Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit - Swimming in Family Friendly Adventure by Mark Sissons

Xanna and Marina can’t resist mugging for the camera with me. Grinning, clapping, and performing aerobatic tricks on cue, they frolic six times a day in their private pool with groups of delighted tourists. Rescued as infants off the coast of Uruguay, these two fun-loving sea lions, along with over a dozen playful dolphins, are the most popular attractions at Vallarta Adventures, Riviera Nayarit’s premier adventure travel operator.

Renowned for its unbroken string of beaches, quaint seaside villages and luxury resorts ringing the stunning Bay of Bandares just a few minutes north of Puerto Vallarta’s International Airport, Riviera Nayarit is also a growing centre of family friendly outdoor adventure on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Along with getting up close and personal with some of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures, including whales, your clients can go snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding and even zip-lining in the mountainous tropical forests that command breathtaking views of the Bay and beyond.

Outdoor adventure specialists
With a dedicated staff of guides and animal trainers from seventeen different countries, including Canada, Vallarta Adventures is one of the region’s most versatile adventure tour companies. “I don’t know anywhere else in the world where you can choose from the variety of outdoor experiences that we offer under one roof”, says PR director Gareth Price. “Our trainers try to give interaction with sea lions and dolphins more of a personal touch and make it more of an educational experience.”

Trainers like Nahako Hayashi from Nagano, Japan, who coaches Xanna and Marina’s interactive aquatic performance. “Although I’m an oceanographer and biologist by training,” she explains, “I chose to become a sea lion and dolphin trainer because it allows me to bring people and animals closer together, resulting in greater emotional contact.”

I certainly receive an enthusiastic welcome from the half dozen dolphins I swim with that afternoon in their Olympic size pool. I’ve signed up for the Signature Dolphin Swim (USD$149) – an hour of in which you can touch, feed, play, learn and swim with these remarkably intelligent sea mammals. Among my group are three generations of a family from Minnesota, and Sudbury Ontario’s Rod Ogrady, visiting PV for the first time with his wife Tracey and their teenage daughter, Halley. “Hanging onto the dolphin’s fins while it raced around the pool was my favourite part,” gushes Halley. “I had my own pet boogie board!”

Rhythms of the night
That evening, the Ogradys plan to take in Rhythms of the Night, Vallarta Adventure’s most popular attraction. For USD $89, visitors can enjoy a scenic sunset cruise across Banderas Bay to the isolated cove of Las Caletas. Only accessible by sea, this former home of legendary Hollywood director John Huston operates by day as a private beach club and spa. After sunset it transforms completely, and guests are treated to an elaborate dinner lit by over 2000 candles and torches, followed by a contemporary dance show performed in a pyramid-shaped amphitheater.

Jungle gym
The next morning, I join a dozen fellow eco-adventurers for a speedboat ride to Boca de Tomatlan, a secluded beach at the edge of the jungle on the southern shores of Banderas Bay. There, we board 4×4 Unimogs for the 2000-foot climb to base camp in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

We then ride mules higher into the sub-tropical forest, before clipping into a series of thrilling zip lines, rappelling down waterfalls and splashing through streams and natural river pools that form Vallarta Adventures’ Outdoor Adventure Circuit. With the highest and longest zip lines in Mexico, this exhilarating experience is often called a canopy tour on steroids.

Whale of a time
My final Riviera Nayarit adventures is a catamaran cruise to snorkel and kayak through the rocky caverns and archways of the Marietas Islands, a protected marine sanctuary that is home to many species of wildlife. En route, we watch giant humpback whales soar into the air, flicking their enormous tail fins as if in greeting as they plunge back to sea. Each year from mid-December to the end of March, the waters off the coast of Riviera Nayarit offer some of the most spectacular whale watching opportunities in the world.

Wild dolphins also appear, playfully racing alongside our boat, providing a rare opportunity to observe these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. I’m tempted to dive into the crystal clear waters of the Pacific and hitch a ride on one of their dorsal fins. It would certainly be a perfect way to end a memorable weekend in Mexico’s newest outdoor adventure paradise.

Getting there
Westjet offers four non-stop flights a week to Puerto Vallarta from Edmonton and Calgary. Air Canada flies daily from Vancouver and Calgary. Mexicana flies daily from Vancouver via Mexico City. And Alaska Airlines runs daily flights from Vancouver via Seattle or L.A.

Where to stay
I was a guest of Villa del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort and Spa, an all-inclusive oceanfront five-star property located just 20 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. For more info, visit www.villagroupresorts.com/resorts/villa-del-palmar-flamingos

Special agents rates
Travel agents registered with Vallarta Adventures will receive special rates when booking any of their tours and activities. For more info, visit www.vallarta-adventures.com or call toll free 1-888-303-2653. For more about Riviera Narayit’s attractions, visit

Here Comes the Sun…and with it a Childcare Conundrum! by Leanne Hume

Here It comes…summer vacation!! And with it early evenings spent sitting on the stoop eating watermelon, lazy afternoons at the park… dog days at the beach… and… wait a minute…don’t you still have to go to work?
How do you solve the summer childcare crunch, creatively and in such a way that “summer” does not become synonymous with “stress”?

Check out FIVE fast tips to try when crunching your calendar …
1) Camp. Yup, there is good old fashioned sleep away camp. (No! not like that movie) or perhaps a specifically tailored day camp. Talk to your kids!! Find out if they are interested and WHAT they are interested in. There is a HUGE variety of fantastic camps to choose from nowadays; bible camp, cultural camp, bike camp, art camp, outdoor adventure camp, marine biology camp, soccer camp, theatre camp and the list goes on forever. The MOST important thing when choosing a camp is making sure your child actually wants to be there. Camp Counselors will tell you kids who don’t want to be at camp can make it miserable for those who do. The next thing to look at are dates and times. Does it work with you work schedule. This is not a cheap option and it probably isn’t a whole summer type of option. It IS something that kids can look forward to and something perhaps (if you start now) you could sign up for in tandem with one of your child’s friends. This could create a possible partner for a nanny share or some other solution for the remainder of the summer. Also, be sure not to sign your children up for consecutive weeks if the camp is not designed to accommodate that. If the itinerary is going to be repeated, coming back for a second session will be no fun for your kids, or the counselors.

2) A Babysitting Co-op. Before school lets out (or even before other parents start signing their kids up for camp) find out who else is in the same “I need babysitting boat” as you. Set up a co-op that works for everyone. Maybe you get all the kids this week (when you are on vacation ) and then you switch. Perhaps you can work a shorter week, and you and another couple of families can trade off days. Sit down and figure out possible solutions. If you do decide to approach your employer to ask for some flexibility, do so with a clear proposal. Arrive with a list reasons why it will be beneficial to their business, and a number of different ways it could work.

3) Mother’s Helper. If you are able to work from home you can hire a fairly young (and affordable) student to help you bear the brunt of the child wrangling. You would still be around and available in case of emergency. Advertise at the local Junior High. Speak to teachers about students they would recommend, or approach neighbors’ about what their (tween/teen age) kids are doing for the summer months. Remember to make sure your mother’s helper has his or her CPR/First Aid, and babysitters course under their belt.

4) Summer Nanny, or Nanny Share. YES, it is possible! You can hire a professional super short term summer nanny. If you decide to do a nanny share remember that one family needs to be financially and contractually responsible. Contact your local reputable agency (Usually before the end of April or at least by Mid May) and let them know what you are looking for. Important, unless you are hiring a nanny as an employee (paying their taxes, EI, for stat holidays etc.) nannies are only permitted to undertake childcare related duties. That means driving kids, kids laundry, meals for kids, maintaining the stroller, car seats, high chair etc. If you want family meal prep, family laundry, vacuuming or more… you will have to jump through some Revenue Canada Hoops! Be sure if you are embarking on a nanny share that both families have similar priorities. Compare notes with regards to the way you both envision an ideal summer day for your kids. Remember interviewing and finding a great nanny does take a little time.

5) Find family…and Farm Out. This one is a pretty traditional Summer Vacation solution. Take as many holidays as you can, and then fill up the rest of your calendar with willing (and able) relatives. Two weeks with Gran and Pop, one week with Oma at the farm and then on to Auntie Beth. Family friends can sometimes step up to the plate too, and help out where they happen to be available (especially retired ones)

The number one stress for families looking for childcare, is time pressure. If you start talking, listening and looking now…you will alleviate the desperation that can creep in as June 30th rears is sunny head. Ask friends what they have done, are going to do, talk to preschool teachers, daycare workers, and even parents at the park what their plans are. Remember, “Unreasonable haste is the direct road to error.” I hope that your path to finding your summer childcare solution is sunny, safe and completely stress free.

Leanne Hume is first and foremost a mother who has been a on call nanny, a placement nanny, a teacher and now is in charge of Nanny Recruiting for Nannies on Call in Vancouver.
leanne@nanniesoncall.com

In business since 2001 Nannies on Call provides flexible, quality options to families looking for superior childcare. Nannies on Call offers Full Time, Regular Part Time, Short Term, and On Call service all over the entire Lower Mainland, Whistler and in Calgary.
www.nanniesoncall.com

The Nanny - Her Role, Responsibilities & Reason for Ranting

Being a nanny is a career choice created in a grey zone. In Canada the role has been blurred significantly with the introduction of the “Live In Caregiver Program.” Expectations on both the part of Employers and Nannies alike vary greatly. This miscommunication is the main cause for the high rate of disgruntled Nannies, disappointed employers and abandoned childcare contracts.

There are as many different childcare positions as there are childcare workers. Roles (and rates of pay) can range from, first time supervised babysitter to Executive Nanny. Titles that get thrown about with abandon can also include Mother’s Helper, Au Pair, Nursery/Maternity Nurse, Nanny, Night Nanny, Child minder, Nanny/Personal Assistant, or Nanny/Housekeeper and on and on and on. In North America we seem to flail about defining and redefining the job as each interview presents itself. How confusing!!

So without further adieu lets have a long hard look at what is expected of a “Nanny” and in turn …what a nanny expects!

What is Nanny Territory?

What is a nanny (usually) responsible for?
1) First and foremost the safety, care and well being of your children.
2) That the house is as clean when she leaves as when she arrived. (This means if you had a huge dinner party and there are mountains of dishes all over…those dishes are not her responsibility. It also means it should not take to two hours to clean up the toys and playdough after she has gone)
Then if time permits… she is responsible for;
3)Children’s Laundry
4) Children’s rooms/tidy/organized/notes left if things are running low
5)Children’s snacks and meals. (Possibly cooking and freezing/labeling baby food)
6)Maintenance, cleaning & care of children’s belongings (highchair, crib, toys, stroller etc.)

* This type of contract would be said to include “only childcare related duties.”

What is generally considered “Light Housekeeping?”
1)Unloading/Loading the dishwasher
2)Occasional family laundry, including folding & putting away.
3)General tidying/straightening
4)Sweeping/light mopping/wiping of kitchen
5)Taking out Garbage/Recycling
6)Refilling water coolers, sugar/salt containers, etc.

What is definitely EXTRA?
1)Vacuuming
2)Dusting
3)Meal Prep for family
4) Errands (mail, groceries, picking up dry cleaning, etc)
5)Ironing
6) Any additional specific tasks (ie; wiping down cupboards, sorting closets etc)

What is usually considered completely off limits?
1)Bathrooms
2)Washing the car
3)Heavy duty cleaning (the oven, inside the fridge, flipping mattresses etc.)

What Every Nanny Wants

Moving on to your nannies’ expectations. Most nannies will say that “being treated as if they are a part of the family” is what they are looking for. This seems simple, but it also creates some blurred boundaries. We often ask more from those who are in our immediate family than we would ever reasonably consider asking from a co-worker. A Nanny/Family relationship is intimate and always evolving…it is of utmost importance no matter how close you become with your nanny to always remember that this is her JOB, and to respect that fact.

Nannies also cite families who respect them personally and appreciate the work they do, as being desirable employers. Keep in mind that you should not only respect the nanny, and the job, but also the written contract that has been negotiated. Families who continually to add more and more jobs onto an already negotiated contract are likely to find themselves out a nanny…and quickly. This is one of the most common reasons nannies give for quitting or choosing not to renegotiate a contract with a family.

The absolute biggest reason given for an unhappy Nanny/Family situation is when a nanny finds her efforts with the children are being undermined or unsupported by the employers. Nannies find it next to impossible to work in an environment when boundaries and rules are changed every time the kids change hands. Nannies and parents need to work as a team. Communication is absolutely key.

MONEY
Nannies do love kids…and great nannies love their families…but they are not doing this for fun. This is a job, and for many a lifelong career. Let’s be honest, a housekeeper in Vancouver makes between $15-$25 an hour. How on earth can anyone think it is okay to have a nanny take care of three children AND do all of the housekeeping for less than $15 an hour? This may sound absurd…but it’s not unusual. The counter point to this rant is…. what employer is going to pay someone with the absolute bare minimum of experience and NO training $20 an hour?? Okay everyone… let’s take a wee step back and perhaps into the other person’s shoes.

PAY RATES

Live out nannies can make anywhere from $10-$35 an hour….seriously. This is a pretty broad range.
What factors affect how much a nanny should make?
Have a look at the following variables;
1) How many children?
2) Ages of the children?
3)How much experience/training/education the nanny has.
4) Does the nanny drive?
5)Availability/Flexibility
6) Additional Tasks (see list at top)
7) Type of contract…Part Time/Full Time/Nanny Share …Independant contractor or Employee?
8)How badly the family wants that particular nanny.
9)Where you live
10) Are there any extra perks/bonuses being offered (use of a car, a trip home paid for, paid vacation with the family)

A Couple of Examples…

An entry level nanny (two years experience, two verified positive references, CPR/First Aid, maybe a childcare workshop or two) working in Vancouver with two children under the age of five, responsible only for duties related to childcare is looking at earning 14-16 an hour (gross)

An executive nanny with 10+ years experience, her ECE, CPR/First Aid, multiple positive references who drives…and is willing to do some specifically negotiated light housekeeping is looking at making 18-23 (gross) an hour for that same job.

TO SUM UP

When negotiating this murky grey zone of roles, rules, responsibilities and eventually resumes…try and keep two very important things in mind.

How would you feel if you were in the other person’s shoes…and two, more often than not you get what you pay for.

Good Luck Nanny Hunting.
By Leanne Hume

Leanne Hume has been a live in, live out and on call nanny and a teacher in
Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Canada, and Fiji. She is first and foremost a Mum and she now works
as the Nanny Recruiter for Nannies on Call Vancouver’s premiere Nanny
Agency.

www.nanniesoncall.com

Mom Friendly Workplaces by Michelle Vandepol

A hot topic for working moms and employers alike is what makes a great mom-friendly workplace. There are things that make a difference and the good news is that you can contribute to nurturing some of them as well. Whether you are looking for a new job or working with your existing one, here are some things to keep in mind.

A mom friendly work place is organized. Meetings are not popping up at the last minute.
The work place hands out realistic work loads. Dumping employees with huge work loads means the incidence of burn out is more likely, as is dealing with needing to leave the office before it’s all done and upping the divide between parents (especially those with small children) and those without.

A mom friendly workplace is a team oriented one. Make sure that you are contributing to this as well. Don’t become indispensable in the sense that you can’t let go of anything. When you’re the control freak in your corner, not letting anyone get close to your duties, you might be setting up a scenario where you are virtually unable to take sick days (for yourself or your kids) or burn-out from the extra load you’ve unwittingly put on yourself.

Even without changing careers it’s possible to make your job more accommodating to your family life. Flex time can take a variety of forms. Here are some scenarios that you can pitch to your boss or negotiate at a future hiring: working a shorter workday to coincide with school hours and cut down daycare costs; working a compressed work week (the same amount of hours over less days); job sharing with another parent; or working traditional hours with the ability to take time off for Pro-D days, school plays, and the like, or work at home if your child is sick.

You don’t have to change how your place of business does business to move to part time yourself. And you don’t have to have mega resources in your corner to do it. Chilliwack mom Stephanie Mosa works as part time hours as an ICU nurse. She acknowledges that it’s a financial sacrifice but she says that by figuring out her personal priorities, she’s managed to have the best of both worlds.

A family friendly job is meant to make your life easier. That said, it might not be easy to get it there, but it’s still worth it. For instance, making a smart switch for you might mean long days going back to school in the short term. Sometimes it means following your heart, especially if that leads you to the same hours as your kids.

Like Mosa; Abbotsford mom, Marlo Jensen is a single mom. She explains how she made her career choice, “I work in the school system, with special needs kids, I did it for two reasons, I have a son who was diagnosed with autism 6 years ago and loved the difference a person could make in child’s life… that reason, and also not wanting to be stuck in an office until dinner time, missing my boys helped in making the decision… great hours, summers and all school breaks off, what could be wrong with that??”

The ones who best know where to find the resources to equip working mothers are other working mothers. They know the pressures to take work home or pick up another shift to help out at work and they know the rush your family is creating for you at home. Talk to your friends who are in the same boat and your co-workers to get insight on how they juggle their work and family loads and to keep yourselves accountable to working towards balance.

Don’t worry that by requesting mom friendly workplace practices, you are being too demanding. Remember that you have skills that your work place benefits from. They want to keep you. Help them be recognized for being mom-friendly. It’s good business for them too.

Michelle Vandepol is the author of Mother Mexico.

How to Make the Perfect Travel Recipe

Being a busy working mom there is so many things to juggle and one of those is the family vacation. It is usually left to mom to determine schedules, find the best flights, the best accommodations and a destination that will make the whole family happy.

As we all know this is an incredibly time consuming activity, we are please to announce the launch of our new section Travel Recipes. We will be bringing you travel stories, destination ideas and tips and tricks on making the whole experience a lot easier.