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Parent Hack! Kissing Dots To Help Your Child Put Their Shoes On The Right Feet

For as long as Finn has been able to put on his own shoes, he could care less about his shoes being on the wrong feet…that is until he started preschool and kissing dots were introduced. Now he’s obsessed.

I wish I could take the credit for kissing dots, but all of the credit goes to Finn’s preschool teacher Ms.Rebecca.

It’s not just HIS shoes though that he wants to put kissing dots on, it’s everyone’s. Recently he was super upset when his older brother absolutely refused to even entertain the idea – they aren’t cool when you’re 9! Nevermind that daddy has black shoes, his solution….coloured paint (I mean it’s actually a good idea).

It’s also expanded to strangers. When we were out at a local indoor playground recently a parent was telling their child to put their shoes on the right feet and Finn loudly said: “You should get some kissing dots”. I’m sure had he known that I keep a permanent marker in my purse he would have offered that as well.

How Do Kissing Dots Work?

Get a permanent marker (or paint)
Grab the shoes
Put a dot on the two inner outsides of the shoe so that they can “kiss” when they are together
That’s it

It is literally the most simple solution that I can’t believe I’ve never heard of before, but you know what? Finn has put his shoes on the right feet since then.

Christine Bruckmann is one of the founding members of Alberta Mamas and is known to everyone as the research ninja. You can also find her writing on her blog Just Another Edmonton Mommy.

Thankful For….

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we give you – Thankful for…..

1. That two hours of sleep you got between feedings. Cause, you know, it could have been just one.

2. That silence you had for 20 min. It was great, until you find them “painting” with your Sephora make up.

3. That 5th time you said their name and they responded to you vs tuning you out.

4. Booking that dentist appointment once a year. 45 whole me time minutes.

5. That 5am Saturday morning wake up. Cause dragging them out of bed all week has been super fun.

6. All the extra room in your massive purse. Because you need a change of clothes for each kid when you go out, snacks – oh and your husbands wallet.

The other night as I frantically finished up the evening chores and sent the kids off too bad my daughter came up to me and asked me if I would cuddle with her in bed. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has answered this way but I told her “just let me finish up the dishes and what I am doing here and I will come cuddle with you.” I guess deep down my hope was that she would fall asleep and I could continue finishing up cleaning up the kitchen, putting away toys they had missed, hang up jackets, prep snacks and lunches. That I could finally sit down and throw on some Netflix or do something that I had been wanting to get done the whole day and needed my alone time to do it.

After about 3 minutes of silence I hear her say “mama are you still coming?” I instantly felt bad, she had actually been waiting. I had given her this hope that I was coming when I didn’t really have the intention of coming to cuddle with her. This mom guilt came over me and I dropped the sponge and went to her room. I invited our son to come and cuddle with us too. I mean was it going to take an extra two minutes of my time, five minutes even to lay in bed with them cuddle recite some Quran and make them feel like they are loved and cared about until the very last minute of the day. It’s about them going to sleep feeling like it was a good day no matter what happened at school or whatever fears or struggles they had at the end of the day it’s us against the world and no matter what mama is there. It was just a simple moment that she’d asked for but I was telling her without really telling her that I had other things that were more important than her.

Perhaps in my head I justify it as I had spent the day with them, running errands for them, rushing around for them, cooking for them taking them to the library, driving across the city with them and many other “mom duties”.

In our house I am not the fun one. I am the one telling them to get dressed, eat their food, stop farting at the table – The classic broken record of a Mom.

But I am working on it.

Part of this process is talking to my husband about it. I needed him to step in and say no sometimes. After hearing me out about it he has been trying to letting me be the one to say yes. I can tell it is hard for him sometimes but he knows what a difference it makes to me to be able to play “nice guy” every once in a while. He is naturally more easy going than I am for a lot of things and I learn so much watching him with the kids.

So here is my goal:

More ice cream.
More fort building in the living room.
More rough play in the house.
More nerf battles in their underwear.
Less room cleaning (unless it gets REALLY gross because there’s only so much I can take).
More painting and playdoh.
More stopping everything to sit and really listen. No distractions.
More playing with food and being silly at dinner time.

There’s more to work on but it’s a work in progress. And I can only handle my couch cushions being on the floor more than on the couch for so long.

Deanne Ferguson is the owner of Box Social Event Planning. When she is not planning fun, family, friendly events she is finding the yummiest food for the Edmonton Home and Garden Show Food Stage. She loves her #cocktailMonday dates with her husband and chasing around her two boys. You can find her at @DeanneFerguson on Instagram and @BoxSocialYEG on Twitter.

Thank You 811

Sometimes I look back on when my kids were really little and think to myself; What would I have done without the nurses at 811?

Of course as Canadians we are lucky in a lot of ways, but I’m specifically talking about our access to health advice.

Back then, I had 811 on speed dial. I don’t know how I would have got through those years without it. Even now I’ll call ahead of taking them directly to the hospital. Obviously if it was something really serious I would take them straight there but, thankfully I’ve almost always been able to use the advice I receive to help.

How long is too long for a fever to last?

How many times is too many times for my kid to have puked in 1 hr?

At what point is a cough not just a cough anymore?

What the heck is this bump on their toe?

What is 811?

811 is Health Link. By dialing 811 you gain access to quick and easy advice from a registered nurse 24/7.

There is also really great information at your fingertips on myhealth.alberta.ca

So, thank you. Thank you to all the medical staff that work tirelessly in our hospitals and on the phones.

We are grateful for you!

Remember, in a medical emergency, always call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.

As we approach a new school year and the season of sports, extra-curriculars and clubs. I wanted to talk about something that is so important for both parents and kids as they begin to participate in new social settings. A conversation of healthy interactions and starting the year with a fresh mindset.

Inclusion: the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure.

Why is the concept of including people, despite their differences something that we as a culture seem to have so much difficulty with? Global companies are spending millions on training and resources to create a culture shift within their own organizations. We weren’t born this way. In fact, I would argue, that for several years we don’t have any problem with this simple concept.

I’m no stranger of not wanting summer to end. Every year I feel this certain kind of dread right around the end of August and refuse to embrace the PSL and cozy plaid until October. Summer is so fleeting in this part of the world (why would I ever want it to be cold?!) and the end of it always signifies the beginning of school. For the past 5 years this has been no huge deal, because I’ve been a mama casually working (mainly) from home. The extension of summer has been easy and blissful. Some years the weather has been nice enough that I could extend the summer vibes until October!

Dreaming of taking trips to incredible destinations? Dreaming of taking your children around the world to experience new cultures and take on new adventures? Having nightmares about the long flights? We have all been there!

From when my children were old enough to have a passport (so basically the first few weeks), my husband and I have been taking our children on trips around the world. Our first long haul trip was with our 6 month old daughter to Turkey. Of Course we were terrified. As new parents and never having travelled with children before we couldn’t even anticipate what it might look like. To make it worse, him and I had this image of exhausted parents not having slept for 24 hours pacing back and forth in airplane consoling a screaming baby in our minds. Our first experience wasn’t too far off from that image to be honest. On the way to Turkey, we had crying, no sleep, we had many many outfit changes and throw up. Lots of throwup! Not a great way to kick off a 2 week vacation. BUT we sat down, and we worked out a great plan for the return, taking into account everything we had experienced. It was almost perfect! We got it all worked out and we were now prepared. Fast forward 6 years and 2 kids later, we have taken many long haul flights including Egypt, Singapore, Indonesia, and The Philippines.

I want to share with you my tips for taking long haul flights so that you can get past the anxiety of flying with children and start enjoying all the amazing places this world has to offer!

BABY:

The Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta (CPAA) is ready to host their 13th Annual Life Without Limits Challenge event this September where people of all ages and abilities come together to celebrate their accomplishments, raise funds, and most of all … have fun!

This yearly event is not your typical walk-a-thon, as the CPAA puts a big focus on making the event fully inclusive and open to the community.

“Many of the individuals we work with have some form of a disability and live right in your community. This event is giving them a day to have fun with their friends and family. It’s something they look forward to each year. The more participants we have out, the more fun they have.” Says Joanne Dorn of the CPAA.

Each month, we play 10 questions with one of Alberta’s most interesting mamas. This month we get to know newborn photographer Hailey Hamilton. Hailey hails from Calgary, and is the owner and artistic talent behind Hailey Hamilton Photography. As a mom herself, Hailey gets that life with a new baby can be crazy, and strives to be flexible and understanding with her clients in order to make their experience relaxed and enjoyable. Connect with Hailey, and check out her beautiful portraits, by visiting her website or Facebook page.

1. How did your career as a photographer evolve towards a specialization in newborn photography?

At one time, I photographed almost everything. After a bunch of my friends had babies (and I was asked to take photos), I quickly learned how much fun it was to pose them and squish them into adorable curly positions. I found it was much easier to be creative with newborns and to be able to achieve the looks I was envisioning. As a mom myself, I’m also very comfortable working with babies!

2. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Having the opportunity to snuggle new babies is obviously amazing, but as an artist, the most rewarding thing for me is achieving the final finished portrait and seeing my vision come to life!

3. Which three words best describe your artistic style?

Clean, simple, minimal

4. It’s Sunday morning. How is your family spending the day?

Brunch at our favorite breakfast spot, and then wherever the day takes us!

5. What’s your favourite kid-friendly destination in Calgary?

My son is a teenager so we don’t usually do too many kid activities. But escape rooms and go karts are always a hit.

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Parenting

Parent Hack! Kissing Dots To Help Your Child Put Their Shoes On The Right Feet

How Do Kissing Dots Work?

Thankful For….

Mama, Can You Cuddle With Me?

Embrace the Chaos

Thank You 811

What is 811?

We are grateful for you!

Inclusion: Kids get it, Why Don’t Adults?

For the Mamas on the 1st Day of Kindergarten

Tips for Surviving Long Haul Flights with Kids