“We want children to reach two life goals,” says Jump Gymnastics owner and director Jennifer Hood. “One: to reach their highest athletic potential… and two: to have the skills and motivation to stay active for life.” For Jennifer and Jump Gymnastics, a child’s highest athletic potential doesn’t necessarily involve gymnastics at all. “For some kids, this will be a school softball team and for others it will be world championships.”

So when Hopscotch Kids Water Colors Nail Polish debuted in Canada a few weeks ago, my ears perked up. What? The same look as nail polish except without the toxic chemicals?

Hopscotch Kids Water Colors is a water-based nail polish that’s free of enough chemicals to make me consider swapping it in for my own nail polish. When I read the list of chemicals (toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, acetone, heavy metals), I am horrified that I ever put conventional nail polish on my daughter.

A few weeks ago, we stopped in at Simpatico Ristorante in Kits for some Greek food. My husband fondly remembered going there as a child with his parents when he lived in the area and thought it would be fun to pass down the experience to our kids.

Going to the pool on Friday evenings has become a Friday night ritual for us. We tend to order fries and burgers from the concession stand, but when I compare the prices (the Whole Foods meal costs $10 less), the variety of menu options and the healthy nature of the meals themselves, it’s no contest: the Whole Foods meal wins hands down. It just requires a tiny bit of planning and foresight – a small price if you’re hell bent on not making dinner.

Getting organized doesn’t necessarily mean buying out IKEA’s entire stock of magazine racks, shelves and baskets. Everyday items that you thought were only good for one or two things can be transformed into ultimate organizing tools all while saving time and money.

Imagination and an open mind are the keys to converting common household items into tools for organization through out the home. Try on these 10 household item transformations in your own home.

Karen Di Venanzo, an Advisor with Sunlife Financial, helps families and business owners put plans in place to protect what really matters.

Checking out the Celebration of Light with the family? Here’s your chance to cross making dinner off your list: enter to win a special picnic dinner for eight courtesy of Whole Foods valued at $72. Whole Foods has created a healthy family-friendly menu designed specifically to enjoy before watching the fireworks. With this much food, you can bring your family and the grandparents and a couple of cousins too!

It seems like children can grow faster than biologically possible … at least to us sorrowful moms who want them to stay babies forever. In the first year of life, a child may wear that cute dress once or twice before it’s unable to fit over that ever-growing noggin. Whether you are unwilling to pay $50 for that adorable dress at Baby Gap or you just couldn’t resist that $50 dress at Baby Gap, children’s consignment stores can be a lifesaver on both fronts.

Welcome to VancouverMom.ca’s first vlog Getting Started With Cloth Diapers!

Below, I walk you through my initial start-up package of cloth diapers, including all the accessories. Special thanks to Karen Randall of New and Green Baby for all her assistance and helpful info!

Are you a knitter or crocheter who can whip up a hat in an evening? Then get your knit on this summer! You’ll be helping to raise awareness about the Period of PURPLE Crying and shaken baby syndrome.