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Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

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Holiday Traditions. With Chocolate.

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It’s a sweet childhood memory that I’ll relive time and time again.

I was in first grade at a small Catholic elementary school. The holidays were coming; multicoloured decor was proudly displayed in Simpsons’ store window, the soft echo of Christmas carols could be heard throughout my home, and whispers of Santa Claus and his magical reindeer were upon our lips and in our hearts.

And on December 1st, my teacher distributed a thick cardboard calendar to each and every student. Curiously, we turned it around and traced our fingers over the cutouts.

“This is an Advent Calendar,” she explained. “And every day, we’ll celebrate the coming of Jesus; I’ll share a small story from the Bible, and you’ll be able to treat yourself with a small piece of chocolate, for being such good boys and girls.”

I loved that Advent Calendar.

It marked the first ritual for me; the first time I followed something through from start to finish, while understanding the significance of the season (and even a veiled warning to behave). This year, I’m continuing the tradition with Kinder Advent Calendars.
KinderSurprise-Product-Lifestyle-4281Available at Walmart Canada for $12.00, the Kinder Advent Calendar features a variety of eggs and mini chocolates, making each daily treat a surprise for your little elves. Included in the calendar:

1 Kinder Surprise
9 Kinder Mini Eggs
9 Kinder Schoko-Bons
2 Kinder Hollow Santas
3 Kinder Chocolates

I’ve selected my favourite Christmas-themed Bible scriptures and just like my first grade teacher, I’ll be reading them to Ryder and Reid every day. And then, if they’ve been good boys, they’ll be allowed to partake in a daily Kinder treat. …

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The Kid, The Lunchbox and The Kinder Surprise Bribe

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I’ve got two very different little boys. Ying and yang, I like to call them. Because even though they’re both Tauruses, share physical characteristics and have an intense dislike for the bad “b” word – bedtime –  they really couldn’t be more dissimilar. Which I suppose is half the joy of raising more than one child; the varying array of quirks, conflicts and complex personalities that keep you on your toes. (And often, reaching for a bottle of wine.)

This year, with Reid being in school for the very first time (translation: freedom!) I’m once again reminded that he is very different from his older brother. Whereas Ryder will ALWAYS finish his entire lunch at school, Reid has an insurmountable decision-making process, known only to him, for what he will eat, and what will go untouched.

“Why didn’t you eat your sandwich?”
“It was too melty.”
“Why didn’t you finish your grapes?”
“They’re too round. I like them less round.”
“Why did you bring back your cookies?”
“They smell funny. Like someone has been breathing on them.”

Now I ask you, what does melty even mean?? And how does it relate to a pristine turkey sandwich?

Two weeks in, I was seriously beginning to wonder if he would ever get the hang of eating a school lunch. And then I remembered a key piece of armour – a strategic tactic, if you will – in the war against determined toddlers: The Bribe.

Please don’t look for The Bribe in parenting manuals. We are stoically told from the moment our children are born that thou shalt not bribe children to elicit a desired behaviour or outcome. To which I say, yeah, and my toddler was toilet trained in 3 days when I bribed him with a KINDER SURPRISE.
KINDER SURPRISESo, I did what any responsible parent would do: I told Reid that if he finished his lunch… within reason, of course… he would receive a KINDER SURPRISE as an after school treat. The first day, he attempted to call my bluff; returning with an almost full, untouched lunchbox. However, when I doled out one of those delicious chocolate eggs to his brother, and not him, he quickly revised his stance. …

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A Summer of KINDER Smiles :)

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And look at that! A completely appropriate smiley face in the post title.

strip (1)This past summer, I killed it. I told you I would! At the start of the season, I made a commitment to my family that we would seize every weekend and get out, enjoy the weather, take a dip in a pool, do something different, try something new, capture the memories, spend time together…all that and more. And we did it! We totally treasured every moment together (sometimes to a fault; let’s just say that I only have so much patience for two rambunctious boys) and made this summer count.

Don’t believe me? Just stroll through my blog from the past few months. See, told you so.

Looking back, it’s a summer for the scrapbook! And if you’re looking for fun way to share your summer smiles with family and friends, KINDER offers a cool little “Smile Booth” app on KINDER Canada’s Facebook Page. It’s a fun and interactive way for parents to capture and share moments of joy in a playful way. Once you’re a KINDER Fan, it’s just a few simple steps:

Step 1: Fan KINDER on Facebook
Step 2: Start your photo-strip
Step 3: Upload your photos
Step 4: Choose a fancy KINDER frame
Step 5: Choose a filter (make yourself look silly!)
Step 6: Save & share

My photos were slightly too small to apply the silly filters, but you can bet I’ll be zooming in and recreating the script for the boys. Sharing the photo strip is super easy, with a link to share on Twitter and/or Facebook available immediately upon completion.

Where did your summer travels take you? Was it the summer of Flora, Lynda, Jaime, Judy or Chandra? Or maybe… the summer of George? (Any Seinfeld fans out there?)

What was the single best memory from summer vacay 2014? Do tell!

 

I’m part of the Kinder Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.
The opinions on this blog are my own.

2014: We Shall Seize the Summer

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Folks, we are in the month of July. JULY! And just like every single year, the summer seems to be zipping along way too quickly for my liking. The promise of long, hazy days and relaxing nights on the patio will soon pass with a snap of the finger, leaving me to wonder where the time went – and exactly how I spent it.

This year, I’ve had a revelation of sorts. You see, I’m really good at making plans for all I want to do… but I always let life get in the way, and then fall short. NOT. THIS. SUMMER. This season, I’ve made a commitment to my family that we will seize every weekend and get out, enjoy the weather, take a dip in a pool, do something different, try something new, capture the memories, spend time together… you get my drift.

Seize the SummerThe summer fun is already underway. After spending a luxury weekend getaway at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, and then following up with a Day of Discovery with Renaissance Hotels (including two awesome days at Ripley’s Aquarium!), we’re off to Canada’s Wonderland this Friday, to be followed up with a weekend (and anniversary!) getaway to our favourite northern destination, the JW Marriott Muskoka. After that, we’re taking in an advanced screening of Planes: Fire & Rescue, followed by a visit to African Lion Safari, a dinner and tournament at Medieval Times… an epic family trip to Disneyland, California… and whatever else pops up in between. And, that’s just over the next few weeks.

See? I’ve made good on my word, and will continue to do so. …

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The EGGpic Easter Egg Hunt

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Since Easter only comes around once per year, you’d better make it EGGpic. And what better way than with a Kinder Egg Hunt? Quite possibly the perfect Easter treat, Kinder Eggs offer your child both chocolate and a toy. Now that’s worth hunting for!

Keep it simple, especially if you have young children. Hide your treats in easily accessible places, and within reach of little fingers. Always be sure to watch out for potential hazards that excited little hunters may run into while they’re otherwise distracted. Never place eggs near electrical outlets or in small crevices.

Encourage good sportsmanship and have older siblings help out the younger ones. Be sure to hide more eggs than you think you’ll need – and count them so you can rescue any strays. Use your smartphone to snap photos of the egg locations in case you have trouble recovering them all when the hunt is over. …

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Are You Feeling Lucky? Crack ‘n Win with Kinder!

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So, do you consider yourself lucky? Are you fortunate, blessed, favoured or charmed? (I *may* have Googled synonyms.) I think everyone is lucky in their own way. Some forms of luck are more apparent than others (a contest win, a winning lottery ticket, sunshine on your wedding day), but often, luck is a little more understated (good health, a roof over your head, clean water and fresh food).

Recently, I’ve realized that the luckiest people in the world are those who are happy with what they have. 

Of course, that’s very deep, isn’t it? And I’m not going all philosophical on you, I promise. But ever since these specially-marked Kinder Surprise Eggs landed on my doorstep, I’ve been feeling a little lucky.

I’m excited to share with you Kinder Crack’n Win, a fun promotion designed to celebrate the launch of Kinder’s new toy collections. There are over $2.4 million in instant prizes to be won! Simply keep an eye out for specially-marked Kinder Surprise Classic and Pink products in stores.

Inside each specially-marked Kinder Surprise egg, you will find a PIN embossed on the toy and/or toy leaflet within the capsule. Once you’ve found your code, entering the contest is super-duper easy! Visit the Kinder Canada Facebook Page, enter your PIN code (along with some additional information as required) and click “Check Your PIN”. We’ve passed on quite a few eggs to friends and family – so far, no one has fessed up to winning, but if I see a girlfriend drive around in a brand new FIAT 500 POP, I’ll be quite suspicious!

So what else is up for grabs? Well, two lucky Kinder fans could win a family trip to Orlando, and over 27,000 Kinder fans could win a family night out to the movies. And… 201,000 fans could win a free Kinder treat! So awesome!

If you’re thinking: “That means that ONE egg has the potential to give TWO surprises”, you’re right! 

Tell me, are you feeling lucky? Have you ever won something – in a contest, at a casino, in the lottery… or life?

I am part of the Kinder Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  
The opinions on this blog are my own.

Tis the Season: It’s a Joy to Share

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Last month, I regaled you with the tale of how an egg trained my toddler. This month, I want to show you how an egg can make miracles happen.

For the second year, KINDER has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network with the “A Joy To Share” program. The “A Joy to Share” program is just one of the ways KINDER is helping bring joy to families this holiday season.

Helping out is oh-so-simple: Create a holiday greeting card with your little one for the children in a Children’s Miracle Network member hospital through the KINDER Facebook page. By creating a personalized greeting card with your child, KINDER will automatically donate $1.00 to Children’s Miracle Network on your behalf. It only takes minutes – and yet, it can have a huge impact on the life of a child. I am 100% LOVING this program.

Sitting down with Ryder, it also provided a great opportunity to talk about children who are looking for a medical miracle this Christmas. And how a simple act of kindness, like creating a holiday card, can make all the difference in their recovery. He was excited to share his joy, and even asked if he could deliver his card personally. What a sweet little man.

So if you’re reading this, and have a Facebook account, here’s what I want you to do. Visit the KINDER Facebook page and create a card from the templates filled with holiday cheer. If you have kiddos, involve them in the design – the app is very child-friendly with fun characters and backgrounds to choose from.

Then, know that you’ve taken less than 5 minutes to do two amazing things today: put a smile on a child’s face and donate to a worthy cause.

KINDER has a goal of raising $25,000 for Children’s Miracle Network this holiday season. Once this post is published, it has the potential to be seen by 2,438 sets of eyes over the course of the day. If everyone stopped and gave just a few minutes, we’d be almost 10% closer to the goal. C’mon folks; it’s a joy to share.

 

I’m part of the Kinder Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.
The opinions on this blog are my own. 

The Egg that Trained My Toddler

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I know you’re looking at the title of this blog post and thinking… come again?

Truth be told, I spent a long time deciding whether it was actually an egg that toilet trained Reid, or if hard work, persistence and a positive attitude reigned supreme. In the end, I decided to give credit where credit is due…

All bow to the mighty KINDER Surprise. Delicious treat and toilet trainer extraordinaire.

Okay, I’ll elaborate. Early last year, I joined the #KINDERMom program with Mom Central Canada. If you’re so inclined, you can read some of my posts here and here. But the truth is, as much as I loved the concept of KINDER Surprises, my boys just weren’t that into them. They liked the chocolate and they were fond of the toys, but they could take it or leave it. In fact, a box of unopened KINDER eggs eventually made its way to the next door neighbour’s kids without so much a word of protest.

That was last year. Fast forward to this summer, and the magical discovery of YouTube. I know you’re going to laugh at my little guys, but their very favourite videos in the entire world are the ones dedicated to unwrapping KINDER Eggs. Think I’m joking? I wish! If I didn’t take the tablet away, they would literally squat in front of the screen for hours watching videos like this one while trading insight on the size and desirability of the toy. And then, at every shopping trip, the boys asked for a KINDER Surprise. (I suppose “asked” is putting it lightly. They threw tantrums until I finally threw two eggs in the cart.) I thought of all the KINDER eggs I had previously given away and wanted to cry.

So when the opportunity once again came to join the #KINDERMom program, I jumped at it. Because the idea of not having to buy the Eggs for the foreseeable future was very appealing to me, and my boys more than just like the Eggs now. They’re obsessed with them.

So, I got to thinking.

Toilet training was going slowly. V-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. And with Reid being the last one in the household who still dabbled in diapers, I was very motivated to put an end to it. Suddenly, I realized that KINDER Surprises are not only a treat; they’re also a reward. They reinforce good behavior, and they celebrate a child’s accomplishments, big and small. And after almost six months of grossly ineffective attempts to toilet train Reid, we considered his willingness to use the potty to be a BIG accomplishment. Hence, I bartered with him: using the potty throughout the day = 1 KINDER Surprise after dinner.

My husband scoffed at me. Here’s a boy who defiantly shunned all toilet training attempts for over half a year. And here I was, thinking the promise of a chocolate egg would change his mind?

Reid was fully trained 3 days later.

 Do you have a little one who loves KINDER Surprises as much as Reid does? I’m happy to share with you KINDER’s newest partnership – Disney Princesses and Marvel Heroes!…

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