Samuel L Jackson may have got his ire roasted by Snakes on a Plane, but there’s nothing that will set a neighbor off more than grabbing a seat and seeing a Baby on the Plane.

If you’re traveling with a toddler and you’re looking for ways to keep your baby quiet for the long trip … good luck. Some recommend a bag of new and fresh toys you think your child will like (one for each hour of the trip). Others try to plan their travel to coincide with the nap schedule your child is on. Still others slip their kids “a little something” to help them sleep.

For our trip to France with our baby, we took a few different approaches:

1. We broke the trip up into segments, including a long layover so we wouldn’t be cooped up for a long period of time.

2. We brought along some puppets to entertain him.

3. We planned our longer flight as an overnight segment.

4. We took a humourous approach to break the ice with our seatmates should all our planning fail.

So we picked up a Congratulations! You Get to Sit Near Me tshirt from Milkbomb to try and bring a smile. It worked. It was a kind of admission that we knew the flight had a chance to no go perfectly, and we were going to try our best to make sure everyone was happy. The people around us smirked and chipped in to help entertain Zacharie and while he didnt necessarily sleep the entire trip, he did provide entertainment as opposed to stress to those around us.

Being a parent suddenly propels you to have a greater sense of community and a desire to give back. Whether that be coaching a minor sports team, volunteering at the community centre or being extra friendly to your neighbours – the definition of family expands when you have your own.

November is Diabetes Month.

Zacharie doesnt have diabetes, but I know there are many kids who do. And when I say Zacharie doesnt have it I should add the word “yet” because diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases affecting our society. Sometimes you’re born with it, sometimes it hits you later in life when you’ve taken your body for granted. However it comes around, it does come around. A lot.

So I run marathons with Team Diabetes to keep myself active and healthy and away from possibly getting it myself. I raise awareness and funds for diabetes so researchers can get a leg up and attack the disease before it has a chance to creep into my family’s life.

November 14 is World Diabetes Day. So what can you do?

I’ve created a Twitter List called “Team Diabetes” of people you can follow and retweet to help spread the message this month.

The World Diabetes Day website has banner ads you can clip and add to your own rotation to help raise awareness.

You can join me in Rio de Janeiro in June 2010 as a member of Team Diabetes and run a marathon, half marathon or 10k and raise funds and awareness for those living with diabetes.

You can advertise on DadCAMP. For the month of November, when you make a donation of $100 to Team Diabetes you can buy any of the ad positions on DadCAMP through the rest of 2009. The more people that make the donation, the longer the rotation of ads will be, but the sooner you get in on the offer the more rotations you will get before the competition heats up.

It’s all about community. How are you helping yours?

While it’s unlikely the wicked witch at the end of your block will stick a razor blade in an apple, your kids are still running the streets and begging for candy from strangers. Just as you wouldn’t eat food left outside a hotel room because you don’t know where it’s been, you need to sift through your kids’ candy to sift out the unsavouries.

SAFETY TIPS FOR CHILDREN WHILE TRICK OR TREATING

Buy flame resistant costumes, wigs and accessories. The best costumes are bright and reflective. Keep costumes short enough to prevent tripping. Consider adding reflective tape or striping for greater visibility.

* Give every child a flashlight with fresh batteries. Remind children of traffic safety rules, and that they should cross streets at corners, and to never cross between parked cars.
* Make sure that children know how to call 9-1-1 or their local emergency number if they experience an emergency or become lost. 9-1-1 can be dialed free from any pay phone.
* Secure emergency information (name, address, telephone number) within a child’s Halloween attire.
* Give older children coins for non-emergency calls.
* Teach children to STOP, DROP and ROLL should their clothing catch fire: STOP immediately. DROP to the ground and cover face, unless hands are on fire. ROLL over and over until the flames are extinguished.

SAFETY TIPS FOR ADULTS
* Be extra careful when driving. Excited children can forget safety rules. Make sure to appoint a designated driver if you are attending adult Halloween parties.
* Accompany children when they go out trick or treating. Explain to children the difference between tricks and vandalism.
* Community centres, shopping malls and houses of worship may hold organized Halloween events. As an alternative, start one in your neighbourhood.

SAFETY AT HOME
* Consider using only battery powered lanterns or chemical light sticks instead of candles in decorations.
* Votive candles are the safest for pumpkins. Keep candles, matches and lighters away from the reach of children. Place lighted pumpkins on sturdy tables, away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave them unattended.
* When decorating your home, ensure that electrical outlets are not overloaded with holiday lighting or special effects. Keep exit doors unblocked. Replace bulbs on outdoor lights. Check the batteries in your smoke alarms. Test monthly; replace annually.
* Eliminate tripping hazards on your porch and walkways. Check for flower pots, low tree limbs, support wires or garden hoses that may prove hazardous for young children as they rush from house to house.

PET SAFETY
* Make pets safe by keeping them away from the door and visiting trick or treaters, and do not let them outside. Ensure that they are wearing collars and proper I.D. tags. Talk to a veterinarian for advice more specific to individual pets.
* Remember that chocolate is deadly for pets. So are plastic and foil candy wrappers. Give pets an extra biscuit, not Halloween candy.
* Dog’s tails can be lethal weapons. Keep dogs and cats away from Jack-O-Lanterns or lighted candles; they could knock them over and start a fire or receive serious burns.
* If holding an indoor Halloween party, place pets in a room, well away from the party. Leave them with food and water. Check on them once in a while, to let them know everything is fine.

Common sense should rule the day and everyone will end up with a safe and scary Halloween without the irrational fear culminating in a cancelling of Halloween.

When it comes to reality tv, this concept is boring. Dads who would prefer to hang with their buddies and shirk their rookie responsibilities, however, could make some fun tv.

The Hollywood Reporter has details a new reality show, tentatively called “Dad Camp,” is being pitched and VH1 is listening.

“In a lot of ways, men aren’t what they used to be,” executive producer JD Roth said. “We’ve made it so easy for men to walk away from their responsibilities. These guys still want to hang with their buddies, and it’s time for them to man-up and take responsibility.”

VH1 programming head Jeff Olde said the series was inspired by President Obama’s call in June for fathers to “step up” and take responsibility for their children.

“Obama put that out there, and then 3Ball came in and pitched this,” Olde said. “There are real-world emotional stakes involved. It’s not about winning a prize.”
[THR]

This website is the home to DadCAMP, not Dad Camp. We’re a place for creative and modern parents. A place where Dads get together with other Dads and their kids. A place where you can hang with your buddies and your kids at the same time.

We believe that being a Dad isn’t some sort of life sentence, every day being a Dad is the best day ever.

Welcome to DadCAMP.

This week is news that not only were those videos not helping your infants get smarter, they were probably having the reverse effect.

Physicians are signing on to a recommendation that no television be watched by children under the age of two. Zero screen time. None.

Dr. Tom Warshawski, who is head of pediatrics at Kelowna General Hospital, said repeated studies have shown the problems linked to television viewing, including obesity and an increase in violent activity.

Warshawski, who is member of the B.C. Pediatric Society, said a typical two-year-old is awake about 12 hours a day, and two hours of screen time will cut their development time by close to 15 per cent.

“It’s somewhat artificial, but we do know that the first two or three years of life are periods of rapid brain growth,” he said.

It is widely believed the passive act of watching television interferes with this normal development, he said.
[CBC]

Which is getting more and more difficult for parents to control. Kids aren’t consuming less media, they’re consuming more.

More than an entire day — that’s how long children sit in front of the television in an average week, according to new findings released Monday by Nielsen.

The amount of television usage by children reached an eight-year high, with kids ages 2 to 5 watching the screen for more than 32 hours a week on average and those ages 6 to 11 watching more than 28 hours. The analysis, based on the fourth quarter of 2008, measured children’s consumption of live and recorded TV, as well as VCR and game console usage.

“They’re using all the technology available in their households,” said Patricia McDonough, Nielsen’s senior vice president of insights, analysis and policy. “They’re using the DVD, they’re on the Internet.”
[LA Times]

I have to admit, we exposed Zacharie to television as an infant, falling for the Baby Einstein marketing. I would guess he’s up around 21 hours a week when you factor in morning and evening playtime as the tv fills noise in the background churning out Sesame Street, CBC Kids, Max and Ruby and Dancing With The Stars (all programs he loves).

And it’s not just the TV that he’s riveted to.

Zacharie loves watching videos on YouTube from my iPhone, on my lap at the computer or cranking out his own media on a portable video player like the Creative Zen Vision.

I’m in serious violation of all of the above. We still get into his playroom and run around with trains, we read books and escape to the park as often as possible, but that tv still acts as a pacifier when we as parents need to get something done.

Are we being selfish by using that tv to get a few moments to ourselves? Is it possible to achieve that zero hours of screen time?

Maybe. But not the apps.

The iTunes store is papered with great iPhone and iPod Touch applications for kids, and if you dig enough you’ll find some that are great enough for BOTH of you.

Last week, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) released an iPhone app that opens it’s archive of hundreds of films to mobile devices. [iTunes link]

The National Film Board of Canada is launching a new iPhone application that allows free viewing of hundreds of documentaries, animated films and trailers.

Users can stream a video as they watch it or temporarily store it on the iPhone, to be played back at any time up to 24 hours later.

The NFB’s was founded in 1939 and has since created over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies.
[CP]

I had to wipe a tear from my eye this weekend as Zacharie sat on my lap riveted to Roch Carrier‘s The Hockey Sweater. As he watched, I leaned in and whispered in his ear “this is what it means to be Canadian.”

The National Film Board not only has the brilliant iPhone app, but their entire archives are available online as well. It is a more than worthy substitute for YouTube on the road, and at home.

Best part of the interview? Fiona asking about “Best Day Ever.” (And Z dive bombing in at the end.)

Check with your local Fire or Police Department for by-laws and regulations on discharging fireworks in your municipality. Be aware many municipalities have changed their by-laws concerning rules and regulations regarding fireworks.

Family or Consumer Fireworks Safety Tips:
Adults must take responsibility to supervise all fireworks activities. Fireworks are not toys. They burn at approximately the same temperature as a household match and can cause burn injuries and ignite clothing if improperly lit.

Read and follow all warnings and instructions. Do not purchase or use unlabeled fireworks. Homemade fireworks are deadly. One third of the injuries associated with fireworks have typically been caused by illegal explosives or homemade fireworks.

It is illegal for minors to purchase and possess fireworks. It is illegal to sell fireworks to minors.

Use fireworks outdoors only. Never try to re-light fireworks that have not fully functioned and always have water handy in a garden hose or bucket.

Sparklers are often considered harmless fun. However, they can burn as hot as 650° Celsius (1200 °Fahrenheit) and can ignite clothing. As with other fireworks, always use them outdoors under adult supervision. Place used sparklers immediately into a metal container.

The majority of the injuries from family or consumer fireworks involve misuse rather than malfunction.

Organizers need a permit to set off display fireworks. The actual firing of the display is conducted by a trained pyrotechnic operator and crew. Crowd control is mandatory.

Display Fireworks Safety Tips:

* Spectators should obey all safety personnel and respect the security barriers set up to allow the trained operator to safely do his job.
* If a firework component falls to the ground without exploding, immediately tell the safety personnel. Do not touch the fireworks.
* Leave the lighting of all fireworks to the trained operator when you attend a public display. Consumer fireworks are not appropriate to use when a large crowd is present.
* Taking pets to a fireworks display is not a good idea. The loud noises can hurt their ears and cause them to panic. Leave pets at home if you are going to a fireworks show.
* Regulation alone cannot protect the public. It must be combined with personal responsibility and awareness.

Most importantly, have a safe and scary Halloween!

Photo on Flickr by mckaysavage.

SIMPLE PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE

1 9-inch baked single-crust pie shell
1-3/4 cups (425 mL) pumpkin puree
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (175 mL) evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each ground ginger and salt

Filling: In bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.

Pour into pie shell. Bake in bottom third of 425°F (220°C) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F (180°C); bake for 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool on rack. [from Canadian Living]

There’s nothing better than cooking with kids in the kitchen.

Car seat installation manuals are beasts when it comes to navigating the correct way to install a car seat. Goofy drawings that make Ikea manuals easy. Toss in acronyms and long drawn out directions and it’s tougher for a man to get through than one of his wife’s Shopaholic books.

Car seat installation videos, on the other hand, make life easier. I can see it from different angles, they can talk me through it, I can follow along with the manual. I can stop, rewind, watch it again. If they have videos showing us how to put on airplane seatbelts, there needs to be manufacturer videos for car seat installation.

I’m currently reviewing the Safety 1st Air Protect from Dorel. The manual is like any other manual – tough. They have videos on their website touting the seat’s safety, but not for installation.

I believe the manufacturer needs to be more obvious about these videos and include a dvd in the box, or a clear link to a website with a YouTube video showing me someone doing it properly.

4 out of 5 parents don’t know how to correctly install a car seat. 80%. The car seat can be as solid as a brick wall and as light and cushiony as angel wings, but if I don’t install it properly it’s not going to work.

Car seat installation is the most important part of car seat safety.

Here are some useful car seat installation resources:

BCAA’s Traffic Safety Foundation, with ICBC, has developed a comprehensive Child Passenger Safety Program. It includes a Toll-free Child Car Seat information line: 1-877-247-5551 and car seat clinics.

Carseatsite.com has a comprehensive list of car seat installation videos, some of them even for specific manufacturers.

Dorel, the Safety 1st Air Protect manufacturer, partnered with CanadianFamily.ca to create a video about installation basics.

This post is part of a series encompassing Car Seat 101.

[Disclosure: Safety 1st gave us a car seat to keep and review. They are not involved in the editorial related to our review and are not a direct sponsor of DadCAMP.]