Radio3 supports Canadian independent artists and CBC Radio 2 has the ‘All Lightfoot’ Gordon Lightfoot channel–a must for every Canadian.
Data: music.cbc.ca 29365 artists. 40 Music Channels. 14 Different Communities
Content Community
Used to: A CMS (Content Management System) used for blogs, online communities, online portfolios, company websites, and more. Wordpress. com is a blogging community.Wordpress.org is an online community for people with self-hosted Wordpress sites.
Good for: A useful platform for personal blogs, small to large businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other groups.
Data: 73m WordPress sites worldwide. The Vancouver Wordpress Meetup Group (784 members). Victoria WordPress User Group (477 members). Similar: Blogger
Tanya Bennett lives in East Vancouver with her partner and two children. She owns Full Serve Web, Inc which creates websites, social media, & project management, facilitates workshops, and is the co-founder of ReadySetNet.ca. Tanya invites you to join her on Twitter @fullserve
Used to: Fast, easy content sharing: tumbling is caffeinated blogging—short and direct. Also used to re-blog: you can post someone else’s Tumblr content to your own Tumblr blog with a click.
Good for: Personal blogging, fan pages, memes. Perfect if you want to have a blog up in just a few minutes (although you can also customize it extensively with html).
Data: 52m Tumblr blogs. 51+m posts on April 20, 2012. About 50% of Tumblr users are under 25yrs old. Similar: Posterous
Micro Blogging, Information Network
Used to: Follow profiles that interest you and their tweets (140 character messages) will show up in your Twitter timeline. Send your own messages, “retweet” others’ tweets, or engage in conversation.
Good for: Keep up to date on the latest news of your choice (entertainment, politics, community, etc). Informal conversations, networking, special interests, marketing, content sharing.
Data: More than 20% of Canadians have used Twitter.
Local Networking
Used to: Join a local group or organize one yourself. Meetup is a great way to find other people who share your interests or goals – fitness, dating, business networking, or something else.
Good for: Doing, learning, sharing, changing. Meetup’s mission is to revitalize local community: moms can meet other moms, selfemployed people can get out of the house and talk to peers, singles can socialize, etc.
Data: 9.5m members. World’s largest network of local groups. Westcoast examples: Extremely Shy meetup in Burnaby (88 friends)
Location-Based Social Network.
Used to: Keep up with friends and discover nearby businesses.Members earn points and badges when they check in. Check in often enough to the same place and you become the Mayor.
Good for: Meeting up with friends, keeping tabs on them, avoiding your ex, participating businesses also may reward check-ins with discounts.
Data: 20m people. Over 2 billion check-ins
Whether you’re raising musicians, athletes, or environmentalists, you can believe us when we say, “There’s a camp for that!” The hardest part will be which of these great day camps to enrol your little adventurerers in... enjoy the hunt for the perfect way to spend the summer!
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By Vanessa Marcotte
whether a young person has grown up attending summer camps or not, most of them can point to an individual who has had a tremendous impact in their lives. Camp encourages the “paying it forward” philosophy when it comes to this positive influence, and being a camp counsellor provides an amazing opportunity to do exactly that – to “be the change” in a younger child’s life. This job requires an individual with a strong sense of self and passion, and of course, a keen interest in working with children. Camp counsellors are in the driver’s seat; influencing and positively impacting the lives of all the children they come into contact with over the summer, and sometimes even beyond. A camp counsellor wears many hats. At any given time they may find themselves being a doctor in the case of an emergency; a social worker through emotional times; a judge and philosopher when mediating a camper disagreement. They must lay down the law with a smile on their face, and in the next breath recite a campfire song (or ten), captivating an audience before a blazing fire. They are teachers of all things outdoors, self-esteem builders, and on that arrival day at camp, they become the most important person in a parent’s life as they entrust this camp counsellor with their most prized possession.
Being “on their toes” is mandatory to ensure that campers are supervised at all times. They plan, lead and evaluate all group-based activities, onsite and off, and provide opportunities within the group experience that allows for the success and growth of all campers, regardless of their camping experience.
Counsellors also eat with campers, stress table manners and educate around healthy eating and living.
Desired qualifications of a camp counsellor differ from camp to camp however, some main things a director looks for are:
• Current Standard First Aid/CPR
• Proven ability to care for and supervise youth
• Experience as a summer camp cabin counsellor or working with youth in a recreational or educational setting
Many camps have outstanding leadership programs to help develop great leaders. Regardless of their prior level of experience, participating in a leadership program provides a tremendous opportunity for education and growth for a young leader. Through workshops, active participation in the planning and executing of programs, and stepping in as a ‘co-counsellor’ in a cabin, an Leader In Training (LIT) gets a strong sense of what it takes to be a camp counsellor. While participation in a leadership program is not always a must, it sets the young leader up for a higher level of success with such experiential training under their belt.
Being a camp counsellor provides so many great benefits! Why?
• Leadership is one of the most important skills a future employer will look for.
• The job focuses on healthy living, and you get paid to play.
• Many say “camp friends are life friends”, and this couldn’t be more true.
• You become a child’s hero for the summer, and sometimes even for life! I return back to the quote at the beginning of this article – “A leader effects eternity; they never know where their influence stops”. As associate director & leadership director, I know that I’m where I am today because of a number of standout camp leaders in my life. While I have been sure to thank them for the time and effort they put into developing my leadership skills, little did they know at the time that the little 12 year old girl, would become an LIT, then counsellor, then leadership director, then social worker, now associate camp director and so on and so on.
As leaders, we just “do good because good is good to do”.
For more information on Camp Summit’s Summer Camp programs visit www.campsummit.ca.
Grab the family and join us as we explore one of Vancouver’s best family spots!
Netloft Building | 604.684.2531
www.paperya.ca
Paper has a new meaning at Paper-Ya. For the uncommon, the sophisticated, or the funky, they aim to surprise. With hundreds of different sheets of amazing papers to choose from, this shop is a must-see for anyone interested in journal-keeping, bookbinding, paper-making or even just looking for a unique gift.
We Love: The inspirational collection of kids’ activity sets.
Kids Market | 604.685.9877
www.kitesandpuppets.ca
With colour and excitement from floor to ceiling, you won’t be able to walk by without stopping to try on some of the dozens of fun and unique puppets. There’s lots to look at, including the full Folkmanis Puppet line, Prism Stunt Kite Line, and Innova and Discraft golf discs.
We Love: The huge selection of finger puppets.
Little Treasures ‘On the Go’ Activewear for
Kids Market | 604.733.0199
This is your one-stop shop for great active-wear for kids. With a great selection of rain and snow gear, swim and sun wear, and accessories, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for, whatever the season.
We Love: The rash guard suits for beach-loving kids.
Need Lunch?
Public Market
A fascinating assortment of colourful stalls, showcasing unique homemade products and the very finest in gastronomic delights. All fresh from the ocean, the oven or the field.
& Gifts
Kids Market | 604.682.0244
www.clowninaroundmagic.com
With a large collection of magic for all ages and all skill levels, this shop has everything including stage props, card tricks, trick decks, and more. Need a giggle? They can provide you with props to pull off the tried and true pranks that have weathered the test of time from fake dog doo to squirt rings to hand buzzers.
We Love: The entire wall of timeless prank kits.
Beads & Craft Supplies
Netloft Building | 604.682.2323
www.beadworks.ca
This store has a vast selection of beads and jewellery-making products and is always updated with current fashion trends to appeal to any style. The staff love beads and jewellery-making themselves, and can provide ideas or help organize any project you have in mind.
We Love: The classes for beginners to advanced beaders!
Books & Gifts
Netloft Building | 604.569.3377
www.bbooks.com
Blackberry Books is an independent, family-owned bookstore that stocks all types of books, but features Canadian fiction, mysteries, biographies, cookbooks, kids’ books, psychology, business, travel, and so much more!
We Love: The kids corner, well-stocked with favourites, old and new.
Cuppa Joe?
AGRO Café
1363 Railspur Alley | 604.669.0724
This licensed cafe and bistro features a full kitchen, spacious seating on the cafe floor and upstairs mezzanine, and cozy patio space perfect for leaning back with a hot cup of coffee, a meal, and a spot of people watching.
Arts Club Theatre CompanyGranville Island Stage
1585 Johnston Street | 604.687.1644 | www.artsclub.com
The Arts Club Theatre Company is a not-for-profit organization which produces professional live theatre on a year round basis. Their popular productions range from musicals and contemporary comedies to new works and classics.
raising my family...
By Racquel Foran
tthe one thing that stands out about Cory when you meet her is her laugh. With her head thrown back, the chuckles come easily and often. When you hear her story, her ability to laugh her way through her days seems truly amazing. The mother of four children ages two to 17, Cory falls into the nearly 25 per cent of single mothers in British Columbia who are raising their children in below the poverty line. And if this isn’t challenging enough, her youngest daughter, seven-year-old Montana, has cancer. In a place as notoriously expensive as the Lower Mainland, how does she manage?
“It isn’t easy,” Cory conceded, “but I love my kids and I am not jealous of other people’s money.” Adding that, “we manage.” Her ability to manage takes some fine money management skills, a good support network, and a lot of creativity.
Cory’s monthly income is derived from a $1,200 monthly Child Tax Credit, $500 quarterly GST/HST cheques, and a combination of work income and social assistance. The maximum she can earn from social assistance each month is $900. Any income she earns from work is deducted directly from her social assistance, so although she tries to work as many hours as her employer will give her, the work never puts her ahead financially. But, Cory explains, “I would rather work for the money. It makes me feel better about myself.”
Under her circumstances however, the decision to go to work is a tough one. As any working parent knows, going to work actually costs money. Childcare expenses, transportation, and work wardrobe are just some of things one has to be able to afford before heading off to their job. In Cory’s case, if she were to work full-time hours at the new minimum wage of $10.25 per hour (at the time of writing she is earning $9.50/hr), she would have less than $200 left over after paying the approximately $1600 a month for daycare for her three youngest, and she would no longer qualify for any social assistance. Cory admits she wouldn’t be able to work at all if it wasn’t for the help of her 17-year-old daughter Summer and friends and family.
Because she works in retail she is usually able to start work after she has taken Montana to school; a friend that runs a daycare allows her to drop off her two- and three-year-old sons Colby and Jared free of charge. “I can’t use her too often,” Cory admitted, “but she has been a real lifesaver.” Summer usually picks up younger sister Montana after school and
PovNet is an online anti-poverty community that provides resources, information, and news about poverty issues across Canada. www.povnet.org
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society
This non-profit provides food for those in need from 15 depots throughout Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and the North Shore. www.foodbank.bc.ca/programs/food-depots
sometimes the boys from daycare. Again, mom doesn’t like to rely on Summer all the time “it’s not like they are her kids,” but Cory is very grateful: “I have such a great kid.”
The one thing that Cory admits to sometimes finding difficult is grocery shopping with the kids. “They want the name brand cereals and juices; it is tough to always have to say no.” Despite having to say no so often, she doesn’t use the food bank.“ I did a few times when Summer was a baby, but I would rather leave it for people who need it more than me.” She does, however, admit that the vice-principal at Montana’s school has occasionally provided her with breakfast when the cupboards at home have been bare.
The one extravagance they have is a van. Many people have told Cory she should give up her vehicle because of the expense of operating it, but she feels she really couldn’t function without it. “There have been regular trips to Children’s Hospital with Montana, I live in Surrey and work in Coquitlam, and have four kids. Getting where I need to be on time would be very hard without the van,” Cory explained. It is clear upon meeting Cory’s four children that they are well taken care of; they are full of energy, their clothes are clean and their cheeks rosy as they race around Bear Creek Park in Surrey. Cory holds out her arms as if to embrace her surroundings and says, “This is our entertainment. It is free and it is fun. I love this place.” And again, she throws her head back and releases a contagious laugh, proving that money isn’t everything.
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition
A coalition of 30 members and over 350 supporting organizations this group is dedicated to a campaign that encourages a comprehensive poverty reduction plan from the BC Government. www.bcpovertyreduction.ca/about-2/about-2
BC Housing
BC Housing provides a variety of supported housing options for those most in need in our province. www.bchousing.org/aboutus/activities
Can you imagine traveling down the Fraser River from its headwaters near Valemont, BC, all the way to the Pacific Ocean? The Rivershed Society of BC’s Sustainable Living Leadership Program does that, while working with its young participants to dream up sustainability projects they can implement in their own communities. The program educates through hands-on experience, and opens the door to a network of community leaders in the Fraser River watershed. Anyone with an interest in sustainability or community development is encouraged to apply for this year’s program. Participants must be 19 years of age or older and physically fit. Community volunteer experience is an asset. The application deadline is May 18th. For more information or to apply, visit: www.rivershed.com/sustainable-living-leadership-program_2012/about-the-sllp
Come have a great time on your bike, while supporting local neighbourhood houses and family resource centres!
There will be lots of riding, activities, and prizes for all ages. The hunt will take approximately one hour so bring your bikes and your helmet (trikes, training wheels and run bikes welcome too). Get on your bikes and clues will lead you from station to station. At the finish there will be prizes for everyone. You will also be able to enter your name into a prize draw, prizes courtesy of Norco and Rack Attack Vancouver. Don’t forget, you are welcome to bring friends and family! The event is by donation.
WHEN AND WHERE? The Great Pedalheads™ Treasure Hunt will be held from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. You don’t have to be there right at 10:00am. It will take about an hour to complete the hunt, so anytime before 12:00pm is great!
• Pt. Grey, Jericho Beach, May 27
• Coquitlam, Blue Mountain Park, June 2
• North Vancouver, Princess Park, June 9
• Langley, Alex Hope Elementary, June 10 Call to sign up! 604-874-6464 or visit www.atlantisprograms.com
According to a 2011 report card from Active Health Kids Canada, Canadian children were given an “F” in active play! Peekaboo Beans playwear company means to change all that through an awareness campaign to educate parents on the importance of unstructured play. This campaign includes a partnership with Play it Forward, an initiative to raise money for playgrounds in war-torn areas, and a dedicated webpage with play resources, inspiring videos and a place to donate to the Playground Builders organization. For more information, visit www.peekaboobeans.com/playrevolution
Join the North Vancouver Museum and Archives in a game of social media show and tell! In conjunction with their latest exhibit, “Made In BC: Homegrown Design,” the Museum and Archives want you to show them your favourite things and explain why you love them. Using your digital camera or preferred smartphone photo app, submit images of your favourite things to Facebook and Twitter. Keepsakes, cultural items, mementos, heirlooms, even that hot new acquisition! If you love it, they want to see it and know why.
If your image wins, you could win great prizes including an Arc’teryx hoodie, a behind-the-scenes tour (for two) at Nuytco Research Ltd., gift certificates for North Vancouver’s Café for Contemporary Art, or a prize package from Cove Bike Shop.
• post your photos of your favourite things on the museum’s Facebook page or
• post on Twitter (using the #MyFavouriteThingBC hashtag) or
• email your photos to nvma.thenandnow@gmail.com
The NVMA will regularly post all entries to this Facebook photo album. Winners will be announced in North Vancouver at the Lynn Valley Day on May 26, 2012. This contest is open to all residents of British Columbia. www.northvanmuseum.ca/program5.htm
Burn injuries are a leading cause of emergency room visits for children under the age of five. Every year, approximately 130 children under five are treated at BC Children’s Hospital for serious burns. Scalds from hot liquids, hot tap water and hot surfaces are the most cause of burns for young children – not fire, as most parents may believe. Developed by Frances MacDougall, a nurse at BC Children’s Hospital Burn Unit, The Too Hot for Tots program aims to educate caregivers in order to reduce the number of preventable burn injuries that often happen to young children in the home. The program is aimed mostly at health care educators, however, parents can visit the For Parents page where they will find helpful tips on preventing childhood burn injuries. www.bcchildrens.ca/KidsTeensFam/ChildSafety/SafeStart/too-hot-for-tots/Too+Hot+for+Tots.htm
By
how does a starving artist become a thriving artist? What’s the key? Is success only reserved for the most talented? Karen Unger-Strickland, an artist, business owner, and a mother of three, doesn’t think so, and she has created a business grounded on the belief that it isn’t just the “most talented” artists who will get their ‘big break’.
After owning and running a paint-your-own ceramics store in Squamish and moving to Vancouver, Karen felt a calling to eradicate the perception that art is expendable and easy to cut. She wanted to instill in people’s hearts and minds that art is an important part of daily life. To do this, Karen opened a retail store, Bird on a Wire, located on Main Street in Mount Pleasant, Vancouver. Bird on a Wire carries only handcrafted, locally-made art, crafts, décor, toys, and more, created by artists within 100 km of the store.
When first developing and creating the store, Karen envisioned Birds on a Wire to be like an art gallery, and a comfortable and welcoming environment for everyone who entered the door whether they bought something or not. But most importantly, she wanted it to be a platform, an artist’s soapbox, that demonstrates to children and adults involved in the arts that it’s possible to make a living on it.
Before opening Bird on a Wire, Karen’s craft was painting, but her canvas now is the store. The store highlights a local artist every month and host workshops and knitting groups every week. “We are building and connecting with our community, one stitch at a time,” says Karen.
Karen believes strongly in connecting to, and uplifting community and local arts organizations and does so
Last year, Karen was thrilled to contribute to the fine arts program at her daughter’s school. As cut backs and closures within the fine arts are being made, artists are finding new and creative ways to grow and thrive and Karen’s store is one of those ways. “It will be a lifelong goal for me to support the growth and well-being of the arts community.” Karen feels lucky to be the spokesperson for the talented and creative artists featured in her store. “The best part of owning Bird on a Wire is connecting artists with their customers.” And the worst? “Working in the office doing administrative tasks.”
Since opening her paint-your-own ceramics store in Squamish and now Bird on a Wire, Karen has embraced the role of Mom Entrepreneur. There have been challenges, but working with a business coach has helped her to work towards a better work-life balance. Karen hopes that through supporting and uplifting local artists, she has inspired her three children, ages 6-19. “I hope they see that it’s only others who can put limitations on where you will go and what you will do,” says Karen.
“That all things are possible.”
Karen’s advice to fellow Moms and Mom Entrepreneurs: “Carve out time for yourself,” says Karen, “I heard a great quote recently that touched on how there is luxury in wasting time.”
Karen’s future plans for the store is to open more locations throughout the Lower Mainland. She has also started plans to find a large warehouse in Vancouver to provide multiple studio spaces for local artists to rent.
We just had to know, does the décor of Karen’s house reflect what her store looks like: crafty and whimsical? “Yes!” chimes Karen, “It has a very French and provincial feel with similar colours and décor. But I need to walk my talk more and buy more artwork for my walls.”
Whether you are a Mom who is working out-of-home, at-home, or stays home with your children, it’s difficult to stop to do something just for yourself when everyday is a never-ending list of things to do.
By Michelle Eliot
marilyn Belsham started a blog on a lark. She was a few months into maternity leave with her second child and feeling cut off from the outside world.
“Most of my friends were colleagues from work ... With a toddler and a baby, I was feeling kind of trapped. I was spending a lot of time online. So as a joke, sort of, I thought I’m gonna start a blog...Maybe I’ll make a million dollars. I haven’t “
That was three years ago. Belsham’s blog “A Lot of Loves” has evolved into a comprehensive website that includes recipes, gardening tips, product reviews, and tongue-in- cheek musings about life as a parent. She writes about quirky topics like her efforts to stop cursing while around her young children. Her goal is to reflect her belief that most parents don’t really know what they’re doing, but they’re all doing their best.
Belsham may not have become a millionaire, but her blog earns some money through advertising. On the often divisive subject of monetizing the mom blog, the former business analyst is pragmatic and unapologetic. “When you’re a stay at home mom, you have a limited number of ways to make money. A lot of us have left our jobs. It’s a really big shock to lose a whole salary. Every little bit helps”
Belsham may have started blogging on a whim, but she soon realized she was creating a valuable community of parents around her. “It’s very nice to know you’re not alone. You can read a book, but there’s no feedback there. [On a blog], I can comment, they can comment back. I just found it soothing, more comforting than reading a book on parenting.”
That camaraderie is what has sustained her efforts. It’s a feeling that appears to be echoed by other bloggers. Cori Howard, the Vancouver-based editor of Between Interruptions: 30 Women Tell the Truth about Motherhood, has found many mothers seek social connection through writing about their experience online. Howard teaches writing courses for mothers through The Momoir Project. This month (May), she begins a new class specifically on writing for blogs. Her goal is to teach students how to write a blog that is poignant, powerful and well-read. “All good memoir writing is about deeply reflecting on your particular personal life experience. I think these moms have experienced
motherhood as a shocking, jarring, blissfully transforming experience and would like to reflect deeply on that through writing.”
An Ethical Dilemma The amount of personal exposure required of mom bloggers, who are essentially living life as a virtual open book, raises an ethical dilemma for Marilyn Belsham. She’s torn about whether to continue relating stories about her children, 3 and 5 years old, beyond everyday activities like riding bikes and baking cookies. ”I feel super conflicted about this. My son’s in kindergarten now. At some point, a kid becomes his own self, his own identity. I don’t feel entirely comfortable laying out all his problems for anyone to comment on. I don’t know that that’s my right“.
The Momoir Project’s Cori Howard says those concerns are shared by every mother who decides to put her life in writing. For her, the revelatory and confessional aspect of a written piece is what makes it most powerful. “I, as a writer, am giving you, the reader, a gift. I’ve taken the time to unpeel the layers of my emotional experience and share with you something I’ve learned about myself”. But on treading the line between what to share and what to keep private, her advice is if you’re uncomfortable or nervous about repercussions, it’s best not to publish it. After three years, Marilyn Belsham feels her blog is at a turning point.
Reaching Out The world of mom blogs is vast and varied. There are those that are dry, witty, and are written with a wink, conceived for the purpose of relieving both writer and reader of the pressure to be the perfect parent. Then there are the blogs that are searing in their emotional intensity, those mothers who reveal so much and write what others cannot bring themselves to articulate. Each is an attempt to reach out, to share, and gain reassurance that this experience we call parenthood, simultaneously so profound and so mundane, has wonderfully and irreversibly changed the life of someone else out there too.
Michelle Eliot is a journalist with CBC radio’s On the Coast. She hosts The Parent Project segment Tuesdays at 4:50.
Location TBA
Starting May 3
Join a community of aspiring and current mom bloggers to study the fine art of blog writing. In a world where there are a million mom blogs, get ideas on how to write a post that will stand out from the crowd. www.themomoirproject.com
Surrey on Canvas
Surrey Museum
May 5, 11am-12noon
Explore Surrey’s history through its documentary art collection. Archival photographs, maps and news articles help tell interesting stories of Surrey’s past. Please preregister! 1 Session $10 (16yrs+)
604.502.6459
Got Craft?
Royal Canadian Legion: 2205 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
May 6th, 10am-5pm
Started in 2007, Got Craft? is Vancouver’s largest indie craft fair aimed at bringing together a community that fosters handmade and DIY culture. $3.00 at the door (kids under 10 are free)
www.gotcraft.com
Bellies to Babies Celebration
Croatian Cultural Centre
May 6, 11am-4pm
New and expectant parents and grandparents can explore and shop for trendy baby fashions, décor and more! Community resources and support services will be on hand to answer questions for new and expecting parents. 604.908.8835
www.belliestobabiescelebration.com
Eat, Shop, Love for Moms
West 4th
May 10, 5-9pm
Eat, Shop, Love for Moms is a unique event to raise funding and awareness for postpartum depression and anxiety support. To support this great cause, come out with your family and friends to eat and shop on West 4th. Check websites for participating restaurants and retailers. www.shopwest4th.com www.eatshoplove.org
Taboo Naughty but Nice Sex Show
Abbotsford Tradex
May 11-13, various times
This show provides an upscale adult playground dedicated to enhancing lifestyles, encouraging romance, personal betterment and all things Taboo. Enjoy entertainment, provocative and educational seminars, unique shopping, fashion shows and LIVE demonstrations. www.canwestproductions.com/Home-Taboo
Have Holts all to yourself!
May 15, 6-9:30pm
After the doors close, you and your friends will be pampered and spoiled by the Holt Renfrew Team at a private party in the store. Choose from four exclusive services. There will be refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment, and silent auction. Tickets are $200 and all proceeds will benefit the Arts Umbrella! www.artsumbrella.com/indulge
A Parents Influence with Chris Burt
Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
May 17, 7-9pm
Learn how to support your child’s development instead of trying to control their behavior. Encourage your child in building positive self-esteem and a strong sense of identity, and explore new concepts and concrete skills to support your child’s healthy growth and development. www.jccgv.com/content/jccgv-parentfamily-centre
Dancers Dancing- The Fine Line-Twisted Angels
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Studio D May 23-26, 8pm
A multi-media dance work inspired by perception, revelation and change. Tickets are $15 for students and $25 per adult. www.dancersdancing.com
Scout Handmade + Vintage Market
Parallel Marketplace, 1920 North Parallel Road, Abbotsford
May25, 6-9pm & 26, 10am-4pm
Come Friday for an evening of shopping, socializing, wine & cheese, and live entertainment. Shop a wide range of high quality handmade and vintage goods. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online. Saturday will be open to the public. www.scoutvintagemarket.blogspot.ca
21st Century Flea Market
Croatian Cultural Centre
May 27,10am-3pm
Go Green – Re-Use, Re-Purpose, and Recycle! Check out this earth-friendly market…not to mention a bargain hunter’s nirvana! This fun collector’s market boasts over 175 vendor tables jam-packed with vintage jewellery, china & glass, retro furnishings, antiques & memorabilia, books, records & CD’s, midcentury Modern, linens & lace, sports items, dolls & toys, silverware, paintings & prints, & much more. Admission $5 at Door. www.21cpromotions.com
WCF is available at most public libraries, community centres, and recreation complexes around the Lower Mainland.
Vancouver UBC Hospital
Arbutus Mall
Pebble Baby City Square Pediatrics Toys R Us
Burnaby
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
Old Orchard Medical Clinic
Station Square Medical Clinic
Delta Fancy This Gifts Pinewood Elementary
Surrey
Surrey Family Place
Newton Family Resource Program
Impact Medical Clinic
Martha Currie Elementary Little Critters Outfitters
Richmond Conseil Scolaire Francophone Fun4Kidz Gateway Theatre
Sleeveless Blouse $95 www.aritzia.com
Port Moody Recreation Centre & Noons Creek Hatchery
May 5, 11am-3pm
Join the Tri- cities community as they release young salmon from the Noons Creek Hatchery into Noons Creek. This is a fun and free family event. www.noonscreek.org
Rodeo Day Camp
Surrey Museum
May 4, 10am-3pm
Get ready for the Cloverdale Rodeo on this Pro-D day! Learn to lasso, play cowboy games, churn up some Texas-style ice cream, and have a cowboy party!
$31.25 (6-11yrs). Must pre-register.
604.592.6956
Mother’s Day Gift Basket
Surrey Museum
May 5 10:30am-12:30pm
Give something special this Mother’s Day-a handwoven basket you made yourself, ready to fill with little treasures or treats. Please pre-register. 1 session $8.
604.592.6956 | www.surrey.ca/heritage
Bees in the Bog Burns Bog Conservation
May 26, 10am
Pre-register by emailing info@burnsbog.org or phone the number below.
Meet the tour leader in front of Planet Ice. Tours are approximately 2 hours and are $5 per person. 604.572.0373 | www.burnsbog.org
Kid’s Only Swap Meet Cambie Community Centre
May 5, 10am-1pm
New and gently used items will be on sale at affordable prices; everything for baby and beyond with proceeds going towards Cambie Community Centre programs and services.
604.233.8399
Got Craft?
West 4th Avenue, between Fir & Balsam, Vancouver May 10, 5-9pm
Choosing Kitsilano’s West 4th on May 10th for a shopping trip or dining experience won’t just help local businesses, but new mothers too. Eat, Shop, Love for Moms is a unique event organized by the Kitsilano 4th Avenue Business Improvement Association and the Pacific Post Partum Support Society (PPPSS) to raise money and awareness for postpartum depression and anxiety support. This is an exclusive street-wide shopping and dining party. Many of Kitsilano’s most popular restaurants and retailers will donate a percentage of their sales to the Pacific Post Partum Support Society, a non-profit organization that serves thousands of mothers and families throughout Metro Vancouver and beyond.
www.eatshoplove.org
Flyin’ Bob
Evergreen Cultural Centre
May 6, 2pm
Through juggling, clowning, acrobatics, wire walking, audience participation, and comedy, Be the Circus stresses the importance of community and the value of failure as well as success. This will be an epic performance that everyone will enjoy with renewed energy for future possibilities. Ages 5 and up. Tickets start at $10.
604.927.6555
www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca | flybob.com
Music Monday Concert
Robson Square Plaza
May 7, 12noon-1pm
This concert is part of a national movement that spans coast to coast, celebrating the importance of music in our schools. Drop by for a free concert and give the kids an audience. Show your support for music in our schools.
www.musicmakesus.ca/musicmonday
Royal Canadian Legion, Commercial Drive, Vancouver
May 6, 10am-5pm
Got Craft? is celebrating its 11th show in Vancouver this Spring, and we hope to see you there! Started in 2007, Got Craft? is Vancouver’s largest indie craft fair aimed at bringing together a community that fosters handmade and DIY culture. This fair is held only twice a year in May & December, and features more than 50 local handmade artists. First 50 guests receive a FREE hand screen-printed tot bag filled with goodies from vendors & sponsors (including WestCoast Families!)
$3 (10 & under free)
www.gotcraft.com/vancouver
Family Square Dance
Cambrian Hall
May 13th, 2-3:30pm
Bring your family to do-si-do to live music, while Paul Silveria teaches and calls all the figures. $10 per person at the door or buy one $15 “Family” ticket and bring the rest of your family for just $5 each at the door. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/240131
Cultural Visits for Parents and their Infants and Toddlers
Bill Reid Foundation Gallery
May 14, 10am
Enjoy a guided tour through the gallery. Reid (19201998), an acclaimed Haida master goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer and spokesman, was one of Canada’s greatest artists. The cost will be $25 per adult, with tots free. Please RSVP at culturebabes@gmail.com to attend. www.culturebabes.ca
Artists in Our Midst Roundhouse Community Centre
May 16 & 19-21, various times
An exhibit and sale of visual art on May 16 highlights paintings, ceramics, jewelry, and photography, featuring more than 50 artists. Then, on May 19-21 enjoy the diverse creative talents in our community by visiting artists in their studio settings. Explore the stories behind the art and artists. www.artistsinourmidst.com
Love ‘n’ Life Tour
Rogers Arena
May 18, 7:30pm
Witness some of the world’s most creative and cherished skating champions performing together in both individual and ensemble routines. This year’s tour features a stellar cast of world-renowned athletes, including FourTime World Champion & Four-Time Canadian National Champion Kurt Browning. Tickets start at $25. www.starsonice.ca
Vancouver Convention Centre
May 11-13
For 3 days in May, 20,000 people will celebrate Vancouver’s 6th annual expo of smarter, stylish living. Surround yourself with 300 exhibitors offering inspiring ideas, exciting entertainment, and smart shopping opportunities. Shop and learn from hundreds of EPIC Exhibitors. Enter the EPICurean Corner to sample from BC’s finest restaurants and wineries. Be fashion-forward at the EPIC Catwalk to watch designers strut their stuff. Test drive a Toyota or Lexus hybrid at the Ride’n Drive. Play and learn in the EPIC KidZone with the Granville Island Toy Company. WestCoast Families magazine will be there too! www.vancouver.epicexpo.com
Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair
Cloverdale Fairgrounds
May 18-21, check website for times
123rd annual Country Fair features more familyfriendly entertainment than ever before with tons of rides and games for the whole family including free performances daily and a free concert on Sunday night. Try the popular and interactive Kidz Zone featuring Mad Science.
604.576.9461 | www.cloverdalerodeo.com
Victoria Day Open House
Historic Stewart Farm, Surrey
May 20, 12noon-3pm
Celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday as they did over 100 years ago. Sip tea in the garden; watch traditional Cotswold dances, make a heritage craft, and finish with a piece of birthday cake. All ages, by donation. 604.592.6956 | surrey.ca/heritage
Victoria Day
Fort Langley
May 21, 10 am–5pm
Watch for our float in the 90th annual Fort Langley May Day Parade (11am), followed by a community fair. All day, explore the fort, feed the farm animals, and watch historic weapons demos. Admission is free.
Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay
End of Day Celebration
PNE, Vancouver
May 11, 5pm
Day 272 of the 25th Anniversary Relay draws to a close in Vancouver, B.C. at this cheerful community celebration – featuring local culture and entertainment.
Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay Final Celebration
BC Place, Vancouver
May 22, 11:30am
After 12,000 kilometers, 7,000 Medal-Bearers, 600 communities and 273 days travelling across Canada, a celebratory outdoor event outside of BC Place in Vancouver will signal the end of the 25th Anniversary Relay. The event will celebrate the progress that has been made over the past 25 years, and engage youth as we work toward a healthier and more inclusive world.
www.rickhansenrelay.com
Science Fair Fun Run
The Athletes Village Plaza, Vancouver
May 27, 9am
Come early at 7:30 for registration. Race starts at 9am and the Mini Fun Run starts at 9:05. Stay for the awards ceremony, entertainment and post race refreshments. All participants get free admission to Science world between 11am–6pm. Strollers welcome! Register online.
604.602.5262 | www.sciencefairs.ca/funrun/
6th Street & 6th Avenue, New Westminster
May 26, 12noon-5pm
The Hyack International Parade has been a hallmark of New Westminster events for decades. Attracting tens of thousands of people, the 41st edition of the parade will culminate in the launch of an outdoor street festival. The festival, featuring high calibre entertainment on multiple stages, will commence once the parade has passed through the uptown business district. Uptown Live will feature an area called the KIDZone, a FREE space that will feature unique, live entertainment sure to please kids of all ages, activities & games, face painting, arts & crafts, bouncy castles, and so much more!
www.hyack.bc.ca
Asian Heritage Day
Surrey Museum
May 26, 1-3pm
Explore our City’s colourful and diverse Asian culture! Learn the art of furoshiki-Japanese gift wrapping and see dance performances from Sri Lanka & Japan. Watch films and see colourful costumes. Try the Japanese craft of origami and other crafts. Practice writing your name in another language.
604.592.6956
Kids Swap Meet
Cloverdale Fairgrounds
May 26, 9am-1pm
This huge swap meet is an excellent opportunity to buy new & used infant to teen items at great prices.
604.588.9919
Family Clothing and Toy Sale
Kitsilano Community Centre, Vancouver
May 27, 10am-1pm
A perfect opportunity for families to buy & sell used children’s clothing and toys at great bargain prices. Admission is only 50 cents!
604.257.6976
International Children’s Festival
Granville Island
May 28-June 3, check website
Since 1978, this festival has been entertaining, educating and delighting children of all ages with the best performing arts from Canada and around the world in theatre, music, dance, circus arts, puppetry, storytelling and more. www.childrensfestival.ca
The Great Pedalheads Treasure Hunt Vancouver, May 27
Coquitlam, June 2
North Vancouver, June 9
Langley, June 10
10am-1pm
Get on your bikes, and participate in a 1 hour treasure hunt where clues will lead you from station to station. There are prizes for everyone, lots of activities and riding, and all donations collected will benefit local neighbourhood houses in each community. Bring friends & family! Call 604-874-6464 or email to sign up! www.atlantisprograms.com
Vancouver Weekends in July & August
Become a member of Kidtopia this summer for just $75 and enjoy 10 spectacularly fun family & kid events. Join WestCoast Families magazine in a Canada Day Parade, pedal in a Family Bike Ride (with surprises), get into a Family Fun Sports Day, make a HUGE Chalk Mural, dance in a Flash Mob, walk in a Family Hike & Kite Day, go on a Family Scavenger Hunt, get group Berry Picking, be in a Sandcastle Building contest, and enjoy an Outdoor Movie Night. There are only a limited number of memberships available so don’t delay. www.kidtopia.net
By Jodi Iverson
This project is great for all ages... you can keep it simple or add findings to make it a little more challenging for older kids—and mom! Stacked bracelets are classic and on trend right now. Experiment with different colours and textures for an armful of pretty bracelets.
• embroidery floss or craft string
• tape
Optional
• chain
• jump rings
• clasps
• pliers
make a bracelet!
Step 1
Cut 3 lengths of 2 different coloured embroidery floss or craft string to fit wrist plus 4 inches. Knot strings at top and secure to table with tape. Separate strings into 2 groups by colour.
Step 2
The knots used are forward knots and backward knots. With the strings in front of you, string A is to the left and string B to the right.
Make a half forward knot (one loop) on string B. Do not let the strings change place, the order of the strings will still be A, B after you are done with the knot.
Step 3
Do the same as in step 2, but mirrored. That is, use string B to the right and make half a backward knot (one loop) around string A. Again, do not let the strings change place afterwards.
Continue with steps 2 and 3 till the bracelet reached your desired length. Tie a knot in the unfinished end to complete ant tie on wrist! Will yours last all summer? You can stop there or to make this same bracelet thicker, simply add more strings. Try using your creativity, jump rings, chain and clasps and different knot techniques, such as square knots, to make a wide range of variations.
Tip: Try YouTube for easy to follow knot tying tutorials!
did you know?
Knot-tying arts have originated all over the world. Macramé is said to have developed in 13th-century! The friendship bracelet became popular in North America in the early 1970s. According to tradition, the recipient of the bracelet must wear it until the cord wears out and it falls off naturally in appreciation of the love the maker put into crafting the gift.
