Is there a Toronto tribe?

[Joyster]

I see folks posting here from Toronto and see other cities have their tribes, so I'm hoping we can get our own tribe/chatting going.

I'm Joy, I have three boys, 5, 3, and 1 month. I live in Scarborough on a quiet little street-as my kids would say, in the forest. I can get to the eastern core in about 20 minutes if the stars align and magic happens and the DVP is moving. Otherwise, I can usually get to the Beach taking another route. I grew up downtown and in the eastern part of the city, so am completely unfamiliar with anything west of Bathurst, but have car, will travel and am always looking to expand my horizons. I used to work in social services, mainly with abused women and children and gave that up for being a SAHM. I couldn't really do both.

I like to read, go for nature walks, hang out with friends, discuss politics-though I have to be really good *g*, cook/bake, write/blog, cross stitch if I have the time. I'm currently spending a great deal of time nursing, so am catching up on about 5 years of TV. lol Would love to chat with fellow Torontonian mamas.

[quiet_hands]

I'm also wondering if there is a Toronto tribe... More specifically, a Durham Region (or Whitby) tribe.

I'm Cynthia, I have one daughter who is 19 months old. We've been working on a sibling for about three months. Hopefully we'll be blessed with one soon. We live in Whitby, actually we live in a small town just north of Whitby, named Brooklin... Which is about 20 minutes north of the 401. I don't frequent the city often, but I love to do things around the city, like the zoo, the ROM and the Science Centre. However, my best friend who is a fellow tribe member, she lives downtown and any excuse to let me see her... well, I jump at that chance.

I just visited a farm about 20 minutes east of Brooklin, called Svetec Farms. I think I spotted some fellow tribe members there... It was nice to see that I'm not the only "not normal" one. I just recently found out that only 3% of Durham Region's babies are exclusively breastfed. That made my heart break and made me feel even less normal.

I'm starting to really believe that homeschooling is the way to go. Since I started to think about homeschooling (three months ago), I've met at least 6 women, by coincidence, who homeschool... So I feel like that's the direction I'm being led to. However, I'm scared as hell to start any research. Cloth diapering research was scary enough.

I would love to chat with other Toronto mamas as well... We need to stick together and share our knowledge!

And, HI JOY!

[CinCanada]

Hi Ladies!
I'm Carolyn & I live right in between the two of you in Ajax. I've got a 26mos old DD & another one on the way for May 2011.
I would love to be a even little further out of the city but both my DH & I work right downtown.
Cynthia, as scary as it is at first I think you'll be surprised about how much of an AP community there is in Durham! The LLL groups are great places to start & I know a number of mom's that homeschool that I've met through various groups & just from walking my neighbourhood wearing my daughter.
We love stuff like the zoo too & have been spending lots of time lately at Pingles & Lynde Shores. Svetic farms is fantastic too, they've been at the Vandermeer's farmers market all summer which has been great. We actually visited the Svetic farm in the spring & I know that she homeschools her kids.

Weekends seem to be so busy lately but I'm sincerely hoping to leave my job & become a SAHM once#2 arrives. I'll definitely be looking for meet ups at that point but in the mean time I am ALWAYS eager to chat & share knowledge with other mommas in the area!
(p.s. not quite sure if I'm allowed to post this but there is also a good local chat group on yahoo called Koala mammas that covers Toronto through to Durham Region)

[Cujobunny]

I'm here, and I know lots of Toronto moms are! Joy, we have "met" before, here and on Scarboroughmoms

I am Amanda, a 35yo SAHM to Trent age 5.5, Bridget age 3 and a little one on the way in February who we currently refer to as Marvin (ds' idea ). We live in Scarborough near Warden & Danforth.

[luv_my_babes]

Hello!
I'm a 27 year old University student and I live in North York with my husband. We have 3 children, a boy (6), a girl (5) and a baby boy (5 months).
We're def. the "radical" parents in my parenting group, so its nice to see other natural minded mamas from T.O.

[Joyster]

I had all but abandoned hope about this thread. I think us GTA moms don't check in on this as much. My mom friends are pretty laid back, but most of them secretly think I'm nuts for homebirthing and that I'm anal about food (however passionate) and discipline.

My friend who lives in Whitby loves Pingles farm. Are there any farms that folks know about that stay open year around. Not so much for activities, but just buying food? Whittamore's is the closest to me, so I've been going there, but they're done for the season. I just love getting local produce.

Cujobunny, I didn't realize you were that close. I'm just off McCowan near Thompson park.

I'm definitely not about the homeschooling, I'm not organized enough for that. My guys go to a Montessori here in Scarberia, but my oldest is "graduating" this year and I've been agonizing about where to send him next. It's such a small, loving, nurturing school. He's thrived so well and I want to find one like it. We're going to be talking with the Directress, and I am going in with a mission to convince her to do lower elementary and work my way up as my sons get older. *G* At this point I'm so anxious about putting my guy in another school, I'm ready to invest money to make it happen, although I might have to convince DH on that note.

[Kuba'sMama]

Hello from the West End!

Hi, I'm from Etobicoke, west of the city. I have a son 7, and two daughters 4 and 5 mos. My neighbourhood is actually very AP-friendly, which I realize is unique to the city. Here it seems homebirthing, extended breastfeeding, etc is the norm! Most of my best friends/acquaintances have done/are doing both. I love where I live Nice to meet you all. I wonder if there any other West end mamas on here.

[MamaKickyPants]

I'm in the west end too! We live in the Junction - LOVE the neighbourhood and I'd say people are moderately crunchy here -most mamas breastfeed, a fair bit of babywearing, lots of people use midwives, I even know several families who had a homebirth! Vaccines, schooling, discipline and sleep are harder to find people who share my thoughts on those, but everyone is pretty open-minded (well, except when it comes to the vaxes). We love being able to walk to everything we need, and being close to the subway is great too. I'm starting to think about where we want to send our little guy for school (he is 2.5). There is a good public alternative school that we will cross our fingers about getting into and there is a k-8 Montessori school that could be our other option, we'll see! Both DH and I love our jobs, so we'd rather not homeschool, but it's an option if necessary. Good to see everyone on here! I often see Toronto Mamas on other threads and it's such a big city, it's not so hard to find like-minded people.

[RoseMcNeill]

Hi Everyone! Not a Toronto Mom, but from Durham Region - Clarington to be specific.  I have a 4 year old daughter and 2 month old son.

Not quite as AP-friendly out here as the Toronto some of you are describing. Since I started babywearing with DD in '06 I've seen maybe 3 or 4 others ... and I often get odd looks when I wear DS. I think people around here are mostly only aware of the Snuggli-type carrier. I've been pleasantly surprised with the acceptance of public breastfeeding. We nurse everywhere/anywhere and don't really make many attempts to cover up and have yet to be on the receiving end of any rude comments - that being said I have to admit I've only ever seen one other Mom breastfeed in public in my area.  Delayed/ selective vaccinating is apparently unheard of according to DD's school. I get a lot of flack for co-sleeping and other AP practices, but I think things are slowly changing - we have our first midwifery practice, so that's a great start!

Nice to see some like minded people from the area. I love hanging out with my "mom" friends but find we don't share a lot of the same views on parenting. I only have one other friend who breastfed past 3 months, homebirths and cosleeps, and alas she is in Markham - so its great to have an online community to chat about AP issues. Even my own partner doesnt 'get it'. He often sits back and rolls his eyes at me thinking I'm far too 'alternative'.

Rose.

[chkpea]

I though I might chime in my two sense although my kids aren't babies anymore - 7 and 5 (in another week).  I too live in the Durham Region.  I breastfed both of my boys until they self weaned.  I used our LLL - I found it a great place to meet like minded moms/families.  There is also a AP durham group - I believe you join through Yahoo. It hasn't been as active as of late but I know the group has around 40 members.  There are some great naturopaths around as well that are good sources for where to get things local.  As for local food - right now your are really just looking at some meat produces, eggs, apples and potatoes.  We frequented the farmers market at the Oshawa Centre this summer - Fridays.  Some organic farmers.  You really don't have to travel far before you are hitting ag land. Hy Hope farm has a great bakery.  WindReach Farm is a great farm to go for a day visit - year round.  The one thing that I have noted and I have noticed that this has changed in the last few years is the amount of moms that are bottle feeding.  It's unreal.  I just heard of two moms who just had babies and who I thought would be breastfeeders - nope - right from the get go - bottles.  Our health dept. used to have a breastfeeding dept. and I am not sure if this has been stressed less.  What is up?  Oh and the other place to find local food is if you go to the durham region website and it lists all the farms that sell farm fresh.  Hope this is helpful.

[Lea77]

Hello Toronto (and area) moms! I'm a first-time mom-to-be (I'm 39 weeks pregnant), and I live in the Annex area. I'm planning a home water-birth, and am really lucky to have a very supportive and enthusiastic husband who is behind me 100%. I will be breastfeeding, and am committed to sticking with it even if it isn't easy in the beginning. We also plan to co-sleep, although I have purchased the arm's reach co-sleeper to use for the first little while. I'm also looking into delayed/ selective vaxing, and am definitely into baby-wearing. We have many friends with kids, although I have the feeling that several of them think I'm a bit strange due to the parenting ideas I have mentioned. I am really happy to find this community of like-minded moms. It's so nice to know that there are lots of well-informed parents in my city who share similar feelings about parenting. What a valuable resource!

[ButtonGirl]

Hi Toronto ladies!

Thought I would join in on the chat. My name is Kelly. I am in Vaughan, first time mum of a 3 1/2 month old wonderful little girl. I've been enjoying all the learning that motherhood brings, even though SO many things have not turned out in ways I've expected, it's been a pretty amazing experience so far all the same. I've found AP fits in with all the philosophy I didn't even realize I had until baby came along (particularly as I was not able to breastfeed very long) so things like babywearing, co-sleeping, etc. have contributed greatly to our bonding experience. I am currently loving the year-long maternity leave available in Canada (I am from the US, and the envy of all my friends/family there) and already agonizing about going back to work...I can't imagine leaving my little button!  (button girl is my nickname for her ;)

In other areas, we've delayed vaccination by a month (wanted to go later, but traveling internationally with her at Christmas time, so made the decision to go ahead), and don't plan to have flu shots or chicken pox vaxes, among other things. We love the Moby Wrap (and have interest in all baby carriers), plan to make all our own baby food (excited to get the Super Baby Food book by Ruth Yaron for Christmas - any other book recommendations on this topic would be appreciated!), and are very interested in the possibility of homeschooling as well.

Our ultimate dream is to have 4 little ones and live in the country (or at very least create a great garden here outside our city home), and to have the ability for me to be a SAHM while our kids are young, though not sure how possible it will be (Oh - and I do want to eventually go to school for midwifery, and possibly study to be a doula in the meantime).

Anyway, would love the chance to join in with you other mums in discussion, particularly to have the opportunity to learn and ask questions of those of you who have done it for awhile!  Looking forward to making new connections. :) 

[dgibbs]

hey all, im a 28 year old mother of two. I'm also a Torontonian! Good to meet y'all!

[singin_angel]

Hi!

Thought I would join in too! I am in North York and mom to a 3 year old daughter and one on the way! I'm a doula, childbirth educator, and La Leche League Leader on top of everything else. 

I am a big breastfeeding and baby wearing advocate and haven't seen too many others baby wearing, I figure I will help get it going. 

My daughter has taught me a lot about peaceful parenting and meeting her where she is right from the start. She was born a few weeks early and developmentally has had a few challenges but caught up nicely. In that respect, I simply encourage her, and am always amazed at how she overcomes challenges. Parenting sure is awesome! 

Glad to see other mamas on MDC!

[Pineapple Head]

Hi all, another t.dot mama here. I just had my first 3 months ago, Clover, she is amazing and a really laid back happy baby. We planned a home water birth but after 3 days of labour at home we were sent to the hospital to get some monitoring and various things later(meconium, she wouldn't come down, heart rate etc) she came out via C/S which revealed that she had a short cord that was wrapped around her leg twice so would not have come out. We breastfeed,cosleep, babywear most of the time and cloth diaper at home(most of the time). I'm still figuring out what to do about vaccines and haven't found a ped yet.

I'm in the east end, danforth and woodbine area. Most of my friends have babies but I'm the only AP.

[Hesperia]

Hello! 

Moving to Toronto for April, just coming in to wave and look forward to meeting some of you! 

[SangineDawn]

Hi! 

I live in Ajax and work in Toronto!  Thought I would say hello.

I have 5 children, 4 bio kids and one step daughter. I am an AP, breastfeeding, baby wearing, Vegan momma. My SO and I are working to have my tubal reversed and have a child together. 

I am still learning my way around Durham and all it has to offer. I am part of an Organic Food Coop that is pretty awesome. 

Hope to get to know everyone! 

[willow75]

Hello fellow Toronto (and area) moms.  I am a new mom (my son is 9 months old) living in the King West area of downtown Toronto.

[skern]

Another West-ender here.  We live not quite in the Junction, and not quite in Corso Italia.  I like to say we live in the crotch of the tracks - a wee area that has been overlooked in neighbourhood naming (seriously, it's all industrial grey on neighbourhood maps, like no one lives here...).  I had to think a while before I could describe our home relationships as I've never really put title to them.  My son (now 3) made it very clear from the beginning that I had a lot of work, and a steep learning curve ahead of me if I wanted to have peace in my house, and peace in myself (I didn't want "tearing my hair out" to be part of my job description).  So far, what works for us is being a bed-sharing, breastfeeding, un-vaccinated, life learning house of... well, if I look at my living room right now... house of chaos.

[lonegirl]

Hi Ladies,

We, too, are in Etobicoke.  LongBranch to be exact.  we moved to the area nearly 2 years ago and previous to that was in an apartment in the Yonge and Eglinton area for 12 years (I miss that area).

Aside from going to the park and libraries we haven't been active in the community.  I homeschool my son and keep meaning to go to homeschool groups but timing always seems to be off.