What Caught Our Attention This Week
1. Spend a Summer Day Doing a Nature Scavenger Hunt
Speaking of screen time, here’s a creative way to get the kiddos outside and away from said screens. The brilliant yet dead-easy-to-pull-off idea comes from one of our Savvy Storytellers, Gina of EastCoastMommy.com. Gina had the idea to make up and print off a simple nature-themed scavenger hunt for her boys and sent them off on their mission to find everything on the list. Sounds like a lovely way to spend a lazy day wandering your backyard, neighbourhood, or a local park. You could easily make up your own list, or just print Gina’s off here. Now go forth, young explorer!
2. A Welcome Reprieve on the Mom War Front
If it’s already a long week and you feel like you could use some good news, we’ve got some: the Mom Wars just took a serious hit in the best possible way. Cricketscircle.com recently compiled a heart-warming roundup of real life stories from moms sharing the wonderful things that other moms—strangers!—have done for them in a time of need. It’s a very touching read; we dare you not to shed a tear. Or twenty.
3. To the Embarrassed Parent of the Child Pointing at My Daughter
We’ve all been there: your young kiddo notices something or someone who appears different, and is either innocently staring or has perhaps asked an innocent question loudly enough to be overheard. In her open letter, ‘To the Embarrassed Parent of the Child Pointing at My Daughter‘, mom Courtney Westlake answers the question we all want to know: what exactly do you say when that happens? Courtney tells us word for word what she wishes other parents would do and say when confronted with this situation—and we think her response is brilliant. It’s helpful, but it’s also inspiring and wonderful.
4. We’re Super Proud of the ‘Gatherings’ Co-Writers
The Taste Canada Food Writing Awards (aka the highest honour for food writing in Canada) shortlist is out, and there’s a big SavvyMom Group connection! The cookbook Gatherings: Bringing People Together with Food, by Julie Van Rosendaal and Jan Scott is nominated in the general cookbooks category. Julie and Jan are both long-time contributors to our SavvyStories community, (Julie is the author of dinnerwithjulie.com; Jan of familybites.ca) and Jan is also our own SavvyMom food editor and a contributor to our sister site, RecipeGeek.com. We love Gatherings, and we’re so thrilled to see their hard work recognized. Congratulations ladies, and good luck—we’re rooting for you!
Have a good week!
