On subways and other trains

As it is effectively the last week of summer and my husband is on vacation, we decided upon the theme “10 days of adventure” to celebrate the start of school!

Now, just to keep things in perspective, a walk to the nearest supermarket can constitute an adventure in our eyes, so some days may not be particularly ‘adventurous’, but surely our kids will think it is!

For our first adventure, we decided it was time to introduce our kids to the subway system, so we packed up (very lightly) on Friday evening and headed downtown to the Royal Ontario Museum.

Adventuring with kids tip #1: The ROM is free 1 1/2 hours before it closes everyday, and if you’re with small kids, that’s just about as much as they can handle! It is also half-priced on Fridays after 4pm.

We were on the subway back home at 10pm, which was quite an experience with 3 small kids, but they handled it pretty well, and the Toronto subway system is relatively safe.

On day 2 and 3, we took an impromptu trip to Ottawa to see Thomas the tank engine up close and personal.

Adventuring with kids tip #2: If you forget to bring milk for your baby, make sure that you send your husband with the empty bottle in search of sustenance, he will be looked upon kindly as the every-helpful dad. If, however, you have to go on this mission, be aware that you will be given looks of disapproval and disdain for being ‘the bad mother who forgot her baby’s milk’!

Stay tuned for more adventures and tips!

Thoughts from carrie

omg!!!! thomas the tank engine....my son loves him...imagine i am excited! zach’s birthday is 09/09/07 and we’re planning a thomas theme....it is however so darn expensive...could you believe that 8 cups with thomas on it is $30.00 TT...ridiculous i say....but for my son, it’s worth it...(next year when i visit canada you know we’ll be going to ottawa)

Thoughts from Don't Eat My Buchela!

OMG Shaz, tip #2 is soooooooo true!  I laughed out loud when I read it.  We still got a long ways to go.

Thoughts from Yolanda

What a neat idea- I can’t wait to read more of your adventures!

Thoughts from sf

This must have been exciting. I think the Shoe Museum on George st has a free day, am not sure if this is correct, I think it’s on tuesday of the end of the month(will double check). I went before I had kids. I so want to take the kids to the ROM but the young one is giving me lots of trouble not wanting to stay in the stroller so I still haven’t taken them yet. My oldest just loves the TTC! Next time inshallah, when you go on the subway, go on the first car(train). They can see the tunnel ahead and also see the approaching subway station. Thomas is not such a big hit in my house and my baby was scared of it when it starts, I have no idea why, but for the last few days, I see that she has outgrown that fear. Have fun and enjoy your summer.

Thoughts from shaz

carrie - your son would totally love it then! My kids are not even big Thomas fans, they just think that he’s cool. The event only comes at certain times during the year, so you’ll have to look it up.

Yemi - I know eh!!!

Yolanda - it’s day 6 and we are already TIRED!!!

sf - omg, I REALLY wanted to go to the shoe museum, I think it’s so fascinating! I’ll try the front car on the subway the next time, thanks!

Thoughts from jj

sounds like fun! we took Caleb and Jarrod on the Tank Engine adventure and had to drive a coupla hours to do so… So true on the hubby searchin’ for milk...oh the double standards...we HAVE to be super mom all the time, you know!