Tips for Adjusting to Middle School

Today on the blog we’re welcoming Misty’s daughter Aylen, who is 12 years old and just started attending middle school. Aylen loves theatre and music, reading and playing Minecraft.

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It can be quite difficult starting at a new school, so I'm here to give you a couple tips and tricks that have helped me. And remember: it takes time to adjust to a new school!

Number 1

Set a routine for yourself. Make it so that when you wake up you're not pressing the snooze button. I find that going to bed early (even if you don’t want to) definitely helps. My parents have also made me realize that having electronics in your room at night does not help because you will often be tempted to watch videos or play games.

Number 2

Take time everyday after school or in the evening to decompress after a long day at school. What helps me is getting a snack, meditating, listening to music, reading and drawing. All those things help to get rid of stress and to relax. Make sure that during this time you are not looking at screens.

Number 3

Don’t delay your homework. You need to get it done on time, which is crucial for giving a good first impression. You can start by using your time in class to start your homework and if you don’t finish it there you can do the rest as soon as you get home. Setting screen time for after homework is definitely going to help. So if you are a person that likes to watch screens 24/7 then maybe you should cut back on screen time.

Number 4

BE YOURSELF! This applies a little more to girls, because for so long there has been this thought that girls need to be pretty for other people - but don’t listen to this! It’s your choice to wear what you want. If you just prefer fancy go for it, but if you’re the type to wear sweatpants and a t-shirt just wear what you want to wear. Don’t try to put on fancy clothes or makeup that you wouldn't normally wear just to impress everyone. You are beautiful just the way you are.

With all these tips and tricks you should now be a little more prepared for starting at high school/middle school!

Spooky fiction books for tweens

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some great ghostly books with us, just in time for Halloween! This month’s post is by Rebecca Molina Sendybyl, Children's Programs and Public Service Assistant at the Beaverbrook Branch of the Ottawa Public Library

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Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

Serafina lives in the Biltmore estate. It is a beautiful place with a huge mansion with beautiful people coming and going. She has one rule to follow while living in there: she must never be seen. Nobody knows that she and her father, a caretaker on the estate, live in a damp corner in the lowest part of the cellar.

Serafina is lonely but she tries to be helpful like other servants she sees. She comes out only at night creeping through the passageways, catching rats with her bare hands.

Until one day, she discovers that children who had visited the estate with their families have gone missing. It is a mystery to everyone except for Serafina. She knows it’s the man in the black cloak. She saw him do it. She teams up with the nephew and heir to the estate, Braeden. Together they mean to discover the identity of the man in the black cloak before any more children disappear.

Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon

Justin’s best friend Zee had been missing for a year. His family, friends and the police had been searching for him. Then one day, he was seen just walking down his street on the way to his house. Except for some scratches on his body, he seemed fine, but he could not explain where he had been.

At his welcome home party, Justin and their neighbourhood friends were waiting in the backyard for Zee to come out, when a girl from down the street whom they did not know well, suggested they all play hide and go seek. As they started the game, Zee came flying out of the house and attacked her. And that’s when it all went terribly wrong. One by one they start to disappear, now knowing where Zee had been all this time. They must work together quickly to escape the Seeker or be trapped in the game forever.

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

For the past 50 years the city of London has been plagued by ghosts, spirits and specters that are wreaking havoc on the city. The people know very little about the reason for the epidemic or how to deal with them. They only know that it’s the youth of London that can somehow sense these beings. Psychic Agencies are now a business on demand that hires youths to trap them using different methods based on the spirits.

Lucy Carlyle is a very talented young agent who arrives to London for a promising career. She is enlisted in the only agency in town run without any adult supervision. Lockwood & Co is run by the charming and talented Jonathan Lockwood. Together with their highly very clever friend George, they stalk and trap specters while solving the mysteries of the undead.

The Screaming Staircase in the first thriller in the epic series Lockwood & Co. The author gives us rich characters and that are, funny, sarcastic, intelligent, and brave. With a story that keeps us on the edge of our seat. This book is perfect for the middle school reader who loves a great mystery with spooky twists and turns that have you craving more.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

It’s safe to say that Cassidy Blake’s parents are ghost obsessed. They have successfully managed a career in the study of spirits. They are well respected in the field, including having several books published. They have just been hired to host their own ghost hunting television show. Their first location is Edinburgh in Scotland. They are bringing their teenage daughter Cassidy along, much to Cassidy’s dismay as she was hoping for a relaxing summer on the beach.

Cassidy is a smart, funny, Harry Potter loving teenager and unlike her parents, she can see ghosts. It all started when Cassidy almost drowned in a lake. She was recued by a kind and sarcastic teenage ghost and now her best friend, named Jacob. Cassidy’s parents were right about one thing, Edinburgh is very haunted. While staying in an old castle, Cassidy learns that she is not the only person that can see ghosts and that not all ghosts are harmless.

City of Ghosts is the first book in this gripping page turning series.

Visiting the Log Farm in the Fall

Looking for the perfect outdoor fall activity for you and the kids? We've discovered The Log Farm!

I’ve driven up the 416 and passed Hunt Club Rd. many times without ever knowing that tucked away just minutes off the highway is a beautiful family-run farm open to the public. The Log Farm was originally settled in 1854 and visitors can still walk through the old homestead of the Bradley family.

It was a gorgeous day when we pulled into the gravel parking lot. The entrance is a short walk from where we parked, and Larry, one of the family members who currently runs the farm, was there to greet us. They host a Farmer’s Market every Saturday, and some local goodies are also sold in the elegantly rustic Market Shop. The kids talked me into buying hand-made masks, scrunchies and an adorable pair of pug hair clips (because when you own a pug, you must buy everything pug!)

We then made our way towards the back of the property where we found a corn maze, a sweet toddler play area, plenty of pumpkins and hay bales. My kids ran their way through the corn maze while I tried to snap a few photos of them.

Wagon rides have returned this fall, and we rode out towards the sugarbush, which I’m excited to visit in the spring. There is also a scarecrow walk through a forested area, and my girls had fun finding all the scarecrow characters tucked away in the trees.

We headed over to the Bradley house, and found each room set up just as it would have been back in the late 1800s. There was also the summer kitchen pictured below, and to my kids’ horror, the outhouse that would have been used even in the dead of winter!

Of course, the highlight of the trip was the animals - you are able to hand feed the goats, sheep and alpacas, and there are also cows, horses, geese, chickens, pigs and bunnies to see. This is a real working farm, so the animals aren’t just for show! Check out the video we made which highlights all of these activities!

Although the activities are designed for children under 10, my girls (almost 9 and 12) had no problem finding fun. For those of you with toddlers, Wednesday and Thursday mornings are open from 9am - 12pm, and there is SO much to do for the little ones.

If you go

Tickets are $11.97 (taxes included) and you must book online. The farm is open Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and Sundays there are two time slots to visit: 9am - 12pm and 1pm - 4pm.

Washroom are open, with flush toilets available at the Market Shop and Portable Toilets at the back of the farm. Masks are to be worn in indoor spaces and on the wagon rides.

You can also bring your own snacks to enjoy at one of the picnic tables, or you can grab coffee, juice and lots of treats while you’re there!

Don’t forget that the farm is open year-round, and it’s a great destination for a Christmas activity, sugarbush and sunny summer fun!

We’re excited to welcome The Log Farm as a Kids in the Capital sponsor for the months of September and October. All opinions are my own!

Graphic Novels 2021 from the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some great graphic novels with us. This month’s post is by Lise Dumas, Supervising Librarian, Children's and Teen Services at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

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I remember when I was young, visiting the Ottawa Public Library’s Alta Vista branch and going straight to their graphic novel section. My favourite graphic novels at that time were Astérix and Tintin.  I still love children’s graphic novels today. They are fun, thought provoking and often beautifully rendered. For those of you who love graphic novels, the Ottawa Public Library has a wonderful collection for all ages.  Here are some of my favourite children’s selections this year:

Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse

Ages 8—12

This story is about a young 11-year-old girl named Effie, who having become orphaned, goes to live in Brooklyn with her eccentric aunt Selimene and her partner Carlotta. Effie discovers that her aunts, officially acupuncturists and herbalists, have magical powers when a pop diva, Tily Shoo, comes seeking a magical skincare remedy. Effie also finds out that she has inherited the family powers and that her skills are required in effecting Tily Shoo’s cure. This book nicely sets up the cast of characters for a series. In fact, the OPL has the second book on order! I love the characters drawings in this book, they are very expressive and distinctive.  

Class Act by Jerry Craft

For ages 8-12.

This sequel to Jerry Craft’s Newberry and Coretta Scott King Book Award winner New Kid does not disappoint. It is brilliantly crafted to reflect Jordan’s second year at the upper class, mostly white middle school, Riverdale Academy Day School, with his friends, Drew and Liam. Each boy faces challenges related to race, socioeconomic status, friendship, puberty, and individuality. Although the subject matter is weighty at times, the book is also funny and clever and the story honest and believable. Kids will recognize chapter title pages comically parodying popular graphic novel covers.

 The Inkberg Enigma by Jonathan King

Ages 8-12

Miro is happy to spend his summer staying at home and reading rare books until he meets Zia, a girl who loves mysteries and adventure. The two accidentally witness a multi tentacled sea creature attacking a sailor in the port of their sleepy town of Aurora. Zia convinces Miro to help uncover the town’s mysterious history and its unusual prosperity in hard times. For mystery fans, this is a fun tale of sea farers and marine mutants. The drawing style is reminiscent of Hergé’s Tintin.

The Good Fight by Ted Staunton

Ages 9-12

This book is based in Toronto in the 1930s. Sid and his pop live in Toronto’s immigrant slum and rent a room from the Vendetellis. Both families face hard lives facing bigotry, poverty and trying to find honest work during the great depression. Anti-Semitism is on the rise. Sid and his friend Plug get coerced into some shady activity which land them into some trouble with the police, who in turn ask for their help. The story climaxes with the real-life story of the Christie Pits Riot, in 1933, one of the worst outbreaks of ethnic violence in Canadian history. This book addresses many issues such as prejudice, the immigrant experience and taking a stand against injustice. The images are coloured in sepia tones which reflect the urban location.

When Stars are Scattered By Victoria Jamieson

Ages 9-12

Based on coauthor, Omar Mohammed’s life growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp, this book tells the story of his struggle to keep himself and his younger, non-verbal brother safe in the harsh conditions of the camp. When Omar has a chance to attend school, he is torn between wanting to go and leaving his brother alone all day with his foster mother Fatuma. The refugee’s life in the camp is divided between endless waiting in lines and the painfully slim and seemingly arbitrary chance of resettlement by the UN to the US or Canada.  This is a lovingly rendered and touching story of the resilience of these boys in the face of hardship. The back of the book includes photographs of Omar and his brother as well as author’s notes. The images of the characters are sweet and brightly coloured; the starry night sky is beautifully rendered.

Apps I use to save money on groceries

IMage description: Screenshot of a cell phone showing a folder called grocery saving apps and most of the apps listed in this post

I’ve always been someone who looks for savings when it comes to grocery shopping but with the prices of groceries increasing so much since COVID began, I wanted to share some of the apps I use to try to save some money when it comes to the grocery bill.

Flipp

Flipp is an app that gives you access to local flyers and to create a grocery list that you can share with others.

Their description: This essential app brings you the latest weekly ads, deals, and coupons from more than 2000 of your favorite stores.

How I use it:

I go through the flyers and pick which store has the best deals for the week, circle items in the flyer I want to buy and start thinking about my meal plan for the week (that I base on what’s on sale)

I add items from the flyers to the grocery list which is synced with my husband’s app (because he does the grocery shopping)

A couple of extra ways to use it:

If the store you shop at does price matching you can use the app at checkout.

You can create a watch list of products to look for on sale - something that can be super handy for more expensive items you don’t want to buy unless they’re on sale.

Flashfood

Flashfood is an app that lets you see what items are almost at their expiry date at your local grocery stores and purchase them for pickup next time you’re in the store.

Their description: Get massive savings on fresh food items like meat and produce that are nearing their best before date at grocery stores across Canada and the U.S.

How I use it:

Whenever we’re going to the grocery store or going near some of the stores we like, we check to see if they have anything good in stock. We have gotten a lot of the family meal kits we really like for half price, as well as more than half price cold cuts, snacks, and cheeses.

There are often great bargains in Flashfood, but it’s definitely hit or miss. I often check it if we don’t have a plan for dinner and find something easy and cheaper than resorting to takeout or even something full price.

I’ve included my affiliate link to check out the app which will get you $5 off your first order (and I get a credit too! :)

Caddle

This app is a combination of quick surveys you can take for small amounts of money, and opportunities to scan receipts for cash back.

Their description: Caddle is a free app that allows you to earn cash back by responding to surveys, purchasing products, providing reviews and more!

How I use it: I really like to answer their mini surveys and scan shopping receipts for cash back. The surveys take no more than a few minutes for the very longest ones. We occasionally take advantage of their product specific discounts but they definitely don’t have a huge variety so that doesn’t happen very often.

I’ve included my affiliate link for this one as well.

In the time I’ve had this app they have sent me cheques for $20+ at least 3 times.

Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is an app that shares special offers on food that you can claim by sending in a photo of a receipt showing you’ve purchased specific items.

Their description: Checkout 51 lets you save on the brands you love: Get new offers weekly, buy from any store, snap a photo of the receipt and earn cash back!

How I use it: This is one I don’t have on my phone but my husband does and has been able to upload enough receipts on product discounts to claim multiple refund cheques adding up to about $100 over a couple of years.

PC Points / Airmiles

This is definitely where we make the most money back every year. By always scanning our PC points card both at Loblaws/Superstore and at Shoppers Drug Mart, and taking advantage of 20 times the points promotions at Shoppers, we accumulate at least $300-500 in free groceries per year. Our strategy with these points is to save them up throughout the year and then use them in November and December to defray costs of holiday gifts.

We also collect Airmiles whenever possible, though we do use those every time $10 comes available, saving up at least $50-100 each year on gas at Shell and at Metro.

Do you use any other apps or reward plans to help with the cost of groceries? Share in the comments - we’d love to hear!