Help our family with childminding and/or other homestead tasks on Denman Island, BC, Canada

Details

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  Description

  Our family is very close and we like to spend time together. We spend a lot of time hiking, going to the beach, having campfires and dinners with friends.
  
  Grant is a carpenter and I (Lara) am a teacher. I work with university students who have learning disabilities. I work online and my office is in our house.
  
  We have 2 very sweet cats who spend most of their time outside. They will not be in your personal space unless you want them to be.
  
  Our home is located in a forested 4-acre plot of land, on a fairly remote island. It is a popular tourist destination for Canadians in the summertime especially. It is very beautiful here, with lots of wild areas, forests, trails, and beaches. We are hoping to find someone who will be happy with a more slow-paced lifestyle, exploring the local wild areas.
  
  We live about a 15-minute drive from our closest small town center. It is about 1 hour, including a short ferry ride, to get to the closest small city by car. We generally only go into the city every few weeks, if you want to go more often, we can drop you off at the ferry and you can take a bus in. There is a small bus on the island as well but doesn't run every day.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house
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  Interests

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Sustainability

  

  Self development

  

  Pets

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Farming

  

  Writing

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Gardening

  

  Photography

  

  Plant care

  

  Languages

  

  History

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Art & design

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Winter sports

  

  Water sports

  

  Nature

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Hiking

  

  Dancing

  

  Beach
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am a teacher and I have taught ESL to adults. I would be happy to help a guest with their English language development. I also work with neurodivergent students, so I would be happy to share my expertise in this area.
  
  I have been crocheting for over 10 years if the guest would like to learn this skill.
  
  We love to cook and bake a variety of dishes (we do eat a diet that is gluten and dairy free). The guest would be welcome to learn our culinary techniques.
  
  We also have a permaculture style garden where the guest would be welcome to help and learn the processes.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  We are looking for someone to help us care for our 6-year-old son Oak and 2-year-old daughter Beatrix. Oak and Beatrix are very active and a very happy child. We hope that the guest would enjoy spending time outside as that is where Oak likes to spend most of his time. We would also love for him to learn a new language so speaking your native language at our home is encouraged.
  
  We would only expect the visitor to help out 4 days a week (4-5 hours at a time). Most time would be spent caring for Beatrix and playing with Oak, but some light housekeeping-cooking related duties would be appreciated.
  
  As we may be hiring an au pair to help with our child care, we are also looking for someone to help us keep up with our 4 acre property. At the moment we need help with: weeding, mulching, getting the garden beds ready for winter, chopping wood, potential small building projects, helping to can food (tomatoes, fruits, etc.) for the winter.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Intermediate
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  I am a teacher. I taught ESL to adults. I learned French in school. I have traveled to many Spanish speaking countries. I would love to spend more time practicing these languages and sharing my knowledge of English.
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  Accommodation

  We have a small cosy cabin on the property where our guest would stay. It has electric heat, full bathroom with shower, kitchenette, fridge and a queen size bed.
  
  We also have a 26 foot RV which is fully equipped with water, electricity, heat, bathroom, kitchen, etc. this is our second housing option.
  
  Guests would be welcome to eat meals with us or to cook their own meals.

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  What else ...

  If the visitor has a valid Canadian license or international license they would be welcome to use my car to explore the islands and the local area. If not we can help them navigate the local busses. We also have bikes that can be used.
  
  There are many local places to hike and go to the beach. Mount Washington is only a 30 minute drive from the ferry if the visitor likes to ski or snowboard. Tofino is a few hours drive if the visitor likes to surf.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We haven't hosted anyone in a campervan yet but we would be open to discuss that as an option.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Depends on the pet, this would have to be arranged. It depends if the pet is friendly with kids and cats.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  Roland

  Osha (4 years)

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