To the UrbanMoms community,
We have discovered some inconsistencies with the voting tool for the BENADRYL® Canada’s Most Prepared Mom Contest. We have concluded that it was possible for some voters, using certain browsers, to get around the contest requirements and vote multiple times on the same day. We have now resolved the issue and improved the mechanisms around the voting process. Because we are committed to running a fair and totally legitimate contest, we have decided the most equitable way to deal with this issue is to stop the current voting process and re-start the voting afresh next week. The voting count will be reset to zero and will be open to accept votes again beginning Monday, July 30, 2012 at 8:30 EDT. Please note that real-time tallies will no longer be displayed.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to make a vote, we really appreciate it. We’d like to remind all our Urban Mom community members to play by the rules and we hope that you will re-cast your vote next week and continue to show your support for your favorite BENADRYL® Canada’s Most Prepared Mom finalist. Only UrbanMoms members are eligible to vote, and you may vote once daily. You can vote every day between Monday, July 30 and Friday, August 3, so be sure to log in every day and vote for your favourite finalist for BENADRYL® Canada’s Most Prepared Mom!
The UrbanMoms Team
After receiving so many entries, the makers of BENADRYL® and UrbanMoms
are that much closer to finding BENADRYL® Canada’s Most Prepared Mom!
Your
stories have shown us just how prepared you need to be for the
unexpected whether you are traveling far and wide or just hanging out at
home.
A panel of judges reviewed all eligible entries based on
the following criteria: 20% creativity, 40% planning and 40% problem
solving. After careful deliberation and much discussion the judges have
selected five contest finalists. And now we need your help!
Who
better to judge the five finalists for BENADRYL® Canada’s Most Prepared
Mom than our own UrbanMoms community? We have selected the top five
entries that we think have what it takes when it comes to dealing with
the unexpected and we need your expert opinion.
Read all 5
entries below and then vote for the one you think has proven herself to
be BENADRYL® Canada’s Most Prepared Mom. You must be an UrbanMoms.ca
member to be eligible to vote. Limit of one (1) vote per UrbanMoms.ca
member per day. The voting period will open on July 23, at 11:00 am.
EDT and end on July 27, 2012, at 12:00 p.m. EDT.
for anything. A bandage in every bag doesn’t cut it–no pun intended.
For trips, my top three survival tools are TWEEZERS, BALLOONS and TAPE.
My boys always rub their splinter prone hands along wooden fences or
grab sticks to make light sabers. And, as the years go by it is
comforting to know I have tweezers for ‘surprises’ I didn’t notice in
the mirror!
airport–I learned the balloon was the best toy I could pack. We find a
corner in the Terminal to play catch and soccer. When it is time to
board, we just sit on the balloon until it pops. After 13 years, we
still keep balloons handy. Each summer you can spot us at rest stops
along the I-75 playing balloon soccer. Naturally the boys also like to
slowly release the air to make balloon farting noises. Boys….
from the obvious uses of holding things together, tape takes third
place. Roll up a small ball and play table hockey. Ever drop a small toy
on the airplane floor? It is next to impossible to pick it up without
throwing your back into a full spasm. But, drop your scotch tape ball
and no worries — just make another one! I have grabbed a few precious
minutes of quiet by giving my toddler a bit of tape to stick to the
table, to wrap and ‘mummify’ toys, and my husband’s personal favourite,
— wrap tape loosely around their fingers and watch them try to unstick
it.
have been on many a boat trip with my husband and 3 children and 3
small dogs where I have been instructed that only the ‘bare essentials’
can come aboard. The boat is only 24 feet and there is no room for
extras. The children were allowed only one small backpack each and
minimal toys. I had one large bin for food and one for dishes and pots
and pans. Each meal was carefully planned because the ice in the cooler
would be melted within the first 2 days. Fresh water would have to be
carefully rationed so we would not run out. With a boating list fine
tuned from previous trips I called out the items as the children
gathered them up in a pile. I was always amazed at how little we
actually needed once we were out on the water sailing in the Gulf
Islands. We would anchor out and climb into our small dingy and row
ashore. Our daughters had endless fun swimming, building sandcastles
and floating on logs they rolled down the beach into the water. I
always made sure I packed a first aide kit with bandaids and pain
relievers as well as Benadryl for allergies. I also made sure I took
along extra food in case we ended up needing to stay out longer. There
was one trip where we had engine trouble and my daughters and I sailed
the boat while my husband hung over the back boat repairing the outboard
engine. Another trip we forgot the bag of toys and we had to improvise
by finding a stick on the beach and each time we went somewhere we
marked on it the stick and decorated it. My daughter still has the
stick and we called it a ‘memory’ stick. My husband would read to our
daughters as they were tucked into their beds each night they would fall
asleep to the sound of the water lapping against the sides of the boat.
I still like to make a list before every trip I take and bring only
the bare essentials.
is my middle name. After some thought I realize that there are three
main reasons for this. One: my personality, two: money(or lack thereof)
and three: my low blood sugar. This was clearly manifest when we took
the kids to Ottawa for the first time a few years ago. I have always
been a bit of an anxious person and a natural survival skill is to plan
ahead that way you know what to expect. So as soon as I found out we
were going I headed straight to the library and got the Frommer’s guide
and planned every single thing we would do including some neat out of
the way things the kids would like such as slot car racing. A tight
budget means eating in as much as possible and since the car ride was
six hours I planned as many snacks and meals I could to avoid eating
out on the road. We rented a chalet with a kitchen and that was great as
well. Having low blood sugar means when I get hungry I need to eat NOW
— not the next stop. So I have acquired some great preparation skills
because of this. A snack is never far away when you’re with me. I
thought I may outgrow this habit once my kids got older but I think all
along it was me who needed the looking after. Anyway to keep the kids
busy and happy I planned ahead and made “Bingo” cards with things you
would see while travelling on the road. I had presents wrapped and when a
row was completed they had a new small toy to play with. We still talk
about this trip and I like to think I had a small part to play in its’
success. I don’t think I’ll kick my preparation habit just yet.
was blessed with a baby girl two years ago and that took my need to be
prepared to a whole other level. Babies need so much! You can’t leave
the house without a diaper bag full of gear that has been carefully
checked off your survival list. However, I didn’t just have a baby. I
have a little one who is rather demanding and has health issues. So,
being prepared is not just a luxury it is essential.
the house with a toddler (my baby is now two) can be a challenge at the
best of times but leaving something behind, in our case, can be
disastrous. Do I have her inhalers? Will her prescription run out
before we get back from where ever we are going? Do I have her
antihistamines? Sunscreen? Is everything packed safely and somewhere
where it will not get misplaced. My daughter’s health depends on me
being dependable. Never mind all the other non health related but still
essential to keep a toddler happy paraphernalia that we have to drag
along everywhere we go.
On August 7, 2012 the winner of the contest will be announced.
Click here for Contest Rules and Regulations.