Keeping in Touch over Many Miles

I've been down in San Diego for a while now and am even more separated from the little one and the folks in BC. When I had a good high speed internet connection, MSN video chat was a great way to see and interact with my little cuty, but now that connection is even more spotty. I've taken to sending videos produced on the webcam home. I can read a book and send video messages. It's not the same, but I think she appreciates them. My wife says she enjoys interacting with videos and is a little sad when they end. So, she must recognise and understand (to an extent) what and who is in the video. It's tough being away like this. I sure miss everyone at home.

Separation

Ever since the parental leave expired about two months ago the Daddy Daughter Duo has been separated by many miles. It's been difficult being away after being with her 24 hours a day. Work and our living arrangements have conspired to either keep me on the road or to keep her in our second place.

Modern technology has been great, but it is no substitute. I'm glad that I had such a long time with her. I'm more confident now that she will not forget who I am. We see each other about every other week, and she definitely remembers. There was a bit of paranoia on that front for a while.

Anyhow, the little one is quite the monkey now. She is climbing on everything and generally scaring her mother with all of the things she can get herself into and onto. 5 teeth now!

Save our Kids

A good analysis of some recent rankings. According to Selley the Canadian rankings are the result of a complete change of the criteria used in the rankings. Check it out:

Macleans.ca - Canada - Features | Fact check: Canada's 'plunging' child welfare

Fact check: Canada's 'plunging' child welfare

I've heard the debate before regarding pre-elementary schooling and letting parents raise their children themselves. I'm not sure that the claims of save the children that pre-elementary education is such a great method to insure child-well-being. The traditional parent supervised first five years is what pre-elementary education will naturally be compared to. But of course, such a comparison is problematic. There are such variations in the kind of education that can and is provided by parents. Yet, the principle of cementing parental bonds and building that relationship is far from inconsequential. The utility of a solid foundation between child and primary caregiver is immeasurable. The real question that the ranking wishes to address is the extent to which children have developed and are realising their potential. This can happen in either pre-elementary schools or strong family settings. The focus on the institutional option shows a bias and a political agenda in save the children. It's too bad

Save the Children Press Release at: CNW Telbec

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Dandy Daddy Data

In recognition of my attraction to alliteration I have renamed my link posts "Dandy Daddy Data"



Here are some good Day Care Links:

• PacificCARE Child Care Resource and Referral Program - Vancouver Island
• This is the child care resource and referral programme on Vancouver Island
• BC Ministry of Chrildren and Family Development - Child Care
• BC Child Care Subsidy Test
• This is a simple online evaluation tool that will help to figure out if you are eligible to receive child care subsidy. There are several different factors in determining eligibility, so it is worth taking a look - it takes 2 minutes.
• Some Child Care Blogs I've found (but not necessarily endorse)
• Choice for Childcare and Fund The Child (Same Person)
• Prairie Voice for Childcare choice
• Canadian Child Care Federation - Home

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Who's Calling the Shots Now

There is a scene in the first Jurassic Park film that symbolizes that those crazy raptors are now calling the shots. They are hunting the little boy and girl who have taken refuge in a kitchen and they turn the door knob in order to get in. Those dinos were saying "we're smarter than you think and we now own this place".

Well, today our little one figured out what those raptors figured out. Our lazy baby-proofing strategy (hide it behind a closed door) is about to end. Oh and, if it wasn't clear before, she runs the place.

Technorati Tags: parenting, children, baby, baby proofing

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Dandy Daddy Links

• Baby does best with dad off work, study finds | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited (H/T Daddy Dialectic)
• Daddy Dialectic: Mom vs. Herself
• Family Man Online - Parenting advice, dad blog, tips for fatherhood skills, for fathers of all kinds: Active Kids Focus Better in School
• jordoncooper.com: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

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No Child Left Inside - Parents OK

The Philosopher Dad has a link to a great article about kids and playing outdoors. I think that I had a pretty similar experience to philosopher dad. I had a BMX and a rather large wooded area all around the house where I grew up. I seem to remember riding through woods and exploring the trails unsupervised, discovering all sorts of things and places. The woods seemed huge and interminable - they probably weren't. I learned all sorts of things from raft building to following trails and where to find ant hills.



Since coming to live in a real city I've always worried that the kinds of experiences with the outdoors my children will have will not be nearly as deep, exciting and memorable as the ones that I had. Though there are parks and some very nice green spaces in our neighbourhood they are not as accessible to the kid and her/his bike as the ones that I played in. Moreover there are safety issues regarding very busy streets and letting children play unsupervised in the city. I hope that my daughter has similar opportunities to explore, but I worry that they will be restricted to outings to parks and the country. Though I'm sure such outings would be great - I enjoyed the ones that I took with my parents - I believe there is something to be said about the unsupervised wanderings and discoveries that are made without the watchful gaze of a parent.



The Philosopher Dad: No Child Left Inside



Leave No Child Inside | by Richard Louv | Orion Magazine March-April 2007



Technorati Tags: Parenting, outdoors, recreation, cities, playing

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