Shop Local In Oakville For Holiday Gifts!

Oakville has so many amazing local businesses ready to help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list.  Whether you are halfway done your Christmas shopping or haven't even started yet, these local businesses have great ideas to help cross people off your list.

For Kids

Harlow's Perch has a wide selection of tutus, pajama pants, hats, leg warmers, diaper covers, headbands for ages 0 - 8 years and even handmade accessories designed for newborn photo shoots!  All of their items would make great gifts - my daughter loves her owl hat!

Local author (and a mom of two), Laura, from LPH Illustrations has recently published an adorable booked called 'Susy The Soother Fairy'. The book helps young children get rid of their soothers, once and for all with the help of Susy and her magic sac!  The book would make a great gift for soother loving kids who need to get ready to give up the soother. Susy has an easy 5 step process that makes it fun and exciting (and stress free for parents).  Buy the book here!

Experience gifts are great!  A gift certificate for Crock A Doodle (located at Third Line & Dundas) is a fabulous gift for the little budding artist on your list.  From piggy banks to race cars, a popcorn bowl or an animal, there is something for everyone to paint.  Kids aged 2 and up will have a great time creating something.

Live theatre can be such a treat for kids!  The Burl-Oak Theatre Group's production of Cinderella - A Holiday Pantomime would make a special holiday gift that also provides and opportunity for some great family fun.  The show is perfect for all ages with lots of humour and audience interaction.  Shows take place at the Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts on December 28, 29 and 30th.  Click here to get your tickets!

Pretty in Pink Spa & Studio for girls has an amazing selection of gifts and stocking stuffers for the holidays.  From Cupcake Bath Bombs, to robes, soaps and sleeping bags, you are bound to find a perfect gift among all they have to choose from. A gift certificate is also an option for a spa treatment that is age appropriate (and they have facials for moms too!)

Baby Borg strives to carry the best and most useful baby, toddler, preschool & little kid products!

Don't miss their one week warehouse sale from December 9th to December 15th (hours are 10-4pm except Sunday when the hours are 12-4pm)


For Moms & Dads, Grandparents & Care Givers too!

Gift certificates available for the local Oakville movie theatre!  Thanks to private funding, Encore is able to move to convert to digital and will be carrying all the latest Blockbuster movies!

Treat Yourself! This holiday season put a little sparkle in  yours or a loved one's smile with a 20 minute in office Spa Dent teeth whitening session for only $99 with Trafalgar Village Dental.  Call them today at 905-339-0404.

Visit Wee Piggies & Paws Oakville's website to learn more about their adorable fingerprint necklaces, ornaments and shawdow boxes.  Using your child's finger prints or footprints, you can create one of a kind pieces that will be cherished forever.

Offering Bio Sculpting Gel Nails, Victoria's work is second to none!  Bio Gel can give you beautiful nails that can last up to a month or more (and yes mamas, that is even with tons of hand washing, playing, cleaning, etc!)  Gift certificates available or treat yourself before the holidays to get nails that will last for all your events this season.  Promotional prices apply until Christmas.  Call today for your appointment, (416) 832-8555.  Momstown mamas are already raving about Victoria!

Where Can You Visit With Santa In Oakville?

Lots of places!  Read below for details on where you can find Santa in Oakville and surrounding areas.

RioCan Oakville Place
Free Photos and Videos with Santa
November 29 to December 24

Tuesday to Friday:  10am - 8pm
Saturday:  10am - 6pm
Sunday:  11am - 5pm
Monday, December 23:  10am - 8pm
Christmas Eve:  Reservations Required

South Oakville Centre
Saturday's & Sunday's - 12pm to 4pm
Daily from December 16 - December 30th - 12 to 4pm
Santa reads stories every half hour

Burlington Mall
December 1st to 23rd
MON to SAT 10am to 8pm, SUN 10am to 6pm
Click here for photo prices

Mapleview Centre in Burlington
Now until Dec 15:  Fri - 10am to 8pm, Sat - 10am to 6pm, Sun - 10am to 5pm
Dec 16 to the 23: Monday to Saturday - 10am to 8pm, Sun - 10am to 5pm

Mama Book Club: Oakville Moms Discuss Inhuman By Kat Falls

momstown Oakville's calendar always has lots of great moms night out events each month but this week the fun was around our Book Club.  Thanks to Scholastic Canada for providing us with some great fiction to read by Kat Falls.  The book was called Inhuman and takes us into a dangerous world as we follow the main character, Lane, into an adventure as she tries to save her father.

The United States has been divided by a war that has left the eastern part of the country ravaged by mutation where many of the people exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. But Lane must travel into the forbidden savage zone to recover lost artifacts or her father will be killed.  The story is filled with awesome imagery and you can't help but visualize what a half man, half tiger creature might look like.  It was both fascinating and creepy to think about the mutations that may live in the feral zone.

In discussing the book, our mamas thought it was an engaging read and enjoyed the story.  There are two love interests in the book and we joked about who was 'camp Rafe' and who was 'camp Everson'.  There were also comments about the great writing by author Kat Falls, as she used the main character's Dad, Mack, to be a key piece to the story that wove everything together but he himself was hardly in the book at all, just mentioned through flashbacks or people talking about him.

Inhuman is the first book of a triology so there will be more to follow about Lane and her adventures in a darker world, one so different than where she grew up. My guess will be that Mack (Lane's Dad) will be a bigger key character in the second book as the past that Lane doesn't know about will come full circle and she will discover things she wouldn't even have dreamed about.

It was a great night out with wine, cheese, some treats and fabulous company and conversation.  Stay tuned for our book club picks for 2014!

momstown Oakville's Beat The Winter Blues Party

Winter is here.  Coats and hats, mitts and boots are now the norm.  And we've got at least four more months of this.  There are many great things about winter but its easy to miss the warmer weather, the sunshine and the activities you just can't do in the colder weather.  So what's a mom to do?  Come to the momstown Oakville 'Beat The Winter Blues' party!  On Sunday we broke out the sunglasses and spent a fun afternoon being active and crafty.

Everyone got some cool shades to help ward off those winter blues!

A big thanks to Monkeynastix and Bricks for Kidz for bringing some very fun activities to keep all the party guests busy.  Be sure to check out their websites for their Oakville winter program registration information (click here for Monkeynastix's schedule, click here for Bricks for Kidz schedule). Moms were commenting on how much the kids loved Monkeynastix's activities and how cool the building sets were from Bricks for Kidz.  

We also did some arts & crafts with sand.  Kids used white glue to make a design and then were able to take a handful of sand and sprinkle it over the glue.  Dump off the excess and you have a cool textured piece of art!

Sand crafts

Looking for more weekend momstown Oakville events?  We've got a few coming up in December so be sure to get your membership so you don't miss out!  Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped wipe away the thoughts of winter, if only for a few hours!

6 Practical Stocking Stuffers For Kids

I love Christmas stockings!  Opening my stocking on Christmas morning was one of my favourite parts of the day.  There was always a mix of fun and practical things inside and I loved pulling out each item one at a time and taking a minute to enjoy each gift.  As a kid, we could always open our stockings before my parents got up which I realize now was there way of not having to get up at 6:00 AM on Christmas morning because at least we were kept busy for a little while!  If you find it tough to fill your child's stocking, here are some of my favourite practical items to put in.  Might as well put in some essentials that you were going to have to buy anyway...that's just being a smart elf!

1.  A Watch
Both my kids are getting a watch in their stocking this year.  These are just basic children's watches that I got for about $10.  My older child is learning about telling time so this is perfect timing for him.  And because my youngest is always trying to keep up with her older brother, might as well get one for her too.  Watches are great items to start the dialogue about time and learning how to read a clock so I love this idea for a stocking stuffer.

2.  A Wallet or Purse
Kids love to mimic their parents so this is a great gift that helps them feel grown up.  Teaching kids about money at a young age is also recommended and this gift can help with that dialogue.

3.  An Umbrella
Chances are they are going to need one anyway, right?  There are tons of fun colours, patterns and character umbrellas available.

4.  Socks & Underwear
Use their stocking to stock their drawer full of fun socks and underwear.  Pick their favourite colour or characters.  If your child is close to potty training, this is also a good way to get them excited about underwear.

5. Toiletries
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, bubble bath, soap, lotion, hair elastics, new brush, etc.  Lots of possibilities here and just as most of the items mentioned above, chances are you can get your child's favourite character on most toiletries.

6.  Craft Supplies
A new pack of markers or crayons, scissors, a sketch book or stickers are all great options. You can also find your local dollar store and stock up on some new supplies like pipe cleaners, feathers, googly eyes, bingo dabbers, etc and then pick a craft to do together with your child.

Stockings can be such a fun thing to fill, so use your creativity and let the shopping begin!  What practical items do you like to put in your child's stocking?  Leave us a comment with what works for you!

Burl-Oak Theatre Group's Holiday Production Is Fun For The Whole Family

The holidays are for extra special family fun, new experiences and also about traditions.  This holiday season, the Burl-Oak Theatre Group is proud to present Cinderella- A Holiday Pantomime, a holiday treat that's fun for the whole family.  Whether you are looking for an extra special event to share with your children over the holidays, want to try something new or if you already share the gift of live theatre with your family every Christmas, this production is the one you don't want to miss.  Tickets to see the show would make a wonderful holiday gift!  Toys always seem to be abundant, so give the gift of an experience.

I loved going to live theatre as a kid (still do) and have fond memories of those special outings.  There is something magical about the energy on stage, the costumes, the music and the feeling that you are getting to experience something special.  I recently attended a dress rehearsal for Cinderella- A Holiday Pantomime and found myself laughing out loud!  The show has a great mix of kid and adult humour and does a fantastic job of bringing a story that has been around for a very long time into a modern day setting.  You will still see all the treasured elements audiences know and love but they are combined with interactive fun, some new zany characters, and a festive spirit that’s sure to please audiences young and old. 

The cast ranges in age from 7 to 70!

Show times are as follows (buy tickets by clicking on your preferred show time):

• Saturday, December 28th at 2:00pm
• Sunday, December 29th at 2:00pm
• Sunday, December 29th at 7:00pm
• Monday, December 30th at 2:00pm

Cinderella- A Holiday Pantomime is being performed at The Oakville Centre For the Performing Arts on Navy Street in downtown Oakville.

Tips For Moms: Going From One Kid To Two

There seems to be a baby boom happening within the momstown Oakville community!  We have many mamas that will soon be moving from a family of three to a family of four, so we recently got some of these mamas together to talk about transitioning from one child to two. Here are some top tips that came out of the discussion:

1.  The older child is going to be more work than the baby (well, probably anyway).  This concept seems pretty foreign as I know we all remember it feeling like a ton of work the first time around!  But remember this...the baby stays in one spot!  Your older child will not!  Finding things to do to keep your older child busy (especially when you have to feed the baby) is crucial.

• Television is not the enemy!  We all use it (more than we all admit) and sometimes its a necessity. Remember that the phase of having a newborn and a toddler/preschooler will not last and if you rely on tv more than you would like at the beginning, its okay.  Really, it is.
• Get help!  Don't be afraid to ask your inlaws, parents, neighbours, siblings, friends, etc to help out and take the older child to an activity or to come over and play with them.
• Find a source of support.  momstown Oakville is a fabulous supportive community that not only offers activities for your older child but also peer support and a link to community resources.  One of our members said "being a member of momstown is actually one of the things that helped me most with adjusting to life with baby #2."

2.  Don't be afraid to get new gear.  If you didn't have some of these with your first baby, might be worth a look.

• A great sling to carry baby so that you can be hands free for your other child.
• A white noise machine to keep the kids from waking each other up in the night (or day!)
• Video monitor.  Can save you some time of having to go up and see baby or older child.  The monitor can show you if they are just rolling over and making noise to get comfy again, lost a soother so you know you need to go up, etc.  The Motorola colour video monitor or a web cam with a D-link app were two options that have been frequently suggested.
• Double stroller.  
• Stork special from SupperWorks.  They wave the fee to put the meals together for you if you order the Stork Special within 3 months after having a baby.  I used this both times I had children, so helpful.

My son giving his newborn sister a hug

3. Include the older child.

• No matter what age your older child will be when the baby arrives, chances are they will want to feel included.  Can they help you bath the baby or go get a diaper for you?  Give them a special role like always putting the blanket over baby in the carseat (with help of course).
• Lots of mamas said that they had the older child pick out a gift to give to the baby when he/she arrived and had the baby give a gift to the older sibling too to create more of a celebratory feeling.
• There are lots of great books about being a big brother or big sister that you can start to read as your due date approaches such as I'm a Big Brother or I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole.
• Your older child might actually end up being more helpful than you thought, give them a chance to pitch in.  Love this blog post on Mastering The Art Of Couch Parenting (great tips for when you are stuck on the couch cluster feeding)!

4.  Prepare ahead of time.

• Stock your freezer!  Here is a great source for freezer friendly meals.
• Buy in bulk so you don't have to worry about running out of toilet paper, paper towel, etc in the first few weeks of baby's arrival

5.  Give yourself a pat on the back.

• There will be some tough days, but try not to sweat it.  If you don't get dressed and end up tossing in a frozen pizza for dinner, well, at least you had dinner, right??  It will get better and if you are doing the best you can then there is nothing more to worry about!

What other tips helped you get through adding a new baby to your family?  Share your tips for those mamas expecting baby #2!

Holiday Fun In Downtown Oakville With Santa, Wagon Rides & A Shopping Spree!

The Santa Claus Parade may be over, but Downtown Oakville has many other fun holiday activities perfect for Oakville families.  Bring the kids down for Santa in the Square, a wagon ride or just to look at all the colour windows and holiday lights.  Keep reading for all the details about these great events happening in Downtown Oakville!

Santa In The Square

Saturday, November 30th
11:00am-4:00pm in the Towne Square
Don't miss this opportunity for children of all ages to share their Christmas wish list with Santa!

Christmas Cheer in Downtown Oakville (Towne Square)

Saturday’s and Sunday’s, November 30th – December 22nd weekends
Carolers 11:00- 4:00

Saturday’s and Sunday’s, December 7th -22nd weekends
Wagon Rides 12:00 – 4:00

Christmas Window Competition
November 16th- December 9th

VOTE for a chance to win 1 of 3, $500 Downtown Oakville Shopping Sprees!
To vote on your favourite Christmas window display, visit Downtown Oakville's Facebook page between Saturday, November 16th and Monday December 9, 2013 at 9:00am and leave a comment about which store window is your favourite for a chance to win $500 shopping spree. The winner will be contacted by the BIA.

Downtown Oakville has so many great stores and tons of holiday gift ideas.  Head downtown and shop local this holiday season!

Marinated Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe

momstown Oakville mom's night out events are great for so many reasons, but one of the reasons at the top of my list are the number of great recipes I get to try due to the fabulous hosting skills of so many mamas in our community!  My latest new favourite came from our recent poker night and seems to me like a perfect fit for the upcoming holiday season.

Photo Credit

What You Need:

6 oz goat cheese
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme  (if you don't have thyme you can use oregano or basil or another similar spice)
1 tsp pepper
10 pitted and chopped olives

Putting It Together:

Mix all ingredients together, except for the cheese.  Shaking them all together in a jar works well.  Pour mixture over cheese and marinate for at least two hours in the fridge.  You can leave this to marinade up to 2 days, the longer it marinades the better the flavours are.

Warm to room temp 1/2 hour before serving.  Will keep up to 1 week and the flavours just keep getting better and better!

Serve with your favourite crackers or spread onto baguette slices.

Sensory Play - How To Do A Colour Hunt

momstown Oakville's gathers our little explorers together for a morning all about sensory play and discovering new things.  Last month we put together a colour hunt that was a big hit with kids of all ages. Each child got a paint chip (with flowers punched out so they could colour match) colour book and they began matching right away. They enjoyed matching colours in a garden, the grass, trees, and changing leaf colours.

There were also magna tiles (coloured see through tiles) and the kids were asked to look through them to ask what they saw, what colour they saw, and how their vision changed.  At the end, the kids were surprised with some colourful streamers taped to popsicle sticks. We waved them in the wind and talked about all the colours and how colouful they were. As a thank you for coming, each child got to take home a colourful streamer wand and their own colour matching paint chip booklet so they could continue matching at home.

This month we are doing sensory play with ice and snow and will be having a holiday themed scavenger hunt in December.  Click here for some more of our sensory play ideas like summer snowballs, cloud dough or DIY silly putty.  If you'd like to join us for our next sensory play event, purchase your momstown Oakville membership here which includes these programs along with 40+ other things to do each month for just $45 a year.  Your membership also includes a one year Today's Parent magazine subscription.

Beansprout Nutrition Provides Healthy Eating Tips And Support For Oakville Families

Jennifer Buccino is so excited to let the momstown Oakville community be the first to know about her new business that offers nutrition advice and consultation to young families.  Introducting Beansprout Nutrition! As a Registered Dietitian (RD) and a mom, Jennifer knows first-hand the challenges that parents face when feeding their children. Jennifer's aim is to bring the most credible nutrition information to you in a variety of different ways to help you make the best choices for your infants and children.  Jennifer knows those tough moments both from personal and professional experience which includes working with children for almost 15 years at the Hospital for Sick Children. Advice received can be conflicting and as a new parent you want the best for your child.

Some common areas of concern that Beansprout Nutrition can help with are:

• Do I start with pureed foods or go with baby-led weaning?
• Do I introduce cow’s milk at 9 months, 12 months, or never?
• Is my child growing well?
• Why is my 2 year old suddenly so picky
• My school aged child brings her whole lunch home untouched

Beansprout Nutrition welcomes you to contact them to work through these questions and issues. Jennifer has answered these questions and many more over the years that she's been practising dietetics. In fact it was her own group of “new mom” friend’s that inspired her to start Beansprout Nutrition and bring knowledge and expertise to other new moms in the area.

Beansprout Nutrition services include:

• Nutrition Assessments
• Nutrition Plans
• Workshops 
• Family Counselling

Getting a great nutrition start is essential to health and well being. Beansprout Nutrition will challenge you to think about establishing your own nutrition philosophy to guide you through making the best choices for you and your family. The added benefit of working with Beansprout Nutrition is that they come to you! It can be for an in depth nutrition assessment and plan or a more informal chat but you get to stay put and won’t have to bundle up your little ones in jackets and car seats. If after bedtime works better consultations can take place by phone, Skype, or email.

Please contact Jennifer for more information (Jennifer@beansproutnutrition.ca) and visit their Facebook page for helpful tips and information.

For A Limited Time - Books in McDonald's Happy Meals!

momstown Oakville's monthly Tales for Tots got a special edition this month as we celebrated the new books found in McDonald's Happy Meals.  The promotion began on November 1 and will last for two weeks.  McDonald's is also releasing monthly e-books, which are available on McPlay™, McDonald’s Happy Meal app.

Reading Deana's Big Dreams

The launch of books in the Happy Meal is part of McDonald’s ongoing commitment to evolve the Happy Meal to reflect customers’ changing wants and needs, while championing children’s happiness and well-being.  Happy Meal offerings include a Danino® Strawberry Yogurt, the choice of apple slices, small or mini-size French fries, and the choice of a low-fat dairy option like 1% white or chocolate milk. All four of the limited edition books focus on nutrition and imagination. Our group loved Deana's Big Dreams which has a big dinosaur pull out at the back of the book.  In addition to taking home three of the Happy Meals books, momstown Oakville members also got coupons for a free Happy Meal and a free smoothie, coffee or wrap! In addition to Deana's Big Dreams, we also read the new Robert Munsch book titled 'Swamp Water'.

And thanks to the mama who sent in a picture post event of her kids enjoying a Happy Meal from the coupons they received!

Five Games You Need To Play With Your Children

There are games that kids love to play but this blog post is focused on games that parents love to play that kids also enjoy.  Everyone has those days where you are just too exhausted to play hide and seek again or you just want to stay sitting or lying down and not play monsters or dance party!  These games make an appearance in my house, number one and five being the favourites these days and I am thrilled when the kids want to play what I want to play.

Read on to find out why you need to play these games at your house.

1.  Put me to sleep
This game came to my attention before I even had kids.  My niece loved to play this game.  She made you lie down but would get you a pillow and cover you in blankets and tell you to go to sleep.  She would even turn off the lights.  My daughter now likes to play this game and gives me her 'blankey' and covers me up and then comes back to ask if I need water,  a kiss, another story, etc.  But really, it provides me with 20-30 minutes of lying down.  I may or may not have dozed off once or twice.

2. Find the perfect flower
I was talking to my friend on the phone one sunny summer afternoon and she was home with her 3 year old daughter.  They were outside on the back deck and during the conversation her daughter would come and bring my friend a flower and she would reply with something not quite right about the flower (needs more petals, any pink ones, stem too short or too long) and then the 3 year old would run back out to the lawn in search of the perfect flower.  Genius if you ask me.  My friend and I had a lovely 30+ minute conversation.

3.  Clean the windows
Spray bottles.  If you don't have any, you need to get some.  Fill them with water, give them to your children along with a rag and then have a seat!  This is great all year round as they can to the indoor windows in the winter and outdoor windows in the summer.  And let your creativity guide you!  Spray bottles can clean patio furniture, bikes, trikes and wagons, and toys too.  A spray bottle is a very good tool to have in your arsenal of things to keep'em busy.

4.  Hair salon
I will admit, there may be some pain involved in this one.  All you need is a comb or brush and some clips or elastics.  Sit on the floor and let you kids play hair dresser.  You tend to get a nice enough head massage and several minutes just to sit still.

5. Sort the money
This one is certainly for older kids.  My son loves to empty his piggy bank and sort coins into piles or types. He loads the money into his toy dump trucks, skid steer or pick up truck and then takes the time to put all the coins back into his bank.  And repeat.  I do stay close during this activity but sitting on the kitchen floor reading my book is not a bad way to pass 45 minutes.

What activities do you find keep your kids busy long enough for you to sneak in a cup of tea or a few pages of a good book?

Holiday Breakfast Recipe: Farmer's Casserole

This Farmer's Casserole recipe is what we usually eat on Christmas morning.  You can prep this the night before or I have prepped it quickly in the morning and then it bakes while we open presents and have coffee and tea.  It easily doubles to serve 12, just use a 9 X 13 rectangular dish and bake for 45- 55 minutes, instead of the directions listed below.

Photo credit

What You Need:

3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (or hash brown patties chopped up works too)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Monterey Jack adds a nice kick)
1 cup diced cooked bacon or ham (I cook bacon the night before)
1/4 cup green onion
5 beaten eggs
1 and 1/2 cups of milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Coat a square baking pan with non stick spray.  Arrange the potatoes in the bottom of the dish to cover the whole pan.  Sprinkle with cheese, bacon or ham and green onion.

2. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt & pepper.  Pour egg mixture over the potato mixture.

Bake, uncovered in a 350F oven for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS:
-Do steps 1 and 2 and then cover and chill for up to 24 hours.  You'll need to up the baking time to 50-55 minutes when baking it from the fridge.

Bringing Innovation & Activation To Your Business

Being an entrepreneur can be tough.  Being a momstown chapter owner makes the tough parts so much easier.  This past weekend, the entire momstown team from across Canada came together for our annual Fall conference.  To have a room full of other entrepreneurs that understand your business, your challenges and your successes is such a source of support!  We gathered in Niagara Falls for three days of brainstorming, planning, evaluating and innovating, I can honestly say that it was a bit overwhelming, but in the BEST possible way.

Momstown can't be considered a new company anymore, we are more than five years old.  While we have achieved many successes since opening, the theme of this conference was innovation.  The vibe in our conference room over the course of the conference was electric, positive and inspiring.  We are all ready to take our businesses to the next level.  And while creativity and innovation are very exciting, they are nothing without activation.  Not only did we spend lots of time being innovative but we did the work to make sure we can activate and make 2014 the best year yet.

So what went in to making this weekend an undoubted success?

• Fabulous accommodations at the newly renovated Courtyard Marriott in Niagara Falls.  A big thanks for their hospitality including a scrumptious dinner at The Keg located inside the hotel (so handy) and a delicious buffet breakfast each morning.  The hotel is in a great spot, right in the middle of all of main Niagara attractions - museums, casinos, restaurants, etc making it easy to walk around and enjoy the sites.
• Arriving in style thanks to GM Canada providing our crew with Chevrolet Equinox vehicles
• An awards ceremony recognizing the hard work from across the country.  Momstown Oakville is so proud to have been the recipient of the 'Chapter of The Year Award' for 2013!
• Working sessions that provided smart goals thanks to the momstown head office team and Shelagh Cummins from BizTrainHer.com.  We also came up with the momstown five daily practices to help grow our business.
• Sharing best practices with all 18 other momstown chapters across Canada
• A perfect balance between work and play.  We worked hard, we really did.  But we also got a chance to visit Chateau Des Charmes winery, enjoy mani/pedi's from Ah Bella Luna Mobile Spa and got some fabulous new head shots taken by CL Buchanan photography.

On the steps of Chateau Des Charmes winery

This conference was a game changer for many momstown chapter owners.  I can hardly wait for 2014 to arrive!  I am so proud of what was accomplished at this conference and ready for a great year ahead.  To find out how you can bring momstown to your community and join a group of incredible entrepreneurs, click here.

Eczema And Your Child: When Creams Are Not Enough

Eczema is very dry skin that is most often caused by allergies, usually to foods. Many babies and toddlers suffer with this condition because their immune systems are still developing. This can mean itchy, uncomfortable skin for your child, which can be hard on the whole family especially if this is keeping them (and you) up at night.

Typical treatments for eczema involve the use of hydrocortisone creams which, while they do reduce inflammation temporarily, they don’t address the cause(s) of this inflammation, and long-term usage of these creams weakens the skin. Damaged skin gets more itchy and sore, and the cycle continues.

So what does work?

1. Strengthening the immune system with probiotics (and not through yogurt) 

Probiotics

2. Nourishing the skin with fish oils is key for itchy, dry skin. Fish oils contain omega-3s, which are fats that combat inflammation and support brain development. Taken orally both in liquid and yummy chewable forms (gummies), fish oils help to hydrate the skin, which over time becomes less irritated. If your child cannot consume fish due to allergy, there are other vegetarian oils high in omega-3s such as algae.

3. Identifying and avoiding irritating triggers. While this can be very difficult for many parents, the hard truth is that it is very likely there is a food your child is eating that is causing eczema. When the immune system is immature, it can often recognize some of your child’s favourite foods as something more sinister, and your child’s body will react. I have seen this response to cheese, milk, too much sugar (this includes fruit), tomatoes, and wheat. Click here to read more about the possible triggers for your child.

These are just a few of the many ways we can help your child if they are suffering with eczema. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line at info@draoife.com or check out my website at www.draoife.com for extra eczema tips over the next few weeks as November is National Eczema month!

What To Do With The Money In The Piggy Bank?

When my each of my kids were born, they received a piggy bank with twenty dollars in coins inside.  As time went on, more change was added to each bank, either from grandparents or my husband or I sticking some extra change in there.  Up until about a few months ago, neither child every really expressed an interest in the piggy bank or what was inside.  But now that my son is four years old, he understands that there is money inside his piggy and started taking it out to sort the coins.  When I would take him to various stores with me, he would ask about buying toys and I would reply that I didn't have money for toys on that particular day.  Well, the light bulb went on one day and he replied "but I have money in my piggy back so I can buy it, right?"

The Big Purchase - Lego Coast Guard Truck & Trailer

Huh.  He was right.  I knew this day would come eventually.  And while I don't want him spending all that money on toys, I didn't really have a good reason about why he couldn't.  He has a bank account for savings and we'd never talked about his piggy bank money with him or determined what use it was going to have. When we got home he took his bank and opened it and started sorting his money.  I helped him count out how much he would need.  We explained to him that if he took the money out to buy this toy, there wouldn't be a lot of money left in his bank.  He said he understood and so we planned a trip to the store for the next day.

He proudly held the little bag I had put his money in all the way to the store and proudly handed it over to the cashier.  This incident made me realize that it is really time to start talking to him about money, about its value and educate him on money management.  When he turns five, we'll start him on an allowance.  Click here for some great tips on starting kids on an allowance.  I really like the "some for savings, some for sharing" idea and then the rest they can decide on how to spend it.

Do you give your kids an allowance?  Any tips or strategies that work for you?