It’s Time to Give Yourself a Parenting Break! Embracing the Real Side of Parenthood

November 30, 2016 by Kathryn 17 Comments

Parenting is tough, but it gets even tougher when we spend too much time comparing ourselves to our own ideal image of what a perfect parent should be. And as much as I love social media, I also know that a constant barrage of perfect images can be discouraging to those of us doing our best every day! That’s why I love Quaker Canada’s new campaign to #stopCOMPAREnting. It’s time to show the real side of parenting in all its disorganized, wild and wacky glory! So I’ve decided to embrace some of the ways that I will always fall short of reaching my own parenting ideals. These are four reasons I’ll never be a perfect parent…and I’m okay with that!

1) I will not create perfectly balanced, Pinterest-worthy lunches.

bento lunch — Photo credit to my good friend Jody at Mommy Moment, who makes the most beautiful Bento lunches!

I have two boys in school five days a week, which means I pack just under 400 lunches in the course of a year. And I am a little ashamed to admit that I’ve probably ogled twice as many beautiful, themed Bento lunches on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. From checkerboard cheese to rainbow fruit kababs…who wouldn’t want to surprise their kids with a masterpiece like that? But let’s get real. I have just over an hour each school morning to make breakfast, make lunches, get my boys dressed, check agendas and get everybody out the door. They’re happy with a wrap, some fruit and a Quaker granola bar, so I am too! [Read more…]

5 Simple Holiday Prep Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank

November 10, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

There’s no question that the holiday season can be expensive, but often it’s not necessarily gifts that create the expense! Between festive food, fancy new decor pieces and even that special holiday outfit for the big Christmas party, there are all kinds of purchases that can blow up a budget during the holidays! Luckily, a few simple strategies and some must-have products from Church & Dwight can help you sail through the holidays without spending a fortune. Check out these five low-cost tips on how to prepare for the festivities!

Revive Outdoor Décor

Love your holiday décor from last season? Don’t be afraid to reuse it again this year to help save time and money. To revive last year’s décor and keep it looking like new, try using OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover Powder. It’s the perfect solution to remove dirt, dust and grime from decorations that were sitting in storage since you put them away. [Read more…]

Make Sure These 4 Items are in Your SentrySafe Home Safe, and Tweet to Win a Master Lock Prize Pack in the #MasterLockProtectsSweeps Sweepstakes

August 16, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Being prepared in case of a natural disaster isn’t something that’s always on a family’s mind…but it should be! From forest fires to floods and earthquakes to severe storms, there’s no way of knowing what kind of unexpected event might cause damage to irreplaceable items. That’s why having a home safe is a must, and the SentrySafe SFW123TTC Extra Large Digital Alarm Fire Safe is my personal top pick for keeping important documents and items secure in case of emergency. But what should go into that safe? Personally, the four items in this video are ones that I think should always be kept secured, yet ready to grab when needed.

What items would you most want to protect during a natural disaster? Until August 31, sharing your answer to this question on Twitter has some great benefits! Tweet about what items you’d protect in an emergency using the hashtag #MasterLockProtectsSweeps and Master Lock will donate $1 to the American Red Cross. And as an added bonus, you’ll be entered to win one of five great Master Lock prize packs too! [Read more…]

Take Some Time to Enjoy Unique Canadian Entertainment on Netflix this July

July 20, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

July is my favourite month to celebrate all things Canada, not just because of Canada Day but also because it’s such a great time to enjoy the many unique delights Canada has to offer! Whether I’m sitting in the back yard sipping a Caesar, heading out on a road trip to explore my province or taking part in a local festival, there’s just so much to love about Canada in the summer!

With the boys out of school so that our family has more time to relax, July is also a great month to enjoy some of the best television shows and movies with a Canadian connection. While we have lots of our own programs created right here in Canada, we also have hit actors, stellar writers and creative comics all hailing from the Great White North. And Netflix has plenty of Canadian content to help you enjoy a lazy summer day! [Read more…]

New Netflix Series’ for Kids Provide Action-Packed Summer Fun #StreamTeam

June 28, 2016 by Kathryn 1 Comment

As far as I’m concerned, summer should be all about having fun, from active days spent swimming, running and playing outside to lazy days relaxing indoors and watching a favourite show. Today is my boys’ last day of school for the year and I’m already anticipating all the fun we’re going to have over the next two months together!

As usual, part of that fun will include some family television time with Netflix! The company has so many fun exclusive shows for kids, including the brand new Voltron: Legendary Defender series! My space-loving boys were immediately caught up in the story of the five space explorers that discovered Voltron and then learned to control the massive weapon to defend the universe. As usual, DreamWorks has put together a thrill ride of adventure and laughs that the entire family will enjoy watching. [Read more…]

Keep Your Family’s Summer Productive with 4 Easy Tips from Church & Dwight

June 14, 2016 by Kathryn 22 Comments

Summer is my favourite season of the year, and part of that is because my boys are done school! I love spending time with them but if I’m not careful, we can sometimes fall into a pattern of just wasting our days away without really accomplishing anything. That’s why this year I’m taking steps to make sure that my boys and I still have some productivity even in the lazy days of summer. Luckily for me, these four tips from Church & Dwight are the perfect place to start!

Encourage your children to get off their phones and get outside! In the summer, your kids have no excuse not to run around in the backyard and burn off excess energy. Use this time to get to that huge pile of dishes or laundry that has been piling up. To clean all those dirty clothes and remove the grass stains your kids drag in, why not use Arm & Hammer™ Plus OxiClean™ Cold Water Power Paks, an inexpensive and reliable product that will leave your kids clothes looking as good as new.
Stay healthy! Between soccer practice, summer camp and swim lessons, summer often means eating quick on-the-go meals. Take L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™, a complete multivitamin that any kid will love, to ensure your children are getting all of their essential nutrients!
Keep a routine! Ensure you and your children keep a routine during the summer months even if you’ve turned off the alarm clock. Sleeping in and staying up late are great, but will lead to unproductive days. Getting your children excited about boring tasks, like brushing their teeth and completing household chores, will help your children keep a routine during the summer. Arm & Hammer Kid’s Spinbrush and Orajel Flouride and Flouride-Free Toothpastes that tastes great and comes in popular characters such as My Little Pony, Mario, Spiderman and PAW Patrol to get them brushing all summer long…because Mom knows when brushing is fun, it gets done.
Get the kids to help with some chores! Having an extra set of hands around the house during the summer can be helpful. Talk with your kids and see what type of chores they can help with – emptying the dishwasher and setting the table are easy tasks that can give you back a few minutes of your day. Having kids fold the laundry is also a great help, and you can trust what they are folding will receive a better overall clean with OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover Powder – which boosts your detergent power to get out even the toughest stains.

We’ve already got a lot of fun planned for our summer vacation over the next two months, but we’ll also have a lot of free time at home. With these tips, I know that we’ll reach September feeling happy, healthy and fulfilled. And that’s the best sign of a summer well spent!

Trying to Teach Kids Life Lessons? On Netflix Canada, There’s an “Ep” for That! #StreamTeam

May 16, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

With both my boys in grade school, I’m always amazed to see how much they’re learning every day. Benjamin has almost mastered reading and has a great grasp of basic math concepts, while Zackary has started learning multiplication, division and paragraph structure. Yet some of the most important skills and lessons my boys have to learn are ones that are never taught in a classroom. From the importance of being honest to dealing with peer pressure, finding ways to explain and develop my boys’ life skills is no easy task!

Luckily, with Netflix, there’s an “ep” for that! Some of the most popular children’s programs on Netflix Canada are also ones that can help kids learn valuable life lessons. Wondering what episodes are best suited to your child’s needs? Here’s some suggestions to help you get started!

For Younger Kids

Sibling Rivalry – Watch The Hive Ep. S1E1: Babee’s Room

Buzzabee and Rubee compete over who Babee (their new sibling) gets to room with. Mom and dad must explain to Buzzabee and Rubee that Babee needs to grow up before she can share a room. [Read more…]

Tips from Duracell Canada for #EmergencyPreparednessWeek Can Help Keep Your Family Safe-Giveaway

May 2, 2016 by Kathryn 179 Comments

The first week of May here in Saskatchewan is a week of sunshine, blue skies and gloriously warm temperatures. With such beautiful weather, I can’t help but feel like nothing in the world could go wrong. But the first week of May is also Emergency Preparedness Week, a time to make sure that your house and family are ready for the unexpected. If you’re not sure where to start, Duracell Canada has a handy checklist and some tips just for you! Print them out and make sure you’re ready for anything!

I didn’t realize until I read through this list just how many emergency items we needed to add to our house. And the items we did have weren’t conveniently packed together. Instead, batteries, bandages and non-perishible food were in different places on different stories of the house…not the best situation in case of an emergency! That’s why I’m making it my mission to assemble a proper emergency kit for my household over the next seven days. [Read more…]