For young fans, especially those who invest their hearts (and wardrobes) into a team’s season, a loss can feel devastating. Tears are shed. Shirts are tossed. “It’s not fair!” is a recurring exclamation. As parents, it’s our job not to minimize those feelings. And we need to help them work through them.

Here’s how to support your child when their favourite team loses, and turn sports disappointment it into teachable moments…

Acknowledge Their Feelings

Before jumping in with logic (“It’s just a game!”), pause and validate their emotions. It might seem like an overreaction, but for kids, this is real grief.

Try:
“I know you were really hoping they’d win. It’s okay to feel upset.”
“You’ve been cheering for them all season. Of course this loss hurts.”

Validation doesn’t encourage wallowing. It lays the groundwork for emotional regulation.

Model Good Sportsmanship

Whether you’re watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs or a U9 soccer final, your reaction matters. Kids mirror our behaviour, even (especially?!) when we think they’re not watching.

We need to model good sportsmanship when dealing with sports disappointment. If you’re frustrated or muttering about bad calls, they’ll pick that up. Instead of yelling at the TV, try to model disappointment without blame.

Try:
“They gave it their all, and sometimes that’s just not enough to win.”
“I’m proud of how hard they played.”

Shift the Focus to Effort, Not Outcome

This is a great time to reinforce growth mindset thinking. Ask questions like:

• “What do you think they did really well this season?”
• “What would you do differently if you were the coach?”
• “What was your favourite moment from the season?”

This helps kids process the overall experience more fully, and reminds them that the journey matters as much as the score of their final game.

Make Room for Ritual

Having a post-game ritual, whether they win or lose, can provide structure and emotional safety.

Some ideas:

• “Win or lose, we go for ice cream after a big game.”
• “Let’s do a quick gratitude check… name one thing you’re thankful for about this season.”
• “Let’s rewatch some favourite plays or highlight moments.”

Creating predictable rituals helps kids know that the disappointment is temporary and your connection lasts.

Put It in Perspective (Gently)

When the tears dry and the jerseys are back in the drawer, it’s okay to talk about bigger lessons.

 Try:
“Part of loving something deeply is feeling sad when it doesn’t go your way. But that’s also what makes the wins so sweet.”
“Even the best teams lose sometimes. That’s why we keep watching and keep believing.”

Let Them Feel Passion—Even When It Hurts

In a world that encourages apathy and disconnection, it’s actually pretty amazing that your child cares this much about something. Passion is a powerful thing. The goal is not to dampen their enthusiasm. This helps to teach necessary resilience alongside it.

Let them love their team fiercely. Let them cry when things don’t go their way. Then help them dust off, cheer again, and maybe even take a shot on goal themselves.

Eventually, the team will win. And they’ll lose. And your child? They’ll be stronger for having stayed in the game.

Do your kids get emotional when their team loses? Do you?! What’s helped your family deal with post-game heartbreak? Share your tips in the comments!

The post They Lost?! Helping Kids Cope with Sports Disappointment appeared first on SavvyMom.

The Savvy Guide to Halloween

Local Tricks & Treats

We’ve got what’s fun and frightening for families that’s happening in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary.

Pumpkin Carving Tips

From selecting the perfect pumpkin to suggesting innovative ways to decorate, here are all the pumpkin carving tips you need to make your pumpkin (and porch) look their very best. Thanks to our friends at Pumpkin Masters

Halloween Pumpkin Decorating for Little Ones

If your little ones want their very own Jack O Lantern, decorating is a great alternative to Halloween pumpkin carving — no knives required.

What Time is Trick or Treating?

Here are a few tips to let you know when it’s a good time to start trick or treating—and when you should probably call it a night—this Halloween.

Quick-ish & Easy DIY Halloweeen Costumes

We’ve outlined 15 quick-ish and easy DIY Halloween costumes that you can cheaply and *somewhat* easily create at home.

Make a Halloween Candy Plan

Having an agreed-upon plan for the inevitable candy avalanche that comes with Halloween will help everyone enjoy the holiday, without too many sugar crashes!

Ideas to Use Up Leftover Halloween Candy

We love how much our kids love Halloween. And we hate being the fun police. So here are 11 ways to use up excess Halloween candy that’ll keep your fun cred intact.

It’s True… Kids Need (at Least) 2 Halloween Costumes

Like a celebrity attending an international fashion week, it feels like kids need at least two outfit changes when it comes to this seasonal celebration. Here’s why…

Easy Halloween Dinner Ideas

What’s for dinner on October 31? Let us save you all kinds of effort and time trying to think of what to feed them before trick or treating with these Halloween dinner ideas…

5 Fun & Spooky Halloween Dinner Recipes

A special Halloween dinner is a nice idea but October 31st is WAY too busy. These spooky recipes are perfect for meals leading up to the big night.

Chic & Spooky Halloween Decor

Get ready for some festive spooky fun and greeting trick or treaters with some chic and creepy Halloween decor ideas…

20 Scary Movies for Kids (That Won’t Scare Them Too Much)

Scary movies for kids often = sleepless nights for parents. But these spooky movies all have an element of magic that’s perfect for family movie night.

A Halloween Playlist: Halloween’s “Gravest” Hits

No guide to Halloween would be complete without music. Here’s a look at our Halloween playlist, which we refer to as Halloween’s ‘Gravest’ Hits. We play this leading up to Halloween, getting ready for the big night!

5 Steps to Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Don’t toss them! Unless it’s with oil and salt! We’ve got 5 tips to create perfectly roasted pumpkin seeds.

Another Person’s Culture is Not a Halloween Costume

When you “celebrate” your love for a character or culture by dressing up as a caricature of it, you’re not honouring anyone – you’re hurting them.

The post The Savvy Guide to Halloween appeared first on SavvyMom.

Since everyone has a different tolerance for scary it can be difficult to know what’s appropriate for your kid until it’s too late. Some kids think Gremlins is awesome, and some (mine) make you turn it off after 20 minutes then don’t sleep for a week.

To avoid the latter, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite scary movies for kids that won’t completely scare the pants off them. They’re not all Halloween-specific but they do have an element of spooky that’s perfect for family movie night. And don’t forget the ghoulish snacks, including our favourite sweet and salty popcorn.

Scary Movies for Kids of All Ages (That Aren’t Too Scary)

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Based on the books The Magic Bedknob; or How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons, the 1971 film combines live-action and animation to tell the story of an apprentice witch, three precocious children, and an enchanted bed who all travel into a fantasy land to help the British defeat the German army in World War II. It was nominated for five Academy Awards and won Best Special Effects in 1972. (1:57)

Book of Life

In a small Mexican town, Maria (Zoe Saldana), Joaquin (Channing Tatum), and Manolo (Diego Luna) have been friends their entire lives. But nothing lasts forever and the friendship is tested when the three reunite as young adults. Both Manolo and Joaquin both want to marry Maria but first, Manolo will have to navigate three rich fantasy worlds and confront the difference between what he wants to do and what is expected of him. (1:35)

Casper

Casper the friendly ghost falls in love with teenage Kat (Christina Ricci) when Kat and her father (Bill Pullman) move into a run-down mansion in an attempt to rid it of evil spirits. But can their love overcome Casper’s transparency and the antics of his aunts and uncles? (1:40)

Coco

In this visually stunning and colourful Pixar epic, young Miguel, an aspiring musician, enters the land of the dead in an attempt to uncover the real story of his family’s history and its generations-long ban on music. (1:45)

Hotel Transylvania

(1:31)  and

Hotel Transylvania 2

(1:29)

Dracula, owner/operator of a high-end hotel far from civilization, has a teenage daughter (Mavis) who just happens to fall in love with a geeky guest, forcing the Count to confront the fact that his baby girl is growing up. In the sequel, Mavis becomes a mother and Dracula and his friends band together to try and stop her and her young family from leaving the hotel.

It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

The Great Pumpkin is a Halloween legend that only Linus believes in. According to Linus, the Great Pumpkin delivers toys to deserving children on Halloween. Will this be the year the Peanuts gang sees him? (25 mins)

Scary Movies for Kids Recommended for Ages 8-12

The Addams Family

They’re creepy and they’re kooky, they’re altogether spooky … In the cartoon remake of the 1964 television series and 1991 film, the unusual Addams Family proves that your family’s weirdness has nothing on the Addams. Features macabre moments and suggestive humour that may not be appropriate for all viewers.

Beetlejuice

Featuring an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara, Beetlejuice is a Halloween classic that follows the story of a young couple who perish in an accident and are forced to haunt their country house. When the property is purchased by a young family, chaos ensues. (1:32)

Coraline

Coraline is a spunky and precocious 11-year old girl who’s just moved to Oregon from Michigan. Left to her own devices by her busy parents, Coraline discovers an alternate world behind a secret door in her new house. This new world seems even better than reality, but what happens when she wants to leave? (1:40)

Corpse Bride

Only Tim Burton could make the story of a young groom, a deceased bride, and a colossal misunderstanding so weirdly entertaining. Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp are the voices behind the stars of this animated tale. (1:17)

E.T.

Turn on your heart light for this classic story about love and acceptance of a benign alien invasion. When E.T. (Extra-Terrestrial) becomes stranded on earth, young Elliott finds him and brings him home. Despite trying to keep E.T. a secret, soon Elliott’s mother, his neighbourhood and even the government are intervening. (1:55)

Frankenweenie

Young Victor Frankenstein is a bit of an outsider at school. And when his best friend, his dog Sparky, dies suddenly, Victor is heartbroken and resorts to a ghoulish experiment that brings Sparky back to life. But Victor’s fellow students have stolen his secret and now other animals are being resurrected. What could possibly go wrong? (2012 version, 1:27)

The Goonies

Who doesn’t dream of discovering an ancient treasure map? When the Goonies (a group of misfits) actually do, they’re launched into a quest filled with dangerous obstacles and one very determined property developer who wants to destroy their home to build a country club. (1:49)

Matilda

When one genius little girl and her awesome teacher take on the world’s worst parents and principal everyone’s world is turned upside down. The film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved book features Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman as Matilda’s monstrous parents, and Pam Ferris as the incomparably awful school principal Agatha Trunchbull. (1:38)

Monster House

When three teenagers discover that the creepy house in the neighbourhood is actually a living breathing monster they must act quickly to protect the lives of innocent trick or treaters, even if their parents don’t believe them. (1:30)

Nanny McPhee

Behave or Beware is Nanny’s motto and the Brown family children know she’s not above using a little magic to rein everyone in, especially when Great Aunt Stitch (Angela Lansbury) threatens to separate the clan for good. (1:37)

The Haunted Mansion

Workaholic realtor Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) learns a valuable lesson about family when he endangers his wife and children by attempting to sell a haunted mansion. (1:28) (Ed. note: a new version of The Haunted Mansion is now on Disney+ and it’s so good!)

ParaNorman

A misfit boy who prefers conversations with the dead to those with this living becomes his town’s only hope in the fight against zombies who are suddenly rising from the grave to fulfill a centuries-old witches curse. (1:32)

The post 20 Scary Movies for Kids (That Won’t Scare the Pants Off Them) appeared first on SavvyMom.

Okay, ‘hours and hours’ is exaggerating a little, but with the nice autumn weather, I find myself in the school playground a lot. Most of the time, it’s pretty great, and I have learned quite a few tips over the years to make that time hanging out by the monkey bars a lot more fun FOR ME.

Tips for Surviving the Playground After School

1. Plan dinner ahead of time. Whether you throw a healthy meal in the slow cooker or have planned exactly what you’re going to make when you get home, being prepared is key when you come home with your hungry (and, hence, complaining) little ones.
2. Bring a high-protein snack after school. If you don’t already do so, the stay-and-play days are the time to bring something hearty for them to eat when they come bounding out of the school doors.
3. Don’t forget the sunscreen. They’re going to be playing in the bright afternoon sun. And even when I think we’ll only stay a minute, it usually becomes longer when I see what fun they’re having. Slather on the sunscreen when they’re eating that high-protein snack and you may even be lucky enough to avoid the complaints about how annoying sunscreen is.
4. Tell them ahead of time how long you’ll be staying. I’ve learned the hard way that they don’t always want to leave. In fact, my kids have it in their heads that if we aren’t the last family standing, we haven’t stayed long enough. A five-minute warning always helps, too.
5. Bring along some extra items to add to the fun. If your kids love soccer, bring a ball. If they love skipping, bring a rope. The more kids you have, the more likely one of them won’t want to stay as long as the others. If you can whip out that skipping rope or soccer ball you might buy yourself (and your other kids) a bit more time at the playground.

Remember, no matter how long you stay, it probably won’t be long enough for at least one of your kids. And it will probably be too long for another. But that hour (or more) of playing after school is one of the easiest ways to keep kids active and practicing their different movement skills without them even realizing it. And, I’ll be honest, one of the best ways to avoid the before-dinner witching hour that usually happens if we head straight home.

I’m often surprised by how few families actually stick around after school. While there are certainly times I’m envious of everything those other parents must be accomplishing when they get home right away after school, the truth of what my children and I are accomplishing ourselves makes me so very glad we choose to stay and play.

The post Tips for Surviving the Playground After School appeared first on SavvyMom.

Pumpkin carved and ready to glow outside? Check

Home transformed into a haunted house? Check

Halloween costume…

In my household, the next year’s Halloween costume was decided on November 1st. And for most moms, the costume is the first thing on the list. But what if your child changes their mind at the last minute? Or what if you suddenly realize you need a costume for yourself?

Actually throwing together a last-minute Halloween costume isn’t as difficult as you’d think (there’s always the classic bedsheet ghost, remember). A co-worker and myself were discussing this very topic just yesterday (we’re both considering using the same costumes for our toddlers as last year). My co-worker remembered how one Halloween her mother used a frilly tablecloth as a skirt, a blouse and a hat she had hanging on the wall to make her a Victorian lady costume. A friend of mine recently got creative with a plain cardboard box transformed into a makeshift mini-table with a hole to sit on her daughter’s head as a hat. Then she dressed her all in pink and she became ‘gum stuck under the table’.

So in the spirit of this fun conversation, we’ve rounded up some fav, homemade, last-minute Halloween costume ideas (in case you haven’t figured out yet what everyone will be wearing on the big night).

• Smartypants: Grab an old pair of pants, some empty Smarties boxes and a hot glue gun. Stick the boxes on the pants and you’ve got a fun outfit (just make sure you’ve told your child to wear a silly grin when they explain the costume).
• Make-Your-Own Superhero: Empty toilet paper rolls cut down the side and wrapped with tinfoil become power bracelets your kids can decorate. Old bed sheets or towels become capes. Colourful clothing with a special ‘letter’ stuck on the chest turns your child into whatever superhero they choose to be. Make-up is always a fun final touch.
• Paper Bag Princess: Take one of those empty leaf bags and transform it into an adorable dress. Create a make-shift crown from some construction paper (that your child can decorate) and you’ve got a great costume from one of our favourite books.
• Sports Hero: Just grab that sports equipment lying around and turn your little one into an athlete. For more fun, add some crazy make-up, give them a sign to carry and turn them into sports fans!
• Road: Dress your child in grey, then create road markings with yellow duct tape up the middle. You could even stick some dollar store plastic cars on as well.
• Egg Ideas: Dress all in white. Create two big yellow circles to stick on the tummy and back. Variations include creating little devil horns to be a ‘Deviled Egg’, or paint colourful dots around and you have an ‘Easter Egg’.
• Mom or Dad: Okay, so maybe this one is a bit of a stretch (but is a great idea for older kids who can wear the clothes).

The post Easy, Last-Minute Homemade Halloween Costumes appeared first on SavvyMom.