👀 Scroll for your parent-friendly business news, funding and opportunities ⬇️

Back from a winter break (with all 3 kids), unschooling and unplugging ✈️🌏

Our family of five spent the past few weeks in Ireland, where the kids caught up with cousins, explored outdoors and we largely ignored all school work.

Instead we visited places we've never been, took them to places important to us and our history, learned through doing and spent a LOT of time together.

I didn't log on to social media or write a newsletter during this time. I guess it's called 'unschooling' or 'homeschooling' for the kids.

We drove a mini bus / people carrier on the opposite side of the road, cooked using a turf fired range, drank many cups of tea, played different sports, listened to live trad music and walked over 5 kms most days.

Is sounds magical as I write it but of course there were many stressful kid and travel related logistics issues and problems that occurred. More on that another day.

For now, these are the things I actively practice when travelling with kids under age 10, which can conveniently apply to attending events with your kids:

• Pack one diaper per hour of travel/time away from home
• A roll of paper towel/tissue and extra garbage bags tucked into your stroller or bag in case of emergency
• Non-perishable snacks and fruit with peels for unexpected breaks or waiting times
• Get comfortable with asking for help and accepting it in all forms when it arrives
• Deep breathing can help but sometimes you need to do a silent scream in a public washroom stall, repeat as needed

Moving abroad or travelling as a means to redesign your work, your life and prioritize your needs as a family?

This article from Romper features American families who've recently moved to Europe and Africa. It spoke to me and I wanted to share it with you if you're thinking of changing your work/home location...or travelling in future with young kids!

As a mother of three Dual Citizen kiddos, partner and sponsor of a newcomer to Canada, we've relocated multiple times before kids and with a baby to Australia, Ireland and England. All have required different sponsorship, visa and immigration applications and procedures. Since returning to Canada, we've travelled to reconnect with family when our kids were babies, toddlers and now school age kids.

Why should you care? Many parents attending my babies and business meetups and events over the years have relocated from another city or country, people I've met and connected with doing remote work or running their own business have shared their personal approaches to schooling or unschooling their kids, structuring their workflows and home life. These things are often intertwined.

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, I'm happy to hear from you – just hit reply.

– Amy Lynch (+ Family)

Founder, Event + Podcast Host

Mixing Babies And Business™

• Explore my digital resource hub
• Connect with me on LinkedIn

 LOOKING FOR MORE?  TUNE INTO THE MIXING BABIES AND BUSINESS™ PODCAST

• Four seasons of interviews with parents who are also business owners and community leaders
• BONUS solo episodes from me (Amy Lynch) about podcasting while pregnant and with a newborn, doing remote work with kids and hosting parent-friendly events and experiences

Streaming now across your favourite platforms!

🔊 Listen on on iTunes | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | Website 🔊

🌟 If you enjoy it, please leave a review or share with your network, as it helps other parents find the podcast! 🌟

 PARENT-FRIENDLY  BUSINESS NEWS / OPPORTUNITIES / EVENTS

Spreading the word and business goodness for parents like you:

• PITCHING: Watch the replay of my recent Baby In The Boardroom: Pitching + Presenting With Kids Online Workshop for the WE-CAN Project at Queen's University.

• SUPPORT: Startup Canada is launching their Startup Women Advocacy Network (SWAN) programming on March 8th, including webinars, workshops, funding and 1:1 mentorship support.

• FUNDING: Global Fund For Women is accepting applications on an ongoing basis for applications outside of the United States for grants between $5K to $30K.

• FUNDING: Canada's Total Mom Pitch is now accepting applications for your chance to receive a $50K CAD grand prize – watch the Rogers TV interview and apply online by Monday, March 20th.

• FUNDING: Ignite Digital is offering free online training, grants ($2.4K CAD or $15K CAD) and resources to support women and underserved entrepreneurs and businesses throughout the months of February and March, funded by the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP).

• FUNDING: Futurpreneur Canada is offering the Black Entrepreneur Startup Program with access to $60K in financing loans from RBC and BDC, mentorship and resources, as well as a separate financing program for entrepreneurs aged 18-39 years old of $60K in financing loans from the same banks.

• NETWORK: In celebration of Black History Month, the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) is hosting a virtual event Celebrating Black Women Entrepreneurs in Trade with the Africa Trade Desk, on Tuesday, February 28th.

• NETWORK: Join Capital Angel Network, Invest Ottawa and BDC at their Women Angel Investor Breakfast online or in person on Tuesday, February 28th.

• NETWORK: Elevate International is hosting a Black History Month Closing Celebration on Parliament Hill the evening of Tuesday, February 28th to recognize Black Women's Leadership.

• NETWORK: StrikeUP: Digital Conference for Women Entrepreneurs takes place on Thursday, March 2nd.

• NETWORK: The G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (YEA) Summit hosted by Young Indians (YI) in New Delhi, India will take place from July 13-16, 2023 and Futurpreneur Canada is accepting applications from YEA Ambassadors to join the delegation this summer until Thursday, March 23rd.

• WELLNESS: Founders Fund is hosting their latest Seasons of Success: Spring Event for women entrepreneurs to support mental health and wellbeing on Thursday, March 30th.

• WELLNESS: Check out the Mixing Babies + Business Remote Work [Virtual] Retreat [available on demand] if you're seeking a simple and refreshing way to reassess your current work and life routines.

REMOTE WORK RETREAT

Crafted with 💜 and care in Canada

Sending you positive vibes and parenthood solidarity ✨

Copyright © 2016–2023 Amy Maureen Lynch, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email as you have indicated your interest in Mixing Babies And Business™ / Babies, Business + Breakfast™ and/or registered via our online opt-in. We don't SPAM, do third party advertising or share your details. Only parenthood and professional development goodness to keep you motivated and informed!