Having had just one child for the last three weeks (and with them both being home for only one night before Lindsay heads off to camp for a week) I have been pondering "only" children - or Solo's..... We have several in the child care programs we run, our neighbours have one son and one of my co-workers is an adult only child.
I am impressed by a couple of things about parenting an "only" and being an adult only child.
Firstly, parenting a solo / only child is harder work that you might think. You really exist as a threesome (Mom / Dad / Child) and it is hard to split it any way that doesn't leave someone out. Of course Lindsay is of an age where she is out and about with friends alot of the time so that makes it easier but now when David is home as the only child next week he will need more companionship and Allan and I will have to make sure we have plans for him. I am so impressed with how our neighbours are such good companions to their only child and spend so much time with him pursuing his interests.
I also have appreciated the one-on-one time with Lindsay these past weeks and we have had some great connecting moments that came naturally. Normally I am juggling time with each child and making sure I create those alone times so it was nice to have them just happen. I know most parents of multiples actively seek out time with each child from time to time to have those special times with "Just Mom" or "Just Dad". Sometimes it is as simple as a trip to get groceries but if its intentional it can be meaningful.
I wonder how David will make the adjustment of coming from 3 weeks of being one of 7 kids to being a solo...... I suspect he will miss those cousins more than he can imagine......but might also enjoy some downtime from social interactions.... it will be interesting to see.
I also have some friends who are solo parenting for various reasons and they have my respect for the time they put in without a partner to hand off to when they are tired or mad or sad. They have to keep going and they have an especially hard time not just to find solo time for each child but to find some solo time for themselves.
One of my colleagues is an adult only child. In the past two months both her parents have face serious health crises. There is alot on her shoulders and while she has a very supportive husband, the decision making and worry are hers to carry. She and her young family are contemplating selling their house and moving in with her parents so they can be a support. Of course there will be mutual benefits but that is alot of responsibility for her to carry.
It strikes me that we, the friends and colleagues, of adult solo's need to step up and be their family in whatever way makes sense and is supportive.
So hats off to parents of solo's for all your hard work, to parents of multiples who seek to find solo time with your children, to solo parents and to adult solo's carrying a big load on your own - help us know how to best help you and be your friends, sisters and brothers.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Tender Tootsies
If you were watching an Early Childhood Educator at work you would see that they almost never sit down..... and when they do it is usually to read a book or open lunch containers or give a hug. They spend ALOT of their work day on their feet.
So once a year I take them all to a Spa for a pedicure.
There is a great little Spa in Steveston called B&D Spa run by a mother/daughter team and they close to the public at 2pm, hire in a couple of extra estheticians and over the next 4 hours as each group of staff come off their shift they come over to the spa and have an hour long pedicure. People come early and stay late and wander in and out of the various rooms chatting and catching up. We work in 3 different locations so people enjoy the chance to catch up with one another in a relaxed atmosphere.
We provide a light supper too, so people can have a bite to eat while their toes are drying..... for some of them it is the only time they get a pedicure all year and they love choosing funky colours for their summer toes. Some of them are so ticklish and giggle the whole way through.
It is a happy way to spend an afternoon / evening.
I get to go early (as I am not on a shift) and I so enjoy a quiet hour getting my toes done after all the running around to get the food and set everything up..... I close my eyes and drift off for a bit or read magazines..... and then I hostess for the rest of the night bringing people drinks and snacks, making sure everyone is getting what they need, and connecting with my staff.
And of course it's not a party unless there are goodie bags so I have assembled a little bag of pampering goodies for everyone to take home at the end of the evening. The Spa gives everyone a rose as they leave which is a lovely touch.
So here is to those hard working feet of Early Childhood Educators everywhere......and to those being pampered tonight whose daily pitter patter of feet I am so grateful for!
So once a year I take them all to a Spa for a pedicure.
There is a great little Spa in Steveston called B&D Spa run by a mother/daughter team and they close to the public at 2pm, hire in a couple of extra estheticians and over the next 4 hours as each group of staff come off their shift they come over to the spa and have an hour long pedicure. People come early and stay late and wander in and out of the various rooms chatting and catching up. We work in 3 different locations so people enjoy the chance to catch up with one another in a relaxed atmosphere.
We provide a light supper too, so people can have a bite to eat while their toes are drying..... for some of them it is the only time they get a pedicure all year and they love choosing funky colours for their summer toes. Some of them are so ticklish and giggle the whole way through.
It is a happy way to spend an afternoon / evening.
I get to go early (as I am not on a shift) and I so enjoy a quiet hour getting my toes done after all the running around to get the food and set everything up..... I close my eyes and drift off for a bit or read magazines..... and then I hostess for the rest of the night bringing people drinks and snacks, making sure everyone is getting what they need, and connecting with my staff.
So here is to those hard working feet of Early Childhood Educators everywhere......and to those being pampered tonight whose daily pitter patter of feet I am so grateful for!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The picture you paint yourself
that summer feeling is here....... I feel owed......it felt like it would never come (although interestingly I read yesterday that the weather in June was average with less rain but also less sunlight). And while I survey all things summer.....from my office window........ I feel a little cheated to be here working.
My kids are both on vacation and Lindsay is checking off things she needs for camp. She leaves early Saturday morning for a week. David is still in Alaska, halibut fishing today in Kachemak Bay. He will be home Friday...... Yahoo!! Allan is working part-time teaching virtual school for the next 6 weeks but his days start later and he has some downtime. But for me, this week, at least I am way too busy.
This does not match the picture I have in my head about Summer.
The picture in my head also has no basis in reality...... it is a summer daydream........
In my head I go to a faded shingled but big and beautiful beach house on a beautiful flat white sandy beach in a place with a whimsical name like Nantucket or Noosa or Zanzibar.......the water is calm and clear and warm (but not too warm) the breezes are gentle and cooling..... I have no responsibilities...... I read and eat and drink and swim and nap and hang out with my family. Friends come and go and we have bbq's and fire pits with smores long into perfect sunset evenings.....I read, listen to music, have long walks and great conversations..... take photos......just sit and stare at the ocean......
Do you feel it.....????
I think I would last about 5 days before I was scanning the internet looking for adventures.... or road trips or planning a big party..... the reality is .... I am vacationally challenged. I am not good at slowing down and even less able to do nothing........ for any length of time........ don't get me wrong I love a good nap and good lie on the each with a book but I am talking hours , not days and days.
So although I do complain I am actually looking forward to this Summer's Staycation in August........ I will sleep in a bit (although the joke my age is playing on me is that now that I can sleep in I often don't ), have coffee on my patio, go to new shops and visit new places to eat and walk along beaches close to home.....have family picnic suppers..... and maybe nap...... and hang out with Allan and the kids....... and do some projects around the house.....maybe scrapbook and do some photography....maybe a little roadtrip......a little shopping (Hello TJ's)..... have coffee with friends....
See.... my reality is actually better than my daydream.....nice when that happens :)
Hello Summer........
My kids are both on vacation and Lindsay is checking off things she needs for camp. She leaves early Saturday morning for a week. David is still in Alaska, halibut fishing today in Kachemak Bay. He will be home Friday...... Yahoo!! Allan is working part-time teaching virtual school for the next 6 weeks but his days start later and he has some downtime. But for me, this week, at least I am way too busy.
This does not match the picture I have in my head about Summer.
The picture in my head also has no basis in reality...... it is a summer daydream........
In my head I go to a faded shingled but big and beautiful beach house on a beautiful flat white sandy beach in a place with a whimsical name like Nantucket or Noosa or Zanzibar.......the water is calm and clear and warm (but not too warm) the breezes are gentle and cooling..... I have no responsibilities...... I read and eat and drink and swim and nap and hang out with my family. Friends come and go and we have bbq's and fire pits with smores long into perfect sunset evenings.....I read, listen to music, have long walks and great conversations..... take photos......just sit and stare at the ocean......
I think I would last about 5 days before I was scanning the internet looking for adventures.... or road trips or planning a big party..... the reality is .... I am vacationally challenged. I am not good at slowing down and even less able to do nothing........ for any length of time........ don't get me wrong I love a good nap and good lie on the each with a book but I am talking hours , not days and days.
So although I do complain I am actually looking forward to this Summer's Staycation in August........ I will sleep in a bit (although the joke my age is playing on me is that now that I can sleep in I often don't ), have coffee on my patio, go to new shops and visit new places to eat and walk along beaches close to home.....have family picnic suppers..... and maybe nap...... and hang out with Allan and the kids....... and do some projects around the house.....maybe scrapbook and do some photography....maybe a little roadtrip......a little shopping (Hello TJ's)..... have coffee with friends....
See.... my reality is actually better than my daydream.....nice when that happens :)
Hello Summer........
Monday, July 4, 2011
It's a Starry Night
This week is all about Art.
It is the Society of Richmond Children's Centres Annual A Starry Night Art Auction on Saturday July 9th at 6:30pm at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel.
Our staff and children have been working for weeks on some very innovative art projects that we hope will fetch a pretty penny on silent and live auction. Our parents and committee members have also worked hard to get some AMAZING silent auction and raffle prizes worth thousands of dollars (a signed Daniel Sedin photo anyone?). And our faithful local professional artists have once again donated amazing pieces.....a special thanks to Jodie Blaney for her work depicting Britannia Heritage Shipyards.
It will be a lovely evening of live music from the aptly named Starry Night Trio, delicious appetizers and wonderful art and prizes. If you are in the neighbourhood come on by and enjoy all this for $10....or in my case chat to your bank manager before you come or keep your husband out of the room during the live auction of the Jodie Blaney original......ha ha.... we love her work and bought 2 pieces on auction last year.
Tonight we name the art (a process that gets easier and easier the more wine is consumed - then on the night we look at each other and wonder what possessed us to name it that...) and create the bid sheets and make a pocket out of brown paper for every piece of art so on the night people can take home a wrapped piece of art which feel good - like a gift - even though you just bought it.
I hope you will be amazed at the art I post here and on the link to our website....it blows me away every year... these are preschoolers people!!! Even our babies get in on the act. Of course all of this work is facilitated by skilled and dedicated early childhood educators who spend hours with small groups of children or one-on-one with a child to get these pieces done. Some of our ECE's are SO talented at putting pieces together or framing them just right so the effect is eye-catching and home wothy. I take my hat off to them and owe them a great deal of thanks.
Several of our families have pieces of art from this event on the walls of their homes and no one can believe they were created by little people.....So come on out...it's not too late (I could even score you a couple complementary tickets) and you too could have original art for a really great deal!
It is the Society of Richmond Children's Centres Annual A Starry Night Art Auction on Saturday July 9th at 6:30pm at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel.
Our staff and children have been working for weeks on some very innovative art projects that we hope will fetch a pretty penny on silent and live auction. Our parents and committee members have also worked hard to get some AMAZING silent auction and raffle prizes worth thousands of dollars (a signed Daniel Sedin photo anyone?). And our faithful local professional artists have once again donated amazing pieces.....a special thanks to Jodie Blaney for her work depicting Britannia Heritage Shipyards.
It will be a lovely evening of live music from the aptly named Starry Night Trio, delicious appetizers and wonderful art and prizes. If you are in the neighbourhood come on by and enjoy all this for $10....or in my case chat to your bank manager before you come or keep your husband out of the room during the live auction of the Jodie Blaney original......ha ha.... we love her work and bought 2 pieces on auction last year.
Tonight we name the art (a process that gets easier and easier the more wine is consumed - then on the night we look at each other and wonder what possessed us to name it that...) and create the bid sheets and make a pocket out of brown paper for every piece of art so on the night people can take home a wrapped piece of art which feel good - like a gift - even though you just bought it.
I hope you will be amazed at the art I post here and on the link to our website....it blows me away every year... these are preschoolers people!!! Even our babies get in on the act. Of course all of this work is facilitated by skilled and dedicated early childhood educators who spend hours with small groups of children or one-on-one with a child to get these pieces done. Some of our ECE's are SO talented at putting pieces together or framing them just right so the effect is eye-catching and home wothy. I take my hat off to them and owe them a great deal of thanks.
Several of our families have pieces of art from this event on the walls of their homes and no one can believe they were created by little people.....So come on out...it's not too late (I could even score you a couple complementary tickets) and you too could have original art for a really great deal!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Snippets from a sunny summer weekend
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| Hello Summer Sky |
After a lovely Canada Day on Friday it was delicious to know there was still a whole weekend.... especially after I was violently ill on Friday night!
I took it easy on Saturday morning feeling a bit weak and shaky and was disappointed to miss Jazzercise. I eventually venutred out on a must-do errand which required that I withdraw cash from my secret bank account (ok so its not so secret but it is hard to get at and the place we squirrel away any extra money from my teaching, our tax returns etc. so we can save). As some of you on FB will know I had a hard time getting MY cash from said bank as they "don't have that much cash" and I should have called to pre-order". WHAT?? Just another reason to ditch the big banks and stay with our delightful credit union...... GRRRR Anyway once I had visited two branches and amassed the needed amount of cash and paid the credit card.....I felt alot better!
We are off to Hawaii in December and I am SO excited!! 7 nights in a suite in Waikiki with a view of Diamond Head.....swaying palms, gentle waves, tropical sunsets, these are the images that will get me through the next 6 months.(and leaves Ms.Langman plenty of time to make travel plans!!)
We usually take a 3 week vacation in the Summer and last year we had an amazig Californian Odyssey but with Allan at University he only gets two night off classes (therefore only 2 weeks of vacation and they are not together) so no long summer vacation for us this year. We do plan a couple of long weekend trips closer to home and maybe a 5 nights at the cabin at the end of August.
I don't know about you but I need something to look forward to and seeing as Hawaii books out so early for Christmas the deals were starting to disappear so we jumped at the chance. My parents are coming with us and we get back a few minutes before Chirstmas Day. Our suntans and sandy feet will be our gifts to one another this year.
I spent most of the rest of the day doing some gardening chores, groceries, hulling another few boxes of local strawberries and sitting in the sun in the backyard. Lindsay went off to babysit and Allan and I had dinner with our friend Doug and his boys.
We slept in again today and have had another quiet morning with freshly baked croissants on the patio. I cleaned David's room and picked up around the house and did some laudry and some marking and Allan has been working on school stuff all day. He starts teaching his Physics 11 online course tomorrow for Richmond Virtual School and he finishes his second course at Trinity on Tuesday with a final paper and a presentation....he is working really hard and I am proud of him for his commitment to the work.
We had the absolute delight and pleasure of having three of the best little people in the world over to play while their parents catch a movie. Arlo, Sola and Penny sure know how to make us laugh and delight our hearts with their chatter and cuddles and giggles. We played and sang and read books and went for a walk and some napped and then we had dinner..... phew so much fun and so busy.
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| Boys and Books |
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| Sweet girls Sola and Penelope |
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| Penny is so observant of tiny specks which she picks up and hands to you |
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| She cracks us, and herself, up! |
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| Facetime |
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| Pointing Penny - always on the go! |
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| If this doesn't make you laugh nothing will |
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| Our gorgeous godson Arlo |
Friday, July 1, 2011
Happy Canada Day
I love Canada - I am ever so grateful to live in this country (and hope they let me stay....but that is another story!).
I love Steveston - our own little corner of this fair land.
I love tradition..........
SO therefore I LOVE
The Canada Day Parade in Steveston.
We go down early and set out our chairs on "our" corner and then head out to find breakfast. We lucked out on getting into the Cannery Cafe and having a nice breakfast. We wandered back to our spot and chatted with various friends passing by. At 9:30am the little kids come by on their bikes all decked out in red and white....so sweet.....
And then the parade that never ends until....it does......every group in the whole Lower Mainland has a car or a few people with a banner........... heck I think we could have a Byres float if we put a Canada flag on the truck and honked our horn and waved at the crown... there was a truck today that said Joe and Lily - no idea what it was for???
It's the same every year and I LOVE IT!
Here are a few highlights:
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| Early in the morning |
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| Allan found this cute girl to watch the parade with |
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| We spotted this guy in the crowd wearing an interesting t-shirt that | says | www.insteveston.com |
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| Penny got into the flag waving |
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| A parade is nothing without a pipe band - this one had a smiling drummer in the back row! |
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| Lots of cadets but this little flute player was very sweet! |
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| This woman waved with both her hands......or didn't want her photo taken???? |
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| Every parade needs a giant chicken apparently |
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| Zed for Zamboni |
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| The parade always ends with the firetruck....no water fight this year. |
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
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