Friday Cheer at the Supermarket

I'm in a really good mood today so there is no jeer. We really don't need one for the supermarket edition do we? I mean we've all been there, or at least seen it: Kids screaming for candy, eating the grapes, dropping jars of  pickles on the floor, performing death defying stunts in the carts - and the parents standing by as if they were watching an infomercial. There's one at every market. No need to go into the gory details. But on the flip side:

Cheers: To the mom and her little one at the local market. Small child sitting quietly and buckled into the cart. She wasn't crying, whining, or trying to wiggle free. Why? Because you made her part of the process. She helped choose the type of cereal, cookies, jam, helped pick the fruit and veggies. When I got close enough I could see a genius touch - a shopping list that had not only the words, but pictures of the items. The little one happily did her big girl job of reading the list with help from the visual aids. Smart move on the part of mommy.


Do you have a shopping do or don't to share? We'd love to hear it.

Five Things the Dad Does Right

The Dad of the house. In ours he's the bread winner, the guy who brings home the bacon. The big cheese. Sometimes he's taken for granted, sometimes he's misunderstood, sometimes he's a thorn in my side. On father's day, I'd like to point out the things he does right. Just this once.




1) He says no and means it. He's strict, but in all the right ways. The safety of our kids is his top priority, and he aims to make sure they grow up to be responsible adults. That's why he says no to breaking curfew, enforces study time, and supervises weekly chores.

2) He gives good advice. He has a few choice bits that the kids will carry forever (mostly because he says them so often there's no way they will ever forget). Always carry extra money - just in case. If you fall down, keep your head up. Admit your mistakes and learn from them. Don't put that in your nose.

3) He's the planner. I'll admit, 98% of the fun family activities we do are because Hubby took the time to plan them. Bike rides to the park, weekend trips out of town, a day at the movies, family vacations - you name it. He works hard, and he likes to spend his down time doing fun things with the kids. He helps make good memories.

4) He's not afraid to get silly. As much as he likes to pretend he's the macho man, he doesn't mind slipping into silly mode. Coincidentally, this always seems to happen at bedtime. My favourite is watching from the bedroom door as Piglet dances his bedtime dance, with daddy's help. It's very hard not to laugh out loud and ruin the moment. His bedtime stories are second to none, and usually end in some sort of melted ice cream catastrophe.

5) We're a good team. Raising kids is a team sport, and if you're going to do it right, you need good team players. No one wants to be left running the plays all alone, and no one wants to work with a ball hog. I think we do a pretty good job of working together, and playing to the strengths of the other. If I fall down on the job, I know he's there to pick up the slack. He's the defense to my offense.

Happy Father's Day, Hubby. I hope you enjoy every kiss, every snuggle, every hand drawn card, and every toast crumb in the bed. You deserve it.

Cheers and Jeers: Playground Edition

Cheers to the moms who were playing with their kids, and took the opportunity to teach them some playground manners. You made sure they took turns, and explained why that was important. You also made sure they were aware of the other children running around, a very good idea. It avoids accidents, and also helps your kids learn to interact with others. Spending time at the playground is a great way for the kids to expend some of that extra energy, but it's also a great place to teach them how to get along with other children. Taking turns and playing fair are lessons that will serve your child well. 

Jeers to the shouting dad. Not only were you screaming like a crazy man at the playground, the kid you were shouting at wasn't even your own, and the incident was entirely your fault. You weren't paying any attention to your toddler as he ran around, and he was trying to climb up the spiral slide as some older kids were trying to slide down. There's was no way that little boy could have known your kid was at the bottom. It's your responsibility to make sure your toddler is safe at the playground. If you were concerned that he would get hurt by the older kids, maybe you should have taken him to the toddler section. Screaming at another child for something that wasn't his fault was just disgusting. I hope you're proud of yourself.

Cheers and Jeers: Waiting Room Edition

Cheers to the dads overheard in the swimming pool waiting area. While watching your kids during their lessons, you discussed your plans with them for the weekend (which included spending time at the new skateboard park) and which movies were entertaining and age appropriate. You also talked about how they were doing in school, and your pride in them was obvious. It's great to see parents take such an active role in their kids lives.



Jeers to the mom in the same waiting area. You couldn't be bothered to watch your pre-schooler as he climbed up and down the bleachers, or ran back and forth in front of the other parents. In fact, the only time you interacted with him at all was when he tried to speak to you. You stopped texting long enough to tell him to "sit down and shut up". Next time, bring something for him to do. A colouring book and crayons would go a long way to help pass the time. Or, heaven forbid, play some games like I Spy, and use the time to have some fun with your child.

Cheers and Jeers: Parked Car Edition

Cheers to the dad parked on the side of Kenmount Road. Too many people drive around town chatting away on their cell phones. Way too many of them have children in the car. You pulled to the side of the road to talk, your children safely buckled up in the back seat. Not only were you keeping the roads and your children safe, you were setting a good example. Good for you!

Jeers to the dad in the mall parking lot last night. Your window was barely cracked as you sat inside smoking. A child seat and "baby on board" sign were clearly visable through the back window. Sure, you didn't have a child in there with you at the time, but your kid would eventually have to get into that stinky, smoky car. Yuck! Do your kid a favor, get outside and smoke. Or better yet, quit.

Have a Yay! or Boo! you want to share? Tell us about it.