In her over 15 years working with children, Jennifer realized that as the “first touch” a child would have with any formalized sport system, she was in a unique position. “If I made the experience positive and challenging- and if I focused on broad movement skills instead of specific sport skills – kids started excelling very quickly and were motivated to continue.” She also found that if she made the experience dull and negative, children became unmotivated. Some of the kids would stay in gymnastics – even reach nation team levels – but most would go on to explore other sports. But Jennifer also saw that even kids who didn’t go into competitive sports continued to think of themselves as “athletes”: “Parents reported that they were happy and confident to try new sport programs, climb at the playground and hike with their family.”

Jump Gymnastics’ approach to gymnastics is simple: teach physical literacy rather than gymnastics. “We use developmental gymnastics to teach children physical literacy,” says Jennifer, who believes that Jump’s innovative program gives children ages six months to eight years old the tools they need to be active for their whole lives – regardless of what sports interest them as they get older.

That’s a relief for parents like me who would rather focus on exposing my young daughters to the fun of physical activity rather than trying to make them the next Nadia Komaneci.

And it seems I’m not the only one who likes this philosophy. Opened for business in September 2008, today Jump Gymnastics has 425 children enrolled in its weekly classes and about 500 children go through its facility each week. The gym is so popular that Jennifer plans on opening a second facility before the end of next year.

Although Jump’s focus might not immediately sound like it’s right for “serious” gymnasts, Jennifer and her staff have a gold medal approach when it comes to Jump Gymnastics’s program. All of its teachers exceed industry certification standards and have the knowledge to address your child’s individual development needs. Jump Gymnastics is also the first facility to design its whole curriculum based on Canadian Sport for Life’s Long Term Athlete Development program, designed to support children in being active their whole life.

Looking at trying to register my own kids, I will say that I’m challenged by the schedule organization. Having a two-year-old  and five-year-old mean that I can’t have them in a time slot where they can both go at the same time – or at even one right after each other. Oh well, a schedule can’t please everyone. So registration in a Jump Gymnastics program for my kids may need to wait until after Christmas.

Being a busy mom, Jennifer has also designed Jump Gymnastics to be a welcoming spot for families – especially kids. The best parts of the facility are designed for people under four feet tall. But even if you’re part of the adult set, you’ll still be able to enjoy Jump Gymnastic’s parents lounge and have peace of mind that any days you miss can be made up at another time. But most comforting is that she also knows to trust a parent’s instinct, who know their kids’ interests, fears and strengths.

In addition to the Jump Gymnastics’ core program, the facility offers special services, like a Friday night date night where parents can drop of their kids for three hours as well as birthday party services.

Be sure to register your kids early – especially if you need to coordinate the schedules of more than one child of different ages. Prime spots fill fast.

Jump Gymnastics

101-837 Beatty St., Vancouver, BC | 604.568.9690
www.jumpgymnastics.ca | Twitter: @JumpGym | Facebook

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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.

Not only that, but the founders of Hopscotch Kids are confident that they have the most safe nail polish on the market. Their product is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly and 100% biodegradable.

I love the whimsical names of the colours, inspired by games played by young children: “Heads Up, Seven Up”, “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”, and “Red Rover, Red Rover”, to name a few. My kids especially love wearing the green on their toes.

I admit that I’ve applied the polish to my kids a couple of times and still haven’t used the recommended steps, which include using the buffing pad – I’m impatient and my kids are the same. I’d be curious to know how much better it would be. But for those of you who are short on time, Hopscotch Kids Water Colors dry exceptionally fast, especially since only one coat is required – perfect for kids who are eager to get moving and touch the polish.

I don’t really mind it if they muck up the polish. Applying the polish again is so easy and even if it looks a bit patchy – so what? They’re just kids.

Hopscotch Kids Water Colors Nail Polish sells for $12.99 at Raspberry Kids.

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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.

Not for Long – Children’s and Maternity Consignment Boutique sells name brand clothes (Mexx, Tea Collection, Please Mum, etc.), in new or nearly new condition, at well below retail prices. Located in White Rock, this fabulous store was created by two moms, Laura Woroniecki and Sholome Johnston, who also happen to be neighbours. They have daughters who are 6 months apart and Sholome is pregnant with her second child.

Sholome and Laura had a desire to start a consignment boutique and began talking business back in January 2009. Eight short months later, in September 2009, Not For Long had its grand opening. While still in the construction phase (thanks to their helpful husbands), Laura’s house became the meeting place for prospective consignees. With 18 consignees enlisted by the grand opening, business has grown to ten times that amount in the last 10 months. What began as 100% consignment has now expanded to include new products, some of which are made by local moms. You will find cute barrettes, headbands, bamboo hats, soother clips, bamboo maternity t-shirts, nursing covers, and handmade slings … just to name a few.

From the bright and inviting windows to the extremely organized layout, Not for Long is a store by mothers, for mothers. Each section is organized by size, helping you find that treasure without having to rummage around the whole store. The open layout makes for easy stroller access and allows us moms to see our children at all times. Not for Long also features an enclosed play area to keep the little ones occupied, so we are free to enjoy the shopping experience.

For consignment information visit www.notforlong.ca. Stop by and have a look around, you’ll be sure to find a great steal in a friendly atmosphere.

Not For Long Children’s & Maternity Consignment Boutique

1567 George St., White Rock | www.notforlong.ca

Kendra Gable is the owner of Bullfrogs & Butterflies Photography, a Surrey based photography studio that specializes in maternity, baby and children’s photography.

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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! Broken down into three videos for easy viewing.

Part 1: All-In-One Diapers

Part 2: Pocket Diapers

Part 3: Cloth Diapering Accessories

Key Information Covered

• Overview of all-in-one diapers, pocket diapers and a special hybrid named tini-fit.
• General maintenance and accessories, including detergent, cloth wipes and diaper pail liner

Would love your feedback!

Image provided courtesy of New and Green Baby.

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Our Requirements

Although Whistler is known for its lakes, trails and outdoor beauty, being 36 weeks pregnant left me a bit limited. Knowing that we’d be calling in early nights to put our kids down for bed, our hotel and specifically our room were the most important things since we’d be spending lots of time there. We opted for one of the Pan Pacific locations since we’d stayed at the Vancouver location a few years ago when our second daughter was a baby and enjoyed it.

Tips for Booking

When booking, I recommend calling the hotel directly. Reservations was able to give us some inside information on both of the Whistler Pan Pacific hotels- the pool at Pan Pacific Mountainside was not open and Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre was nearby, plus a continental breakfast and valet parking would be included. The price given to us was also better than anything we had searched online.

Kid-Friendly Amenities

By far the most exciting part of the hotel for my kids was the pool, although not the most ideal space for young children who can’t swim. Intended for adults wanting to get in a few laps, the pool is small and there was no spot for wee ones to just wade in. Be sure to bring water gear.

The hotel doesn’t provide room service (not sure if this is common at Whistler); guests instead can order from a list of take-out or delivery restaurants – not the most convenient option when you’ve got two kids in your room.

Hotel Amenities

We had a terrific northern view of the mountains, along with a perfect line-of-sight for watching some of the village activity.

Our room came with a fabulous, well appointed in-suite kitchen that had basically everything that any chef would want. The room even came with a table that doubled as a desk and dining table, where you could add a leaf and comfortably seat four.

For parents, the spa is a bit on the smaller size and offers just the classic services. Unlike the spectacular Spa Utopia at Vancouver Pan Pacific, this spa has only a few treatment rooms. My pedicure was terrific, but missing the foot soak tubs that you would expect at this price point.

The continental breakfast is as expected: hard-boiled eggs, toast, danishes, cold cuts. They did have cool cups with lids and straws for the kids. Get there early as it gets busy mid-morning.

Around the Hotel

Be sure to take a stroll through the villages while you visit. There seemed to be lots happening between live shows and street performers. The North Village has a really neat playground near the Starbucks, complete with a mountain-inspired climbing structure.

Within a five-minute walk is a recently built Blackcomb Base Adventure Zone. My four-year-old was able to go on three rides, including the Kiss the Sky Bungy Trampoline; my younger one had some fun in the bouncy castle. All in all, I recommend avoiding this section unless you have older kids or want to splurge big on something to kill a couple hours of time.

Bottom Line

Cost is a bit steep but comparable for a hotel of this level: Two nights’ stay in a one-bedroom with kitchen suite, including parking, breakfast and WiFi, costs around $700, plus tax. We probably could have done better in the family-friendly department with more planning and research.

Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre

4299 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, B.C.
www.panpacific.com | (604) 966-5500

Images provided courtesy of Pan Pacific.

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As a school music teacher, I am often asked by families, “What do I ask  a music teacher who I am considering hiring for my children’s lessons?”  Below are the five most important questions that have helped many  families successfully find their best music lessons match!

“What is your music background?”

In other words, does the teacher have formal music school or  post-secondary training?  Some teachers may say that they have a diploma  in music from a recognized college or degree from a university. These can  all great indicators of a strong musician and teacher.

“Can we check two references and see a background check?”

Quality studios or teachers will quickly provide these to you upon  request. Be sure to find out how long students have been with their  teacher and if they are happy with their lessons. Ask them if they have  any concerns with their teacher and what they are. You then have a better  way to see if this is the right teacher for your family. Background checks  are very important as teachers are directly working with children. A  background check is very low cost and should not take any longer than a week or two to get.

“Do you have recitals for your students throughout the year?”

It is important for students to have the opportunity to showcase their  skills. If a student is not comfortable or too shy to perform, the opportunity to sit through a recital of other students can be very motivating. Most music teachers or schools have at least two performance opportunities throughout the year.

“Can we hear a recital?”

Teachers usually encourage potential students and their families to sit through a recital or meet face to face prior to beginning formal lessons.  If you are able to sit through a performance by the teacher or a recital  of their students, you could then ask other parents about the teacher,  policies and anything else you feel is important.

“May I watch the lessons?”

Parents should always be granted access to sit in on any or all of the  lessons whether they are in your home or in a studio. Sitting through  lessons is not only for safety and peace of mind for all parties involved  it also allows parents to learn along with the child and support their  practice efforts.

In an effort to help families find a good private music teacher, Shelley Steele-Gittel, along with her friend Laurie Campbell, founded MusicLessonMatch.com Inc., a free online resource that combines the professional private music teacher’s experience and the perspective of a mom. Shelley is a highly respected and sought after private and school music teacher and enjoys teaching her own little treble maker Violet.

MusiclessonMatch.com Inc is giving a special offer to VancouverMom.ca readers.

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Watch this clip now.

Brands shown in this segment:

• Agoo Apparel (Find out how you can win a $500 shopping spree from Agoo.)
• Pediped Footwear
• Baby Banz bucket hats
• Kushies sunglasses

All products are available in-store or online at Lusso Baby.

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Here’s your chance to win a $500 shopping spree from Agoo Apparel. Adorn one child with a full wardrobe, or pick a few outfits for all your kids – and their cousins too! Scroll down for details!

10 Reasons to You’ll Want to Have Agoo In Your Life

1. Athlete inspired. Agoo is made with fabric and technologies fit for the most active athletes – including your kids.
2. Mom designed. As a busy mom of two, owner and designer JB Owen-Sacalis knows what moms need: clothes for quick diaper changes, clothes that will last and clothes that are functional.
3. Awesome sun protection. Agoo’s clothes have 50+ UV protection.
4. Stain resistant and extremely washable. You can even clean them with a wet wipe if your child spills something on them.
5. Fast drying. Kids can play at the beach, get soaked and be dry in about 30 minutes.
6. Did I say beach? Agoo can double up as swimwear! It’s also resistant chlorine and salt-water.
7. Four-way stretch means that the clothes will move with your kids and still retain its shape.
8. Wick-away fabric to keep your child cool. Even when baby falls asleep in her car seat, Agoo will help keep her from overheating.
9. Terrific base layer. Agoo is perfect for underneath a warmer fleece layer.
10. Agoo is based and designed right here in Vancouver.

Entering is Easy

1. Check out the clothes on AgooKids.com.
2. Visit VancouverMom.ca’s Facebook page and enter a comment, telling us why you like Agoo.
3. For extra entries:
   1. Visit Agoo’s Facebook page and say that you saw this giveaway on VancouverMom.ca.
   2. Tweet this message to your followers (be sure to include @vancouver_mom in your tweet to qualify):
   3. Enter a comment on this article on VancouverMom.ca.

That’s it!

Open only to Canadian residents. Closes on August 2, 2010. Winner will be randomly selected using Random.org.

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Look back through your archive of photographs. In how many did you make it into the frame? I’m in less than 10% of all our family photos because I’m usually the one behind the camera taking the photos. Does this sound familiar?

A study by the Photo Marketing Association in 2007 discovered the majority of digital camera users were women. If Vancouver moms are busy taking the photos, who is taking photos of them? Here are some ways to help you get back into the picture.

Hand the Camera to Someone Else

It sounds simple enough, but in practice it may be harder to do because we forget to, we don’t want to bother or because of any other number of reasons. No matter what your reason is, make the effort to pass the camera onto someone else and step in front of the lens. Just ask your spouse, friends, kids or passerby to snap a few of you with your family.

Create a Self Portrait

When there’s no one around to hand the camera off to, try a self portrait with the kids. You can use a timer or remote to trigger the shutter while the camera is on a steady surface or tripod. Use a wide angle and shoot at arms length or get a self portrait monopod. There is a neat device from Sony called the Party-shot, which will automatically take candid photos for you, so you can be part of the fun you’re trying to capture.

Hire a Professional

The best way to get quality images that will last you a lifetime is to hire a professional photographer to do your family portraits once a year, for Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries or just because. Why not? You deserve it!

Photographs are one of the best ways to revisit the past, so make sure you are part of it. It is not likely that young children will remember a lot of the fun times they’ve had with you while growing up, except through what they’ve seen in photographs. If you’re usually the one behind the camera, make an effort to switch sides once in a while and get in the picture!

Laura Hana is a Vancouver wedding photographer and one of Vancouver’s 50 Essential Portrait Photographers. She is the founder of the OAC Photo Club and Dolcepics.com.

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Chiklit was launched in spring of this year by mom and Ontario Collage of Art graduate Lisa Riley, who has taken the name of her business from her daugher Finley’s nickname. Lisa formerly specialized in photography of babies and children, and is now excited to combine her passion for children with her love of painting. “Going forward I’ll be offering my photography work, but through my themed painting series, and custom nursery murals, I’ll be connecting with kids and their parents in a different way: through our shared sense of delight with the world – its colours, its creatures and its humour” she says.

Her original artwork comes ready to hang and is painted on high quality, two inch deep canvas and this particular series of animals at play are strong on colour and whimsey, perfect for play rooms or above your little one’s bed.

All artwork, originals and competitively priced reproductions, can be purchased on the Chicklit website. Keep an eye out over there for photography to come, and no doubt more cute paintings, Lisa says “Strange and funny ideas continue to flood my brain and with my husband’s support I keep painting, and painting. One thing’s for sure, I crack myself up and I hope that my paintings make others laugh too.”

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