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Earth Day comes only once a year, but in our neighbourhood many families are making small changes to honour the Earth every day. If your family is looking for inspiration and practical ideas to bring Earth Day home, every day, look no further than Elin Kelsey, an environmental consultant and author. Elin says she was "increasingly worried about the way kids are bombarded with doom and gloom messages about their future," and the result is the fabulous and hopeful Not Your Typical Book About the Environment. Illustrated with cartoons and packed with fascinating information, my own kids couldn't put it down. Come to think of it, neither could I.

I spoke to Elin about making changes big and small, and re-connecting with nature.

Carrie: It feels like there are so many things we could or should be doing to live more sustainably ... can you recommend one or two changes that kids and families could make to get started?

Elin: A super easy thing for kids to do is to pack a "waste free" lunch. Get a reusable bag instead of paper sacks. Buy the big jar of apple sauce rather than individual servings and spoon it into a reusable container. Wrap your sandwich in a cloth napkin. Make yourself bring home all the garbage from your lunch, and you'll be amazed how quickly you can get it down to nothing.

Another easy thing, which lots of kids do already, is to swap video games and DVDs rather than buying new.

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]]>activitiesActivitiesForKidsauthorbookbooksEarth DayEarthDayenvironmentenvironmentalenvironmentalismenvironmentally friendlyEnvironmentallyFriendlyinnovationsinterviewschool lunchesSchoolLunchesCarrie SnyderThu, 22 Apr 2010 06:00:00 ESTNo-Gift Birthday Partieshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/20/no-gift-birthday-parties/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/20/no-gift-birthday-parties/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/20/no-gift-birthday-parties/#commentsFiled under: ,


It is birthday season at our house and our eldest will soon turn nine. He has been planning his party for a month, and already knows the theme (Lego) and the menu (pizza), but this birthday he's been begging for something else, too: "Could my friends bring presents this time?"

My answer is no.

"But why? I would get so many toys!"

Since we started hosting friend parties for the kids' birthdays (around age six), we've chosen to request no gifts. Cards welcome.

Does this seem like an odd and puritanical rule? From the conversations I've shared with friends, I suspect most readers will have a strong response to the idea. You are likely either thinking: Brilliant! I wouldn't have to race out to buy something last-minute for a child I hardly know, and nobody's sad post-cake because his present isn't as cool as someone else's. Or, you are thinking: That poor deprived child! What is wrong with parents these days?

Over the years, we've received phone calls from baffled parents who really really really want to bring a gift, but everyone has so far respected the request (and the kids have received some truly creative homemade cards from their friends).

The principle behind the no-gift party is simple: Our family is trying to live a less wasteful life: less packaging, less greed, less of what we don't really need.

And the way we see it, the best gift of all is the presence of friends--and the party itself.

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]]>birthday partiesBirthdayPartiescharitygiftsparty planningPartyPlanningCarrie SnyderTue, 20 Apr 2010 09:00:00 ESTParenting Advice: Easy to Give, Harder to Takehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/16/parenting-advice/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/16/parenting-advice/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/16/parenting-advice/#commentsFiled under: ,


I'm not an expert, I'm just a parent. I like that line. It's true and it (sort of) gets me off the hook. When this job was first offered to me, I said, well, I love writing and I have four kids, but please don't ask me to give advice. Nobody should presume to give general advice to parents, because every family is different and every child in every family is different.

I stand by that philosophy.

But it turns out that I also quite enjoy giving advice.

Parents are always looking for clues. I know I am. What secret formula of behavior and diet and sleep and discipline will solve the problems that my child is going through, right now? And it's always changing, much like the brand-new infant busts out of the teeny-tiny 0-3-month pajamas before you can blink. Just when you get a handle on the latest stage, the child moves on, leaving the parents to search for more clues.

That's where advice comes in handy: hints, tips, straws to grasp at in moments of need or confusion or transition.

Recently, I've been humbled by my own advice coming around to bite me. It's occurred to me that it's easy to be an expert--but only when your child is not at the stage you're having expert-like feelings about. In the midst of it, whatever it is (night waking; potty training; back-talking), you feel completely incompetent, utterly stumped by the whimsies of human behavior.

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]]>adviceadvice for parentsadvice-columnsAdviceForParentscluesentertainmentexpertshumble pieHumblePienight wakingNightWakingparentingparenting expertparenting expertsParentingExpertParentingExpertspotty trainingPottyTrainingsick kidsSickKidstelevisionCarrie SnyderFri, 16 Apr 2010 11:00:00 ESTHelp Kids Learn by Turning Science Into Magichttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/06/help-kids-learn-by-turning-science-into-magic/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/06/help-kids-learn-by-turning-science-into-magic/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/06/help-kids-learn-by-turning-science-into-magic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I'll confess this without blushing: I'm an artsy mom. Ask me what a poem means and I'm like a dog with a bone. But when it comes to answering those big, science-related questions that all kids ask - Why is the moon out during the day? Why do dogs like bones? - I feel, well, a bit thick, because I don't know why. But guess what: that's okay, at least according to Helaine Becker, author of numerous science books for kids of all ages.

"No one knows everything!" says Becker, who's logged many hours in classrooms bringing science to life. (Her latest book, Magic Up Your Sleeve, uses magic tricks to illuminate scientific principles; my eight-year-old son can't put it down).

Her advice for how parents should approach questions we don't have the knowledge to answer: "Admit that you don't know ... and find out the answer together. Is it something you can look up in a book or online? Or should you test it out by doing an experiment? Teaching your child how to find out information on her own is the best lesson you will ever impart."

Becker also argues passionately that kids need lots of free, unsupervised time to think, explore and do - and to make a mess. "Science is not some big, bad 'E=mc² ARRGH!' Monster. It's simply the 'Art of Curiosity,'' she says.

That's a notion that sounds awfully reassuring to this artsy mom. I can't wait to find out more ...

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]]>bookscuriosityeducationexperimentexperimentsexploreexploringexploring with kidsExploringWithKidslearningmagic tricksMagicTricksoutdoorssciencescience booksscience for kidsScienceBooksScienceForKidsscientificCarrie SnyderTue, 06 Apr 2010 09:00:00 ESTParenting Dilemma: What Do You Tell Kids About the Easter Bunny?http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/02/what-to-tell-kids-about-the-easter-bunny/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/02/what-to-tell-kids-about-the-easter-bunny/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/02/what-to-tell-kids-about-the-easter-bunny/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"Is the Easter Bunny real, or are you the real Easter Bunny?"

"Well... if you believe in the Easter Bunny, then the Easter Bunny is real."

"But I just want to know if the Easter Bunny is you."

She's four years old. And I'll be honest, I haven't got a clue what to say next. My instinct is to tell the truth: Yup, you're right. I'm the Easter Bunny. In a few years, you'll come to know me as the Tooth Fairy. And Santa Claus? Busted. That's me, too.

In fact, the first time the question came up -- years ago, when my eldest was approximately the same age -- I told the truth without hesitating. I wasn't comfortable lying to my kids about anything, even if it was in support of a culturally sanctioned myth and all in good fun.

But something unexpected happened next. The kids (then ages four-ish and three-ish) decided they preferred to believe in the Easter Bunny after all. And even though we all knew we'd had a conversation otherwise, as holidays rolled around the kids continued to refer to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny as characters unto themselves. In other words, they wanted to pretend not to know.

I'm curious: how do other parents handle this question? Does it feel like you're lying to your kids (or choosing not to), or is the issue more complex: about the meaning and wonder of symbolic stories?

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]]>answerscraftseastereaster bunnyeaster candyeaster craftseaster eggsEasterBunnyEasterCandyEasterCraftsEasterEggseggsholidayskidsmythsquestionssanta clausSantaClausspringstoriesCarrie SnyderFri, 02 Apr 2010 10:00:00 ESTHow to Ditch the Diapers and Start Potty Traininghttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/30/how-to-ditch-the-diapers-and-start-potty-training/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/30/how-to-ditch-the-diapers-and-start-potty-training/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/30/how-to-ditch-the-diapers-and-start-potty-training/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If your children are well past diapers, you don't have children, or you feel the urge to shout "TMI!" at your computer screen on a regular basis, please, avert your eyes. This column may not be for you. If, however, you have a small diapered person in your care, and you're wondering, "Is there life after diapers?" do read on.

Cabin Fever is a parent, not an expert. But, I can assure you that there is life after diapers. I call it "Travels with Potty." Glamorous, huh? Still, it's a step above Adventures with Wet Poopy Pants, though unfortunately the two sometimes go hand in hand, to mix metaphors, and to create an unpleasant picture in your mind. Sorry about that.

Before parenthood, few of us could have imagined standing around with fellow adults discussing poop. Birth will do that to a person. Next thing you know, you're studying the contents of a diaper like you've found the Holy Grail. Worse, you're unable to resist the urge to share what you've learned with others. Surprisingly, others are moderately interested, and in return will share their discoveries with you. But only if you've got the ear of a fellow parent. And even then, only if said fellow parent has a child younger than two.

Because by the time a child hits age two, most of us have outgrown our fascination with diapers and their contents. Most of us are more than ready to move on. The question is: how?

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]]>accidentsbaby bjornBabyBjorncommitmentParentDishparentingparentspeepooppotty chairpotty chairspotty trainpotty trainingpotty training methodsPottyChairPottyChairsPottyTrainPottyTrainingPottyTrainingMethodsreadinessunderwearCarrie SnyderTue, 30 Mar 2010 10:30:00 ESTDo We Live in a Child-Intolerant Society?http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/29/do-we-live-in-a-child-intolerant-society/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/29/do-we-live-in-a-child-intolerant-society/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/29/do-we-live-in-a-child-intolerant-society/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cabin Fever reporting live from underneath the seats of our local cinema. The box of popcorn has been dumped. The floor is sticky. The 23-month-old has just discovered that he can crawl under this row to the one behind us. I've just discovered that I can't. And fellow movie-goers are shushing us incessantly.

Whose idea was this? Oh, right. Mine.

It's a matinee movie for kids. I have kids. Two of them love going to the movies (ages eight and seven). One of them thinks Curious George is terrifying (age four). And the last of the lot thinks he's at an exciting darkened playground (the aforementioned toddler). Remind me: Where did I go wrong?

Before my husband and I had kids of our own, but while we were in the honeymoon stage of fantasizing about parenthood, we vowed never ever to torment the childless by bringing our future children to inappropriate venues. Such as: movie theatres, fancy restaurants, and rock concerts. Not surprisingly, we had this conversation at a fancy restaurant while being tormented by someone else's children at the table next to ours, who clearly should have stayed home with a babysitter.

In the nine years hence, we've broken every pledge (if outdoor folk festival counts as rock concert).

Judgment. It's everywhere. And as you judge, so shall you be judged ... mother of four whose smallest has escaped, with squeals of delight, into the dark recesses of a theatre filled with disapproving patrons who hate you right now...

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]]>baby gearBabyGearchild-freechild-friendlychild-intolerantchildrendisciplinejudgementjudgingjudgmentmoviesparentingPrivilegedprivilegesresponsibilitystroller warsStrollerWarsStufftheatertheatretoddlersCarrie SnyderMon, 29 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST3 Tips for Adopting a Better Bedtime Routinehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/25/3-tips-for-adopting-a-better-bedtime-routine/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/25/3-tips-for-adopting-a-better-bedtime-routine/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/25/3-tips-for-adopting-a-better-bedtime-routine/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Bedtime. It can be the best of times, and it can be the worst of times. Often, after a full day of activities together, it cannot come soon enough. But as many parents will tell you, the calming, quiet routines we share with our children as we settle them off to sleep can also be the sweetest moments in the whole day.

Cabin Fever has spent the better part of a decade reading, singing, soothing (and wrangling) a succession of toddlers off to sleep, and though at times it seemed like it would never end, it will. And soon. My youngest turns two in a month. These peaceful, shared moments are fleeting.

Routines change as children grow. The bedtime routine for an infant looks different from the bedtime routine for the toddler, or for the school-aged child. Other factors affect bedtime routines, too. Bedtime is managed differently if one parent is handling it alone, for example; or if the needs of several different age groups must be met.

But no matter what changes, and no matter the variables, the basics of the bedtime routine remain the same. Bedtime falls (roughly) into three distinct stages: the Clean-up, the Winding Down, and the Actually Falling Asleep. Here's how it looks at our house...

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]]>bathtimebedtimebedtime routinebedtime routinesBedtimeRoutineBedtimeRoutinesbookscalmcleanupdiapersnighttimepatientquietreadingroutinesharing a bedroomsharing a roomSharingABedroomSharingARoomsiblingssleepsleep and toddlerssleepingtoddlertoddler btoddler bedtimeCarrie SnyderThu, 25 Mar 2010 10:00:00 ESTThe 10 Best New Picture Books for Springhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/23/the-10-best-new-picture-books-for-spring/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/23/the-10-best-new-picture-books-for-spring/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/23/the-10-best-new-picture-books-for-spring/#commentsFiled under: ,

Every season brings bright new picture books, and Cabin Fever has the great pleasure of choosing from among the riches the very best. With help from my personal focus group of readers (and pre-readers), here's what made our shortlist of top new picture books.

Which Way? by Marthe Jocelyn, with illustrations by Tom Slaughter (Tundra). Simple directional text is complemented by bold illustrations in bright colours. Some pages ask questions: "How do we know which way to go?" My four-year-old loved declaring answers and making choices.

Another book that asks readers to make choices proved universally popular: Hot Rod Hamster, by Cynthia Lord, with pictures by Derek Anderson (Scholastic). A tiny hamster needs a race car built for speed and the junkyard dog customizes the perfect hot rod out of spare parts. "Smooth wheels, stud wheels, driving through the mud wheels... Which would you choose?" My two-year-old was charmed by the adorable hamster; my four-year-old was thrilled when she guessed what the hamster would choose; and my eight-year-old thought it was an awesome way to imagine his own hot rod.

Speaking of eight-year-olds--they're not too old for picture books. Mine isn't even too old for a picture book composed almost entirely of illustration. The Red Scarf, by Anne Villeneuve (Tundra Books), won the 2009 Governor General's Award for Children's Illustration (French language). "'Another gray day,' says Turpin, the taxi driver." Instead, a mysterious red scarf leads him on an unexpected, colourful, and wordless, adventure.

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]]>authorsbedtime storiesBedtimeStoriesbooksbooks for boysbooks for kidsbooks for preschoolersbooks for young childrenBooksForBoysBooksForKidsBooksForPreschoolersBooksForYoungChildrenCanadian authorsCanadian booksCanadianAuthorsCanadianBookschildrens bookschildrens literatureChildrensBooksChildrensLiteraturefairy talesFairyTalesHot Rod HamsterHotRodHamsterillustratorsLessons from Mother EarthLessonsFromMotherEarthNapi Makes a VillageNapiMakesAVillagePetitpicture booksPictureBooksprincessPrincess Pigtoria and the PeaPrincessPigtoriaAndThePeareadingrole modelsrole models for childrenrole models for girlsRoleModelsRoleModelsForChildrenRoleModelsForGirlsspringSpring 2010Spring2010the MonsterThe Pirate and the PenguinThe Red ScarfThePirateAndThePenguinTheRedScarfWhen Stella Was Very Very SmallWhenStellaWasVeryVerySmallWhich WayWhichWayyoung zeusYoungZeusCarrie SnyderTue, 23 Mar 2010 12:05:00 ESTThe Importance of Play Houses for Kidshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/17/play-houses-for-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/17/play-houses-for-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/17/play-houses-for-kids/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With dreams of summer and backyard camp-outs -- and the early spring reality of chilly mud advancing to the doorstep -- the children have requested that Cabin Fever haul out the play tents from the basement. I have a love-hate relationship with these tents, which tend to become catch-alls for blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and, occasionally, children, and which provide us with yet another obstacle course through which to weave. There's nothing like a block-littered structure made of neon fabric, teetering in front of the couch to announce: Kids live here!

I'm glad that kids live here. But I like our scheme of storage bins behind closed cupboard doors, which, after 9 pm, gives the adults in the house the illusion that it is ours. Upon reflection, it occurs to me that the children are doing something similar with their play tents: they are creating a house of their own, filling it with objects that have meaning for them, and staking out their territory.

Play tents are not essential to this favourite childhood game. The most important ingredient is a parental willingness to let go: Let the mess pile up. Let the blanket box be emptied. Let the play happen.

My children have made houses out of blankets and chairs and couch cushions, underneath the dining room table, in the top bunk, and on the carpeted landing halfway up the stairs. The crucial ingredient is containment: space is being marked out and claimed, whether it's beneath a stool at the breakfast bar, or behind a curtain.

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]]>campingcamping indoorsCampingIndoorscleanupcleanup timeCleanupTimecooperationHogwartshousesillusionsimaginationmessplayplay housePlayHouseplaying housePlayingHousesupervisiontentstoysCarrie SnyderWed, 17 Mar 2010 13:00:00 ESTMarch Break Madness: How to Beat Boredomhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/12/march-break-madness-how-to-beat-boredom/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/12/march-break-madness-how-to-beat-boredom/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/12/march-break-madness-how-to-beat-boredom/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hey, there. It's March Break. How are you? More importantly, where are you? If you're reading this, my guess is you're still here. Yup, Cabin Fever is still here, too. We're not in Florida, soaking in vitamin D and splashing in the ocean. We're not even at Grandma's farm. We're right where we usually are: at home. Four children and one mama and no school, no nursery school, no babysitters. Can you hear that alarm going off inside my head? Red alert! Flee the ship! Escape hatch! Escape hatch? Where the heck do we keep the escape hatch?

At our most recent family meeting, we discussed March Break: what would everyone like to do? Read books, said the seven-year-old. Play Lego all day, said the eight-year-old. Mommy time! said the four-year-old. The toddler had no discernible opinion, but as secretary, I put him down as: "Hurrah! I will be able to follow around and torment non-stop the big brother and sisters whom I adore!"

Great ideas, said the parents. What's the plan when you get bored?

Bored? The children gazed at us in bafflement, as if the word was brand-new to them. What is this mysterious bored that you speak of?

It's Monday morning, the first day of our much-anticipated March Break. Oh--you meant that bored. The bored where, still wearing pajamas, the children begin rolling aimlessly on the floor while wrestling each other.

When told to stop, the word is drawled out with a tinge of self-pity: But we're BORED!

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]]>boredbored kidsbored kids ideasBoredKidsBoredKidsIdeasboredomcanadaentertainingentertaining childrenEntertainingChildrenescape hatchEscapeHatcheventsholidayholidayskids off schoolKidsOffSchoolmarch breakMarchBreakmatineemoviesoutingsplayCarrie SnyderFri, 12 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST10 Ways to Teach Your Kids Compassionhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/09/10-ways-to-teach-your-kids-compassion/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/09/10-ways-to-teach-your-kids-compassion/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/09/10-ways-to-teach-your-kids-compassion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Craig Kielburger became famous when, at only twelve years old, he founded a charitable organization to fight child exploitation called Free the Children. Since its humble beginnings in the Kielburger family home in 1995, Free the Children has developed into an international organization that continues to focus on children's rights--and to bring positive change into the lives of the world's most vulnerable children: children of war, children orphaned by natural disaster and disease, and children born into poverty, their futures uncertain.

Most fascinating -- and moving -- is that the goal of this unique organization is to inspire children to discover, develop, and act on their own beliefs. "Children helping children through education," is its tagline.

Big subjects for small people.

But in a new book, The World Needs Your Kid, co-written by Craig and his brother Marc Kielburger, with Shelley Page, the brothers argue that any child has the potential to change the world. And that parents have a big role to play. Written in a light-hearted and easy-to-read style, the book is chockful of practical suggestions that families can easily grab onto and do, while learning and putting into practice the "Three C's": compassion, courage, and community. Some suggestions apply more to older children and teens, and others work for families like ours, with children eight and under.

Cabin Fever urges you to read the book for yourself. But here are our top 10 inspirations from The World Needs Your Kid...

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]]>activismactivistsbeliefscharitychildren helping childrenChildrenHelpingChildrenchorescompassioncompassionate kidsCompassionateKidscraig kielburgerCraigKielburgerfamilyFamily TimeFamilyTimefree the childrenFreeTheChildrenhelpinghelping othershelping outHelpingOthersHelpingOutMarc KielburgerMarcKielburgermealtimemistakesparentingParentingSkillspovertyPovertyEducationprioritiesresponsibilitiesteach kids compassionTeachKidsCompassionThe World Needs Your KidTheWorldNeedsYourKidvolunteevolunteeringvolunteerismvolunteersCarrie SnyderTue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 ESTHappy Helperz: Making Chores More Fun for Kidshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/05/happy-helperz-making-chores-more-fun-for-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/05/happy-helperz-making-chores-more-fun-for-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/05/happy-helperz-making-chores-more-fun-for-kids/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We're all looking for ways to simplify our lives, do more activities together as a family, and to make our homes happy and productive spaces. Heidi Girvan, a former primary-school teacher and mother of three young children, did more than just organize her own house: she created a line of products to help other parents do the same -- while engaging their children in the process.

"All children love to help," Heidi tells Cabin Fever. "It gives them a great sense of independence, accomplishment, and happiness."

There are currently three products in the Happy Helperz toolbox. The Self-Set Placement shows kids how to set the table without assistance (we'll take six, please!). Tidy Toy Labels help kids clean up the playroom. And the Backpack Buddy teaches children how to pack their own belongings.

We asked Heidi: can clean-up time really be fun?

Q: Where did you get the inspiration for Happy Helperz?

A: When I started running a household, I found it much more challenging than running a classroom. I was home with three children under the age of five, and I needed systems and routines to make it until dinner. I realized that if my kids did not participate in the daily chores, I was going to drown in the mundane and redundant tasks. As a former teacher, I was equipped with tools to distract children, and to engage them in tasks that needed to be done. I started employing the same systems that had worked when I was a teacher.

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]]>backpackchoreshappy helpersHappy HelperzHappyHelpersHappyHelperzhelpinghelping outHelpingOuthousehold choresHouseholdChoreslistsorganizingorganizing your homeOrganizingYourHomeplacematsproductstidytidyingtoysCarrie SnyderFri, 05 Mar 2010 15:05:00 ESTSo Your Child Wants to Be a Rock Star? Here's Some Advice...http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/02/john-crossingham-learn-to-speak-music/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/02/john-crossingham-learn-to-speak-music/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/03/02/john-crossingham-learn-to-speak-music/#commentsFiled under: , ,

So, there's a drum kit in your basement, your child's best friend has dragged over an electric guitar and an amp, and your neighbours are shooting you dirty looks. Chances are, you're harboring a budding rock star. And you may have some questions.

"Most parents are petrified about their child wasting their life playing rock 'n roll -- I know mine were!" says John Crossingham, a member of the band Broken Social Scene. He's also a father, and the author of a new book geared toward older children and teens called Learn to Speak Music, which offers step-by-step instructions on how to form a band, write songs, perform live, and record and market an album. (With its groovy illustrations, parents will enjoy it, too.) ParentDish Canada recently talked to John about his own musical path, and about parenting the child who wants to grow up to be a rock star.

Q: When did you start playing music? Did you take lessons, or learn on your own?

A: I started playing music when I was about twelve. I began as a drummer and took lessons for about three years. After that point, natural instincts kind of took over. It's not to say that I didn't have more stuff to learn--I definitely did!--but I just began to feel more comfortable focusing on certain things in my own way. And fortunately, rock music lets you do that. I learned guitar and singing almost entirely from books, observation, and playing along with my favourite albums.

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]]>bandsbooksbooks about musicbooks for kidsBooksAboutMusicBooksForKidsBroken Social SceneBrokenSocialScenedrumsJohn CrossinghamJohnCrossinghamkids and musicKidsAndMusicLearn to Speak MusicLearnToSpeakMusicmusicOwl KidsOwlKidsplaying musicPlayingMusicrock and rollrock starRockAndRollRockStarCarrie SnyderTue, 02 Mar 2010 16:00:00 ESTMake a Cooking Date With Your Childhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/26/teaching-kids-how-to-cook/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/26/teaching-kids-how-to-cook/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/26/teaching-kids-how-to-cook/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Cabin Fever loves to cook. And I want my children to love cooking, too. While they all know how to stir batter, eat chocolate chips off the counter and lick the bowl, I've struggled to find time to involve each of them individually in the preparation of an actual meal. Until a simple plan came to me.

I picked a date and wrote it on the calendar.

Now, each child regularly gets a turn to plan, shop for, and cook a meal with mama. We prepare this meal on the weekend, not on a school night. And Dad pitches in by entertaining the other children. The results of this experiment have been nothing short of fabulous. Some weekends prove too busy, but on less-busy Saturdays or Sundays we're sure to mark a mama-child cooking date on the calendar -- and the kids hold me to it. We rotate from oldest to youngest (and do not include the toddler; my patience has its limits).

So far, we've eaten homemade pizza, "tater" soup and roasted chicken. Twice, we've baked "secret" chocolate cake (beets!). Even the pickiest child is willing to try food she's helped to make. I plan for the meal preparation to last about two hours (much longer than the time I usually allot). We work. We talk. I listen.

And at the end of it all, we eat!

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]]>awesomecookbookcookingdateeatingfunjapanese cookingJapaneseCookingmiso soupMisoSoupriceseaweedsuppersushitogetherCarrie SnyderFri, 26 Feb 2010 15:05:00 ESTMake Every Day a Happy Day With Your Kidshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/24/make-your-own-happy-day-checklist/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/24/make-your-own-happy-day-checklist/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/24/make-your-own-happy-day-checklist/#commentsFiled under: ,

Routines are the glue that stick together the hours and activities in our days. On a good day, Cabin Fever only has to remind her children to do things once. (On a day of amazing fabulosity, I'd never have to remind anyone of anything at all; but that day has yet to come). On not-so-good-days, I'm repeating the same instructions over and over and over, as if I am a crazy person talking to myself, and no one is listening, and we are going to be so late, do you hear what I am saying to you?

This is the usually the point at which I hear myself yelling the following: "Why do I have to yell to get your attention?" Sigh. Not the best way to start the day.

Mornings are when a family most craves and needs routine. Mornings set the tone for the rest of the day. Here is our chance to connect with each other before we set off on our day's separate ventures. Yet there is much that needs doing, in the morning.

Are school bags packed and ready to go? Has homework been completed? Who is dropping off the toddler at nursery school? Is there an unusual appointment on the calendar? Do you want peanut butter and jam on your toast, or cream cheese and apple butter?

We are leaving in nine minutes. You're still wearing your pajamas? Gah!

Cabin Fever has the organizational key: a Happy Day checklist.

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]]>agendacalendarchecklistchecklistschildrenchoresfamilyhappinesshappy day checklisthappy familiesHappyDayChecklistHappyFamilieslistsmorningmorning rushMorningRushmorningspacking lunchesPackingLunchesparentingresponsibilitiesroutineroutinesstress managementStressManagementCarrie SnyderWed, 24 Feb 2010 09:00:00 ESTOlympic Fun at Home: Cooperation Meets Competitionhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/19/olympic-fun-at-home-cooperation-meets-competition/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/19/olympic-fun-at-home-cooperation-meets-competition/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/19/olympic-fun-at-home-cooperation-meets-competition/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A Facebook friend posted yesterday that his four-year-old son was speed skating non-stop in the living room. Apparently, this dad had his finger on a trend, because reports began pouring in from other parents. Pairs figure skating in the dining room. Biathlon upstairs. Hockey (with golf clubs -- yikes! -- on someone's wood floor). And don't forget the couch moguls.

At our house, Cabin Fever has experienced something similar since the opening of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games: the spontaneous eruption of kid-organized competition, indoors (like Vancouver, our winter has been plagued by not enough snow).

Our children are ages eight, seven, four, and 22 months: the eldest are now old enough to "get" the Olympics. And they get it better than plenty of grownups. They see past the commercials and the talk, the hype and the organizational glitches. They see the games. They see the competition. They see the athletes.

And they want to join in.

It's cliched to observe that the Olympics can inspire our children to achieve their dreams. And I'm not sure that's exactly what is going on here. I think it's something purer. Less about achievement, and more about real live fun, about jumping with joyous, unthinking immersion into a game. When I look through my children's eyes, I see that these games are just that: games. The competition is a process as much as a final score.

Do you remember pretending to ice skate in woolen socks across a wood floor?

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]]>awardsbath nightBathNightbiathloncompetitioncooperationFacebookfigure skaingFigureSkaingfungamegameshockeyhomeice skatingIceSkatingmogulsnaggingolympic gamesOlympicGamesolympicsprocessCarrie SnyderFri, 19 Feb 2010 12:00:00 ESTSolo Parenting: Taking the Kids Out to Eathttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/16/solo-parenting-taking-the-kids-out-to-eat/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/16/solo-parenting-taking-the-kids-out-to-eat/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/16/solo-parenting-taking-the-kids-out-to-eat/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's a funny paradox about parenting solo. When my husband goes out in public, minus me and accompanied by all four of our children, he is lauded, praised, and admired.

"What a great dad you are!" "All on your own with four kids! Amazing!" "Mom's morning off, huh?"

Now, when I schlep around town on my own with the four kids, nobody blinks an eye. I'm just another mom. Oddly, this bugs my husband more than me. He is a great dad, and is more than capable of caring for our children by himself, does it often, and doesn't consider himself "special" for doing so.

But here's what I think: the more praise the merrier, and any parent on a solo outing deserves kudos for bravery. Because, let's face it, whether you're a mom or a dad, solo parenting small children in public is a recipe for humble pie. So, why bother? Why take your children on any but the most necessary outings?

Because, believe it or not, public solo parenting can also be a recipe for togetherness and cooperation: trust your kids and they will reward your trust by rising to the occasion. Brace yourself for the unexpected. Cabin Fever is packing the diaper bag and taking four children out to eat. Without dad.

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]]>cabin feverCabinFevercooperationdining outDiningOuteating outEatingOutparentingparenting aloneParentingAloneresponsibilityrestaurantrestaurantssolowaitressCarrie SnyderTue, 16 Feb 2010 15:00:00 ESTBuild Your Own Inuksuk: Official Symbol of the Vancouver 2010 Olympicshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/12/build-your-own-inuksuk-official-symbol-of-the-vancouver-2010-ol/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/12/build-your-own-inuksuk-official-symbol-of-the-vancouver-2010-ol/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/12/build-your-own-inuksuk-official-symbol-of-the-vancouver-2010-ol/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Has your family caught Olympic fever? Ours sure has. The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are taking place right here in Canada, and even though our family won't be travelling to see events live, Cabin Fever plans to mark the occasion in a special way. The official symbol of the Vancouver 2010 Games is the Inuksuk, and to celebrate the opening, we're going to build our own. You can too! Two beautiful books by artist and art educator Mary Wallace provide inspiration and guidance: I is for Inuksuk: An Arctic Celebration, and Make Your Own Inuksuk.

Perhaps you are wondering: what is an Inuksuk? (It's pronounced: Ee-nook-sook). Simply put, an Inuksuk is a stone tower. It can be very large, or very small, or any size in between. And though the shape most associated with the Inuksuk is a human-like form, it can take other shapes, too. For thousands of years, these towers have been built by people living in the Arctic.

Constructed out of available stones, and without adhesive material, an Inuksuk can stand for centuries. On the bare and vast Tundra, the Inuksuk acts as a visual guide, and as a way of communicating important information to others.

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]]>arcticartbookbooksbuildcabin feverCabinFeverCanadaCanada OlympicsCanadaOlympicsCarrie SnyderCarrieSnydercelebrationscementchildrens bookchildrens book reviewchildrens booksChildrensBookChildrensBookReviewChildrensBookscraftcraftsgraniteI is for InuksukIIsForInuksukInukshukInuksuitInuksukInuksuksmakeMake Your Own InuksukMakeYourOwnInuksukMary WallaceMaryWallaceolympic gamesolympic winter gamesOlympicGamesOlympicsOlympicWinterGamespebblespicture bookpicture booksPictureBookPictureBooksstonestonestraditionsvancouvervancouver 2010Vancouver 2010 OlympicsVancouver olympicsVancouver2010Vancouver2010OlympicsVancouverOlympicswinter gameswinter olympicswinter olympics 2010WinterGamesWinterOlympicsWinterOlympics2010Carrie SnyderFri, 12 Feb 2010 14:05:00 ESTHeart-Shaped Valentine's Day Craftshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/09/heart-shaped-valentines-day-crafts/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/09/heart-shaped-valentines-day-crafts/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/02/09/heart-shaped-valentines-day-crafts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I'll admit it: Cabin Fever is not a Craft Queen. But every year our dining room table turns into a factory for mass Valentine production. The children bring home class lists, we clear crafting space and then set about making a Valentine for everyone on the lists, plus teachers, plus a few extras to give to family and friends.

And it's a heck of a lot of fun.

Our family's art cupboard is crammed to overflowing with supplies: construction paper, scrap paper, old magazines and birthday cards from years gone by, trays of watercolours and scraggly-looking paint brushes, yogurt containers, dried-out glue sticks, half-emptied bottles of white glue, tubes of silver sparkles, mostly used sticker sheets, bits of leather and felt, and loose pipe cleaners that are bound to jab a person when she starts digging into the dark recesses where lurk the elusive pair of safety scissors that will actually cut paper. We have crayons and coloured pencils and the odd marker that still has a hint of life in it (and a lid).

There's more, but you get the picture.

It's out of this jumble of raw material that heaps of Valentines will arise. Even if the pink and red construction paper has already been used up...

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]]>art suppliesArtSuppliescardsconstruction paperConstructionPapercraftcraft projectCraft ProjectsCraftProjectCraftProjectscraftscrafts for kidsCraftsForKidsglueholidaykids craftsKidsCraftslollipopsreusingschoolscissorsstickerstapetreatsvalantinesvalentinevalentinesvalentines dayValentines Day craftsValentinesDayValentinesDayCraftsCarrie SnyderTue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST