Zoë’s zoo: A tale of becoming a small business owner at age 11

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Zoë and one of her Geckos perched atop her head with its tail in her face.

Zoë and one of her Geckos perched atop her head with its tail in her face.

I have always been interested in math and science experiments (that one was unfortunate for my parents). But one thing that I have always loved is animals. Lately I have been interested in Crested Geckos! I convinced my parents to get me one as an early birthday present. Then I got a second one and then it kind of, somehow turned into 7. Gradually, 3 of them got pregnant and now I have several babies!

At the moment I have 15 crested geckos in total!

Why I love Crested Geckos

Two geckos, one in a child’s hand that is larger (Dad) and one that is much smaller on a child’s arm (hatchling)

Two geckos, one in a child’s hand that is larger (Dad) and one that is much smaller on a child’s arm (hatchling)

Let me tell you why I love Crested Geckos so much! They are amazing pets for many reasons. For example, they are easy to feed and take care of, they do not require much attention AND geckos are absolutely adorable! I love their sticky feet and how they lick their eyeballs (because they don’t have eyelids and lick the eyes to keep them moist).

Crested Geckos are one of the easiest geckos to care for.

Let me tell you what you would need:

First, a habitat! Obviously they can't just roam around in your room, so you will have to buy a terrarium. A baby (up to approx 30 grams), can live in a 10 gallon terrarium. An adult crested gecko will need a 20 gallon tank. For decor, they will need a hide (like a rock cave, for example), some branches for climbing and real or fake foliage. You can decorate as much as you like. Be creative!

Brown gecko upside down in its habitat perched on a log in the middle of shedding its skin

Brown gecko upside down in its habitat perched on a log in the middle of shedding its skin

Secondly, Crested Geckos don’t get lonely. That means you can handle them, but you don’t have to. Also, they are happy to live alone. If you decide to cohabitate them, make sure you don’t house 2 males together or they will fight.

Interesting fact, Crested Geckos will shed every month or so and they eat their own shed!!

Lastly, let’s talk food! Crested Geckos enjoy live crickets as a treat, but don’t worry, if that’s not your thing, they can live entirely on powdered gecko food. Spray the tank with water twice a day, and that’s it!

My geckos mean the world to me, but as much as I would like to, I can’t keep them all. I started selling some of the babies, and that is how Zoë's Zoo was created! Now, I even have my own website www.zoeszooreptiles.com

Tiny brown gecko perched on an index finger

Tiny brown gecko perched on an index finger

So what’s it like being a small business owner at age 11?

Well…

It can be stressful at times but overall being a business owner is fun,  exhilarating and just pure awesome!

If you are interested in owning your own Crested Gecko, do your research, ask your parents and feel free to visit my website! There are also many other reputable breeders around the country that can be found online.

3 photo collage of a brown gecko climbing over the top of the terrarium with the words “Yes! A chance to escape!” a second image still peaking over the side with the words “Don’t even think of stopping me!” and a final photo with the gecko perched to the outside of the terrarium with the words “FREEDOM!”

3 photo collage of a brown gecko climbing over the top of the terrarium with the words “Yes! A chance to escape!” a second image still peaking over the side with the words “Don’t even think of stopping me!” and a final photo with the gecko perched to the outside of the terrarium with the words “FREEDOM!”

Expert Interview on homeschooling: Stephanie Sewell, educational consultant

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Stephanie Sewell is an independent education consultant, writer, speaker, children's choir director, and workshop facilitator and I invited her to join me for this 30 minute interview to chat about many of the topics that I know are on parents’ minds at the moment.

We covered:

  • structure and rhythms and routines

  • what education can look like when it isn’t school

  • how to stay connected to your school board if you know your child will be returning when possible to a traditional school system

  • how to build community and connection in a different way than you’ve been used to

  • how kids learn as part of their regular days and routines

  • learning pods

Check out Stephanie’s web site and Facebook page to find out more about the services she provides if you’re looking for support as you try to figure out your best plan moving forward for September.

Thanking Teachers During COVID-19

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Whether you’re in Ontario where we know kids won’t be going back to the classroom this year, or in Quebec where you may have had to choose whether or not to send your kids back to class, the teachers have had a year unlike any other this year, just as we all have. Despite not getting to see them very much (or maybe even more so because of that), you may want to take a bit of time to acknowledge the incredible learning curve that came with switching gears and attempting to connect with students and help support their education in a totally new way with no notice (during a crisis!).

We talked to a few teachers and parents to get some ideas on how you can thank the teachers during COVID-19::

Thanking Teachers During COVID-19.png

Have your child make a card or write a note

Have your child say thank you by creating a piece of art or writing them a note. You can then either digitalize it and email it to the teacher, ask the teacher if they feel comfortable sharing their mailing address or send it to the school (though they might not get it for a while that way).

Have your child create a video

Kids are getting more and more comfortable with technology and creating a fun video for their teacher might be a great learning opportunity on top of a lovely gesture to thank the teachers that have been meaningful to your child/children. It could be a video from one child to one teacher, a video from one child to all their teachers or even a family video that is for all the teachers that impact the family. Send them the file or upload it to an unlisted YouTube page and send them the link.

Write the teacher an email

One of my friends who is a teacher has told me that one of the best gifts she ever got as a teacher was having a parent tell her how she impacted their child positively. Take a few moments and let teachers know how you believe they made a difference to your child and you’ll fill their hearts - that’s honestly why so many of them are in this profession to begin with!

Send them a gift card that supports their teaching

So many teachers spend money out of pocket for extra resources for their teaching (so much more than I ever realized!).

Send them a gift card that will help them pay for some of those resources.

There is a site called teachers pay teachers where teachers upload the resources they’ve created and other teachers pay them to use those resources (I love this idea, that could be the business coach side of me). :)

You can also buy a gift card from Staples, a local bookstore or even Indigo.

Send them a gift from a local business

There are so many great small businesses that are having to work harder than usual to keep their doors open right now and a gift card to a local restaurant, cafe, flower shop, etc would not only be a nice token for the teachers but also be a way to acknowledge the teachers in your life.

Whether you spend money or go with one of the free options, the idea is that if you have seen and noticed how much the teachers in your children’s lives really care and want to do something for them, they will appreciate the gesture, and I believe they really deserve it after the curve balls they’ve been thrown this year.

The Ottawa Public Library's top 10 most notable 2019 books for young kids

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The Ottawa Public Library is back to share their top 10 most notable 2019 books for young kids. This month’s post is by Xiao Feng Xing, Librarian, Youth Collections at the Ottawa Public Library.

Small in the City by Sydney Smith

Sydney Smith won the 2019 Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s book illustrations as well as a lot of starred reviews. During one of the young boy’s monologue, he says: “I know what it’s like to be small in the city.” Then, he proceeds by giving a lot of friendly advice. It’s like a puzzle. We don’t know who his missing friend is. Then, suddenly, a big spread of a lost cat poster gives us a visual clue. The boy is on a search and rescue mission for his lost cat. Beautiful small panel watercolours and full spreads illustrate the snowy, noisy big city, and the little boy’s worried feelings for his lost cat.

My Winter City by James Gladstone

Our home town Ottawa is filled with snow in the winter. Even though this book uses Toronto as a background, kids in Ottawa will still appreciate the winter scenes and the watercolour pictures from each spread. Young readers will enjoy the adventures of a boy, his father, and their dog, from sunrise to sunset, on a snowy winter day. Maybe they’ll put the book down and go out to enjoy some winter fun themselves.

Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Skinnamarink by Qin Leng

The classic Canadian song is much loved since Sharon, Lois and Bram performed it to audiences for the first time in 1978. This beloved trio of children’s entertainers have sung the song at the UN General Assembly! It has come to symbolize friendship, inclusion, joy and love.

It is a must sing along in our children’s programs on Valentine’s day. In this special book version of the song, the author has added an introduction to the anthem, along with some additional verses. Qin Leng brings joy and love of life with her clear and simple soft tone watercolour illustration. She uses different kinds of people, families, and even animals. The sing-along story celebrates love, community, and the joy of music.

Albert’s Quiet Quest by Isabelle Arsenault

The words and images are by renowned Montreal author Isabelle Arsenault. A young boy named Albert just wants to find a quiet place to read. He finally finds a quiet corner with a painting of an ocean sunset. It’s a good spot for him to read and daydream by the seaside. He’s continually disturbed by different people who invite him to play outside until he can’t tolerate it anymore and makes a raucous. Gradually, his family and friends respect his quiet quest and they all came to his nook to read a book quietly together. The story unfolds using graphic novel like speech bubbles and panels. It shows how some kids, especially autistic kids, struggle to have their own private and quiet space.

Saturday by Oge Mora

Ava and her mother cherished Saturdays because it’s the only day that Ava’s mom doesn’t have to work. Ava is hoping to do a lot of things but then things go wrong. Storytime is cancelled; her hair gets messy; the park is too loud; and now they’ll miss the puppet show. Mom thinks she has ruined Saturday. During a touching moment, Ava uses the same words her mother uses to comfort and reassure her: “Mom, don’t worry. Today will be special. Today will be splendid. Because today is Saturday and I spend them with you!” And then they go home to do a puppet show together. The book uses a unique collage style that depicts the busy weekends of many families and working parents. 

River by Elisha Cooper

River is one more excellent book illustrated by Elisha Cooper following Farm, Beach, and Train. The book uses iconic water colours to illustrate a young woman’s canoe journey down the Hudson River. She shares her challenges and adventures of navigating rapids, dams, and the experience of a storm and hardship in the dark night. Thanks to her resilience and determination, she finally meets her family at the end of her journey. This is a story of courage for young kids who will learn that with perseverance you can overcome many challenges.

Daniel’s Good Day by Micha Archer

“What is a good day for you?” Daniel is a young boy who wants to find out what a good day is for the people in his neighbourhood.

The author’s colourful collages and simple text tell us many simple things that give us joy. This is an inspiring and optimistic story.

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett

This is a little longer than our average picture book, with 42 pages to remember the 42 years of life of Margaret Wise Brown. As author Mac Barnett says, “You can’t fit somebody’s life into 42 pages, so I am just going to tell you some important things.”

You will be amazed to learn that many of the author’s popular books, including Good Night Moon, are not recommended for purchase by experts in the New York Public Library. As a result, none of her books were purchased by public libraries at the time. This book, with vivid illustrations, depicts the author's great children’s  short lifespan of 42 years.

Migration Incredible Animal Journeys by Mike Unwin

This is a non-fiction picture book. The stunning illustrations and simple text present a collection of epic animal migrations across our planet. Each animal has its own story to tell. Each spread depicts one animal’s unique journey, enduring harsh weather and dodging hungry predators.

Sweety by Andrea Zuill

Sweety is awkward, even for a naked mole rat. She knew that she didn’t always fit in. She has protruding front teeth, thick glasses and some very unusual hobbies, such as identifying different fungi. She gave a book report using interpretive dance. Her aunt Ruth had the same experience when she was young, so she always encourages Sweety. “Being different is one of the best things about life.” If you stay true to yourself, you’ll find your people.” Finally, Sweety finds her friend Sandy. Here are the words from Sandy’s speech bubble: “My name is Sandy. Your Shirt is wonderful! I wouldn’t mind having a shirt with a mushroom on it. I love mushrooms. My favourite is Gyramitra esculenta. It looks like a brain.”

The author’s end note dedicates the book to “all those who have accepted their inner oddball”. The pen and ink drawings with speech bubbles clearly depict the oddball that Sweety is with humour and charm. Author Andrea Zuill delivers a story about learning to embrace everything that makes you “you”, and that’s something many kids can relate to.

Financial Literacy for Children: Books available at the Ottawa Public Library

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The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their favourite books for children with us. This month's post is by Kristina Roudiy, Children's Program Assistant at the Alta Vista Branch.

This month's booklist showcases various fun and helpful juvenile titles on Financial Literacy. There are also some workshops families can attend this month at the Ottawa Public Library! Special guest Tecla Kalinda from ZalaSmart will be visiting six branches (Manotick, Nepean Centrepointe, Ruth E.Dickinson, Blackburn Hamlet, Stittsville and Alta Vista) to talk about money with children ages 9-12. Other presentations, such as those about cyber fraud, bank accounts and savings, might be of interest to tweens & teens. Happy Financial Literacy month!  

Series of picture books: A Moneybunny book / Cinders McLeod

Save it! (2019) https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1187703026

Spend it! (2019) https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1149444026

Earn it! (2017) https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1163747026

Ages 4-6. Through these three titles, we follow the financial adventures of three different rabbit characters. The first one, Honey, is intent to save money to buy a playhouse, to find peace and quiet away from his five siblings. The second one, Sonny, learns that he has to make choices with his allowance and that he can't buy everything he wants. The third one, Bun, has a passion for singing and thinks she can get rich quickly through her music -but as her mother explains, it takes time and hard work to get successful. A sweet, simplistic introduction to financial literacy. 

Picture book: Arthur's pet business / Marc Tolon Brown. 1990

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/337863026

Ages 4-7. This is adventure #14 in a classic series. In this book, well-known, well-loved character Arthur attempts to start a pet business. His objective is not so much to earn money (although his sister D.W. begs to differ!) as it is to prove that he is responsible enough to get a puppy.


Picture book: My rows and piles of coins / Tololwa Mollel. 1999

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/200380026

Ages 4-8. This is the story of a Tanzanian boy, Saruni, who has been helping his mother at the market and saving coins with the hope to, one day, have enough money to buy a bicycle. But when will he have enough coins? With stunning watercolour paintings of a contemporary village. 

Chapter book: Nancy Clancy seeks a fortune / Jane O' Connor. 2016

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/962878026

Ages 6-8. This is volume seven in a series of books with a grown-up (now in grade three) version of “Fancy Nancy”. Nancy Clancy still adores everything fancy, and also likes to play detectives with her friend Bree. In this book, they learn all about the California Gold Rush in school and decide to make their own fortune, one way or another. But they soon learn that money isn't everything... A fun, informative story about the perks and challenges of being an entrepreneur. 

Chapter book: The unlucky lottery winners of classroom 13 / Honest Lee. 2017

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1059225026

Ages 7-9. The humorous tale of an unlucky teacher who suddenly wins twenty-eight billion dollars and, as previously agreed, shares the lottery money with her students. Each chapter focuses on a different child and shows the crazy ways in which they spend (or lose!) the money.

Chapter book: Cleo Edison Oliver, playground millionnaire / Sundee Tucker Frazier. 2016

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/957650026

Ages 8-11. Meet Cleo, an African-American -Filipino fifth-grade entrepreneur! She is determined to follow in the footsteps of her TV idol, Fortune Davies and has lots of fun ideas (why not sell avocadoes? Or make a teeth-pulling business?) but soon starts to neglect her best friend Caylee.

Graphic novel: The Finance Smurf: a Smurfs Graphic Novel / Peyo. 2014

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/794017026

Ages 8-12. Volume 18 in this graphic novel series. This time, Papa Smurf got badly injured in a lab accident and sent a Smurf to get a cure from a nearby wizard. The smurf witnessed the exchange of money among human beings and decided to introduce money in his own village.
 

Non-fiction : Canada Up Close : Canadian Money / Elizabeth MacLeod. 2011.

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/602013026

Ages 7-9. This non-fiction title by award-winner author Elizabeth MacLeod is an informative read on Canadian Money. Children will learn about the money used by First Nations, The Royal Mint, Bank of Canada, how money gets printed, circulated and disposed of... and much more! 

Non-fiction: The history of money: from bartering to banking / Martin Jenkins. 2014

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/785357026

Ages 9-11. A book in which children explore the history of money in a fun way, from the early forms of money (shells, precious metals, etc.) to more contemporary types of currency. Did you know that, in 1946, a European currency kept changing value every hour? Do you know what hyperinflation means? The author's simple examples are accompanied by cartoonish drawings.

Non-fiction: Follow your money: who gets it, who spends it, where does it go? / Kevin Sylvester. 2013

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/715336026

Ages 10-13. Canadian authors Kevin Sylvester and Michael Hlinka introduce young consumers to the way in which money flows in the Canadian economy, through twenty-seven two-page chapters. The examples include common items used by teens, for example MP3 players, pizza or sneakers, and explain concepts such as : store sales, taxes, minimum wage, gross vs. net profit. A unique approach to economics & money, hopefully enabling youth to be smarter consumers.