Head for the hills

When my husband suggested we enrol our kids into a 10-week ski program this winter, my initial reaction was one of doubt.

We barely had any family time as it was. Joining the course would mean dedicating two full days every weekend throughout January, February and a bit of March to skiing – something I wasn’t big on to start with. It would be in addition to gymnastics and karate, and would cut into, I thought, our already minimal family time.

However, we live only 10 minutes from the hills and I would rather have my children learn how to ski safely than worry about them when we go there. So I agreed.

I knew my son would be fine. He always is. He is the kind of kid who will try any new food, makes friends easily and dives into new activities with full enthusiasm. And I was right. He was fine as usual.

But I wondered about my four-year-old daughter. Being the second and youngest child, she has always been a bit of a momma’s girl and a definite “leg-clinger”, if you know what I mean. I imagined hectic mornings, talking her into getting ready, perhaps even resorting to bribery. I envisioned cold feet with lots of whining.

My assumptions were wrong.

First of all, instead of losing family time, we actually gained (and improved) it! With the kids in lessons in the mornings, my husband and I could spend time together. And even better, it was outdoors in the fresh air being active, something we used to do before we were married. And through the ski club, we have made a ton of wonderful new friends. The same people go every weekend and we all have similar interests with kids the same age. As newcomers to the area, this is one of the best things we have done.

My daughter, Tanyss, has turned out to be a true ski bunny. She wakes up each morning with: “Is it a ski day?” And if the answer is yes, she brings her elbow down to her waist with an emphatic “Yessss!” Unlike school days, she is dressed and has gathered her ski gear together before I can say a word.

And when her lessons are done for the day, she will usually insist on continuing to ski until the lifts have stopped running.

It is such a joy to see Tanyss on the slopes. Her ski skills are good, but more than that, a self-confidence has emerged which I have never seen in her before.

It all goes to show that sometimes we need to push our motherly doubts aside and let our children grow as they will.

Rebecca

The magical mystery tour

My husband has a way with kids. Perhaps it is because he is still a kid at heart himself, but whatever the reason, I don’t mind because he has saved the day on more than one occasion.

The other weekend, we had a school holiday on Friday. This can be good or bad depending on how the day goes. But on this particular morning, my kids were feeling restless and the household was in chaos for lack of a plan.

My daughter (4) was intent on going skiing and was scrambling around collecting her gear. My son (7) wanted to go for a swim at the Rec centre which is part of our condo complex, and was filling a backpack with towels and goggles. I thought we should all just get outside – something that usually calms the kids and seemed to be the most direct and easiest route out of the house.

But then my husband exclaimed: “Grab your blindfolds everyone, we’re going on a Magical Mystery Tour!” My kids dropped everything, put on their jackets and boots and ran around excitedly. They had experienced the “Tour” when we lived in BC and were delighted to re-live some wonderful memories. We had often used the Magical Mystery Tour as a way to get out of the house quickly.

So we all climbed into the car, with the kids blindfolded in the back. As we turned right or left, they tried to guess where we were going. As it turned out, we ended up on a section of the Bruce Trail, a hiking path that runs from one side of Canada to the other. My husband handed each of them a basket and we proceeded to go on a spontaneous scavenger hunt.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day and the snow on the trail was crisp. As we hiked along, my husband called out the things they needed to find. First something red, then something soft, something alive, a flower, and so on. The kids had a blast and delighted in their afternoon adventure. When we got home, they were calm and played nicely together until dinner.

I highly recommend the Magical Mystery Tour if your kids are between 3 and 7. Not only does it bring some adventure and structure into their day, but it makes for an exciting family outing.

You could end your mystery tour at a nearby park, a hiking trail, a friend’s house, a beach or even a science centre. It doesn’t really matter where you go, but getting out into nature is one of our personal favourites.

Next time you need ideas for a fun, family day out, why not give it a go – it’s guaranteed to be a hit.

Rebecca

First tough life lesson

We recently moved across Canada, to a new home and a new life to be closer to family. I sensed my son, who was usually a friendly, good-natured boy, was having some issues at his new school. He didn’t seem to want to play outside in the morning and was often the last one out at the end of the day. Twice he has come home with a hurt leg and once he has cut his lip.

He was not volunteering any information when I asked about his day, so I decided the best time to get him to open up about what was happening would be at bedtime. It's when we are closest. It is a time of story-telling, snuggling and safety.

On this particular night, I created a story about a little boy named Ed, who was much like my son. The story went like this …

“Ed was a little boy in grade two who loved playing soccer (just like my son) and he was really good at math (just like my son). He had recently moved to a new school and was feeling ….”
Here I paused and pretended to think. My son quickly interjected with “left out?”.
“Yes,” I continued, “He felt left out. And what do you think Ed’s favourite thing about school was?”
“Probably gym,” replied my son eagerly.
“Oh yes, you are right,” I replied and continued, “And what do you think he liked least?”
“Recess,” replied my son without hesitation.

Now that shocked me and broke my heart because up until this point, my son had always made friends easily and loved to play at recess. As the story unfolded, I found out that there were a couple of bigger kids who were picking on him. The boys would push him or kick him when the teachers weren’t looking. And he was scared to go out to play.

Needless to say, I did not sleep well that night, with thoughts of home-schooling and other alternatives racing through my head.

But the next day, I went in and talked to the principal, who is now aware of the problem and has talked to the two bullies, who seem to be keeping their hands to themselves. As well, with a little coaching, my son has mustered up his courage and approached some other kids in the school yard and made some new friends. He also confronted one of the big boys himself and told him that he didn’t like it when he hurt him.

Although the problem may arise in the future, I am proud of my son for working his way through his first tough life lesson, and more importantly, he is proud of himself.

In the meantime, my son’s new favourite bedtime story is the one about Ed, who each night, continues to overcome bullies, make new friends, and discover his own strengths and talents.

Rebecca