How to Teach Kids the Importance of Giving Back to the Community

April 26, 2017 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

As adults we tend to understand the importance of giving back to the community and the different ways we can go about it. For kids, however, it can be a hard concept to grasp. If you’re looking to teach your children about the importance of giving back, but you’re not sure how to broach the subject in a way that makes it clear for them, then you’ll appreciate these tips.

Create a Family Donation Jar

You can get the ball rolling by involving the whole family in giving back, not just the kids. This shows that contributing to the community is something that every member of the family should take part in, because it’s that important. If you want to be able to give a charitable donation, why not start a family donation jar? [Read more…]

All Kids Get to Play with the Igniting Fitness Possibilities Program at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

January 22, 2016 by Kathryn 34 Comments

With childhood obesity on the rise and outdoor play declining, the importance of physical activity is something that’s been heavily emphasized in recent years. Parents are being made more and more aware of how crucial regular exercise is for their child’s overall health and well-being. And new programs are making it easy for kids to take part in all kinds of different sports and activities. But one of the benefits of physical activity that isn’t discussed nearly as often is the social aspect. And for a child that doesn’t feel confident about their abilities, the fear of being mocked or excluded by peers can be a huge barrier to taking part in any type of sport.

Holland Bloorview X National Bank from Jimmy Lee on Vimeo.

Luckily, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is changing that with the Igniting Fitness Possibilities program. Designed to bring together children of all skill levels, both with disabilities and without, the program helps make physical activity fun for everyone while encouraging social interaction and acceptance at the same time. [Read more…]

Teach Kids to Give Back with These 3 Easy Tips-Giveaway #CleanWater #PGMom

March 4, 2015 by Kathryn 139 Comments

If there’s one life lesson that I want to be sure to teach my boys, it’s that little actions can end up having a big impact on our communities and on the world. Last year, P&G and Walmart partnered to demonstrate that fact with the Clean Water campaign. For each participating P&G product purchased at Walmart, P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water provided one day of clean drinking water to those in impoverished countries. This year the campaign is once again in full swing with a goal to provide 25 million days of clean drinking water to those in need.

Obviously buying my favourite P&G products at Walmart is one of the easiest ways I can make a big difference in a small way, but there are plenty of other occasions when small actions can impact the community and the world. These are three methods I’ve found effective for helping my boys understand that fact.

Community Programs

Both of my boys are participating in the Scouts Canada program for the first time this year, and it has been a great way to get them involved in community initiatives in a fun way. When learning about needs vs. wants to earn a badge, the children decided to choose a charity to support and find a way to contribute. The Regina Food Bank was the charity of choice and to make the boys’ contribution especially meaningful, each was encouraged to bring their favourite non-perishable food to donate. I loved the idea of donating a favourite food because it’s also a way of teaching kids how lucky they are to have favourite foods at home when others don’t even have enough to eat. [Read more…]

Duracell Helps #PowerSmiles on the Holidays-Giveaway #PGMom

December 15, 2014 by Kathryn 229 Comments

No matter what toys are on my boys’ wish list when the holidays roll around, there’s one item that’s always on my wish list…Duracell batteries. At least one or two of the presents my boys receive are sure to need batteries and I can trust Duracell to provide power that lasts all through Christmas. From video game controllers to remote control cars, the most popular toys always seem to be the ones that need batteries!

This year, Duracell teamed up with Hasbro to let me test out one of the hottest toys of the holiday season, along with the Duracell Quantum batteries to power it. The Transformers: Age of Extinction Chomp & Stomp Grimlock is sure to be a favourite with any Transformers fans in the household and with two boys to shop for, this toy was a must on my list! [Read more…]

Help Build a Medical Clinic in Haiti and Enter to Win an iPad Prize Pack with Speroway

April 28, 2012 by Kathryn 4 Comments

I don’t talk about it much but when I was a child, there were times when my family had a hard time making ends meet. I don’t think we were ever really in danger of going hungry, but as a child I felt like we were. Now, as an adult, I know it’s resulted in a bit of a complex where food is concerned. I literally have enough food and water in our house at any given time that my family could survive for a couple of months if need be. That fear of going hungry is something that I still remember and I don’t ever want my children to feel that way.

Speroway, formerly Feed the Children Canada, knows how important it is for children to have the necessities of life: food, clothing, medical care and shelter. It’s not just a physical thing; worrying about having basic needs met places constant stress on a child and makes proper emotional growth very difficult too. That’s why this amazing charity has been helping to nourish both the bodies and the souls of needy children across the globe.

Speroway has so many great programs to assist needy children. The best-known program is probably Feed-A-Child, a campaign that provides food to poverty-stricken children in 32 countries around the world. But Speroway also has a number of other incredible initiatives including its Child Champions program, an Abandoned Baby Centre and the First Nations program. I love the fact that the organization doesn’t just support children in other countries but also provides support to First Nations children right here in Northern Canada! And right now, Speroway is focusing their efforts on building a medical clinic for orphans in Haiti.

Speroway is so excited about their brand new website, Facebook page and campaign for the medical clinic in Haiti that they want you to help them celebrate, so they are hosting an incredible iPad Share & Win giveaway! Just visit the Speroway giveaway page and fill in your name and email address for a chance to win the grand prize of an iPad HD 2012 (16GB), a $500 WaySpa Gift Card, a Cineplex Night Out Gift Pack for 4 and two “Big Kaboodle” combo packs from Mabel’s Labels!

There will also be prizes randomly awarded to entrants every two weeks throughout the giveaway. And to increase your chances of winning, make sure to share your unique URL on Facebook, Twitter and your other social networks, because for every person you refer to the giveaway, you will earn one extra entry. And as an added bonus, you’ll also be helping to spread the word about Speroway’s work in Haiti!

After entering to win this amazing prize, you’ll have the chance to make an optional donation to this important cause and help to ensure that children in Haiti have access to the life-saving medical care that every child deserves. It’s a great way to give back and help support children in need! So enter to win today and don’t forget to check out the new Speroway Facebook page to hear about all the wonderful things that Speroway is doing for children all over the world!