Monopoly was our quintessential family game when "little". In fact, the popular board game is relatively complex for young children. So it was a little older that we were playing.

But did you know that there is a "Junior" version for ages 5 and up? This is a significantly reduced version of the standard version. Thus, 2 to 4 players (children with or without adults) share the game board of 24 squares. The currency (Monopoly dollars) is simply denominations of $1. Have you come across the Pizzaria? The purchase price is $1. Are you buying Promenade? Get out your big $5!

Also, the concept of houses/hotels has been simplified. So, when buying land, we just need to deposit a token representing our pawn. When a player stops on our land, the amount of the invoice is the same as the purchase price. Ouch! This ensures that the games end quickly and last about twenty minutes.

Only “Chance” cards exist to enhance the game and sometimes help the less fortunate. But beware: it is still possible to fall on the “Prison” box!

We tried Monopoly Junior with a 4 year old and he quickly understood the rules. So don't hesitate to introduce your child to the interesting concepts that this game offers. It makes a great family activity and the game costs around $20.

This game exists in different themes: regular, Frozen, Disney Princess, etc. A good gift idea at a low price. This game is one of our favorites!

Radon is an odorless, colorless and radioactive gas. It is carcinogenic and kills 3000 people each year in Canada. According to studies, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Note that all homes may contain radon, especially newer homes.

With COVID-19, we spend a lot of time in our homes. The government therefore recommends testing our homes to detect the level of radon emitted. You may have received a notice in the mail to this effect or visited the Takeactionradon.ca site.

Fortunately, testing for radon at home is easy. Here are the required steps:

Step 1
Buy a screening kit. Health Canada recommends a long-term test for radon in the air. The AccuStar Canada Alpha Track AT100 test is one of those approved. It costs $39.95 CAD (you can buy 2 tests for $59.95). Your test will arrive with instructions for use and an envelope ready for return.

Step 2
You will receive the alpha trace dosimeter test in a sealed bag. You must identify a room to leave the test. For example, the family room, living room or bedrooms are good choices because we spend more time there. Do not test the kitchen, bathrooms or wardrobes.

Step 3
Open the sealed bag and set up the test in the room of your choice, following the directions in the instructions. We chose to put the test on a nursery dresser. Leave the dosimeter on for 91 to 365 days.

Step 4
In a few months, you will need to mail the test using the return envelope in order to get the lab results.

According to Health Canada, upon achieving a radon level of 200 Bq/m3 (Becquerel of radon per cubic meter of air) or higher, you should install a radon level abatement system. Hopefully, it won't and your test will stay below that value.

Having said that, it is a test we should all do at least once in our home to ensure the health of our families. We will sleep better afterwards!

It is normal for a toddler to wet the bed. However, by the age of 5, if this problem persists, we should start paying attention. It should still be put in context that 9% of children between 5 and 10 years old have nocturnal enuresis.

Tip 1: Don't lose patience!
As parents, we must not lose patience with this problem and not blame our child. Rather, we need to help him get through this period when self-esteem can be affected.

Tip 2: anxiety or fear
Is the bedroom or hallway to the toilet too dark for your child to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom? Does your child have anxiety or nightmares? You have to be attentive to the needs and state of mind which may have a connection with the problem.

Tip 3: Reduce fluids at night
Obviously, drinking more fluids during the day and less in the evening is essential.

Tip 4: Empower your child
A pee in the night? No problem. Ask your child to help you help wash the pajamas and bed sheets the next day.

Tip 5: Wake him up at night
Wake your child up at a specific time when you know they should urinate normally. But if your child is sleeping soundly, don't push it.

Tip 6: Use a "wet stop" (wet alarm)
Sometimes your child does not feel the urge to urinate. There are small devices that detect the first drops and emit sounds to wake up the child. This has been shown to have positive effects in allowing a better understanding of the needs of the body. You still have to be patient, but after a few weeks of use you can already see improved results.

For example, we tested the Wet-Stop3 alarm. This small device works with 2 AAA batteries. It is possible to put in vibration, sound or vibration-sound modes. The sound is loud and the child wakes up every time. A cable with a liquid detector is attached to your child's panties. It should be placed on the front of the panties in order to detect urine early on. A button on the side silences the alarm.

The Wet-Stop3 comes in three colors: blue, green or pink. It retails for $66.99 CAD. It was designed by a pediatric urologist and is suitable for both boys and girls.

Tip 7: Motivation
It is good to find a system to motivate our child during successes, for example a calendar with stickers and maybe a small reward after a few days without pee.

For example, why not give your child some new panties according to their current taste?

"Cord-free. Hassle-free." This is a good summary of our use of the Dyson V7 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. We have used this vacuum cleaner at Bouge Petit for several months and it is remarkable to see how many of our customers ask us our opinion on it. So we decided to share our analysis here.

The V7 vacuum is not our first experience with Dyson products. We started with the Dyson DC36 vacuum cleaner, a wired model. Although handy, this model was not particularly practical with its short electric wire. In addition, its dustbin emptying system was not very easy to use.

The main feature of the Dyson is the bagless dust bin. This makes the use of these vacuum cleaners very convenient as there is no need to buy bags. In addition, Dyson vacuums are well known for their power and efficiency.

After our Dyson DC36, we had our first experience of cordless vacuum with the model Dyson V6. However, this model had a problem and the suction hose sometimes blocked. Two V6 vacuum cleaners tested had the same problem. It seems that the V7 model fixes that.

After a charge of about 3 hours, the V7 vacuum is ready for use. The device is well in hand and weighs 5.2 pounds, which is light enough to walk the device up the stairs.

​You simply press the red button to start the device. Everything is very intuitive; even our two years old started using the vacuum cleaner to help us!

There is another switch button which defines the power of the device: either regular or maximum (MAX). At regular power, you can count up to 30 minutes of battery life. In maximum power, the duration is much shorter, up to about 8 minutes.

The "V7 Animal" model comes with a motorized brush. There are other V7 models with different brushes, like the Dyson V7 Motorhead and the Dyson V7 Absolute. In our case, even if the model bears the word "Animal" and we do not have animals at Bouge Petit (except plastic ones), the brush is very effective to clean all of our space.

The brush is excellent, especially on carpets, where the dirt comes to settle. To do a good cleaning of carpets, it is sometimes necessary to activate the power with MAX. That's when you feel the power of this cordless vacuum cleaner.

A transparent bin picks up dust and gives a quick indication whether to empty it. To empty it, it's very simple: put the bin over a trash can and pull the red tab on the top of the device. Everything falls directly in the trash and generally there is nothing left to get with the fingers. Then close the tray and that's it!

The device comes with other small accessories that allow for a thorough cleaning. You can even use the device without the large suction hose, which allows use like a portable mini vacuum cleaner.

The Dyson V7 Animal Vacuum cleaner is available at an approximate price of $500. Note that sometimes it can be found at a discount in-store and online.

Our opinion: The Dyson V7 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a significant improvement over wired vacuum cleaners. Faster to use, no wires to plug/unplug, good power for most needs. In short, we cannot do without it! The price may seem a little high, but if you compare all the benefits, it's worth it. There is also a newer and powerful V8 model, but also a little more expensive.

​Hope this will help you in your decision! Feel free to share your experience with your favorite vacuum cleaner in our comments section below.