Family Literacy Day and Wicked Wednesdays

In case you missed it during all of today's Apple-related madness, it is Family Literacy Day.

The event is run by ABC Literacy Canada, and the idea is to "encourage families to read and learn together."

I agree wholeheartedly with the folks at ABC that literacy is about more than just reading books. You can encourage literacy by doing all sorts of things, including following a recipe. I love the way we can organically learn about fractions through baking, too. (I know, that was my nerdy schoolmarm moment of the day.)

Not sure how to mark the occasion? Here's a list of fun activities. Or find a Family Literacy Day activity in your area.

I think my favourite Literacy Day initiative might just be the Munsch at Home contest. Families submitted their own Munsch-inspired stories for a chance to be published with a real-deal Michael Martchenko illustration, and to win personal visits from Munsch both at their home and in their neighbourhood school.

We've got the winning story here.

ABC has all the finalists here.

We weren't really trying to mark the occasion, but I guess we started our Family Literacy Day with a pre-breakfast reading of Captain Underpants. After school today, our caregiver will be cajoling lovingly encouraging Cameron through a couple of pages of homework (due tomorrow). That counts, right? And we'll be reading our routine bedtime stories, likely including favourites by Mo Willems or Oliver Jeffers.

On a slightly different but related topic, I've been noticing a pattern of badness on Wednesdays (not every Wednesday is chock full of Family Literacy Day fun).

I don't mean to suggest that my boys are being "bad" on Wednesdays - it's more that we're all hitting a bump of midweek fatigue that leads to tears on Wednesdays evenings.

The kids even cry sometimes, too.

But seriously, we've all been through quite a bit of school- and work-week busyness by Wednesdays, when the weekend still feels quite a way off. Sitting on the bunkbeds last week, Cam drying tears about something I can no longer recall, I proposed that we start a new Wednesday tradition called "Wicked Wednesdays." (We're predictably alliterative about these things, having already had "Friday Fun" in place for a while.)

We've had stomach flu ripping through our house this week, so I'll be happy if we can mark our inaugural Wicked Wednesday with a minimum of vomit. However, the "deal" is that if the kids already have their pajamas on WHEN I GET HOME AT 5:30, we can have a movie night and a "snacky dinner" in the living room. For some reason, this break in routine has the kids pretty excited.

I'm all about parenting by gimmick if it makes the evening a little more fun and bedtime come a little sooner.

So in between our Family Literacy Day reading, we'll be taking a brief (90 minute) break to watch a movie. I won't give away what it will be other than to say it will likely be part of a series that rhymes with Czar Pores.

If you're also looking for a way to get through Wednesday, I hope you just might find a little help in the Munsch stories, or copy our lower-brow movie plan.

Never underestimate the power of a group of moms with cupcakes

Like many parents, when Susana Molinolo first heard the news of Haiti's devastating earthquake, she could barely comprehend the destruction or stand to see the images on television and in the newspapers.

Almost immediately, though, the co-chair of Bowmore Public School's parent council felt that some sort of school fundraiser was needed, so she contacted fellow parent council mom Nancy Botelho for support. Remembering the brisk cupcakes sales at the school's winter concert, they quickly settled on the simple concept "Cupcakes for Haiti."

Really, this blog post should be entitled "Never underestimate the power of a group of social-media savvy moms with cupcakes." Because when Susana emailed Rachel Muir, senior designer at Top Drawer Creative, she had a poster back within an hour that was soon used to replace profile pics on Twitter and Facebook, helping the event go viral.

Meanwhile, Susana had started emailing other Bowmore parents, former colleagues, neighbours, etc. asking for support and for bakers to come forward. Late last week a colourful array of cupcakes were piling up at Susana's home. On Saturday, at the sale outside the house she shares with husband Brian Gahan and their 3- and 5-year-olds, people purchased cupcakes for prices ranging from $2 a piece to (wait for it...) $437.50. (The high-priced cupcakes were part of a box from Desmond and Beatrice that was auctioned.)

The event has raised $9800 for Medecins sans Frontieres, and that donation will be matched by the Canadian International Development Agency. Some funds are still trickling in, and all in all Molinolo estimates this bake sale will likely raise a total of $20,000.

Here's how one friend Russell Gienapp described the event:

On one small patch of front lawn in the east end of Toronto, on a chilly Saturday, $9800 was raised for Haiti relief. What Susana Molinolo sold were just cupcakes (don't get me wrong they were yummy). What the people who bought them ate was a symbol of community building and the ability of people to come together for a... much-needed cause without a lot of glitzy pomp. Simple, effective and every neighborhood could do something like this.

To see more pics from Cupcakes for Haiti, check out Susana's twitter feed. She's also written about the event on her blog.

Susana and her volunteers exemplify the difference a group of motivated people can make with simple actions and a lot of heart.

Copy this concept!

A Grade 1 perspective on all-day kindergarten

His father and I were talking about the gradual roll-out of all-day kindergarten in Ontario this morning, when Cameron, ever nosy, asked, "What are you talking about?"

I explained that there would soon be all-day kindergarten in some Ontario schools, and that it might be available at our school by the time Alister, now 2, enters schools.

"I don't think that's a very good idea," said Cameron. "That's too long."

I proceeded to carry on about how part of the day would be very play-based, and about leveled-playing fields and about how not every family can afford a nanny or a really good daycare. In other words: blah, blah, blah, blah and blah.

Cameron's answer?

"I can't let that happen to my brother. I CARE about him!"

What's good about "bad parenting"

Is it good to be a "bad parent?"

If any of us were actually talking about true and utter neglect of our children, physical or emotional abuse, or any conduct that consistently fails to meet the needs of a child, then the answer would certainly be no.

But when "bad parenting" is broached in a context such as Andrea Gordon's annual overview of parenting trends, that's simply not what we're dealing with at all.

As Andrea qualifies when she places "bad parenting" under the banner of "what's in," she's addressing parenting "sins" that include "buying non-organic baby food, yelling on occasion or being messy housekeepers." Or rather, the authors, bloggers and other influencers who wave the "bad parenting" flag are talking about these moments of parenting imperfection. And with some irony, given that these very authors and bloggers are thoughtful enough about parenting to write about it.

To me this is about a social and psychic pendulum swing back from the hyperparenting that characterized the past two decades. No longer do I feel the need to discuss at length with other moms the various extra-curricular offerings in the Parks and Rec guide and feel like I failed my child if I lost the speed-dialing lottery on teleregistration day. I won't engage in conversations with that slightly competitive undercurrent about who is enforcing more academic learning outside of school hours. I've matured beyond that and frankly, I never felt comfortable with that sort of thing one-upmomship.

New information about the importance of attachment parenting about 20 years ago collided with an explosion in (often conflicting) parenting advice available on bookstore shelves and at our fingertips on the internet. And if it made many of us a little batty and stressed at the outset of our parenting journeys, maybe it's not so bad that today we're a little more able to share our tough moments.

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Also part of that pendulum swing - plus the reality of a recession - frugality is playing a bigger role in the values we're raising our children with today.

You may also be interested in:

The end of supermom

Ann Douglas's parenting predictions for 2010

Having children makes you think like your parents

Signs of a truce in classroom gender wars

Where should baby sleep now?

If you have a recalled Stork Craft crib, or you're worried generally about a drop-side crib of any make, where should baby sleep while you sort this out?

I asked Valerie Lee, executive director of the Infant and Toddler Safety Association, whether it's safe to put a crib mattress on the floor and simply not use the frame in the intervening time.

"No," said Lee. "A young baby could roll off. If it's against something they could get trapped and suffocate. If it's an older child they can move around. We can not recommend that that's a safe thing to do."

"The only safe place to put a baby or small toddler down is in a crib that meets standards and is in good condition," she said.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you need a new crib today, or even that your baby won't be safe in the crib you own for some time to come.

Lee advised parents to look carefully at the recall details of the Health Canada recall website.

Before throwing out a crib just because it's has a drop-down side, note that the recall only applies to Stork Craft drop-side cribs (some bearing a Fischer-Price logo) with plastic hardware, said Lee.

If the hardware is metal it is not being recalled.

"If parents have one of these cribs but the hardware is in good condition, it is perfectly safe to use while you wait for the repair kit," said Lee.

"Just check it every time you put the baby in the crib and order the repair kit right away."

To do that, you need to call Stork Craft's toll-free line, (1-877-274-0277), which, unsurprisingly, is ringing busy.

In a letter posted to customers at the company’s blog (storkcraft.blogspot.com), Stork Craft manager Adam Segal said the company is currently "working through the initial surge of inquiries and requests at the moment" and their website is experiencing heavy traffic.

They suggest emailing parts@storkcraft.com with the following information, all of which can be found on the bottom right corner of the mattress baseboard: model number of the crib, date of manufacture and country of manufacture. The company also asks parents to include complete shipping information in order to receive a free repair kit that will modify the cribs so the sides are fixed.You can also get more information by checking the company's twitter feed.

If your child is just about ready for a big-kid bed, you may be thinking of making the switch.

There's no precise recommended age, but Health Canada says your child should be at least two. Readiness depends on a number of factors including size of the child compared to the side of the crib, as well as the child's nature. Yours could be the type of child who is an active explorer, as opposed to one who will call for you in the morning before leaving the bed, explains Lee.

These factors, as well as whether or not your child has figured out how to climb or jump out of the crib, should be weighed in the decision.

What about sleeping with you?

The "family bed" is about as politically charged here as Roe V. Wade. Many families don't use cribs at all. I'm setting aside the debate on the merits and safety issues associated with co-sleeping for today and just relaying the official safety information. Please feel welcome share your thoughts in the comments below.

Girls have a right to ice

It's been an important day for Toronto girls who play hockey.

 

Threatening the City of Toronto with a Human Rights complaint, the Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association scored a victory in a nation-wide and decades-long fight for equal access to ice time.

Citing costs of $1 million in ice time rented mostly from private arenas, the organization alleged there was systematic discrimination against girls who play hockey. Traditionally girls hockey leagues have found themselves coming a distant third in priority sequence for access to rinks, after boys' hockey associations and adult men's teams.

My colleague Jennifer Wilson-Speedy, yourhome.ca editor and hockey player, remembers playing at 10 o'clock at night after the local Old Timer's team was finished. Coming after boys and beer leagues? That's simply not acceptable.

And today David Miller agreed.

He said men's leagues would have to move over so the City can address the imbalance.

Good for these girls, and good for the hardworking association president, Ron Baker, who stood up for their rights.

Today's must reads for parents

Do you own a Maclaren stroller? If so, you need to know about a massive recall of about a million Maclaren umbrella strollers. It's kind of a gruesome story, but in the United States, 12 children have had fingers amputated after getting them stuck in the hinges of the strollers. The distributor there is offering to send parents a special hinge-pad cover to make the stroller safe. Meanwhile, Health Canada is trying to reach the manufacturer in Hong Kong to determine if the strollers sold in Canada also have the same defect. Read more to get the list of affected models, including Volo, Triumph and others.

Here are some other developing news stories parents won't want to miss:

A Catholic school board trustee is offering a "bootcamp" for new trustees to outline appropriate expensing habits, among other things. This follows a spending scandal at the Toronto Catholic School Board that involved trustees charging taxpayers for everything from Dairy Queen treats to holidays.

There are 172 Ontario schools slated for closure due to declining enrolment.Yesterday the advocacy group People for Education suggested the empty school should be used to accommodate all-day learning or turned into child and family resource centres.

Academic Pandemic: Does flu get worse on the day of the test? Education reporter Kristin Rushowy looks at whether schools are sending students home at the first sound of cough or sniffle, and whether kids are taking advantage.

In other H1N1 news, parents may be interested to learn the latest on hospital board members and other VIPs who say they are entitled to their pandemic vaccine shots before children five years of age or more. Better news, Ontario received some new swine flu vaccine yesterday, but clinics haven't been extended to any additional groups, including school-aged children. Here's where you can find the latest on vaccine clinic hours.

Downtown Toronto could become a child-free zone Developers showed up at city hall last week to oppose a regulation that would require them to make at least 10 per cent of new condo units family-sized.

A program to help young single moms graduate high school will soon be out of funding. Catherine Porter explores the unique program in her new column.

Check out our latest on the Santa Claus parade!

Top news stories of the day for parents

The mood around H1N1 has shifted this week. It's as though the death of 13-year-old Evan Frustaglio made a light go on for parents all over Ontario. Worried moms and dads across the GTA have flooded vaccine clinics as they opened, prompting York Region to essentially cry uncle late yesterday afternoon with news that the clinics could only hope to vaccinate those currently in line.

Wondering where and when to get your family vaccinated? I've pulled together a list of links to H1N1 vaccine clinic hours at all the public health regions in the GTA. Canada's chief medical office of health, Dr. David Butler-Jones is one of many leading health authorities who express frustration at the number of vaccine myths circulating around the blogosphere and playground circuits. He likens believing that vaccines cause harm to blaming umbrellas for the rain.

I found a good overview of common vaccine myths and why they're not accurate from the Canadian authority, the Public Health Agency of Canada yesterday.

It's also available as part of my list of frequently asked H1N1 questions, including tips on when to call the doctor, how to care for a flu patient, and more.

Parents who think their child has H1N1 should be prepared for a bit of a health-care odyssey. This woman's story of trying to get care for her son, tells the tale.

But it's also important not to panic at every cough (I'm reminding myself this as much as anyone else, because I've got a child home from school with a cough and fever, and it's hard not to worry). Health reporter Joseph Hall's story, No matter what, kids always get the flu, gives us some important direction on when to go to the doctor and when to stay home, but also clarifies the likelihood that if your child has the flu, it is likely H1N1.

Some other news stories not to miss:

'Alarming' weight gain for kids on psych drugs

Catherine Porter's column on the swine flu vaccine and pregnancy

East York flu clinic opens a few hours early to meet demand

Ann Douglas's Mother of All Parenting Blogs on how H1N1 is affecting Canadian parents

Some fun diversions from all this heavy stuff:

How news stories influence Halloween costume choice

Stella McCartney's new line of kids' clothes for the Gap

Today's top news stories for parents

Today is a bit of a big day on the H1N1 story. Sadly, a 13-year-old boy has been confirmed to have succumbed to complications of swine flu.

If you're wondering where to find a clinic in your area, go to our swine flu page and look under "Swine flu Info Links" on the left. Absenteeism from H1N1 is now on the rise in Ontario schools, which is an important indicator of influenza spread.

We've also got an update for pregnant moms. Canada will import 200,000 adjuvant-free H1N1 shots from Australia, rather than wait for our version to make it through our regulatory system. Pregnant women are four times as likely to develop severe complications from swine flu.

Other major news stories you'll want to read:

The 10 least nutritious breakfast cereals Note, they're all the type marketed to kids.

Teenagers at risk for heart disease are on the rise. A two-decade study of teens in the Niagara region of Ontario found that the number with risk factors for heart disease - obesity and high cholesterol - had risen to 21 per cent of all kids in Grade 9.

Price tag for all-day kindergarten rises by $500 million The Ontario government has decided to ignore the Pascal Report's suggestion of using early childhood educators to round out the kindergarten day, and instead put teacher's in charge for the full day. Follow this story on our Early Learning page.

School boards' backers blast 'achievement reform'  They say a bill that would amend the Ontario Education Act would limit the powers of school boards to set education priorities, making those second-fiddle to standardized test results.

New column on women's issues Former environment reporter Catherine Porter has launched a new column. Today she share a little about the juggle between motherhood and work.

A couple of things from yesterday when I was off sick:

Disney will be refunding money to Canadians who purchased Baby Einstein DVDs. That's because it turned out to be such a crock that any form of screen time is good for baby brain development. Talk about a fall from the mom-preneur pedestal for creator Julie Aigner-Clark.

Curriculum examines what puts kids on the street York University has developed lessons plans - including gritty skits performed by students - aimed at busting stereotypes and misconceptions about homelessness.

Some fun diversions:

Parentcentral's Halloween Guide

Fun-filled family events for this week

The Star's Halloween page

Today's top news stories for parents

Have your kids had to miss school or daycare yet this fall because of a cold or flu? Both of mine have had sick days, but luckily, their illnesses have been the minor sort that can be managed with small doses of Advil and large doses of television.

But something we've come to take for granted - in this world of 24-hour pharmacies - is that we'll be able to get the meds we need for our children, when we need them. I guess that's why this story is so shocking:

Angry parents can't believe lack of H1N1 meds for kids  With all the time to anticipate the H1N1 pandemic, these parents are wondering why a solution needed to administer Tamiflu to children is in such short supply.

If you're wondering where your family can get vaccinated, watch our Swine Flu page. I'm adding links to the clinic hours and locations of each public health unit as the information becomes available. Look for it on the left under "Swine flu info links." For up-to-the-minute swine flu news bulletins, please follow me on Twitter.

Yesterday I saw a tweet asking for prayers for a seven-months-pregnant woman in hospital isolation with H1N1. If you're pregnant or know someone who is, you may want to read Why pregnant women need to be at the front of the vaccine line. We've also got an article that looks at how prepared the hospitals are to handle the demand that swine flu may present.

Other news stories you don't want to miss today:

Plan for all-boys school creating controversy  See how opinions are differing on Chris Spence's efforts to improve school performance of boys. To get an idea of how passionately people are reacting, check out the comments on this story.

Quebec English school law quashed A court has overturned legislation that limited immigrants' access to English education.

iPods in the classroom. Should these be confiscated and returned at the end of the school year? Or incorporated into the way material is taught? The Calgary Board of Education is experimenting with the latter.

Barbie needs a kink in her hair Mattel has come out with some new darker-skin Barbies, but critics say the hair isn't what it should be.

Boy named "Chief Play Officer" for Toys "R" Us What do you think of corporations using kids as mini product ambassadors?

How young is too young for a frightening, blood-smeared Halloween? Have you been surprised at the level of Halloween gore in costumes marketed to kids? Check this out.

Other fun diversions:

Some cute, non-gory Halloween costumes

Tell your spouse to vacuum: Couples who do more housework also have more sex

Crazy Halloween decorations for the front lawn

Balloon Boy Halloween costume

Complete Halloween Guide