100 Kids

We are still trying to teach Margot the value of money. She got a bit fed up with the "Save" and "Spend" idea that we tried last year. Interestingly, it's not that she was spending her money frivolously. Instead, she was trying to save all her allowance and get her parents to buy her extra things like ice cream.

Hmmm...smart cookie.

But last week something new presented itself: 100 Kids Ottawa.

It's basically a charitable event run by kids, for kids. Children who attend are asked to bring $10 from their allowance to give to one of three charities. I emphasize "their" allowance because parents aren't allowed to just give money to the child for the sole purpose of the event. Giving away their own money is supposed to matter to the kids.

Anyways, at the event, three kids each present a charity of their choice. Then all the kids in attendance secretly vote on the three charities and the charity that gets the most votes gets all the money.

Margot really wanted to go, especially because her best friends, E and S, were already going. So we packed our bags and headed to Ottawa City Hall, which is where the event was held.

This was the first inaugural 100 Kids event in Ottawa (similar events have been held elsewhere before). 53 kids** showed up and the kid who organized it (who goes to Margot's school) gave a good speech to start the ball rolling.

If the world were run by children...it would be an interesting place!

 She was followed by the Mayor who gave a very Mayoral-type speech* and then three kids presented their charities, which were:

• Canadian Turkish Heritage Foundation 
• Innovative Community Support Services (supporting those with disabilities)
• Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind

Guess which one won? Hmmm room full of kids... images of cute puppies...the Guide Dog charity of course! But it was a fun event all around and no one seemed disappointed.

Suprisingly, Margot, E, and S each voted for a different charity

They are supposed to hold 100 Kids events every 4 months and Margot says she wants to keep going. If she can keep this up I will be impressed because that will amount to 1/4 of her her current allowance going to charity. Not bad!

* Ottawa's Mayor is a nice guy. Think of the most daddest-dad guy in the world. Then put glasses on that fellow. That's him!

** "100"Kids is the aspirational title!

Heavenly Bagels

I mentioned previously that once a month I take Margot to All Saints Westboro, a nearby Anglican church.

After every visit I make sure to stop in at The Ottawa Bagelshop on the way home where I pick up a dozen or so bagels and some extra creamy cream cheese for a late brunch/early lunch at home.

Ever see someone take a photo of a bagel shop and wonder why? Now you know.

The smell of the store is heavenly (pun intended). It reminds me of when I was a kid. After church my parents used to take my family to a local bakery, Bun King Bakery, in Newmarket and us kids would have so much fun picking out sausage rolls and croissants and other goodies to take home. It's one of my fondest memories.

I hope Margot grows up with a similar memory.

A cynic would say that it's out right bribery. Fortunately I'm not a cynic!

I like how our Bagelshop visit makes our once-a-month visit to All Saints extra special. I love how the routine is always the same. We literally do everything the exact same way every time: we park in the same spot off of Ross Street*; Margot and I have a mini race running to the bagel shop; Margot grabs a few samples of the brie and crackers they have on display (you're supposed to only take one but it's a victimless crime**!) and then I buy poppy seed (for Glosette Girl) and sesame seed (for me) bagels that are fresh out of the wood stove oven. Yum!

But it's not just about the bagels of course. It's the complete package and that includes church. Margot is growing up having conversations about Christianity (and bagels) and I think it's going to make her an interesting person. She will have the same cultural references that I did. Religion to her will be something she has lived and not just something you read about in the newspaper that they do in the Middle East.

Bagels + comic books = kid heaven

I'm sure there's a whole 'nother blog post in there, which I'd love to chat about...but I'm getting a bit peckish.

* One time, Glosette Girl came with us and tried to park on a different street. There was a lot of tears and angry words from Margot believe you me!

** So much for the 8th commandment.

The Dregs of March

It's that time of year. Winter is stumbling along to a slurpy slushy end here in Ottawa. You can feel that spring is just around the corner and there are tantalizing tastes of sunshine but not quite enough to get rid of all the brown snow soiled with dirt (at least I hope it's dirt!).

It's March, my least favourite month of the year (along with January and November). As much as I like the longer days and slightly warmer temperatures, I find March is a hard month. It's too warm for some winter activities, like skating, but too cold for most spring ones.

Worse, there aren't really any holidays at this time of year except for those years when Easter is really early (unless you're a kid or teacher on March Break - lucky Glosette Girl). D'oh.

Still, this past weekend my gang made the most of the weather. We hopped on a toboggan (one winter activity we can still do) and headed over to the Bruce Pit, which is a decent hill in the west end of Ottawa. Even though we've been tobogganing for years Margot was a bit hesitant at first...

Margot boarding her aluminum chariot

...but she soon got into the spirit. After the first run she started going down and up the hill all by herself.

Tobogganing: 10% sliding + 90% walking

Actually, I found that to be a bit bittersweet as this was the first time Margot's gone so many times by herself. I'm proud of her but it was still one of those occasions where I noticed the passing of time. Anyways, I didn't have too much time to dwell on that myself as Glosette Girl and I did a few runs ourselves. And, as you can see, we were as graceful as swans!

Qualities that Make Margot Margot

Glosette Girl was at a yoga-training session during this past weekend so I had Margot mostly to myself. All that daddy-daughter time gave me lots of time to observe what makes her...Margot! Here are some things I noticed:

1. She is fearless...but still a little girl. I am always in awe about all the things Margot is willing to try! The latest adventure was a Brownie sleepover camp at Landsdowne in Ottawa. All week long leading up to the camp she was up and down - super excited one moment yet nervous and almost in tears later on because she was shy about some of her old sleeping habits (sucking fingers). In the end her bravery won out.* It was wonderful to see how proud she was when her Brownie guide complimented her on sticking it out.

Super girl at the drop off!

2. She has a fiery temper. If Margot doesn't like something I'm doing she likes to kick (or pretend to kick). It doesn't hurt me but I always worry that she'll kick someone else (although I get the impression she saves her "special behaviour" for her parents). Oh well. Everyone needs something to work on I guess. When I asked her about it recently, she gets an embarrassed smile and mentions it's really hard for her not to do it.

3. She lets other kids go first. I took Margot swimming at a nearby indoor pool over the weekend and any time another kid was a bit more assertive and butted in line or grabbed a nearby pool toy Margot let them. She then watches them. I always like to keep an eye on her when we go out as some kids can be...well jerks really.... and I want to make sure Margot gets her fair share of the fun.

4. She may not always help out with chores...but when she thinks her parents are really in trouble it's a different story. At home, getting Margot to pass me her jacket to hang or pick up her dirty dishes can be torture. It's all whining and stalling. But this past weekend when I took her to the grocery store and bought too much stuff for me to carry she didn't hesitate to carry two bags to the car herself. I've seen this side of her before, when we were trapped at an airport overnight coming back from Costa Rica (she kept telling us not to worry and it'll be alright). Her "helping" instinct seems to really kick in when it matters.

5. She forgets nothing. If I mention that I'm going to read a book to her or maybe give her five cents because she did some chores she won't forget. No sir!

6. She is honest...but knows how to bend the rules. Margot knows she can watch two episodes of TV or Netflix in the morning and two in the afternoon. With me she sticks to that religiously. I don't even have to tell her to turn off the TV - she just does it. But with Glosette Girl...let's just say sometimes "two episodes" go a long way sometimes! She also has a great talent for coming up with rationales that justify whatever it is she'd like to do!**

7. She still likes to spend time with me. Here was our Saturday agenda. If it wasn't for TV poor ol' Dad would have no time to himself!

Item #4 on the list: Board games!

8. And on a similar note, she still likes to hold hands. She's almost eight but still, no matter where we go, if we're walking on the street she asks for my hand if I haven't given it to her already. I'm going to enjoy that as long as I can.

* Just barely! She did try to make a late night phone call to Mama and Dada!

** For example, recently she made a number of convincing arguments that watching the Olympics on TV wasn't really TV as it was every four-years and that mean's it's a free-for-all.