HRM Parent Blog

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, you know how exciting it be for your kids to spot the big guy!  In the parade, at the mall or other holiday events, there’s a certain thrill to seeing Santa that just doesn’t seem to get old.  The smiles, the giggles and the glow on their faces, are worth any line you have to stand in and make it time well spent in our books!  

To help you find him, here’s a list of places Santa will be in the city this holiday season:

MicMac Mall:  Santa will be in the Bay Court on the 2nd level of the Mall from November 26-December 23rd.   He’ll be there everyday from 12pm-8pm and photos are free and sent to you via email.

Bedford Place Mall:  Visit Santa at the Bedford Place Mall everyday until December 23rd. Monday & Tuesday 2:00pm - 4:00pm, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 6:30pm - 9:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 12:00pm & 2:00pm - 4:00pm, Sundays 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Halifax Shopping Centre:  You’ll find Santa in his big striped chair on the lower level by the escalators.  Personal Cameras are welcome but for a $5 donation to “Operation Winter Warmth” (which provides winter coast to kids in need), you’ll receive a 4x6” print or have your photo emailed to you.  Check him out on Thursdays and Fridays from 3pm -7pm or on Saturdays from 10am-2pm & 3pm-7pm

Sunnyside Mall:  One of our favourite spots to visit Santa during the holidays is at the Sunnyside Mall in Bedford.  Visit him for a free photo (one per child) from Thursday to Sunday until December 23rd.   Hours:  Thursday & Friday 6pm-8pm, Saturday 10am-12:15, 1pm-4pm, Sunday 12pm-2pm, 2:30pm-4pm.

Santa “Claws”:   Don’t forget about your four-legged friends!  The SPCA will host Santa at a variety of locations around the city until December 4th to take pictures with your pets.   For locations, prices and more information click here

Breakfast with Santa:   On Saturday December 10th you can join Santa for breakfast in support of the Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Photos with Santa, face painting, music and more.  Tickets are $10 for kids and $15 for adults.  For more information or for tickets visit www.cfscotia.ca or their facebook page

On the Road:  Find Santa on Quinpool Road every Saturday from 1pm-4pm.  No waiting in line!

Give Him a Call:  Can’t get out to see Santa?  No worries, just call him instead.  That’s right.  Every weeknight from 6pm to 7pm he'll be taking your calls in the C100 studio! Say hi, tell him a story or give him your wish list, he’s all ears until December 23rd.  To speak to Santa call 451-1313 or email santa@c100fm.com. 

Thanks to our Bringing Balance guest blogger, Wendy McCallum for this very special post about a very special month.

Itʼs that time of year again.  My husband grows a “mustache” every November and raises money for prostate cancer.  I use the term “mustache” lightly.  Itʼs more of a spattering of stray hairs -- nothing manly about it, really.  But itʼs all for a great cause, supporting prostate health and research.

In honour of Movember, this post is for all the HRM dads (“mo bros”) out there, and their supportive wives (or as we call them in Movember, “mo sistas”).

Prostate cancer will affect one in seven men in Canada, and is affecting men in their 40ʼs more and more.  It is influenced by a number of factors, at least two of which are within a manʼs control: diet and weight.

Most of us know that being overweight can increase a personʼs risk of developing many types of cancers.  But did you know that, according to a 2007 research study, if you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and are obese, you are also 2.5 times more likely to die from that diagnosis than if you were at a healthy weight?

In addition, a high-saturated fat/low-fibre diet, the type of diet that often leads to an unhealthy weight, is connected to an increased risk of prostate cancer.  The theory is that fat increases a manʼs production of testosterone, which may help prostate cancer cells grow.  Healthy fats, however, may actually do the opposite.

So what can you HRM dads do to reduce your risk?  Lose the spare tire and clean up your diets!  

Here are a few basic, healthy changes to get you started:

• Eat 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day (Do I sound like a broken record on this one yet?).  Keep a log, see how you are doing, and if you are below 5, start including a serving with every snack & meal -- itʼs really that easy to get to 5;

• Increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake, by eating more small cold-water fatty fish, walnuts, tofu, leafy green veggies and colorful produce, and by incorporating healthy plant oils like flax into dressings & dips;

• Even when we are eating a healthy, balanced diet, itʼs tough for us to get enough omega-3, so consider talking to your health care provider about taking a daily omega-3 supplement, such as a good-quality fish oil (donʼt worry, it doesnʼt taste like fish).  The bonus is, this has loads of other great benefits, including supporting cardiovascular health and decreased inflammation;

• Decrease your saturated fat.  Simplest way to do this?  Reduce your animal intake and increase your plant intake.  That means cutting back on meat and high-fat dairy.  Consider going vegetarian a couple of meals a week, and try some non-dairy substitutes once in a while.

• Avoid processed and fast foods as much as possible.  Youʼll reduce calories, saturated fat and harmful additives in the process.  In addition, fresh whole foods naturally contain loads of fibre, while processed and fast foods often donʼt.

These changes will also go a long way towards shedding any excess weight you are carrying around with you.  

If you are interested in growing a “mo” and supporting the cause, check out: http://ca.movember.com

Happy Movember everyone!

Wendy McCallum, LLB, RHN, is passionate about providing busy parents with the tools & support they need to feed their families wholesome food, so everyone can play, learn, and feel better!  She is a mother of two terrific HRM kids, both aged 7.  For information and recipe ideas, visit her website.

The Active Dad

Sporty dads will love a day filled with outdoor fun.  Consider entering the whole family in the Father’s Day Walk in the morning followed by a healthy brunch at his favourite restaurant. Get him a gift certificate from one of the local sporting good stores like the Trail Shop and take him there for a mini-shopping spree in the afternoon.  Finish off the day with something he may not have tired before like rock-climbing or a boxing lesson . 

The Grill Guy 

Sounds like just following our Father’s Day Rib post from yesterday’s guest blogger will be the perfect day for any grilling fans.  Be sure to pick up all the required items (including propane) ingredients, and his drink of choice and he'll be kicking back for a party in the back yard.  To top it off, pick up a plain coloured BBQ apron and get the kids to decorate it with fabric paint to make it an extra special grilling experience.

The Movie Lover

You can never go wrong with a movie marathon, and given the weather we’ve been having lately, staying inside is not out of the question. Pick up a box set of his favourite action series or a few of the top sci-fi flicks and let dad enjoy an afternoon on the couch.  Grab some Big Monkey Kettle Corn at the Halifax Farmer’s market to add to the fun.  

The Sports Fan

Kick off the day by having the whole family dress in the colours of dad’s favourite sports team and head to the back yard for a fun game of football, soccer or shooting hoops.  Spend the rest of the morning at the NS Sports Hall of Fame to learn more about some of our outstanding athletes.  Then surprise dad by booking a court, field or gymnasium for he and his buddies to have a scrimmage or two.  Finally, end the day by handing over the remote to let dad kick back and watch the game. 

"Anyone can give up.  It's the easiest thing in the world to do.  But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's the true strength" ~ Unknown

This week's Time Well Spent is dedicated to one HRM Parent's "Playdate with a Purpose".  A great event that will get you and the kids out of the house for a bit of fun, snacks, crafts and hope for the future.  Sarah is a strong mom with a mission to raise money for MS in support of her husband's recent diagnosis.  Here's a exert from her blog on the event:

I'm Sarah, the mommy behind "Team Daddy". My husband Jeff (Will & Olivia's Daddy) was diagnosed with MS three years ago and since then we've been dealing with its impact on our family and our future.

We are tired of sitting back and letting MS dictate how we live our lives. That's why we're raising $10K for the MS Walk. We can't do it without your help though. Which is why we're inviting you to join in the fun.  On Sunday, May 15th Go Active Kids has generously donated their facility for a Playdate with a Purpose - a fundraiser for Team Daddy.

Bring your kids, your nieces & nephews, your godchildren, your big and little brothers, the kids you babysat when you were a teen, your surrogate kiddos, your grandchildren, the kids next door - heck, we don't care. It's only $5 a kid - you could charter a bus and we'd welcome you at the door with open arms.

In addition to the amazing indoor play structure and toys, we'll have snacks, raffles for awesome prizes, crafts and a lot of hope for a future that's full of more fun than fear.

Please tell your friends to tell their friend, who will tell the mommy she walks with on every Wednesday, who will tell the gals in Strollerfit, who will rave about it at the library, who will mention it at the mall, who will tell the mommies at Costco who will go home and force the daddies to take the kids for the day on May 15th so they can get a pedicure. As they walk out the door without a care in the world the daddy will happily head to Go Active Kids for easy play.

Spending time with the family is even better when it's for a good cause.  Help Team Daddy out this weekend by attending their Playdate with a Purpose, 'like' them on Facebook for updates,  visit their blog or email them at teamdaddyms@gmail.com if you're interested in attending the event.  

We didn’t let the yucky weather stop us today and tucked inside the theatre to see HOP – the newly released family movie about the son of the Easter Bunny.  The girls totally enjoyed it and there were a few good laughs for the adults as well.  If you’re looking for something do this weekend – be sure to check it out.

For the hobby enthusiasts in your house, hop in the car and head to the Shearwater Aviation Museum for the 13th annual Spring Hobby Show.  With aircraft, armor, ship and railway models, a model contest and Lego display, it’s sure not to disappoint. 

As always, check our out ever growing events calendar for other great things to do.

Whatever you and the kids choose to do this weekend - we hope it’s safe and fun!