The gift of some time alone for Mother's Day

Best advice this morning in Dave McGinn's article in the Globe and Mail: The Mother's Day gift every woman wants: Time alone.

It might not sit well with young mothers of a first child but Dave is right on for most of the mothers I know. About breakfast in bed, he warns: "Make it with the kids. But let mom sleep in. Don't go crashing in with burnt toast and a giant bowl of Froot Loops at 7 a.m." How thoughtful... and true.

My definition of "time alone" includes outings with my girlfriends!
As the author of both a guide for families and two walking guides for girlfriends (also interesting for guys, I must say), I've always said to the moms I meet: "Give Toronto Fun Places to your partner, and take the rest of the day off with your girlfriends and a copy of Toronto Urban Strolls."

It is not a surprise that today, Toronto Fun Places ranks #2 on Amazon.ca in three categories: Toronto guides, Ontario guides and Canadian Family Travel guides! (Toronto Urban Strolls 1 also ranks #5 in Toronto guides).

And that's why you bring them into the world...

I don't know how this prank can be done but apparently, your teen can mess up with your phone (and I'm not talking about them changing your ring tone). Read the first sentence carefully.

Thanks Shoppers!

This one made me smile alright

This morning on the sidewalk by my local café I saw a toddler refusing to grab his mom's hand, searching instead for his dad's big paw. The young mom was hurt and complained to her two-year old, in a whiny voice: "But it's supposed to be my day!"

By the entrance at Shoppers Drug Mart, there was a pile of "Make MOM Smile" flyers. I thought to myself: "Geez, everyone is trying to get a piece of that pie."

Then I found it. The perfect gift for Mother's Day and it was under $25. I bought it, grabbed Shoppers' flyer, went straight home, and left it on the table for my family, before heading out to meet with some girlfriends. (The Turtles are to keep the cleaning team happy.) Tonight, the cupboards in my kitchen will be Spic and Span.

The weird thing is that my perfect gift was not even listed in the promo flyer. I don't get it! (I'm assuming the one who put it together was not a mom. Or at least, not an experienced one.)

This concept is my gift to all the young moms. ;-)

Our best April Fools gag ever!

Our turn!
After years of fish being taped on our backs by our kids on April 1st, my husband and I came up with the BEST. GAG. EVER. 

Our son was in Grade 6 and his young sister in Grade 2, both going to the same school for the last year, so it was our last chance to do the following.

We both made sure to be home before the kids got back from school, which surprised them. Then, with our best poker faces, we told them their principal had asked us to meet him in his office. "Any idea why?", I asked with a concerned face. Both kids were at loss to come up with an explanation. 

We all hopped in the car and did the 10-min. drive, during which I would grill them to find clues as to why we got the call from the principal. As we got parked in front of the school, I announced that it was their last chance to confess if they had done anything wrong (what a great way to go fishing, by the way!). Still nothing. By that time they were truly perplexed and getting a bit apprehensive.

We feigned getting out of the car... before exclaiming: "April Fools! We're going to the movies." Then we took them out for a burger and an early movie as they tried to wrap their brains around what had just happened.

Good times, good times...

Here's my favourite link to find a movie: cinemaclock.com (The Lego Movie is still going on, we saw this as a family with our teens and all loved it, dad included!)

Here a link to my Pinterest board on more ideas for April Fools.

Terrible Twos at home?

Well, you'll sympathize with this dog owner. Apparently, dogs are people too. Check this clip of a Husky literally saying "no" because he doesn't want to go out.

Can't take your teen to fun places anymore?

The right book at the right time

I'm surrounded by friends living with teens. I have one of my own at home. I remember exactly what it was like to be 15. And I've got to agree with author Michael J. Bradley's book where he emphatically explains: "Yes, your teen is crazy!"

This Christmas, a friend of mine simply could not convince her 14-year-old boy (taller and bigger than she is) to come to the dinner they traditionally have with friends on December 25th. She was devastated. She could certainly not drag him out of the house. She could not bribe him. He took her by surprise. She spent the Holidays mourning the little boy who would follow her everywhere to all the fun places she fancied. 

Tough ride
I had to go through the same kind of mourning when my youngest went from telling me she loved me five times a day to a 24-7 policy of "No Touchie". 

These are mild cases of what parents of teens go through. In my upper-middle class milieu, I've seen a bit of everything: drug problems, drinking problems, high school drop-out, cutting one-self, anorexia, depression, suicide attempt, epic yelling matches...

Bradley's book truly helps makes some sense out of it. He brings lots of concrete cases to our attention, many more extreme than what I have seen around, which he still considers "normal crazy".

The main virtue of his book is probably that it helps you get some distance, not take everything personally and find the motivation to try different ways to deal with your teen. You can't interact with a temporarily insane person the same way you do with a reasonable one.

The book is available in a $10 Kindle version which you can upload on the spot. (Did you know you can install a Kindle app for free on your computer ?)

Top-5 things I retain from the book
• MRIs have proven that our teens' prefrontal cortex (the brain's remote control) doesn't work properly (for the time being, they'll get there eventually).
• Don't ask teens to explain WHY they did something stupid. They can't! And it stresses them even more than it stresses you.
• Peer pressure works for superficial things such as clothes and music but teens get their values mainly from us (they just go dormant for a couple of years).
• How true to ourselves we are is vital. Teens have a very sensitive  "bullshit" detector. If we want to help them become better individuals, we might as well start working on ourselves... and our couples.
• Teens' biggest job is building their identity. Our biggest job is respecting that... while helping them reach age twenty alive.

NOTE: I've created a For teenagers category for this blog where 

I'll keep adding suggestions of teen outings (with or without their parents).

Parents' survival: We're doomed

Small kids are dangerous. Especially if we go through a Zombie apocalypse. 

At last, a blogger who's not afraid to spell it out as it is. As Meredith Morgenstern points out in nerdymindmagazine.com, small kids are slow, they can not be quiet, and they are delicious. 

About zombies and Walking Dead:
See the amazing promo they did at Union Station one week prior to the new Walking Dead season in 2013.

About the photo:

Part of the Subway Station chapter in Toronto Fun Places 5th ed. where I describe all the fun things to see or do within a 10-minute walk of every Toronto subway station. This sculpture is on the grounds of Toronto Centre for the Arts near North York Centre Subway Station.

Back-to-school blues

Last week, many parents of school-age kids felt the sting of back-to-school stress. This week, it was my turn...

I remember where the stress came from when my kids were in elementary school: my own procrastination and denial as I wanted  to hold on to the summer until the end. Reality would kick in on Labour Day evening, when I'd have to face the fact that my kids had outgrown their shoes, that they had nothing clean to wear and that our school supply was scattered all over the house.

By the way, I think yummymummyclub.ca put together a useful line-up of articles to ease back-to-school.

You'd think it gets better, right?
This week, I couldn't believe how close the apple fell from the tree when it was time to drive our 3rd-year university student to his residence. 

We thought he was quite ready. But Friday, when his 10 a.m. doctor's appointment turned out to have a 3 hour delay, and we learned that he only had until 3:30 p.m. to get the keys to his room, we ended up having only one hour to pack... everything! Clothes, sheets, mattress, fridge, kitchenware, personal care items, books, speakers, amplifiers, computer, phone, chargers, extensions, school supplies. Name it. 

As he got in the car, his dad double-checked with him if he had everything. Turned out he had forgotten to pack his guitars... You'd think that the fact he's in the Music program at York, majoring in guitar would have helped him remember that, wouldn't you?

The day before, I helped a friend move her (3rd-year university in Maths) son to his apartment in Waterloo. Before we left Toronto, I heard her ask him to grab "clean stuff to put on the bed". In Waterloo, when she asked him to put the sheets on his bed, he had no sheets, had thought she meant a bed cover, and had forgotten his pillow. 

See? Our job is never done.

This is a photo of what awaited us when we drove our son to his residence on his first year at York
(during the Frosh Week).

A few simple ideas for summer fun

It's all right to slow down
Last year, I wrote an article for kidsaroundcanada.com for parents who might be panicky because they had not fully planned the summer for their kids.

In the second part of the article I came up with a few last-minute suggestions to enjoy the summer.
Easy on the wallet, hardly any planning required. Intrigued? Check Kidding around summer fun.

Urgh! Just saw my first back-to-school TV ad!

Shame on you Crayola! Love the products. Hate your summertime ad at this time of the year. As a result of these premature ads, we'll soon have the nagging feeling summer is over. 

Not yet, people!
There are still 41 days till the end of Labour Day Weekend.

Check out this smart DIY craft I found on Pinterest, to make cheap beach shovels. Then visit the Water Fun section on torontofunplaces.com to find out where to try your new beach toys.

An author on a mission

It will happen to you too!

My little blond guy (who used to accompany me to do research for my guide) is now a 6-foot musician, and my baby girl has turned into a mini version of myself at 16 (but much cuter). And you know what? It will happen to you too!

My wish is for my guide Toronto Fun Places to inspire you to steal some time now and then from your busy schedule to enjoy the ride with your friends and family. believe me, those are the moments that will stick with you for years to come.

Have fun with your loved one!

Nathalie Prezeau

Author/photographer/publisher

Like Toronto Fun Places on Facebook!

Rogues Gallery of Bad Mothers

Not my first born!

Remember how fussy first-time parents get about safety and cleanliness? 

I just found this baby picture of my daughter during a family bowling outing. I'm pretty sure I did not throw away her pacifier... 

To my defence, I want to point out that she's now a healthy 16 year-old.

Speaking of bowling, it looks like it's going to rain this weekend. How about some indoor fun with the kids? Check the list of bowling places on my website. (Note that all the Bowleramas on the list feature the same cover photo but each post gives you information for a specific Bowlerama.)

Like Toronto Fun Places on Facebook!

TOP-10 Cool School Fair Ideas on Pinterest

School fairs made easier with Pinterest
I've been in charge of organizing many school fairs when my kids were in elementary school, and it was always a pleasure. But I knew where to get good ideas.

Magazines websites, moms' blogs, teachers' tips, dollar store escapades, all came to the rescue. But now, thanks to Pinterest, I can collect the ideas I find most interesting, based on my experience "in the trenches", on my board School Fair & Party & Fundraising (updated March 2014) under the account pinterest.com/Nathalie Prezeau.

They are suggestions (relatively simple and inexpensive) which I feel would be a big hit with kids as a School Fair activity or as a classroom project to decorate the school prior to an event. Many ideas would also work for kids parties at home.

Note that you need to have an account with Pinterest to be able to access these links. It's easy and it's free. Simply go to pinterest.com.

My TOP-10 favourite school fair activities with my comments:
(You'll find these activities and more on my board)

• a cardboard labyrinth
• snakes made out of a tie
• Hoola Hoop decoration
• melting wax collective art
• cardboard drive-in theatre
• magnetic fish made out of solitary socks
• helium balloon tent
• recycled plastic igloo
• no-sand box for little cars
• car wash fun

Like Toronto Fun Places on Facebook!

About parking in Toronto: Green P

When I'm not sure where to park around a specific attraction in Toronto, I like to know where's the closest Green P parking lot. You can see them all around the city and they usually are the next best thing (cost wise) to a free street parking spot (unless you're parallel-parking challenged).

 (I saw this sign in NYC last fall. Clever marketing! N.P.)

On their website, you can find a parking lot by address, intersection or venue. Simply go to parking.greenp.com, write down your info and click "Go".

Your starting point (intersection, specific venue or address) will show as a red dot and you'll see all the options marked with a (what else?) green P, with a list on the left hand menu where the options can be sorted by distance or by price.

Click on any green P on the resulting map and a window will pop up with more information such as the number of spaces, height restrictions and a photo of the parking lot so you can recognize it at sight when you get there. Click a link in the window and you will get even more info like the accepted modes of payment and the maximum daily rate.

They even have an app for that! (Updated Nov. 17, 2012)

Summer camp: getting out of our kids' way

On my way to the car, after helping my 15-year old and her friend with their luggages to their summer camp dorm at the Zoo Camp, in Jungle Cat World, Orono, I heard a mom trying to sound detached as she said "OK, bye", to her son, who didn't even look back. She couldn't resist adding a feeble "Have fun!", to no avail.

Our eyes met, and a moment of instant connection, which often happens between mothers, took place. With a smile, the teary-eyed mom (who felt she had a good audience) launched in a tirade about how you make all the search for the perfect camp, pay the big bucks, spend the week preparing everything on the camp's list, drive them, to watch our ungrateful offspring turn their back on us without even a goodbye.

She then said, nodding toward her younger daughter: "I'm gonna head home and hug this one."
Makes you forget why you so badly wanted them to go to camp in the first place, doesn't it?

The reality is, whatever their attitude is prior to camp, they will have a chance to live something out of their ordinary. Something our daily routine could not provide.

To help parents who are a bit anxious about the whole experience, read the great articles by Joanne Kates. Yes, the Joanne Kates who was the food critic for the GLobe for all these years. She's also been the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park since 1989 and she knows a thing or two about camp life and how to help the parents.

Read her articles: Battling the bullies: How I helped curb bullying at my childhood camp and How to cure the homesick summer camper

Check this link for photos of the drop off at Jungle Cat World's Zoo Camp in Orono, from my French version of this blog.

Money saving tips for summer trips

Happy campers
The Globe & Mail has a Saving Money section in which it recently published tips to same money on a summer trip.

As I searched for a link to the article, I came across the online questionnaire they use to gather information. The article was a summary of the 23 comments they got from experienced parents. Check it out! It seems like camping is a favourite.

If you're new at camping, I recommend you try Oastler Lake Provincial Park near Parry Sound. The 3-hour ride from Toronto is very pretty in its last third. The park is small and easy to manage for young families (preferably with kids 5 years and older).

Have you done some social grooming lately?

Social grooming, anyone?
Who knew? It turns out there's more to my guide Toronto Urban Strolls... for girlfriends then a mere reference book to walks around Toronto. It is the perfect tool to fulfill a primal human need vastly neglected lately: the need for bonding.

Thanks to Twitter, I came across a few articles from a great website called Babble (for a new generation of parents). One of them, titled A Different Kind of Playdate, Why adults-ony time is good for the whole family, really appealed to me.

I wrote my latest guide because I saw how most of us dream of long holidays and fancy vacations as if they were the only answer to recharge our batteries. Sometimes, all we need is a little adult timeout with our friends, a couple of hours for a walk and $20 for coffee and a treat in a cute café.
(Phone photo of me with my oldest friend, more than 40 years after we first met...)

Fun idea when visiting Spadina House

Before and after
We visited Spadina House recently. I found a great way to amuse the teens who were accompanying me. 

We took a picture of an old photo of the house, displayed inside, and tried to reproduce it. My young friends had a blast. Here's the result.

(By the way, I had never seen it and knew that it had been fully restored to its state in the 1920s. Well, don't go expecting Art Deco all over. As it was in the 20s still was pretty much Victorian. The decor is splendid!)

Parents need to relax

Relax!
On July 6, Steve Ladurantaye wrote an interesting parenting article in the Globe & Mail titled: Why you should add 'relax' to your to-do list.

If you want a sillier list of suggestions for a more relaxing summer with the kids, read my article It's alright to slow down! on kidsaroundcanada.com.

Why I don't do ratings

I don't do ratings
I just read a review (good review) recently posted on amazon.ca about my guide Toronto Fun Places... for families. In it, the reviewer comments that ratings would have been nice.

I wanted to give some ratings at the beginning. But as I got further into the research for the first edition, dragging along friends and families, I came to realize that some outings I would have rated very high, considering my son's enthusiasm for the place, were not a big hit with some other kids. For example, when we visited an indoor rock climbing place, my son's experience (an outgoing little guy) was totally different from his best friend's, who was really shy and hated having all eyes glued on him as he was trying to reach the bell at the top of the climb. How do you rate this?

It made me realize that ratings are quite arbitrary and that it could actually mislead parents. I chose instead to describe the places in my guides in such a way that parents could figure out if it's suitable for their own children.

I'm hoping parents will add their own ratings to my descriptions in my new website torontofunplaces.com!