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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The Day Care Saga

Last week our daycare provider called and left a message to the effect that the spot that we had booked in October to begin in April was no longer available. So commencing last Friday the Mrs and I have been calling over Nanaimo in order to get a daycare spot a month from now. We managed to find a spot, but not without some panic. At one point we were contemplating a situation where the only place that appeared to have a space was best described as a "death trap" - a dirty, run down house with strange men. Here are some lessons from the front lines:



1. Pacific Care is not the great and wondrous service that some may claim:

When we began looking for day care everyone that we spoke to recommended that we begin with Pacific Care. I have heard nothing but unqualified recommendations for this organisation. It is a good service, but it must be used with a bit of knowledge. The lists that it provides are not in anyway comprehensive and may have geographic boundaries that you are unaware of. We received a list at first and could not find a place. We called back and found out that there were other places that fit our parameters. So we called those places and that is how we found the death trap. It was only when we were looking down the barrel of a world with either no daycare or daycare in a place that we would be afraid to leave our daughter we felt that there must be more places. We found this website. It has more general geographic restrictions and no search side filters.

2. Wait lists are not really very reliable.

Unless you are applying to a large institutional facility, wait lists are not reliable or relied upon. The smaller family child care facilities don't have the resources and time to build and maintain lists. You must call and call back these places and if your plans coincide with theirs you will find a spot. When we called around in October looking for a spot in April we met with two types of responses: "are you crazy of course we don't have a spot, I'll put you on my list but you are at the bottom - good luck" and "Are you crazy? April that is a long way away, I can't plan that far in advance call back in a few months." However, when we were calling this time people could tell us with certainty that they either had a place or didn't. Nobody but one large institutional facility said to me "I have a spot but I have to go through my wait list."

3. If you get a spot leave a deposit

We didn't put a deposit on our first spot. It never occurred to us to do so. We had a reassurance and we had filled out the registration forms so we felt as though it was ours. But, the person we were replacing never left. A deposit is good for both the consumer and the provider. It is a commitment from the consumer not to book two facilities and it forces the provider to insure the space is committed.

4. Just because its licensed doesn't mean its safe

This should really go without saying. There are many things in this world that are licensed, but may not be safe - look at automobile drivers. Check out any daycare and don't be afraid to snoop, poke and prod. Don't be on time - show up a bit early if you have to its better to see a place that has not been prepared for your arrival than one that is on display for your benefit. (Do try to get some information about the place's schedule so you aren't being a nuissance.)

5. Day care providers and consumers see the market differently

On more than one occasion I spoke with providers that were closing down because they said that they had a hard time filling spots. Or they were closing because they didn't think it was worth staying in business. I think this is because there is little price difference among suppliers. The death trap that we visited charged $600/month and the one we settled on charged $640/month. The difference between the facilities was similar to the difference between a Pinto and a Volvo, yet the price difference was negligible. I would have been happy to pay much more money in order to avoid the death trap. I'm not one to encourage providers to charge more, but think a certain stratification of the market would encourage more suppliers.

6. There are places out there

After a lot of time on the phone and searching through lists we did find place and we even had a choice. Our search resulted in three safe places and one death trap that had a spot for us in April and several other places that had spots for us at other times. So, by the end of our search we got to choose our favourite of the three spots. As a result I think we have a better place for our daughter than the day care that cancelled on us.

Its not all doom and gloom out there in the world of day care, but it is a strange market.





Technorati Tags: Day Care, BC, Nanaimo, Parenting,

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Wormhole Discovered!

A new high speed conveyance linking the dining room and the kitchen has been discovered, despite the presence of large bags of rice that had hitherto been hindering its effective use as mode of human transportation.

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She's Done It

After a month or so of intense training in and out of the pool, she's done it. She took two proper steps yesterday - witnessed. The criteria for the little wager has been met. MMMM I can taste something delicious!



We're all very proud over here.

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Heads Up

Inspect cans of baby formula, watchdog warns after tampering found

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has warned people to inspect cans of powdered infant formula after two cans were found to be tampered with at a Zellers store in Saskatoon.

The cans of half-empty Enfamil brand baby formula were found to have puncture holes, concealed by the label. The agency said it is investigating and will decide whether to do any testing on the cans and their contents.

"Consumers using powdered infant formula products should look under the label to inspect the cans for signs of tampering," said a bulletin issued by the agency on Friday.

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Some Links for Dads

• The daddy-baby connection: everyday ways to help them bond - CNN.com
• Babble: No TV Before Age Two?
• Bornfree!: Milkmen: Fathers Who Breastfeed

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The Bet

Here's the bet that the Mrs and I have. If the little one walks by Valentines day she makes supper, if not I make it.



For the record: in the pool today, she took three steps and was balancing on her own for 10+ seconds.

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