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Britax Recalls Car Seats for Choking Hazard

Britax Child Safety Inc. is recalling roughly 60,000 car seats. Children can bite off a piece of the harness pad and choke on it.

The recall is for car seat models Boulevard 70-G3, Advocate 70-G3 and Pavilion 70-G3 models sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The seats were made with softer chest pad material that can be bitten off and chewed by children, U.S. regulators said. The seats in the recall were made from June 11 to August 31.

In a letter to the U.S. government, Britax reports that three children bit off pieces and gagged on them.

Britax will send new pads for free to those who registered seats while others are able to call (888) 427-4829 for replacement pads.

The seats can be used without the pads until replacement parts are sent.

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amw in the city

Life With a Baby: Building Resilience in Parents and Children Conference

Healthy Start, Healthy Future, the not-for-profit organization that runs the successful Life With A Baby (LWAB) program is holding a one day conference called Building Resilience in Parents and Children on November 28, 2012 in Markham, Ontario.

The conference is focused on building resilience, raising confident kids, helping young children achieve their potential and practical tips and strategies for positive parenting. Participants will:

  • Learn how to build resilience in themselves and their children or the children they care for
  • Gain a better understanding of self-regulation, resilience and attachment in young children
  • Better understand parenting behaviours cross-culturally
  • Take away information about evidence-based parenting programs available in GTA
  • Acquire practical tips and strategies for positive parenting

Keynote Speakers: Dr. Stuart Shanker, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at York University; and Jennifer Kolari, Child and Family Therapist, one of the nation’s leading parenting experts and the founder of Connected Parenting.

Date/Time: Wednesday, November 28th, 2012. Daytime and evening sessions available.

Location: Delta Markham Hotel, 50 East Valhalla Drive, Markham (Hwy 7 and Hwy 404)

More details and for tickets, visit: http://www.lifewithababy.com/Conference

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lifestyle

5 Tips to Spice Up Your Bedroom

Finding time to spend with your husband can be pretty difficult when you’re juggling kids, housework and a job, but finding the energy to really spend time with your husband can be even harder. Thanks to exhaustion, ruts and libidos, sex just isn’t the same after kids.

In fact, Netmums reported that 78% of couples have less sex now that they’ve had children. But you don’t have to be a part of the statistic.

It’s time to take charge and get the two of you back in the mood and back in bed. Use these five tips to spice up your bedroom and help you break out of your sexual rut!

1. Maximize your morning time.

Save time by showering together in the morning and share a few intimate moments together before the day has really begun. This is a great way to not only conserve water, but to also get in a quickie. Help your husband get suds up and then surprise him with so much more.

You’ll feel closer, refreshed and a little more awake then usual.

2. Introduce something new.

It might be time to introduce some props if you have found that your sack sessions have become a little lack luster and a whole lot of routine. Introducing a toy into your bedroom can help reignite things and achieve all sorts of new sensations that the two of you may have never explored before. Hop over to Adam and Eve and pick out a toy that you and your husband can both enjoy and surprise him the next time you’re going at it. If you’re looking for a little inspiration, you can try watching adult videos together. From there, you can role play and try out new positions and themes.

3. Change of scenery.

Getting a hotel room is a great idea, but isn’t always feasible especially when you have kids who need be looked after. Minimize the cost of date night by staying in. Drop the kids off with a neighbor, family member or baby sitter and then head back home. Have a glass of wine and make out like teenagers on your couch and then see which rooms in your house can spark your interest. Hit up every room but the bedroom. Changing a small component of your sex life, like location, can make the big difference so make the most of it!

4. Change of Dress.

Let’s face it, we don’t dress up like we used to. Date night gets a little attention, but on the whole, it’s just not the same. And it’s understandable, but even if we don’t have time for the full face of make up, heels and skirts during the day, it doesn’t mean we can’t put on something sexy at night. Put the sweats down and go to bed in a sexy piece of lingerie. It takes literally the same amount of time and it will make you feel more confident and empowered. And of course your husband won’t mind. It’s a powerful way to say, “Let’s do this,” without ever saying a word.

5. Rise and shine.

As mentioned above, you should try to share a shower together, but if you have a little more time, try for morning sex! Shift your bedroom antics to the morning and you’ll find that you have twice as much energy throughout the day and are in a much better mood. You’re also much more likely to have sex, whereas at night you both might be too tired to do anything. Set your clocks for 30 minutes earlier than you usually wake up and spend it talking, cuddling and spoiling each other. The time change might be tough, but it will certainly be worth it.

Need more tips to spice up your sex life? Check out our 15 tips to get in the mood.

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lifestyle

Hope: Lost Without It or False Reality?

What is hope?

Are we lost without it?

Or is it false reality we’re creating?

Without hope, there is nothing. It’s the only thing to live for. Even when faced with a grim reality, a glimmer of hope can be enough to keep us going. But are we fooling ourselves?

When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.” ~Author Unknown

Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.  ~Christopher Reeve

Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops… at all.  ~Emily Dickinson

Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.  ~George Iles

God puts rainbows in the clouds so that each of us – in the dreariest and most dreaded moments – can see a possibility of hope.  ~Maya Angelou

The wings of hope carry us, soaring high above the driving winds of life.  ~Ana Jacob

But then I think, what about false hope? Is it better to be realistic at times? I don’t like having a pessimistic view but sometimes you do have to face the harsh reality. So what happens to hope then? Is hope there just to soothe us, make us feel better?

Hope deceives more men than cunning does.  ~Vauvenargues, Reflections and Maxims, 1746

Hope, deceitful as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.  ~François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Hope is the only universal liar who never loses his reputation for veracity.  ~Robert G. Ingersoll

Things which you do not hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.  ~Titus Maccius Plautus

In reality, hope is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs man’s torments.  ~Friedrich Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human, 1878

 

I can related to both sides of hope… Although sometimes you have to face the harsh reality, hope can be all you have when you have nothing else.  Even through the darkness, there is light.

If you knew that hope and false hope were paths to the same destination, which one would you choose?

 

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jack o lanterns, halloween
Halloween

DIY Halloween Costume: Scream and Zombie

I’m not crafty by any means.

Last year I bought a sewing machine, thinking I’d make the boys their costumes. But when they decided to go dressed up as superheros, there was no way I could sew their costumes from scratch.

This Halloween, I got a little brave…

The Destroyer wanted to be the guy from the movie Scream while the Boss chose to dress up as a zombie. I figured, easy enough – right?

Well, after a little effort (okay, an afternoon’s worth), I did it!

DIY Halloween Costume: Scream and Zombie

 

SCREAM/ GRIM REAPER

I bought two metres of black fabric in a light cotton/polyester. I took measurements from a hoodie and drew up a quick pattern for the body, sleeves and hoodie. I sewed the robe together quite quickly – although don’t look at the seams closely as they are quite crooked!

ZOMBIE

For this costume, I used an old, worn-out pair of pants and a long sleeve shirt. I bought some mesh fabric from the dollar store actually, in the Halloween aisle! I used it to glue – yes, with hot glue – onto the pants and shirt.  With a red marker, I coloured some of the holes in, and underneath on the pants and shirt.

The boys aren’t allowed to wear masks to school so I had to paint their faces… lightly though because I’m afraid of a reaction from the make-up.

 

 

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jack o lanterns, halloween
parenting

Safety Tips for Kids on Halloween

Halloween is a fun time, especially for kids who are going out trick-or-treating.

But safety should always come first so make sure to read these safety tips before your kids head out to score candy:

1. Kids should wear properly fitted costumes that are bright and non-flammable.

2. Use reflective tape on their costume or back so they can be seen in the dark.

3. Use face make-up instead of a mask. Make sure to test the make-up first to avoid skin irritation. If your child is wearing a mask, enlarge the eye openings. When walking, make sure your kids push the mask up on their heads so they can see properly.

4. Only allow kids to visit the front door of well-lit homes.

5. Remind your kids to look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks wherever possible.

6. Kids should always go with an adult or a group of friends.

7. Check all Halloween candy before your child eats them. Don’t allow homemade treats made by strangers to be consumed.

8. Plan a route close to home for your kids and a time to be home.

 halloween safety tips for kids


For kids going alone:

Don’t stop at dark houses.

Don’t go inside a home.

Do carry a flashlight.

Don’t run from house to house – walk.

Do walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Do look both ways before crossing the street.

 

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lifestyle

Gratefulness and Hurricane Sandy

by Sarah Fader

When I was growing up, I would complain to my mother. Perhaps something unpleasant happened, maybe a boy didn’t like me back, or someone didn’t want to be my friend because I was weird. My mom’s reaction was to ask me to make a gratitude list. She would say: “List ten things you’re grateful for.”

This always got me thinking. I had to reach deep into the confines of my brain and pull out ten things that I was lucky to have.

There’s a hurricane going on in New York City right now. Hurricane Sandy has swept us up in a fury. All anyone can talk about is the hurricane and the affect it’s having on our community. While these concerns are valid, I think we need to look at the things that we do have as opposed to the things we don’t.

On that note, I’m going to kick it old school and list ten things that I am grateful to have during this hurricane.

1. I am grateful for my family.

I’m not alone during this scary time. We have each other to talk to, even if we are going stir crazy. I know that I can express my worries to them.

2. I am grateful for my children.

My kids are a ray of optimism amidst this sea of negative media coverage. Ari and Samara don’t know what a hurricane is or its implications. They continue to play oblivious to the chaos that’s going on around us, and that brightens my world.

3. I am grateful to have shelter.

There are many other people around me that had to evacuate their homes. I have a roof over my head. I am thankful for that roof and its ability to keep me safe. My love goes out to the people who had to abandon their roofs and I wish them safety and peace.

4. I am grateful to have food.

We still have working power, and have made due with the food that we have. When I am able, I intend on donating food to shelters that need it.

5. I am grateful for Facebook.

Laugh if you want, but looking at silly images and talking to friends in the virtual universe is helping me to maintain my sanity.

6. I am grateful for my cats.

They are also oblivious to what’s going on, but they are peaceful and snuggly, and a reminder to stay calm.

7. I am grateful for my supportive friends.

My friends and I send each other silly pictures of all the food we’ve stockpiled, especially candy. We laugh and joke about the rations.

8. I am grateful for where I live.

I’m grateful for the fact that we live in a brick building, and we have a basement that doesn’t have shaking windows. I’m reminded of the Three Little Pigs at this time. We’re in the safest option, which is a house made of bricks.

9. I am grateful for this down time.

The hurricane has been a time of reflection; a time to pause and ask myself, what am I doing with my life? What’s working? What can I change to better help myself be more productive and happy?

10. I am grateful for the chance to write this article.

Thank you Maria, for allowing me the opportunity to express my gratitude in words.

What are you grateful for?

 

Sarah Fader blogs about her life on Old School New School Mom. She also runs blog workshops for elementary school children in New York City and provides freelance transcription services for major television networks. She has two beautiful children, Ari and Samara.

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activities

25 Things to Do With Kids on a Rainy Day

Rainy weather shouldn’t stop you from having some fun! A thunderstorm or a rainy day is the perfect time to try a new craft or do fun activities together.

When the kids are bored, bust out this list of 25 Things to Do on a Rainy Day to keep you busy!

  1. Have a dance party.
  2. Do a fun craft. Have a bin full of craft items handy for times like these.
  3. Paint a big picture together.
  4. Dress up in your best outfit (or silly outfits) and take pictures of each other.
  5. Organize your photos into albums.
  6. Get some magazines and let the kids create a collage.
  7. Play a board game.
  8. Read a book.
  9. Do exercises together.
  10. Draw portraits of each other.
  11. Play video games together.
  12. Do crossword puzzles.
  13. Have the kids go through their rooms and find items to donate.
  14. Make play dough from scratch.
  15. Play I Spy.
  16. Let your kids paint your nails and do your makeup; take turns.
  17. Watch old baby videos.
  18. Meditate with the kids – or try to at least.
  19. Look through old photo albums.
  20. Have the kids draw pictures or write letters to a family member or friend and mail them out.
  21. Bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
  22. Set up an indoor scavenger hunt.
  23. Create a scrapbook for each child; have them decorate the cover and add the content.
  24. Watch a movie and make popcorn.
  25. Have a nap!

 

Make sure to check out 50 Things to Do with Kids Outside

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Books & Music

Seven Psychopaths: A Metaphysical Comedy

by Joseph Tiberia

 

Marty (Farrell) is a struggling writer who dreams of finishing his screenplay, “Seven Psychopaths”. Billy (Sam Rockwell) is Marty’s best friend, an unemployed actor and part-time dog thief, who wants to help Marty by any means necessary. All he needs is a little focus and inspiration.

Hans (Christopher Walken) is Billy’s partner in crime: a religious man with a violent past. Charlie (Woody Harrelson) is the gangster whose beloved dog Billy and Hans have just stolen. Charlie is unpredictable and extremely violent and wouldn’t think twice about killing anyone or destroying anything associated with the theft. Marty is going to get all the focus and inspiration he needs, just as long as he lives to tell the tale.

Martin McDonagh creates another soon-to-be virtually loved film as a follow up to his universally loved directorial debut, In Bruges. This time, however, the chew is a little bit more than expected, due to the quirkiness that McDonagh approached to the film, making it about a writer trying to get a movie written weaving a screwball gangster black comedy within the fabric of the film.

 

The film’s structure goes by each of the seven psychopaths like chapters – each killer has their own story to tell as well as assist the overall story. I love that it’s a study of Hollywood from a screenwriter’s perspective who is also a director. Essentially the main character is pressured by the studio to give them his next big script after having his last film so successful.

The storyline gets interesting when Farrell, his actor friend (Rockwell) and retired gangster friend (Walken) all go out to the desert and talk about how they hate action movies. Ironically the first half of the film is all action and the second half is nothing but talk (which is exactly what happens in the film!) until the very end.

I didn’t fully appreciate most of the film until much later; it’s one of those movies that gets better when  you watch it a second time.

 

Joseph S. Tiberia is a recent graduate of Adelphi University with a major inVideo/Film Production. He has interned for Half Yard Production and NYC’s Face-Off comedy troupe. He specializes in cinematography freelance work. Joseph is also a movie reviewer for Totalfilmnerd.com. His favorite film of all time is A BitterSweet Life.

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