Different Era (Thankfully)

Last night I took my son to East Side Marios (FYI Kids eat free is on from Mon-Wed where we live).
We sat so we could see the screen with the Canadian Women's Hockey playing Sweden.

My son asked Do you know how many medals the Canadian Women's Hockey team has won? I said I know at least 2 gold medals
(I've since looked it up 1998 - Won Silver Medal 2002 - Won Gold Medal 2006 - Won Gold Medal)

& he responded THAT'S IT? Only 2 we're known for hockey!!! Why only 2?

That's when it clicked.

I told him that the Women's hockey has only been recognized as an Olympic Sport for the last 3 Winter Games (as well as the one we were currently watching).

He asked WHY?

Goes to show you how things change. He's not from the mindset that girls can't play sports. He doesn't have a sister so it's not like he can see her play. It's great to know that our kids have a different mindset.

It also makes much more sense to why he laughs so hard at this EGGS commercial. He keeps saying, those guys don't know that these girls are in the Olympics. Most chuckle because of the whole girls playing hockey thing.



I'm glad to know there's a shift in this thinking. No more Us VS Them when it comes to sports. We can all play (well except me, due to an extreme lack of co-ordination, but I'll cheer from the sidelines).

Here's another great example of sports commercials with more forward thinking

Coupons for Ontario Attractions

A few days ago we went to the Hockey Hall of Fame. It was a great time. We don't go to too many museums as my son wants to blow through the whole place & it doesn't make it worth the cost of admission.

BUT.....

I knew the theme would make him take notice (plus there's a fun interactive zone too).

How did I make it affordable?

With a KIDS GET IN FREE COUPON! For the Hockey Hall of Fame
http://www.attractionsontario.ca/index.cfm?DSP=Chapter&ID=11&ACT=Coupon-Info&Coupon_ID=73&Member_ID=1069

You see that's one of my tricks
If I'm ever going somewhere I google
Coupons for _____________ (place I'm off to)
& then I google Deals for ___________________

A couple of other good places for deals are
RedFlagDeals.com & TicketOps on the ShoppersDrugMart site

Here's a full list of coupons from Attractions Ontario
http://www.attractionsontario.ca/index.cfm?DSP=Chapter&ID=19

The fact I live in Kitchener Waterloo helps as I'm just 45 mins from Toronto, an Hour away from Niagra, an Hour & a half from the Niagra Border & 2+ hours from the Detroit/Windsor border.

My problem is I don't like to drive outside of KW, but I'm getting braver. Next year I hope to get a newer vehicle & I'll get a GPS!

But for now I try to find stuff to do in my region.
Want to see what's available in KW?
Visit
http://stufftodowithyourkidsinkw.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your Labour Day Weekend!

Hot Topic at our House

If you hang around our house there is always something "HOCKEY" being spoke of.
My son, now 10, aspires to be an NHL Goalie.
This is not recent dream. This is THE DREAM (according to him). We are a hockey household. I like hockey, my family likes hockey, my son LOVES HOCKEY.
Heck I even painted his toy room to look like an arena (well up to our standards of what a hockey arena would look like).
He's been going to Kitchener Rangers games since he was an infant. I remember him coming home from his 1st day of Kindergarten telling me that at school they sang THE HOCKEY SONG.
At 1st I thought it was the "Good old hockey game, it's the best game you can name..." which I thought was weird for that age group. So I started to sing it. He said "NO" the other hockey song that they play on the speakers. I then realized he meant OH CANADA!
I laughed so hard, because he had only heard OH CANADA played at arenas!
Today we went to see the Holy Grail of Hockey & it was such a blast (& I thought it would help inspire his dream to one day raise the cup)
Here we are doing a play by play (it will only be up for a few days)
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/TSN/playbyplay.jsp?video=FOSTERMCDONALD@ROGERS.COM_60f9966a-9918-4639-a7c2-fcfdd8819815.wmv

& here we are with the Presentation Stanley Cup



Tomorrow I will write about how I was able to make this a great Staycation.
Hope you enjoyed it.
What Dreams do your kids have & how do you help inspire them? I'd love to know so please leave a comment below.