Book Recommendation: Pigs to the Rescue

They say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but that's exactly what I did when I ordered Pigs to the Rescue. It looked hilarious, something silly the kids would enjoy.

The Greenstalk family have their share of problems, from a broken down tractor to a kite in a tree. Luckily, they have some very helpful pigs. Did I say luckily? Well, maybe not.

The illustrations in this book add to the hilarity, and the kids love looking for the sneaky snouts and tails that show the pigs are nearby and ready to help. And face it, you've always wanted to shout Pigs to the Rescue!

This is the second book in John Himmelman's "to the rescue" series, falling between Chickens to the Rescue and Cows to the Rescue, though the books stand well on their own. Pigs to the Rescue is recommended for pre-school to grade two, but this is a fun book the whole family will enjoy.

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.

Cheers and Jeers: At the Movies

The weather here in the Capital City has been the pits, so we've been looking for alternate ways to keep the kiddies occupied (and get out of the house ourselves). Seems like everyone is heading to the cinemas to avoid the rain and cold.

Cheers to the parents making movie night family night. You got your kids settled in nice and early, made sure they went to the washroom, and gave them their treats once they were comfortably seated. You kept them entertained until the movie started. When the movie was over you cleaned up your mess, everyone taking their own trash to the exit. You took the time to ask your kids what they liked best about the movie, and laughed together about your favourite parts. It was family movie night done right.


Jeers to the parents who brought the four year old to the evening showing of Pirates of the Caribbean. The movie was much too long and much too late, not to mention inappropriate, for a small child. At first she was merely bored and fidgety. You made no attempt to keep her in her seat, which was probably just as well. Soon she was frightened and started to cry, but still you stayed. Finally, she was tired and whining loudly that she wanted to go home. The movie was just about over when she nodded off in her seat. Next time, why not spend the extra money on a babysitter and rent an age appropriate movie so that your little one can have a fun evening of her own.

Have a movie "do" or "do not" to share? We'd love to hear it.

Curse you, Supermom!

I see this woman every week at my daughter's dance class. She says her name is Gwen, but I think it's an alias, like Clark Kent, or Peter Parker, or George Stroumboulopoulos. She is Supermom.

You probably know her, or someone like her. She's never harried or flustered. She's always on time. Her hair is always perfect. Her shoes always match. She keeps anything you might ever need in her designer tote, like a grown-up version of Dora's backpack.

Supermom, I mean Gwen, is an elementary school teacher. She speaks perfect French. Her children are always clean and well behaved. She wears tailored dress pants and stylish jackets, and none of her clothes have cookie crumbs or dog hairs on them. She volunteers with after school groups, and tutors kids on the weekends. She reads poetry in the waiting room.

And she's thoughtful. At Christmas, she brought treats for all the dance school teachers, complete with handmade name tags. She actually knew all the names. She delivered them in a red riding hood style basket.  

Sitting across the room in my jeans and hoodie, reading the latest Stephen King, it's easy to feel intimidated by Gwen. She's always one step ahead. I study her from behind my book, hoping to learn her secret. If only I had mind reading abilities, or some sort of superpower stealing laser. I want to know all her tricks.

Then our kids come skipping out of class, her perfectly coiffed ballerina and my hip hop girl with the messy ponytail. The hug I get is just as big as hers.

We exchange pleasantries on our way out. Her shiny, just waxed car is parked next to mine. She waves and says "See you next week!" I could really detest her, if only she wasn't so nice.

I bet this is how Lex Lutor feels.

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.