Travel Recipes – Sneaking Away (just for a weekend) – Let Us Know Your Favourite Parent Getaway Destinations

We love to travel and we love to travel with our kids but sometimes it is so fun to sneak away, just the two of us, for a few days. I know it seems impossible; the thought of getting away with your respective other for a weekend but it can be done and is so very important for your relationship. The trick I realized is to make it a destination that is easy to get to and is a one-stop shop (spa, pool, restaurants, entertainment) where you potentially don’t even need your car once you arrive. So for the next few months Connect Moms is going to be featuring just these type of parent getaway destinations and what to do when you arrive. Other than sleep!

Our first will be the Tulalip Resort in Washington State. Stay tuned and send us your stories about great parent getaways! Just email sarah@connectmoms.com.

momcafe Event – Friday, November 27

Don’t miss the next Vancouver momcafe event.

“Moms behind the headlines”

Tamara Taggart and Andrea Vance – inspiration to all families

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Two successful Vancouver moms come into our living rooms every day – on TV and on the coffee table. Balancing work and family is a challenge in itself but these moms in the media are doing it all while being in the spotlight too!

Join momcafé on Friday, November 27 at the Watermark Restaurant on Kits Beach for an inspirational talk by Tamara Taggart, CTV Weathercaster and Andrea Vance, Publisher of WestCoast Families, who will share their personal stories on how they balance work, family and fame.

Tamara Taggart, CTV Weathercaster

www.ctv.ca

Tamara Taggart is a third generation Vancouverite and a mom to two toddlers, Beckett and Zoë. For the past eight years Tamara has been CTV’s Weathercaster during CTV News at Five, CTV News at Six and CTV News at 11:30. Tamara was also the host of the HGTV Canada’s hit show Love It or Lose It and has appeared as a journalist in feature films and several television series. This past summer, she was the only Canadian broadcaster picked out of thousands to co-host with Regis Philbin of Live! With Regis and Kelly in New York City. Recently, Tamara and two close friends opened EiO: A Kids Store in Vancouver. She also volunteers her time to The Kettle Friendship Society, Pacific Parkland Foundation and the Developmental Disabilities Association.

Andrea Vance, Publisher of WestCoast Families www.westcoastfamilies.com

Andrea Vance is the Publisher of WestCoast Families, and considered the local expert on family living in the Lower Mainland. With a previous career in Financial Analysis, Andrea applied her business knowledge to publishing and has grown WestCoast Families magazine to be the premier local parenting publication. She also has regular spots on Global TV, has done numerous interviews on radio and TV, and helps manage another family business. Since becoming a Mom herself, Andrea has started another journey in life, learning a new balance between home and work as an entrepreneur.

What: momcafé event

“Moms behind the headlines”

Who: Tamara Taggart, CTV Weathercaster

www.ctv.ca

Andrea Vance, Publisher of WestCoast Families www.westcoastfamilies.com

When: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Where: Watermark Restaurant

Kits Beach, 1305 Arbutus Street, Vancouver

Cost: $36.00 non-members – $32.00 members (plus GST)
Onsite childcare is available for an additional fee.

To register: www.momcafenetwork.com/register

A portion of the event proceeds will go to support Dress for Success

momcafé is connecting and inspiring like-minded moms by providing an interesting and supportive forum in which moms can learn from each other and share ideas. This is achieved through regular meetings, quarterly seminars and access to online resources. momcafé is designed to support the dialogue between educated, savvy women who are striving to balance their lives. www.momcafenetwork.com

Senior Research Analyst – Temporary – WorkSafeBC

WorkSafeBC has an opportunity for a temporary full time Senior Research Analyst. Here is an overview of the opportunity:
The senior research analyst provides business intelligence, analytical advice, and decision support to an assigned area by researching, analyzing, and evaluating a wide variety of issues; e.g., occupational health and safety; financial risk exposure and disability management; identifying trends, emerging issues, and opportunities of business significance; developing recommendations and developing/improving data models and targeting methods; conducting and/or coordinating various research/program evaluation projects. For the full posting visit the WorkSafeBC Careers website or for the direct link, click here.

Early Childhood Educator – YWCA Vancouver

The YWCA Vancouver has an opportunity for an Early Childhood Educator. The following is an overview of the job responsibilities and qualifications. For full details visit the YWCA Vancouver website at www.ywcavan.org.

The Early Childhood Educators will be responsible for providing child care under supervision, greeting parents and children when they arrivie, supporting the children in their daily routines, supervising the children and planning and implementing activities.

Qualifications:

Ideally candidates will have an Early Childhood Education (ECE) certification, however related work experience will be considered.
For every 35 casual hrs worked, a five day fitness pass will be given.

Relationship Matters Most

Over the last few years, I have had the privilege of attending presentations by Dr. Gordon Neufeld. I strongly recommend his best-selling book, Hold On to Your Kids. Dr. Neufeld is a world-renowned psychologist whose teachings and theories are sought after by parents, educators, and helping professionals all over the globe. I have been inspired by his findings as a parent, as a teacher and as a family coach, that I would like to share some of his main beliefs. They are simple, powerful and critical.

In his presentation, “Relationship Matters,” Neufeld proposes that when he “joins all of the dots, a picture emerges.” From this picture, he can clearly see that what matters most is the relationship between parent and child.

As parents, we give endless instructions to our children. “Brush your teeth. Make your bed. Be home by 11: 00.” For our children to be receptive to our expectations, they must be attached to us. They must use us as their compass point. If we are not their compass point, we will be faced with resistance. The parent must instill in their children the confidence that “I am your best bet. You can lean on me.” When you are connected to your daughter, she will not become more attached to her friends than to you. She will not blindly adopt the values and beliefs of her peer group. She will not let rejection, disappointment, and pain cripple her into self-doubt and self-rejection. A positive and powerful emotional connection with her “best bet” will protect her heart and allow her to move forward with confidence and compassion.

Dr. Neufeld stresses that it is never too late to foster these attachments. He proposes that there are rituals of relationships that have eroded away in our culture; rituals we can bring back to life. He suggests that we “collect” our children to cultivate relationships. Whether your child is an infant, a toddler, a teenager or an adult, you can cultivate an attachment to them by collecting their eyes – by making eye contact. Warm eyes give an invitation to people to come closer. Once you have collected the eyes, collect a positive nod. Go for the smile. In a friendly way, get into your child’s face. Take the time to collect your children as much as possible. Before you give instructions and make demands, cultivate your relationship and collect before you direct.

Another ritual of attachment is “offer a touch of proximity.” Make contact with your child. Get close to him, touch him, talk to him, engage him, and listen to him. Invite your child to be near you. Instill in him the idea that he is always welcome to exist in your presence. He needs to know that you want him with you.

“Bridge what could divide” is another ritual that Dr. Neufeld proposes. I believe that this ritual is a fabulous practice for parents who travel with work or who permanently reside at a different address. What it means is, even if parent and child have to separate, the parent encourages the child to focus on the return. For example, “I have to go away for work but I will look forward to seeing you again in only 5 sleeps.” Goodbye rituals instill confidence in the relationship and in the child’s belief that the parent is their anchor, even if they are not at home at the time.

A final, powerful ritual for parents is “to provide more for your child than what he needs.” Always give more time, understanding, appreciation, respect, support and love than what your child pursues. Hug harder and enable your child to rest in their attachment to you. Restless children are the children who begin yearning for connection in all the wrong places. Dr. Neufeld’s young grandson was quoted as saying, “ When you hug me like that, I feel like I can fly.”

(Copyright September, 2009 Jane Richards – Family First Coaching)

Jane Richards is a Certified Family Coach accredited by The Academy for Family Coach Training. She is also an Elementary School Teacher and Mom to 2 girls and a boy, ages 9, 12 and 14 yrs. To contact Jane, you can call Family First Coaching 778-340-0036 or email jane@familyfirstcoaching.ca