So you’ve gotten past the first 6 months of sleeplessness and worrying if your little one is eating enough or what percentile they’re in for their weight and height.  You stop to think, wow, the past 6 months have gone by so quickly and it’s hard to believe in another 6 months you’ll be back to work!  Work!  It’s so hard to even imagine trusting somebody enough to leave the most important thing in the world to!  And besides, your baby still seems so small to even understand the concept of you going back to work while they’re left with a complete stranger!  I think most people will agree though, in today’s day and age it’s very difficult for a lot of families to survive on a one parent income.  Which brings us to the next question…where do I even start to find a daycare, dayhome or nanny?

If you live in St. Albert you will quickly discover the shortage of daycares and the huge existing waiting lists.  I remember calling a daycare when my son was 3 months old to put him on a waiting list and the daycare said there was a 2 year waiting list.  I asked how that was even possible and they said people were placing their names on the list when they found out their due date!  I couldn’t believe it!  You find out you’re having a baby and you’re already overwhelmed by everything you have to do to prepare for their joyous arrival and now you have to search for a daycare before the baby is even born!  In my search for daycares in St. Albert I found the YMCA to be a very credible, reputable, caring daycare that goes above and beyond the expected requirements of a daycare.  http://www.edmonton.ymca.ca/Locations/YMCALicensedChildCare/YMCALicensedChildCareEarlyYears/CitadelYMCAChildCare/

Another option in St. Albert is a dayhome.  I have found it’s a lot easier to find dayhomes than daycares in this City.  Dayhomes can be advantageous whereas you don’t have as many children and your child can often get a little more one-on-one attention.  Many dayhomes are not registered so you have to be careful in which ones you choose.  However, I have many friends who have chosen wonderful dayhomes and have absolutely loved the postive impact it’s had on their child.  Your children getsto socialize with other children while still maintaining that home environment.  I found the Child Development Dayhomes Agency was extremely helpful  in my search for availble, registered, St. Albert dayhomes and in addressing any concerns or questions I may have.  http://www.childdev.com/

A third choice for childcare in St. Albert would be a nanny.  I have one friend who has a nanny and she speaks the world of her.  Her children have developed a very close relationship with their nanny, the parents are able to maintain more control over their activities, meals and manners while staying in their own home environment.  Unfortunately you don’t get the same kind of socialization with other kids as you would in a daycare or dayhome, however, she’s very diligent about her kids having playdates and joining programs and activities where there’s other kids to play with.  She also states that her kids get the benefit of not picking up any of the negative behavior (no manners, talking back, etc) from other kids.  NannyServices.ca is a great place to look for full or part-time nannies, live-in or live-out, to meet your specific requirements and qualifications. http://www.nannyservices.ca/default.asp

If you would like to find out in detail about prices, waiting lists, pros and cons, questions you should be asking and the process of finding a daycare, dayhome and nanny please register for the Childcare Choices Event at http://www.modernmama.com/st-albert/upcoming-events/

The most important lesson from this blog that I unfortunately learnt the hard way is that you can never START TO EARLY in your search for childcare!

Money and budgeting is often the topic of conversation with my husband and I as I’m sure it is with most families.  With me being on two consecutive maternity leaves and being a stay-at-home mom we’ve come to the conclusion of just how important it is to save money and budget for our children’s futures!

Saving Money…

Upon our return from the grocery store today my husband and I couldn’t help but discuss the crazy amount of money we spend on groceries each month.  Our two boys are only 17 months and 3 years old and I can’t imagine what our grocery bill will amount to when they’re teenagers!  Our grocery bill, dare I say it, amounts to on average $250 a week!  That’s $1000 a month!  Imagine the potential money we could save if we could find a way to cut down our grocery bill.  Well have I got the solution for you!  I’m sure you’ve all heard about the newest craze.  Heck there’s even a show on TLC about it!  It’s called Extreme Couponing!

If you’re anything like my husband and I, the notion of going up to pay for your groceries and presenting a wad of coupons to the cashier would make me slightly embarassed and apologetic to anybody who is behind us in line, waiting to pay.  And who has the time these days to devote to searching for deals in flyers and on the internet 24/7?  I guess you have to weigh the options of how much time you put into searching for deals versus the amount of money you’re actually saving.   Besides, I wouldn’t even know where to begin and how to learn the ins and outs of extreme couponing.

Here’s where Lori comes into play.  Lori, AKA Frugal Edmonton Mama, is a twenty-something mother to one (almost two) and has found the perfect balance between Frugal and Fabulous. She has learned that you don’t have to sacrifice what it is that you want, or the quality of items that you buy – you simply have to learn the techniques and timing to get the best prices for these items.  She posts about Edmonton and surrounding area deals, Canadian coupon codes and the deals that can be found out and about in YEG.  Using coupons, promotions and sales, she can teach you to find that inner-frugal mama or dad!  Lori offers extreme couponing classes and can be reached at frugaledmontonmama@gmail.com!

Budgeting For The Future…

The whole notion or idea of budgeting for the future makes me cringe and has the miraculous ability to give me an instant headache…lol.  Not to mention the fact that there’s 100 other things I’d rather be doing than sitting down and writing out a budget.  But we all know the importance of making a budget and saving for our children’s education.  When I was in University, and I hope I’m not dating myself too much, my tuition was upwards of $5000 a year and that’s not even including books.  I can’t even imagine how much tuition will be when my children are in University.  We’re crossing our fingers they will qualify for some form of scholarships! Lol.

RESP’s are a great tool to help save for your child’s education.  The Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a tax-sheltered plan that can help you save for a child’s post-secondary education. It combines flexibility, tax-deferred investment growth and direct government assistance to help you reach your education savings goals for your children. Rick McDonald from RBC Royal Bank can help you plan a strategic budget while you’re on maternity leave or whether you have a 1 parent or 2 parent income.  With the high cost of education, many parents, grandparents and other family and friends are recognizing the need to save well before the expenses become a reality.

To find out more about extreme couponing, RESP’s, budgeting and Wills & Guardianship register for our Money Talks/Wills & Guardianship event on March 1st at http://www.modernmama.com/st-albert/upcoming-events/!

If you are new to St. Albert or looking for different activities to do with your toddlers here are 6 local things you can do that will keep you both busy while encouraging their developmental growth!!

1.  St. Albert Public Library.  The St. Albert Public Library has many programs that will help create and develop great reading, imagination, and social skills for  your child.  Their Babies and Tiny Tots program, Two Year Olds program and  Three Year Olds program gets little ones and grown-ups together for rhymes, fingerplays, songs and simple stories. The lively atmosphere keeps the children and their caregivers moving and participating. The Three to Six Year Olds program is an interactive program that will have everyone’s toes tapping and hands clapping. These  programs offer stories, fingerplays, musical activities and a craft for children ready to attend independently. Please call (780)459-1530 or go to http://www.sapl.ab.ca/page/childrens-programs for more information!

2. Dynamix Gymnastics Club.   Toddler programs at Dynamix Gymnastics Club allows for your children to have fun in an unstructured group setting.  The skills they develop here is often the foundation for many other sports.  Your child will be learning safety along with various motor gross activities such as swinging, bouncing, rolling, jumping and climbing  They will be using bars, beams, vault, trampoline, floor, foam pit and rings to practice these skills.  They will also be participating in various eye/hand activities with the use of hoops, parachutes and balls.  Please contact (780)458-3153 or go to www.dynamixgymnastics.com for more information.3. 4Cats Arts Studio.  Here your toddler will develop their creativity as they create and explore clay, painting, paper mache and puppets.  They will also create a variety of pottery products using various handbuilding techniques and tools.  They will learn to use a potter’s wheel and ‘throw’ a claypot!  4Cats kids will also be able to create imaginative works using professional quality arts materials.  Kids get to work in a variety of mediums, taking inspiration from the works of artists!  Please contact (780)458-5577 or go to http://www.4cats.com/stalbert for more information.

4.  Fountain Park Pool. Kids Connection, Splash Matters, Mess Matters and Preschool Plunge are just a few of the programs available for Toddlers at Fountain Park Pool.   Your little one will enjoy doing crafts, reading stories, having free time to explore in Frolic’s Classroom and Adventure Centre.  This interactive indoor playgroud is designed to promote your child’s motor skill development.  Last but not least your child will get to end the class splashing around in the pool! These programs will keep your toddler active and always learning!  Please contact (780)459-1553 or go to http://www.stalbert.ca/fountain-park-recreation-centre/ for more information.

5. DanceCo.  Offers classes such as Beginner Hip Hop and Preschool Dance.   Preschool dance is an excellent introduction to dance, which includes jazz, tap, ballet, and creative movement.  These classes are offered daytimes, evenings, and weekends and the classes are 1/2 hour in length.  They encourage all their dancers to grow and learn at their own pace, and yet also focus on the importance of teamwork. Life skills such as good manners, strong work ethic and respect for others, are incorporated into dance classes.  Please contact (780)460-1899 or go to http://www.danceco.net for more information.http:

6. Kindermusik. Your child will learn to listen, move, play and grow.  Kindermusik is about kids, parents, and teachers—coming together and having a great time! It’s about helping you grow closer to your child and enriching their environment and development. Kindermusik thrives to give your child a lifelong love of music and a foundation for learning.  Please contact http://www.kindermusik.com/ for more information.

Not sure which programs your child might like?  Want something different to do each week?  Register for our ‘Mama & Tots…ready, set, go!’ program.  It’s a 6-week ‘on the go’ program for moms and their tots ages 1-4 years.  Moms and tots meet on Wednesday mornings at various times and locations in St. Albert.  Register at www.modernmama.com/st-albert/upcoming-events/!!